hosting a dinner saturday.. what should i cook?

Here are a few E-Z recipes.

You might find something you'd like to try. (Someday.)

Good Luck & enjoy.

COLA CHICKEN (And more variations of recipe)

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 cup catsup

1 12oz. can cola (pepsi, coke, etc.)

Put chicken in a non-stick pan.

Mix together catsup and cola, pour over chicken.

Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and cook 45 minutes.

(turning chicken a few times, while cooking...to prevent from sticking to pan)

Uncover, turn up the heat and continue to cook until the sauce

becomes thick and adheres to the chicken.

It turns into the most incredible BBQ sauce. Yummmm!

You can double the recipe and use more pieces of

chicken....wings...would be ideal...add some hot sauce....presto "Hot Wings"!

I have used Ribs, just as good.

I tried this recipe with 'meatballs'....was equally

as good...served over rice.

I found another variation.....omit the catsup and add a small jar of Salsa (any variety).

I have tried using Salsa (omitting the catsup....not).

You'd think a recipe with only '3' ingredients couldn't be messed up....wouldn't you??

Well...while I was preparing to fix the 'Cola Chicken' recipe

using Salsa.....I was also trying to carry on a conversation with my

husband...(just proves...I can't do two things at once)....mixed Salsa & Catsup (before I realized I was supposed to leave out the catsup) & Cola........still turned out really tasty (to me)...might be a little sweeter than some of you like.

I fixed chicken wings, (using the above recipe)

but...I added the spices from a MILD (I don't care for "HOT") Buffalo Wings packet...(the kind you get to bake in the oven).....I thought it was really good.....(but you/I can't find a 'bad' way to fix chicken).

Finally....!! I fixed the 'SALSA' chicken......that's good , too.

Another (bright)idea.....I thought of trying......replace the

catsup with a bottle of Shrimp Cocktail Sauce...and add a bag of (pop corn) shrimp.....!

Fixed the shrimp with cocktail sauce......eh...wasn't all that

great...was OK...probably won't be fixing it again.

Also tried beef stew cuts......that was pretty good.....I can see

myself making this again.

Served both over rice.....think the stew cuts would have been just as

good over noodles.

Try little cocktail weiners/sausages…for appetizers.

CRUNCHY ONION CHICKEN

1 1/3 cups French’s Original French Fried Onions

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1 egg, beaten

LIGHTLY CRUSH:

Onions in a plastic bag.

DIP:

Chicken in egg

COVER:

With onion crumbs, press firmly to adhere to chicken.

BAKE:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place chicken on lightly greased baking pan.

Sprinkle with additional onion crumbs, if desired.

Bake for 20 minutes or until no longer pink in center.

POOR MAN’S SWISS STEAK

Mix: 1 lb. hamburger

1 cup cornflakes

salt & pepper to taste

small amount dices onion

Spread in a square baking pan.

Pour: 1 can mushroom soup

1 can water

(combine together, first)

Pour over meat mixture.

Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

CHILLI DOG CASSEROLE

1 pkg. (8) hot dog buns

1 pkg. (8) hot dogs (use more if you like)

1 can Chilli (15 oz. without beans, use more if you want)

1 small onion (chopped)

2 cups shredded cheese

mustard

DIRECTIONS: Pre-heat oven 350 degrees

In a 9" x 13" baking pan, break up hot dog buns (bite size) and spread in pan.

Cut up hot dogs (about 1/2" size) spread over buns.

Spoon/spred chilli over hot dog/buns.

Sprinkle onions over all.

Squirt mustard over entire mixture (don't spread...just make a few lines both ways across mixture)

Cover with shredded cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.

(Hint: If using extra hot dogs & chilli, don't add extra buns.)

POT ROAST

Your choice of beef (to fit crock-pot)

1 pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix

1 pkg. dry Italian dressing mix

1 pkg. dry Brown Gravy mix

1 cup water

Put beef in pot.

Mix together all the dry mixes….then add water …pour over meat and cover & cook on high 4-6 hours.

Until meat is tender.

The first time I mad it I didn’t have the Italian Dressing mix….so I added a pkg. of Onion Soup Mix….I have to say I liked that better.

If you use more water you might want to add more Brown Gravy mix….to make a thicker sauce. Was gonna add

potatoes and carrots…but never got around to it.

HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

2 lbs. frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (thawed)

1 bunch green onions, chopped

sweet pepper chopped (red – green – yellow – orange – or a mixture of all)

1 lb. Sausage, cooked until pink disappears, crumbled

1 cup ham cubes

4 slices crisp bacon, crumbled

1 small can sliced mushrooms

1 small can sliced black olives

2 – 8oz. packages of shredded cheese

½ cup milk

12 eggs beaten

Tabasco (optional)

sour cream & salsa (optional)

Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan, wipe excess with paper towel.

Spread potatoes on bottom (cand be lightly browned in a skillet first if desired)

Sprinkle sausage over potatoes…then

Peppers…

Mushrooms…

Ham..

Onions (reserve about ¼ cup)

Mix eggs & milk together…….I added about 2 TBLS. Tabasco…more to your taste… pour slowly over all.

Cover with shredded cheese….then sprinkle over all

Remaining onions…

Olives…

Bacon…

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Uncover and bake at 375 degrees for 35 – 45 minutes…until browned and cheese is melted.

Serve with sour cream and/or salsa.

OLD SETTLER’S BEANS

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. bacon

1 chopped onion

Brown in skillet and drain excess grease.

ADD:

16 oz. can Red Kidney Beans (drained)

24 oz. can Pork & Beans (drained)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup Catsup

2 TBLS. Molasses

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Mix Thoroughly !

Cook in a crock pot until...hot...hot...hot!

MARINATED VEGGIE SALAD

1 lb. can French style green beans

1 lb. can small peas

1 lb. can white corn

1 - 4oz. jar pimento (chopped)

1 cup shopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup sugar (I used artificial sweetener)

2/3 cup vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)

1/2 cup cooking oil

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1.)Pour green beans, peas, corn & pimento in a colander to drain over a

large bowl. Discard 1 1/2 cups of liquid.

2.)Put veggies in a large bowl and fold in onions, celery and green

peppers.

3.)Mix together thoroughly the remaining ingredients and toss with

veggies.

4.)Cover and let sit over night in refrigerator. (The longer it marinates the better.)

Desserts/Snacks

POUND CAKE

Combine:

2 sticks butter

1 2/3 cup sugar

Beat in:

5 eggs (1 at a time)

Add:

2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon rum extract

Mix thoroughly and bake 1 hour at 325 degrees.

E-Z Candy

(All recipes are mixed the same.)

Melt ingredients, seperately in microwave until runny.

Mix together and pour into serving dish.

Chill until firm, cut & serve.

Chocolate Fudge:

16 oz. container of Fudge Frosting

1 bag of Chocolate Chips (any flavor you like)

Peanut Butter Fudge #1:

1 small jar Peanut Butter (18 oz.)

2 bags of Peanut Butter Chips

Peanut Butter Fudge #2:

1 small jar Peanut Butter (18oz.)

16 oz. container of White Frosting

Marshmallow Nougat:

1 small jr Marshmallow Creme

1 bag White Chocolate Chips

1 tsp. Almond Flavoring

1 small bag Chopped Nuts

(I've made this without the flavoring & nuts....I want to try

rolling

into balls and dipping in a chocolate coating....sounds good to

me.)

I've doubled all the above recipes. The Marshmallow Nougat

recipe...doubled and added a container of white frosting (had an

extra one....so thought....why not!)

I use a double boiler..(prefer the double

boiler)...add chips in first ...then rest of

ingredients.....saving

nuts and flavorings for last.

Kreamy Kool-Aid Pie

1-(6 g) package un sweetened Kool-Aid powdered drink mix

1-(14 oz.)can sweetened condensed milk

1-(8 oz)container Cool Whip frozen whipped topping, thawed.

1-(9 inch) Graham Cracker Pie Crust (or Cookie crust)

Cool Whip for top (optional)

1. In a medium bowl mix Kool-Aid and condensed milk, thoroughly.

2. Fold in Cool Whip.

4. If desired, spread more Cool Whip on top.

5. Chill for a minimum of 4 hours.

I’ve used: Strawberry…Cherry…Lemon-lime (Key-Lime Pie)….Lemonade (Lemon Pie…might add some yellow food coloring for a more lemony look.)

