Happy Tummies

Perfect Chicken Pot Pie

2011-04-02T21:52:00.000-07:00

Chicken Pot Pie

Directions for puff pastry topping:
4 sheets frozen puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut each sheet of frozen puff pastry into 1-inch strips, 8 inches long. On a large cookie sheet, weave strips into a lattice large enough to cover the pot pie. Brush beaten egg onto lattice square. Bake for 5 minutes, or until dough has risen and turned light golden brown. Set aside until ready to assemble pie

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breast--cooked all day in the crockpot with a little chicken broth and garlic powder and thyme. Cut up--about 3-4 cups of cooked chicken.

8 tablespoons butter
3 or 4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 leek, sliced
3/4 to 1 cup thin sliced celery
3-4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
cups of frozen diced potatoes, thawed
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sherry or white wine
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper, to taste
1 sheet puff pastry

Directions:

Grease a 2-quart baking dish. (I made mine in a 9x13 glass baking dish)

In a large saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until mushrooms are browned and tender. Add the green onions and continue cooking for 1 minute. Remove mushrooms and onions from pan.

Add the leek, celery, carrots and potatoes, adding more butter if needed and saute until vegetables are crisp tender. Add mushrooms and onions back to pan. Remove from heat.

In a sauce pan:
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter.
Stir in flour until well blended.
Stir in the reduced chicken broth, cream, and sherry. Continue cooking, stirring, until thickened. Add the peas and chicken, and vegetables to sauce.
Taste and add salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
Spoon into the prepared baking dish.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Add pre-cooked puff pastry top and bake 5-10 minutes more--depending on how brown topping turned out during the pre-bake.

Cheeseburger Soup

2011-03-25T22:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground beef
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1-3/4 cups milk
1 cup frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Coarsely crushed corn chips, shredded Monterey Jack cheese and chopped green onions, optional

Directions:
In a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup, milk, potatoes, chilies, taco seasoning, onion and chili powder until blended. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with corn chips, cheese and green onions if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

(recipe and photo from tasteofhome.com)

Chicken Potpie

2011-03-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

Chicken Potpie
(recipe from Taste of Home)

Ingredients:
4cups cubed cooked chicken

1 package (12 ounces) frozen broccoli and cheese sauce

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken and mushroom soup, undiluted

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

2 medium potatoes, cubed

3/4 cup chicken broth

2/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/4 teaspoon pepper

TOPPING:

1-1/2 cups biscuit/baking mix

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3/4 cup 2% milk

3 tablespoons butter, melted.

Directions:
In a Dutch oven, combine the first nine ingredients; bring to a boil.

Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients; spoon over top.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly andtopping is golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Pot of Pinto Beans

2011-01-22T23:42:00.000-08:00

Pinto beans recipe, Mexican-style, for the slow cooker or crockpot.

Ingredients:

1 small bag of dry pinto beans (1 pound)
bacon
onion
cilantro
small jar of salsa, or to taste

Preparation:

Rinse bag of beans and soak overnight. Next day put in crockpot or slow cooker covered with water, almost to the top; cover and cook on LOW heat 5 to 7 hours, until beans are tender. After about 5 hours, when beans are tender, fry up desired amount of bacon, onion and cilantro until bacon is cooked through and onion is clear; drain well. Add to beans, along with some of the drippings from bacon.(Before I add this to the beans, I scoop some of the water out of the beans.) Add salsa to taste. Cover and cook about 1 to 2 more hours.

In the last hour, I added salt, a bit of cayenne, a bit of black pepper and some garlic salt to taste...They were a hit at our house!

Served over rice, topped with sour cream, lime flavored tortilla chips, and cheese.

Beach Street Lemon Chicken Linguini

2009-08-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

Beach Street Lemon Chicken Linguini
photo and recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

**This recipe requires marinating the chicken for 3-12 hours so plan ahead!**

1 lb. linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil
Zest from one lemon
Juice from one lemon
3 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Marinade:
½ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (smashed with the back of a large knife or saucepan)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (cut this down to 1 1/2 teaspoons if you want less heat but don't omit entirely or you will lose great flavor)
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 chicken breasts, sliced

Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk lightly before pouring into a ziploc plastic bag. Pat chicken dry and toss in marinade to coat. Refrigerate 3-12 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat skillet over medium heat and pour contents of plastic bag (both marinade and chicken) into the skillet. Saute over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked.

Combine juice of one lemon, lemon zest, olive oil, green onions and fresh parsley together in a small bowl. Set aside.

While the chicken is sauteing, cook linguine in boiling salted water until done; drain and return to warm pot. Pour lemon juice/olive oil/green onion mixture over pasta and mix lightly. When chicken is finished cooking, add hot pasta mixture to the skillet with the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss in parmesan cheese. Serve warm.

Beef Stroganoff

2009-08-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

The Ultimate Beef Stroganoff
recipe and photo from My Kitchen Cafe

Put in crock pot:
2-3 pounds stew meat
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1 onion, sliced

Mix in a bowl and pour over meat:
¼ tsp. garlic salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ cups beef broth or stock (made up from cubes or granules)
1 tablespoon ketchup

Cook in crockpot on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. When cooked make a simple roux by whisking 1/3 cup flour with enough apple juice (about 5-6 tablespoons) to make a thick but still pourable flour mixture. Whisk the roux into the crockpot and add 4 ounces sliced mushrooms.

Cook on high for 15-30 minutes. Then stir in ½ cup sour cream. Serve over pasta, rice or baked potatoes (pasta is my favorite option!).

Chicken Lo Mein

2009-08-16T14:42:00.000-07:00

Easy Chicken Lo Mein
photo and recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

12 ounces Chinese Lo Mein noodles or linguine pasta (I used linguine cooked until barely al dente)
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Stir-fry Sauce (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup broccoli florets, steamed until just barely tender (they will cook longer in the stir-fry)

Unsalted dry-roasted peanut halves (optional)

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, continue with the recipe, and when the noodles are done, drain and set aside.

Make the stir-fry sauce and set aside. Heat the oil in an extra-deep 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. Stir from time to time. While the onion cooks, slice the chicken into strips about 1/4-inch wide. Add the chicken to the skillet. Raise the heat to medium-high and stir occasionally.

While the chicken cooks, add the carrots, broccoli and mushrooms and stir to mix. Stir-fry the mixture until the chicken is no longer pink. Immediately add the stir-fry sauce and noodles. Raise the heat to high and cook until the noodles and chicken are heated through and coated with sauce, 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve, garnished with peanut halves (if using - I did not).

Stir-Fry Sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar (I used white since I had it on-hand)
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons chopped ginger (I omitted since my husband doesn't like fresh ginger)
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a 1-quart bowl.

2009-03-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

Symphony Cookies
From: The Sisters' Cafe

1 c butter

3/4 c brown sugar

1 small box of instant vanilla pudding (or chocolate)

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 giant Symphony bar (with toffee bits), chopped (6.8 oz)

Cream butter, sugar, pudding mix, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until creamy. Combine flour and baking soda. Add to butter mixture, stirring until combined. Stir in chopped chocolate. Drop by spoonful on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-10 minutes. Cool on rack.

2009-03-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

White Cranberry Macadamia Cookies

From: The Sisters' Cafe

1 white cake mix

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup oil

1 egg

1/2 cup cranberries*

1/2 cup macadamia nuts

Mix ingredients together. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

*To mix things up, substitute cranberries or macadamias with white chocolate chips

Colcannon

2009-03-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

Colcannon

From: The Sisters' Cafe

6 large potatoes, peeled

4-6 Tb half-and-half

1 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 onions, finely chopped

6 Tb butter, divided

1/2 of a small head of cabbage, sliced thinly

1. Slice peeled potatoes in half and place in pot. Fill with enough water to cover and boil for 25 minutes, or until soft. While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 Tb butter in large saucepan. Add minced onion and stir to coat with butter. Add cabbage over onions. Cover saucepan and cook over med-low to medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until cabbage is soft.

