Spinach Chicken Lasagna

1 -10oz. Frozen Spinach package thawed and drained
2-3 cups cooked and cubed chicken
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. Pepper
1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup Sour Cream
½ cup sliced mushrooms (or you can dice them)
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
8 Lasagna noodles cooked
1 Cup Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine spinach, chicken, cheese, onion, cornstarch, salt, pepper,soy sauce, soup, sour cream, mushrooms and mayo.
Put a layer of 4 noodles in the bottom of a 9X13 greased casserole dish. Spread half of the mixture sauce over noodles. Place another layer of 4 noodles on top and cover with remaining mixture. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and bake covered. If you want top to be a little crusty, take off foil 15 minutes before done.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes until heated through and bubbly.

Italian Chicken

Courtesy of Erika Bladh. I made this yesterday...so good. I put it over noodles.


4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. (I used 3 large breasts and put them in frozen)
1 Can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (I use fat free but you need to soften it in the microwave a little)
1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing mix

Combine everything in crock pot all day on low or at least 4 hrs on high. Spoon over rice or noodles.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

I have an obsession with cupcakes. I am not ready to reveal my secret recipe yet =) but here is one that is easy and really good. It only requires one bowl unlike the other ones I have tried recently. I prefer chocolate but for those that don't (my husband) these are good!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes (these can be made into a cake too- whichever you prefer)

1 package plain white cake mix
1 cup whole milk
1 stick of butter melted
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Frosting:
1 stick butter
3 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
3-4 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and flour & grease 2 9" pans (for cakes) or line your cupcake tin. Place cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend for three minutes (stop to scrape once). Pour into pans and bake for 27-29 minutes (for cake) or 22-25 minutes (for cupcakes). Allow the cakes to cool completely.

Beat butter until fluffy for frosting. Add all other ingredients.

Mini Deep Dish Pizzas

I stole these from another blog. They were a HUGE hit especially with my brother in law. I put ham and pineapple on them.





What you need:


Pillsbury Grands Refrigerator Biscuits (Home style, Butter, whatever)


Your favorite spaghetti/pizza sauce


Shredded mozzarella cheese


Pepperoni, sausage, ect.





Preheat oven as directed on the biscuit package. Grease a muffin tin. Place biscuits, one to an opening, in muffin tin. Gently press the biscuit to form a cup around the sides of the muffin tin ... sort of like making a little cup to hold sauce, toppings, and cheese. Bake empty 'cups' for 8 minutes until puffy and just slightly brown. Remove from oven. Add a TBS of sauce, then sprinkle cheese, then sprinkle toppings. Return to oven and continue baking until cheese is melted and toppings are golden. Kids will love it!** If you don't bake the biscuits for a few minutes before adding toppings, then they'll probably come out dough-y.

Saucy Pork Chops

Prep Time:5 min
Total Time:50 min
Makes:4 servings, one chop each

What You Need
4 bone-in center-cut pork chops (1 lb.)
1/2 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce
2 Tbsp. orange marmalade
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. garlic powder


PREHEAT oven to 400ºF. Place chops in 8-inch square baking dish.
COMBINE sauce, marmalade, ginger and garlic powder; spoon evenly over chops.
BAKE 45 min. or until chops are cooked through (160ºF). Mine cooked faster than 45 min.

Serving Suggestion
Serve with a hot baked potato and steamed broccoli.

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

I know this isn't really a "summer" food, but I needed something super quick this morning and found this recipe. The kids ended up LOVING it, so we will definitely make it again (especially when it gets colder).

• 1 1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts , cut into 1" pieces
• 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes , cut into 1" pieces
• 2 cups whole baby carrots
• 2 stalks celery , sliced
• 2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each ) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken or 2 cans Campbell's® Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves , crushed
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 cups all-purpose baking mix
• 2/3 cup milk

PLACE chicken, potatoes, carrots and celery in 6-qt. slow cooker.

MIX soup, water, thyme and black pepper. Pour over all.

COVER and cook on LOW 7 to 8 hr.* or until chicken is done.

MIX baking mix and milk. Spoon batter over chicken mixture. Tilt lid to vent and cook on HIGH 30 min. or until dumplings are cooked in center.

TIP: *Or on HIGH 4 to 5 hr.

http://recipe.aol.com/recipe/slow-cooker-chicken-and-dumplings/78452

Mac N cheese

A friend made this for us after our baby was born- and my kidds loved it. Thought I'd share it!

Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 12 (You can easily divide this recipe in half: Use a 1 ½ quart casserole dish.)
1 stick butter, plus more to grease dish
6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn into ¼- ½ ” pieces
5 ½ c. milk
½ cups flour
2 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
4 ½ c.grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 18 oz.)
1 ¼ cups grated Pecorino Romano Cheese (about 5 oz.)
1 pound elbow macaroni=5-6 c.raw macaroniHeat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3 qt. casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 TBS. butter. Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss. Set bread crumbs aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 TBS. butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 cup Pecorino Romano; set cheese sauce aside. Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2-3 minutes less than manufacturer’s directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/1/2 cups cheddar cheese, ¼ c. Pecorino Romano, and bread crumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 mins. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 mins.; serve hot.

Crispy Baked Chili Chicken

I have made this a couple times and Russ and I just LOVE it!

Prep Time:10 min
Total Time:30 min
Makes:2 servings

-2 Tbsp. (about 1/4 pkt.) SHAKE 'N BAKE Chicken Coating Mix
-1 tsp. chili powder
-1/4 tsp. garlic powder
-2 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1/2 lb.)

PREHEAT oven to 425ºF. Mix coating mix, chili and garlic powder. Use to coat chicken as directed on package.

