Our Family Crescent Roll Recipe

by Melinda

1 c milk

1/2 c butter

1/2 c sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp yeast

3 beaten eggs

4 1/2-5 c flour

Combine milk, butter, sugar and salt in a pan. Heat over medium-low heat until the butter is almost completely melted. Pour into your mixer. Add yeast and stir well. Add eggs; stir. Add flour slowly until dough is soft and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (at least an hour).  

Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. 

Roll each half into a circle. Brush with melted butter. Cut like a pizza. Roll each piece up from the large side. Place on greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise until double in size (roughly 30 minutes). 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake about 9-13 minutes (until golden). Brush with more melted butter and let cool on a cooling rack.

These rolls bring back memories of family dinners. I don't think we've had one Thanksgiving dinner without them! My mother loves to bake. We have many good memories cooking together in the kitchen. Maybe that's why these rolls make me happy! And I'm glad I can share them with you to use in your family meals.  

Easy Chicken Cutlets with Apples

from allrecipes.com, submitted by DEUXMAC

INGREDIENTS:

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1/4 teaspoon salt, or as needed 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 pinch white sugar

2 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup medium sherry 1 cup chicken broth 1 Granny Smith apple - cored, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges 1/3 cup light brown sugar 1 tablespoon butter 1 dash Marsala wine

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Sprinkle chicken breasts with 1/4 teaspoon salt, or as needed, on both sides. Place onto a rack, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, and cut in half lengthwise on a slight diagonal to make 4 equal-size pieces. Place the chicken pieces between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to make 4 cutlets about 1/4 inch thick.
2.	Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
3.	Mix together flour, cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of salt, black pepper, and sugar in a shallow bowl. Place each cutlet into the flour mixture to coat; shake off excess flour. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat until foam disappears, and gently lay the coated cutlets into the butter. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken, and set aside on an oven-proof plate in the preheated oven to stay warm.
4.	Pour the sherry into the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping and dissolving all the brown flavor bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the sherry is reduced to half its volume, about 5 minutes, and stir in the chicken broth; add the apple slices to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft and the sherry mixture is reduced by half. Stir in the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of butter, and the Marsala wine until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is thick.
5.	Return the chicken cutlets to the sauce, together with any juice from the plate, and turn to cover cutlets with sauce. Simmer about 2 minutes per side, and serve 2 cutlets per serving, topped with apple slices and sauce.

You may have noticed I used pork chops instead of chicken.  My husband thinks this would be as good or better with the chicken so we'll try that next time.  

Talk about a fun meal to make!  Pounding that meat is so therapeutic!  I skipped the salt the meat and wait 30 minutes part.  That's the only change I made besides using a different meat.  

We had this with a salad and homemade rolls.  This is my mother's recipe.  Check it out here.

Husband rating:  5 stars!!!  

Boys say:  thumbs up

Hawaiin-Style Sloppy Joes

from ourbestbites.com

1 pound extra-lean ground turkey or beef (93% lean)
6 ounces center-cut bacon (about 1/2 package)
1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
3/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hickory-flavored liquid smoke
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/3-1/2 cup pineapple juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425. Lay each slice of bacon flat on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes or until the bacon is crisp. Remove from the oven and drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.

Place the bacon drippings in a large skillet and heat the skillet to medium heat. Add the ground turkey or beef, onion, and pepper and cook until the meat is about halfway cooked. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until the meat is completely cooked.

While the meat is cooking, whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, liquid smoke, and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Add the sauce to the browned meat and add the pineapple juice to the mixture, keeping in mind that the sauce will thicken. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the mixture is done simmering, crumble the cooked bacon and add it to the sloppy joe mixture. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve on sweet Hawaiian rolls with a slice of pineapple, a slice of red onion, and, if desired, a few banana pepper rings. Makes 6 servings.

Slow Cooker Instructions: 

Brown the ground turkey or beef with the onion, green pepper, garlic, and ginger. Transfer to the slow cooker and add the sauce and combine well. Before serving, add the bacon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook on low for 3-4 hours and serve as directed.

