Roasted Chicken
a la Karrie Wilson

Place a roasting rack, diced celery, onions and carrots in a 9x13 baking pan. You don't want the chicken baking in it's own juices, but roasting. Clean a whole chicken with a wet paper towel, or run under cold tap water and dab dry. Place in prepared pan. Rub olive oil on the chicken, sprinkle with lemon pepper, season salt and pepper, and rub into chicken.
Place in oven, cook uncovered at 375 for 1 1/2 hours.

Shepherd's Pie
a la Noell

1 lb lean ground beef
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 can tomato soup
1/2 can cream of celery soup
1 can green beans
1 pkg frozen corn
4 cups instant mashed potatoes (already hydrated)
2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375
Brown ground beef in skillet and add seasonings.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
a la Natalie Baker

1 lb chicken cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t garlic salt
3/4 c cornstarch
2 large eggs, whisked
1/2 c canola oil

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1 c sugar
1/3 c ketchup
1 t garlic salt
1/2 c + 1 T rice vinegar (distilled vinegar works too)
1 T soy sauce

Place the chicken, cornstarch, salt, pepper and garlic salt in a large ziplock bag. Shake until the chicken is completely coated.
Heat 1/4 c oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture and place in the frying pan with a fork. (I did half the batch first). Fry both sides of the chicken for about 2 minutes. Line a baking sheet with foil and place chicken on the pan. Dispose of the oil, heat up the rest of the oil and finish the chicken.

Spaghetti Pie
a la Kristen

1 lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
2 eggs
1 container or 2 c cottage cheese
jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
mozzerella cheese

cook pasta according to instructions. after draining, immediately add 2 eggs into warm pasta and stir.

pour pasta into a casserole pan, 9x13. drain the cottage cheese as much as possible. spread on top of pasta. top cottage cheese with the sauce, and sprinkle enough mozzarella to cover.

bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, until cheese is nice and melty.

Sour Cream Enchiladas
a la Pioneer Woman

12 whole Corn Tortillas 
Canola Oil, For Frying 
1 can (20 Ounce) Enchilada Sauce 
2 cups Sour Cream 
3 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Grated
1 cup Sliced/chopped Green Onions 
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin 
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix together sour cream, green onions 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Heat enchilada sauce in a separate skillet or saucepan.
Using tongs, fry tortillas one at a time, for only about five to ten seconds per side (don't allow to crisp.) Remove from oil, then dunk tortilla in enchilada sauce. Lay tortilla on a plate, then spoon a good two or three tablespoons of the sour cream mixture in the middle. Roll tortilla, then place face down in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and sour cream mixture.
(If there's any sour cream mixture left over, use it as a dip for tortilla chips!)
Cover the dish with the remaining cheese, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly.
Serve immediately. Place a dollop of sour cream on each serving, then sprinkle on sliced green onions.

Chicken Pot Pie
a la the Pioneer Woman

4 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Finely Diced Onion
1/2 cup Finely Diced Carrot
1/2 cup Finely Diced Celery
3 cups Shredded Cooked Chicken Or Turkey
1/4 cup Flour
3 cups Low-sodium Chicken Broth, Plus More If Needed
Splash Of White Wine (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Chopped Fresh Thyme To Taste
1/4 cup Half-and-half Or Cream
1 whole Unbaked Pie Crust
1 whole Egg
2 Tablespoons Water

Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Stir them around until the onions start to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the chicken or turkey and then sprinkle the flour over the top and stir it until it’s all combined with the turkey and vegetables. Cook for 1 minute, then pour in the chicken broth (and wine if using) and stir it around and let it cook and thicken.
Once it starts to thicken add the turmeric, salt, pepper, and thyme.
Add the half-and-half or cream, then stir the mixture and let it bubble up and thicken, about 3 minutes. If it seems overly thick, splash in a little more broth. Turn off the heat.
Pour the filling into a 2-quart baking dish. Roll out the pie crust on a floured surface and lay it over the top of the dish. Press the dough so that the edges stick to the outside of the pan. Use a knife to cut little vents here and there in the surface of the dough.
Mix together the egg with 2 tablespoons water and brush it all over the surface of the crust. (You will have some egg wash left over.)
Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbly. To prevent the crust from getting too brown, you might want to cover it lightly with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking time.

note: i used 2 pie crusts, and put one on the bottom too. the flakier the better. i also added peas. i also put mine in a 9" circle pan- a pie pan is way too shallow. 
also, you can make just the filling and freeze it, and just thaw before use.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
a la Noell

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!)
1 C grated pepperjack cheese
small corn tortillas (and actually, flour ones are really good as well)
kosher salt

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.
Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.
Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.  Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another.  Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.  Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. 

