Broccolli and Chicken Stir-Fry

I just love the website Just Get Off Your Butt and Bake. This is my third recipe from that website, and it's another winner!

BROCCOLI AND CHICKEN STIR-FRY

SAUCE:

I triple this recipe, but I will post it as written.

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon orange juice

1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil or canola oil

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (less if desired)

1/2 Tablespoon Cornstarch

1/4 Teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ginger

*I added 1 full teaspoon for a triple recipe.

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, Orange juice, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, oil, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, ginger and cornstarch.  Reserve. 

* Keep in mind that in the pictures above, I have tripled the sauce recipe.  Then, I added 1 cup of water/plus another tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken the sauce,  until the taste was not too strong.  If you are only making a single recipe, you will not have much sauce, therefore it probably won’t be too strong.Set a wok over medium high heat and coat bottom with 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil shimmers and pops, add 10 to 15 pieces of chicken.  Stir-fry until the chicken is fully cooked through.  Transfer to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining chicken pieces.Add the chicken back to the pan along with the sauce, and let simmer until sauce has reduced down a bit and thickened.  If the sauce doesn’t get as thick as you would like, simply mix :  1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup Cold water, and slowly add this mixture to your sauce.

Add the steamed veggies, toss and serve over rice or noodles. 

Turnip Stew

 This is our favorite stew! It's called Sunday Night Stew, from the Pioneer Woman. It does take several hours to make but is definitely worth it. That turnip flavor over the mashed potatoes is amazing! 

Ingredients: 2-3 pounds of stew meat, 4 ounces of tomato paste, 4 cups of beef broth, one large onion, a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp of sugar, 4 large carrots, 2 large turnips, garlic cloves, 1 TBSP of butter, approx. 3 tsp of olive oil 

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MASHED POTATOES: 

5 pounds of potatoes, 1 eight ounce package of cream cheese, 1 stick of softened butter, salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Peel and dice potatoes, carrots, onion, and turnips. Set potatoes aside for cooking and mashing later. Set turnips and carrots aside for in the stew later. 

In large pan, bring olive oil to warm heat. Salt and pepper the stew meat and add to oil in hot pan. Add butter. Brown stew meat on both sides, approx. 2 minutes a side. (May need to do half of the meat at the time.) Let meat rest on a plate and add garlic and onions to the hot pot. Cook 2 minutes then add tomato paste. Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and browned stew meat. Turn heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. After simmering, add carrots and turnips. Cook approx. 30 more minutes, until carrots and turnips are soft. 
Cook potatoes, mash, and serve the stew over the potatoes. 

Cold Cereal

Ingredients:

• Milk (fresh or canned)
• Favorite dry cereal

Directions:

• Pour cereal into a HUGE bowl.
• Pour milk over the cereal.
• Use spoon to mix the cereal and milk so that it is the perfect amount of crunchy and soft.
• Sit in front of the TV or computer and enjoy!

Hint: Try using chocolate milk. This recipe works best when you are still in your jammie wams!

How to Cook Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash 

(So I never forget, and because cooked Squash is sooooo good in the fall.)

  Ingredients: One squash

• Preheat over to 450 degrees.
• Cut squash in half lengthwise.
• Remove seeds.
• Bake 35-45 minutes cut side down in a shallow baking dish.
• Test with fork for softness.
• Remove from oven- and don't forget to turn it off!
• Add butter, brown sugar and/or salt
• Cut in slices or mash the inside (but don't mash the hard outside layer)

And try to forget that you added the butter and brown sugar so that you feel healthy eating it!

Favorite Pork Chops

Favorite Pork Chops Serves 6 Ingredients:

• 2 cups soy sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp molasses
• 6 bone-in pork loin chops

Sauce Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups ketchup
• 2/3 cup chili sauce (found in the condiments isle)
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground mustard

Directions:

• In saucepan, over medium heat, bring soy sauce, brown sugar and mollasses to a boil.
• Remove from heat.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Pour into large resealable ziplock bag.
• Add pork chops to the bag.
• Seal bag and refridgerate for 3-6 hours (or overnight).
• Drain and discard merinade.
• Place pork chops in a greased 13 by 9 inch baking dish.
• Cover with foil.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Combine the sauce ingredients and pour over the chops.
• Bake uncovered for another 30 minutes or until the meat juices run clear.

Pesto Ravioli with Chicken

This is super easy, hard to get wrong, and always enjoyed!

