Thai Chicken Pizza

I am making this as we speak.
Yes, it is 11:45 PM.
That's how much I love and crave it.
You should at least double this recipe everytime you make it.
Trust me.

pizza dough - store bought or homemade
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 Tb. canola oil
1 Tb. soy sauce
3 green onions, chopped
shredded carrots
bean sprouts
2 c. mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Peanut Sauce
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. creamy PB
3 Tb. soy sauce
3 Tb. water
2 Tb. canola oil
2 tsp. minced garlic

Bake pizza crust as directed.

In saucepan, combine all the ingredients for peanut sauce. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, 10-15 min. or until thickened. Set aside to cool.

Stir fry chicken in oil + soy sauce until completely cooked.

Spread peanut sauce over baked pizza crust. Top with toppings (except cilantro). Bake at 350 degrees or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with cilantro.

You can thank me later. :)

Spaghetti Carbonara - EASY

This is sort of a family recipe in that several of us in the Busath family use it - but I think we got it from Grandma Laugenour.

This can easily be "fatted" down by using lower fat ingredients. Parmesan cheese is pretty low cal as it is. Or cut down on eggs and or butter. It has bacon, but it is just bacon bits - also could be toned down with a different "leaner" type salty meat or just don't put as much in but crumble it up more.

When we first got the recipe I think we learned that Mrs. Laugenour "baked" the bacon on brown paper bags. She cut the bacon in to pieces before baking it. I often cut the bacon up as well before I fry it - it just seems easier to handle that way.

Spaghetti Carbonara
serves 5-6

1 lb spaghetti cooked
1 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
2 eggs - stirred up
1/2 cup butter melted
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Cook spaghetti. In the meantime, cook bacon -
About 5 minutes before spaghetti is done mix the other ingredients together minus eggs and bacon. Drain the spaghetti and place in serving bowl then pour the mixture over the hot spaghetti - add the eggs, they will cook in the hot spaghetti. Add the bacon bits. Salt and pepper to taste.

Easy Chicken Kiev

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Carrie, who got it from her mother-in-law's ward cookbook. We love it. It's like eating something from a restaurant.

1/2 C. dry bread crumbs
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 T. Parmesan cheese
2/3 C. melted butter
1/4 C. green onions, chopped
1 C. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 C. apple juice, room temp.
1/4 C. fresh parsley, snipped
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil and oregano. Dip chicken in melted butter and then bread crumb mixture. Place in ungreased dish. Bake at 375 for 50 minutes. Add remaining ingredients to the rest of the butter and pour over chicken. Bake 5-10 more minutes. Serve immediately.
I have one tip. I like the apple juice to be room temp because when it's cold it hardens the butter when you add them all together at the end.
Enjoy!

Fried Noodles (Like Panda's but better!)

So I've had a few people ask about my fried noodles, so I figured I'd post it here too.

Super easy. This is just for 1; I recommend doing 1 package of noodles or so per person.

1 package Top Roman Noodles
Cabbage
Bean Sprouts
Garlic
Soy Sauce
Veg Oil
Sesame Oil
(Add in any other veggies you like, and you can add chicken too!)

Cook the noodles per their package instructions. Drain and RINSE with COLD water. This makes it so they don't stick! Heat a bit of oil (just enough to coat the bottom of the pan) and add in garlic. Saute and then add cabbage and any other veggies you want. (If you are doing chicken, cook it ahead of time, but once its cooked, add it back in again now). Then throw in the noodles! Stir around for a bit, add some soy sauce and a bit of sesame seed oil and you are done!

Chicken with Vegetables in Orange Juice Slurry

This is very very yummy - but it is labor intensive (at least beyond my comfort level) But if you like your veges sauteed in yummy drippings this maybe a recipe for you.

