Irish Soda Muffins

I made this for St Patty's dinner last week, and Lara requested that I post it. This a really good every day muffin too, I love the flavor that the sour cream gives. Remember this recipe only yield 6, so you might have to double or triple it. Enjoy!

I got this from Taste of Home magazine Fed/Mar 2007 issue

Irish Soda Muffins

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons beaten egg
1/3 cup raisins

In a small bowl, combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the sour cream, oil and egg; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raisins.

Fill six greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Serve Warm. Yield: 6 Muffins.

Mushion Pork

Ingredients:

4 pork chops
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 onion, chopped
2/3 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Season and sear pork on stove (optional)
3. Place pork chops in a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl combine the soup, onion and water. Mix well and pour mixture over pork chops. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 15 minutes.

Amount Per Serving Calories: 197
Total Fat: 8.3g
Cholesterol: 65mg

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Seriously easy and quite tasty. Nothing too spectacular, but a definite addition to the easy dinner repertoire. There will be some gravy left, so cook up a serving of rice or mashed potatoes.

- Lara

Meat Loaf (Mom's Recipe)

1 egg beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 tsp pepper
2 lbs ground beef
2 TB minced or chopped onion (fresh tastes best)
2 tsp salt
1 small can of tomato sauce

Mix together, reserving about 1/4 of the tomato sauce. Put in greased loaf pan. Spread the remainder of the tomato sauce on top. Bake 1 hour at 350.

Zucchini Cake

1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup oil
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup flour
4 TB cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp soda
2 cups shredded zucchini
Chocolate chips on top

Put in a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Cheesy Chowder Soup

Boil these ingredients until tender:
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups of water
1/4 tsp. salt
1 carrot grated
4 potatoes, diced
1/2 cup celery, chopped

In a small pan melt:
4 TB butter
Add: 1/4 cup flour
2 c. milk
2 (8 oz.) cheez whiz

Add above to vegetable mix and add in 1 can creamed corn

French Toast Splendor

1 loaf of French Bread (gently tear into pieces)
8 oz. Cream Cheese (cut into squares)

Place pieces of french bread in a greased casserole pan. Scatter the squares of cream cheese throught the pieces of bread.

Mix in a bowl:
8 eggs
2 1/2 cups of milk
6 TBL melted butter
1/2 cup of maple syrup

Blend and pour over the bread and cream cheese pieces. Gently squish the bread down until it has soaked up the egg mixture. Cover and let sit 2-4 hours. (Best if prepared the day/night before--it usually needs to cook bit longer too.)

Cook:
325 degrees for 35-40 min. uncovered. (check @ 35 minutes, bottom of the pan needs to be stiff and knife should come out clean.) Remove from oven and let sit for 20 minutes before serving.


Sauce:
1 cup apple juice
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 T. cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. butter

Cook over stove on medium heat until thick. Add in butter until mixed well and melted. May add more apple juice to dilute the sauce until your perfect consistency is reached.

Enjoy with sauce, or sauce + syrup.

Chicken Piccata

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
1/2 cup boiling water

DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, beat the egg together with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Set aside.

In a shallow bowl or dish mix together the flour, garlic powder and paprika. Dip the chicken in the egg/lemon mixture, then in the seasoned flour.

In a large skillet, melt butter/margarine and brown the coated chicken pieces (make sure chicken is a deep golden brown so the breading will stay on better).

Dissolve the bouillon in the boiling water, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Pour liquid into skillet. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, turning chicken pieces after 10 minutes, until chicken is tender. Garnish as desired and serve.

Variations:
Add white wine to the buillion mix. Add cornstarch to the buillion mix for thicker sauce. Triple sauce amount and serve over pasta or mashed potatoes. Add capers. Add minced garlic. Pound chicken first.