Making Pasta

My Mom called during the Holidays with a gift idea for myhusband - a pasta maker!  For over 26 years Richard has been one tough guy to find just the right gift. Last week we made spaghetti and were pleasantly surprised. It was easy and fun plus it tasted great and held up better than regular pasta for left overs.

Slow Cooked Creamy Garlic Chicken

I discovered an amazing sauce for chicken by accident. When I read the directions I knew my family would not be in favor of mixing the potatoes and green beans with the chicken. I knew how tender slow cooked chicken could be so I just poured this sauce over the boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot. Six hours later the house was filled with a delicious aroma. It was perfect with oven potatoes.

Later that week I made Chicken Noodle Soup with the left overs and my family wouldn't let me forget that it was the BEST batch of soup yet. This is the part I'm trying to re-create with Cambell's Oven Sauce.

Slow Cooked Cubed Steak

This is a great melt-in-your-mouth meal for a family crowd. Just make it and forget it.

2-3 pounds cubed steak
3 cups brown gravy or 1 pkg Southeastern Mills
1 can beef broth
1 TBSP butter per lb
1 TBSP olive oil per lb.
flour
pepper, garlic salt & love

1. Pour beef broth in bottom of crockpot.
2. Flour and season both sides of each cubed steak then brown in a hot skillet with oil/butter.
3. Next, layer pan-browned cubed steaks in crockpot.
4. Make gravy according to directions. Pour on top of meat.
5. Cook on LOW 4-6 hours.

New Family Tradition, Homemade Pizza

On a Friday night during winter break we decided to make pizza dough in our bread maker. It had been stored in the pantry for months and we were missing that fresh baked bread smell. It ended up being a fun family event as we created our very own pizzas with a whole array of toppings. It's Friday again and the pizza dough is mixing. This could be a family tradition for the New Year!

The dough will take about 1 & 1/2 hours in the bread maker. This is the recipe for our Oster 2 lb Expressbake.

Pizza Crust 
1 and 3/8 (1/4 plus 2 Tablespoons) cups warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon active dry yeast
Sprinkle lots of love

Meals the Hickman Family Loves to Eat

Richard and I have cooked dinner and had a family meal almost every night for the past 26 years! It's been getting harder with Tommy in college and Katie's busy high school schedule but we still make an effort to be together. Once per week, when making a grocery list we check everyone's schedule and then plan accordingly. Over the years we've referred to a list of our favorite meals that I put in the front of our cookbook. I think it's time to update what we like now that the kids are older! Of course, we never forget to put love on everything we make!

Gramsy's Buttermilk Cookies

Almost Homemade Spanish Rice

Zatarain's Spanish  Rice with a can of diced tomatoes makes the best side dish with Fajitas.