I have never liked ground turkey.  I thought maybe this would change my mind.  It really didn't.  I still don't really like it!  But my seven-year-old ate three sloppy joes so I guess he liked it!  

Husband rating:  2 stars

Boys said:  thumbs up

Parmesan Chicken Bake

from allrecipes.com, submitted by Chef John

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 cups prepared marinara sauce 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1 (5 ounce) package garlic croutons

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.	Coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish with olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic and hot red pepper flakes.
3.	Arrange the chicken breasts in bottom of the dish, and pour marinara sauce over chicken. Sprinkle basil over marinara sauce, and top with half the mozzarella cheese, followed by half the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle on the croutons, then top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese.
4.	Bake in preheated oven until cheese and croutons are golden brown and the chicken is no longer pink inside, about 35 minutes to an hour, depending on the shape and thickness of your chicken breasts. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chicken breast should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

The only change I made was to use a little less oil and cheese.  

Husband rating:  4 stars

Boys say:  thumbs up

Pumpkin Drop Cookies

adapted from Betty Crocker's recipe

1/2 c butter (salted)

3/4 c granulated sugar

3/4 c packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

2 1/2 c all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 1/2 c semi sweet chocolate chips

1.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Mix butter and sugars in a large bowl. Beat in eggs. Stir in pumpkin. Stir in remaining ingredients.

2.  Drop dough (I used my little ice cream scooper) about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet.

3.  Bake 12-13 minutes or until set and golden.  Cool for 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Makes 3-4 dozen

I had to give these away to a friend because I couldn't stop eating them!  And if you haven't noticed I have been a little obsessed with pumpkin everything this fall!  

Husband rating:  4 stars

Boys say:  two thumbs up!

Skinny Pumpkin Soup

from Six Sisters' Stuff

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon of butter

1 Red Onion, Chopped

2 cloves of minced garlic

1/2 Red Pepper, chopped

4 cups fat-free broth (chicken or vegetable)

1 1/2 cups of skim milk

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

1 cup frozen corn

3 red potatoes, diced

Directions:

Melt Butter in a large pan over medium heat.

Add Onion and Garlic, cook about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Next add your red pepper and cook about minute. Then add broth and bring to a boil.

Stir in Potatoes and corn and reduce heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes.

After it has simmered, mix in the milk and pumpkin and cook until heated through.

I pureed this in the blender once it was done cooking.  It was the texture I was going for that night.  The flavor was good.  I added a little pepper to mine and only used half an onion.

Husband rating:  3 stars

Boys say:  thumbs down

Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork

from allrecipes.com, submitted by Dawn Miner

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) can cranberry sauce 1/3 cup French salad dressing

1 onion, sliced 1 (3 pound) boneless pork loin roast

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a medium bowl, stir together the cranberry sauce, salad dressing, and onion. Place pork in a slow cooker, and cover with the sauce mixture.
2.	Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours, or on Low for 8 hours. Pork is done when the internal temperature has reached 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

I guess I can't wait for Thanksgiving!  I made this pork roast with mashed potatoes and stuffing.  Why wait for November when I'm craving it now?!  This is easy, tasty and economical!  

Husband rating:  4 stars

Boys say:  thumbs up

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

from allrecipes.com, submitted by Marian Collins

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon cold water 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 12 skinless chicken thighs

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.
2.	Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
3.	Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again.
4.	Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking. I doubled the sauce and used chicken breasts.  I poured all the sauce over the chicken and turned half way through the baking time.  I also cooked them at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Husband rating:  4 stars

Boys say:  thumbs up

Meal in a Pumpkin

from my friend Jen C.

1 basketball-size pumpkin (cleaned out and dried)

1 lb hamburger

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/4 c soy sauce

1 1/2 c uncooked minute rice

Brown hamburger and onion.  Add soups, soy sauce and rice to beef mixture.  Cover and remove from heat.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Pour into prepared pumpkin.  Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Put a small piece of foil over the hole on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes, depending on the size.  Cook until pumpkin is soft on outside and serve.

