Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

2 cups of cooked white rice 

2 cups milk

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of sugar

1/8 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, combine the rice, milk, sugar and salt.  Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 20 minutes or until thickened, stirring often.  Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.  Spoon into serving dishes.  Serve warm; top with whipped cream if desired.  

NOTES:  We make this for food prep and the students are almost always skeptical at first, but then give it highest marks in the end of the year evaluation.

It's a fantastic comfort food that's easy and cheap to make.

Pita Pizzas

4 6-inch pita breads

1/2 cup hummus

1 cup crumbled feta (4 ounces)

1 small onion, sliced

2 cups fresh sliced spinach

1 tomato, seeded and chopped.

1/4 c sliced olives

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Spread hummus on breads and sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake 8-10 minutes or until cheese in melted.
• Top each pizza with vegetables.

Chicken Enchiladas

16 flour tortillas

1 medium onion

1 tbls vegetable oil

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 c shredded cheddar

1 tsp ground cumin

1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese

1/4 c chopped black olives

6 cups shredded cooked chicken

3/4 c salsa

Enchilada sauce

Heat oven to 350. I large saucepan, heat vegetables oil, add onion, chili powder, garlic and cumin. Add cream cheese, chicken and salsa. Removed from heat when thoroughly combined. Add 1 c cheddar and the olives.

Spread 1/4 c enchilada sauce over the bottom of baking dish(es). Spoon 1/3 c chicken mixture into tortilla and roll. Place side by side in a baking dish. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

NOTES:

• This recipe would work well with beef or turkey also.
• I've also chopped up chicken breasts instead of using shredded chicken.
• It makes a good freezer meal. Place filled tortillas into the baking dish as instructed. Put enchilada sauce in a small zip-loc on top and put cheese into another small zip-loc on top so it all stays together. Cover well and freeze. When you want to serve it, just thaw, finish the sauce/cheese steps of the assembly and bake.
• I rarely have enchilada sauce on hand, but have substituted a small can of tomato sauce (8 oz) mixed with cumin.

Macaroni and Cheese

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1/4 c butter (or margarine)
1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
2 c milk
2 c shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook and drain macaroni as directed on package.
Meanwhile, melt butter over low heat. Whisk in flour, salt, pepper, mustard, and Worchestershire sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Whisk in milk and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir one minute. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese until melted.
Mix with the macaroni and bake in an uncovered casserole dish 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

Yield: 4 generous servings

NOTES:
There is LOTS of room for variation in this recipe. You can add vegetables, tuna, or meat or change the seasonings. You can vary the pasta shape or the type of cheese. (I think a sharp cheddar gives the nicest flavor.)

You don't have to bake it; just serve it directly from the stovetop. It doesn't get that nice, crunchy top, but it's fully cooked and fast to make. If you don't bake it, you might want to cook the macaroni slightly longer. Cook it to al dente if you plan to bake it.

I teach a junior high food prep class and they love this recipe. It takes about the same amount of time as that nasty, orange, boxed stuff but it's rich and creamy and doesn't taste like salt.

Peanut-Chicken Bowl

2 3-oz. pkg. Oriental-flavored ramen noodles

3 cups cut-up frozen Oriental mix vegetables

1 ¼ cups water

¼ cup peanut butter

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tbsp. packed brown sugar

1 tbsp. cornstarch

½ tsp. crushed red pepper

13 oz. can chicken breast, drained

1 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained

¼ cup chopped peanuts

1. Set aside one seasoning packet from noodles to use in recipe; store remaining packet for another use.
2. In a large saucepan bring 2 quarts water to boiling. Break up noodles slightly and add to water along with vegetables. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Drain and return to saucepan.
3. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a medium saucepan whisk together the 1 ¼ cups water, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, crushed red pepper, and seasoning packet. Whisk until smooth.
4. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Add chicken and water chestnuts; heat through.
5. Add to noodle mixture in saucepan. Toss to combine. Top with peanuts.

Perfect Boiled Eggs

Place eggs in a single layer (preferably) in a saucepan and cover with cold water, about one inch above eggs. Cover and heat to boiling. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 15 minutes. Drain and immediately place eggs in cold water to stop cooking.

This carefully timed method will prevent overcooking and those green colored yolks.

Banana Chip Muffins

1 egg
1/3 c vegetable oil
3/4 c sugar
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed (abt. 1 1/3 cups)
2 c flour
1/2 c oats
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c mini chocolate chips

Beat egg, oil and sugar until smooth. Stir in bananas. Combine flour, oats, baking sods, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the wet ingredients just until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips.
Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes (toothpick test). Cool in the pan for 5 mins. before removing to a cooling rack.

Yield: 1 dozen regular sized or 40+ mini muffins
Source for original version: Taste of Home Baking
Note: I made these in the mini muffin pan and they were great.