Ingredients:

2-3 large chicken breasts

1 package frozen ravioli- I like the square cheese ones

Sliced, Fresh zucchini- as many as you want. We usually use about 6!

1 can 14oz. chicken broth

1 can pesto

Parmesan cheese (optional- I don't think I usually use any)

Step 1. Cut up your chicken breast into slices or pieces and cook in a large skillet in a small amount of olive oil and with lots of garlic salt!. Take out of pan (to save on dishes) and set aside.

Step 2. Add frozen ravioli and sliced zucchini and chicken broth. You only need enough to cook the ravioli and zucchini in , but I usually use the whole can.

Cook until the zucchini is cooked through. You can usually tell because it gets this slightly transparent look to it. By this time the ravioli is always done.

Step 3. Add the chicken back in and the pesto. Only add as much pesto as you want for flavor. I usually use about 2/3's of an 8 oz. jar

Step 4. Heat thoroughly and then serve!! You can add parmesan at the end if you want.

Tater Tot Casserole

Well, this one is so super easy, you kind of feel guilty. But everyone here loves it and though it may not be super healthy, it is cheap! And that's a plus in my book! This recipe comes from the Duggar family, on tv, modified for a smaller family!

DUGGAR's TATER TOT CASSEROLE

1 lb ground turkey (or beef) cooked, seasoned, drained (I added onions to mine)

1 32oz. bag tater tots

1 can cream of mushroom

1 can evaporated milk

1 can cream of chicken

Brown meat & place in large cass. dish.

Cover with tater tots. Mix soup & milk together.

Pour over top. Bake at 350 for 1 Hour.

(One of Daddy’s Favorites!) Makes 1- 9”X13” pan

Baked Italian Fontina Fondue

I admit I haven't tried this, but there were rave comments on this recipe by those who had.
It's important that it's Italian fontina cheese.  Whole Foods and Trader Joe's carry it, or you can buy it from cheesesupply.com.  OR you can substitute brie or provolone cheese.  That would be so much easier and less expensive.
It serves 10-12 as an appetizer, so you may want to halve the recipe.  Also, you can use any flatter baking dish, or put it inside a hollowed out loaf of bread, and use the chunks to dip it.  (This info is all from the comments and Ina, the Barefoot Contessa, whose recipe this is.
This makes my mouth water, just reading about it!

Baked Italian Fontina

Posted By smellslikehome On November 21, 2011 @ 3:32 pm

Baked Fontina
source: adapted from How Easy is That? by Ina Garten

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs Italian fontina, rind removed and cubed into 1-inch pieces
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Adjust top rack of the oven so that it sits about 5 inches under the broiler unit. Preheat broiler.
2. Spread cheese out in the bottom of a 12-inch cast iron pan.  Drizzle olive oil over the cheese.  Mix together the garlic and herbs in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the cheese.  Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top of the cheese.
3. Bake for 6 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and melted through.  Carefully remove the pan from the oven and set it on a heatproof surface – the pan will be hot!  Serve immediately.

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Article printed from Smells Like Home: http://smells-like-home.com

URL to article: http://smells-like-home.com/2011/11/baked-fontina/

Shepherds Pie

Shepherds pie reminds me of Grandma Buis, Noodle and Aunt Sandy. This is one of our favorite meals! Ingredients:

• 5-8 potatoes, peeled and diced
• ground beef (About the amount you would put in spaghetti. I used 1 pound for our family.)
• spaghetti sauce (1 or 2 large cans)
• one onion
• garlic
• 2 cans regular green beans
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Chop onion and garlic
• Cook ground beef, garlic and onion together
• In separate pan cook potatoes. Strain and mash them.
• When ground beef is cooked mix it with the spaghetti sauce.
• You should have 3 separate dishes now; mashed potatoes, ground beef in spaghetti sauce and green beans. Now layer them in a bread pan. First do a layer of the ground beef/sauce mixture. 2nd a layer of green bean. 3rd a layer of potatoes.
• Cover with foil and bake for approx. 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees until all ingredients are heated thoroughly. In last 10 minutes add a thin layer of shredded cheddar cheese to top.

Curried Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw rice
• 2 tablespoons bacon grease or substitute (such as oil, but may change the flavor)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup canned tomatoes
• 1 cup stock made with bullion cubes (or 1 cup or canned broth)
• Crumbled crisp bacon

Directions:

• Saute onion and pepper in fat until soft.
• Gradually add the rice and stir until it is somewhat transparent.
• Add other ingredients and stir until rice is done/soft.

