Mustard Sauce

1/2 c sour cream
1 T Dijon
1 T yellow mustard
1 t Lemon juice
1 T sugar

Mix all ingredients together. Dip steak or chicken into it.

Chili Sauce

6 T mayo
2 T sour cream
1 T ketchup
1 T chili pepper

Mix all ingredients together. This can be served with steak or chicken.

Chicken Parmesan Fondue

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c breadcrumbs
1 t garlic powder
1 t dried basil
1 t oregano
1 T Parmesan Cheese
2 eggs
Canola Oil

Mix together dry ingredients. Whisk eggs. Dip each cubed piece of chicken in the egg mix, then into bread mix. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Heat oil to high heat in the fondue pot. Cook each piece for 3-4 minutes. Dip in the dips available. (See dips.)

Caesar Dressing

1/2 c grated Parmesan Cheese
1 c Miracle Whip/mayo
1 T milk
1 T lemon juice
1 t Dijon mustard
1 t Worcestershire Sauce
2 garlic clove

Mix all together and serve. This is a very thick dressing, but coats the romaine lettuce VERY WELL. I usually make a double batch and keep it in the fridge. It will last several weeks without going bad.

Croutons

1 stick butter
2 clove garlic, minced
6 (3/4” slices) of French Bread
1/3 c Parmesan Cheese

Melt butter. Stir in garlic and sauté for about a minute. Throw in cubed bread to coat all pieces. Stir and coat the now buttered bread pieces in Parmesan Cheese. Spread on baking sheet and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until crisp and dry. Check frequently to prevent burning. Cool.

Note: To prevent an "oil" catastrophe from happening in your oven, be sure to bake these on a cookie sheet with an EDGE on it! :)

Traditional Swiss Fondue

3 1/2 c shredded Swiss Cheese & Gruyere Cheese
2 T flour
1 c white wine
2 T lemon juice
2 t finely chopped garlic
1 ounce cherry-flavored liqueur (Kirschwasser)
Dash of Nutmeg
Cauliflower, Olive Oil Rosemary Bread

Toss cheese with flour in a bowl. In a double broiler, over medium heat (once water is boiling), pour wine into the bowl. Stir in the lemon juice and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add half the cheese and cook until the cheese is melted. Add remaining cheese in small amounts at a time, stirring constantly in a circular motion after each addition until cheese is melted. Pour the liqueur slowly around the edge of the bowl. Pull mixture from the edge and cook for about 1 minute or until alcohol cooks off. Pour into warm fondue pot and keep warm over LOW heat. Garnish with nutmeg.

NOTE: This cheese fondue was done in a double boiler type situation. If you'll notice, there is a silver "pot" and a white "crock." This is so the cheese doesn't burn or scorch on the bottom. You don't HAVE to have a pot like mine, but definitely if doing over a stove, do it in a double boiler so as not to scorch your entire batch.

Won Ton Soup

1/2 lb fresh hamburger
2 green onions
1 pkg won ton wraps (usually found in produce or health food area)
10 c chicken broth

Mix together raw hamburger and onions. Spread several won ton wraps out on the counter at once and put 1 tsp hamburger mix in the center of each wrap. With a small bowl of water, wet your fingertip and get two edges wet. You can usually do about 4-5 at a time without it drying out too fast on you. bring the opposite corner to the other corner and seal where wet. It should now look like a triangle. Flip one corner in and dab water on its' edge, then flip other corner in and it will seal. Once all won tons are made, bring some chicken broth to a boil and once boiling, throw 10-15 of them in at a time for about 4 minutes. Garnish the soup with fresh green onions when ready to serve.

Note: If you've used FRESH hamburger and you can't eat the whole batch in one sitting, the prepared won tons can be frozen for later used. Cook them in the boiling chicken broth from frozen, only cook them 5-6 minutes instead of the 3-4 minutes in the original recipe. I typically make a double batch for this purpose!

