Breakfast Potatoes

For Christmas morning I made some yummy potatoes! I thought I made the recipe up, but sadly my mother informed me that I did not. They sure were yummy. (No picture yet cause we ate them all up)

Ingredients:
5-6 potatoes peeled and diced
Garlic salt
Italian Seasoning
1 green pepper diced
1/2 onion diced
Butter

Directions:
Heat butter in a hot skillet. Combine all other ingredients in a bowl and mix well. When butter is melted, add the mixture. Heat on low to medium heat. Heat for about 20-30 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add butter, or EVOO as needed.

Cheese Ball

My family make a delicious cheese ball ! Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:
2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3 packages of sliced beef (I use ham) 2 chopped up for the inside, one cut in squares for the outside.
1/2 green pepper
Green onions, most of a bunch, chopped with a lot of green
Garlic salt
Onion salt
Pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
Combine all ingredients except the package of meat cut into squares for the outside. Mix well. Form into a ball and cover outside with squares of meat.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:

1 cup long grain white rice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 bell peppers (any color, I only used green, but for more color yellow and red would be great!)

1/2 green beans, trimmed and halved (I used cucumbers instead this time)

5 scallions

2 inch piece from ginger, peeled and minced.

3 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:

Cook rice according to package instructions.

In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar.

In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add chicken, bell peppers, and green beans and cook, stirring frequently til vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes.

Whisk soy sauce mixture, add to skillet and cook, stirring constantly until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Fluff rice with fork. To serve, spoon chicken mixture over rice.

Strawberry Lemonade

I got this recipe from a Martha Stewart cookbook, it's delicious!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 7 lemons)
1 pound strawberries
16 oz seltzer

Directions:
In pan, bring 2 cups water and sugar to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, 2 minutes. Transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate until cool, about 45 minutes. Add lemon juice and stir to combine.

In a blender, puree strawberries until smooth. Pour through a strainer. I didn't do this cause I like the fruit bits. Stir in seltzer.

Pina Colada Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
3 eggs
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 container whipped vanilla frosting
3/4 cup shredded coconut

Directions: 
Heat oven to 375.
Mix mix, oil, water, 1 teaspoon rum extract, pineapple and eggs with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Divide batter among 24 muffin cups.
Bake 18-24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pan to wire rack then cool completely for 30 minutes.
Stir coconut extract and 1 teaspoon rum extract into frosting. Spread frosting onto cupcakes. Dip tops of frosted cupcakes in coconut.

 I will post a picture as soon as they are done, they are just in the oven now.

Olive Cheese Bread

Ingredients:
for 1 1/2 lb loaf

1 cup water
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour
2 1/4 cup yeast
1/2 cup feta cheese
6 tbsp green olives, chopped
3 tbsp sundried tomatoes
3 tbsp flour

Directions:
Put first seven ingredients into bread maker. Set for white bread, medium crust, Press start. Toss remaining ingredients with flour, then add them to the dough after first kneading or at the beeper.

Basil Tomato Parmesan Bread

Ingredients:
for 1 1/2 lb loaf

3/4 cup water
6 tbsp milk
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups flour
1 tbsp yeast
6 tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes

Directions:
Add all ingredients except tomatoes in bread maker. Set machine for white bread, medium crust. Press Start. Add tomatoes to dough after the first kneading or when the beeper indicates it is time to start.