Serve as a side or over chicken or pork!

Homemade Noodles

Recipe from MaJo, and we all know any recipe from her is going to be good! MaJo does this recipe times 5 to get the amount of noodles she needs. So, you might need to adjust for your family size. 

  Ingredients: 1 egg 1 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil pinch of parsley 1/2 an egg shell of water (about 1/4 a cup of water) 

  Directions:

• Mix ingredients. Dough will seem dry.
• Roll into thin layer over flour coated surface.
• Add flour if needed to help with cutting.
• Roll dough as if you are going to make cinnamon rolls and cut dough into thin slices.
• Unroll. Lay flat.
• Let dough dry for 15 minutes.
• Throw into pot of broth. Add carrots, celery, etc. (If wanted)
• Boil.
• Cook noodles for 10-15 minutes. Add meat, etc. for a stew.

Fresh Veggie Stir Fry

Fresh Veggie Stir Fry

Ingredients: (all fresh)

• 1 Zuccini
• 1 tomato
• 1 onion
• 1-2 red, green or yellow peppers
• 1 package of mushrooms
• 1/2 package of broccoli slaw
• 1-2 garlics
• 1-2 TBS Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Directions:

• Slice all ingredients. I like to use big slices.
• Heat up oil in skillet.
• When oil is hot, slide everything except the tomato into the pan.
• Fry for approx. 7-10 minutes, stirring often.
• Take off heat when veggies are as crisp or soft as you like them. The longer you cook them the softer they will be.

Take off of heat, add to serving dish and add slices of tomato to the top.

Spanish Rice

Recipe from Sarah & TJ Mabey Ingredients:

• 1 pound hamburger
• 1/4 cup of chopped onion
• 1 (ten ounce) can tomato soup
• 1 cup water
• 1 can black beans
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup rice
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese

Directions:

• Brown hamburger and onion together.
• Add soup, water, corn, beans and salsa.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add rice.
• Sprinkle shredded cheese on top and simmer for 10 minutes or until rice is cooked and cheese is melted.

Meatloaf

Soooo, not sure where this recipe is from and we've never actually made it, but meatloaf is on the menu for tonight and Brooks e-mailed this recipe. I'll try and remember to let you know if it's any good!

Ingredients: 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup ketchup 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef 3/4 cup milk 2 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 small onion, chopped 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 3/4 cup finely crushed saltine cracker crumbs 

Directions : 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan. 2. Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar. 3. In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup. 4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.

Update after dinner: Great recipe! Sooo easy to make. Wondering why the brown sugar and ketchup go underneath the loaf, but everything tasted great! Kids wouldn't even taste it but that's not surprising. (Aiden actually said he was going to donate his to starving children in China.) Brooks says the recipe is from allrecipes.com.

Brooks' Chili

This is the chili recipe Brooks has been making the past few years. He won the ward chili contest at church one year with this chili. I consider it a very meaty, manly recipe. All men rave about it, but you ladies might want to 1/2 the amount of meat. :)

Ingredients:

 1 lbs. hamburger

1lb. stew meat (or cut up roast)

Bacon or salt pork

1/2 chopped onion

2 cloves crushed and minced garlic

8 ounces salsa

15 ounce can of tomato sauce

1 can Ro Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies

1 packet chili seasoning

1/2 t ground cumin

1-2 T Worcestershire sauce
1-2 T Brown Sugar

1 T Molasses

2 cans of beans (any kind)

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon crisp, sear the stew meat, and brown the hamburger

2. Saute the onion

3. Mix all ingredients in a large pot

4. Simmer (not too vigorously- you don't want the stew meat to dry out)

Recipe is very flexible. Ingredients are estimates and can be added to without trouble. Sometimes Brooks adds a little lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. 

Chipotle

Brooks and I have an obsession with Chipotle's food. So, this recipe is a new favorite because it can be tweeked to taste almost exactly like their food! Original recipe found HERE but the one below is our tweeked one. This is super easy to make and soooo good! We will call it (trying be original here)....