Chicken with Vegetables
Serves 4-6

1 3 1/2 lb broiler-fryer, cut up
salt
salad oil
1/2 16 ounce bag carrots
1 medium-size onion
1 medium-size zucchini (about 10 ounces)
1 medium-size yellow straightneck squash (about 10 ounces)
1 10-ounce package medium-size mushrooms
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 14 1/2 to 16 ounces can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

About 1 hour before serving:

Remove skin from chicken pieces except wings. Sprinkle chicken with 1 teaspoon salt. In 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat, in 2 tablespoons hot salad oil, cook chicken until golden on all sides. Remove chicken to plate.

Meanwhile, cut carrots into 2 1/2 inch long pencil thin strips; cut onion into 1/4 inch thick slices. Cut zucchini and yellow squash into 1 1/2 inch chunks; cut each mushroom in half if large.

When chicken is browned, in drippings in skillet and 2 tablespoons additional salad oil, cook carrots, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until vegetables are browned and tender crisp. With slotted spoon, remove carrot mixture to bowl. In oil remaining in skillet, cook zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt until vegetables are lightly browned and tender crisp; remove to bowl with carrots and onion.

In 1-cup measuring cup, stir together orange juice, flour, and 3/4 cup water. Into same skillet, stir orange juice mixture and stewed tomatoes; over high heat, heat to boiling. Return chicken to skillet; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 25 minutes. Stir in vegetables; over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5-10 minutes longer until vegetables are tender and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with knife. Stir in chopped basil.

hints/tips - when I've made this I've used an electric fry pan and usually don't use a whole chicken but already cut up thighs, breasts etc

Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce - EASY

This really should be called Chicken in Alfredo sauce because that's what it is.

I'd forgotten about this recipe and I'm glad I found it. I think almost everyone likes this one.

Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce
makes 4 (1 1/2 cup) servings

1 tablespoon oil
1 lb fresh chicken tenders
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (16 oz) pkg refrigerated fresh broccoli and carrots
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 (10 oz) container refrigerated Alfredo sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Heat oil in 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 4-5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.

Add vegetables and water; cook 5 - 7 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center and vegetables are tender, stirring frequently.

Stir in all remaining ingredients. Cook 2-3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.

hints/tips - I'm sure you can see all the many substitutions you can use. I make it with bottled Alfredo sauce. I've never had it with the nuts - my fam are not fans - but I'd love it with nuts in it.

Fettuccine with Chicken and Herbed Vegetables

This is one of the "one hit wonders." I loved it but my family did not - plus there was a lot of chopping up etc but otherwise it does come together quickly.

It's from a check-out counter magazine rack cookbook - 30-Minute Meals with Chicken and Ground Beef

Fettuccine with Chicken and Herbed Vegetable - 6 servings

12 oz uncooked fettuccine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 lb bonelesss skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small green bell pepper, cut into bite sized strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, sliced
3 large tomatoes, seeded, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 oz (1/2 cup) shredded fresh parmesan cheese

Cook fettuccine to desired doneness. Drain: cover to keep warm

Meanwhile, heat oil in 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; cook 2-3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken, bell pepper, garlic, salt and pepper; mix well. Cook 5-6 minutes or until chicken is browned and no longer pink in center, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini, tomatoes, basil and oregano; cook 5-6 minutes or until zucchini is tender, stirring occasionally.

Place cooked fettuccine on serving platter; spoon chicken and vegetable mixture over top. Sprinkle with cheese.

My hints/tips - (how can I have hints/tips if I've only made this once? - well I do) You can use left over chicken. Vege prep can be done hours earlier. Sub out veges you don't like as much for veges you like better.

Swedish Meatballs

So I often don't follow a recipe, and I'm also only cooking for one =]

1 lb ground beef (this makes 15 meatballs, 5 per person)

1 egg

Parmesan Cheese

Stuffing/Bread Crumbs

Garlic Salt/Pepper

Rice

Can of Cream of Mushroom soup

Milk

Oven at 375

Mix the beef with the egg. Add in probably...1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and some stuffing or bread crumbs. Mix together!