Chicken Fried Rice

2 cups jasmine rice
2 cups chicken broth
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cooked and chopped)
1 cup chopped baby carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
soy sauce to taste
1 1/2 T - 2 T sesame oil

Start rice in the rice cooker first so it's ready for when you have gotten the rest of the stuff prepped and ready to toss. Peel and chop carrots and cover in water to prepare for microwave. Microwave on high for 4 minutes, then add the peas to the carrots and microwave for 1 more minute, then drain. In a large saucepan, scramble eggs in the vegetable oil. Put scrambled eggs aside for later. Heat pan over high heat. Pour in 1 1/2-2 T sesame oil, then stir in carrots, peas, scrambled eggs and chopped chicken; stir in cooked rice, stirring constantly so everything is mixed and separated. Shake in soy sauce, and toss rice to coat. Drizzle with a little more sesame oil, and toss again. Best served HOT.

Note: Many people prepare and refrigerate their rice the day ahead so that it will separate easier when frying it up. Just another option.

Cous Cous

(The picture above is how you would prepare for a FREEZER meal.)

This is a special recipe in my family. My dad grew up in Africa as a boy and this was something his mom made for he and his family. Cous Cous is a very popular African grown grain, in the same family as rice, that is really yummy! My mom made this for our family all growing up as well. Quick funny story. Shortly after I met my sweetie, my parents invited us over to their house for Sunday dinner so they could meet him and get to know him a little better for themselves. We all sat down around the table, prayed and started dishing out helpings to each person. Benjamin took one bite of the Cous Cous and said, "does this have peanut butter in it?" The original "Cowley Family Recipe" has peanut butter in it, unbeknownst to us, Benjamin is allergic to peanut butter!!!! So, we will never forget the meal my mom served the first time they met!

Stew to put over cooked Cous Cous:

1 - 46 oz can Tomato Juice
2 c carrots, chopped or sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs stew meat, cubed
2 cans green beans, drained
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
5 tsp beef bouillon

Brown stew meat with chopped onion until cooked. Pour into the crock pot and add all remaining ingredients. Let cook in the crock pot on low for at least 8 hours. It can be cooked longer than that, but at least 8 hours. Serve over cooked Cous Cous.

Cous Cous:

2 1/2 c Cous Cous
2 1/2 c chicken broth
4 T butter
1 t Italian Seasoning
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano

In a medium saucepan bring broth, butter and seasonings to a boil. Once boiling, take off the stove and add the Cous Cous, stir, then cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Use a fork to break it a part and fluff it up!

NOTE: This can also be made ahead and frozen for a future day of serving. The only thing you'll do different is that after cooking the stew meat with the onion, you'll add ALL OTHER INGREDIENTS listed under stew to a large Ziploc bag, MINUS the tomato juice. Freeze all ingredients and thaw the day before you plan on serving. Once thawed, put entire bag of contents, PLUS the tomato juice then into the crock pot, simmer on low in the crock pot for 8 hours and cook the cous cous as indicated above.)

Lemon Meringue Pie

Baked Pie Shell (see Pie Crust)

Lemon Custard:

1 1/2 c sugar
3 T flour
3 T corn starch
1 1/2 c water
2 T butter
1/3 c lemon juice

In a medium saucepan stir together the 1-1/2 cups sugar, the cornstarch, and flour; gradually stir in water. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into beaten egg yolks; pour yolk mixture into remaining hot mixture in saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butter until melted. Slowly stir in 1/3 cup lemon juice. Keep filling warm while preparing the meringue.

Meringue:

3 egg whites
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 t cream of tartar
6 T sugar

In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites and 1 teaspoon lemon juice with an electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until soft peaks form. Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, beating on high speed about 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves.

Pour warm filling into cooled crust. Immediately spread meringue over filling, carefully sealing to edge of crust to prevent shrinkage. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 15 minutes. Cool on rack for 1 hour. Chill 3 to 6 hours before serving.