Crock Pot Chicken

Crock pot chicken 

(I got this recipe from Vonnie who got it, I think, from Sarah)

2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup

6 oz. Italian dressing

3 - 5 chicken breasts (or about 10-12 chicken tenders)

Mix the Cream of mushroom soup with the 6 oz Italian dressing and pour into crock pot. (I actually just mixed it together in the crock pot)  Add chicken breasts or tenders and push them down into the soup mixture to coat.  Put the lid on and cook on high for 6-7 hours.  Serve over rice.   How easy is that!  

It has a good flavor and is nice enough for a company dinner.  

 

My kids all liked this, and it was extremely easy!

Report on Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet

This autobiography is the story of Daniel Tammet, who suffers from autism (Asbergers syndrome), epilepsy and is a savant. Although it became tedious in places where Daniel's descriptions of his thought processes went WAY over my head, it was still fascinating. It was amazing that he was able to write his own autobiography, let alone describe so well what life is like with autism, and how he experiences and processes his environment. Imagine being able to memorize and recite pi to the 22,514th number without an error! I looked on youtube and watched a few clips of Daniel's documentary, Brainman. I would love to see the whole thing. Very fascinating story.

I wonder if Earl would be interested in a story like this?

I should probably take a break from reading and try some of these recipes!

Ham and cheese quiche

Hi family,

I just sent a recipe that Angie wanted but got to thinking about this quiche recipe that I also like, so I thought I would send it along, too.

Ham and Cheese Quiche

2 cups cut ham or fried bacon

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 eggs

2 cups milk

1 cup Bisquick

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Grease pie plate. Sprinkle ham, cheese and onion in layers on bottom. Beat remaining ingredients in blender 15 seconds. Pour over ham layers. Bake 35-40 min. at 400 degrees.

It's pretty good. Hope you enjoy it.

quiche recipe

Angie, I think this is the recipe you wanted. I got it from Susan and I agree -- it is really good.

Southwest Sausage Bake

6 flour tortillas (10 inch) cut into 1/2 inch strips

4 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilies, drained

1 lb bulk sausage, cooked and drained

2 cups (8 oz) shredded Monterey jack cheese

10 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp each -- salt, garlic salt, onion salt, pepper, and ground cumin

Paprika

2 med. tomatoes, sliced

Sour cream and salsa

In a greased 9 x 13 pan, layer half of the tortilla strips, chilies, sausage, and cheese. Repeat layers. In a bowl beat the eggs, milk and seasonings; pour over cheese. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 min before baking. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Arrange tomato slices over the top. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until knife comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Serves 12

Book report- Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom

After Tuesdays With Morrie, which I loved, I wasn't much of a fan of Mitch Albom's other books. I picked this one up because I needed a book on CD and because it is a true story and because it only had 4 discs. I even picked it up in spite of the fact that it is read by the author, which usually makes me run in the other direction! I'm glad I did. It isn't great literature, or a prize winner or anything more than the simple story of the author's rabbi, and the story of a Christian reverend for the homeless with whom the author became acquainted. I really enjoyed it very much, and I especially recommend the book on CD. The author did a good job reading it, especially the inflections in the Jewish Rabbi's voice.

Love,
Bev

Quiche?

I'm looking for Vonnies and/or Susans breakfast quiche recipe? Are they the same? They are heavenly and I wonder if anyone has the recipe out there?

Spiced Salmon Steaks

This is a FANTASTIC recipe for Salmon. It's our family favorite! It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare it and 8 minutes to grill, so it's quick and easy and tastes great. Even my kids eat it (which is a BIG deal since they are picky eaters!) I'm not a huge fish lover, but this recipe is great. Hope you like it.

1 TBS Chili Powder
2 tsp light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil

4 salmon steaks
lemon wedges (optional)

prep outdoor grill medium heat

In cup, mix chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, thyme, salt and oil.

Remove any bones from Salmon. With hands, rub spice mixture on both sides of salmon steaks (or one side if skin is still on one side)

Place salmon on hot grill rack over medium heat. Grill salmon, turning once, until just opaque throughout, about 8 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges if you like.

* I put my salmon in foil and grill it that way, keeps it a little more moist. You can also broil it in the oven if you prefer it that way. I'd like to try it on those wood grill planks. . .that would be yummy too.

Hope you like it!

I hope you are not getting sick of book reports. That is all I can contribute, since I am not in any way a cook. If it has to be one or the other, I am definitely books!

I just finished OKAY FOR NOW, by Gary Schmidt. I liked it alot. I thought at first it was a bit repetitive, but as the story went on it became more endearing than bothersom. It is a story of a family with a no-count father, and is told first person by one of the children, a middle-school aged boy named Doug. It is written for older children. Although it is sad, I really did enjoy it.