Grease pan and roll meatballs and place in the pan. Bake for about 20 mins or until fully cooked. After they are cooked, or right before they are done, I like to turn the oven up to 425 and brown them for about 2-3 mins.

While the meatballs are cooking, start cooking the rice. I use a rice cooker, and make 2 "rice cooker cups" of rice, and that is enough for me for 3 meals. For the sauce, use 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and about 1/2-3/4 can of milk. Put the meatballs in and simmer the sauce.

And there you have it!! Swedish meatballs! My favorite meal ever! So much that I eat it for 3 meals in a row =]

Turkey Chili

Turkey Chili - Lili style!

2 lbs ground turkey
2 small onions (or one large), chopped
2 red peppers, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 16 oz cans of kidney beans, undrained (dump the whole can in!)
2 cans of garbanzo beans
1 cans of white beans
1 tsp of basil
1 can (14.5 oz) of tomato sauce
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

1-3 tbsp of chili powder (based on how spicy you like it!)
1-2 tsp of cumin (to taste)
Salt to taste
Additional garlic powder, if more flavor is needed (or just use garlic salt!)

A little bit (1/4 tsp) sugar

Side note: I like to add diced or stewed tomatoes to the mix as well
to add some bit more texture to the chili. In fact, you can add
whatever beans you like, whatever types of tomatoes you like...just
add stuff that you think are delicious and just make sure that you're
adding enough spices to spice up the juices :-) If it's too "runny"
add more beans that have been drained.

Brown ground turkey in a frying pan. Drain fat and remove from pan.
In a large stock pot, saute garlic, onions and peppers in a tbsp of
olive oil until onions cook through (about 5-7 minutes). Add turkey
into the onion/peppers mix and all the rest of the ingredients and
stir together and season. Bring to a boil and then turn to low heat
and simmer for an hour. Serve with cheese, sour cream and
tortilla chips!

Delicious (& EASY!) Bread!

Peasant Bread recipe

2 cups of warm water

1 tbsp of yeast (or one package)

1 tbsp of sugar

3-4 cups of flour

2 tsp salt

Mix the water, yeast and sugar together in a bowl. Let sit for two minutes. Add flour and salt to the water mixture and mix together all in the same bowl. ( I start with three cups of flour and then add as much as needed after that until it isn't sticky.) Once all mixed together, cover with a towel and let it rise until doubled in size (about an hour.)

Prep a baking sheet by spraying it with nonstick spray and sprinkling it with cornmeal. Divide the dough in half, form into two equal size balls and put side by side on a cookie sheet. Cover and let rise again for about an hour.

Right before baking, melt some butter (I use salted, because I like the saltiness of it!) and brush the tops of the loaves right before putting them in the oven.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes and then reduce oven temp to 375 degrees and bake for another 15-18 minutes (depending on how big your loaves are!)

SOOO delicious! I like to cut them in wedges, but slices work just as great! And serve with cold, salted butter and jam and honey!!

The Beginning

So here we go family! We have a recipe blog! I love what Julie said, "I want something scrumdiddlyumptious for din dins but I don't know Scrum diddly about what to make". And therefore, we have the Scrum Diddly blog!

Just some FYI:
I've left the comments open for people with Google accounts (no anonymous comments) so that we can comment on each other's recipes.
I've made the blog unsearchable so that if people are searching for recipe blogs, ours doesn't come up = no random comments (hopefully!)

So I don't know if we want to just post recipes whenever, or have some order so that we actually post recipes =]

And please make any changes to the blog you would like! Or let me know and I'll change them.

OOOH And we should use tags. This will help organize the recipes, so if someone is looking for desserts, they can click on the dessert tag and it will bring up all recipes that are desserts. For things like dinner, if it is chicken, tag it as dinner and chicken. Just a thought for making things simple.

Feel free to add to this post (write in a different color and leave your name so we know what you wrote and who you are =]])

I'm excited! Hope you all are too!

And I invited all family members whose email address I had, so please add more if I didn't!

-Andrea