  Homemade Chipotle
Ingredients: 2 cans black beans (drained) 2 cans corn (drained) 2 cans Ro Tel (best choice- the one that says lime and cilantro) 1 package cream cheese 1/2 a bag of chicken tenderloin fresh cilantro fresh lettuce salt lemon juice rice soft tortilla's (if you prefer the burrito method) 

  Directions: Throw chicken, Ro Tel, corn, beans and cream cheese into crock pot. Cook on high for approx. 4 hours or low for approx. 8 hrs. About 30 minutes before crock pot food is ready, cook your rice so it will be ready at the same time. Shred chicken. Add lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve over the rice and add in the cilantro and lettuce to individual servings to avoid it getting soggy. Other option (and the one we did): Cook the chicken tenderloins and shred before adding it to the crock pot. If chicken is cooked beforehand, the crock pot only needs to heat everything up and mix the flavors.

Homemade Chicken Alfredo

Easy and quick recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
This recipe has a great alfredo-ish sauce if you don't have any and are lacking desire to make a run to the store. Also, the leftovers were amazing! All that garlic, Mmmm.....

Ingredients:

2-ish TBSP butter

4 thawed boneless chicken breasts
(Could use beef instead of chicken)

1 box bowtie pasta

1/2-1 cup chicken broth
1- 1 1/2 cups milk

Approx. 2 cups shredded mozzarella or parmesan cheese

A spot of flour (for use as a thickener)

minced garlic (lots of it!)

chopped onion

spices (parsley, salt, etc.)

Directions:

Cook noodles and set aside.

Melt butter in tall frying pan.

Cut chicken into strips, put in the buttered pan, and cook completely through using garlic, spices, and onion for added flavor.

Set chicken aside.

In same pan, add more garlic and a tad more butter.

Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Add the milk to the broth and again bring to a boil.

Add flour and thicken for 1-2 minutes.

Turn off heat and add cheese and more garlic to the mixture.

Top with the chicken and noodles.

Toss everything together and serve.

Mediterranean Chicken Wraps

These wraps are amazing! Plus, they take just a tiny bit of preparation time. We made these last week and are already thawing chicken to make them again.  This recipe was found on the inner lid of the Sabra brand humus container. =)

Ingredients: 

3 thawed boneless chicken breast 

Half a bottle of Italian dressing

lettuce (I use pre-washed spring mix)

humus (We like Sabra brand roasted garlic. Wal-Mart has it next to the take and bake pizzas.)

8-ish flour tortillas

optional: fresh cilantro, sliced tomato

Directions:

Marinade the chicken and Italian dressing, overnight if possible.

Grill the chicken breast and cut into slices. 

Just like you would with a taco, put a layer of humus on your warmed tortilla. Lay on the lettuce, cilantro, chicken, etc. and roll it all up.
Enjoy!
These really are soooo yummy... and pretty healthy too!

Indian Curry

I got this recipe from Rachel last week and it is wonderful! Not too spicy. Just the right amount of flavor, and sooo good! Approx. chopping and cooking time (if potatoes are pre-cooked) is 30 minutes.

Ingredients:  

One chopped onion

1 tsp chopped garlic (3-4 cloves)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup coconut milk

1 1/2 TBSP curry powder (more if you want a stronger curry flavor)

1 TBSP chicken powder OR 3 bouillon cubes

3 raw chicken breasts cut into strips (or can use approx. three cups cooked chicken)

1/4 cup lemon juice

Cubed yellow squash 

Cubed potatoes- cook the potatoes beforehand or they will slow everything down)
Rice (I made 3 cups of rice, which was just the right amount for the curry sauce)

Directions:  

Saute the onions, garlic, and butter

Stir in the flour

Slowly stir in the milk and coconut milk (slowly, so you don't get clumps)

Add chicken powder and curry powder

Add chicken and potatoes. Let chicken cook by simmering for approx. 10 minutes

Once chicken is cooked, add in the lemon juice and squash

Simmer a few more minutes to lightly soften the squash. 

Serve over rice.

Super Easy Goulash

This is super easy and the kids all loove it, and Danny and me, too! It's kind of like a twist on spaghetti, but different.

Ingredients-

ground beef, onion, elbow macaroni, one can of spaghetti sauce(I use Hunt's Four Cheese- it's usually $1), 1 can of stewed tomatoes, sour cream and cheese.

