The Boyd Family Famous Grilled Breaded Chicken Strips with Mozeralla on Top: Jeff Boyd

This is a great, simple, and tasty recipe. You'll need:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: enough to feed your crowd
Extra virgin olive oil: enough to cover all the chicken
Bread Crumbs: also enough to cover the chicken
Mozzarella cheese: enough to top your chicken

Cut the chicken breasts into good-sized strips. (I guess you could leave the chicken breasts whole, but they take longer to cook that way.) In a large zip-lock bag, mix some olive oil and 2-3 chicken strips, making sure they're well coated with the oil. Next add the bread crumbs so they coat each chicken strip entirely. Repeat until all you chicken is coated. Now grill your chicken, on both sides, until it's done. Near the end, top each chicken strip with some mozzarella and let it melt on top. Serve and eat 'em while they're hot! Enjoy. I wish I had a picture to post, but I don't, so I'll take a picture and post it the next time we make these.

As promised, here are some pictures:
Before the cheese:

After the cheese:

For those of you who know me well, I add a secret ingredient to "spice" things up a bit and give it that extra "pure magic" flavor.

Homemade pesto/Rachael Bailey

1/4 c. olive oil (or cooking oil)
1/2 c. chopped nuts (walnut, almonds, or pine nuts)
2 c. firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 c. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
1/4 t. salt
black pepper

If using a food processor, combine oil, nuts, basil, cheese, garlic, pepper and salt, processing until nearly smooth. If you're using a blender, it will be easiest to first chop the basil and nuts before adding them to the mixture.

See? It's that easy.

Rye bread/Rachael Bailey

4 to 4 1/2 c. flour
1 pkg active dry yeast
2 c. warm water (120 to 130 F)
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 T cooking oil
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. rye flour
1 T. caraway seeds
cornmeal
milk

Mix 3 c. flour and the yeast; add warm water, brown sugar, oil, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on a low speed for about 30 seconds until roughly blended, then beat on high for 3 min. Stir in caraway, rye, and as much flour as the dough will take.

Sprinkle flour on a flat surface, then turn out the dough and knead for 6-8 minutes. This is where you'll want to smoosh in the rest of your flour that you didn't use previously. When you've finished, leave the floury mess out on your surface; you'll use it again later.

Plop your dough into a lightly greased bowl (I use shortening on a paper towel) and then flip it over so the greased side is up. Cover and let it rise until it's doubled (about an hour).

Punch the dough down, divide it in half, and turn it out onto aforesaid floury mess surface. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. While it's "resting," lightly grease a baking sheet and sprinkle it liberally with cornmeal.

Shape each half of dough into a ball and place on the cookie sheet. Cover again and let rise AGAIN until doubled (30-45 min).

Brush the top of each loaf with milk. Bake at 375 for about 30-35 minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.

Pesto-mozzarella-tomato panini/Rachael Bailey

• Homemade pesto
• Hearty bread that will stand up to being grilled--I like to use sourdough or rye. Panera makes a fabulous sourdough, Wal-mart's California Sourdough isn't too bad
• Mozzarella cheese (fresh is best, but the other stuff is still delicious. I've even used string cheese in a pinch)
• Fresh tomatoes, preferably beefsteak, and preferably straight from the garden
• Butter, or your hydrogenated oil spread of choice
• Skillet or griddle

Step 1:
Turn your cooking implement of choice to whatever temperature your stove does best for grilled cheese. We have a countertop electric griddle that is just lovely for this; it's an excellent purchase if you've got some money to throw around in the kitchen.
Step 2:
While that's heating up, butter one side of each piece of bread, slice a nice little pile of cheese, and slice up your tomato. Shoot for slices that are about a quarter-inch thick, and don't skimp on the butter. You don't want anything to burn.
Step 3:
Turn each pair of slices butter-side-in, so they're oozing butter on each other rather than on your clean counter or plate or whatever. Spread pesto on the top non-buttered side of each pair of slices.
Step 4:
When your surface is nicely heated, place one of the slides on it buttered-side-down and quickly assemble the rest of the sandwich. My husband prefers to have the pesto next to the tomatoes, I don't really care one way or the other. In any case, you should have one layer of cheese and a layer of tomato.
Step 5:
Grill to whatever doneness you prefer (just please let the cheese melt!), slice in half for easy consumption, and voila!

Home Tour Tomato Soup: Michelle Boyd

Tomato Soup

Prep Time
30 minutes (maybe a little longer)
Cook Time
30 minutes
Ready in
1 hour (plus a little)
Yields
approximately 8 (depends on how much you eat!)

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
3 T butter
dash olive oil
salt and pepper
basil
4 T flour
1 C broth (I use water and a boullion cube)
3 cans (15 oz) stewed tomatoes (puree 1-2 cans)
1 C milk
1 pt cream

Directions
Saute chopped onion with butter, olive oil, basil, and then salt and pepper to taste. Set to the side. Puree 1-2 cans of stewed tomatoes, then combine with remaining tomatoes, milk, and cream. Add cooked onions to the mix. Set to the side. Slowly combine flour and the broth. Add to tomato/onion mixture. Simmer 30 minutes. Garnish with croutons and parmesan cheese. Goes wonderfully in bread bowls.

Side note: Depending on your families enjoyment of "chunky" foods, you may want to either buy diced stewed tomatoes, or cut the stewed tomatoes into smaller pieces.

Pasta Salad: Tisha Finlay/Ann Maas

Pasta Salad

PREP TIME
15 Min
COOK TIME
15 Min
READY IN
30 Min
YIELDS
8 Servings



INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) bag pasta
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
2 teaspoons white sugar
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried dill weed (or relish)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups seedless green/red grapes, halved (red are sweeter)
2 cups diced ham (or bacon)
½ cup chopped green onions
1 ½ cups diced cheese
1 cup frozen corn (thawed)
½ cup grilled chicken


DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain, and rinse in cold water.

