Joe's Crab Cakes

I found this recipe online on "Pintrest" (of course!).

2/3 C. mayo
5 egg yolks
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 T. Worchestershire sauce
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. blackened seasoning
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 C. fresh chopped parsley
2-1/2 C. breadcrumbs
2 lbs. crab meat

Mix all ingredients together. Make into patties (about 4 oz. each). Coat with flour and fry in 1-inch of oil until golden brown.

Talk about an EASY crab cake recipe that the whole family will love. I used canned real crab meat because I was limited on which stores I could make it to the day I made it. I also didn't put blackened seasoning in because that must be the ONE seasoning I do not have in my cupboard right now. All in all, these patties stayed together MUCH better than the imitation crab meat patties we've tried in the past. The only problem was that I have no "frying skills" and upon trying to flip the patties in the oil, I made about half of them fall apart. They still tasted AMAZING and I'm lucky that my husband doesn't care about the presentation of his dinner!! :)

Family Chef's Grade: B+

Easy Crock Pot Beef Fajitas

1 lb. flank steak
1/2 C. salsa
1 T. lime juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2-3 bell peppers (any colors that you prefer), sliced
1 onion, sliced

Place flank steak in crock pot. In a small bowl, mix salsa, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper and pour over steak. Put peppers and onion over steak. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (or on high for 3-4 hours).

To serve, remove steak and thinly slice. Serve with peppers/onion, tortillas and fixings of your choosing.

I used one green pepper, one red and one yellow. Easy, colorful AND delicious!!! The peppers were VERY tender, so if you like yours a little more crisp, I'd put them in a couple hours after the steak.

Family Chef's Grade: B+

Salsa Chicken

Cooking Time: 6 hours
Yield: 4 servings

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 C. salsa
1 packet taco seasoning (or about 1 T. of homemade seasoning)
1 C. sour cream

Place chicken, soup, and salsa in crock pot. Sprinkle taco seasoning on top. Cook on low for 6 hours. Take chicken out of crock pot, shred and put back. Add sour cream and cook just until heated through. When serving, top with cilantro, black beans, extra sour cream, or whatever you like.

First off, one cup of sour cream is a bit much for me, so I add about half that. I also have tried this with cream of mushroom soup and it tastes just as great. I've been using my Mix 'n' Chop tool a lot lately and have found that I can just use that to break up the chicken, without even taking the chicken out of the crock pot. SO EASY!! I like to eat this over rice, which is how the original recipe recommends serving this. My husband took this one step further and puts it in a tortilla, like an enchilada. Oh, the possibilities!!

Family Chef's Grade: A

Glazed Shrimp & Asparagus (over Angel Hair)

***This recipe was found in Taste of Home magazine***

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

8 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta
1 T. cornstarch
3/4 C. water
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. honey
1 lb. uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tsp. peanut or canola oil, divided
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch lengths
1 T. minced fresh gingerroot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 T. sesame seeds

Cook pasta according to package directions. In small bowl, combine cornstarch, water, soy sauce and honey until smooth; set aside.

In a large skillet, stir-fry shrimp in 1 tsp. peanut oil and sesame oil until shrimp turn pink. Remove and keep warm.

Stir-fry asparagus in remaining peanut oil for 2 mintues. Add the ginger, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and sesame seeds; stir-fry 2 minutes longer or until asparagus is crisp-tender.

Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add shrimp; heat through. Drain pasta and serve with shrimp mixture.

As far as delicious new recipes go, this one was very easy. The shrimp mixture smelled just amazing so we all couldn't wait to try it. As it turned out, the flavor was awesome but the pasta really made it seem bland when I first put it in my mouth. Then, you could taste the little "kick" from the red pepper flakes as an after-taste and that was actually really good. My husband suggested tossing the pasta with the shrimp mixture to mix all the flavors for a bit instead of serving them separately and letting people put the shrimp over the pasta themselves. I love that idea and I think that's just the ticket to make this an A+ meal.

Family Chef's Grade (as the recipe goes): B+

Brown Butter Caper Sauce

***I made this with halibut, however, you can also try it with chicken.***

1 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 lb. halibut (or chicken), skins removed and cut into 4 pieces
8 T. butter, divided
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. capers

In shallow pan, combine flour, salt and pepper; dredge fillets in flour mixture. In large skillet, melt 4 T. butter over medium-high heat. Saute fillets until golden brown and crispy (6-10 minutes), turning once; transfer to heated platter. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat remaining 4 T. butter over medium heat until butter started to bubble (about 2 minutes). Increase the heat to high; continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is medium golden brown (2-3 minutes). Stir in lemon juice and capers. Serve over fillets immediately.