PLACE on baking sheet.

BAKE 20 min. or until chicken is cooked through


KRAFT

Peaches and Cream No-Bake Cheesecake

2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs
6 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 cup sugar, divided
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Brand Peach Flavor Gelatin
2 fresh peaches, chopped
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping, thawed

MIX graham crumbs, margarine and 1/4 cup of the sugar; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
BEAT Neufchatel cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Add dry gelatin mix; mix well. Stir in peaches and whipped topping. Spoon over crust; cover.
REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until firm. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Chinese Chicken Salad

1 bag of coleslaw mix

3 celery sticks, chopped

1/2 bunch of green onions, chopped

2 bags of Tyson grilled cubed chicken or 2-3 chicken breasts cooked & cubed

1/2 c. cashews (optional)

1 package of Raman noodles uncooked, crunched up

Dressing:

1 package of Raman noodle seasoning (I prefer chicken)

2 T. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1-1/2 T. red wine vinegar

1-1/2 T. balsamic vinegar

1/2 c. vegetable oil

Mix up salad fixings. Combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour dressing over salad and toss well. Refrigerate.

I usually double the dressing recipe since I like my salads wet.

Mediterranean Chicken

Prep Time:10 min
Total Time:24 min
Makes:6 servings

-1/3 cup Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
-1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
-1 tsp. dried basil leaves
-1/4 tsp. paprika
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
-6 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves (2 lb.)
-3 Tbsp. oil

MIX cheese, bread crumbs and seasonings.

DIP chicken in oil, then into cheese mixture, turning over to evenly coat both sides.

PLACE in large skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Cook on medium heat 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until cooked through

Credits to KRAFT

Santa Fe Grilled Chicken Salad Wrap

Prep Time:20 min
Total Time:20 min
Makes:4 servings, two wraps each

-4 cups torn romaine lettuce
-1 pkg. (6 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Southwestern Seasoned or Grilled Chicken Breast Strips (I'm not a fan of the already packaged chicken so I used chicken breast cut into small pieces and cooked)
-1 large tomato, chopped
-1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
-1/2 cup Mexican Style Shredded Cheese
-1/4 cup Ranch Dressing
-1/4 cup Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
-8 Flour Tortillas

TOSS romaine, chicken breast strips, tomatoes and corn in large bowl; sprinkle with cheese.

COMBINE dressing and salsa. Pour over romaine mixture; toss to coat. Spoon evenly onto tortillas; roll up.

Credits to KRAFT

So So Yummy!

Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:
8 Baked Potatoes
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 tsp Salt (opt.)
1/2 cube butter or margarine, softened not melted (I just put it up into cubes and mixed it in)
1 pint sour cream
1 med. onion chopped fine (we used green onions)
2 cups grated cheese (used a little more than 2 cups)

Instructions:
Bake potatoes. Peel and slice (we left the peels on). Mix all the ingredients. Add sliced potatoes. Place mixture in 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 until hot & bubbly.

*If using boiled potatoes use only 1 can of soup and less then 1 pint sour cream.

Recipe by: Flossie Kay of Heyburn Idaho

Sicilian Beef and Rice

Instead of serving meat sauce with pasta, try this tasty variation that calls for rice.

Ingredients:
1 package (16oz) frozen pepper and onion blend
1 teaspoon minced garlic
12oz ground beef round steak
2 cans (15 oz each) reduced-sodium tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
salt and pepper. to taste
3 cups cooked long grain rice, warm
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pepper and onion blend, garlic and ground beef in large saucepan over medium heat until beef is browned and onions are tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and herbs; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. spoon mixture over rice and sprinkle with cheese. ENJOY!!!

Thai Chicken and Sugar Snap Peas

Here is the other recipe I tried:

Prep Time:10 min
Total Time:1 hr 25 min
Makes:4 servings

-3/4 cup SEVEN SEAS VIVA Italian Dressing, divided
-1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
-2 Tbsp. crunchy peanut butter
-2 Tbsp. honey
-2 Tbsp. soy sauce
-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
-1 bag (8 oz.) fresh sugar snap peas, rinsed, drained
-8 oz. thin spaghetti, cooked, drained ( I used WHOLE WHEAT and it tasted GREAT!)

POUR 1/4 cup of the dressing over chicken in medium bowl; toss to coat. Cover. Refrigerate 1 hour to marinate. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.

MIX remaining 1/2 cup dressing, peanut butter, honey, soy sauce and crushed red pepper with wire whisk until well blended; set aside.

COOK and stir chicken in large skillet on medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add snap peas; cook and stir an additional 3 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove skillet from heat. Add dressing mixture and spaghetti; toss lightly. Serve immediately. Or, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yummy!

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken in Cream Sauce

I have been trying out some new recipes lately and I am really loving everything I have made so far. I got this off the KRAFT website.


Prep Time:15 min
Total Time:30 min
Makes:4 servings

-2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
-1 can (14 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
-6 RITZ Crackers, finely crushed
-2 Tbsp. KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
-4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
-2 tsp. oil
-1/3 cup PHILADELPHIA Chive & Onion Light Cream Cheese Spread
-3/4 lb. asparagus spears, trimmed, steamed

COOK rice as directed on package, using 1-1/4 cups of the broth and 1/2 cup water.

MEANWHILE, mix cracker crumbs and Parmesan cheese on plate. Rinse chicken with cold water; gently shake off excess water. Dip chicken in crumb mixture, turning each piece over to evenly coat both sides. Discard any remaining crumb mixture.

HEAT oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook 5 to 6 min. on each side or until golden brown on both sides and cooked through (165°F). Place chicken on serving plate; cover to keep warm. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth and the cream cheese spread to skillet. Cook on medium heat just until mixture comes to boil, stirring constantly. Simmer 3 min. or until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve with the rice and asparagus.

