Pretzel Catfish

 Most people think this is a really good recipe for fish. Becky thinks this is a tolerable way to ingest fish. With that resounding recommendation, we hope you enjoy Pretzel Catfish!

Ingredients:

- 1 lb fresh or frozen catfish fillets, about 1/2 inch thick
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup coarsely crushed pretzels (about 2 cups pretzels)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- thin lemon slices, if desired

Directions:

Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 4 serving-size pieces, if necessary.

In a shallow bowl, combine the egg, mustard, milk, and pepper. Beat with a whisk or fork until smooth.

Place flour in another shallow bowl.

Place the crushed pretzels in a third shallow bowl.

Coat both sides of the fillets with flour, then dip fillets into the mustard mixture, then coat with pretzels.

In a large skillet, cook the fish in hot oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden and fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Reduce heat as necessary to prevent burning.

If desired, serve with lemon slices.

Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie

A delicious recipe for home-made chicken pot pie, combined and adapted from two recipes we've made. With a mix of tender chicken and flavorful veggies, topped with a crispy, flaky crust, you won't have many leftovers after serving this dish.

Ingredients: 

-1 lb chicken breasts

-canola or olive oil

-2 c frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, green beans), cooked according to package

 

-2 stalks celery, finely chopped

-2-3 carrots, chopped

-½ large yellow onion, chopped

-3 cloves garlic, minced

-2 sprigs thyme, minced or equivalent dried

 

-4 tbsp butter

-½ cup all-purpose flour

-2 cups chicken stock

-1 cup milk

-salt and pepper

 

-1 c shredded cheddar (optional)

-puff pastry, thawed (allow at least 20 minutes for this)

-1 egg, beaten

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set aside a 7x11inch baking pan. Cook chicken in 1 t oil. Rest and then chop. Place in 7x11 or a large bowl with the mixed vegetables, for later.

2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add celery, carrots, onion, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring frequently, until carrots are tender, 5-7 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove from pan and pour into the large bowl with chicken and frozen peas.

3. In the same, now empty, saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour (mixture will be thick and dough-like) and cook, stirring constantly, until combined. Gradually pour in the chicken stock while whisking constantly. Add the milk and cook until mixture has thickened slightly and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

 

4. Combine with chicken, vegetables, and celery mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

5. Pour entire mixture into casserole dish. Top with cheese if desired. Top the surface with the sheet of puff pastry - cutting into shapes and decorating the top if desired. If not, be sure to slice a few slits in the pastry to release steam. Brush/spoon egg onto the pastry. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until puff pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbling around the sides.

 

NB-if you're short on time, you can simplify this recipe by simply combining the chicken, cooked vegetables, and a can of cream of chicken soup. Top with cheese, pastry, egg. 

 

 

Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies

At long last: an oatmeal cookie recipe that works at 5000-ft altitude! And not only turns out right, but is delicious - a perfect blend of crunchy and chewy, with plenty of cinnamon and raisins. Warning: this recipe makes a LOT of cookies (8-10 dozen depending how big you make them).

Ingredients:

- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar

- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla

- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

- 2 cups oats
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional but recommended)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugars until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture, beating just until combined.

Stir in the oats, raisins, and pecans.

Shape into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased, non-insulated cookie sheets.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Glazed Peanut Butter Bars

You might have thought that we had already posted enough chocolate-and-peanut-butter recipes on this blog. You'd be wrong! This particular recipe has a wonderful texture and flavor that nearly exactly tastes like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Can't beat that! (And it makes a lot of them!)

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons water

- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups oats
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 15x10-inch pan.

In a large bowl, cream the butter, 3/4 cup peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, and water.

Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl, then gradually add to the creamed mixture.

Spread into the prepared pan. Bake 20-24 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned.

In the microwave, melt together the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and 1/2 cup peanut butter.

Allow the bars to cool slightly, then pour the glaze over the bars and spread evenly. Cool completely before cutting.

Eggplant Parmesan

If you make this recipe, you will not only get a tasty dinner, but you will also discover for yourself that eggplants are in fact not purple on the inside (disappointing). Who knows what other exciting new information you will learn when you make Eggplant Parmesan!

Ingredients:

- 1 medium eggplant
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large green pepper, chopped
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
- 1 can (12 oz) tomato sauce, plus additional tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce if desired
- 2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning
- dash of garlic salt
- black pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a 9x13-inch pan.

Peel eggplant and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place eggplant in prepared dish. Add onions, green pepper, and mushrooms. Stir in tomato sauce; mix well.

Add Italian herb seasoning, garlic salt, and black pepper to taste; mix well. Sprinkle with cheeses.

Bake for 35 minutes. Serve with pasta if desired.

Chocolate Snickers Pie

Using a pre-made crust, instant pudding mix, and a couple other ingredients, this pie is really easy to make, given how good it is. The ingredients also allow for flexibility so you can alter it to suit your personal tastes.

Ingredients:

- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tub (8 oz) frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed, divided
- 2 Snickers bars (2 oz each), chopped

- 1 cup cold milk
- 1 package (4 serving size) chocolate flavor instant pudding and pie filling
- 1 pre-made 9-inch chocolate or graham pie crust

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese and 1 tbsp milk. Gently stir in half of the whipped topping and all of the chopped Snickers. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat together 1 cup milk and pudding mix with a wire whisk for 1 minute. Whisk in the remaining whipped topping.

Spread half of the chocolate pudding mixture in the crust. Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture over the pudding. Top with the remaining chocolate pudding mixture.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish as desired. Store in the refrigerator.

Pizza Casserole

Combining the tastiness of both spaghetti and pepperoni pizza, this casserole is pretty yummy.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups dry macaroni or other pasta

- 1 1/2 to 2 lb ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste

- 1 can (16 oz) pizza sauce
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato paste
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- onion salt to taste
- garlic salt to taste
- oregano to taste

- 1 cup grated mozzerella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- sliced pepperoni to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.

While macaroni is cooking, brown beef, onion, salt, and pepper.

Drain the beef and mix with the macaroni, pizza sauce, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and sugar. Add the onion salt, garlic salt, and oregano to taste, and mix.

Place half of the mixture in the casserole dish and top with half of the mozzarella cheese. Add the remaining ground beef mixture and top with remaining mozzerella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan and sliced pepperoni to taste.

Bake for 45 minutes.