I love to cook and I'm often asked for my recipes, which I gladly share.   These are some of my tried and true favorites, many of which came from my family & friends.  Enjoy!

          ~Meagan

Meagan's Pasta Salad
Most of my recipes have been handed down from family or friends, however this is a Meagan Original!

16 oz spiral pasta, cooked
1 green pepper, chopped (I also add red pepper if I have it around)
1 tomato, chopped
1 can olives, sliced
crumbled feta cheese
Italian dressing (I prefer Good Seasonings brand, which comes in a packet)

Mix everything & serve!

Sarah's Asian Salad w/ Spicy Peanut Sauce
My cousins recipe - a must have for all camping trips!

1 TB sesame oil
3 TB rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup lite soy sauce
2 TB sugar
1 TB freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bag precut cole slaw or broccoli salad
1 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
3 scallions thinly sliced
1 cup chopped peanuts, toasted

Mix everything together.  Let the salad marinate for a few hours before serving.

Grammy's Best Ever Salad
This marinated salad reminds me of summers at my grandma's cottage on Coldwater Lake.  Grammy would always have this in the fridge waiting for us! 

1 can of white corn, drained
1 can of baby peas, drained
2 cans of french style green beans, drained
2 oz can of pimentos, drained (I usually substitute a little chopped red pepper)
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Combine the drained veggies & the chopped veggies.  Mix the sugar, oil, vinegar, salt & pepper.  Pour over the salad.  Let it stand overnight.  

Amish Macaroni Salad
Simple and delicious!

16 oz macaroni or baby sea shells
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup finely grated carrot
1/2 cup finely grated onion
6 hard boiled eggs, 5 chopped & 1 sliced
paprika

Cook macaroni as directed; drain & cool. Stir together the macaroni, celery, carrots, onion & 5 eggs. 

Dressing:
1 pint Miracle Whip
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
2 TB prepared mustard

Blend together, then fold into the macaroni salad.  Garnish with paprika & the sliced egg.

Crockpot Ham & Lentil Soup
My kids call this Ugly Soup - they love it!

1 cup dried lentils

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups diced cooked ham
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

32 ounces chicken broth

1 cup water
8 teaspoons tomato sauce

In a 3 1/2 quart or larger crockpot combine the lentils, celery, carrots, onion, garlic and ham. Season with basil, thyme, oregano, the bay leaf and pepper. Stir in the chicken broth, water and tomato sauce. Cover and cook on Low all day. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

Meagan's Tip - I usually use leftover ham or ham hocks, preferably from Sander's Meats in Custer!

CREAMY WHITE CHILI
I once went to a potluck where someone had brought this delicious chili...and found out that it was actually my recipe that had made its way to California and back!  I originally found this in Taste of Home magazine back in the 1990s.

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder (I use fresh instead)

1 TB oil

2 cans great northern beans rinsed & drained

1 can chicken broth

2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilies

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp.  pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, sauté chicken, onion & garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink.  Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.  Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. 

Meagan's Tips-

LOWER FAT VERSION: Substitute light sour cream and milk or half & half.

FOR AN EXTRA KICK: Serve with chopped jalepenos

SHORTEN PREP TIME:  When I roast a chicken, I chop the leftover chicken and freeze.  Most of the time, I make this with the leftover frozen chicken, which I defrost and add to the sauted onion & garlic

Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas - Click here

Grandma's Sloppy Joes

1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped (optional)
1 bottle chili sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 TB vinegar
2 TB sugar
1 TB worchestershire sauce
1 TB yellow mustard
1 tsp salt
2 lbs ground beef.

Brown ground beef, drain & set aside.  Saute veggies and add the rest of the ingredients.  Simmer, then add cooked beef and simmer some more.  Serve on buns.

Quicky Tex-Mex Casserole

1 onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef, browned
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
1 can chopped tomatoes

Topping:
cornbread batter (I use the Jiffy mix)
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped jalepeno peppers (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Saute onions w/ beef. Spray 9 x 13 pan, add beef mixture, top w corn, beans & tomatoes (sometimes I add a little extra cheese).  Mix jalepenos with the cornbread batter & pour over the mixture.  Bake 15 minutes. Cover with cheese and bake 15-20 minutes more or until done.

Zesty Carribean Chicken Breasts
Perfect for the grill!

1/4 cup oil
1 tsp. grated lemon peel (optional)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 TB paprika
1 TB honey
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp oregano

Combine all ingrediants into a ziploc bag & add chicken breasts.  Marinate for a few hours & then grill.  I've also froze extra chicken in the marinade.  

 


Huli Huli Chicken
This recipe is from my aunt and is one of my favorite chicken marinades! It can
also be cooked in the oven.

3/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. white wine
2 tbsp. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. fresh ginger root grated
1 garlic clove
3 lbs. chicken

Combine all ingredients, except chicken. Add chicken and coat well; marinate a
couple of hrs. or overnight. Cook on the grill, turning and basting often. 

Tortilla Black Bean Casserole
This is a staple in our house!

2 cups chopped onion
1.5 cups chopped green pepper
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup salsa
2 tsp. cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 15oz. cans black or kidney beans
12 - 6 inch corn tortillas
2 cups shredded monterey-jack cheese

In large skillet, combine onion, green pepper, undrained tomatoes, picante sauce, cumin, and garlic. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stir in beans.

In a 9x13 pan, spread 1/3 of bean mixture over the bottom. Top with 6 of the tortillas, overlapping as needed, 1/3 of bean mixture and 1 cup of the cheese. Then add remaining tortillas, bean mixture and cheese.  Layer the casserole just like lasagne.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. If you like, sprinkle with fixin's like chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sliced olives, green onion & sour cream. This is low-fat and serves 6-8.

Pleasant Pork Chops

Directions
1 Saute onion and garlic in hot butter. Remove from
   skillet. Trim excess fat from chops and sprinkle with salt and
   pepper. Brown chops in skillet; pour off fat.
2 Lower heat, add bay leaf and chicken broth. Cook
   covered over low heat for 1 hour. Transfer chops to a serving
   plate, but keep them hot.
3 Heat juices in skillet and reduce to half. Add the
   sour cream, onion-garlic mixture and paprika, blending
   thoroughly. Heat through, but don't boil. Pour over pork chops
   and serve.

Mandarin Pork Roast
I make this in the crockpot instead of the oven

2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. pepper
1 bone in pork roast (about 5 lbs)
11 oz. mandarin oranges

GLAZE
1/2 cup orange marmalade
6 TB frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 TB honey
2 1/4 tsp. ground mustard
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced

Combine rosemary, garlic and pepper; rub over roast.  Place roast in a shallow baking pan.  Bake, uncovered at 350*F for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hrs.  Arrange oranges over roast.  Combine glaze ingredients; brush over roast.  Bake 30 mins longer or until a meet thermometer reads 160*-170*F, brushing often with glaze.  Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Mary's Sweet Oil & Vinegar Salad Dressing

3TB        sugar
1 tsp       salt
1/2 tsp   dry mustard
1/2 tsp   white or black pepper
1/2 tsp   onion juice (I usually grate a little fresh onion)
1/4 cup  white vinegar
3/4 cup  salad oil

Mix well & serve over your favorite salad!

Wendy's Corn & Pepper Dip
Serve this dip with corn chips as an alternative to salsa.  I usually double or triple the recipe as it is always a favorite!

1 can corn
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 jalepeno, minced (I have used fresh, canned or frozen peppers)
3-4 scallions, chopped
3/4 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup real mayo
freshly chopped cilantro (optional)

Mix everything together and serve with corn chips!