Curry Chicken

I first had a dish like this at a very good oriental restaurant called La Cai Noodle House, at 961 s State st. in Salt lake. It is one of my favorite places to eat. The food is delicious and the prices are reasonable. The Curry chicken was so good I had to try to make it at home. This recipe is one of my husbands favorites. I still go to La Cai to get their curry chicken, but when I want to score some brownie points with my hubby I make this! I hope you like this as much as I do!

Ingredients

2-3 chicken breasts (Cubed)
3 carrots pealed and cut into circles
1 onion sliced into long thin slices
2 cans chicken broth
1 can coconut milk
1-2 tsp curry powder (depending on how spicy you like it)
1tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter

Directions

1. In a large skillet add some oil and fry up the chicken breast until cooked through.
2. Take out chicken and set aside. Add some more oil to pan and add the onions and carrots. Fry on medium heat until onions are nice and brown. Take off burner and set aside.
3. In a large pot add last 8 ingredients. Turn on burner to medium high. Add the meat and vegies. cook until boiling.
4. In a small cup add 2 tbsp corn starch and a little water. About 5 tbsp, (it won't matter if you add too much water) stir the corn starch until it is all mixed with water and there are no lumps.
5. Add the corn starch to the curry chicken stiring until it comes to a full boil. Turn down heat and simmer on medium low until you are ready to eat.

Jo's tips: Serve this with rice. If it is too runny repeat step 4 until it is thick enough to put over rice. If you like it really spicy add more curry powder. All curry powder has different spice levels so find one that works for your family.

Baked Potato Soup

This soup is great even if the picture isn't! I made this soup for my husbands work as a Christmas gift and it was a hit! I make this recipe to my tastes, but feel free to mix things up a bit if you want. I sometimes add more sour cream sometimes less. enjoy!

Ingredients

4 or 5 large baking potatoes
2/3 cups butter
1/3 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups milk
1 1/2 - 2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
10 strips cooked bacon crumpled
1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Bake potatoes at 350* for 65-75 minutes or until tender. Cool completely. Peal and cube.
2. In a large saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth with a wire whisk.
3. Gradually add broth then milk. stiring the whole time. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
4. Remove from heat whisk in cheese and sour cream. Add potatoes and bacon. Garnish with green onions.

Jo's tips: Most or the time I just boil the potatoes with the skins on and then peal and cube the potatoes. It seems easier to me. Occasionally I will bake them.

Overnight Danish Twists*

I first had these at a family get together.
My sister in law brought them.
They were so good I ate about 5 of them!
*this is a Betty Crocker recipe!

Twists

2 Tbsp dry active yeast
1/2 cup warm water
4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 cup (two sticks) cold butter
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 jar (10oz) of your favorite jam or preserves

Powdered Sugar Glaze

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 to 3 Tbsp milk

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let sit for 10 min. Stir in granulated sugar, and salt. Cut in butter,using a pastry blender or crisscrossing two knives, until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Separate eggs; refrigerate whites for brushing pastry. Stir yolks and 1 cup milk into flour mixture until soft dough forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours for proper rising, but no longer then 24 hours.
2. Lightly grease two to three cookie sheets. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough into three equal parts. Roll 1 part dough into 9x7-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Cut crosswise into nine 1-inch strips. For each twist, pinch ends of strip together to form ring, stretching strip slightly. Twist to form figure 8. Place at least 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining 2 parts dough.
3. Beat egg whites; brush over dough. Let rise uncovered at room temperature about 25 min. or until puffy and loops fill in.
4. Heat oven 350*. Make an indentation in the center of each loop. Fill with 1/2 tsp-1 tsp jam. Brush dough again with egg whites. Bake about 15 min. or until light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
5. In a small bowl, mix all powdered sugar glaze ingredients, with a hand held electric mixer, until smooth and thin. Drizzle over warm twists.

Jo's tips: I made these twists to long the first time I made them, so when they rose in the 8 form, the holes did not fill in. I just lightly pressed the sides to cover the hole, so that my filling didn't fall out. I also used my home canned apple pie filling. Yumm! And for an extra treat I added four Tbsp cream cheese to the glaze before mixing. I also put the glaze in a small plastic bag and cut to tip off to drizzle.

Chicken Stroganoff

I made this recipe last night for dinner and got really excited about it
because there is so much you can do with it!
It is so yummy and rich,and even the kids gobbled it down.
Beware this is not for the calorie counter.

Ingredients

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves -cubed
3 Tbsp butter
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 can of water (use the empty cream of chicken can)

Directions

1. In a big frying pan add chicken, butter, and Italian seasoning packet.
2. Fry on med-high heat until chicken is cooked through
3. Add cream cheese, cream of chicken, and water to frying pan.
4. simmer until the cheese and soup are well mixed and melted.

