Taco Soup

This was tonight’s dinner.  Very flavorful and filling.  The only changes I made were to use Velveeta (I mixed it right in at the end, stirring until it melted) and topped it with a spoonful of sour cream and some tortilla strips.

 

Taco Soup

Prep Time: 5 min

Total Time: 25 min

Makes: 12 servings, 1 cup each

What You Need!

1 lb. Extra lean ground beef

1   onion, chopped

3 cans (15.5 oz. Each) mild chili beans, undrained

1 can  (14.5 oz.) whole tomatoes, undrained

1 can (14.25 oz.) corn, undrained

1 can  (8 oz.) tomato sauce

1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix

1-1/2 cups  water

1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Make It!

BROWN meat with onions in large saucepan; drain.

ADD all remaining ingredients except cheese; stir, breaking up tomatoes. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 min., stirring occasionally.

SERVE topped with the cheese.

Recipe courtesy of Kraft Foods.

Butterscotch White Chocolate Cookies

Butterscotch White Chocolate Cookies

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 cups butterscotch chips
1-1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Lightly grease and flour baking sheets; set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, brown and granulated sugars. Cream until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Sift or stir together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in the butterscotch and chocolate chips and the pecans with a heavy wooden spoon.

Drop the dough by tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 dozen per sheet. Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, 10 minutes. Let cool on sheets 2 minutes before transferring to cooling racks.

Makes about 4 dozen.

East-West Barbecued Chicken

Review:  This chicken was absolutely delicious!  A bit spicy, a bit sweet and all around yummy.

East-West Barbecued Chicken

Recipe #367070

I am always looking for different recipes, but also ones that I can use up "its and bits" from my fridge. This recipe accomplishes both very well!!
by Abby Girl

35 min | 15 min prep

SERVES 4

chicken pieces
salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce

Place chicken in zip lock bag. Season with salt and pepper.
Place mustard in small bowl. Whisk in orange juice, oil and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken, turning chicken to coat. Let stand 20 minutes.

Combine chili sauce and hoisin sauce in small bowl.

Prepare barbecue medium-high. Grill chicken until just cooked through, about 10 minutes per side.

Brush one side with chili-sauce mixture and grill until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Brush second side with sauce and grill until beginning to brown. Serve hot.

© 2009 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved. http://www.recipezaar.com

Lighter Penne à La Vodka

Review: This was a quick and easy vodka sauce that turned out very tasty.  A tablespoon of crushed red pepper was a bit much for my family, but they all still ate it anyway.

Lighter Penne à La Vodka

Bethenny Frankel Recipe #375293

Bethenny Frankel is from The Real Housewives of New York City. She is also a natural food chef and cooks for many celebrities. I love pasta, especially when it doesn't have all the guilt attached. Enjoy!
by Nif

25 min | 10 min prep

SERVES 4

1 teaspoon salt
2 cups bottled marinara sauce, preferably no-sugar-added
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk or plain soymilk
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb whole-grain penne
1/4 cup vodka (inexpensive)
1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add salt when simmering.

Warm marinara in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly add milk, stirring until combined. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat; simmer until sauce reduces slightly. Add crushed red pepper.

Add penne to boiling water. Cook until almost done; add vodka to marinara mixture, and raise heat slightly. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.

In a large bowl, toss pasta with sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano, adding some reserved water to thin sauce, if needed. Garnish with parsley, and serve.

© 2009 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved. http://www.recipezaar.com

French Bistro Chicken in Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

French Bistro Chicken in Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

8 skinned, preferably boned, chicken thighs

2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth

3 TB tomato paste

2 TB Balsamic vinegar

1 tsp minced fresh or 1/2 tsp dried tarragon

1/2 tsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp red pepper

Dash of black pepper

tarragon sprigs for garnish, optional

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium high heat until hot. Add onion; cook 5 minutes till lightly browned. Add chicken and sauté each side 3 minutes or until browned.