This is so good because it's BUTTER! The sauce is fancy enough for company but also VERY easy to make. It's not thick---it's melted butter!---but it's so tasty over the fish and capers really add something. My husband even said that this is the best fish he's ever had, which is really saying something! I'd like to try this over chicken next to see if it's just as good. The recipe came from a local grocery store (a high-end store) so if they say it's good over chicken, I believe them! :)

Family Chef's Grade: A

Mango-Avacado Salsa (with Fish Tacos)

Prep/Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Salsa:
1 medium mango, peeled and cubed
1/2 C. cubed avocado
1/4 C. chopped red onion
2 T. chopped and seeded jalapeno pepper
1 T. minced fresh cilantro
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. honey

Combine all ingredients. Serve over fish tacos.

Fish for tacos:
A mild white fish, such as halibut or tilapia
Salt and Pepper

Sprinkle both sides of fish fillets with salt and pepper to taste. Grease grill racks and grill on high heat for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Serve with warm tortillas. Other toppings may be added to taste, such as lettuce.

I will just say right now that this is our newest favorite summer meal. We've been making this once a week since I first tried it. If you've never had a fish taco, you might be saying, "This is not for me." Let me tell you that even my KIDS eat this and they are quick picky with most things! The fish is so mild that you can barely taste it---it's really the texture that counts here. The salsa MAKES the taco and it's amazing!

Family Chef's Grade: A+

Cashew Curried Beef

***This recipe was found in Taste of Home magazine, submitted by Jennifer Fridgen of East Grand Forks, MN***

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 20 minutes
Yield: 5 servings

1 lb. beef top sirloin steak, thinly sliced
2 T. canola oil, divided
1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk, divided
1 T. red curry paste
2 T. packed brown sugar
2 T. fish or soy sauce
8 cups chopped bok choy
1 small sweet red pepper, sliced
1/2 C. salted cashews
1/2 C. minced fresh cilantro
Hot cooked brown rice

***Family Chef's substitutions: I used regular red bell pepper instead of sweet red pepper.

In a large skillet, saute beef in 1 T. oil until no longer pink. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Spoon 1/2 cup cream from the top of the coconut milk and place in the pan. Add remaining oil; bring to a boil. Add curry paste; cook and stir for 5 minutes or until oil separates from coconut milk mixture.

Stir in brown sugar, fish sauce, and remaining coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add bok choy and red pepper; return to a boil. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in cashews, cilantro and beef; heat through. Serve over rice.

My husband and I were so excited to try this because a coconut curry dish is our favorite from a local restaurant. The flavors were great in this and it was so easy to make, but we both wished it was spicier. (It's not really spicy at all.) Also, I didn't have brown rice on hand, so I made white rice. Even with not knowing the recipe called for brown rice, my husband commented that it would taste better over brown rice. How did he know?! Mistakes learned and something I'll take to heart for next time. :)

Family Chef's Grade: B+

Shrimp Pad Thai

***This recipe was found in Taste of Home magazine, submitted by Elise Ray of Shawnee, KS***

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

4 oz. uncooked thick rice noodles
1/2 lb. uncooked small shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp. canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg beaten
3 cups coleslaw mix
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 C. rice vinegar
1/4 C. sugar
3 T. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 T. fish sauce or additional soy sauce
2 to 3 tsp. chili garlic sauce
2 T. chopped salted peanuts
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Cook noodles according to package directions. In a large non-stick skillet or wok, stir-fry shrimp in oil until shrimp turn pink; remove and set aside. Add onion and garlic to the pan. Make a well in the center of the onion mixture; add egg. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until egg is completely set. Add the coleslaw mix, green onions, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce and peanuts; heat through. Return shrimp to the pan; heat through. Drain noodles; toss with shrimp mixture. Garnish with cilantro.

I prepared this recipe to the "T" and was so excited to try it. As it turned out, I felt like I cooked the rice noodles too long, since they sat in the hot water while I prepared the rest of the dish. Everyone who ate the pad thai assured me that the noodles were fine, but fine isn't what I wanted....I wanted spectacular!! That said, I would probably start the noodles in the middle of preparing the rest of the dish so they are not sitting and soaking the whole time. (They seemed a bit gooey when I drained them.) Other than the noodles, all the flavors blended together very well. I can't wait to try it again because I feel like this is one meal that will get better the more I make it. We'll see!!