Jo's tips: You can also make this in the crock pot. Add the chicken, butter and seasoning to the crock pot, turn on low for 6-8 hours. Add the soup, cream cheese and water to the crock pot. Turn on high and let cook together for about half an hour, until all cooked together and melted.
Serve with rice or noodles. I am going to make this recipe into a casserole. So as to have yet one more way to make the yummy dish. When I make it I will post the revised recipe!

See's Fudge*

This fudge has been a family tradition ever since I can remember. It is the real deal, and is a little bit more complicated to make. It is well worth the effort though. I hope you enjoy our family favorite!

Ingredients

4 1/4 cup sugar
1 can evaporated milk
2 pks. chocolate chips
l large hershey's bar with almonds
1-2 cups roasted almonds
1 jar marshmallow cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 lb. butter
1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp. mint extract

1. In a large bowl add last 7 ingredients. ( I cut the butter into cubes, and break up the candy bar) set aside.
2. Put sugar and evaporated milk in a large pot.
3. Heat sugar and milk stiring the entire time, until it comes to a hard boil.
4. Turn heat down and continue to cook for 6 minutes. stiring the entire time.
5. Pour milk onto the chocolate mixture. Stiring until all the chocolate is melted, (you get to use your muscles on this part)
6. Put into a large buttered casserole dish.
7. Put in the fridge until cooled.

Jo's tip's: *I don't know if this is the real See's fudge. That is just the name of the recipe in the cookbook.

(DeAnn's)Mom's Famous Peanut Butter Fudge

This comes from an old friend who I use to work with
DeAnna B. She mentioned making it one day and I
was intrigued so here you are. This is the easiest fudge
recipe you will see. And it is very yummy enjoy the fudge season!

Ingredients
1 bag chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
dash of salt
1tsp vanilla

1. Coat a square baking dish with a little butter. (to put the fudge in)
2. In a microwave safe bowl add the first four ingredients.
3. Put in microwave for 30 seconds.
4. Pull out and stir.
5. Repeat until melted.
6. Add Vanilla and stir until mixed.
7. Put mixture in coated baking dish.
8. Put in freezer until hard.
9. Cut and serve.

Jo's tips
You don't have to put the salt in if you don't want. I did though.
You can use crunchy or smooth peanut butter I had smooth so that is what I used.
I usually buy my sweetened condensed milk right before thanksgiving when it is on sale. I buy enough to last me through the year. This year I got mine for around 85 cents a can!

Alfredo dipping sauce

This one is "inspired" by The Olive Gardens Alfredo sauce. The first time I really remember going to The Olive Garden was at a girls night out with my in-laws. We had a great time and it was great food. My sister and mother ordered the alfredo sauce on the side to dip their bread sticks in. It was really good! I made up a sauce (with my sisters help) that tastes very similar to me, you can judge for yourself. I don't really like this with noodles it doesn't taste quite right. I am going to make one change and see if I like it better. But, for dipping this is fantastic! I haven't been able to make a bread stick that I really LIKE yet, so until then I will hold off posting a recipe for that. I like to chop up french bread into chunks and dip it into the sauce for a delicious Appetizer. This is great for a cheep stay at home movie night with your husband! I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp flour
2 1/2 c half and half
1/2 c shredded Parmesan cheese (portioned into 1/4c servings)
1/4th pk of cream cheese (cubed so it will melt easily)
salt and pepper to taste

melt butter in a frying pan on medium high heat. When the butter is melted add the flour whisking it at all times. add half and half still whisking the mixture.

When it looks like this add 1/4 Parmesan cheese and cream cheese. stiring the whole time. When the cheese is melted it should be thick and ready to serve. Take off heat and add the remaining Parmesan cheese. salt and pepper to taste!

Household tip on how to save money!

I tried to make my own dish detergent for my dishwasher to try to save some money and it didn't work out so well. The dishes came out with a thick layer of soap scum on them. (we are still trying to get it of some of the dishes!) I did find out however how to conserve on the detergent. Most dishwashers have two spots for the soap. A prewash and the actual wash. The cups for the detergent are huge! To get the dishes clean you don't have to fill them all the way. (I think it is a conspiracy on the soap and dishwasher makers to try and get us to spend more money) I just put one Tbsp of soap in each spot. I have been doing this for 6 months now and have saved a lot. I only buy dish detergent about every two to three months now. It is great!

My Three Chickens

This year for my birthday, my mom made me a chicken coop, and my brother gave me three of his new chickens! So far they have been really fun. One of them is really feisty and doesn't like going back in the coop when I let them out, but eventually they always get back in there.

this is where I collect the eggs

They love being out of the coop, they scratch up my back yard to their hearts content!