Combine wine and next 8 ingredients in medium bowl and stir well blended. Add to the chicken, cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Serve with potatoes or rice.

Paprika Chicken with Sour Cream Gravy

Paprika Chicken with Sour Cream Gravy

From: Campbell's Kitchen

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground red pepper

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup butter

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

2 green onions, sliced (about 1/4 cup)

1 container (8 ounces) sour cream

Stir the flour, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and red pepper on a plate. Coat the chicken with the paprika mixture.

Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes or until it's well browned on both sides.  Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Stir the soup and green onions in the skillet and heat to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the sour cream.

Tip: Serve with a rice blend, steamed cut green beans and carrot slices. For dessert serve your favorite fruit and gelatin combination.

Nutrition Information

Using Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup: Calories 506, Total Fat 32g, Saturated Fat 17g, Cholesterol 135mg, Sodium 712mg, Total Carbohydrate 23g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein 33g, Vitamin A 36%DV, Vitamin C 5%DV, Calcium 9%DV, Iron 12%DV

Using Campbell's® Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup: Calories 475, Total Fat 28g, Saturated Fat 16g, Cholesterol 135mg, Sodium 540mg, Total Carbohydrate 23g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Protein 32g, Vitamin A 37%DV, Vitamin C 5%DV, Calcium 9%DV, Iron 12%DV

Pepperoni Alfredo

Pepperoni Alfredo

8 oz. fresh or dried fettuccini, cooked, keep warm
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
1/4 tsp. each ground nutmeg and black pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
6 to 8 oz. sliced pepperoni

Melt butter in large skillet. Stir in half-and-half, nutmeg and pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly.

Stir in cheese and cook over low heat just until melted, stirring constantly. Immediately stir in pepperoni and fettucini; toss to coat with sauce.

Bubble Pizza

Bubble Pizza

Crazy Lady's Note: I mix all the ingredients together in the pan and then top with cheese.   Ours are generally pepperoni and spicy sausage, but tasty with any of your favorite toppings.  You can also use two 8x8" baking dishes for two different kinds of pizza.  Easy Peasy.

Quick Cooking

A top-ranked food with teens, pizza can quickly quell a growling tummy! Jo Groth of Plainfield, Iowa says, "This recipe has a no-fuss crust made from refrigerated biscuits. For a jazzed-up version, add favorite toppings."

SERVINGS: 6-8

TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 25 min.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
• 2 tubes (12 ounces each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in pizza sauce. Cut each biscuit into quarters; place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with the beef mixture.

Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Lemon Cream Fettuccine

I've made this for my family many times and they love it. :)

Lemon Cream Fettuccine

rec.food.recipes/Mary Filmore/2001

1 lb fettuccine, cooked al dente

2 Tbsp Olive oil

2/3 cup onion, finely minced

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp grated lemon rind

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 Tbsp Italian parsley, minced

2 tsp fresh basil, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Mix the parsley and basil.

Heat the olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter in a sauté pan. Cut the rest of the butter into thin pats and let sit at room temperature.

Add the onions to the pan and cook slowly until they start to turn color. Add the lemon juice and raise the heat. Let about 1/3 of the lemon juice cook away. Add the lemon zest and whisk in the rest of the butter to make a creamy sauce.

Immediately pour it over the fettuccine. Sprinkle the parsley and basil over the top and serve pronto.

This is delicate and creamy, but some members of my family like to gild the lily with a little Parmesan, so I pass it in the side.

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

As if chocolate chip cookies need to be any sweeter, English toffee adds a crunchy smoothness and hazelnuts add a touch of sophistication.

1/2 C. old-fashioned oats
2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C. (packed) light brown sugar
1 C. sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 ounces English toffee candy (recommended: Heath or Skor bar), finely chopped
1 C. hazelnuts, toasted, husked, and chopped
1 (12-oz.) bag semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper. Finely chop the oats in a food processor. Transfer the oats to a medium bowl. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in the toffee, hazelnuts, and chocolate chips.

