Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Extended Shelf Life for: Celery Mike turned 25 this week! Wowzer - a quarter centruy! He had expected to spend the day on a bus...with 7th graders...in Casper...for a Swim Meet. It was cancelled. So, we watched Lost at Liz's place, ate ratatouille, baked apples and brie, funfetti cake and enjoyed some adult beverages, but when it was time to celebrate as a married couple, I whipped this up, because Mike LOVES Buffalo Chicken.

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts, cut into 1-2 inch strips
1 lg. Carrot, diced
3 stalks Celery, diced
1 lg. Onion, diced
5 cloves of Garlic, minced
Smoked Paprika
Cayenne Pepper
Bay Leaf
Salt and pepper
Can of Beer or Chicken Broth
Hot Sauce - to taste
Noodle of choice
4 oz. Cream Cheese
Bleu Cheese
Green Onions, sliced for garnish

Directions:

Bring pot of water to boil, prepare pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook chicken in a little bit of oil until no longer pink, season with paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Add onion, garlic, carrots and celery, saute for about 5 minutes. Pour in a can of beer, bring to boil for a minute or two, reduce heat. Add bay leaf, hot sauce and cream cheese. When cream cheese has melted, add a portion of bleu cheese, saving some for garnish. Add pasta to sauce, if sauce appears to runny, add a cornstarch/water mix to thicken. Serve with green onions and bleu cheese on top - absolutely delicious!

Banana Pancakes

Extended Life for: Bananas Usually, bananas get thrown in the freezer to be turned into Banana Bread when I'm feeling a need for such a treat. However, I'm a little tired of Banana Bread. So, pancakes it is!

Just like the apple pancakes, this recipe uses the Master Mix: 2 cups combined with 1 1/4 cups water or milk, 1 egg, 2 mashed bananas and a dash of vanilla. Cook on griddle as you would with any pancake, well, maybe a little more cooking spray - mine were a little sticky.

Best enjoyed with syrup and members of the African's Children Choir on a snowy Thursday morning.

Banana Cake

Exteneded Life for: Bananas Ingredients:

2 Eggs
2 1/4 cups Flour
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 Bananas, mashed
3/4 cups Buttermilk or Sour Milk
1/2 cup Shortening/Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla

Directions:

Let eggs set at room temperature for half an hour. Meanwhile, grease and flour two round pans or one 9x13 baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together then add remaining ingredients, except eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Add eggs; beat on medium for 2 minutes, spread batter evenly into prepared pan(s). Bake for 25-30 minutes on until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes frost however you like, I would recommend Cream Cheese Frosting.

A salad fit for Kings, gathered by Beggars

Extended Life for: Italian Dressing, Ranch Dressing, Toasted Squash Seeds, Dried-Tomatoes, Green Onions
Salad doesn't take a brain surgeon to produce, but I did want to showcase some of our 'dumpster' finds that have added extra flavor and pizazz to our occassional salad eating habits.

Sqaushed Potatoes

Extended Life for: Potatoes Early this fall, we were blessed by an Idahoan CouchSurfer's abundant squash crop. A winter squash has sat in the pantry simply waiting for it's shining moment. Well, here it is! Just scoop the seeds out of any ole squash and roast at 400 degrees until soft (20-30 minutes, maybe). Meanwhile, boil some potatoes until tender, drain. In a deep pot, scoop squash and tender potato chunks, add milk and butter and begin the process of mashing. Continue to add milk and butter until squashed potatoes reach desired consistency. Enjoy with Antelope Dip Sandwiches, salad, and the best company you can find.

Antelope Dips

Extended Life for: Buns

I can take no credit for this recipe. I found the recipe at AllRecipes about a year ago for the Best Beef Dips Ever and have loved it every time. This time around, I raided our freezer for some Antelope roasts courtesy of Micah Herrboldt, threw them in the crock pot, added 1 cup of soy sauce, 6 cups water, garlic, bay leaves and rosemary - 10 hours later, toasted buns from who-knows-when donned the delicious meat and found themselves plunging into the salty au jus.

Spicy-Stir Fry

Extended Life for: pre-washed Broccoli Stir Fry

Honestly, I don't remember what went into this sauce. I made rice, steamed the veggies and produced a spicy sauce concoction. I'm sure it included soy sauce, a few drops of sesame oil, chili paste, garlic, ginger - maybe chicken stock? Thickened up with a cornstarch/water mixture, add the veggies and serve over rice - nothing too fancy.

Chicken Fajitas

Extended Life for: Peppers

I really have no Fajita secrets. Cook chicken (or beef) - season with chili powder and cumin, saute onions and peppers - make it sizzle, then place it in a tortilla. Not much to it, but delicious nonetheless.

Road-Trip Cookies

Extended Life for: Bananas and Grapes (Raisins)

In my recipe box there are a few newspaper clippings with recipes, this is one such recipe. I had never tried them, but considering we were about to spend 5 hours on the road, decided it was well worth a shot.

Ingredients:

3 Bananas, mashed

3/4 cup Butter

1 egg

1 cup White Sugar

1/4 cup packed Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Baking Soda

2 1/2 cups Flour

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cups Rolled Oats

1/2 cup Raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in order given, making sure butter is well beaten in. If batter is runny, add more flour. Drop by tablespoonfuls on greased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. Cookies will be soft and ready to hit the road!