Sunday Night Stew 
a la the Pioneer Woman

STEW
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 pounds Beef Stew Meat (chuck Roast Cut Into Chunks)
Salt And Pepper
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 ounces, weight Tomato Paste
4 cups Low Sodium Beef Stock Or Broth, More If Needed For Thinning
Several Dashes Worcestershire
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
4 whole Carrots, Peeled And Diced
2 whole Turnips, Peeled And Diced
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley
Mashed Potatoes
5 pounds Russet Potatoes (peeled)
1 package (8 Ounce) Cream Cheese, Softened
1 stick Butter, Softened
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Salt and pepper stew meat. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add butter, and as soon as it melts, brown half the stew meat until the outside gets nice and brown, about 2 minutes. (Turn it as it browns.) Remove the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon and put it on a plate. Add the rest of the meat to the pot and brown it, too. Remove it to the same plate. Set the meat aside.
Add the onion and garlic to the pot, stirring it to coat it in all the brown bits in the bottom of the pot. Cook for two minutes, then add the tomato paste to the pot. Stir it into the onions and let it cook for two more minutes.
Pour in the beef stock, stirring constantly. Add the Worcestershire and sugar. Add the beef back to the pot, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.
After 1 1/2 to 2 hours, add the diced turnips and carrots to the pot. Stir to combine, put the lid back on the pot, and let it simmer for another 30 minutes. The sauce should be very thick, but if it seems overly so, splash in some beef broth until it thins it up enough. Feel free to add beef broth as needed!
When the carrots and turnips are tender, stir in minced parsley. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve piping hot in a bowl with mashed potatoes, letting the juice run all over everything. Sprinkle with extra minced parsley at the end.
MASHED POTATOES
Cut the potatoes into quarters and cover with water in a large pot. Boil until potatoes are fork tender, about 25-30 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then put them back into the same pot. With the heat on low, mash the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes to release as much steam as possible.
Turn off heat, then add cream cheese, butter, cream, seasoned salt, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve potatoes immediately or spread them into a buttered baking dish to be reheated later. To reheat, put them in a 375 degree oven, covered in foil, until hot.

chef's note: i made this tonight, and used potatoes instead of turnips, and obviously omitted the mashed potatoes. this will definitely be a family favorite. 

Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs
a la Pioneer Woman

24 whole Chicken Legs 
2 sticks Butter 
1 Tablespoon Hot Salt (or You Favorite Seasonings) 
1/2 cup Lemon Juice (or To Taste)

Preparation Instructions

Melt 2 sticks of butter in a saucepan. Pour ½ cup of lemon juice (fresh or bottled). Now add your seasonings. In this case, 1 tablespoon of Morton’s Hot Salt. You can use whatever seasonings makes your skirt fly up, be it minced garlic, salt and Cayenne pepper ... let your imagination run wild. Stir it together until combined.
Rinse and pat your chicken legs dry. With metal tongs, transfer them one by one into the butter mixture and place on a baking sheet. Once all of the chicken legs are coated and on the baking rack, take a pastry brush and give them one last coating of the butter mixture. Sprinkle them with some more of your seasonings.
Place them into a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes. If they need a bit more color, turn on the broiler for a couple minutes and watch them closely. Remove them when they are nice and golden brown.

Spicy Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
a la Pioneer Woman

1 whole Large Onion 
1 whole Pork Shoulder ("pork Butt") - 5 To 7 Pounds 
Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper 
1 can (11 Ounce) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce 
2 cans Dr. Pepper 
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Lay them in the bottom of a large dutch oven.
Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan.
Pour the can of chipotle peppers over the pork (include the sauce.) Pour in both cans of Dr Pepper. Add brown sugar to the juice and stir in.
Place lid tightly on pot, then set pot in the oven. Cook for at least six hours, turning roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after six hours; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it's not falling apart, return to the oven for another hour.
Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it's cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stovetop and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.
Serve on warm flour tortillas. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, avocado slices, salsa, and whatever else you'd like.