2. Drain potatoes and add half-and-half (or milk) and salt. Mash with electric mixer. Stir together onion and cabbage mixture with mashed potatoes. Spoon into an oven safe dish and place under broiler until top is browned. Traditionally colcannon is served with a deep well in the center filled with melted butter... so I place 2 more Tb of butter on top and let it melt into colcannon.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

2009-03-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
From: The Sisters' Cafe

12 oz Applewood smoked bacon

4 stalks celery finely diced

2 large carrots, peeled, finely diced

1 jalapeno, seeded, membrane removed and finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

½ Cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup thinly sliced ham or Canadian bacon (or mini cubed ham)

32 oz chicken broth (or water & bouillon)

6 oz half and half (can use whole milk)

10 med/lg. potatoes, baked, peeled and mashed

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ Cup milk

4 oz sour cream

1 ½ Cups shredded cheddar cheese

Garnish

½ Cup sour cream

1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 Cup thinly sliced green onion (green part)

1. Heat large dutch oven over medium heat. Cut bacon into pieces and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard bacon grease, reserving 2 Tablespoons to sauté veggis. Saute celery, carrots, jalapeno, onion and bell pepper in bacon grease for 10 minutes, stirring often until softened. Stir in garlic and ham; cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and half and half.

2. Place mashed potatoes in a stand or electric mixer. Mix on medium speed adding salt, pepper and milk. Stir mashed potatoes into soup until combined. Heat for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in sour cream and cheese until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low until ready to serve. Top with sour cream, bacon, cheese and green onion.

Croque Monsieur Mac and Cheese

2009-02-15T21:54:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1/2 pound ziti
2 cups milk
2 cups coarsely grated gruyere cheese (about 6 ounces)
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
2 large eggs
3 slices white sandwich bread, roughly diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt
8 ounces thinly sliced deli-boiled ham

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl; toss with 1/4 cup milk.

Meanwhile, combine both cheeses in a bowl. Beat 1/4 cup milk and the eggs in another bowl; fold in the bread and add half of the cheese.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until just brown, 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, cayenne, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Slowly add 3/4 cup water and the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk; bring to a boil, stirring until thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk to cool slightly. Whisk in the remaining cheese, then add the pasta and toss.

Butter a shallow casserole dish. Add half of the pasta, top with some of the ham and cover with the remaining pasta. Top with the remaining ham, then cover with the bread mixture. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let rest a few minutes before serving.

from Food Network magazine

February 2009

Makeover Spiced Cocoa-Apple Cake

2009-02-01T00:52:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, softened
1-2/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups grated peeled tart apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon confectioners' sugar

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, then egg whites, beating well after each addition. Beat in the buttermilk, applesauce and vanilla (mixture will appear curdled).
Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and allspice; stir into butter mixture just until blended. Stir in the apples, walnuts and chips.
Transfer to a 10-in. fluted tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Yield: 16 servings.

utrition Facts

One serving:
1 slice

Calories:
270

Fat:
9 g

Saturated Fat:
4 g

Cholesterol:
37 mg

Sodium:
220 mg

Carbohydrate:
45 g

Fiber:
2 g

Protein:
5 g

Applesauce Bread

2009-02-01T00:48:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 egg whites
1 egg
1-1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder and nutmeg. In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites, egg, applesauce, oil and milk. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Transfer to a 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Combine brown sugar and remaining cinnamon; sprinkle over the top.
Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf (16 slices).

Apricot-Banana Quick Bread

2009-02-01T00:42:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup toasted wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup finely chopped dried apricots
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

(optional: handful of dried blueberries and/or dried cranberries

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas. Combine the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually beat into the banana mixture. Stir in apricots and lemon peel.
Transfer to a 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf (16 slices).

Hearty Penne Beef

2009-02-01T00:36:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth
1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook beef and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato puree, broth, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add spinach; cook for 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted.
Drain pasta; stir into beef mixture. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Yield: 4 servings.

(Recipe from October 2008 Simple and Delicious magazine)

Tortellini Carbonara

2009-02-01T00:26:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the bacon, cream, parsley and cheese; cook over medium heat until heated through.
Drain tortellini; toss with cream sauce. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

Hamburger Stir-Fry

2009-02-01T00:13:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce
1 pound lean ground beef
1 package (16 ounces) frozen asparagus stir-fry vegetable blend
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups hot cooked rice
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch and mustard. Stir in water and teriyaki sauce until smooth; set aside.
In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry beef until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In the same pan, stir-fry the vegetable blend and onion in oil until crisp-tender.
Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan.
Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.
Add beef; heat through.
Serve with rice.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Yield: 4 servings.

Cream Cheese Chicken with Broccoli

2009-01-11T18:03:00.001-08:00

Cream Cheese Chicken with Broccoli
Ingredients: 4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbsp. olive oi
l 1 package Italian salad dressing mix
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1 pkg. low-fat cream cheese,
cubed 1/4 cup dry sherry
Hot cooked pasta

Directions: 1. Toss chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle with Italian salad dressing mix. Place in crock-pot and cook on low for 3 hours.
2. Coat large skillet with no-stick spray. Add mushrooms and onion; cook 5 minutes until onions are tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Add soup, broccoli, cream cheese and sherry to skillet.
Cook until hot.
Transfer to crock-pot.
Cover; cook on low 1 hour.
Serve chicken and sauce over pasta.

Burgundy Beef Po' Boys

2009-01-11T17:53:00.000-08:00

Burgundy Beef Po' Boys with Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
1 boneless beef chuck or bottom round roast (3 lbs.)
2 cups chopped onions
1/4 cup dry red wine
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. beef bouillon granules
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Italian rolls, warmed and split

Directions:
1. trim excess fat from beef. Place onions on bottom of crock-pot. Top with beef and remaining ingredients, except rolls.
Cover; cook on high 8-10 or until beef is very tender.

2. Remove beef from crock-pot; cool slightly. Trim excess fat and discard. Shred with 2 forks. Let cooking liquid stand 5 minutes to allow fat to rise. Skim of fat and discard. Spoon beef into rolls. Serve cooking liquid as dipping sauce.

Chinese Cashew Chicken

2009-01-11T17:44:00.001-08:00

Chinese Cashew Chicken

Ingredients:
1 can bean sprouts, drained
2 cups sliced cooked chicken
1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped green onions with tops
1 can mushrooms, drained
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 can water chestnuts
1 cup cashews
Hot cooked rice

Directions:
1. Combine bean sprouts, chicken, soup, celery, onions, mushrooms, water chestnuts, butter and soy sauce in crock-pot. Mix well. Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours or high 2-3 hours.

2. Stir in cashews just before serving. Serve over rice.

2009-01-04T13:40:00.000-08:00

Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
2 cups uncooked instant rice
1 cup water
1/2 soup can of sherry or white wine
1 pound skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 cup diced celery

Optional toppings at serving time:
Parmesan cheese
slightly steamed peas--frozen or fresh

Directions:
Combine soups, rice, water, wine in slow cooker. Add chicken; sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Sprinkle celery over chicken. Cover and cook on low, 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

2009-01-04T13:17:00.000-08:00

Spicy Sausage Hash Browns

Ingredients:
1 package (16 oz.) pork sausage
1 package (30 oz.) frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
2 cups sour cream
1 jar (16 oz.) double-cheddar cheese sauce ( Ragu brand)
2 cans (4 oz. each) chopped green chilies
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes--optional

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. In a 4 quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until heated through.
(9 servings)

Spicy Italian Beef

2009-01-04T13:05:00.001-08:00

Spicy Italian Beef Sandwich

Ingredients:
1 boneless beef chuck roast(3-4 lbs.)
1 jar (12 oz) pepperoncini
1 - 14 1/2 oz can beef broth
1 bottle of beer
1 onion, minced
Ing
2 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 loaf French bread, cut into thick slices
provolone cheese

Directions:
Trim fat from beef. Cut beef, if necessary, to fit in crock-pot, leaving beef in as many large pieces as possible.,

Drain pepperoncini; pull off stem ends and discard. Add pepperoncini, broth, beer, onion, and Italian seasoning. Do not stir. Cover and cook on low, 8-10 hours.

