Great roasted vegetables

Roasted vegetables. mmmm. Just typing about them makes me hungry. There is no good way to "receipe" this, so we'll try a list, followed by basic instructions. Wait. that sounds a lot like a receipe...

potatoes
carrots
chucks of onion
parsnips
whole mushrooms
brussel sprouts
garlic

Cut all about the same size pieces so they will cook evenly. Leave mushrooms and brussel sprouts whole, or just cut large ones once. Garlic cloves whole as well.
Pour a bit of olive oil on the vegetables on a cookie sheet or roasting pan. A metal pie tin works for smaller portions. Work the oil and veggies around with your fingers so each piece gets a little coating of oil. Lots of salt and pepper and itallian seasonings are next. Mush around so it gets all over. Add more salt. Spread out shallow in the pan. Savvy?
375* for 45 min
400* for 35 min
425* for 30 min (you get the idea)
Leave for longer if you are going for crispy.
This is my favorite list, but many more things could be added, or taken away. I have also had good success with itallian dressing alone. Squash is great. Throw a piece of chicken or fish in there with the vegetables and feast!

Baked Pesto Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c pesto
mozzarella cheese(enough to cover chicken)
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 375. season chicken with salt and pepper.
spread 1/4 c pesto in baking dish.
lay chicken in pesto cover with remaining pesto.
cover baking dish with foil and bake 20-25 min.
uncover and top the chicken with cheese
put back in until cheese is melted, 5 min.
one recipe called for tomato on top as well you decide.

Sausage and summer squash

3T Italian salad dressing
1 package (4) cooked polish sausage links
3 yellow squash/zucchini
cut them like pickle spears
you can add other spices oregano, garlic, salt, pepper
depending on your taste.

In skillet cook sausage and squash in Italian dressing
8-10 min or until sausage is heated through
and squash is almost tender(or how you like it)

fraaad chikin'!

I fed a mess of kids this yummy chicken and then took the cold left overs to Shaver for the 4th of July....We were fighting over the scraps. Carrie said that made it blog worthy!

In a bowl beat 1 egg and 3/4 c water. Then mix in
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c flour
1/4 tsp pepper
set aside...

In another bowl or container, mix..

1 1/3 c flour
1 T garlic salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp pepper
1 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning

Now here is the sketchy part. Since I don't agree with owning a "deep fat fryer", I just take a large pot and start pouring in the oil till it is about 2-3 inch deep (a little deeper if you are doing whole pieces with bones) and turn up the heat. The oil needs to be REALLY hot. 375* if you have a thermometer. If you don't have one, heat it till a drop of water imediatly pops and sizzles when you drop it in there. If it's not hot enough, the chicken will just soak up the oil and it will be soggy (blech).
Take raw chicken pieces (can be pieces with bones, but we just did "tenders") and dip them in the slimy mix, then dip them in the flour mix. One idea is to put the flour mix in a big ziploc and shake them around. Then put them in the oil, a few pieces at a time. Too many pieces cool off the oil.
3-5 min on a side or untill golden brown. Whole pieces take a bit longer.
Great alone, but a piece wrapped up with lettuce, cheese, and ranch in a tortilla would put even Claire's lunches to shame!!

Cheese Soup

Serves ~6

1.5-2 cups chopped onions
2 tomatoes, diced
2 cups chopped mushrooms (I've used about 4 different varieties- all are good, although Shitake is NOT my favorite.)
2 cups chicken broth/stock
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste

Simmer until onions are tender.

Slowly add 1.5 cups milk, 1/2 lbs. jack cheese (I've also used mozzarella) and White Sauce (see below). Stir together until warmed through, and serve.

White Sauce:
Melt 6 T. butter, blend in 6 T. flour and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add 3 cups of milk slowly, and stir constantly over medium high heat until mixture thickens.