Time Saver Recipes - Quick and Easy Biscuits

Today's time saver recipe is Butter Dip Biscuits.    I made these today and not only were they delicious but I have never made faster biscuits in my life.

The recipe can be found on thecountrycook.net blog.    I made a few changes, using organic ingredients and lowering the temperature to 425 since I used a glass baking pan.    They were so good without even adding anything to them.    Next time I would like to try adding some blueberries.

Basically,  you melt a stick of butter in the pan you are going to bake them in.    Mix the rest of the ingredients together.    Pour or pat the batter into the pan on top of the butter.    And then bake for 20 to 25 min.   

Time Saver Recipes - French Bread Pizza

With Thanksgiving being so close, I told myself I really should be posting a holiday recipe of some sort... but... we all know how busy we can get with holiday preparations and this really is a "Time Saver" recipe and it's good! I make these all the time.

If you're planning to be busy baking in the upcoming days, grab the ingredients and treat your family to something tasty and fast.

You'll find the recipe and instructions at... www.myworldmadebyhand.blogspot.com

Have a great weekend!
Deena Davis
www.byyourhands.blogspot.com

Time Saver Recipes --- White Sauce Chicken Enchilada Casserole

White Sauce Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Makes 1 -- 9 x 12 pan or 2 -- 8 x 8 pans      350 degree oven

Ingredients:

4 medium chicken breasts
5 - 6 small flour tortillas
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

Sauce:

1 can of cream of chicken soup or cream soup mix equal to 1 can of soup (recipe follows)
1 small can diced green chillis
8 oz. light sour cream
10 oz. of water

Cook chicken and shred it. Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl. Tear tortillas into 2 inch pieces.
Add chicken to sauce.
Spray pans with cooking spray. Line the pans with tortilla pieces.
Layer half the sauce on, spread cheese on top. Repeat layers.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

If you are like me and don't like all the sodium and fat in canned cream soup, here is a make it yourself mix.

Cream Soup Mix

Makes 9 cans of soup.

Mix together:

2 C. powdered milk
3/4 C. cornstarch
1/4 C. instant chicken bouillon
2 T. dried onion flakes
1 tsp basil leaves
1 tsp. thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. pepper

For 1 can of soup

Combine 1/3 C. of mix with 1 1/4 C. cold water in a saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened.

Time Saver Recipes - How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Making hard boiled eggs may be a no-brainer for some folks but up until a couple months ago I found out that I wasn't doing it right. Yes, my hard boiled eggs would be done after I cooked them but they always had a dark-greenish edge on the yolk and the whites were just a tad rubbery.

My mom wrote down some instruction she found in a magazine and said, "you've got to try this". I did and was really amazed at how bight and yellow the yolks were when done.

Here's how...

1- Place eggs in a pan and cover with cold water.

2- Cover pan and bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10-15 mins.

3- Drain hot water, then cover with ICE WATER. Let stand until cooled.


The next obstacle with boiled eggs is peeling them. Don't you just hate it when half the white peels off with the shell?

An easy remedy for this is to add 1-2 Tablespoons of salt to the water you cook them in. That sounds like a lot, but the eggs do not taste salty when they are done and do peel easier when cooled.

Another easy thing to do, if you have time to wait, is to crack the shells of the cooked eggs and let them sit in cool water for about an hour.

Hope this helps with your Easter eggs this year.

Thank you for stopping by.
Deena Davis
www.byyourhands.blogspot.com

Time Saver Recipes --- Easter Dessert

Here is an Easter dessert that is quick and easy and looks so pretty.   The cake is decorated with yellow easter peeps and chocolate chips and was created by Bethany from Tennessee

• 12 Servings
• Prep: 15 min. Bake: 30 min. + cooling

15Ingredients

• 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
• 2 cans (16 ounces each) chocolate frosting
• 19 yellow chick Peeps candies
• 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

• Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two greased and waxed paper-lined 9-in. round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely; carefully remove waxed paper.
• Level tops of cakes. Spread frosting between layers and over the top and sides of cake.
• Without separating Peeps and curving slightly to fit, arrange chicks around edge of cake for sunflower petals. For sunflower seeds, arrange chocolate chips in center of cake. Yield: 12 servings.

Time Saver Recipes -- Sweet Potato Vegetable Soup

 Here is an easy soup you can make on the weekend and enjoy all week.   It is not only delicious but very healthy for you.

Sweet Potato Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

1 C. diced onions
1/2 C. chopped celery
1/2 C. chopped carrots
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled
    and diced
3 C. chicken broth
1 C. chopped tomato
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
2 C. frozen peas, green beans
   broccoli, or spinach
1 C. frozen corn
Or 3 C. of vegetables of your choice
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in pot.

You can cook this on the stove for about an hour and a half, set it and forget it in a crock pot for about four hours,   or for my preferred way to cook it,  in your pressure cooker on the soup setting for five minutes.

Time Saver Recipes - Easy Pizza Crust

Make a delicious homemade pizza instead of calling for delivery. Not only will you save some time, but you'll save some money too.

Easy Pizza Crust

Ingredients:
1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups white flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until dissolved and somewhat muddy looking, probably about 10 minutes.

Add flour, salt and oil. Stir until smooth and elastic. You may have to mix with your hands. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a circle.

Move crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baking stone.

Add your favorite sauce and toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving. (if you can)


Thanks for joining us today!
Deena Davis
www.byyourhands.blogspot.com

Christmas Recipe --------- Candy Cane Cookies

Here is a christmas cookie recipe for you today.   Fun to make and they can also be used to decorate the tree.

Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
red and green food coloring

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.In a large bowl, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla extract. beat until smooth. Mix in flour and salt.
3. Divide dough in half.   Set one half aside.   Divide one half of the dough in half again.   Add a few drops of red food coloring to one half and green to the other.
4.Break off about a tablespoon full of red dough and oll into a 5 inch strip.   Do the same with the white dough.  Place them side by side and roll together like a rope. ( You can also do them with red and green dough)
  Pinch the ends together, place on baking sheet. Curve top down to form the handle of cane.
5.Bake in preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes. 

Time Saver Recipes -- Pressure Cooking

Today I thought I would share a new kitchen tool I recently purchased.    It is a digital pressure cooker.

I have always been afraid to use one because I have heard tales of them exploding.  lol   But after seeing this one demonstrated on the Home Shopping Network I decided to give it a try.  
Mostly I was looking for a way to cook beans without it taking all day.    To my surprise the electric pressure cookers are very easy to use.
And my first trial,   I cooked one cup of dry beans in two cups of water.   And in 6 minutes I had 3 cups of beans perfectly cooked!
Next I decided to try making stew.  
I browned some stew meat.   Tossed it in the inner pot with onions, potatoes, frozen carrots and peas,  some chicken broth (I was out of beef broth), 2 cups of water and seasonings.    It took 20 minutes to cook.    The meat comes out so tender it practically melts in your mouth and the vegetables are perfectly cooked.

I am totally sold on this time saver tool.   Clean up is very easy,  too.   There are a lot of brands of digital pressure cookers out there and they can be pretty expensive.   I was very lucky to be able to get a Wolfgang Puck refurbished one from PremierAppliance.com  for $40 including shipping.    

I am looking forward to lots of time saving cooking with this fun appliance.

Time Saver Recipes - Easy Crock Pot Chili

This is a very mild and meaty chili. I like to serve it over corn chips with a bit of shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream on top.

2 lbs. ground beef
2-3 Tb. chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1 - 15 oz. can chili beans
2 - 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 T. brown sugar
1 can of water
chili powder
salt
pepper


In a skillet, brown 2 lbs. ground beef with onion and garlic, drain fat.

Add hamburger, onion/garlic mixture to crock pot along with remaining ingredients.

Season to taste with chili powder, salt and pepper.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours with lid slightly ajar so steam can escape. Stir occasionally.


Deena Davis
www.byyourhands.blogspot.com

Time Saver Recipes ---- Crock Pot Potato Soup

Soups are the perfect food to me with our fall weather.   I have this cooking in my crock pot right now as I write this up.

Crock Pot Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion,  diced
1 c. diced carrot
1 c. diced celery
1 glove minced garlic
8 c. diced potato
2 c. chicken stock
2 c. water
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp parsley flakes
2 cups milk

Add all ingredients except the milk.   Cook in the crockpot on high for approx.  5 - 6 hrs.    Crockpots do vary so check on it after 4 hrs.
When the potatoes are soft, turn the crockpot down to low.   I like my potato soup smooth so I use my immersion blender to puree the soup.   Then slowly add the milk while stirring the soup.    Let heat through for about 30 min.

You can add grated cheese or crumbled bacon  or dollop of sour cream on top of each serving.

We also occasionally add broccoli instead of carrots.

Time Saver Recipes ---- Golden Split Pea Soup

Here is another time savor recipe that my family loves.    It is super easy to make,  too.   Golden Split Pea Soup made in the crock pot.   Toss the ingredients in the crock pot, set it and forget it until dinner time. 

Golden Split Pea Soup

1 1/2 cups of dried yellow split peas,  cleaned
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
6 cups of unsalted chicken broth or water   (I use 2 c. of chicken broth and 4 c. of water)
2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/8 tsp. ground white pepper

Toss everything in the crock pot and set it on high.   It takes about 5 or 6 hours to cook.

Use an immersion blender right in the crockpot and puree it.  

I freeze leftovers in small containers for lunches.  

Bette
www.byyourhands.com

Time Saver Recipes ----- Slow-Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Fall is in the air,  the kids are back in school and crafting is in full swing for those who do fall and winter craftshows or have an online shop.

I don't know about you but for me summer cooking is hit or miss.   Where I live it is just too hot to spend much time in the kitchen.     But I love using the crockpot at this time of year.    It is wonderful to know that once I assemble all the ingredients in the crockpot I can forget it until dinner time.

Today I want to share a recipe I found on  The Baking Beauties blog.

The Baking Beauties started out as a regular food blog in 2008  but not too long afterwards  it became a gluten-free recipe blog.    You can still find recipes like this under the previous recipes category.   But if you have been in search of gluten free recipes you will find some great ones on the Baking Beauties.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

This was a staple in our house all last fall and winter.   I doubled some ingredients in my large crock-pot and froze leftovers in individual containers for lunches.


Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (8) ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
• 3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts (My variation:  I precook the chicken and dice it up)
• shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• sour cream (optional)
• crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover and cook for 5 hours.
2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Here is what I add to this recipe to have leftovers for lunches :

• 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

I have also substituted cooked ground beef for the chicken and it is good,  too.

I would like to thank Jeanine from www.thebakingbeauties.com for allowing us to post her recipe here.

Hope you enjoy today's recipe.
Bette
www.byyourhands.com

Do you have a tried and true time saver recipe you would like to share with our readers?   Email me at byyourhandsblog@gmail.com