OATMEAL PIE

INGREDIENTS:

2/3 cup uncooked oatmeal

2/3 cup light Karo syrup

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup melted margarine, cooled

1 – 9” unbaked pie shell

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in order given.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

(I used Karo Brown Sugar Syrup and topped pie with pecan halves. I made 2 pies the same day. The one that sat over night was the better of the 2…(my opinion).

Hershey’s Cocoa Cream Pie

(The best chocolate flavor I’ve found!)

½ c. Hershey’s cocoa

1 ¼ c. sugar

1/3 c. cornstarch

¼ tsp. Salt

3 c. milk

3 TBLS. Butter or margarine

1 ½ tsp vanilla

1 baked pie crust, cooled or a graham cracker crust

1.) In medium saucepan, stir together until well-blended cocoa, sugar, cornstarch and salt.

2.) Gradually add milk to dry ingredients, stirring until smooth.

3.) Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture boils. Boil 1 minute, remove from heat.

4.) Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.

5.) Pour into pie crust, cool.

6.) Top with meringue or cool whip.

E-Z Cake Recipes

NO EGGS,NO OIL ,NO WATER .......JUST SODA AND MIX.

CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX.......

If he's a chef, he's worked in a resaurant. If he's worked in a restaurant, he know the customer is always right!. Start by taking a VERY small amount, and EAT IT! If it's not to your taste, don't take any more. If it is, ask if you can have seconds, because it's SOOOOOOO delicious. He won't be offended, quite the opposite. But the fact you tried it, and not just rejected it out of hand, will go a long way towards soothing ruffled feathers. Honour is satisfied on both counts. Most chefs are not prima donna's - they appreciate that not everything is to everyones taste. Trust me - he is just as worried about a successful dinner party, as you are!

How going Italian? Serve this with a green salad, roasted veggies, and breadsticks.

AMY’S STUFFED SHELLS

1 pkg jumbo shells, cooked, drained

10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

15 oz Ricotta cheese

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella

28 oz jar spaghetti sauce

Rinse shells in cold water until cool enough to handle, being careful not to damage pasta. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients except spaghetti sauce , mixing well. Pour 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce over bottom of 13 X 9 inch glass baking dish. Spoon cheese filling into shells and arrange on spaghetti sauce. Pour remaining sauce over shells. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with additional mozzarella to serve, if desired.

8 oz cream cheese

8 oz sour cream

1 lb. lean hamburger

1 bottle (26oz) spaghetti sauce

8 oz mozzarella cheese

spaghetti noodles

In a separate bowl, bring cream cheese and sour cream to room temp and mix until smooth and combined.

In a skillet, brown hamburger; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Cook and drain noodles according to package directions.

In a greased 9-1/2 x 11-inch pan, spread the cream mixture. Next layer half of the noodles, hamburger sauce, and cheese. Repeat layers. Cover with foil and bake at 350-degrees F. for 1 hour.

To Freeze: (Line entire pan with greased foil prior to layering ingredients. After casserole is frozen, remove hardened casserole in foil, wrap and label). Prior ot baking or after baking, cover casserole tightly with aluminum foil; label and date. Write cooking instructions on foil. To use, thaw in refrigerator overnight and then bake as directed if not yet baked or simply reheat in microwave if previously cooked; or, to cook directly from the freezer, bake for 1-1/2 to 2 hours at 350-degrees F.

CHICKEN STIR-FRY!! IT'S PERFECT AND I AM A REALLY PICKY EATER.

Ingredients:

7-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 heads of brocolli

3 large green or red peppers (green are cheaper but tastes the same)

2-3 cloves of garlic (optional)

2-3 large onions

2-3 stalks of celery (optional)

2 cans of chicken broth

cornstarch

1 bottle of soy sauce

1. Defrost and thaw chicken. Cut chicken into squared pieces.

2. Chop up garlic. Break off the florets of brocolli. Slice peppers, onions, and celery.

3. Heat oil in a large deep skillet. Stir fry garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Stir fry chicken until white and there's no pink left, about 5 minutes.

5. Add onions and peppers. Stir fry until they get a little tender and cook down, about 3-5 minutes.

6. Put rice on and cook until it's ready.

7. Add brocolli and celery to skillet, stir fry until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes or so.

8. Mix the chicken broth with about 1 cup of soy sauce and add to skillet.

9. Mix about 2 tablespoons of corn starch with soy sauce and add to skillet to thicken the sauce.

10. Serve over rice. Yummy

I do a mean chicken pasta salad with a twist. This is a salad served cold.