Family Chef's Grade: B

Inside-Out Stuffed Cabbage

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 lb. ground beef
2 C. cubed peeled butternut squash
1 medium green pepper, chopped
6 C. chopped cabbage
1 can (11-1/2 oz) spicy hot V8 juice
1 C. water
1 envelope beefy onion soup mix
1 T. brown sugar
1/2 C. instant brown rice

In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, squash and green pepper over medium heat, until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the cabbage, juice, water, soup mix and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in rice. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 5 minutes or until rice is tender.

We were in such a rush the night I made this that I didn't get a picture, so picture this has a hot dish or a casserole. I really liked it but my husband commented that it wasn't anything "special". I love cabbage and the butternut squash was a really nice addition. I would make this again on a chilly evening because it's kind of like comfort food for me. :)

Family Chef's Grade: B

Grilled Shrimp Fajitas

Prep/Total Time: 25 minutes

1/2 lb. sliced bacon
1/2 lb. uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and devined
1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 C. barbecue sauce
6 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
Fajitas add-ons: tomato, lettuce, cheddar cheese, avocado, sour cream, etc.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until cooked but not crisp. Drain on paper towels. Wrap a strip of bacon around each shrimp; secure ends with toothpicks.

On six metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread shrimp, peppers and onion. Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4-inches from the heat source for 2-3 minutes on each side (or until shrimp is pink and vegetables are tender), basting frequently with bbq sauce.

Remove from skewers and discard toothpicks before serving.

I kind of took my own liberties with this one, since my family each likes fajitas made their own way. First of all, I cut up the onion with one green pepper, one red bell pepper and one yellow pepper and steamed them on the stove rather than skewer them, mostly because I wanted to double the amount of shrimp so I needed extra skewer room. I did the broil method of cooking the shrimp because it was COLD outside the day I decided to make this. This was a hit for my family as soon as the bacon hit the frying pan! My 5-year old stood by me practically drooling while I wrapped the shrimp with bacon. I do have to say that this was SO DELICIOUS. While maybe not the healthiest option because of the bacon, I will be making this quite a bit this summer!!

Family Chef's Grade: A

Smokin'-Filled Chicken Breasts

Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 pkg. cream cheese, softened (8 oz)
1/2 C. finely chopped fully cooked smoked ham
2 green onions, chopped
1 T. minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz. each)
1/3 C. flour
1 egg, beaten
1 C. panko bread crumbs
1/4 C. canola oil

Family Chef's substitutions: I could not find "chipotle pepper in adobo sauce" so I used Chalula chipotle hot sauce instead.

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients; set aside. Cut a pocket in the thickest part of the chicken breast; fill with cream cheese mixture. Secure with toothpicks.

Place the flour, egg and bread crumbs in three separate shallow bowls. Coat chicken with flour, then dip in the egg mixture, and coat with crumbs.

In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil; transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400* for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170*. Discard toothpicks before serving.

Isn't everything better with cream cheese?! I certainly think so. This was SUPER tasty and my family loved it---even the kiddos. My daughter exclaimed that there were "pink things" in her chicken but was happy to find out that the "pink things" were little chunks of ham. (Dinnertime humor at our house!) This was a hit for us. My husband commented that we could really add anything to this recipe, which is exactly what he said when I made stuffed chicken a couple months ago for a different recipe. Just goes to show, I don't play around enough with these yummy ideas! :)

Family Chef's Grade: A-

Maple Pretzel Chicken

***This recipe was found in Taste of Home magazine, submitted by Tara Szlag of Columbus, OH***

Prep/Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 oz. each)
1 egg
1/2 cup maple syrup
1-1/2 cups crushed pretzels
1/4 cup canola oil

Flatten chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness. In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and syrup. Place pretzels in separate shallow bowl. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then coat with pretzels.

In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until juice run clear.

First off, you need to know that your pretzels need to be FINELY crumbled. The coarser they are, the harder they will be to coat the chicken. That said, I did finely crush mine. HOWEVER, I considered this recipe a "fail" the night I did it. I did everything according to the recipe and ended up with the coating not staying on the chicken when it cooked. It smelled amazing and even tasted great (especially to my 5-year old who thought it was "so cool" that he got to have maple syrup and pretzels on his chicken). The end result isn't too sweet, which is great, and it's a tasty combination. I just didn't like the process so I guess I need to play around with it more.

Family Chef's Grade: Taste: B+ Process: C

German-Style Beef Roast

***This recipe was found in Taste of Home magazine, submitted by Lois Stanley of Myrtle Beach, SC***

1 boneless beef chuck roast (4 lbs), trimmed
1 tsp. pepper
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 bottle (12 oz) beer or non-alcoholic beer
1 C. ketchup
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
1/4 C. flour
1/4 C. cold water

Cut roast in half; sprinkle with pepper. Place onion and roast in a 5-quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the beer, ketchup and brown sugar; pour over top. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove meat to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Bring liquid to a boil. In a small bowl, combine flour and water until smooth. Gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with roast.

