FFR's

Favorite Family Recipes that is! Here are a few of Mr.Pate and I's favorite recipes to cook up at home, and a memory or thought on each. Enjoy!

Dinners:

1. Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is hands down Mr.Pate's favorite recipe. The summer after we graduated college, I interned at a church in Louisville. We got to learn all kinds of stuff, but my favorite was a day of cooking lessons from a cool lady named Emily. She taught us to cook Chicken Cordon Bleu the easy way, and it is flat out delicious. Mr.Pate prefers the rolled up fancy way, which really isnt a very hard thing to do. We ate it last weekend, and I always forget how yummy it is.

2. Brown Gravy Pork Chops

Yummy! I also got this recipe from my summer in Louisville, but from my host family. We actually had a night where the other interns came over and we all ate these, and my host dad challenged me to see how many pork chops I could eat (i sound like a man dont i??). I ate a ton and surprised him! Trust me people, these are the best pork chops you have ever eaten.

3. One Dish Chicken Bake

My friend Cheye got me some Campbell's cookbooks while I was engaged, she probably doesnt have any clue how much I love those things! So many of our staple meals come from these, including this one. This is a super easy, quick and comfort recipe. We mainly do it during the fall and winter.

4. Chicken and Dumplins in the Crockpot

I randomly found this one on a blog from Meal Plan Mondays (see they are helpful resources), and since I didnt know how to make dumplins but knew Mr.Pate loved them, I decided to give it a try. So good!!

5. Salsa Chicken

I found this recipe online the first time we did WW. It was a "core" recipe, which was a plan they used to have where you didnt have to count points (they still kinda have it). Anyhow, it basically is a chicken taco salad and easy and great-tasting!

6. Homemade Pizza

This is always a comfort food we go back too, and we love making it together. Its kinda a group project.

7. Chicken Casserole

I found this on in a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It is yummy.

8. Chicken Quesadillas

Another one from the Campbell's cookbooks. I started cooking this one the first summer of our marriage and we feel in love. Another super easy one (are you seeing a theme here?).

1 lb chicken breasts cubed (2 cans or canned chicken)

1 can (10 ¾ oz) Campbell’s Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup

½ cup Thick and Chunky Salsa

4 Flour Tortillas (fajita or burrito sized)

1. Preheat the oven to 425º

2. In medium skillet over medium-high heat, add chicken, soup and salsa; heat to a boil, stirring occasionally.

3. Place 4 tortillas on 2 baking sheets. Top half of each with about ¼ of the soup mixture; moisten edges of tortilla with water. Fold over and press edges together.

4. Bake 5 minutes or until hot.

Desserts:

1. Peanut Butter Pie

Two years ago, will I was at home and recovering from surgery and preparing for my treatment, I was perusing my Better Crocker Cookbook and I found a peanut butter pie recipe. We are crazy about peanut butter around here. So I decided to go for it, and we loved it! It is a family favorite at holiday celebrations too. This one isn't that quick or easy, but its not difficult either.

1 pie crust

1 eight oz package cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

2 tbs milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup whipping cream

2 tbs sifted powdered sugar

3/4 cups mini chocolate chips

1. Beat cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Add 1 cup powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla; beat until combined.

2. In a chilled mixing bowl beat whipping cream and the 2 tablespoons powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Gently fold about one third of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Fold remaining whipped cream and mini choc chips into the peanut butter mixture until smooth. Pour into pie crust.

3. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours (I do it overnight).

**It is also good without the choc chips.

2. Molten Lava Cake

I have only had this recipe two times, but we are definitely hooked. I have always been a fan of lava cakes at restaurants, so being able to make it at home for cheap is a joy. But it is not very WW friendly- just a warning!

3. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Someone gave me this when we were engaged and we love them! They are super easy and soo moist and yummy.

1 box Spice cake mix

1 can of pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup of choc chips

1. Mix all ingredients together.

2. Form into small cookies and place on a cookie sheet (batter is extremely sticky, and also this batter will not flatten like other cookies, so try to make the cookies flat)

3. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. The cookies have a cake like texture, so they should be springy.

So what's your family's favorite recipe?