ENJOY! :)

Crockpot Enchiladas (although I have never made them in the crockpot)

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar and jack)
flour tortillas

In a skillet, cook beef and onion until beef is browned and onion is tender; drain. Add the next eight ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Now there is some debate as to assembly...

There is the slow cooker way:

In a 5-qt. slow cooker, layer about 3/4 cup beef mixture, one tortilla and about 1/3 cup cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or until heated through.

My in-laws way:

On a microwave safe plate, layer 3/4 C beef mixture, one tortilla and 1/2 C cheese. Repeat layers. Heat in the microwave for about 5 minutes until the cheese melts. Cut into wedges and serve.

My preferred method:

Layer ingredients in a round casserole dish (beef, tortilla, cheese, repeat). bake in a 350 degree oven 20 minutes or until heated through.

BTW, Yesterday at Sam's Club I got a case (8 cans) of diced tomatoes with green chilis for $2. Nice.

Chicken Linguine

½ cup butter

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic-pressed

1 Tablespoon dry basil

¾ tsp crushed dried red hot chili flakes

8 chicken pieces (Thighs and breasts-boneless/skinless)

2 pkgs (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach

8-oz linguine

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 orange, quartered

Melt butter in 9x13, or larger pan in 400* oven. Mix onion, garlic, basil and chilies with butter. Lay chicken on top, turn once to coat with butter. Bake uncovered about 45 minutes. In same oven, thaw spinach in a covered pan for about 30 minutes. Drain in colander, squeezing out liquid. Cook linguine; drain.

When chicken is done, lift from pan and keep warm. Add spinach to pan and stir to scrape up brown bits. Add pasta and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.

On large plate or platter, mound portion on linguine, flank with chicken and squeeze orange all over.

Chicken and White Sauce

Chicken and White Sauce
3-4 chicken breasts. (I use breast tenders)
1 jar of Classico Alfredo Sauce
1 package of sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup of sour cream
2/3 cup of milk ( I put it into the jar of Alfredo and shake it around to get all of the sauce out.
I know clever)
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
Mix all but mushrooms and chicken together until well blended. Add mushrooms and then pour over chicken. Bake at 350 until bubbly and chicken is done. It all really depends on what type of chicken you use.
We serve it over rice.

I got this from my daughter Kristen. I actually like Bertolli's alfredo sauce better.

Mandarin Salad

½ cup slivered almonds

3 tablespoons sugar

½ head iceberg lettuce

½ head romaine lettuce

1 cup chopped celery (optional)

¼ - ½ white onion sliced thinly

1 11-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained

Dressing:

½ teaspoon salt

dash of pepper

¼ cup canola oil

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons vinegar

dash of Tabasco sauce

Over medium heat in pan, cook almonds and sugar, stirring constantly until almonds are coated and sugar dissolved. Watch carefully as they will burn easily. Cool on tin foil and store in air-tight container. Mix all dressing ingredients and chill. Mix lettuces, celery and onions. Just before serving add almonds and oranges. Toss with the dressing.
Recipe from The Colorado Cache Cookbook

Secret Recipe Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup rolled oats, regular or quick
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice
2 eggs
3 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.
Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place rolled oats in blender or food processor and process until finely ground.
Combine ground oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a mixing bowl.
In another bowl, cream butter, sugars, lemon juice, and vanilla together using an electric mixer.
Add eggs and beat until fluffy.

Stir the flour mixture into egg mixture, blending well. Add chocolate chips and nuts to dough and mix well.
Scoop round balls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake until cookies are lightly browned, 16-18 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Garlic Lime Chicken

1/2 cup Lime juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
6 garlic cloves
2 T fresh or dried oregano
1 T. coriander
2 t. pepper
1 t. paprika
1/4 cup oil

Mix all ingredients and marinade 8 hours or overnight. Brown the chicken and then cook 30 -35 minutes on 375 degrees or until juices run clear.

Easter bird nests

Im sure you've seen these, but I thought it was a fun idea, and my kids had lots of fun making them to take to their teachers for Easter. I think we will make more for their teachers at church too.

Make Rice Krispy treats as usual, but while warm shape them into nests using cupcake tins as molds. When they've cooled add the eggs and your done. (we prefer the cadbury mini chocolate eggs- yummy)

Veggie Baguettes

• 1 Loaf of baguette style french bread

• Chive and Onion cream cheese

• Grated Carrots

• Grated Cucumber

Slice the bread in 1-inch slices. Arrange bread on a cookie sheet and broil the bread on one side in the oven for a few minutes until golden brown. Spread cream cheese on the toasted side of the bread. Top with the grated carrots and cucumbers. Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour. Keep chilled until served.

This is great as an appetizer, or even a snack. My daughter and I can't stop eating them!

Over Night Peach French Toast

1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter or margarine
2 tbs. water
Sliced peaches
French bread
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tbs. vanilla

Melt butter; add water and brown sugar.Boil till mixture foams.Pour into a 9x13 pan and cool 10 minutesLine the pan with the sliced peaches, covering all the caramel mixture. Slice bread 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick.Place on top of peaches.Mix eggs, milk and vanilla. Pour over bread completely covering it.Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.Bake at 350o for 45-60 minutes or until golden brown.

Bake uncovered, and then cover it up when you take it out.. serve with whip creme.

Chicken Florentine

**I got this recipe from another recipe blog: http://www.bloggingitswhatsfordinner.blogspot.com/. It was really tasty and very easy. Ahhh...I love easy.