This is a fun recipe in the fall.  The boys thought it was really cool to cook dinner in a pumpkin!  I used brown rice because it was hidden enough with the other ingredients that my family didn't know it!  They always complain if I use brown rice otherwise.  I would add broccoli or some other veggie to this.  

Husband rating:  2.5

Boys say:  thumbs up

Pork Chops with Apple Cider Glaze

from allrecipes.com, submitted by Chef John 

INGREDIENTS:

6 (6 ounce) boneless center-cut pork chops salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon butter 3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 2 cups apple cider 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon minced rosemary 1 pinch red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Season pork chops with salt and black pepper.
2.	Heat oil and butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork chops in the hot oil mixture until browned on both sides and pork is slightly pink in the center, 5 to 7 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Remove pan from the heat; transfer pork chops to a plate.
3.	Stir garlic into the pan and place over medium-high heat; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Pour in vinegar and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add apple cider and Dijon mustard, bring mixture to a boil, and cook until sauce is reduced and thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in rosemary and red pepper flakes; season with salt and black pepper to taste.
4.	Return pork chops to the pan to warm slightly, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

The only change I made was to substitute 1 cup applesauce mixed with one cup of water for the 2 cups of apple cider.  I didn't have apple juice or cider on hand and this actually worked out for us!  I love this recipe!  I think it may be in my top 10.  

Husband rating:  4 stars 

Boys say:  thumbs up

Pumpkin Pancakes

from allrecipes.com, submitted by Ruth

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups milk 1 cup pumpkin puree 1 egg 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons vinegar 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
2.	Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot. The only change I made was to add 1/2 tsp nutmeg.  Yum! Husband and guest rating:  4.5 stars Boys say:  two thumbs up!

Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken

from Six Sisters' Stuff

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of any whole grain mustard
1/2 cup of honey
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 garlic clove, smashed and minced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Preparation:

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl. Reserve 4 tablespoons of sauce and then pour the remaining honey mustard mixture over the chicken, toss and cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for about 30-45 minutes at room temperature. 

Preheat the grill on medium-medium high heat, grill chicken for about 6 to 7 minutes per side or until chicken is done. Pour the reserved honey-mustard sauce over chicken and let rest under foil for about 5 minutes. Serve.

I love this recipe!  Sometimes I don't remember to marinade meat overnight.  Then it comes to dinner time and I'm stuck.  This is a quick and easy recipe that is so yummy.  

Husband rating:  4 stars

Boys say:  thumbs up

Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi or Tilapia

From allrecipes.com, submitted by DECODIANA

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons honey 3 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root 1 clove garlic, crushed or to taste

2 teaspoons olive oil 4 (6 ounce) mahi mahi fillets salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a shallow glass dish, stir together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, and place them into the dish. If the fillets have skin on them, place them skin side down. Cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.
2.	Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from the dish, and reserve marinade. Fry fish for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.
3.	Pour reserved marinade into the skillet, and heat over medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistently. Spoon glaze over fish, and serve immediately.

I used tilapia because Mahi Mahi is hard to find where I live.  We thought this was good.  I made jasmine rice and steamed broccoli along with this.  

Husband rating:  4 stars

Boys say:  thumbs up

Shrimp Scampi Pasta

from McCormick.com

8 ounces linguine or other pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 package McCormick® Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi Seasoning Mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or 2 tablespoons white wine (optional)

Directions
1. Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in large skillet on medium heat until butter is melted. Add shrimp and Seasoning Mix; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Stir in lemon juice or wine, if desired.
3. Toss with cooked pasta to coat well. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Although this was easy it wasn't very good.  It was way too oily for our taste.  