If there is one thing I am horrible at making, it's gravy. My mother has taught me several times and I just can't get it right. However, somehow, I got it right this time which is good because the meat is SO good with the gravy. I used a seasonal semi-dark Summit-brand beer and it was great. The gravy is sweet (but not too sweet) so it adds a flavor that my other roasts haven't had. TASTEY!!

Family Chef's Grade: A

Rosemary Mushroom Chicken

***This recipe was found in Taste of Home magazine, submitted by Genny Monchamp of Redding, CA***

Prep: 30 minutes Cook: 7 hours
Yield: 6 servings

6 chicken leg quarters, skin removed
2 C. sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cans (10-3/4 oz each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 C. white wine or chicken broth
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. pepper
Hot cooked egg noodles, optional

Place chicken in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker coated with cooking spray; top with mushrooms. Combine the soup, wine, garlic salt, rosemary, paprika and pepper; pour over top. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until chicken is tender. Serve with noodles, if desired.

I used a mild sauvignon blanc for the wine portion of this recipe. It was quick and easy to throw in the crock pot in the morning and I let it cook for 7 hours. HOWEVER, the meat was completely falling off the bone (almost too done in this case) so next time I am only going to let it cook for 6 hours. Also, my family of four devoured all six leg quarters. Since the package I bought came with eight, I think I'll make all eight next time. Very yummy and convenient dish!!

Family Chef's Grade: B+

Broccoli Chicken Stir-Fry

***This recipe was found in Taste of Home magazine***

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 medium spaghetti squash

SAUCE:
1 C. chicken broth
3 T. soy sauce
2 T. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
2 T. cider vinegar
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

STIR-FRY:
1 egg
1 T. soy sauce
1/2 C. cornstarch
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-in. cubes
1/4 C. canola oil
2 C. fresh broccoli florets
1 medium onion, chopped

Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 12-15 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine broth, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, vinegar and red pepper flakes until smooth. Set aside.

In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and soy sauce. Place cornstarch in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in egg mixture then coat with cornstarch. In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in oil in batches until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

Stir-fry broccoli and onion for 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir the sauce mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken; heat through.

When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to separate strands. Serve with stir-fry.

I really wish I would have remembered to take a picture of this dish because the instructions don't tell you how to really serve it: the stir-fry goes OVER the squash, so you use the squash instead of rice!! I love love love squash (almost any kind) so I just had to try this out. My husband loved it because he never wants to eat the rice anyways since he's not big on carbs. What a fantastic option that I never would have thought of myself!! The only tedious part of this recipe was coating the chicken in the cornstarch. Maybe because most of the recipes I try call for tossing the meat in a baggie with the cornstarch or maybe I was in a crabby mood---either way, the process of coating the chicken and putting it in the skillet about drove me crazy. Next time, I'm going the baggie route!

Family Chef's Grade: A-

Beef & Broccoli Skillet

***This recipe was found in Taste of Home magazine, submitted by Jackie Hannahs of Fountain, Mich.***

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 T. canola oil
3 C. fresh broccoli florets
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. cider vinegar
1 tsp. garlic powder
Hot cooked rice, optional

In a large skillet, saute beef in oil until no longer pink; drain. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, combine the broccoli, soup, soy sauce, vinegar and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Stir in beef; heat through. Serve with rice, if desired.


Of course, I forgot to take a picture of this dish, but you can picture it: a beef and broccoli stir-fry! This one was different than the rest because it had that tomato flavor. I really liked it and so did the family, but as my husband stated: it's good but it doesn't really stand out. True true, which is fine for a week-night meal in our house. I'd love to make it again since it was quick and easy, with very few ingredients.

Family Chef's Grade: B+

Potato-Crusted Snapper

***This recipe was found in Taste of Home magazine, submitted by Athena Russell of Florence, SC***

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 C. mashed potato flakes
2 tsp. dried thyme
4 red snapper fillets (6 oz. each)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 C. olive oil

Place eggs in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the potato flakes and thyme. Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Dip in eggs and coat with potato mixture.

In a large skillet, cook fillets in oil in batches over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.