Chicken Florentine
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 jar Classico Traditional Sweet Basil spaghetti sauce

2 cups cream (I substituted with whole milk and cut it down to 1 c.)

1/2 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

grated Parmesan cheese

1 box/pkg of your favorite noodle

Garlic salt & pepper for seasoning

Preheat oven to 375*. Place chicken breasts in Ziploc bag and bang the heck out of them with a rolling pin to flatten them ... unless you have a cool meat tenderizer, in which case, I recommend one of those too. Place flattened chicken breasts in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle chicken liberally (fancy word for a lot) with garlic salt and pepper.In a separate dish, combine sauce, cream, and spinach. If you can't find the Classico sauce, just use your favorite spaghetti sauce. No sweat. Pour entire mixture over the chicken, which will be crammed into the 9x13 baking dish. Don't stress because the chicken is squished. It's okay. Once you've poured the sauce over the chicken and finished stressing about how the chicken is squished in the pan, bake it uncovered at 375* for about 35 minutes. When it comes out of the oven, stir the sauce around as best as you can to incorporate everything again, and then dump your grated cheese all over the top and allow the cheese to melt before serving. Serve over your favorite noodle. It's stupid easy, but is tastes like it is way more difficult to make. Bonus.

Twice Baked Potatoes

6 large baking potatoes
6 oz softened cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbs butter
2 tsp onion salt
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 Tbs shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 500.
Microwave potatoes on HIGH for 10 min.
Bake in oven until tender, about 30 min.
Cut 1/3 off top of each potato.
Scoop flesh from potatoes into medium bowl, reserving shells.
Add cream cheese, sour cream, and butter to potato flesh.
Beat potato mixture with an electric mixer set at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 min.
Add onion salt, salt, and pepper: stir.
Reduce oven temp to 350.
Spoon potato mixture into potato shells.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake until cheese melts and potatoes are heated through, about 15 min.

dinner

Alfredo Baskets




1 pkg. Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry shells 1/2 lb. diced cooked chicken
(or 1/2 lb. medium shrimp, shelled and diveined)
Alfredo sauce, purchased and warmed or make your own
Alfredo sauce:1/2 c. butter
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed (low-fat neutchetal)
1 c. milk
1/2-1 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. garlic powder
Mix over low heat until smooth.Bake pastry shells according to directions. Make alfredo sauce. Warm chicken or shrimp in sauce. Spoon into prepared shells. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese.

found this on another blog, looked easy and delicious!

Black bean and chicken tacos

2 chicken breast….cubed
4 teaspoons lime juice, divided
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Flour tortillas
1/2 cups of Monterey jack cheese
sour cream

Coat chicken cubes with ½ of the lime juice and ½ of the oil. Saute in pan until warm. Remove chicken and using the same pan add the rest of the oil and sauté garlic and green onions until tender; add beans and tomatoes until warm. Then add the remaining lime juice, salt and chicken. Cook until heated through, then add cayenne pepper to taste.

Glazed Lemon Scones

If you get Family Fun Magazine, this might look familiar... super easy and tasty. I flattened it into a square and made 16 instead of a circle of 8. They were still a good size. We have eaten them for breakfast AND dessert... such versatility!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
	Scones:
	2 cups flour
	1/3 cup sugar
	1 tablespoon baking powder
	1/2 teaspoon salt
	Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
	3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
	1 cup heavy or whipping cream, plus a little for brushing
	1 egg yolk, beaten slightly
	1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
	Lemon Glaze:
	1 cup confectioners' sugar
	1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
	1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
	1 tablespoon melted butter
	2 tablespoons heavy or whipping cream

1. Heat the oven to 400°. Grease a large, heavy baking sheet (preferably not a dark one) and set it aside.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon zest and toss the mixture with your hands.

3. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the cream, the yolk, and the vanilla extract and use a fork to blend the liquids within the well. Then use a wooden spoon to combine all the ingredients, just until the dough holds together.

5. Scrape the dough onto a flour-dusted surface and then, using floured hands, knead it gently three or four times to form a ball. Flatten the ball into a disk about 3/4-inch thick, then cut it as you would a pie into 8 wedges. Transfer the pieces to the baking sheet, leaving at least 1/4 inch between them. Brush the tops lightly with cream.

6. Bake the scones in the center of the oven until golden brown, about 16 to 18 minutes. Allow them to cool on the sheet for a few minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack.

7. While the scones continue to cool, make the glaze. Combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk them until the mixture is smooth. If necessary, you can thin the glaze with water, stirring in no more than 1/2 teaspoon at a time. When the scones have cooled for another 10 minutes, drizzle each one generously with glaze. Makes 8 scones.

Fruit Dip

Combine:
1 -8oz. pkg. Cream cheese
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
-Mix until smooth.

Add:
1/2 bag Heath toffee chips

Refrigerate & dip to your heart's content.

Veggie Pizza

2 cans Crescent rolls
1/2 C. mayo
1 -8oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/2 pkg. ranch dip mix

Lay crescent rolls out flat on a cookie sheet. Follow baking instructions on pkg. Allow to cool. Combine mayo, cream cheese and ranch dip mix. Spread into a thin layer over crescent rolls.

Top with your favorite veggies and shredded cheese. (I usually use shredded carrots, broccoli,tomatoes, peas, cucumbers, and olives)

Eat within 1-2 days.

Easy Spanish Rice

Easy Spanish Rice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 onion finely chopped

2 tbs garlic

1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain white rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup chunky salsa

1 can stewed tomatoes

In a large skillet pour in olive oil and heat up

Pour in rice and stir until starts to brown

Add Garlic and onions-mix in

pour in chicken broth, salsa and stewed tomatoes

Bring to a boil

Cover, Turn down heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes until most of liquid is soaked up.