Husband rating:  2 stars

Boys say:  thumbs down

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

From Six Sisters' Stuff

From Six Sisters' Stuff

Ingredients:

Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup cornstarch
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.  Place cornstarch and beaten eggs in separate bowls.  Dip chicken into cornstarch then coat in egg mixture.  Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until browned.  Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, ketchup, vinegars, soy sauce and garlic salt.  Pour over chicken and bake for one hour.

Husband rating:  3 stars (but he doesn't like this kind of dinner.  I liked it and would give it a 4 star rating)

Boys say:  thumbs up

Parmesan Sesame Chicken Strips

From Six Sisters Stuff

Ingredients:
35 Ritz crackers (butter flavor)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 skinless/boneless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs worth)
1 cup light mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
2 teaspoons ground mustard

Directions:
Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place crackers in a Ziploc bag and roll over them with a rolling pin until they are finely crushed. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, onion, and mustard. In a second bowl, combine crushed crackers, sesame seeds, and Parmesan cheese. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1/4" strips. Dip strips into mayonnaise mixture, then into crumb mixture. Place chicken on foil-covered baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Serve with honey mustard (or ketchup!).

Killer Homemade Honey Mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise (light works great)
2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons Honey
1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

Husband rating:  4.5 stars

Boys say:  thumbs up

I scored with this recipe!  Everyone was happy.  Thank you Six Sisters for all your Stuff!  You have saved many a night when we needed something to eat!

BBQ Chicken Calzones

From Six Sisters' Stuff

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped

3 cups shredded, cooked chicken

1 bottle barbecue sauce

1 can refrigerated biscuits

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons chopped, fresh cilantro

Directions:  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan, blot with paper towels and crumble.  Add onion and shredded chicken to a pan with olive oil.  Saute over medium heat until onion is tender.  Stir in 1/2 cup barbecue sauce and remove from heat.  Mix in crumbled bacon.

Flatten out biscuit dough on a greased cookie sheet.  Spread a teaspoon of barbecue sauce on each biscuit.  Divide the chicken mixture between the biscuits, spreading on only half of each biscuit and keeping 1/2 inch away from the edge.  Sprinkle cheese and cilantro over top of each biscuit.  Fold biscuits in half and press the edges together with a fork to seal.  Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown.  Serve with additional barbecue sauce for dipping.

You can save time by buying already cooked bacon and warming it up in the microwave.  

Husband rating:  4 stars

Boys say:  thumbs way up!

Rosemary-Rubbed Strip Steak with Blackberry Sauce

I found this in a magazine at a doctor's office.  The wait was unusually short so I snapped a picture of the recipe and headed to the room without double-checking the publication.  I'm pretty sure it was Good Housekeeping, though!

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed with press (I just used minced garlic)
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
2 (1-in.-thick) boneless beef New York strip steaks (about 1 1/2 lbs total)
2 (6 oz) containers blackberries
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/8 tsp cayenne (ground red) pepper
whole blackberries, for garnish

1.  Prepare grill for direct grilling on med-high.
2.  Combine oil, garlic, rosemary and 1/4 tsp black pepper.  Rub over steaks, let stand 10 min.
3.  Meanwhile, in a 2-qt. saucepan, combine blackberries, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, tomato paste, mustard, cayenne, 3 tbsp water, and 1/4 tsp salt.  Heat to simmering on med.  Simmer 5-7 minutes or until berries have softened, stirring occasionally.  With potato masher, carefully mash berries.  Let cool.
4.  While sauce cools, sprinkle steaks with 1/2 tsp salt, grill 8-10 minutes for med. doneness, turning over halfway through.  Transfer to cutting board.  Let stand 10 min.
5.  Pour sauce through sieve set over med. bowl, pushing through with spoon; discard solids.  Sauce can be refrigerated, covered, up to 4 days.  Thinly slice steak; serve with sauce.  Garnish with blackberries and serve with grilled vegetables, if desired.

My husband did think the reddish color of the sauce was a little strange with the meat, but it was tasty, nonetheless.  We paired this with a baked potato and salad.

Husband rating:  3.5 stars

Boys say:  thumbs up