Remove beef, shred with 2 forks. Return to cooking liquid. Mix well. Serve on French bread, topped with cheese. Add additional sauce and pepperoncini, if desired.

chicken tortilla soup

2009-01-04T12:40:00.000-08:00

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
4 uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2- 15oz cans black beans
2- 15 oz cans of petite diced tomatoes
1 cup salsa
1- 4 oz. can of green chilies, undrained
1- 14 1/2 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 large can of black olives, chopped
1 can of corn, drained
chopped onion, to taste (I do a whole medium sized one)
1-2 cloves garlic--to taste
handful fresh cilantro
2-3 tbsp. chili powder (however much you want to add)
2-3 tsp. tumeric
1-2 tsp. cumin
1/4 cup brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar mix--this cuts the acidic nature of the tomatoes which I don't care for.

Toppings:
Tortilla chips (The best are the Lime Tortilla chips)
Avocado
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese
Chopped green onion

Directions:
Combine all ingredients, except toppings, in large slow cooker
Cover and cook on low 8 hours
Just before serving, remove chicken and chop into bite sized pieces. Stir back into soup.

2008-10-05T15:17:00.000-07:00

Shrimp Supreme

Ingredients:
1 box (6 oz) wild rice mix such as Uncle Ben's
3 oz. light cream cheese
1 box sliced fresh mushroom
1 small red pepper diced (optional)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 3/4 cup hot water
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
12 oz. cooked shrimp

Directions:
Heat oven to 425.
Mix rice mix with seasoning packet and remaining ingredients except the shrimp, in an ungreased 1 1/2 quart dish.
Mix well.
Cover and bake 30 minutes.
Stir in shrimp.
Cover and bake about 5-10 minutes.

(4 servings, 6 points per serving. Serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

2008-10-05T15:01:00.000-07:00

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3-1/2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
1-3/4 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1-3/4 cups 2% cottage cheese
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a large microwave-safe bowl, cover and microwave onion on high for 1-1/4 minutes or until tender; drain. Add the macaroni, cheddar cheese and parsley; set aside.
In a blender, combine the milk, cottage cheese, mustard, salt and pepper; cover and process until smooth. Stir into macaroni mixture.
Pour into a 1-1/2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts

Calories:
229

Fat:
6 g
Fiber:
1 g

2008-10-05T14:42:00.001-07:00

Olive Garden Chicken Vino Bianco

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken Breasts, sliced into strips
2 tbsp. chopped green onion
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (red)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. chopped parsley

Directions:
Heat oil in non stick skillet over medium high heat. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper. Brown chicken in hot oil and remove to a plate.
Stir in onions and garlic and cook until tender.
Stir in mushrooms and cook until golden.
Stir in wine an bring to a simmer.
Stir in tomatoes an return to a simmer.
Season with salt and pepper and return chicken to pan. Cook over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken. Finish sauce with cream and parsley.
Serve warm over pasta.

Makes 4 servings, 5.3 points per serving. Don't forget to count points for pasta.

2008-09-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

jalapeno cheddar cornbread
(Recipe from The Sister's Cafe)

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tb baking powder
2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces (2+ cups) aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish (3 scallions)
3 Tb seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers (2-3 peppers)

Directions:
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't over mix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions, and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13x2 inch baking pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Warm is best!)

2008-09-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

Chicken, Artichoke & Cheese Tortellini Salad

(This recipe comes from Sherri at Taking the Challenge.)

Ingredients:

1 Family size pkg cheese tortellini

1/4 - 1/2 lb mozzarella cheese

1 -2 cups leftover chicken, chopped

1 can olives (halved)

1 jar marinated artichokes hearts

1/2 family size bottle Italian dressing

chopped tomatoes (DON'T add these to the whole salad, rather add them at the last minute to individual servings, otherwise your salad won't be good the next day).

Directions:

Cook tortellini as directed on pkg, drain, and cool. Cut mozzarella cheese into small cubes. Halve the olives. Cut marinated artichoke hearts into bite-size pieces.

Mix tortellini, mozzarella cheese, chicken, artichoke hearts, olives together in large bowl. Pour 1/2 bottle Italian salad dressing over all and gently mix again. Refrigerate for at least three hours to marinate.

Let each individual top their serving portion with fresh, chopped tomatoes.

Yummy and so refreshing on hot summer days. Cook the tortellini in the morning before the house gets hot and marinate early so by dinner time you have a cold, delicious main dish ready to go.

2008-09-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

Potato and Turkey Lyonnaise

Ingredients:
2 lbs red potatoes, scrubbed and sliced
3/4 tsp. salt
4 tsp. olive oil
10 oz. skinless boneless turkey breast, cut into thin strips
2 onions very thinly sliced
2 tsp chopped rosemary leaves** 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. Cook the potatoes with 1/4 tsp of the salt in water to cover until just tender about 5 minutes. Pour off the water.

2. Heat 2 tsps of the oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the turkey a the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt and saute until the turkey is no longer pink. Transfer to a plate.

3. Heat the remaining 2 tsp of oil in the skillet. Add the onions, rosemary, pepper, and sugar and saute until he onions are softened. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring gently, until they are browned and very tender. Return the turkey to the skillet and heat through.

**Note: if at all possible avoid using dried rosemary in this dish. Its flavor is much more strident than fresh and it has the texture of pine needles.**

2008-09-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken

1 whole chicken
olive oil cooking spray
Lawry’s seasoning salt
aluminum foil

Spray inside of crockpot with olive oil cooking spray. Clean chicken inside and out. Spray chicken with olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle with seasoning salt. Note: Do not put any water in the crockpot. Roll 3 or 4 wads of aluminum foil into 2”-3” balls and put them in the bottom of the crockpot. Place the chicken, breast side down, on top of these aluminum foil balls.

Cook on HIGH (will not come out the same if cooked on LOW) for 4-6 hours. Remove skin before serving.You have to use the aluminum to get the deli taste. This chicken tastes very close to one you would buy, precooked, in the deli section of your supermarket.

Yield: 1 chicken
Points: 1 point per ounce of chicken

Acorn Squash

2008-09-06T16:50:00.001-07:00

(Recipe and Photo from Taste of Home)

Microwave Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

2 medium acorn squash
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 10-12 minutes or until tender.
Turn squash cut side up. Fill centers of squash with brown sugar, butter and honey; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts

One serving:
1 squash half

Calories:
216

Fat:
6 g

Saturated Fat:
4 g

Cholesterol:
15 mg

Sodium:
200 mg

Carbohydrate:
43 g

Fiber:
3 g

Protein:
2 g

2008-09-06T16:43:00.000-07:00

(Recipe and photo from Taste of Home)

Skillet Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups half-and-half cream
3/4 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cubed

Directions:

Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add cream; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Stir in cheese until melted.
Drain macaroni; add to cheese mixture. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts

One serving:
1-1/2 cups

Calories:
599

Fat:
37 g

Saturated Fat:
22 g

Cholesterol:
128 mg

Sodium:
1163 mg

Carbohydrate:
40 g

Fiber:
1 g

Protein:
24 g

2008-08-31T16:24:00.000-07:00

Cheesy Crockpot Chicken

Ingredients:

** 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
** 1 can cream of celery soup (fat free)
** 1 can cream of mushroom soup (fat free)
** 1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
** 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
** 1/4 tsp. onion salt
** 1 can of mushrooms or can use fresh sliced
** 8-10 ounces of low-fat or fat-free sour cream

Directions:

Place chicken in crockpot.
Mix the undiluted soups together with the garlic powder and onion salt and pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.
About fifteen minutes before serving, cut up or shred the chicken and place back in crockpot.
Add sour cream, stir well and low to heat up.