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, cider vinegar, mustard, sugar, black pepper, dill weed, and salt.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, grapes, ham, green onions, cheese, corn, and grilled chicken. Toss with dressing. Cover, and chill overnight or for at least 6 hours.

Angel Chicken Pasta:Tisha Finlay/Ann Maas

Angel Chicken Pasta

PREP TIME
30 Min
COOK TIME
1 Hr
READY IN
1 Hr 30 Min
YIELDS
6 Servings

INGREDIENTS
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
¼ cup butter
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup
4 ounces cream cheese
1 Tbsp. chives
1 (16 ounce) bag pasta
¼ cup milk

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in the package of dressing mix. Whisk in milk and golden mushroom soup. Mix in cream cheese, and chives. Stir until smooth. Heat through, but do not boil. Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour sauce over.

Bake for 60 minutes in the preheated oven. Twenty minutes before the chicken is done, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta. Serve with a side of vegetables.
Fettuccine Alfredo
YIELDS 4 Servings, 1 cup each

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces fettuccine – uncooked
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
4 teaspoons flour
1/3 cup cream cheese – softened
3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese – divided
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley


DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta as directed on package.

Combine broth and flour in a medium saucepan. Stir in cream cheese, 2 Tbsp. of the parmesan cheese, nutmeg, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with wire whisk until mixture boils and thickens.

Drain pasta. Toss with sauce. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and parsley.

Focaccia Bread: Tissa Finlay/Ann Maas

Focaccia Bread

PREP TIME
20 Min
COOK TIME
15 Min
READY IN
1 Hr

INGREDIENTS
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella


DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil.

Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: Amy Hughes

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Very large batch, I usually only make 1/2 batches.
Preheat oven to 385 degrees.

2 cups sugar
2 cup brown sugar
1 lb. butter (room temp)
4 eggs

Cream sugar, butter and eggs, then add…

1 t. salt
2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
2 t. vanilla
4 cups flour
5 cups quick oats
2 packages of chocolate chips or chunks or to taste
(I like 1 package of semi-sweet and one package of milk chocolate)

-Place in large balls on cookie sheet, about 6 cookies per sheet.
-bake 8-11 mins. Then let cool on sheet for 2 mins. before placing on wire rack.

-Makes about 3 dozen large cookies

Meat Ball Soup: Amy Hughes

Meatball Soup:

Meatballs: (Or substitute for pre-made meatballs, these ones are fantastic though.)
1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup bread crumbs (crushed crackers)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbl butter

Soup:
3 (10 3/4 oz) cans beef broth
2 cups water
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
3 stalks celery, chopped
*3 carrots, thinly sliced
*1 lb chopped frozen spinach
*1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 cup rotini pasta
(*Use any or all of these, I usually just use the carrots and spinach or add onions; just use what ever you have on hand.)

Combine beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt and garlic. Form into small balls and brown in butter for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together beef broth, water and crushed tomatoes in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add celery, carrots, oregano and basil, Cover and simmer. Add pasta and meatballs 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Magnolia's Famous Banana Pudding: Amy Hughes

Magnolia's Famous Banana Pudding
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups ice cold water
1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix (preferably Jell-O brand)
3 cups heavy cream
1 (12-ounce) box Nabisco Nilla Wafers (no substitutions!)
4 cups sliced ripe bananas

In a small bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the sweetened condensed milk and water until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the pudding mix and beat well, about 2 minutes more. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight, before continuing. It is very important to allow the proper amount of time for the pudding mixture to set.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well blended and no streaks of pudding remain.

To assemble the dessert, select a large, wide bowl (preferably glass) with a 4-5-quart capacity. Arrange one-third of the wafers to cover the bottom of the bowl, overlapping if necessary, then one-third of the bananas and one-third of the pudding. Repeat the layering twice more, garnishing with additional wafers or wafer crumbs on the top layer of the pudding. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours - or up to 8 hours, but no longer! - before serving.

Lasagna: Amy Hughes

Lasagna-
1/2 # ground beef
1/2 # italian sausage
1 16oz pkg lasagna noodles
1/2 C diced onion
1 1/2 TBS chopped garlic
26 oz jar bertoli's oil and garlic spaghetti sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 1/2 C ricotta cheese
16oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
brown beef, sausage and onion.

Add garlic, salt, pepper and spaghetti sauce. Cook lasagna noodles as directed. In separate bowl mix together cheeses and eggs. Layer noodles, meat and cheese. Repeat three times. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 1 hour.

Bananna Muffins: Melissa Campbell/Ann Maas

Banana Muffins:

6 ripe bananas
2 C. sugar (or Splenda blend)
2 eggs8 TBSP Melted Butter
3 C. wheat flour (or can go half white and half wheat)
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 325. Grease pan, mash the bananas and mix with sugar, eggs and butter. Then mix in flour and baking soda. Put in greased muffin tins, bake until golden brown about 10-12 min.

Ann Version: I like to make these for my kids in the mini muffin tins, and pull them out just as tehy are barely turning brown, this means that they are a little moister...Ehre Loves them....and well Benjamin ... I don't know if he even tastes them he eats them soooo fast!

Whole Wheet Pumpkin Muffins: Melissa Campbell/Ann Maas

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins:

2 C. Sugar (or Splenda blend)
1/2 C. vegetable oil3 eggs
1 1/2 C. pumpkin1/2 C. water
3 C. Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 C. raisins
1 C. walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. In large bowl, mix together sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin and water. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices. Add to first mixture and blend together with electric mixer. Add raisins and walnuts. Let stand for a time. Grease mufflin tins, for large tins bake 15 mins. for small tin bake 10 min.