'Ono Made Easy

My Aunt Margie makes the best chicken salad! I could eat bowls and bowls of it! Aunt Margie's Macaroni Salad w Chicken Salad  Ingredients 1 (16 oz) box elbow noodles 1 large ( at least 12.5 oz) can chicken breast Hellman's Mayo Miracle Whip ( just a little bit) Yellow Mustard ( just a little bit) green olives, sliced in half carrots, sliced into small pieces sweet pickles, sliced into small pieces dash of pickle juice onion ( if desired) Mrs Dash ( I used Montreal Steak Seasoning, because it's my favorite seasoning to use!) Directions 1. Cook, drain, and cool pasta. 2. Add the rest of the ingredients to your taste. Thanks Aunt Margie!

One of my all-time favorite meals is gyros! I found this recipe for chicken gyros on Pinterest: http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/03/slow-cooker-chicken-gyros.html Slow Cooker Chicken Gyros  Ingredients  1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 onion, sliced 1/4 cup water 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp oregano 1/4 tsp allspice 1 tsp lemmon pepper ( I just used black pepper.) Directions   1. Spray crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken breast inside slow cooker. 2. Mix remaining ingredients together in a bowl and pour over chicken breasts. 3. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and serve with pita bread, sliced tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, lettuce and tzatziki sauce. ( I cooked mine on high for 3 hours.)

Since I have German heritage, I was born to love brats! Check out this recipe I adapted from allrecipes.com:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/beer-brats/detail.aspx Beer Brats  Ingredients 4 ( 12 oz) cans beer 1 large onion, diced 10 bratwurst 2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground black pepper Directions  1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. When hot, lightly oil grate. ( I used a pan on my stovetop since I live in an apartment.) 2. Combine the beer and onions in a large pot and bring to a boil. Submerge the brats in the beer and add the red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 10-12 minutes. 3. Remove the brats from the beer and reduce the heat to low. Continue cooking the onions. 4. Cook the brats on the preheated grill, turning once, 5-10 minutes.  (I cooked my brats in a pan with butter.)Serve with the beer mixture as a topping or a side.

Brussels sprouts used to be on the bottom of my "vegetables I like to eat list," but lately I've been liking them! http://homemakerchic.com/2012/10/04/roasted-parmesan-brussels-sprouts/ Roasted Parmesan Brussel Sprouts  Ingredients  brussel sprouts olive oil salt pepper garlic powder parmesan cheese Directions  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 1. Cut the sprouts in half, lengthwise and place into a bowl. 2. Drizzle with olive oil to lightly coat each piece ( don't overdo it, or else they will be greasy). 3. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. 4. Pour onto a baking sheet and roast for about 20-25 minutes, flipped about halfway through to make sure they roast on both sides.

Pulled pork is definitely one of my top favorite dishes! Mark found this recipe on  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-and-savory-slow-cooker-pulled-pork/detail.aspx   . (This recipe makes 10 servings.) Sweet and Savory Slow Cooker Pulled Pork  Ingredients  1 ( 4.5 lbs) bone-in pork shoulder roast 1 cup root beer 2 1/2 Tbs light brown sugar ( I used dark, because that's what I had.) 2 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1 1/2 tsp ground paprika 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp garlic salt 1/4 tsp celery salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1 1/2 cups root beer 1 1/2 fluid oz whiskey 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tsp olive oil 3/4 cup prepared bbq sauce Directions  1. Place the pork shoulder roast into a large plastic bag and pour 1 cup of root beer over the meat. Squeeze all of the air out of the bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate 6 hours to over night. ...

Tilapia has an amazing taste and is quite inexpensive too! Mark created his own simple recipe to cook up some fish! I also made a simple sauce to go with it! Basic Tilapia  Ingredients  Fish  light olive oil 4 tilapia filets salt pepper flour Sauce mayo lemon juice Directions  1. Place some light olive oil in a pan on medium high heat. 2. Rinse fish in water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle each side of the filets with salt and pepper ( to your liking). 3. Cover each side of the filets with flour. 4. Place the filets in the heated pan. Cook each side of the files for about 4 minutes each, or until the fish is cooked through. Mix mayo with a little bit of lemon juice for a lovely dipping sauce! I also sprinkled some panko crumbs for a little extra texture.

I love Chinese takeout, but I usually feel icky after I eat it. Here's an adaptation of a recipe (  http://www.food.com/recipe/spicy-orange-chicken-stir-fry-342823  )  that won't make you feel yucky! Serving size: 6 ( I cut the recipe in half since I was just cooking for two people.) Spicy Orange Chicken Stir-Fry  Ingredients  1/3 cup cornstarch 2 cups orange juice 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup rice vinegar 1/4 cup honey 6 garlic cloves, minced 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes salt and pepper ( to taste) 1 Tbs vegetable oil 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch strips ( I cut them into cubes because it was easier.) 1 head broccoli, cut into florets 5 carrots, peeled and sliced 1 ( 8oz) can water chestnuts Rice ( desired amount) Directions  1. Place cornstarch in a medium bowl and gradually whisk in orange juice until smooth. Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. ...