Serves: 8
4.5 weight watcher points (must add points for rice)

Maple Glazed Salmon

2008-08-31T16:03:00.000-07:00

Maple-Glazed Salmon

Recipe By :Cooking Light Magazine.
March 2000. Page: 180.

Serving Size : 4

2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons apple juice
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons country-style Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
4 salmon fillets (6 ounces, each; about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray

Directions.
Hoisin sauce and five-spice powder can be found in the Asian-food sections of large supermarkets.

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add the salmon to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes.

3. Remove the salmon from the bag, reserving the marinade. Place the salmon fillets, skin sides down, on a broiler rack coated with cooking spray. Broil for 12 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, and baste the salmon occasionally with the reserved marinade. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet).

Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad

2008-08-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

(Recipe and Picture from Dara: Chick in the Kitchen)

Ingredients and Directions

I use raw sweet corn for this recipe, which in season (right now! go get some) is just divine. You just stand the cob up on end, and use a large chef’s knife to pare the kernels away from the cob. Make sure you do this inside the dish you’re going to use for the rest of the recipe, so that any liquid released by cutting the corn winds up in your food, not on your cutting board. I’m a tiny bit obsessed with the crunchy texture of the raw corn, especially the way 4 or 5 kernels will hold together off the cob, uniting to create a big chunk of summer goodness.

I use two ears of corn; two avocados, in bite-sized chunks; a half pint of grape tomatoes, halved; the juice of one lemon; and a large handful of cilantro, chopped (you can substitute basil). Mix them all together and serve at room temperature or straight from the fridge.

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf

2008-08-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

picture and recipe from The Sister's Cafe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

3 extra-large eggs

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 1 lemon)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and rinsed ("miniature wild blueberries are great for this, and pose the least risk of sinking")
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.
Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated. Mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 (+) minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in (a pastry brush works great for this, as does using a toothpick to make tiny holes that draw the syrup in better). Cool.

2008-08-03T22:31:00.000-07:00

Chilighetti
(Picture and recipe from Shannon!)

1 lb. ground beef

3/4 onion, diced

3 cans diced tomatoes

3 cans chili (I prefer Stagg brand)

3 cups cheddar cheese, grated

8 ounces sour cream

16 ounces spaghetti noodles, cooked

parmesan cheese, grated

In a large stockpot, brown the onion and ground beef.

When beef is thoroughly cooked, add the tomatoes and heat through.

Add the chili, cheddar cheese and sour cream. Stir well and slowly bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occassionally.

Add the cooked spaghetti noodles and combine. Pour into a casserole dish (I usually fill 2 deep 8x8 pans, or a deep 9x13)

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

(At this point the dish can be frozen for use within 2 months or refrigerated for baking the next day)

Or it can go straight into the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

2008-08-03T22:25:00.000-07:00

Grilled Pizza Sandwiches
(picture and recipe from Adrianna)

* 14 slices Italian bread
* 7 slices part-skim mozzarella cheese
* 7 slices provolone cheese
* 7 slices tomato
* 4 teaspoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
* garlic powder
* sandwich sliced pepperoni or canadian bacon (or both if you like)
* soft butter
* Pizza sauce, warmed

Butter 7 slices of bread, lay them out on a large griddle, layer one slice of mozzarella cheese, one slice of tomato, a dash of salt and pepper, the meat or meats, a slice of provolone cheese and top the remaining 7 slices of buttered bread. Lightly sprinkle with garlic powder on both sides while toasting until golden brown and the cheese is melted. (about 3 - 4 minutes on each side) Serve with warmed pizza sauce for dipping.

Cafe Rio

2008-08-03T17:24:00.000-07:00

This recipe and picture comes from Shannon and looks divine!

Sweet Pork

3-5 pounds pork tenderloin roast

1 cup salsa (nothing fancy... just Pace or something)

2 cups brown sugar

1 can Dr. Pepper

Combine the salsa, brown sugar and Dr. Pepper in a bowl. Put pork in crock pot and pour liquid over top. Set crock pot to low and cook for 8 hours. When cooked, remove pork from crock pot, put in large bowl and use forks to pull pork apart into small strings. Transfer sauce from crock pot to sauce pan and add 2 tsp cornstarch. heat till thickened. Pour desired amount of sauce over pork and combine.

Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

3 large tomatillos (canned or fresh)

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves

1 cup mayo

1 envelope buttermilk ranch dressing mix (Hidden Valley)

1 clove garlic, minced or crushed

juice from one lime

2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp canned diced jalapeno peppers (more or less to taste)

Combine all ingredients in blender and combine till thick and creamy. Refrigerate for an hour or so to let flavors meld. Dressing can be saved in airtight container for about 3-4 days in refrigerator.

This is a layered salad and so you will also need the following, and should layer in this order:

Warm Tortilla (I like to buy the uncooked tortillas in Costco's refrigerated case and cook them fresh for this salad, but any tortilla will do)
Cooked white rice
Warmed Pinto or black beans (your preference)
Sweet Pork (from recipe above)
thinly sliced romaine lettuce
diced tomatoes
glob of guacamole
glob of sour cream
tortilla strips
sprinkling of grated cotija cheese
and of course the dressing (I usually serve on the side)

I saw this other recipe for the dressing over at Maries and I may make this one because it doesn't use tomatillos.

Cafe Rio House Dressing

1/2 Buttermilk ranch packet (make as per directions)
1 tomatillo or 1/4 c. green salsa
1/4 bunch cilantro
1 garlic clove
Juice of 1/2 lime
few drops of green tobasco sauce

Crash Hot Potatoes

2008-07-27T16:45:00.000-07:00

Crash Hot Potatoes
16 small, round potatoes
salt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp fennel or caraway seeds-(optional)
1 tbsp thyme or rosemary sprigs (I will use Rosemary)

Heat oven to 230 or 250C - yes, hot. Don't peel the potatoes. Just bung them into a pot of salted water, bring to the boil, and simmer for around 15 minutes until they'll take a skewer without too much resistance. They should be just about cooked, without being soft.
Drain, and arrange on a lightly oiled baking tray or sheet. Use a potato masher to squash each potato flat, until it is twice its original diameter. (could use bottom of glass)
Brush the tops with olive oil, and scatter with sea salt, pepper, fennel seeds and thyme.
Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until terminally crisp and golden. Serve hot.

From Confessions of a Pioneer Woman

2008-07-27T16:39:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic
5 small onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
skewers

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better).
Preheat the grill for high heat.
Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Turn and brush with reserved marinade frequently.

Sticky Coconut Chicken

2008-07-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

Sticky Coconut Chicken
from Leigh Anne

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup canned coconut milk
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Marinade chicken in coconut milk, ginger, pepper and red pepper flakes at least one hour (I let mine marinade four about four to five hours). Grill on barbecue.

Glaze:
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. red pepper flakes

While the chicken is grilling, bring above ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until mixture is reduced and thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Be patient because it takes a little while. But once it starts getting really thick, immediately take it off the heat! Glaze both sides of chicken the last few minutes of grilling and serve chicken over rice.

Sidenote: I used the extra coconut milk left in the can as part of the liquid in my rice and it was unbelievable! It was very mildly sweet and paired so well with the chicken. Yum!

Fideos

2008-07-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

Photo & Recipe from Cafe Johnsonia

Fideos
4 servings

1, 7 oz. package Fideos (or broken spaghetti noodles)
1-2 Tbsp. butter, olive oil, or canola oil (or a combination)
2-3 cups chicken broth (or water and bouillion cubes)
1/2 cup mild or medium salsa (go for mild if you don't like it spicy)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter or oil. After the butter starts to foam, or the oil starts to "shimmer", add the fideos.
Cook, stirring constantly, until most of the noodles are golden brown.