Ingredients (Pls note I'm Australian so we might call things different names):

Chicken, pasta, green apples (or red, doesn't really matter), spanish onion (red onion), sour cream, (soaked)whole green peppercorns, plain yoghurt (I prefer greek style yoghurt), lemon juice.

Method:

Cut chicken into strips and cook.

Cook pasta

Chop apples into small cubes. This is the main ingredient of the salad, think of it as replacing the lettuce.

Chop onions into rings and add to apples.

Dressing:

mix 1 part sour cream to 1 part yoghurt.

Add lemon juice. I don't have quantities as I always do it by taste. Add more or less of what you want.

When chicken and pasta is cooled, mix with apple & onion, dress with yoghurt mixture and add a small tin of soaked green peppercorns for extra zing (add a bit of lemon zest as well for an extra, extra kick). Mix thoroughly.

Pasta is always yum and cheap, search for some recipes on google perhaps

Ok, well since you said simple and inexpensive I have a few ideas that you might like.

1- Home made Chicken Pot pies (they are actually really easy to make, they are fully of veggies and chunks of roasted chicken and they are delicious)

Ok to start, Finely dice Onions and garlic to your tastes and saute in oil and/or butter until onion is translucent (10 minutes or so), I would recommend

2-4 cloves of garlic

2/3 - 3/4 of cup of onion

Then Chop carrots, celery, and potatoes in nice bite sized pieces, and you can throw in frozen peas and corn to. And add to the pot, (I usually season with salt and pepper at this point) stir until coated and cook until the potato starts to soften. Then get one of those roasted chickens from the grocery store, shred the meat and add to the pot.

Then add:

1/3-1/2 cup of flour

around 3/4 - 1 cup of milk, and

approx 1 cup of chicken stock, (could be more just eyeball it) It will thicken up quickly and should have the consistency of typical pot pie.

Next all you do is transfer to either one large pie plate or personal sized ramicans and cover with store bought puff pastry or pie crust or you could top with country biscuits whichever you like. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Bake at 375 for half an hour and serve.

This dish is really fantastic served with a simple herb salad.

2- If you BBQ you could grill something fantastic, like steak or pork chops served with yummy potatoes. OR you could make beer can chicken, you simply take a beer can drink half the beer, then take a whole chicken, rub it down with your favorite spice rub and then stand the chicken up and place it on the beer can, so the can is sitting inside the cavity. Then you place it on the BBQ standing up and roast for 1-2 hours depending on the size of the chicken. (It is important that you cook it on indirect heat, so turn one side of the BBQ on and place the chicken on the opposite side, other wise it will burn) It is fantastic, the juiciest chicken you will ever taste, and I promise it doesn't taste like beer.

To go with it, take some new potatoes, cut them up with the skin on, toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped garlic cloves and chopped fresh rosemary and bake until golden brown.

3- Another favorite is Parmesan chicken, you start by putting a chicken breast between two pieces of saran wrap, and using a meat tenderizer or rolling pin, whack the chicken until it is thinned out slightly and evenly. Then take three bowls, in one put seasoned (salt and pepper) flour, in one put eggs, and in a third put bread crumbs and to the bread crumbs add 1/4-1/3 of a cup of Parmesan also add salt and pepper and finely chopped parsley if you like. So dip each breast in the flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs, and fry in a lightly oiled skilled for around 5 minutes a side. (You can use a knife to check for doneness) Serve with a micro green salad, and a potato dish of your choice (I personally like mashed)

For dessert, I like simple things, I like fresh fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc) served with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. (To me you can't get better then that)

Also pick up a few nice bottles of wine to go with dinner.

You could also make a cocktail like a really nice martini (Be sure to use a high quality vodka, and store it in the freezer)

For an appetizer you could go with something simple like a nice baguette and some good quality cheeses, such as aged chedder, brie, goat cheese and perhaps gruyere. (If you are going to use goat or brie, serve with some fresh grapes, they really compliment eachother)

Hope this helps

Good Luck

mexican food is the best dont try to cook anything else or maybe try lasagna

your guests

First you can start with an appetizer i have listed two below..