Start your water boiling for the elbow macaroni. (I didn't put measurements on here, because I don't really use any. You kind of know how much to use for you own family.) While the elbow macaroni is cooking, cook your ground beef with one onion. After draining off any grease, add the can of spaghetti sauce and the can of stewed tomatoes. When the macaroni is done cooking and strained, add the sauce mixture. Then add about 2 tablespoons of sour cream and then grate a bunch of cheese over the top and stir it in so that it just kind of melts into it. Then you are done! It sounds like an unlikely combination, but it is so good and very "comfort food-y".

Hot and Sweet Drumsticks

                        Ingredients:

- 1 cup Apricot Preserves

-1/2 cup ketchup

-1/4 cup soy sauce

-2 teaspoons minced garlic

-2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

-3 lbs chicken drumsticks, thighs, breasts, etc.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine preserves, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic and hot peper sauce. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until preserves are melted.

2. Arrange chicken in a single layer on a 13. x 9" baking pan, or cookie sheet. Pour sauce over chicken, turning to coat. Bake, uncovered, or 40-45  minutes or until chicken is done, spooning sauce over drumsticks while baking.

Pizza Dough

You can use this recipe when you make the Calzones recipe. This will make about 5 medium-sized calzones, so you might want to double this recipe because they get eaten fast!

Ingredients:

-2 1/2 cups flour

-1 T. sugar

-1 T yeast

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-1 cup warm water

-2 Tablespoons oil

Directions:

• Mix water, sugar and yeast, and dissolve
• Add oil and remaining ingredients. Mix well and cover
• Cover bowl and sit 10 minutes
• Add 1/2 cup flour to make soft dough
• Knead 5 minutes
• Rest for 5 minutes
• Bake 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes

Weeknight Lasagna Toss

Weeknight Lasagna Toss

(from Kraft food magazine)

This is one of the best, easiest lasagna’s I’ve ever made! You’ll appreciate how easy this is, and your family will probably think it took you three hours to make it.

Ingredients:

-1 lb. lean ground beef

-2 green peppers, chopped (optional)

-3 cloves garlic, minced

-1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce

-1 2/3 cups water

-¼ cup Zesty Italian Dressing

-12 oven-ready lasagna noodles (uncooked, broken into quarters); or 12 regular -lasagna noodles (if using regular noodles, cooking time will be 30 minutes, and increase water to 2 cups)

-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

-Brown ground beef in large saucepan. Drain.

-Stir in peppers, garlic, spaghetti sauce, water, and dressing; bring to a boil. Add noodles; stir. Cover.

-Cook on medium-low heat for 15 min. or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese; cover. Let stand until cheese is melted. Serve with green beans, French bread, or cottage cheese.

Calzones

These pizza pockets are great for a Friday night! Easy and yummy!

Ingredients:

-1 can pizza dough or pizza dough recipe (see other post)

-Several cups shredded cheese (I use mozzarella cheese)

-Toppings: olives, pepperoni, canadian bacon, ham, pineapple, mushrooms, etc.

-Olive oil

-Pizza/Spaghetti sauce (to dip)

-Garlic salt

Directions:

• Make pizza dough, and roll out to about 1/2 inch thick and cut into squares.
• Fill with cheese, a small spoonful of pizza sauce, and toppings, and pinch dough closed all around.
• Lightly brush tops and bottoms with olive oil and season with garlic salt.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

-1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese

-2 cups chopped, cooked broccoli (or frozen and thawed broccoli)

-1 cup mozzarella cheese

-1/3 cup parmesan cheese

-1-2 cups mushrooms

-18 jumbo shell-shaped pasta, cooked and drained

-1 jar chunky italian sauce or spaghetti sauce (I added mushrooms  and olives to the spaghetti sauce)


Directions:

Stir ricotta cheese, brocolli, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese in a bowl. Spoon into each shell. Spread pasta sauce in bottom of 9x 13 baking dish. Place shells in dish and pour remaining pasta sauce over shells.

Bake at 400* for 25 minutes.

These turned out pretty great when we tried them! 

Greek Penne Chicken and Pasta

This is a different kind of dinner, but packed with flavor and definitely delicious! Not extremely healthy, so don't eat this every evening, even though you'll want to. :) 

Ingredients:

-1 (16 oz) package penne pasts

-1 1/2 T. butter

-1 cup chopped mushrooms

-1/2 cup chopped onion

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 can artichoke hearts (marinated tastes much better!)