What on Earth Have I Done? by Robert Fulghum

This book of essays is actually a 3+, if there only were such a thing on the Goodreads scale. I have only read, besides this collection, Fulghum's first two books. I read them many, many years ago but remember liking them. I liked this one, also, but somehow it seemed less original. The essays were mostly pretty good. Some language, but not overly serious.

Love to all,
Bev

OOPS! Christy was helping me with that last posting and it looks like we pasted that Turtle in Paradise review twice. Sorry!

LuLu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst

What a darling beginner chapter book for very young readers/listeners! My 8 year old grandson loved it, but I think it is too young for most children older than that. Wonderful read-aloud. Can be finished in half an hour or so, cleverly written and the illustrations are great.

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

Newbery Honor book 2011. This is a book I think I would have liked as an elementary age child. Set mostly in Florida in 1935 this is the story of a young girl who is sent to live with her aunt in Florida while her mother tries to pull her life together. The characters were likable, the writing was good enough, and though it was predictable, the story was good- especially for young girls.


Newbery Honor book 2011. This is a book I think I would have liked as an elementary age child. Set mostly in Florida in 1935 this is the story of a young girl who is sent to live with her aunt in Florida while her mother tries to pull her life together. The characters were likable, the writing was good enough, and though it was predictable, the story was good- especially for young girls.



The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World by E. L. Konigsburg

This is the story of Amedeo Kaplan, who finds himself helping to clear out the house of an elderly woman, Mrs. Zender, in preparation for her moving to an assisted living center. As that process proceeds, mysteries and secrets of the past are revealed having to to with great works of art, Nazi Germany, and war criminals. The story was okay, but there is no way this is elementary school material. I am surprised is wasn't shelved with Youth Fiction rather than Juvenile Fiction. In my opinion some of the language, homosexual references (appropriate for youth), complexity of the story and a few other objectionable things make it inappropriate for kids under 12.
As a book for children, this is 2 star book, and I wouldn't really recommend it. As a youth book, 3 stars and you just might like it!

EL Konnigsburg also wrote The View From Saturday, Newbery Award winner from 1997 which I loved; From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Newbery Award winner from 1968 which I read as a child and loved; and Silent to the Bone, which was totally offensive and poorly done. Can't win them all!

Love,
Bev

Review for Patwork Planet, by Anne Tyler

I read this book many years ago and liked it, so when I saw it on tape at the library for $1 I picked it up to listen to it again. I didn't care for it so much this time. It is basically the story of a man who has been a disappointment to himself and his family trying to redeem himself and find a way to a happier life. There were some inappropriate things in it, but mostly this time I found the main character a little annoying! I don't want to disuade anyone from reading it- maybe I just didn't like it much this time because I'd already read it, and maybe my taste in books has changed. The writing was good, and the reader did a good enough job. I have also read Saint Maybe by the same author and remember liking it. I guess I won't read that one again- leave well enough alone! Anne Tyler won the Pulitzer for BREATHING LESSONS, which I have never read. Mom read her book, BACK WHEN WE WERE GROWN-UPS, and she really liked it alot. She told me I wasn't old enough to appreciate it yet. I wonder how long I should wait?!

Love to everyone!
Bev

The Rangers Apprentice

This is one of my favorite series. It isn't the same caliber as Harry Potter, but what is?  These books are great for all ages; they are clean, funny, adventurous, exciting.... seriously, so good!

Description:
He had always wanted to be a warrior. The Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways, made him nervous. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now fifteen year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't realize yet is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied.

Ravioli Lasagna

This is my sister-in-laws recipe and its become a favorite for us. Its easy and quick when you want a lasagna.

Ravioli Lasagna
1 (28 oz) Jar of Spaghetti Sauce

1 (25 oz) pkg. Frozen Ravioli (cheese or meat, Spencer likes the meat best)

1 (16 0z) Cottage Cheese

1/2 to 1 cup each of Mozzarella & Cheddar Cheese

1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

Spread 1/2 Cup spaghetti sauce in ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Layer half the ravioli, 1 1/4 cups sauce 1 cup of cottage cheese and half of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly

Easy Mexican Casserole

This is one of our favorites because it is so easy but tastes so good! In fact, we just made it for dinner tonight. We get it off of allrecipes.com, and I usually substitute low/non fat sour cream and sometimes turkey burger (don't tell Casey, he thinks it's the "real stuff".) :)

Ingredients

* 1 pound lean ground beef
* 2 cups salsa
* 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, drained
* 3 cups tortilla chips, crushed
* 2 cups sour cream
* 1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
* 1/2 cup chopped green onion
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
* 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Stir in salsa, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in beans, and heat through.
3. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread crushed tortilla chips in dish, and then spoon beef mixture over chips. Spread sour cream over beef, and sprinkle olives, green onion, and tomato over the sour cream. Top with Cheddar cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Amount Per Serving Calories: 632 | Total Fat: 43.7g | Cholesterol: 119mg

I just finished a book, so in an effort to learn to blog I thought I would attempt to post a report! It is my first post of any kind, ever, except for Goodreads! I am joining the techy generation for sure.
Heart of a Samurai , by Margi Preus

This was a pretty good children's book, a Newbery Honor book for 2011. It is the true story of a Japanese man, Manjiro, who was seperated from his fishing fleet during a storm and shipwrecked with a few friends. They were eventually rescued by a whaling ship. From there the book tells of his adventures and eventual important place in history. Manjiro's story has an interesting connection with another important person whose story is told in a Newbery Award winner in 1956 called, Carry On, Mr. Bowditch. Both these books were mostly worth reading because the stories they tell are true. I am glad these stories are being told to kids, and to me!

