Becky's Squash and Zucchini Casserole

3 lb. yellow squash and zucchini, cut 1/4-inch thick

1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground pepper

2 large eggs

8 oz. sour cream

1/2 cup mayo

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves

Basil, garlic powder, oregano - all to taste

1 1/2 sleeves round butter crackers (such as Ritz) - broken - about 3 cups

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 2-quart casserole dish or deep dish pie pan.

Heat the butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Sauté the squash, onion and herbs until soft.  Drain off any fluid.  

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, mayo and  cheeses.  Season with salt and pepper.  Fold in squash mixture. Sprinkle in more herbs for those that were lost in draining off fluid.

Place in prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle with crackers. evenly over top.

Bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbly.

ANITA’S RENDITION OF “NANA'S CHICKEN AND RICE”

 Ingredients:

6 large chicken tenderloins – size of breasts (I buy the big frozen bag of Tyson raw tenders and use 6 of the largest ones)

1 can evaporated milk, shake well

Perfect pinch steak seasoning – to taste

Pepper – to taste

Self-rising flour

Perfect pinch steak seasoning – to taste

Pepper – to taste

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup with herbs

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup with garlic

1 can or equivalent (if pouring from big container of broth) chicken broth

Left over milk tenders soaked in

2 cups Uncle Ben’s converted rice, raw

Directions:

Take partially frozen tenders and cut them into small bite sized pieces.  (They cut easier when real cold/partially frozen.)  Place in a lock and lock bowl.  Pour evaporated milk and seasonings over them.  Marinade for at least two hours in the fridge – shaking occasionally.

In a Ziplock bag, make up a mixture of self-rising flour and seasoning – mix well.  Take the tenders a few at a time from the evaporated milk mixture, tapping it to get a lot of milk off.  Bread the tenders with the flour mixture – and put in fridge on plate if not cooking right away.  

If cooking right away, pour Crisco oil into frying pan and bring to heat over medium setting.  Test the oil with a little milk spitz’s – when it spits it is ready.  Brown in oil quickly.  The tenders do not have to cook all the way as they will cook in the oven.  

As they brown, place in bottom of a large baking pan.  (I used a 9x11 for the above amount)  Arrange in a layer in the bottom.  Pour out any excess grease from the frying pan, leave the crumbles in the pan. 

Preheat oven to 350.

In a separate bowl, mix together soups, rest of milk mixture from tenders and can of chicken broth.  Smooth any lumps.  Add to frying pan that is on medium low heat.  While stirring, add raw rice.  Mix well.  Pour mixture over tenders.  

Cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Christmas Crack

 Ingredients:

 3 cups Rice Chex

 3 cups Corn Chex

 3 cups honey nut Cheerios toasted oat cereal

 2 cups small pretzels

 2 cups salted peanuts

 1 (12 ounce) bag holiday M&M's plain chocolate candy (red & green)

 1 (12 ounce) bag holiday M&M's peanut chocolate candies

 2 (12 ounce) bags white chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix all ingredients but the white chocolate morsels in a large bowl.

Melt white chocolate morsels according to directions on the package.

Pour melted white chocolate over the cereal mixture and toss well to coat.

Spread on waxed paper and let sit until the white chocolate hardens.

Store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Seed topped Pumpkin Bread

 1 can (15 0z) solid packed pumpkin

4 large eggs (room temp)

3/4 cup oil

2/3 cup water

2 cups sugar

1 cup honey

1+1/2 tsps. vanilla

3+1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsps. baking soda

1+1/2 tsps. salt

1+1/2 tsps. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 cup salted/shelled pumpkin/pepitas seeds

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, sugar, honey and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt and spices; gradually beat into pumpkin mixture.

Transfer to two greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Sprinkle tops with pumpkin seeds.

Bake 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy plain or spread a little cream cheese on top.

Anita's Summer Veggie with Orzo

 3 Tbsps olive oil, divided

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 green pepper, diced

1/2 yellow pepper, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1 medium zucchini, cubed

1 cup sugar snap peas, halved

1 cup orzo

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and Pepper to taste

In large skillet over medium, heat 2 Tbsp. oil.  Add onion and sauté for about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add peppers, zucchini and sugar snap peas and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer vegetable mixture to bowl.

In same skillet, over medium, heat 1 Tbsp. oil.  Add orzo and cook until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth.  Cover and cook for 7-9 minutes; stirring occasionally.  Liquid will be absorbed and orzo should be tender.  If more liquid is needed to finish cooking add water 2 Tbsp. at a time.

Add the vegetables and stir to reheat.  Season with salt and pepper.

Anita's Cheddar-Pecan Crisps

1 cup softened unsalted butter

2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese*

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayenne powder

Dashes of water

1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

In a large bowl, cream butter and cheese until light and fluffy.  In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, garlic powder and cayenne; gradually beat into creamed mixture.  Will be crumbly - I add a dash of water until it looks less dry.  Stir in pecans.  (The heat from your hands will bring it all together into logs.)

Lay out sheet of saran wrap on clean work surface.  Take half of mixture and start molding it in to a long log.  Wrap it up tight and do the same with another piece of wrap and the rest of the mixture.  As you are rolling up the saran wrap around the log, try to mold it into a rounded log.  Refrigerate at a minimum two hours.

Preheat oven to 350.  Unwrap a log at a time - slice into 1/4" slices.  Place 1" apart on a heavy baking sheet.  Bake until the edges are slightly crisp and lightly brown, 12-14 minutes.  Cool completely and put in airtight containers.  Can be refrigerated - but they don't last long enough around here to bother.

*I don't use pre-shredded cheese - I shred it in my food processor.  Makes all the difference IMO!

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Oven Fried Chicken

 6 chicken legs

2 eggs

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika to taste

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350.  

Place flour in a shallow bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Put the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl.  Beat the eggs in another bowl.

Dredge the chicken piece by piece in the flour, then the egg and then the bread crumbs, until all pieces are coated. 

Pour the oil into a baking dish so they will lay in a single layer (I used the smaller 9x11).  Sprinkle with paprika to taste.  

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, turn the pieces over and bake for another 30 minutes. 

Remove from over and drain on paper towels.  Enjoy!