Add 2 cups of the chicken broth and bring to a simmer over low heat.
Cook until tender, adding more chicken broth, if necessary, as it is absorbed by the noodles.
When most of the liquid has been absorbed, take the pan off the heat and stir in the salsa. Let the noodles sit for about 10 minutes to allow the excess liquid to be absorbed.
Serve warm.

Optional toppings--shredded cheese, hot sauce, sour cream, chopped cilantro, olives, etc.

Lemony Lemon Muffins

2008-07-26T12:55:00.000-07:00

Lemony Lemon Muffins

makes 24 muffins

For the muffins:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the streusel:

1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cold butter

For the glaze:

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, butter, lemon peel and lemon juice. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix, just until moistened. Grease or paper line muffin cups and fill the batter 3/4 full.

2. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar and butter. Using your hands or a pastry blender, mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the streusel over the batter.

3. Bake muffins at 350 degrees for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and remove onto a wire rack.

4. Mix together the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and drizzle over muffins.

From Stephanie's Kitchen

BBQ Chicken Salad

2008-07-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

BBQ Chicken Salad with with Ranch Dressing

(Recipe from Picky Palate)

3 cups thinly sliced green leaf lettuce

1/4 cup corn

1/4 cup black beans

8 grape tomatoes, halved or cut chopped whole tomato

1 cooked grilled chicken breast

1/4 cup BBQ sauce

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup ranch dressing

Place lettuce in a bowl. Layer with corn, black beans and tomatoes. Dice cooked chicken breast and mix with BBQ sauce. Top over salad and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Drizzle ranch dressing over the salad and serve.

Grilled Salmon With Orange Glaze

2008-07-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons white rice vinegar
1 pound boneless salmon fillet, cut into 2 equal pieces
6 scallions, thinly sliced - use some of the green
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
Combine marmalade, oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and vinegar. Heat grill. Brush orange glaze on each side of salmon and grill about 5 minutes on each side. Top with scallions and sesame seeds and serve.

Serves 2.

Recipe from Dawn's Recipes

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-07-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
From Cook's Illustrated
Makes about 30 cookies

2 1/8 c bleached all-purpose flour (about 10.5 oz)
1/2 t table salt
1/2 t baking soda
12 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (I don't use unsalted butter because I never buy it - salted butter works just fine in this recipe when I use it!)
1 c brown sugar (7 oz)
1/2 c sugar (3.5 oz)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 t vanilla
1-2 c chocolate chips (I use a full 12 oz. package of semisweet chips)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chips.

Form dough into balls (I use my handy-dandy cookie scoop - the original recipe has intricate dough-forming instructions so go here if you want to do it that way) and place on parchment or silpat-lined cookie sheets. Smaller cookie sheets can be used, but fewer cookies can be baked at one time and baking time may need to be adjusted. (Dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month—shaped or not.)

Bake, reversing cookie sheets’ positions halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes (start checking at 13 minutes - these cookies really do need longer baking time than most average cookie dough recipes). Frozen dough requires an extra 1 to 2 minutes baking time. Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store in airtight container.

Zucchini Bread

2008-07-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

Zucchini Bread

Mix:

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs, beatn

1 cup canola oil

3 tsp vanilla

2 cups zucchini, shredded

Stir and add:

2 cups flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

Pour into two bread pans sprayed with pam. Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

Recipe from The Sister's Cafe

2008-07-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used a rotisserie chicken)
8-10 flour tortillas (I made 7, I really filled the shells)
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded (I only had cheddar)
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top

2008-07-06T21:52:00.000-07:00

Fuss-Free Ravioli and Cheese Bake

Ingredients
1 jar pasta sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can 25%-less-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
2 pkg. (350 g each) fresh cheese-filled ravioli
1 cup 4 cheese Italiano Shredded Cheese

Directions
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Combine pasta sauce, tomatoes, broth and dressing in 13x9-inch baking dish. Add ravioli; mix lightly. Cover with foil.

BAKE 50 min. or until ravioli are tender.

REMOVE foil; stir. Sprinkle with cheese. Let stand 5 min. or until cheese melts.

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

2008-07-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
Serves 12 ( one cup each)

16 oz. dry spaghetti, cooked
1 lb. Velveeta Light (2%)Cheese
12.5 oz can chicken breast, drained & flaked
1 can 98% FF cream of mushroom soup
1 can 98% FF cream of chicken soup
10 oz. can diced tomatoes & green chilies (Rotel)
4 oz can mushroom stems & pieces, drained
1/2 cup water
1 small onion, diced
1 med. green pepper, diced
salt & pepper to taste
Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir to mix well. Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours. Stir again just before serving.

Salsa Chicken

2008-07-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1 package reduced sodium taco seasoning
1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup (condensed)
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

Directions

Add chicken to slow cooker.
Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken.
Pour salsa and soup over chicken.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Remove from heat, cut up chicken pieces, and stir in sour cream.
Serve with rice.

Taco Salad

2008-07-06T21:26:00.000-07:00

Taco Salad -

You can adjust the recipe for size, this amount serves about 6!

A head of shredded lettuce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained with
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cups tri colored Rotini noodles
1 bottle Western dressing

Optional: tomatoes, red pepper (chopped), avocados, sliced olives, sour cream
Add crushed Doritos (we use Nacho Cheese flavored) and dressing just before serving

(I substitute taco cooked chicken!)

2008-06-29T20:46:00.000-07:00

Shockingly Simple French Dip Sandwiches

1 pot roast, anywhere from 2 to 4 pounds
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced mozzarella slices
1 McCormick Au Jus sauce packet (found in the gravy mix aisle, I used Western Family brand)
Rolls /buns

In crockpot, dissolve Au jus packet in 3 cups of cold water then add the roast (my roast was still partly frozen). Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours (I cooked mine about 8 hours). One hour before you plan to eat, shred the beef then slice the peppers and onions and add to crockpot. When it is finished, remove meat and veggies with a slotted spoon. Place mozzarella slices on buns and put under low broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Fill the rolls with the meat and veggies, then divide the Au Jus sauce into smaller bowls for dipping.

2008-06-29T20:32:00.000-07:00

Bowtie Chicken Salad

1 1/2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
1 1/2 cups rotini pasta
1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 (20 oz can) pineapple, drained
1 cup red grapes, sliced in half
2 ribs of celery, diced
3 green onions, diced
1 cup craisins
1 cup cashews (if desired)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup mayonnaise

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool pasta. To large bowl, add pasta, chicken, pineapple, grapes, celery, onion, and craisins. In a separate bowl mix sugar and mayo. Pour over pasta mixture and toss. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Mix in cashews just before serving.

2008-06-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

Lime Chicken Tacos

1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup chunky salsa
12 flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed
Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and shredded lettuce,sliced olives, and avocados, optional

Place the chicken in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Combine lime juice and chili powder; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken; cool slightly. Shred and return to the slow cooker. Stir in corn and salsa. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve in tortillas with sour cream, cheese and lettuce if desired. Yield: 12 tacos.

Crock Pot Beef & Noodles

2008-05-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 lbs stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large can mushrooms

2 tbsp chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried oregano leaves

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp dried marjoram leaves

1 bay leaf

1-1/2 c. beef broth

1/3 c. dry sherry

1 (8-oz) container sour cream

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. water

4 c. hot cooked noodles

Directions:

Brown beef in skillet. Discard fat. Mix beef, mushrooms, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, pepper, marjoram and bay leaf in slow cooker. Pour in beef broth and sherry. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours. Discard bay leaf. Stir sour cream, flour and water in small bowl. Stir about 1 cup liquid from slow cooker into sour cream mixture. Return mixture to slow cooker. Cover; cook on HIGH 30 minutes or until thickened. Serve with noodles. Serves 8.

Maple-Flavored Barbecue Chicken

2008-05-25T16:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1 c. ketchup
1/2 c. maple flavored syrup
2 tbsp. prepared mustard
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 boneless, skinned chicken breasts

Instructions

Place all ingredients in slow cooker/Crock Pot and cook on low for about 7 to 8 hours or until chicken is done. Remove meat, shred and return to sauce. Place on buns for sandwiches or serve over hot rice. Serves 4 to 6.