Easiest yummiest Salsa chicken

EASY Salsa Chicken

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

Packet of taco seasoning mix (you choose the spiciness level-spelling?:) )

1 jar of your favorite salsa (you choose the spiciness level)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese for spice.

Sour Cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Pour half of the taco seasoning mix into a ziploc baggie large enough to hold a chicken breast.

(add more seasoning to baggie as needed)

Place chicken breast one at a time in baggie and "shake and bake" them until covered in seasoning.

Place chicken breasts on lightly greased 9x13 pan .

Pour salsa over top of each chicken breast.

Bake in oven until juices run clear when cut into the chicken.

Take pan out of oven and sprinkle cheese on top of each breast.

Place back into oven for about 5 minutes (until cheese is melted)

You can top each chicken with a small "dollop" of sour cream or place on dish and dip chicken into it as you like - or not use it at all.

**after trying this I realized it would probably be good to cook it this way and then cut up the chicken breasts for tacos, enchiladas, nachos, anything spanish :) ***

Southwest Chicken Corn Chowder

1 T olive oil
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
4 C chicken broth
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t poultry seasoning
1/2 t chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
3 C fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 can chopped green chilies, drained
1 large, raw chicken breast, cut into 1 " pieces
1 C heavy cream
2 C shredded cheese (cheddar, jack or a combo)
1 T chopped fresh cilantro for garnish.

Saute the onion in the oil until they begin to turn translucent. Add broth, potatoes, oregano, poultry seasoning, chili powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then simmer about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are barely tender. Add corn and simmer until corn is heated through.

Remove 1/2 of the chowder and puree in a blender or food processor. Return puree to the chowder and add the green chiles and chicken. Simmer about 5 minutes to cook chicken. Add cream and cheddar cheese. Stir until incorporated and cheese is melted.

Garnish with cilantro and additional shredded cheese if desired.

CrockPot Pork Chops

WINNER WINNER PORK CHOP DINNER!!!

Ingredients:
Pork chops (however many you need)
onion
butter or oil
cream of mushroom soup
milk
fresh mushrooms (optional)

Directions:
In saucepan, brown chops on both sides in butter/oil with onion. Season with salt and pepper (or any other seasoning that you want to use). Spray bottom of crock pot with PAM. Put chops, onion from the saute, 1 can cream of mushroom soup (if you have more then 4 chops, i would use 2 cans), 1/2 cup milk, (again, maybe 1 cup milk if you have more then 4 chops), and fresh mushrooms (optional) in crock pot. Cook ALL DAY (at least 8 hours) on low. The longer, the better. The soup and milk make for a really great gravy. Serve with rice and veggies.

Homemade Girl Scout Cookies: Samoas

(Yeh, I pilfered this from another blog... but aren't these awesome?!)

Samoas, also known as Caramel de-Lites, have always been my favorite girl scout cookie (although I do enjoy Do-Si-Dos, Tagalongs and Thin Mints). I’m not sure how they rank in the overall scheme of GS cookie popularity, but I will go so far as to say that I have never met someone who didn’t care for them at all - even people who say that they usually don’t like coconut. I think that the cookie is just a good and rather unique combination of flavors.

The Girl Scout bakeries describe Samoas as vanilla cookies dipped in caramel, topped with coconut and drizzled with chocolate. All good flavors, though I have to admit that I never tasted much vanilla in the cookies themselves, and so I used this description as a jumping off point for my version. I remember the cookies as being crisp and tender in the original, and selected a plain shortbread-like base for these. The cookie dough is very rich - by which I mean that it has a lot of butter - and is very easy to work with. The butter keeps it tender, so it won’t toughen up even after repeated rollings of the dough.

For the topping, I debated between using a from-scratch recipe like Chockylit’s or a semi-homemade recipe like Debbie’s. The from-scratch recipe sounded appealing, but I opted for the semi-homemade version because I had a ton of Werther’s Chewy Caramels around already. These particular caramels are nice because they’re made with real butter, sugar and cream (rather than using partially hydrogenated oils, as a number of other caramels do). Of course, you can use any similar chewy caramel that’s handy, I just recommend picking out one with the best ingredient list you can find. I did take Chockylit’s suggestion of toasting the coconut for bit of extra texture. I used dark chocolate for the dip and drizzle, and set each of the cookies on a piece of parchment paper after dunking them in the chocolate to let it set up in an even layer.

There are two ways to get the shape for these cookies. The first is to roll the dough out between pieces of wax paper and use a cookie cutter to make rounds, cutting the smaller center hole later. This technique works great and doesn’t take too long, especially as the dough can be rerolled a couple of times. The second technique calls for a special pan: a mini donut pan. If you have a pan like this, simply press some cookie dough into the tube and bake. The dough doesn’t rise much, giving you a nice flat side and a perfectly rounded one. Take your pick and go with what is convenient for you.

And since you’re all probably wondering, these cookies were absolutely fabulous. The cookies were tender and buttery, the topping was sweet with a delicious coconut flavor, and the dip of chocolate on the bottom of each cookie balanced all the flavors perfectly. Better than I even remember the Girl Scout cookies being. I could - but I won’t - probably eat an entire batch of these on my own.

Homemade Samoas (a.k.a. Caramel de-Lites)
Cookies
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
up to 2 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (it’s possible you might not need to add milk at all). The dough should come together into a soft, not-too-sticky ball. Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough is very sticky.
Roll the dough (working in two or three batches) out between pieces of wax paper to about 1/4-inch thickness (or slightly less) and use a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to make rounds. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and use a knife, or the end of a wide straw, to cut a smaller center hole. Repeat with remaining dough. Alternatively, use scant tablespoons of dough and press into an even layer in a mini donut pan to form the rounds.
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set. If using a mini donut pan, bake for only about 10 minutes, until edges are light gold.
Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Topping
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 tsp per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it gets too firm to work with.