-1 can (6 oz) tomato paste or one can of diced tomatoes

-1/2 cup to 1 cup feta cheese

-Parsley, oregano, and pepper, to taste

-2 T. lemon juice, or more depending on your taste preferences

Directions:

Cook and drain penne pasta. 

In large skillet, heat butter/olive oil and add onion and garlic to skillet. Add chicken and cook until golden brown. 

Drain and chop artichoke hearts. Add artichokes, tomatoes, half of the feta cheese, lemon juice, spices, and mushrooms to pan. Add pasta, mix, add mozzarella cheese or rest of feta cheese on top. 

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

-1 1/2 cups multigrain penne pasta, uncooked

-1 pkg. (9 oz) fresh spinach leaves

-1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

- 1 jar (14.5 oz) spaghetti sauce

- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

-2 oz. (1/4 of an 8-oz. pkg.) philadelphia cream cheese

- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta, adding spinach to boiling water for last 1 min.

2. Cook and stir chicken in large skillet for 3 min. Add sauce and tomatoes; bring to boil. Simmer 3 min. or until chicken is done. Stir in cream cheese.

3. Drain pasta mixture; return to pan. Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Spoon into 2-quart baking dish.

4. Bake 20 min. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake 3 min.

7-Layer Tortilla Pie

This was a great recipe! It involves a lot of chopping though, so be prepared to spend some time in preparation. But it's worth the time! 

Ingredients:

-1 (15 oz) can fat free refried beans

-1 cup salsa

-2 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (we used a lot more... like a cup more)

-1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed

-1 can diced tomatoes (you can use the ones with green chiles too)

- 7 flour tortillas

-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

 Garnish with: -olives, sour cream, more salsa, ranch, lemon or lime juice, etc.

Directions: 

-In large bowl, combine and mix refried beans, 3/4 cups salsa, and garlic

-In separate bowl, combine  and mix 1/4 cup salsa, cilantro, black beans, and tomatoes

-Place 1 tortilla in a pie plate. Spread with 3/4 cup refried bean mixture over tortilla to with in 1/2" of edge. Top with 1/4 cups cheese. 

-Cover with another tortilla, spread 2/3 cup black bean mixture and top with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering until all or most of ingredients are used. Cover top tortilla with remaining cheese. 

-Cover with foil. Bake at 400* for 40 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve. 

Chicken Enchiladas

Yummy yum yummy! That's all I have to say about these.

Ingredients:

-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I use about 8 chicken tenders)

-1 onion, chopped

-1/2 pint sour cream

-1 3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (also good with a little mozarella)

-1 tsp. black pepper

-1 tsp. garlic salt

-1 can (7 oz-ish) tomato sauce

-1 tablespoon chili powder

-1 small can green chiles, or 1 chopped green bell pepper

-8 (10-inch) flour tortillas

-1 can (12 oz) red enchilada sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a medium skillet, cooke chicken. Cube chicken and drain fat. Add the onion, sour cream, cheddar cheese (about 1 cup- save some for the end), pepper, and garlic salt. Heat until cheese melts. Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder, and green chiles or green pepper.

3. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish, and arrange tortillas in the dish. Spoon even amounts of the mixture into each of the tortillas. Roll tortillas closed and place them next to each other in the dish. Pour red enchilada sauce over top of all tortillas. Cover with the rest of the cheese (about 3/4 cup) Bake uncovered in oven for 20 minutes.

Pineapple Enchiladas

These turned out very tasty. You can either add or take out chicken, depending on how healthy you want to get.  :)

Ingredients:

-2 (20 oz) cans pineapple, crushed or diced

-1 cup sour cream

-2 cups cheddar cheese

-1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce

-6 flour tortillas

-1 green bell pepper

-1 cup mushrooms

-1 cup olives

-2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:

Combine all ingredients, roll into tortillas. Place tortillas into lightly greased 9x13 dish. Bake at 375* for 30 minutes.

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

These were just as delicious as real hamburgers, and much healthier! And they're easier to make, since you don't have to defrost and handle raw meat. This recipe was found on www.allrecipes.com.

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) can black beans

-Half of a green bell pepper, chopped into small pieces

-Half of one onion, chopped

-3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

-1 egg

-1 T. chili powder

-1 T. cumin

-3/4 or 1 cup bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375* F. Lightly oil a baking sheet. In a bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.

Finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic, then stir those into the bean mixture.

In a small bowl, stir together eggs, chili powder, and cumin. Stir this into bean mixture.