Cantonese Pork Crock Pot Recipe

2008-05-25T15:53:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lb pork steak ½" thick cut into strips

2 tbsp. oil

1 onion large, sliced
3 sliced green onion

1 green pepper small cut into strips
1 can sliced waterchestnuts

1 4 oz mushroom, drained

1 8 oz tomato sauce can

3 tblsp. brown sugar

1-1/2 tbsp. vinegar

1-1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Bean Sprouts

Directions:
Brown pork in oil in skillet. Drain on double paper towel. Place pork strips and all remaining ingredients, except bean sprouts into the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (high 4 hr) Add bean sprouts about 15 to 30 minutes before serving. Serve over hot rice.

Marinated Ham Sandwiches

2008-05-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1/2 c packed light brown sugar
3/4 Tbsp dry mustard
1.5 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1.5 Tbsp. jar horseradish
6 ounces grapfruit juice
2 lbs shaved ham
10 sandwich buns

Directions:
Combine the brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, horseradish and grapefruit juice in a slow cooker. Add the ham and cook on Low for 4 hours. Serve on sandwich buns. Serves 10

Calypso Coleslaw

2008-05-18T23:59:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 can (11 ounces) Mexicorn, drained

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

4 teaspoons prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, corn, onion, cheese and olives. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the remaining ingredients; shake well. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Chill until serving. Yield: 6 servings.

Crockpot Garlic Chicken Spaghetti

2008-05-18T23:51:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Annie and it is yummy!

Garlic Chicken
Spaghetti
chicken breasts (I use frozen
boneless skinless)
several cloves of
garlic
salt
Italian spices (tone's spicy
spaghetti seasoning)
ragu roasted garlic spaghetti
sauce
whole wheat pasta (I use
linguini)
olive oil
fresh parmesan cheese
I lay the chicken breasts in the bottom of my crockpot, add a few pinches of kosher salt, press several cloves of garlic, then add a spice called spice for spaghetti that I buy in a big container at Sams wholesale club (you could use basil and oregano and a little red pepper flakes too though), pour the sauce over the top... I use one jar for just us and two if we have guests. I let this cook on low all day and then prepare the whole wheat pasta, drain it and put a drizzle of olive oil and a clove of garlic pressed into it and stirred while hot, I serve the chicken over the garlic pasta with freshly grated parmesan cheese over the top.

chicken Paprikash

2008-05-18T23:45:00.000-07:00

Crockpot Chicken Paprikash

1 serving cooking spray, or enough to coat skillet
2 c. mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small sweet red pepper, diced
1 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 c. canned chicken broth
1 lb. uncooked chicken breast, boneless, and skinless
1 T. flour
1/2 c. fat-free sour cream

Coat a non-stick skillet with cooking spray, and heat.

Add mushrooms, onion, garlic and pepper. Saute 5 mins.

Stir in paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook 30 secs more.

Spoon mixture into a 4-5 qt. crockpot. Add broth.

Cut each chicken breast into 4 long strips, and add to slow cooker.

Cover, and cook on low setting for 5-6 hrs.

Stir together flour and sour cream in a cup.

Stir into chicken mixture.

Cover, and cook on low, until the mixture is thick and hot, about 10
mins. more.

Makes about 2 c. per serving.

Serving = 4 Points
Makes 4 servings

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

2008-05-18T23:37:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 bottle (12 ounces) chili sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

8 hamburger buns, split

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook the beef, celery and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker.
Stir in the chili sauce, brown sugar, pickle relish, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until flavors are combined. Spoon 1/2 cup beef mixture onto
each bun. Yield: 8 servings.

Beef Fried Rice

2008-04-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

RECIPE:
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 boneless beef petite sirloin steaks (5 ounces each), cut into thin strips
2-1/2 cups coleslaw mix
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cups cold cooked instant rice
3 tablespoons butter, cubed
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil until hot. Add eggs; cook and stir over
medium heat until completely set. Remove and keep warm. In the same pan, stir-fry the
beef, coleslaw, asparagus and onion in remaining oil for 4-6 minutes or until vegetables
are crisp-tender. Add rice and butter; cook and stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes
or until heated through. Add eggs; stir in soy sauce and pepper.

Yield: 6 servings.

Prosciutto Tortellini

2008-04-20T17:28:00.000-07:00

Recipe:
1 package (19 ounces) frozen cheese tortellini
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half cream
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
10 thin slices prosciutto, chopped
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine
flour and cream until smooth; stir in the cheeses. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2
minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Drain tortellini; add to the cheese sauce.
Stir in the prosciutto, peas and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 4 servings.

Ham 'n' Cheese Pasta

2008-04-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

RECIPE:
3 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
3/4 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups milk
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound sliced deli ham, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding asparagus during the last 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter; add garlic. Stir in the flour, onion powder,
pepper and thyme until blended; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2
minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Add cheeses; stir until melted. Stir in ham;
heat through. Drain pasta and asparagus; toss with cheese mixture.

Yield: 4 servings.

Maple-Glazed Chicken

2008-04-20T17:16:00.000-07:00

RECIPE:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup apple cider or unsweetened apple juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Flatten chicken to 1/2-in. thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large
skillet, cook chicken in oil for 5-6 minutes on each side or until juices run
clear. Remove and keep warm. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine
cornstarch and cider until smooth. Stir in syrup and onion powder; add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add
chicken and turn to coat.

Yield: 4 servings.

Chicken Merlot With Mushrooms

2008-04-20T17:13:00.000-07:00

RECIPE:
5-1/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Merlot wine or additional chicken broth
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 teaspoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Hot cooked pasta, optional

Place the mushrooms, onion and garlic in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Top with chicken. In a
small bowl, combine the tomato paste, broth, wine or additional broth, tapioca, sugar,
basil, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until
chicken is tender. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with pasta if desired.

Yield: 5 servings.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps-- 2 recipes

2008-03-16T22:43:00.001-07:00

--4 chicken breast halves or 10-12 chicken breast tenders

--5 chopped cloves of garlic
--1/2 chopped onion
--1/4 cup soy sauce (if gluten free, go for La Choy or Tamari wheat free)
--1/4 cup white wine
--1/2 t ginger
--dash of allspice (or a dash each of cloves, cinnamon and black pepper)
--2 T balsamic vinegar

The Directions:
--chop up chicken into teeny tiny chunks. After I compiled my concoction, I googled how to "really" make this and discovered that most recipes call for ground chicken, turkey, or pork. That probably would have been easier. And I wouldn't have had to sterilize myself quite as much afterwards.

--chop up the onions and garlic, dump into crockpot on top of the meat
--in a mixing bowl, mix the liquid and spices
--pour sauce on top of meat

cover and cook for 4-6 hours on high, 6-8 on low. I did stir this a few times to break up the chicken--it wanted to stick together at first.

--serve over lettuce leaves. I chose Romaine, because Trader Joe's sells them already separated and it makes me happy.

These tasted great. I would have liked a bit more crunch, though, and will add some water chestnuts and green onion next time.

(Recipe from Stephanie and can be found here on her blog.)

Here is a different recipe:

Lettuce Wraps

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/2 cup prepared stir fry sauce

1 head butter, bibb or green leaf lettuce, cored and washed well

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup broccoli coleslaw or shredded broccoli stems

1 cup Oriental salad dressing

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and saute, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the stir-fry sauce and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until chicken is done.

Place chicken on a large platter along with the lettuce leaves, shredded carrots and shredded broccoli. Serve the Oriental dressing in a bowl on the side for dipping and allow each person to place the desired amount of chicken and vegetables in the center of a lettuce leaf. Roll up, and dip in the dressing as desired.

Makes 4 servings.