While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate.
Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes about 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.

The Best Jello Salad You Will Ever Make

6 oz cherry jello
1 lg can crushed pineapple
1 can red cherry pie filling
3 oz vanilla instant pudding
2 C Cool Whip

Combine jello w/ 2 C boiling water. (Do not add 2 C cold water), instead add crushed pineapple with juice and cherry pie filling. Mix well and pour into a 9 X 13 pan, and chill until firm.
Combine pudding with 1 C milk and wait until slightly thickened.
Add 2 C Cool Whip. Stir until well blended. Spread over set jello. Chill.

Serves 8 - 10

Granny's Fried Chicken

Granny’s Fried Chicken
I like the idea of this recipe blog. It’s kind of fun to see what you kids might be eating. Anyway, I thought I’d put in one of my favorite recipes from my childhood. As most of you know, I grew up on a ranch. Not the cool kind, like horse ranch, or cattle ranch… a chicken ranch. And let me tell ya, there is nothing romantic about a chicken ranch. But they do have chickens! We would get a few hundred chicks every couple of months. They were two days old and were supposed to be all hens, since my dad was an egg producer. Well along about 4 or 5 days old it was always apparent that they missed a few roosters. These were destined for the fry pan. Now I don’t remember how old they had to get before they became dinner, but here is the "recipe".
*Find an old galvanized pipe about 4 feet long.
*Grab your "dinner chicken" out of the cage and hold by both legs.
*Hike up your dress to just above your knees and spread your legs with one foot on one end of the pipe.
*Bend over and insert chicken’s head under the pipe so the pipe lays just across the neck.
*Place other foot on other end of the pipe, bending at the knees.
*Hold tight to the chicken legs, straighten knees, straighten your back, look up, and pull on chicken legs.
*When head pops off swear softly under your breath and toss chicken away about 5 feet.
*When chicken stops running around (yes, they do this) go gather him up.
*Cut around the "vent" and pull out the innards with one clean jerk (I think this is an Olympic event in some 3rd world countries).
*Toss the innards on a sheet of newspaper, pick out the gizzard, liver and heart and discard the rest.
*Cut off the legs at the knees and discard. (Except in Africa where they are saved for the cooking pot… yum, right Tyler?).
*Dip the chicken in a pot of boiling water to loosen the feathers and make it smell really good (NOT!)
*Pluck off all the feathers, even the little bitty ones. (Granny didn’t always follow this step very well).
*Cut up chicken in various pieces.
*Roll the chicken pieces in some whipped up eggs.
*Roll the chicken in some flour that you just kinda dump on the counter top.
*Fry the chicken for a while in some Crisco in an electric skillet at a pretty hot temperature.
*Salt and pepper to taste.
Now some suggestions: If you’re frying up white leghorns (pronounced "leg-erns") you will need about 1 chicken per person. There ain’t much meat on them, they are bred for laying eggs, not for eating. Second, and perhaps most important, don’t forget to clean up the flour on the counter right away. If you don’t, some young boy is likely to come along and slap it with his hand. This is very entertaining as Granny lets out a delightful yelp and chases the boy around the house. This could happen several times if you don’t clean it up right away. So be sure to do that. I’m not sure you will be able to find the boy to help clean it all up. He usually doesn’t come back until it’s time to eat the chicken.
That’s the recipe I grew up with. If I recall right, it’s mighty tasty. And Granny loved cooking it. Even the young boy part.
Pop J.

Clubhouse Chicken Squares

2 packages (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp mayo
1 small clove garlic pressed
1 tsp All Purpose Dill Mix (optional)
1 can (10 oz.) chunk white chicken, drained and flaked*
1/2 small cucumber
2 plum tomatoes
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 375° F.
Unroll one package of crescent rolls across one end of the bar pan with longest sides of dough across the width of the pan. Repeat with other package. Use the baker's roller to seal the perforations and press up the sides to form a crust.
Bake 12-15 minutes, till golden, then remove to stackable cooling rack and cool completely.
Mix mayonnaise, cream cheese, dill and pepper until smooth. Spread over crust. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over cream cheese. Cut and serve.

Hot Pizza Dip

1 8 oz. package cream cheese softened
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 C. mozzarella cheese shredded
3/4 C. parmesan cheese
1 8 oz. can pizza sauce
1/4 cup. green pepper chopped, sliced green onions or pitted olives.

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Combine cream cheese and Italian seasonings , spread onto a 8" mini-baker.
In a small bowl, combine mozzarella and parmesan. Sprinkle 1/2 on top of the cream cheese. Spread pizza sauce over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Top with bell pepper. Serve with toasted baguette slices.

Mini Ham Puffs

Last night we hosted a baby shower and had some yummy appetizers that were super easy to make courtesy of Pampered Chef. I have been requested to post the recipes.

So here is #1: I tried to find a picture but didn't have any luck.

1 package (2.5 oz) processed ham, chopped
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 package (8oz) refrigerated crescent rollsDirections

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Finely chop ham and onion and place in a bowl.
Add cheese, egg, mustard, and pepper; mix well.
Lightly spray a mini muffin pan with any type of oil spray.
Unroll crescent rolls and press dough into one large rectangle.
Cut into 24 pieces.
Press dough pieces into muffin cups using a mini tart shaper dipped in flour.
Fill each muffin cup with ham filling.
Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove from pan and serve promptly.

per serving: (2 appetizers): Cal. 110, Fat 6 g, Sat. Fat 2 g, Chol. 25 mg, Carb. 8 g, Pro. 4 g, Sod. 260 mg, Fib. 0 g

Salsa Verde Soup

My FAVORITE Soup!

