Tuna Swirls

I made this for dinner this evening and it is a fast and easy meal for when you don't know what to make and you are running out of time. It comes from an old cookbook I have had since I got married. It is Betty Crocker's "Good and Easy Cookbook" and I have made it through the years and enjoyed it. I have made a few changes each time I make it so will give you my latest version with the changes listed as optional. I didn't have celery tonight so left that out. I also left the mushrooms out of the gravy as my men-folk don't appreciate them. Might seem like a lot to do with three recipes to create this dish, but they are all very quick and easy to do.

Tuna Swirls

2 - 7 oz. cans Tuna, drained (could use canned chicken)
1 C diced celery
1/2 C mayonnaise
2 TBS finely chopped onion
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS chopped red pepper (optional)
1 boiled egg, chopped (optional
1 recipe of Stir-N-Roll Biscuit Dough (recipe follows)
1 recipe chicken gravy (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Roll biscuit dough into an oblong, 1/4" thick, between sheets of waxed paper. Mix rest of the ingredients together and spread over dough. Roll up dough, beginning at wide side; seal by pinching edge of dough into roll. Place sealed edge down on baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 min. Slice and serve with gravy.

Stir-N-Roll Biscuit Dough

2 2/3 C flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 C salad oil
1 C milk

Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl. Pour oil and milk into measuring cup (do not stir). Then pour all at once into flour. Stir with a fork until mixture cleans sides of bowl. Roll as directed.

Chicken Gravy

4 TBS butter
4 TBS flour
2 C water
2 tsp. chicken bouillon or 2 cubes
dash of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
1 can mushrooms, drained (optional)

Melt butter and blend in flour. Add water, bouillon, and seasonings and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Serve over tuna swirls.

Asian Chicken Wraps

This past week I was "lucky" enough to get 13 baby bok choy (Asian cabbage) in my basket. Once again something I had never tried before. I was unsure of the hoisin sauce in this recipe since I had never cooked with it before either. My mother-in-law just happened to have some so I figured I would give it a try. This first picture in the pan is before adding the hoisin sauce. I did taste a bite before adding the hoisin sauce and thought it was quite good. Actually I liked it better before adding the hoisin sauce. Next go around I will either cut back the amount or just omit it all together. We still enjoyed the meal, but just a personal preference on the sauce.

It was a much darker color after adding the hoisin sauce.

Asian Chicken Wraps
Source: My Kitchen Cafe

Chicken:
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 TBS rice vinegar
2 tsp cornstarch
3 (about 1 1/2 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin, 1/2-inch, strips
1 TBS olive oil

Vegetables:
1 TBS olive oil
8 oz sliced white button mushrooms
3 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
4 c sliced cabbage or coleslaw mix (I used 3 baby bok choy)
2 TBS soy sauce
2 TBS hoisin sauce

4-6 flour tortillas, slightly warmed
For the chicken, mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add the chicken strips and mix to thoroughly coat the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring often until it is cooked through, about 4-5 min. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

For the vegetables, heat the oil in the same skillet over medium heat. ( I had to wash my pan in between due to the corn starch getting to dark on the bottom of the pan.) Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they begin to brown, about 3 min. Stir in the green onions and the garlic, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the cabbage and soy sauce. Add the chicken. Cook, stirring often until the cabbage is slightly wilted but still has a bit of crunch, and the mixture is heated through, about 3 min. Stir in the hoisin sauce. Serve immediately, rolling up the mixture in flour tortillas.

Chicken with Avocado and Roasted Pepper Cream

This is a recipe I f22ound on the internet about 5 years ago so I have no idea where it came from or who to give credit to. Sorry! But it is delicious it is one of Jared's favorite dinners but I only seem to make once every six months or so I don't know why because it is really quite simple, although not real good on the waistline but that's what makes it good I guess.

Chicken with Avocado and Roasted Pepper Cream

1 1/2-2 red bell peppers
2 Cup uncooked rice
1 1/2 C heavy cream
1 tbsp olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste (which is usually alot of salt)
2 avocados
1/3 C sour cream

Char all sides of peppers in oven under a hot broiler till skin turns black. Once charred remove peppers and put in ziplock bag and close tightly to allow to steam for 10 minutes. When peppers are cool enough to handle slip off and discard charred skin easier to do under cold running water. Then chop peppers coarsely and put in food processor (or I use my little electric chopper) and the cream and process until smooth.

Heat frying pan with the oil then brown the chicken (seasoned with S&P) on both side then pour the cream and pepper mixture over the top season with plenty S & P and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Once done, add 1/3 cup sour cream to sauce. Serve chicken and sauce over rice and top with avocado slices and enjoy.

Sugar Cookie Bars

I've seen a few recipes for sugar cookie bars floating around out there. I choose this one from Annie's Eats. I love a good sugar cookie and sometimes I actually have time and the patience to have my boys help me to make them. Yesterday was not the case so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try this recipe. I'm so glad I did. I thought they turned out delicious! I loved the lemon zest flavor! I didn't have a vanilla bean but I'm sure that would make them even better. I used my favorite powdered sugar frosting recipe click here for the link.

Sugar Cookie Bars

1 C butter, room temperature

2 c sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

zest from 1 lemon

5 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Powdered Sugar Frosting Recipe

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 x 18" rimmed baking sheet. Cream together the butter and the sugar until smooth. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla, seeds from the vanilla bean, and lemon zest. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir till well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Mix just until incorporated.

Press the cookie dough into an even layer into the prepared baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes, until light golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

Powdered Sugar Frosting

This recipe is from Grandma Geraldine Andersen. It is definately the favorite at our house. I don't usually add the crisco, due to pure laziness. Enjoy!
Powdered Sugar Frosting
1 lb. powdered sugar (or 3 1/2 c.)
1/2 c butter, softened
3 TBS Crisco
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
Sego milk (about 1/4 to 1/3 c)
Beat until fluffy, adding sugar or milk until desired consistency. This isn't meant to be too thick.

Apple Pie

Made this for Clark's birthday and even though it is a basic recipe Cheryl thought I should publish it so here it is. The crust and filling recipes are found in Grandma's Gracious Goodness, my mothers cookbook.

Good and Easy Pie Crust
Makes 4- 9 inch crusts

3 C flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/3 C lard or shortening

Combine first four ingredients and then cut in shortening .

Mix together and add:
1 large beaten egg
1 TBS vinegar or lemon juice
7 TBS cold water

Mix into dry ingredients with a fork. Smooth with hands and divide and roll out on floured cloth or surface.

Filling:

3 C peeled, sliced tart apples
3/4 C sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
2-4 TBS butter

Mix dry ingredients and pour over apples in a pastry lined pan. Dot generously with butter. Wet edges of under crust; cover with upper crust and press edges together and flute if desired. Make slashes in top crust in a flower design or other design to let steam out while cooking. Sprinkle a little sugar on top crust and bake at 425 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes

Sauerkraut Salad or Relish

This recipe is from an old cookbook put together by our Ward years ago when we were just two Wards in Lyman. It was contributed by Dot Gill. It keeps well in the refrigerator and can be used as a relish or as a salad.

Sauerkraut Salad

1 can sauerkraut
1 C grated carrots,
1 C grated onion.
1 C sugar and 1 C vinegar.

Combine sauerkraut, carrots and onion. Bring the sugar and vinegar to a boil and pour over all other ingredients while hot. Cover and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.
Son Clark liked this very much and suggested that next time I add some baby corn. I will be doing that.