Pasta Primavera
a la Pioneer Woman

1 cup Bite-sized Broccoli Pieces (up To 1 1/2 Cups) 
1/2 whole Onion, Diced Finely 
3 cloves To 4 Cloves Garlic, Chopped Finely 
2 whole Medium To Large Carrots, Sliced On The Bias (diagonally) 
2 whole Medium Zucchini, Sliced On The Bias (diagonally) 
1 whole Medium Yellow Squash (optional) 
1 container (about 5 Oz.) White Button Or Baby Porcini Mushrooms, Roughly Sliced 
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Into Strips 
4 Tablespoons Butter 
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 
1 pound Pasta (I Like Penne) 

FOR THE SAUCE: 
1/4 cup Dry White Wine (up To 1/2 Cup), Optional (replace With Additional Broth If Not Using) 
1/2 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth 
1 cup Whipping (heavy) Cream 
1 cup Half-and-half 
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese 
5 leaves Basil (or More To Taste), Plus Extra For Garnish 
1/2 cup Frozen Peas

Preparation Instructions

First, prep the vegetables. Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, about 1 to 1 ½ cups worth. Dice half a yellow onion. Chop 3 to 4 cloves of garlic. Slice carrots on the bias (diagonally), and do the same for the zucchini and yellow squash. Roughly slice the mushrooms and slice the red pepper (seeded) into strips.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic together and cook for a minute or two, until they start to turn translucent. Then throw in the broccoli. Stir, and add in the carrots.
Stir it around, and PLEASE, PLEASE cook it for only a minute, tops. Transfer the mixture to a plate. Add in the red pepper strips to the skillet. Stir them around for a minute or so, then transfer them to the plate.
Add pasta to slightly salted boiling water and cook to al dente.
Add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add squash and zucchini, cook for less than a minute, then transfer to plate. Cook mushrooms for a minute or two (add salt to taste), and again transfer to the plate.
FOR THE SAUCE
To make the sauce, pour ¼ to ½ cup dry white wine into the skillet (see note below). Add ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, a tablespoon of butter and scrape the bottom of the skillet to pull up the flavor left behind by the veggie cooking. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the liquid starts to thicken.
Add 1 cup whipping cream and 1 cup half-and-half. Measure out ½ cup grated Parmesan; add to the skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chiffonade 5 to 6 fresh basil leaves and add that to the sauce; stir.
Dump veggies and mushrooms into the sauce along with ½ cup frozen peas right out of the freezer. Add pasta al dente and stir. If the sauce seems a little thick, or if there doesn’t seem to be enough sauce, add a good splash of chicken broth and a little more half-and-half. Top with more Parmesan, salt, pepper, and basil to taste.
Note: if you’re averse to wine, add chicken broth instead. But watch the salt later.

Easy Calzones
a la Pioneer Woman

16 whole Frozen, Unrisen Dinner Rolls (I Use Rhodes) Note: Can Also Use Frozen Bread Loaves. 
1 Tablespoon Butter 
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced 
1 pound Breakfast Or Italian Sausage 
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning 
1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes 
15 ounces, fluid Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese 
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese 
1-1/2 cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese 
2 whole Eggs 
1/2 teaspoon Salt 
Black Pepper To Taste 
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley (i used basil)
Pepperoni, or other toppings
Marinara Sauce, For Serving 
1 whole Egg Beaten

Place frozen rolls (or frozen bread loaves) on a baking sheet to thaw. Cover with a tea towel and let thaw and rise for 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Add sausage and cook until brown, crumbling the sausage as you stir. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a plate.
In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley. When sausage is cool, stir it in. Set aside.
When rolls are thawed and risen, roll them out on a lightly floured surface until paper thin. Spoon 3-4 tablespoons (approximately) filling onto half of the dough circle. Fold half of the dough over itself, then press edges to seal.
*Note: If you want a larger calzone, use frozen bread loaves and use about 1/4 to 1/3 of the loaf for each calzone.
Brush surface of calzone with beaten egg, then bake for 10-13 minutes, or until nice and golden brown. Serve with warm marinara sauce.

Orange Chicken Sauce
a la Carlie

1 c chicken broth
zest of 1-2 oranges
1/2 c orange juice
1/3 c vinegar
1/4 c soy
2/3 c sugar
1/4 t ginger
2 T grated yellow onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

mix and simmer for 30 minutes. marinate with chicken
you may want to add cornstarch to thicken, but it's a tasty, light sauce.

Thai Peanut Chicken
a la Dr. Nathan

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/4 c white wine vinegar
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c lemon juice
4 cloves garlic
2 t crushed red pepper
2 t fresh ginger
8 sprigs parsley

Blend everything expect chicken in blender. Warm Peanut butter slightly to make it easier to blend. Cut chicken into cubes and put on skewers. Pour sauce over chicken but save some for basting while grilling. Let marinate in fridge over night or at least 1 hour at room temp. Grill until cooked thru, baste while grilling with remaining sauce. Serve with rice.