• 2 cans (7 oz. each) salsa verde
  
• 3 cups cooked chicken
  
• 1 can canelli or great white northern beans
  
• 4 cups chicken broth
  
• 1-2 tsp cumin
  
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (also delicious with sour cream instead)
  
• 1/4 cup uncooked rice
  

Place salsa and broth in pot to boil. Add Cream chicken soup and cumin. Return to boil. Add rice and let simmer until rice is cooked. Add chicken and beans. Simmer for 10 mintutes.
* I serve it with shredded PepperJack cheese, avocado slices and tortilla chips.

Southwestern Pasta Bake

An Italian-style dish with a southwestern flavor. My kids devoured it.


Ingredients

1 box Pene pasta
1 lb hamburger, browned
½ onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
2 8oz cans of tomato sauce
1 cup salsa
8oz ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded cheese (I use the pre-done mexican mix)


1) Preheat oven to 350. Brown meat in pan with onion, drain. I added a little bit of the SouthWestern seasoning by Pampered Chef. You could add some taco seasoning or nothing. :D
2) Cook pasta according to package directions.
3) Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa and ricotta cheese to meat and onion mix in skillet. Toss with pasta.
4) Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Add mixture to pan and sprinkle with cheese.
5) Bake in oven about 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted.


You don’t have to add the ricotta, I did and I loved it! Served our family of 4 and lots of leftovers for my lunch.

Italian oven fried chicken

Italian Oven Fried Chicken

Boneless skinless breasts (as many as you need to feed your family)
1 egg
2 TB. milk
Breading:
½ c. parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika (optional—I usually don’t have paprika, more for color)
¼ tsp pepper
2 cups Italian bread crumbs

Dip chicken in egg mixture and then dip in breading. Place in a 9x13 pan with canola oil covering bottom. Bake 30 min at 350, turn chicken and bake 10-15 minutes longer.

Hawaiian Chicken

Good in the Crockpot AND freezes well.
Serves 8-10

6 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 16 oz cans pineapple slices, drained
2 15 oz cans mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 C cornstarch
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C lemon juice
1 t salt
1 t ginger
1/2 t ground red pepper

Put the chicken in the crock pot. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over the chicken. Cook on high 2-3 hours or low 4-5 hours. Serve over rice.

To freeze, put chicken in a ziploc, mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Banana Crumb Muffins
PREP TIME
15 Min
COOK TIME
20 Min
READY IN
35 Min
SERVINGS & SCALING
Original recipe yield: 10 muffins

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.


I just tried these today after seeing them on my friend Danielle's blog and they are to die for. Instead of 1/3 cup butter I did 1/3 cup oil for a little less fat. And I added a couple dashes of cinnamon to the batter as well.

Chicken and Corn Chowder

This recipe is adapted from the Lion House cookbook.
(I made a few changes to it.)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsp. finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
3 cups whole milk
1 can Campbell's cream of chicken soup
dash of white pepper (a little goes a long way)
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 drops yellow food coloring (opt.)
1 can Green Giant Niblets corn, undrained
1 can chunk white chicken (5 oz.), undrained,
OR 1 boiled chicken breast, minced

In a large saucepan, cook onions and peppers in butter until soft, but not browned. Stir in flour. (This will form a stiff paste.) Add the milk gradually, whisking until smooth. Add the soup and continue whisking until lumps are gone. Add the white pepper and bouillon cubes, stirring until cubes are broken up and dissolved. Add the food coloring if desired and stir well. Lastly, add the corn and chicken and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes or until soup is heated through. Tastes good on a cold night served with some type of bread. (Hint: the onions and peppers really give the soup its flavor so if you have kids that complain about these veggies, make sure you chop them really fine. After they've cooked down, they can hardly be seen in the soup. To be even sneakier, try using yellow bell pepper instead of green.)

Creepy Crawlers

This is a fun recipe for the kids. It actually crawls up the side of the pan. The kids will sit in front of my oven for the entire 20 minutes just to watch it crawl!

6 eggs
1 C. flour
1 C. milk
1/2 tsp. salt

Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in a 9x13 pan. Pour batter over butter. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Serve with strawberries and cool whip or syrup.

Cayenne Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Cayenne Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa
Serves 4


Ingredients:
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 Hass avocado, pitted and cut into chunks

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne; rub all over chicken.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add chicken, and cook until browned on the outside and opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine onion and lime juice; set aside. Just before serving, fold avocado chunks into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken topped with salsa.

It looks and tastes gourmet, but it is so easy! We made this with saffron rice. It would also go well with black beans.

Dinner Rolls

Dinner Rolls—makes 30 rolls (15 rolls per 9 x 13 pan)

1½ cups very warm water
1 Tbsp. plus ¾ tsp. yeast
½ cup sugar
½ cup milk
1 egg
½ cube softened butter (4 Tbsp.)
5-6 ½ cups bread flour (can also use all-purpose flour)
1 tsp. salt

Dissolve yeast in water in Kitchen-Aid or mixer with dough hook attachment. Add a little bit of the sugar and wait about 5-8 minutes until mixture to begins to bubble and foam. Add the rest of the sugar, milk, egg, butter, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix well. Add 2 more cups of the flour along with salt. Mix well. Gradually add in one more cup of the flour. Add any additional flour as needed in order to knead the dough into a ball. Dough should not be too dry however. Keep it on the stickier side, adding just enough flour to keep it from sticking to the bowl. Knead for 10 minutes. Remove dough from mixer and place into a large greased bowl. Turn the dough over so greased side is up. Cover with a thin towel and allow to rise in a warm place for about one hour or so until double in size. (I turn the oven on for about a minute to take the chill off and then turn it off and let the dough rise in there.)

