Beef and Brocolli

A forewarning to all who wish to make my chinese food - this is best done in a Wok. i have never made it in anything else, but you can buy one in any BB&B or even smiths. the carbon-coated woks dont need to be seasoned but if you are lucky enough to find a stainless steel, it does! oh, and one more thing, chinese is not actually a precise measurement sort of cooking so call if you have questions!

• 3 crowns broccoli (or so... usually that much for 3 people.)
• chuck steak (usually 1/2 lb per person)
• 1 bunch green onions
• soy sauce

slice steak into bite-sized strips. put into bowl and cover with soy sauce. break broccoli until just leafy crown remains (any stalk is gross in this!) and place into bowl. broccoli should be small and bite-sized with little stalk remaining. slice green onions into 1 inchish pieces and split into two groups. add oil (cheap canola oil actually works best) to wok (enough to cover bottom) and one half of green onions. when oil and onions begin to sizzle and pop, add meat to wok. continuously turn meat until almost done (you may have to drain some liquid but keep it! its becomes the sauce!) put meat and liquid into a clean bowl. add more oil and rest of green onions to the wok. when it pops and sizzles add broccoli. turn broccoli until it is all shiny. add 1/2 cup water and immediately put lid on wok to steam broccoli. check and turn every few moments. when the broccoli seems done, add back meat and sauce. mix and turn until all is hot and mixed well in. serve over rice!

Mandarin Pork Chops

• 1 large can mandarin oranges
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tb white vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard
• 4-6 pork chops

into a bowl drain mandarin oranges, preserving juice. place oranges into a separate bowl. add brown sugar, salt, ketchup, cinnamon, vinegar, and mustard to the mandarin juice and mix until blended. brown pork chops on both sides (this is best done over medium heat to thoroughly brown pork). add oranges to the sauce and add all sauce over pork chops. simmer for 30-45 minutes until pork is cooked. this is best served over rice, since it is chinese!

White Chili

• 2 cans chicken, not drained
• 1 can chicken broth (or 12 oz water with chicken bullion)
• 1 small can green chilis
• 2 cans great northern (or you can use white) beans, drained
• 1 can evaporated milk (small)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp pepper

add chicken, chicken broth, green chilis, beans, evaporated milk, and spices to a large pot. mix together and boil (though i usually make it a low boil, not a high roiling boil) 30 minutes uncovered! add sour cream and allow to reach boiling again. this is my mother-in-laws recipe and it is incredible! it also makes amazing leftovers. i usually serve it with biscuits or scones.

Hawaiian Chicken

• 4-6 chicken breasts
• flour (to bread)
• 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey, thinned with water
• 1 green pepper

bread chicken breasts in flour and brown on both sides in oil. add on top pineapple chunks and juices. simmer (a low simmer or it will boil out! i know from experience...) 15 minutes. add 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/8 cup water and mix a bit. simmer another 30 minutes. add 1/4 cup honey, thinned, and chopped green pepper. simmer 15 more minutes. i serve over rice and both john and i love it! it also makes great leftovers!

Steak and Spaghetti

• Steak (usually 1/3 lb per person
• 1 bunch green onions
• mushrooms (1 package or 2 cans, drained)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 stick butter
• cooked and drained spaghetti (usually 1-1.5 lbs)
• 1 can parmesan cheese

break spaghetti into thirds and cook. while cooking spaghetti, slice steak into bite-sized strips and slice green onions and mushrooms. add 1/2 stick of butter to frying pan (i usually use an electric frying pan set to 350F). add green onions and mushrooms till frying (sizzling!). add steak and steak seasoning (i use spade-L seasoning from smiths - its amazing!) fry until steak is cooked through. drain spaghetti (once cooked) and add the other 1/2 stick butter to frying pan. when butter is melted add the spaghetti and quite a bit (i usually wind up using half a bottle) of parmesan cheese. turn over until spaghetti begins to turn opaque and cheese is mixed in and melted!

Fiesta Chicken

1 can whole kernel corn
1 can black beans
4 large chicken breasts
2 cups salsa

Spray crock pot with cooking spray.  Pour drained corn on the bottom of pot.  Cover with rinsed and drained beans.  Place the chicken on top of the corn and beans.  pour salsa over the top.  Cover and cook on love until chicken is done 5 or 6 hours.  (I cooked this on high for like 3 hours)

Adam and I really like this, we ate it on rice and we added just a little more salsa as we were eating it.  We both wanted it to have more of a spicy flavor so next time I make it I am going to add taco seasoning or something.

Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream Cake

1/2 Cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 tub (8 oz.) Whipped topping, thawed and divided
1 Package (3.9 oz.) Chocolate Instant Pudding
8-12 Oreo cookies, chopped
12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches

Pour fudge topping into a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup whipped topping.  Add dry pudding mix and stir for two minutes.  Stir in chopped cookies.

Arrange 4 ice cream sandwiches side by side on a 24  inch long piece of foil.  top with half of the pudding/cookie mixture. Repeat layers.  Top with remaining sandwiches.  Frost top and sides with remaining whipped topping.  Bring up foil sides and ends to loosely seal packet

Freeze 4 hours or until firm.

(When I made this I only used 9 ice cream sandwiches and it still worked out great!)