4 large portobello caps

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1/4 cup

Steak seasoning blend, such as Montreal Steak Seasoning, or coarse salt and black pepper

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan

Preheat a grill pan over medium high to high heat.

Scrape the gills off the underside of portobello caps with a spoon. Brush caps gently with a damp cloth to clean them. Drizzle caps with oil to keep them from sticking to the grill pan and season the caps with steak seasoning or salt and black pepper.

Grill s 3 or 4 minutes on each side under a loose tin foil tent until just tender. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.

Slice grilled caps into 1/2-inch strips. Turn strips in egg, then coat in mixture of parsley, bread crumbs and cheese. Cook "fries" over medium high heat in enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat a nonstick skillet in a thin layer, about 1/4 cup. "Fries" will brown in 2 or 3 minutes on each side.

for the meat you may like to have...

1 box (6 ounces) stuffing mix

1 boneless, center-cut pork loin roast (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 9), with skins, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

Heat oven to 450 degrees F.

Prepare the stuffing mix according to package instructions in a bowl.

Place roast, fat side up, on a clean surface. With a sharp knife, cut along length of pork loin without cutting all the way through. Open up pork like a book. Spoon stuffing down center of pork. Close pork over stuffing. Tie up loin with kitchen twine, spacing twine about every 1 1/2 inches. Rub pork with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir together the flour, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the seasoned flour mixture evenly over the pork loin.

Toss together sweet potato chunks and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a roasting pan; spread out evenly over bottom of pan. Place the tied pork loin, fat side up, on top of the potatoes in the roasting pan.

Roast in 450 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue to roast for 55 to 60 minutes or until instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the pork, but not in the stuffing, registers 150 to 155 degrees F and potatoes are fork tender. Let the pork rest for about 15 minutes; temperature of pork should increase to 160 degrees F. Keep the sweet potatoes warm. Remove the twine from the pork loin before slicing. Serve with potatoes

if you want pasta as a second course then i highly suggest

1 pound pancetta, diced into 1-inch cubes

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 pound dried penne

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat a large saute pan, until hot. Add pancetta and saute until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Season with black pepper and remove pan from heat.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in Parmesan, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish.

In a large pot, boil 6 quarts of salted boiling water. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse with water; you want to retain the pasta's natural starches so that the sauce will stick. While the pasta is still hot, return it back to the pot. Add the browned pancetta and mix well. Add the cream mixture and coat the pasta completely. It's important to work quickly while the pasta is still warm so that the cream mixture will cook, but not curdle. Add remaining Parmesan and chopped parsley.

and for the side dishs i suggest a vegatable, potatoe, and a salad if you are having more people then you can always add more or less side dishes.

for salad i suggest a ceasar sald

for the vegtable i suggest butternut squash or sweet potatoes with a cinnamoin butter

and for the potatoe i suggest roasted red potatoes

For the dessert i suggest something simple that everyone would like....

1 vanilla bean

1/2 cup sugar, plus 3 tablespoons

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 stick butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

Olive oil, for frying

Cut open the vanilla bean lengthwise. Using the back of a knife, scrape along the inside of the vanilla bean to collect the seeds. Scrape vanilla bean seeds into a small bowl. Add the 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine the butter, salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Take pan off the heat and stir in the flour. Return pan to the heat and stir continuously until mixture forms a ball, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the flour mixture to a medium bowl. Using an electric hand mixer on low speed, add eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating each egg completely before adding the next. Beat until smooth. If not frying immediately, cover with plastic wrap and reserve in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, pour enough oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F.

Using a small ice-cream scooper or 2 small spoons, carefully drop about a tablespoon of the dough into the hot olive oil, frying in batches. Turn the zeppole once or twice, cooking until golden and puffed up, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Toss with cinnamon-sugar. Arrange on a platter and serve immediatel

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or

go easy and

Cajun Chicken Pasta

4 ounces linguine pasta

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips or a package of chicken tenderloins.

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons butter

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon of italian seasoning

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguini pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl, and toss to coat.

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute chicken in butter until no longer pink and juices run clear. Add green and red bell peppers; cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat, and stir in heavy cream. Season the sauce with italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper, and heat through. Toss in cooked linguine and sprinkle in parmesean cheese. Let simmer for five minutes