Yummy Shepherds Pie!

Hi Ladies.  It's been a while.  Growing up I don't remember mom ever making this dish, but I know its a common one among the mormon community!  Josh suggested that I make it the other day, in celebration of Maddy finishing all her performances at the Dickens festival.  This dish originates from England (if you can follow the logic).  So I found this recipe and it was a HUGE hit with my family.  My kids wanted me to make this every night.  It is the new birthday dinner request.  Who would have thought.......  Here you go:

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 carrots, chopped
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 3/4 cup beef broth
• 1 C. frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

• Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, finely chopped onion and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.)
  3. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until clear. Add ground beef and cook until well browned. Pour off excess fat, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add ketchup and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Next, spread a layer of mashed carrots. Sprinkle peas. Top with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Chicken Wheat Berry Salad

Prepare wheat berries by cooking 3/4 C. whole wheat and 1/4 tsp. salt in 1 1/2 C water, bringing it to a boil and simmering for about 1 hour until liquid is absorbed and wheat is tender/chewy.

1 12-oz can drained and shredded chicken

1/2 C. mayonnaise

1-2 tsp. parsley (can use dried)

1 small onion or green onion, minced (can use dehydrated)

1/2 C. chopped celery (or 1/8 tsp. celery seed)

1/4 tsp. lemon pepper

1/4 tsp. ground coriander seed

1 clove minced garlic (or 1/8 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder)

1/8 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well, and chill. Serve as a salad, or in a stuffed tomato, or as an appetizer with crackers or crusty bread.

This is from my niece, Emily Miller. It can be use pantry/food storage items, and is nicely seasoned. Linda Hicks

crispy coconut chicken fingers

12 chicken tenders

1-2 eggs

1/2 C flour

1 C sweetened coconut flakes

1 C panko bread crumbs

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp table salt

3/4 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 450. Chop coconut so its pretty fine. Combine coconut w/ panko and spices and mix well. Place flour and eggs in 2 other separate shallow dishes. Dip chicken tender in flour first, then egg, then spice mixture so it's coated well. Place chicken on foil lined cookie sheet, drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil (if you want a little extra crispiness), and bake for 15-25 min (depending on size). They're so good dipped in sweet & sour sauce!!!

Kettle Corn

Maybe you all do this already, but this is the first time I made this, and it was a major hit.

1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
Dash or two of cinnamon (optional)
Salt

Heat oil in a large pot with a lid
Stir popcorn and sugar (and cinnamon) together, pour into oil.
Put the lid on and shake, shake, shake the pot continually, until the popcorn is all popped.
Remove from pan immediately, shake some salt on popcorn, while still hot.
Done.

mango salsa with a touch of habanero :)

Our freezer is filled with fish thanks to Spencer's deep sea fishing trip. We grilled up some Mahi Mahi on Sunday and topped it off with this recipe. It was SO GOOD!!! We also put it on grilled chicken and it was delish!

Combine:

1 C sweet kernal corn

1 lime juiced

1 lemon juiced

1 C grape tomateos, quartered

4 tsp olive oil

1/2 C chopped cilantro

2 tsp salt

2 tsp pepper

1 (2 if you're brave) habanero pepper, seeded and finely chopped

mix and chill overnight

last minute, add 4 C chopped mango, stir and serve

Serves 8

Tangy cherry chicken

6 chicken breasts or thighs
2 Tbsp. diced onion
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb cherries - pitted (Bing is preferred for the pretty red color)
4 basil leaves (or 1 tsp. dried basil)
½ cup orange juice
1 chicken bouillon cube

Cook the chicken using your method of choice (grill, fry) until done. While the chicken is cooking, place cherries, basil, orange juice and bouillon cube in a blender or food processor. Add the onions to a frying pan with olive oil and cook until translucent. Add the onions to the cherry mixture, and puree only until it is slightly chunky. After plating the chicken, spoon the cherry sauce over the chicken.

This is different but good!

Strawberry Sensation

This is so good and it is a crowd pleaser for sure! Plus it is soooo easy!

Get 2 lbs. strawberries
1  14 oz. can sw. cond. milk
1/4 c lemon juice
2  8 oz. tubs cool whip
8 oreo cookies
1 T. melted butter

- Line a 9x5 loaf pan with foil. Smooth it out as much as you can with some foil hanging over the edges a little. Mash 1 pkg. of the strawberries in a large bowl. Add the milk, juice, and 1/2 - 3/4 of a tub of cool whip. Mix well and pour into the pan.

- Coarsely chop the oreos and mix with the melted butter. Spoon over the top of the strawberry mixture and gently press it in.  Lift up the ends of the foil that is hanging over so the mixture doesn't spill over. Freeze for at least 10 hours. The recipe says 6 hrs. but that has not been enough time for me.

- Invert onto a plate about an hour before serving, remove foil. Frost with abt. 3/4 of a tub of cool whip, top with sliced strawberries, slice and serve!

- Serves about 12