For each cookie, drop 1 rounded tablespoonful of dough onto sheet, spacing 1-inch apart (do not flatten dough). Bake until the cookies are golden (cookies will flatten slightly), about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

Editor's Note: When we made these cookies they were extremely sweet. You could easily use a 1/2 C. of brown sugar and a 1/2 C. white sugar and still have a sweet cookie.

Macaroni Grill Lemon Butter Sauce

Macaroni Grill Lemon Butter Sauce

4 ounces lemon juice
2 ounces white wine
4 ounces heavy cream
1 pound (4 sticks) butter

Heat the lemon juice and white wine in a saucepan over medium heat.

Bring to a boil and reduce by one-third. Add cream and simmer until mixture thickens (3 to 4 minutes). Slowly add butter until completely incorporated.

Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Easy Rice Additions

Easy, Cheesy Rice: Add butter and Parmesan cheese to hot, cooked rice.

Emerald Isle: Add peas and finely chopped fresh mint to hot, cooked
rice.

Baked, but not Potato: Add crumbled bacon and sour cream to hot, cooked rice.

Lemon Zinger: Add butter, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to hot,
cooked rice

How Sweet It Is: Add cinnamon, sugar and butter to hot, cooked rice.

Maui Wowi: Add crushed pineapple and green bell pepper slices to hot, cooked rice.

Sesame Treat: Add toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil and thinly sliced green onions to hot, cooked rice.

Country Bumpkin: Add cream gravy to hot, cooked rice.

Health Nut: Add toasted sunflower seeds and raisins to hot, cooked
rice.

Dracula's 'Shroom: Add mushrooms and garlic sautéed in butter to hot, cooked rice.

Gardener's Delight: Add chopped fresh basil, chopped tomatoes and
fresh corn-off-the-cob to hot, cooked rice.

Leek Freak: Add butter and cooked leeks to hot, cooked rice.
Cantonese Please: Add broccoli flowerets, sesame oil, chopped toasted peanuts or cashews to hot, cooked rice.

Pass the Parmesan, Peas: Add garlic sautéed in butter, peas and
parmesan cheese to hot, cooked rice.

Polish BBQ: Add kielbasa sausage and barbecue sauce to hot, cooked
rice.

Unkissable Crunch: Add sautéed garlic and onions, and toasted walnuts to hot, cooked rice.

Moo Goo Rice: Add sautéed mushrooms, snow peas and sliced water
chestnuts to hot, cooked rice

Mama Mia: Add tomato basil sauce, cooked zucchini and Italian sausage to hot, cooked rice. Top with parmesan cheese.

Rice Ole: Add black beans, minced red onion, chopped bell pepper,
chopped cilantro, and vinaigrette to hot, cooked rice.

Corn on the Range: Add corn and barbecue sauce to hot, cooked rice.

For Southerners Only: Add cooked okra and stewed tomatoes to hot,
cooked rice.

Porky Peas: Add crumbled bacon and peas to hot, cooked rice.

Hoppin' John: Add black-eyed peas and sliced green onions to hot,
cooked rice.

Veggy Medley: Add garbanzo beans, shredded carrots, ripe olives,
parsley, and ricotta cheese to hot, cooked rice. Top with parmesan
cheese.

Mock Apple Cobbler: Add sliced apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, chopped nuts, and vanilla yogurt to hot, cooked rice.

Rice Parmigana: Add mixed vegetables, your favorite spice or herb,
butter, and parmesan cheese to hot, cooked rice.

South of the Border: Add diced tomatoes, sliced green onions,
shredded Monterey jack cheese and chopped cilantro to hot, cooked
rice.

Hearty Rice: Add marinated artichoke hearts and grated Parmesan
cheese to hot, cooked rice.