For the lettuce, choose butter, bibb or green leaf lettuce. Purchase stir-fry ready chicken or quickly slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts yourself. Look for bagged shredded carrots and broccoli slaw in the produce section.

I chose a spicy stir fry sauce made by House of Tsang when making this dish for my family, but many varieties are on the market. If your family prefers milder sauces over a hot-and-spicy blend, look for a sauce flavored with ginger. There were at least three brands of stir-fry sauces and glazes available at my local grocery store.

The dipping sauce I selected was an Oriental dressing from Wish-Bone, but other brands are available.

Quickly saute the chicken breast strips in a bit of vegetable oil, then add half a cup of the sauce and cook until the chicken is done. Then place the chicken and shredded vegetables on a large platter with the lettuce leaves and let everyone prepare their own wrap.

If you think lettuce wraps are a bit exotic for your family, substitute flour tortillas for the lettuce leaves to make something similar to Chinese Mu Shu chicken. And, feel free to personalize your lettuce wraps by adding cooked Oriental rice noodles, white rice or other vegetables.

Creamy Tortellini Alfredo

2008-03-16T22:10:00.001-07:00

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

2 pkg. (9 oz. each) refrigerated cheese tortellini

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed

1 cup frozen peas

3/4 cup KRAFT Finely Shredded Italian* Five Cheese Blend

6 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled

POUR broth and water into large saucepan; stir. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Add tortellini. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 8 to 9 min. or until tortellini is tender. (Do not drain.)

ADD cream cheese and peas; stir. Heat 2 to 3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted, stirring occasionally.

STIR in shredded cheese and bacon.

**NOTE**
Substitute:

Prepare as directed with PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese.

Substitute

Substitute 4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves for 1 cup frozen peas and stir in 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained with the shredded cheese.

How to Warm the Pasta Serving Bowl

Few things lose heat faster than hot cooked pasta served in a cold bowl. To help keep cooked pasta hot, preheat the serving bowl by pouring hot water into the empty bowl and letting it stand for a minute to warm up. Drain water and fill with cooked pasta just before serving.

Foil Pack Taco Chicken

2008-03-16T22:05:00.001-07:00

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)

4 tsp. TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix

1/2 lb. red potatoes, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

3/4 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Four Cheese Mexican Style Cheese

1/4 cup BREAKSTONE'S Reduced Fat or KNUDSEN Light Sour Cream

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Sprinkle chicken with seasoning mix. Place 1/2 cup of the potatoes on center of each of four large sheets of heavy-duty foil; top each with chicken, salsa and cheese.

BRING up foil sides. Double fold top and both ends to seal each packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place in 15x10x1-inch baking pan.

BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165°F). Remove packets from oven. Let stand 5 min. Cut slits in foil to release steam before opening. Serve with sour cream.

One-Pan Roasted Pork Supper

2008-03-16T21:57:00.001-07:00

1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed

1 large red onion, cut into thin wedges

1/2 cup KRAFT Light CATALINA Reduced Fat Dressing

1-1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves, divided

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

1-1/2 cups water

2 small pork tenderloins (1-1/2 lb.)

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Toss sweet potatoes and onions with dressing and 1/2 tsp. of the thyme. Arrange in 15x10x1-inch baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 10 min.

MEANWHILE, combine stuffing mix and water. Cut each tenderloin diagonally into thirds. Push vegetable mixture to edges of pan. Spoon stuffing down center of pan; top with meat. Sprinkle remaining 1 tsp. thyme over meat.

BAKE 45 to 50 min. or until cooked through (160°F).

***NOTE: I am not using Stove Top Dressing as it has much too much sodium, I will be using regular bread crouton cubed stuffing mix which comes with a seasoning packet. This will cut the sodium in half.

Pizza Soup

2008-01-21T11:17:00.000-08:00

** 16 oz. petite diced tomatoes
** 16 oz. beef consomme
** 1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
** 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
** 1 small onion, diced
** 50 slices Reduced Fat Pepperoni
** 2 tsp. oregano
** 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
** grated Reduced Fat cheddar cheese
** grated mozzarella cheese

Add all ingredients except cheeses to crockpot.
Cook on medium for 8 hours.
Spoon into bowl, and sprinkle cheese on top.

Servings: 8
Calories: 137.1
Fat Grams: 4.4
Fiber: 2.2
Weight Watcher points: 2

Note: I will add some black or red beans to this which will change the nutrition numbers a bit--will definitely raise the fiber number.

Pineapple Chicken

2008-01-21T10:57:00.000-08:00

** 3.5 pounds chicken--cut into bite size pieces
** salt
** pepper
** 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
** 1 clove garlic, minced
** 1 cup chicken broth
** 8.5 oz. pineapple, in syrup, reserve syrup
** 1 can sliced waterchestnuts
** chopped green pepper (to taste)
** 4 green onions, thinly sliced
** 1/4 cup cornstarch
** 1/4 cup soy sauce
** 1 tbsp. vinegar
** Cooked white rice

Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper; place in slow cooker.
Combine ginger, garlic, broth, and pineapple syrup; set aside.
Arrange pineapple, green pepper, and water chestnuts over chicken.
Pour garlic ginger sauce over all.
Cover and cook4-5 hours, or until chicken is done.
Add green onions.
Dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce and vinegar, then stir into crockpot.
Cover and cook on high 10-15 minutes longer until slightly thickened.
Serve over hot rice.

Red Beans and Rice

2008-01-21T10:38:00.000-08:00

This meal is my easiest meal to prepare and we eat it when I am in a pinch for time and/or when the pantry is low--I always have the basics for this on hand! It is also super, super fast!

Our bowls always look more soupy than in the picture above!

** Two or three cans of red beans....or 1 can red, 1 can black... or 2 cans black (whatever you prefer)
** 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
** 3/4 tsp. onion powder
** 3/4 tsp. cumin
** 3/4 tsp. chili powder
** sprinkling of brown sugar-to add a bit of sweetness but is totally optional
** Cooked Rice--figure at least 1/2 cup cooked per person

NOTE: seasonings can be tweaked to match your family's preference! This recipe is totally flexible and EASY!!!

Dump beans in pot--I do not drain.
Add seasonings and brown sugar.
Cook for at least 15 minutes to allow beans to soften.

Serve with condiments:
** chopped tomatoes
** grated cheese
** chopped onions
** chopped cucumbers (peeled and seeded)--strange sounding but Oh-So Delicious!!
** sour cream
** salsa
** chopped black olives
** chili-cheese fritos (our favorite) or other types of tortilla chips

Serve buffet line style: each person scoops rice in bowl (I put a 1/2 cup measuring cup in rice pot), ladles in beans and then tops with condiments of their choosing.

Cheesy Crockpot Chicken

2008-01-21T10:19:00.000-08:00

Cheesy Crockpot Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

** 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
** 1 can cream of celery soup (fat free)
** 1 can cream of mushroom soup (fat free)
** 1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
** 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
** 1/4 tsp. onion salt
** 1 can of mushrooms or can use fresh sliced
** 8-10 ounces of low-fat or fat-free sour cream

Place chicken in crockpot.
Mix the undiluted soups together with the garlic powder and onion salt and pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.
About fifteen minutes before serving, cut up or shred the chicken and place back in crockpot.
Add sour cream, stir well and low to heat up.

Serves: 8
4.5 weight watcher points (must add points for rice)

Garlic Chicken

2008-01-21T10:08:00.000-08:00

** 4 chicken breasts
** 1 large onion
** 10 cloves garlic (peeled)
** 2 tsp. lemon/pepper seasoning
** 2 tsp. paprika
** 1 tsp. salt

Slice the onion and put it the crockpot.
Mix the lemon/pepper, paprika, and salt together.
Rub all over the chicken.
Place chicken on top of onion in crockpot.
Put garlic cloves on top of chicken.

Cook on low, 5-6 hours or until juices run clear.