One of my favorite things when I visited Philadelphia was eating a true Philly sandwich! Here's a great semi- healthier version I adapted from  http://boymeetsbowl.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/philly-cheese-steak-sloppy-joes.html  .  ( Makes 4 servings)  Ingredients  Sloppy Joes 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil  1 lb ground beef  1 medium onion (chopped)  1 medium green bell pepper ( seeded and chopped)  1/4 cup steak sauce ( I didn't use this because Mark thinks steak sauce smells like window cleaner. I used about an 1/8 up of Worcestershire sauce instead.)  1 cup beef broth  salt and ground black pepper ( to taste)  Cheese Sauce ( I didn't care for the cheese sauce. Next time I will just top my sloppy joe with cheese.)  1 Tbs butter  1 Tbs flour  1 cup milk  1 cup provolone cheese ( shredded)  4 hamburger buns  Directions  Sloppy Joes Heat olive oil in a...

Almost every night before I go to sleep, I watch cooking shows on the Create channel on tv. One night, I watched an episode of Martha Bakes. Martha Stewart made Cheddar Bits (aka cheese crackers), and I knew I would have to make my own! These wonderful crackers remind me of cheese straws! http://www.marthastewart.com/1066175/cheddar-bits#1066175 Ingredients  1/2 cup ( 1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature 2 cups grated aged cheddar ( I just used Kraft shredded sharp cheddar) 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp sweet paprika ( I used regular paprika) 2 Tbs heavy cream Directions  1. Pulse butter, cheddar, flour, salt, cayenne pepper and paprika in a food processor until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Add the heavy cream and pulse until just combined. 2. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Shape each piece into a rectangle and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. 3. Working in batch...

Mark loves to cook on the grill, and he found this recipe for chicken kabobs that I adapted from allrecipes.com : http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Yummy-Honey-Chicken-Kabobs/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=chicken%20kabobs&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i3  Ingredients 1/4 cup vegetable oil ( I used olive oil) 1/3 cup honey 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves- cut into 1 inch cubes 2 cloves garlic 5 small onions, cut into 2 inch pieces 2 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces skewers Directions  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, soy sauce and pepper. Before adding the chicken, reserve a small amount of the marinade to brush onto the kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinade in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours ( the longer the better). 2. Preheat the grill for high heat. 3...

One of my favorite tv shows is Duck Dynasty, and my mother-in-law bought me the book, Miss Kay's Duck Commander Kitchen by Kay Robertson with Chrys Howard. This recipe is from this book! Note: This dish is very sweet!! Ingredients  2 cups finely chopped pecans 1 stick melted butter for pecans 1 1/2 lbs skinless, bonesless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch wide strips 1 1/2 tsp Duck Commander Cajun Seasoning (mild or zesty) or other Cajun seasoning ( I made mine own from spices I had at home:  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cajun-Spice-Mix-2/  ) 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp garlic powder 3/4 stick ( 6 Tbs) butter for chicken 1/3 cup olive oil 1/3 cup packed brown sugar ( dark or light) 1/3 cup maple syrup Cookie sheet, large skillet, 9x13-inch casserole dish Directions (makes 8-12 servings) Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. 1. Arrange the pecans in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Add butter to the top of the pecans. B...

One of my friends, Hilah, made this amazing strawberry ice cream and I ate so much of it that I HAD to get the recipe from her! It's from:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-eggless-strawberry-ice-cream/detail.aspx Ingredients 2 cups whole milk 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup white sugar 1/4 tsp salt 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups mashed fresh strawberries ( I mashed mine with a fork) 2 drops red food coloring, optional ( I didn't use food coloring) Directions  Place your ice cream freezer bowl into your freezer for at least 16 hours. 1. In a large bowl, combine the milk, cream, sugar, salt, vanilla, strawberries, and food coloring. 2. Pull the freezer bowl out of your freezer and set up your ice cream machine. 3. Pour the mixture into the freezer bowl of the ice cream maker and turn on for about 20 minutes, or until your ice cream gets to the consistency you are happy with. (I suggest putting your ice cream in a sealed container, in the freezer after you put it in y...

