Sour Cream Substitutes

I found this today when I was desperate for sour cream and did not want to go to the store.  I tried the one with cottage cheese, lemon juice and milk in the blender and it worked great.

Sour Cream Substitutions and Equivalents 

*1 cup sour cream For baking: 7/8 cup buttermilk or sour milk plus 3 tablespoons butter 
*1 cup sour cream For baking: 1 cup yogurt plus 1 teaspoon baking soda 
*1 cup sour cream For baking: 3/4 cup sour milk plus 1/3 cup butter 
*1 cup sour cream Baking: 3/4 cup buttermilk plus 1/3 cup butter 
*1 cup sour cream Cooked sauces: 1 cup yogurt plus 1 tablespoon flour plus 2 teaspoons water 
*1 cup sour cream Cooked sauces: 1 cup evaporated milk plus *1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken. 
*1 cup sour cream Dips: 1 cup yogurt (drain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve for 30 minutes in the refrigerator for a thicker texture) 
*1 cup sour cream Dips: 1 cup cottage cheese plus 1/4 cup yogurt or buttermilk, briefly whirled in a blender 
*1 cup sour cream Dips: 6 ounces cream cheese plus 3 tablespoons milk, briefly whirled in a blender 
*1 cup sour cream Lower fat: 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese plus *1 tablespoon lemon juice plus 2 tablespoons skim milk, whipped until smooth in a blender 
*1 cup sour cream Lower fat: 1 can chilled evaporated milk whipped with 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Southwest Chicken

This recipe comes from my Logan River Neighborhood cookbook.  It comes together really fast and easy on the stove top.  You can eat it just the way it is or you can chop up the chicken and put the mixture in tortillas.  My favorite way to eat it is with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and sour cream on top.

4 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1 pkg. taco seasoning
2 cups water
2 cups Minute rice
1 cup black or kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 cup cheddar cheese
Lettuce, tomato, avocado and sour cream for garnish.

Bring chicken, salsa, seasoning and water to boil in a large skillet.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Return to boil.  Stir in rice and beans.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Cover and cook on low for 5 minutes.  When serving, top with garnishes.  Serves 4-6.

Chicken and Spaghetti

Years ago Albertson's had a promotion going on.  They had recipe cards with meal ideas all through out the store next to the ingredients that were in the specific recipes.  It was called "Quick Fixin' Ideas".  I loved going to the store and collecting the cards and seeing if there was anything new each time.  This is one of the recipes I picked up there and it stuck.  This recipe is kid friendly and fast to make and we usually have all the ingredients in our pantry.  The original name of the recipe was Chicken Strips Italiano, but that was too fancy for us.  We just call it Chicken and Spaghetti.

8oz. uncooked linguine or spaghetti, cook to desired doneness

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

1/2 cup Progresso Bread Crumbs

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1 lb. chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

2 cups Classico Pasta Sauce, heated

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Heat oven to 375F.  In small bowl, combine cheese and bread crumbs; mix well.  Place salad dressing in small bowl.  Dip chicken breasts in salad dressing; place in bread crumb mixture and toss to coat evenly.  Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart.  Bake chicken breasts at 375F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned and no longer pink in center.  Slice chicken into strips.  To serve drain hot pasta; spoon onto 4 plates.  Top each with hot pasta sauce and chicken strips.  Serve with freshly baked Pillsbury Crescent Rolls.

Little Cheddar Meatloaves

I got this recipe from my friend Vicki.  It has become a favorite because these little loaves do not have to cook as long as regular meatloaf.

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 tsp salt

1 pound lean ground beef

2/3 cup ketchup

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp mustard

In a bowl, beat egg and milk.  Stir in cheese, oats, onion and salt.  Add beef and mix well.  Shape into 8 loaves; place in a greased 9x13 pan.  Combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard; spoon over loaves.  Bake uncovered at 350F for 45 minutes.

Crock Pot Stroganoff

1 1/2 lbs. stew meat
1-2 tablespoons oil
flour
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
1-2 beef bouillon cubes
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 cup sour cream

Brown meat with oil and flour.  Mix soup, water, bouillon cubes and soup mix in crock pot.  Add  meat.  Cook on high 4-5 hours.  Stir in sour cream just before serving.  Serve over egg noodles.

Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is Robert's most favorite cookie right now.  They are pretty addictive!

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and egg until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until moistened. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Drop by tablespoonfuls on to lightly greased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges start to brown. Cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Egg Salad

We got this recipe from a Disney cookbook.  It's the egg salad recipe from River Belle Terrace, Frontierland Disneyland Park.

12 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled
1 cup mayonnaise (you could probably cut this down a little if you don't like your egg salad as saucy)
1 T prepared mustard
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp pepper
1 T lemon juice, fresh

Rinse peeled eggs and pat dry with paper towels.  In a glass or stainless steel bowl, chop eggs to medium-fine consistency.  Fold in mayonnaise and seasonings, mixing well.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

My favorite memory of eating these sandwiches is after church with our neighbors in Logan.  We ate them on the yummiest white bread that we got from the Macey's bakery.  It was called Grandpa Lynn's bread.  We came home from church one Sunday and made a huge stack of egg salad sandwiches and then invited Rex and Vicki Davis and Eric and Kim Pond over to eat.  We had the best neighbors and some of the best times while we lived in Logan!