I am anxious to hear about what you are reading and cooking! I am going to try some of those recipes that have been posted.

Love to all of you,
Bev

Pina Colada's

I don't know about you guys, but I love a good Pina Colada.  I found this recipe on the Some Kind of Delicious blog that I follow. I think it tastes so yummy!
I hope you enjoy:

Pina Colada
2 c. canned pineapple juice

2 c. milk

1/3 c. sugar

3/4 tsp. coconut flavoring

2 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Mix together and put one half in the freezer (for at least an hour). Put the rest in the refrigerator. Just before serving, combine and blend in the blender.  Serves 2-3 people.

NOTE: I used pineapple juice from a can of crushed pineapple, which didn't QUITE equal 2 cups. So I poured some of the pineapple into the mixture, until it equaled 2 cups. After it was blended you could hardly tell there was crushed pineapple in it, but there was just enough for some yummy texture. 

Crispy Ginger-Lime Chicken Thighs

I found this recipe on Martha Stewarts website and it's a family favorite! It's really easy to make, and tastes even better on the grill.
I throw some cilantro rice and some grilled pineapple to top it off. If you try it, I want to hear how you like it! (because I guarantee you will!)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons curry powder
4 scallions, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Directions
1.Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. In a small bowl, combine ginger, lime juice, curry powder, scallions, 1 teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper.

2.Arrange chicken on prepared baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Gently loosen skin from each piece of chicken. Dividing evenly, rub ginger mixture under skin.

3.Turn thighs, skin side down, on baking sheet. Broil about 5 minutes. Flip thighs, skin side up, and continue to broil until skin is crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thighs (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes more. Serve chicken drizzled with pan juices.

Busy Day Chicken Legs

Hey ladies!

I don't know about you, but things at my house always seem so crazy! SO, I've been trying new recipes with my crock pot and ran across this one the other day. It takes about 5 minutes to prep (if you're going at a snail's pace) and tastes SOOOO good when you're done! Enjoy!

Busy Day Chicken Legs

Six Ingredients or Less, by Carlean Johnson

8 Chicken Legs

Paprika

Garlic Salt

Lemon Pepper

Place chicken in one layer in a sprayed slow cooker. Sprinkle with paprika, garlic salt and lemon pepper; do not add any liquid. Cover and cook on LOW 6 - 7 hours or until chicken is cooked through. The chicken should be nicely browned. Makes 4 servings.

Note: I used 10 chicken legs and we went right through them. I have not tried the chicken in a double layer, but if any of you try that, let me know how it works, okay?!

WELCOME TO "GOOD BOOKS & COOKS"!

The purpose of this blog is for all the Thornock women to be able to share and exchange their best "tried and true" family recipes as well as any new tasty meals and treats that you discover. This blog is also a great place to record the best/worst books that you have read lately. This is how it works:

1. We hope you accepted the invitation to be a co-author for this blog.
2. Any time you have a recipe or a book you would like to post about, create a new post and put the name of the recipe or book in the title of your post.
3. Write your recipe or book review in the body of the post and include a picture if you have one.
4. Add comments to anyone's posted recipes and book reviews.
5. This is an open blog, so please do not post any personal or identifying information.

Please see the following example of the Double-Decker OREO Cheesecake recipe posted below. We look forward to sharing all of our best cooking ideas and books together!

Double-Decker OREO Cheesecake

I got this recipe off of allrecipes.com for an incredibly delicious and popular treat.

INGREDIENTS
1 (1 pound, 1 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Creme Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 (8 ounce) packages PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
4 eggs
4 (1 ounce) squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted (I usually use the equivalent in coco powder and oil since I don't have baker's squares on hand)


DIRECTIONS
1.Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
2.Process 30 cookies in food processor until finely ground. Add butter; mix well. Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan.
3.Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each just until blended; pour half over crust. Stir melted chocolate into remaining batter; pour over batter in pan*. Chop remaining cookies; sprinkle over batter.
4.Bake 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours.

ENJOY!!

*The thicker chocolate layer is very hard to spread on the thinner white layer. Make it easier by placing large spoonfuls of the chocolate mix all over the cake and then use a spatula to spread out the spoonfuls.