Little Bit of Italy: Add asparagus tips, toasted pine nuts, red and
yellow peppers to hot, cooked rice. Top with Parmesan cheese.

U.S.S. Rice: Add naval orange slices, chopped red onions or
scallions, and vinaigrette dressing to hot, cooked rice.

Feeling Slightly Mexican: Add fresh avocado, tomato chunks, fresh
cilantro, and lots of lemon

Steam-it-Up: Add steamed zucchini and carrots, butter, parmesan
cheese to hot, cooked rice.

Nuts about Garlic: Add sautéed garlic and toasted pine nuts to hot,
cooked rice.

Let's Salsa: Add cooked beans, salsa and shredded cheese to hot,
cooked rice.

Trail Blazer: Add yogurt and fresh fruit to hot, cooked rice. Top
with granola.

Pooh Bear's Favorite: Add milk, raisins, a little sugar and a dash of
vanilla to hot, cooked rice. Simmer until thickened. Drizzle with
honey.

Farmer's Scramble: Add scrambled eggs, sausage and green onions to
hot, cooked rice.

Rice Cream: Add vanilla ice cream, dash of cinnamon to hot, cooked
rice.

Indian Gold: Cook rice with a pinch of saffron. Add cooked green
beans.

Tea-Time: For extra flavor, toss an herbal tea bag into the water
while rice cooks.

Beefed-Up Rice: Cook rice in beef broth. Add sautéed onions, cashews, and raisins. Top with green onions

Rice Worth Crowing About: Cook rice in chicken stock. Add sautéed
onions, mushrooms, green pepper, and toasted pine nuts.

It's Greek to Me: Cook rice in chicken broth with chopped onion and a
clove of minced garlic. Fold in feta cheese and chopped parsley.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/2 pkg graham crackers crushed
1/3 cup sugar
5 tbsp melted butter
1 cup chopped peanuts
Cake
32 oz cream cheese (good quality)
1 cup sugar
5 jumbo eggs
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
8 Reese's cups ( chopped into pieces)

Crust
Mix and pat into 10 inch springform pan and set aside.

Cake
Break eggs and heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Put to side. Cream the cheese until light. Add sugar and beat some more. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Mix in peanut butter, cream, vanilla and corn starch. Blend well. Stir in candy.
Pour mixture into crust and bake at 350 for 60 minutes. or until outside edge is firm and middle is still soft.
Keep pan of water on bottom of oven to prevent cracking while baking. When cake comes out of oven run knife around the edge to loosen. Cool for several hours then top with additional Reese's and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Honey-Chipotle Sauce

Honey-Chipotle Sauce

1 oz chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (available in cans; remainder may
be frozen)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)
4 oz honey
1 tbsp ground dry mustard
1 tsp ground cumin
4 oz fresh lime juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 oz vegetable oil

Sauce: Place all ingredients except oil in a food processor or blender.
With it running, slowly add oil until blended.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup whole corn kernels, cooked
1 cup white hominy
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
chopped green onions

In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Stir in corn, hominy, chiles, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, and chopped green onion.

Citrus Chicken and Rice

Citrus Chicken and Rice

Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 35 min.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Stock
3/4 cup orange juice
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Cook the chicken in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until it's well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Stir the stock, orange juice, onion and rice in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Return the chicken to the skillet. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked though and the rice is tender.  Stir in the parsley.

Tip:  For a special touch, cook orange slices in a nonstick skillet  over medium-high heat until they're lightly browned. Serve over the chicken.

Serves 4.

Skillet Lasagna

SKILLET LASAGNA

 

CL's Note: I have issues with ricotta so I substitute low-fat cottage cheese, run round in the blender a time or two.

 

"Any brand of curly edged lasagna noodles will work here, but do not

use no-boil lasagna noodles. If the pasta is especially dry and

brittle, you may need to add extra water to the skillet while the

pasta cooks. To make things go even quicker, you can replace the

mozzarella and Parmesan with 3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend."

