Grandpa Mel’s Baked Tomato Chicken

Even picky eaters and people who have given up meat have been known to eat this. If you haven’t guessed by now, grandpa buys the Costco boxes of canned tomato products. This is integral in his kitchen, basically you can make a meal for an army as long as you have this.

Lilith says, “Yummmmmmm.”

8 chicken thighs
½ Onion
15 oz Tomato Sauce
15 oz Diced Tomatoes
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp granulated garlic
1 tbp balsamic vinegar

Wash and pat the chicken dry. Place in a baking dish, should fit snuggly. Season with salt and garlic. Finely chop onion and sprinkle all over the top. Add the canned tomato sauce. Add the diced tomatoes. To cover. *add balsamic vinegar over the top.
Bake in pre-heated oven at 350 for 1 hour.
Servings 4 to 8
Suggested sides mashed potatoes or steamed rice, veggies, and a salad.

Grandpa Mel’s Guiso

The grandkids love this dish! Chris once asked grandpa to make it for him to take to an Army maneuver. He was the only one with a home cooked meal and all the other soldiers wanted a taste. I’ve personally seen Julian eat an entire panful on his own.

1 lb ground round
½ onion
15 oz can tomato sauce
15 oz can diced tomatoes
salt (to taste)
Garlic (2 cloves minced) or granulated garlic (1/2 tsp)
Frozen vegetables (corn or sweet peas)
2 medium sized russet potatoes
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Sautee diced onions in olive oil, until soft. Add ground round, cook until no longer pink. Peel & dice potatoes, add to ground round. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the diced tomato and tomato sauce & balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt and garlic. Low to moderate heat and cook for ½ an hour, until potatoes are soft. Add the vegetables.
Servings 4-6 (depends on how hungry you are)*

*I sat down with grampa Mel to get these recipes from him last September, a couple notes, I know for a fact that he has never measured his recipes out, so we’re guessing here – like big time. I also think that when he says 1/2 tsp of granulated garlic, he really means 2 tsp. He’s rather heavy handed on spices and flavorings. I’m just saying, if you think it’s too little, it probably is at the very least double it. If you think it’s too much, it probably is.

Suvi’s Campfire Chili

Suvi made this delicious and hearty chillie for a camping trip a few years ago. It’s a little labor of love and Suvi, like my mom, goes all out when it comes to a) cooking for get loved ones and b) cooking while camping.

Ingredients
1.5 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1/2 in cubes
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Pasilla chili, diced
2 Fresno chilies (spicy) or 1 red or orange bell pepper (mild), diced
1 ear of corn, kernels only (or one small can plain corn kernels)
1 can diced Italian tomatoes (I really like Pomi tomatoes in a red and white box)
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 bottle beer, pale ale or lager
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Spices:
1 tbs each of:
   Paprika (smoked, preferably)
   Black pepper
   Salt
   Chili powder (Gerhardt’s brand is my favorite)
2 tsp each of:
   Cumin
   Coriander
   Oregano
   Chipotle Chili (optional, spicy)

Methods:
Place a little oil in a Dutch oven or heave bottomed pot on medium high heat (7). Add the onions and stir constantly for about 7 minutes until they are translucent and begin to turn golden. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Add the meat in handfuls, stirring rapidly to sear and remove red color. If they start to sweat, turn up the temperature a little. When all the meat is seared, add the chilies and/or bell pepper, spices and stir to coat. Stir in the corn, tomatoes, and black beans. Bring to a simmer. Add the beer and return to simmer. Turn the heat down to just barely simmer and cover for 1-1.5 hrs until the beef can be cut with a fork. Deglaze the fat. Stir in the cilantro and serve with tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream, or whatever else you feel like!

Angel Hair Pasta and Crab

Again, really good with a salad and some toasted french bread.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces angel hair pasta
• 2 tbs butter or margarine
• Salted water
• ¼ c olive oil or salad oil
• ½ c sliced green onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 medium size ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• ¼ c dry white wine
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• ½ lb cooked crab, flaked
• ¼ c chopped fresh parsley
• Salt & pepper

Directions

Cook noodles in the large kettle of boiling salted water until al dente.  Drain well and place on a warm platter; keep warm. Meanwhile, in a wide frying pan over medium heat, place butter and oil. When butter is melted, add green onions, garlic, tomatoes, and wine. Cook, stirring until mixture boils. Adjust heat so mixture boils gently, and cook for two minutes. Mix in lemon juice, crab, and parsley. Cook, stirring, just until crab is heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over pasta. Lift and mix pasta gently, then serve. Makes 4 servings.

Baked Chicken ala Chris

This is an easy chicken recipe that is whole meal in itself; add a salad and you’re set. We used 6 chicken thighs, and for 6 hefty servings I spent about $6 (shopped the managers special on the chicken & froze until we were ready to cook).

Jackie says, “This recipe is 9 year old and 4 year old approved, I’m serious they totally scarfed it down.”

Ingredients

• Potatoes cut into chunks no lie 
• Vegetables (your choice, we used frozen) 
• Olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon green onions 
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder 
• 1 tablespoon paprika 
• 1 tablespoon salt or seasoned salt 
• 1 2 teaspoons lemon pepper 
• Half a cup Parmesan cheese 
• 6 chicken breast or chicken thighs

Directions

Split potatoes and vegetables into 2 casserole dishes. Drizzle generously with olive oil.

Mix green onions, garlic powder, paprika, salt, lemon pepper, Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.

Sprinkle half of this mix on to the potato and vegetables. Pour a little olive oil over the chicken, and then the rest of the Parmesan cheese mixture into that. Layer the chicken on top of a vegetable potato stuff. Cover the whole thing with tin foil. bake the two trays at 375 for 1 hour. Comes out perfect.

Serves 4 to 6 people.

Rigatoni with Sausage Sauce

Jodi says, “This is NOT diet food, that’s why I don’t make it so often anymore.”

This delicious pasta is one of the few recipes my mom, Jodi, will make over and over.  Just typing it out makes my mouth water thinking of the cheesy flavors. It’s really good with hot toasted buttery french bread , baggettes work well also.

 Ingredients

• ½ lb mild italian sausages
• ¼ c butter or margarine
• ½ pound (about 2 ½ c) rigatoni or mostaccioli
• Salted water
• ¾ c whipping cream
• ¼ c dry white wine
• ¼ c grated Parmesan cheese
• Grated nutmeg
• Additional grated Parmesan cheese

 Directions

Remove casings from sausages; crumble meat. In a deep, heavy frying pan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add sausage and cook slowly, stiring occasionally, until sausage is lightly browned.

Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente; drain well.

Add cream and wine to sausage; increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Adjust heat so mixture boils gently; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened (about 5 min).

Mix in drained rigatoni and the ¼ cup of cheese. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Serve at once with additional grated Parmesan cheese.

Makes 4-6 servings