I love slow cooker recipes, especially for Sunday afternoons! Here's a beef stew recipe I found from this book: The 150 Healthiest Slow Cooker Recipes on Earth: The Surprising Unbiased Truth about How to Make Nutritious and Delicious Meals that are Ready When You Are by: Jonny Bowden, Jeannette Bessinger Ingredients  1 red onion, left whole, peeled 8 whole cloves ( I suggest 6. I used 8 and the flavor, although great, was very clove heavy.) 1 lb baby carrots 3 large parsnips, peeled and sliced 1 sweet onion, chopped 1 1/2 lbs leanest chuck (shoulder roast), cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper 1 can (14 oz) sliced stewed tomatoes, drained 1 cup beef broth (or 1 cup water with 2 tsp organic beef Better than Bouillon) 2 Tbs blackstrap molasses ( I used light and mild pure unsulfured, because that's all i could find at the store) 1 1/2 Tbs apple cider vinegar 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tsp orange zest ( I suggest to add some mo...

One of my favorite sweet treats as a kid was Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies. I mixed two recipes together to get a perfect combination for a delicious homemade oatmeal cream pie. That makes it healthier, right? http://allrecipes.com/recipe/oatmeal-whoopie-pies/ ( cookie recipe) http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/01/19/homemade-little-debbie-oatmeal-creme-pies/ ( filling recipe) Ingredients    Cookie 2 cups packed brown sugar 3/4 cup butter 2 eggs 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp baking powder 3 Tbs boiling water 1 tsp baking soda 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups quick cooking oats Filling 3/4 cup ( 1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 3 cups powdered sugar 3 Tbs heavy cream 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract pinch of salt, as needed Directions  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets. Cookies 1. Cream butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and mix well. Stir in the s...

I remember coming home one day to the amazing smell of potatoes, garlic, and peppers. Here's my husband's recipe for some good ol' taters!  Ingredients  olive oil  small gold potatoes, washed  orange pepper  garlic, chopped  salt and pepper to taste  Directions  1. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan on medium heat for about 5-10 minutes.  2. Cut potatoes into small round shapes.  3. Place potatoes, orange pepper, chopped garlic, salt and pepper into the pan and heat until potatoes are crispy. While the potatoes are cooking, flip them so they get crispy on both sides.   

I love a good chicken pot pie, especially when it's homemade! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Pot-Pie-IX/Detail.aspx Ingredients  1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cubed 1 cup sliced carrots 1 cup frozen green peas 1/2 cup sliced celery 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup chopped onion 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp celery seed ( I didn't use this, because I didn't have any) 1 3/4 cups chicken broth 2/3 cup milk 2 ( 9 in.) unbaked pie crusts or 2 puff pastry sheets ( i.e. Pepperidge Farm) Directions  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 1. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain, and set aside. 2. In another saucepan, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent over medium high heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from he...

I wanted a good side dish for a Super Bowl meal, so I found this recipe for potato skins: http://www.iheartnaptime.net/easy-potato-skins-recipe/  Ingredients 4 large baking potatoes (washed) 3 Tbsp butter, melted 2 tsp kosher salt 1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded cheese 7 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled Directions  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 1. Cover baking sheet with tin foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. 2. Wash potatoes and cut the ends off and discard. Cut the potatoes into approximately 1/2 inch slices. 3. Brush both sides and edges of the potatoes with butter and sprinkle with salt. 4. Place potato slices onto the foiled pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Turn potatoes onto the opposite side after about 15 minutes and put the pan back into the oven. 4. When potatoes are done, top with cheese and bacon. Put the pan back in the oven for about 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.

Another slow cooker recipe:  http://www.slenderkitchen.com/slow-cooker-sunday-honey-garlic-chicken/ Ingredients  2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks 3 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 tsp. dried basil 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup ketchup 1/4 cup honey pinch red pepper flakes Directions 1. Whisk the garlic, basil, soy sauce, ketchup, and honey in a small bowl. 2. Add chicken to the crockpot. 3. Pour the sauce over the chicken and mix everything together. 4. Cook on low for 4 hours. Add a bit more chicken broth if the chicken seems to be drying out. 5. For crispy outside, spread onto a baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes

I was looking for more easy slow cooker recipes, when I found this one on Pinterest: http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2014/10/01/slow-cooker-chicken-burrito-bowl/ Ingredients  1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts ( about 2 large breasts) 2 Tbsp olive oil 3 tsp onion powder 2 tsp garlic powder 3 tsp chili powder 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp salt and ground pepper to taste 3 cups of low-sodium (or regular) chicken broth 1, 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained 1, 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed 2 3/4 cups of instant whole grain brown rice ( I used white rice) 1 1/2 cups shredded colby jack cheese Directions  1. Place chicken breasts into the slow cooker. 2. Pour chicken broth over chicken breasts and stir in canned tomatoes, olive oil, onion powder, garlic  powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. 3. Cook on low for about 4 hours, until chicken is cooked through. 4. Remove chicken breasts from slow cooker. 5. Turn slow cooker on high and stir in i...

