Easy Chicken Recipe

While we are mainly a beef and pork eating household, we do occasionally like a good chicken dish, and this is one of our favorites!

Easy Chicken

4-5 chicken breasts
1 bottle of Russian salad dressing
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 jar apricot jam

Mix salad dressing, soup mix, and jam.  Pour mixture over chicken in an oven safe dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 min.   Serve over rice.

I usually serve this with green beans and Grands Southern style biscuits from the freezer section.

Cornbread Taco Bake

Another super easy, tasty meal.

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

1 can black beans drained

1/2 onion, chopped

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix

 shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, cook beef then add water and taco seasoning. Stir in the corn, onion, black beans, and tomato sauce. Spoon into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Prepare corn bread mix according to package directions for corn bread.  Spread over beef mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes.  Top with cheese and bake for another 2-4 minutes until cheese is melted.

Serve with salad or some sort of fruit.

Quick and Easy's the Name of the Game

Earlier this week my sister called me wanting a quick, easy recipe that her boyfriend (also a rancher) would eat.  He apparently groaned "again" when she suggested fixing meat loaf or spaghetti pie, her two go-to-meals for when he eats with her.  I'm not sure if I should feel flattered or alarmed that she knew she could count on my recipes being quick, easy, and something a rancher would eat.  I cook pretty much every night because after working hard in the field or with cattle all day my husband is hungry and wants "real" food, but I don't love standing over a stove for hours on end (I've also found that having a baby nearby considerably lessens the amount of time I have for cooking).
I thought I'd share a recipe each week with all of you in case you're looking for something that's a home cooked meal but not a whole afternoon.
Here's the meal I suggested to my sister (and her boyfriend loved it).

Pork Chops with Cream of Mushroom Soup
Put your pork chops in a greased pan.  Cover with a can of cream of mushroom soup.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (Yes, it's really that easy!)  If I'm feeling froggy, I like to put a little chopped onion and garlic, but it's just as good without it.  This can be eaten on it's own or over garlic buttered noodles or rice.

Beer Bread

3 c. self rising flour
3 tbls. brown sugar
1/2 t. onion or garlic powder (whichever you prefer or have)
1 (12 oz) beer
1/4 c. melted butter
Mix first 3 ingredients. Pour in beer and mix until moist. Put in bread pan. Pour butter over top.
Bake 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes.  ( You can leave out the onion/garlic powder if you want)  Green chilies, jalapenos, cheese, etc. can be added to this also.

Corn on the Cob
Boil 20 minutes in slightly salty water!