Eleanor Stew

2008-01-21T09:58:00.000-08:00

* * 3lbs lean stew beef, cubed
** 1 103/4-oz fat free cream of mushroom soup
** 1 small can mushrooms or can use fresh sliced--(yum!)
** 1/2 cup red wine
** 1 envelope dry onion soup mix

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
Cover. Cook on low 8-10 hours
Serve over pasta or rice. (We love it with rice as the yummy rich gravy really sticks to rice)

This recipe can be found all over the internet in one fashion or another--but I grew up eating it and got the recipe from my mom, who got it from my grandmother, back in the '60s. It is a classic!

Cheesy Enchiladas

2007-10-14T22:58:00.001-07:00

*1 package (8 oz) FF cream cheese, softened
*1 package (8 oz) FF shredded cheddar cheese
*1/4 cup sliced green onions
* 6 flour tortillas
* 1 cup Thick and Chunky salsa

Beat cream cheese with electric mixer on Med. speed until smooth. Add 1 cup cheese and onions, mixing until blended.
Spread 1/4 cup cream cheese mixture down center, roll and place seam side down in 11x7 in. baking dish. Pour salsa over tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and cover.
Bake at 35o degrees for 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Serves 6
WW 4 points

*** Note*** I will use reduced fat cheese and up the points a bit, I also add sour cream when I serve them and some chopped black olives. Sometimes I add cooked chicken to the filling mixture, but need adjust points to reflect that.

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

2007-10-14T22:48:00.000-07:00

* 8 oz. cooked chicken
*3 cups cooked spaghetti pasta (4 1/2 oz. dry)
*3 oz. Velveeta Light
*4 1/2 oz. canned chopped green chilies
* 1 can of 98% fat-free Cream of Mushroom Soup
*1/2 cup chopped onions
*1/2 cup bell pepper
* small can of mushrooms or package of fresh

Saute onion, green pepper, and mushrooms if using fresh in a little bit of olive oil.
Mix Velveeta wit soup and chilies and heat. The cheese will melt without sticking. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into sprayed 13x9 dish, cover with foil, and cook until heated through, about 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Serves 6.

WW points: 4

Cheesy Rice Bake (with or without chicken)

2007-10-14T22:39:00.001-07:00

*1 cup brown rice, cooked as directed
*14 oz. petite diced tomatoes
*4 oz. canned green chilies
* 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
*1 1/2 cups fat-free cheddar cheese, shredded
*2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Cook rice according to package directions than mix with all other ingredients and pour into an 8x8 casserole sprayed with Pam. Bake covered for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

WW points: 5 points per serving
Servings: 6

Note: Add 1 1/2 pounds diced, cooked chicken breast to casserole before baking and it will make it 7 points per serving.

Asian Chicken and Orzo Salad

2007-08-12T15:52:00.001-07:00

1 (9-ounce) package frozen sugar snap peas
1 (16-ounce) package orzo, cooked and drained
1 cup water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 cups diced cooked chicken
3 green onions, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 (2-ounce) package slivered almonds, toasted (1/2 cup)Cook sugar snap peas according to package directions; drain well.

In a large bowl, combine sugar snap peas, orzo, water chestnuts, chicken, green onion, and red bell pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce. Pour over orzo mixture, tossing gently to coat. Stir in toasted almonds. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Red, White, and Bleu Slaw

2007-08-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

* 6 cups angel hair coleslaw
* 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
* 3/4 cup coleslaw salad dressing
* 3/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese
* 1/2 cup real bacon bits

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw, tomatoes, salad dressing and 1/2 cup blue cheese. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Just before serving, sprinkle with bacon bits and remaining cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

Lemony Grilled Salmon

2007-08-12T14:57:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

2 teaspoons teriyaki sauce

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

4 salmon fillets (6 ounces each), skin removed

8 lemon slices (3/4 inch thick)

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Pour 2/3 cup into a large resealable plastic bag; add salmon. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting.
Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill. Arrange lemon slices on rack. Drain and discard marinade. Place each salmon fillet over two lemon slices.
Grill, covered, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Brush with some of the reserved marinade. Grill 10-15 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily with a fork, basting occasionally with remaining marinade. Yield: 4 servings.

The Ultimate Lady's Cheesy Mac and Cheese

2007-08-12T14:38:00.001-07:00

( I am making this with modifications based on reviews I read of it online. I will use 6 cups cooked pasta and only 3 eggs. I also think I will use a bit more of a couple of the stronger cheeses to make sure it tastes cheesy enough)

2 cups dried elbow macaroni (4 cups cooked)
1/3 cup grated Cheddar
1/3 cup grated Swiss
1/3 cup grated Jack
1/3 cup grated colby
1/3 cup grated Muenster
1/3 cup grated Gouda
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
Nonstick spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot, bring water to boil. Season water with salt and cook macaroni until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta and place in a large bowl and while pasta is still hot add all the cheese. In a separate medium bowl, using a whisk, combine the sour cream, butter, eggs, salt, pepper, and milk and add to the macaroni mixture. Spray casserole dish with nonstick and pour macaroni mixture into the dish. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Top with additional cheese, if desired.

Super Sloppy Joes

2007-08-12T01:27:00.001-07:00

The picture above is not what my sloppy joes look like, but until I take a picture of mine, this will have to do...mine are served open faced with beans mixed in and cheese melted on top!

2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 celery ribs with leaves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 and 2/3 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp steak sauce
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp paprika
4-5 hamburger buns, split
(optional: 1 can of pinto or small red beans, drained)
grated cheddar cheese

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook beef, onion, celery and green pepper until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender; drain. Add the next nine ingredients--if adding beans do so now; mix well. Simmer, uncovered , for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If adding beans do so now. Spoon 1/2 cup meat mixture onto each bun, sprinkle with grated cheese and heat under broiler until melted.

2007-07-23T00:12:00.000-07:00

Tropical Chicken Packets

4	sheets (12x18-inches each) Reynolds Wrap® Release Non-Stick Foil
1	can (20 oz.) DOLE® Pineapple Chunks, drained
1	small onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings OR 4 green onions, cut into 1–inch pieces
4	boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 to 1 1/4 lb.)
1	medium red bell pepper, cut in strips
1/2	cup teriyaki sauce
2	tablespoons packed brown sugar
1	teaspoon grated fresh ginger
	Hot cooked rice

PREHEAT grill to medium-high.

CENTER onion slices on each sheet of Reynolds Wrap Release Non-Stick Foil with non-stick 9dull) side facing up. Top with chicken, DOLE Pineapple Chunks and red pepper. Combine teriyaki sauce, brown sugar and ginger; spoon over top

BRING up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Repeat to make four packets.

GRILL 14 to 16 minutes. Open foil packet carefully to allow steam to escape.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutrition Information:
(Per Serving)

calories		540
grams fat		4
% calories from fat		7
milligrams cholesterol		83
milligrams sodium		890
grams carbohydrates		88
grams protein		37

Prosciutto Pasta Toss

2007-07-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 package (16 ounces) linguine
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook linguine according to package directions, adding peas during the last 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper in the oil for 2-3 minutes or until garlic is tender. Stir in prosciutto.
Drain linguine; add to skillet and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Yield: 6 servings

My notes: I saute some fresh mushrooms and finely chopped sweet onion with the garlic. I also use fresh snap peas coarsely chopped which I add to the whole mixture when I add the prosciutto. Sometimes I add some finely chopped fresh basil too!

Corn Dip/Salsa

2007-07-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 chopped green pepper

1 chopped onion

1 can shoe peg corn

1 can black beans (or garbanzo beans, black eyed peas,etc) I just use little black beans

1 small jar pimentos

1 avocado

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl except the avocado

MIX FOR MARINADE:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup vinegar

2 tablespoons Tiger Sauce (located in grocery store by marinades & hot sauces)

Directions:

Pour marinade over ingredients and refrigerate overnight. Drain off excess liquid before serving. Peel, cut up and add avocado just before serving.

This recipe gets rave reviews no matter where I take it!