Mark said one of his favorite dishes at Olive Garden is Chicken Giardino. I typed in "chicken giardino" into Google, and a recipe on the Olive Garden website came up! http://www.olivegarden.com/recipe/chicken-giardino/man-imp-reci-prd-104  I added some changes and suggestions to the recipe. I made half of the recipe so I wouldn't have too many left overs. I kept the same amounts for the sauce ingredients. I would recommend at least doubling the sauce. Ingredients:  Sauce:  1 Tbsp butter 1/4 tsp dry thyme (I didn't use this) 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped ( I didn't use this) 1 tsp garlic pepper ( I just combined some garlic powder, crushed black pepper and some salt) 1Tbsp cornstarch 1/4 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup white wine 1 Tbsp milk 1 tsp lemon juice salt and pepper to taste Chicken:  2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced width-wise into 1/2" strips ( I just sliced them into small pieces) 1/4 cup extra...

Here's a family recipe for sugar cookies. Ingredients  1/2 sugar 2 1/2 cups flour 1 egg 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1 cup butter (soft) 1 tsp. cream of tarter 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. baking soda Directions  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 1. Mix all ingredients into a ball. Refrigerate for 2 hours. 2. Roll out and cut cookies. 3. Place cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 9 minutes.

When I lived in Hawaii, I received this recipe from the Polynesian Cultural Center. Sooooo ono! Ingredients  2 cups fresh grated coconut 4 cups flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups water Directions  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 1. Combine coconut, sugar, and water. 2. Blend flour and baking powder together. 3. Mix all ingredients until a doughy texture forms, adding a little flour as needed so it is not too sticky. 4. Separate the dough into 5 equal parts ( will become loaves) and roll each part into the size of a hot dog bun. 5. Wrap each part in aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. ( Makes 5 loaves.)

This is one of my favorite desserts that my mom makes! Ingredients  2 cups of pretzels, crushed 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 3/4 cup butter 8 oz package cream cheese 1 cup granulated sugar 1 small carton of cool whip 2, 3 oz packages of strawberry jello 2 cups boiling water 2, 10 oz packages frozen strawberries (partially thawed) Directions  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 1. Blend the crushed pretzels, 2 tbs. granulated sugar, and butter. Spread into a 9x13in pan. 2. Bake for 8-10 minutes. (Don't over bake!) Let cool. 3. Blend the cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar. Blend in the cool whip. 4. Spread over the pretzel mixture. 5. Add the boiling water to the strawberry jello, then mix in the frozen strawberries. 6. Set in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. 7. Pour over cream cheese mixture and refrigerate until set.

Mark and I were talking about how we love Chinese food, but it's usually loaded with salt. I found a great healthier recipe for Orange Chicken and I made some small adjustments: http://junejohnson.co/eats/recipes-skinny-orange-chicken/ Ingredients:  2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces salt and pepper ( I didn't use salt) 2 Tablespoons olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup orange juice 1/2 cup honey 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 3 Tbsp. cornstarch 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1/2 tsp. pepper zest of 1 orange pinch of crushed red pepper flakes thinly sliced scallions ( I didn't use these) toasted sesame seeds ( I didn't use these) Directions:   1. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. 2. Add chicken, salt and pepper to taste to the pan and sauté for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and nearly cooked through. 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together ...

Lately I've been loving ground turkey recipes! Here's a turkey meatball recipe I adapted from: http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/10/homemade-turkey-meatball-subs-recipe.html Ingredients:  1 lb ground turkey 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried parsley 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 large egg 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning Directions:  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 1. In a large bowl, mix the turkey, bread crumbs, basil, oregano, parsley, garlic salt, Parmesan cheese, egg, olive oil and steak seasoning. 2. Form meat into 1-1/2" meatballs and place them onto a greased cookie sheet. ( I used an ice cream scoop to form the balls.) 3. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve with pasta and marinara sauce.  

Cold days = warm soup, right?! Mark kept talking about this amazing soup from Chick-Fil-A, so I found this copy cat recipe: http://feelingfoodish.com/chicken-tortilla-soup/ Ingredients  2 small chicken breasts, cooked and shredded 32 oz ( 2 cans) white beans (Northern or Navy), drained and rinsed 1 cup (about 1/2 can)  black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup (about 1/2 can) corn 4.5 oz small can diced green chili peppers 3 to 4 cups chicken broth 1/2 large red bell pepper, finely diced 1 medium stick celery, finely diced 1 medium onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 2 tablespoons canola oil 4 tablespoons sour cream 4 tablespoons corn flour / corn starch 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon cumin 2 tablespoons lemon juice tortilla chips, optional to serve Directions  1. In a large dutch oven (large pot), heat the canola oil over medium high heat and add the onion, celery and garlic and heat until f...