Laura's Favorite Seashell Pasta
a la Laura

1/2 c olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 t salt
1/2 t red pepper
1 pint small tomatoes, cherry or teardrop, sliced in half
1 lb medium pasta shells
1/2 c Parmesan cheese
1/2 c fresh basil leaves, thinly cut in strips

simmer together the oil, garlic, salt, red pepper together for about 5 minutes on low heat, careful not to burn the garlic. add half of the tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes, just to sweat them down. remove from heat and place in large bowl with the rest of the tomatoes. let sit for about 30 minutes.
meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. drain, and toss in bowl with tomatoes. add cheese and basil, and toss. serve hot!

chef's note: this is a great, light pasta. it is great as a side dish, but i would add grilled chicken or add bacon for a main dish. it makes plenty to have for lunch the next day.

Beef and Bean Burritos
a la the Pioneer Woman

2 pounds ground beef
1/2 medium onion
1 7 oz can mexican sauce or enchilada sauce (El Pato tomato sauce is best)
salt and pepper to taste
cumin, oregano, chili powder and garlic to taste.
1 28oz can refried beans
3/4 c grated cheddar cheese
12 burrito sized flour tortillas
extra cheese and sauce, for sprinkling
cilantro, for sprinkling
optional fillings- mexican rice, guacamole, sour cream, green chilies, pico de gallo

Brown ground beef with onion and season to taste. Pour in sauce and simmer over low heat. Add water if mixture gets too dry. Heat refried beans in a saucepan. Add cheese and stir in till melted. Keep warm. Heat tortillas in microwave for one minute.
Spread a small amount of beans on each tortilla. Add meat. Fold over ends, then roll up. Place two burritos on a microwave-safe plate. Drizzle red sauce over the top and sprinkle with more grated cheddar. Microwave for one minute, or until cheese is melted and burritos are very hot. Or, place all on a baking sheet at once in the oven until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

OPTIONAL: Fill burritos with any optional ingredients you like. (I love them full, but my boys like them very plain.)

Korean Beef
a la Lizzy writes 

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4-1/2 c brown sugar (i used 1/4 and it was plenty!)
1/4 c soy sauce (low sodium is preferable)
1 T sesame seed oil
3 gloves garlic, minced
1/2 t fresh ginger
1/2-1 t crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced

heat large skillet over medium heat and brown meat with garlic and seseame seed oil. drain off most of the fat, and add sugar, soy sauce, ginger and pepper. simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. serve over rice or in lettuce wraps, topped with green onions.

chef's note: i used powdered ginger, and it was great. also, i didn't have the pepper flakes the first time, so it was less spicy, but the kids loved it.

Potato Casserole
a la Aunt Diana

6 medium potatoes
1/4 cup butter
1 can cream of chicken coup
1 pt sour cream
1/3 c green onions, chopped
1/2 c shredded cheese
3/4 c corn flake crumbs, buttered with 2 T butter

cook potatoes in jackets, then peel and grate. add butter, melted, to hot potatoes. mix separately cream of chicken and sour cream. put potato mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. add green onions and grated cheese and toss lightly. pour in soup and sour cream mixture. top with buttered corn flake crumbs.
bake at 350 for 35 minutes.
this is delicious with ham or ham cubes in it for an entire meal (1 pound ham).

chef's note: i like to cube the potatoes instead of grating them. many other recipes i have seen use frozen hash browns as an alternative too.

Frozen Beef Enchiladas
a la the Sister's Cafe

1 eye of round roast
1-2 cans Red Enchilada sauce
1 1/2 c shredded cheese
1 can diced green chilis
about 15 tortillas
1 additional can enchilada sauce and cheese

Leave roast in Crock Pot all day with a cup of water or broth, and shred. Add sauce, cheese and chilis to meat. Roll in tortillas and place in gallon ziplock bag(s).

Defrost, and place in 9x13 pan. Pour 1 can sauce over the top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Chef's note: this made plenty for 2 servings. Divide and put in 2 bags.

Tortilla Soup 
a la mom

1 12oz can V-8 juice
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes (tomatoes and green chilies)
4-5 cilantro leaves
3/4 green bell pepper, chopped
1 small can tomato sauce
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove fresh garlic
1 large fresh tomato
4 can chicken broth
2 1/2 cans water
Toppings:
cooked chicken, cubed
tortilla chips, or fry your own
avacado, sliced
Monterey Jack cheese, grated
 tomato, chopped
onion, chopped
mozzarella cheese, grated
cilantro leaves

Liquify V-8, tomatoes, cilantro, bell pepper, tomato sauce, onion and garlic in blender. (note: you can leave this overnight in the fridge to enhance the flavor.) Add chicken stock and water, and warm in a large pot.
To serve, put tortilla chips in bottom of bowl. Add whatever toppings you want, then cover with soup. I recommend a large bowl.