Punch dough down and allow to rise again. (Second rising may be shorter than 1 hour.) Punch down again and shape into rolls. I do three rows of five in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. (I like to use a shiny aluminum pan--airbake style.) Dark, non-stick pans tend to make the bottoms of the rolls come out darker so reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees if your pans are dark. Cover with thin towel and allow rolls to rise until double in size.** Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. (Check after 12-13 minutes and turn pan around if your oven is hotter in the back.) Rolls should be nicely browned. If they are getting too brown on top before the bottoms are done (this will probably only occur if using air-bake pans), lay a piece of foil over the top and continue to bake for another 2-3 minutes until the bottoms catch up. Remove rolls from pan by placing another 9 x 13 pan over the top and tip them out upside down and then right side up on a wire rack to cool.

**If you want rolls to have a shiny "finished" look to them, lightly brush tops with egg yolk mixture (one yolk mixed with 1 Tbsp. water) just before baking. At this point you can sprinkle on sesame seeds if desired.

This recipe sounds really fussy, but once you get the hang of it and what pans/cooking times etc. work for you, it will be a keeper. Also, this is an excellent dough to use for cinnamon rolls.

Cookie Dough & Candy-What Could Possibly Be Wrong With That?

At Tanya's request, I'm posting this very naughty cookie recipe. Please click here to get the instructions.

Over Fried Pork Chops

I've used this receipe from Betty Crocker- yummy!
4 boneless pork chops about 3/4 inch thick.
1 egg
2 Tbs. milk
salt & pepper
Crushed stuffing mix
2 Tbs. butter

Heat Oven to 425'
Melt butter in oven in 9x13 pan ( while you prepare meat)
Mix egg, milk, salt n pepper in bowl
Place crushed stuffing in another bowl
Dip chops in egg mixture then crumb mixture.
Place in pan
Cook 10 minutes on one side- turn over cook 10 minutes on other side until juices are clear!
ENJOY-

Ritz Chicken

Tanya asked me to post this,
This is my favorite chicken and it's so easy!

Basically I use boneless skinless chicken breast.
Dip in BUTTER, then roll in Ritz Cracker crumbs. Honestly Ritz crackers are the best!
roll generously, and any extra just pour on top of the chicken

then season with a bit of season salt and black pepper.
Bake 350 covered for about 45 mins..( depending on how big the chicken pieces are you might need more time)
that's it !

Tomato-Beef-Macaroni Soup

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1/4 C butter
2-4 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 - 2 Qt tomato juice
2 t salt
pepper
1 1/2 T brown sugar
1/4 t seasoning salt
1/4 t parsley
1/3 c diced onion
1/2 lb elbow macaroni, cooked

Mix all soup ingredients except macaroni. Add enough tomatoes and tomato juice to make a soup that has the consistency you want. Simmer and add seasonings to taste. Add cooked macaroni. Heat through. Serve with grated cheddar.

Chicken Georgia

Chicken Georgia Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 2 tablespoons minced shallots 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese Melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 10 minutes. Add chicken and cook 10 minutes on each side, or until tender. Transfer chicken to platter and sprinkle with grated cheese. Top with mushroom mixture. Cook and let stand 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

Teriyaki London Broil

1 (1 1/2 pound ) London Broil

Marinade
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbs lemon juice
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
1 cup beef bouillon

Make slits about 1/8 inch deep around edges of beef
For Marinade, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, lemon juice, Olive oil, and bouillon in a shallow dish, mix well. Reserve 1/3 of marinade. Add beef to dish, turn to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for 10 min. While beef is marinating, preheat grill or broiler. Remove beef; discard marinade. Grill or broil beef basting with reserved marinade about 5 min each side. Let beef stand about 2 min. Slice diagonally across the grain.

Crockpot Chicken with Dijon Mustard

Crockpot Chicken with Dijon Mustard

Ingredients:
4 to 6 boneless chicken breast halves
2 Tbl Dijon mustard
1 can 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
2 tsp cornstarch
dash of pepper

Preparation:
Wash chicken and pat dry; place in Crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients and spoon over the chicken. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

So yummy!!!! ENJOY!

White House Chili

4 - 15 oz. cans Great Northern Beans
1 - 16 oz. jar mild salsa (optional)
2 c. cooked, diced chicken
8 oz. Pepper Jack cheese (or 4 oz. Monterey Jack & 4 oz. Pepper Jack)
2 tsp. cumin

If you want to add extra color, add any or all of the following:
1 green pepper, diced
chopped cilantro
corn

Heat together in crockpot on low 4-5 hours. This recipe freezes well. Serves a lot.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe is so good! Low fat, it's not, but I have had some success using lower fat ingredients such as milk and sour cream, though I wouldn't bother with nonfat sour cream. I also use less cheddar than this recipe calls for...or I double everything except the sour cream and cheddar. Whatever works...it's the best version I've ever eaten.

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1-1/2 c. milk
• 1-1/2c. sour cream
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 T. pepper
• 10 oz. bar mild cheddae cheese, grated
  

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook macaroni in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Pour into a 3-qt. casserole
In a saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour. Gradually stir in milk and sour cream. Add salt and pepper.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce bubbles and thickens.
Reserve 1 c. grated cheese for the top of the casserole. Toss macaroni with remaining cheese.
Pour sauce over macaroni and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle with reserved cheese.
Bake for 1 hour, or until bubbly and brown.
Serve immediately.

Serves 6