Mix in bread crumbs until mixture is sticky and holds together. Now just make this bean mixture into hamburger patties!

Bake at 375* for 10 minutes on each side (although we only baked for 5 minutes on the second side and that was plenty)

Ratatouille Bake

Ingredients:

-1 Tbsp. olive oil

-5 cloves garlic, minced

-1 onion, chopped

-2 cups peeled/diced eggplant 

-2 cups chopped zucchini

-1 green bell pepper

-1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes

-1 (8 or 12 oz) package cheese ravioli

-3/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

-1 cup mushrooms

-Pinch of basil, parsley, and salt

Directions:

Grease/spray a 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Heat olive oil in skillet; cook and stir garlic, onion, and eggplant until the vegetables soften (8 minutes approximately). Stir in zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, basil, parsley and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Cook frozen ravioli, drain. Spread in a layer on bottom of baking dish. Spoon vegetable mixture over ravioli. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil. 

Bake at 3508 for 20  minutes. Take off foil for the last 10 minutes to reduce juices. 

7-Layer Tortilla Pie

This was a great recipe! It involves a lot of chopping though, so be prepared to spend some time in preparation. But it's worth the time! 

Ingredients:

-1 (15 oz) can fat free refried beans

-1 cup salsa

-2 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (we used a lot more... like a cup more)

-1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed

-1 can diced tomatoes (you can use the ones with green chiles too)

- 7 flour tortillas

-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

 Garnish with: -olives, sour cream, more salsa, ranch, lemon or lime juice, etc.

Directions: 

-In large bowl, combine and mix refried beans, 3/4 cups salsa, and garlic

-In separate bowl, combine  and mix 1/4 cup salsa, cilantro, black beans, and tomatoes

-Place 1 tortilla in a pie plate. Spread with 3/4 cup refried bean mixture over tortilla to with in 1/2" of edge. Top with 1/4 cups cheese. 

-Cover with another tortilla, spread 2/3 cup black bean mixture and top with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering until all or most of ingredients are used. Cover top tortilla with remaining cheese. 

-Cover with foil. Bake at 400* for 40 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients:

- 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I buy the fresh, packaged thin chicken to make it easier)

-6 slices swiss cheese

-6 slices ham

-A whole buncha bread crumbs, on a plate (about 1 cup)

-1 teaspoon paprika

-3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

-1 tablespoon cornstarch

-1 cup heavy whipping cream (you can use two cups whipping cream and some extra bouillon to make more sauce)

Directions:

1. Place a cheese and ham slice on each chicken breast within 1/2 inch of the edges.  Roll and fold the edges of the chicken over the filling and secure with toothpicks Mix the bread crumbs and paprika on a large plate and coat the chicken pieces.

2. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and fry the chicken until browned on all sides  (about 10 minutes).

3. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. While chicken is baking, pour heavy whipping cream into saucepan. Add chicken bouillon and mix together. Add cornstarch until it's the thickness you desire.

Coconut Lime Chicken Thai Soup- Favorite Family Recipes

We love this soup! We eat it with garlic Naan bread that you can find at Winco or Walmart. 

I always double this recipe. It's worth it!

Also, if you cook the chicken in the crock pot in the morning with some spices like ginger and curry powder, then you can shred the chicken in the afternoon, throw the rest of the ingredients in the crock pot with it, and let it simmer for a couple of hours before dinnertime. Just be careful not to keep it on too hot of a setting in the crock pot because I've heard that lime juice and cilantro can get bitter tasting if they're cooking on high heat or for a long time!

Ingredients

3 Tbsp butter
1 carrot, shredded
thai seasoning (see below)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1 15 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1 2 - 2 1/2 pound deli-roasted chicken from the grocery store, shredded (or just cook some chicken in the crock pot with a tiny bit of water and a dash of spices like ginger and curry powder, then shred, then throw everything else into the crock pot with it)
1 cup previously cooked long grain rice
the juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
extra cilantro for garnish (optional)
lime wedges (optional)

Thai Seasoning:
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions

Place a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the butter, carrots, and thai seasoning and cook until carrots become soft.
In a blender, add chicken broth and cilantro and pulse a few times, then pour contents of blender into the pot.
Add the coconut milk, shredded deli roasted chicken, rice, juice from the lime, and soy sauce. Bring to a low boil then remove from heat.
If desired, serve topped with extra cilantro and lime wedges.