Okay, so I finally cooked red snapper!! I found it at a higher-end grocery store near us, and I'm glad to know where to find it now. As I've said before, my family is a fish family. We love our walleye, we love our shrimp and salmon. Now, we love our red snapper, too! This was SO GOOD and so crispy. I know that the picture above is kind of funny since I just took a picture of ALL the fish that I fried, but believe me when I say that there were no leftovers to be had. We all ate this up so quickly that I'll probably have to make an extra fillet or two the next time I make this.

Family Chef's Grade: A

Mixed Paella

***This recipe was found in Taste of Home magazine, submitted by Libby Walp of Chicago, IL***

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

1-1/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
2-1/4 C. chicken broth
1 C. uncooked long grain rice
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4-1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lb. cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 can (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 C. frozen peas, thawed
1/2 C. sliced pimento stuffed olived

**Family Chef's substitutions: I used my favorite Basmati rice instead of the long grain, so I cooked it separately and added it to the skillet with only one cup chicken broth (instead of 2-1/4 cups). I also did not let it simmer as long.

In a large skillet, saute chicken in oil until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute onion until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, rice and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes, or until rice is tender.

Stir in the shrimp, tomatoes, peas, olives and chicken. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until heated through.

I have never had paella before but my husband knew all about it since he took Spanish in high school. (I didn't even know that this was a Spanish dish!!) This meal really got some mixed reviews by my family. First off, the combination of flavors is a little too much. I love all the color that it offered:


However, my husband said that he could do without the olives in it. He also expected it to be spicy which it was not. I wasn't sure if I even like the turmeric flavor, so I wasn't sure I could give this dish a fair grade. After my kids chowed down on the chicken and shrimp (they wouldn't eat the rice), we decided to give this a B. Also note that for leftovers the next day, I put some cayenne pepper in it and made it spicy. It was WAY better that way, so at least I know what to add next time!

Family Chef's Grade: B

Reuben Casserole

(The above is a pre-baked picture of the casserole.)

***This recipe was found in "Best Simple Recipes" magazine, submitted by Joy Hagen of Webster, SD***

Prep Time: 20 minutes Bake Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 5 servings

5 C uncooked egg noodles
2 cans (14 oz each) sauerkraut, rinsed and well-drained
2 cans (10-3/4 oz each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3/4 C milk
1/2 C chopped onion
3 T prepared mustard
3/4 pound sliced deli corned beef, chopped
2 C (8 oz) shredded Swiss cheese
2 sliced day-old light rye bread
2 T. butter, melted

***Family Chef's substitutions: I used Panko bread crumbs instead of day-old rye bread.

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the sauerkraut, soup, milk, onion and mustard.
Drain noodles; stir into the sauerkraut mixture. Transfer to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the corned beef and cheese.
Place bread in a food processor; cover and process until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Toss crumbs with butter; sprinkle of casserole.
Bake, uncovered, at 350* for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly.

I have one thing to say: Holy Sauerkraut!! If you don't like sauerkraut, do not make this casserole. My husband, however, LOVES reubens and I have gotten to like them, too, since we've been married. I also had my mom and brother over for dinner that night to get some opinions. My poor brother is NOT a fan of sauerkraut and didn't know what was in the casserole, so he took a big heaping helping, only to be unpleasantly surprised when he tasted it. He was a good sport about it and said that it would have been good, had he been a fan of sauerkraut in the first place. :) I think this would be a fun meal to make on St. Patrick's Day. Considering how many left-overs we had, that will probably be the next time I make it. :)

Family Chef's Grade: A

Southwest Zucchini Boats

***This recipe was found in Taste of Home magazine***

Prep/Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

4 medium zucchini
1 lb. ground beef
3/4 C salsa
1/4 C dry bread crumbs
1/4 C minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 C (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
Sour cream, optional

Cut zucchini in half length-wise; cut a thin slice from the bottom of each with a sharp knife to allow zucchini to sit flat. Scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4-inch shells
Place shells in an ungreased 3-qt. microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender; drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Remove from heat; stir in the salsa, bread crumbs, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup cheese. Spoon into zucchini shells.
Microwave, uncovered, on high for 4 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Microwave 3-4 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and zucchini are tender. Serve with sour cream if desired.

Another microwave recipe! My oven thinks I've replaced it. :) Anyway, my husband and I love our veggies and we love zucchini so I knew right away that this was going to be a hit. My husband said that the hamburger mix kind of tasted like a pizza burger or something---he didn't realize there was salsa in there. That was my fault for using a mild salsa. I think this would be really tasty with more of a spicy kick, so I'll probably use hot salsa next time. (My husband also loves his spicy food!) My kids did not try this so the opinion was based strictly from the adults in the house. Can't wait to make this again!!

Family Chef's Grade: A