 

1/2 pound lean ground beef

1/2 pound ground pork

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and ground black pepper

6 ounces curly edged lasagna noodles (8 noodles), broken into 2-inch pieces

1 (26-ounce) jar tomato sauce, such as marinara (about 3 cups)

2 cups water

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

1/4 cup minced fresh basil

 

Cook meat in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat, breaking it

into pieces with wooden spoon, until fat renders, 3-5 minutes. Mince

garlic and measure out pasta while meat cooks. Drain meat and return it to skillet.

 

Stir in garlic, pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook over

medium-high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

 

Sprinkle broken noodles into skillet, then pour in tomato sauce and

water. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain vigorous simmer, until noodles are tender, about 20 minutes.

 

Off heat, stir in half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Season

with salt and pepper. Dot heaping tablespoons of ricotta over

noodles, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and let stand off heat until cheeses melt, 3-5 minutes.

 

Sprinkle with basil before serving.

 

Serves 4

Source: The Best 30-Minute Recipe by the editors of Cook's Illustrated

Green Goddess Dressing

Green Goddess Dressing

 

1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 TB minced tarragon

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 TB fresh lemon juice

Salt and ground black pepper

 

In a food processor, combine the parsley, anchovies, garlic and

tarragon and process to a fine paste. Blend in the sour cream,

mayonnaise and lemon juice.

 

Scrape the dressing into a serving bowl and season with salt and

pepper. Refrigerate until serving time. Dressing can be refrigerated

for up to 3 days.

 

Makes: 1-1/4 cups.

 

Recipe from Todd English.

Greatest Spaghetti Sauce

Greatest Spaghetti Sauce

 

2 lbs. Ground Beef

1 lb. Jimmy Dean ground Italian sausage

1 1/2 Cups Chopped Italian sausage link

6 cloves Garlic

1/2 cup Chopped white onion

1 cup Chopped white mushrooms

1 can Stewed or diced tomatoes

2 cans Tomatoes Sauce

1 can tomatoes paste

2 tbsp. Garlic Powder

2 tbsp. Garlic pepper

2 tbsp. Spaghetti Sauce seasoning (or one packet)

2 tbsp. minced onion

2 tbsp. onion powder

2 tbsp. minced garlic

Water

Spaghetti noodles

 

Brown and drain Ground beef, garlic, onions. Set aside. Brown and

drain ground sausage. Set aside. Add to crock pot ground beef mix and sausage. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir. Cook on low heat for 6 hours. Stir every 2 hours. Add water as for desired consistency.

Boil noodles and serve. Delicious!!

Baked Chicken and Cheese

Have made something similar several times and enjoyed it. 

 

Baked Chicken and Cheese

8 boneless chicken breast halves

8 slices Swiss cheese

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups herb stuffing crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter

Few mushrooms

Green pepper

Parsley

 

Place chicken breasts in buttered 9x13-inch baking dish. Top each

with a slice of cheese.

 

Mix together the soup, milk, and sour cream. Pour over chicken and

cheese. Top with herb stuffing. Drizzle melted butter over.

 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

 

Remove foil and bake another 30 to 40 minutes.

 

Servings: 6 to 8

Mixology Monday - Strawberry Basil Mojito - Drink of the Week

Oh my gawd, does this sound GOOD.  Go click on the link and check it out.  I'm thinking strawberries, raspberries, blackberries...

Mixology Monday XXXVIII is being hosted over at the Wild Drink Blog and the theme is “Superior Twists.” The idea is add a twist to a classic cocktail that sends it over the top of cocktail goodness.Mixology Monday - Strawberry Basil Mojito - Drink of the Week, Apr 2009

You should read the whole article.

Skyy Infusions Pineapple - Drink of the Week

I found this yummy drink today:

1 1/2 parts Skyy Vodka Infusions Pineapple 1 1/2 parts fresh squeezed orange juice 1 part guava pureeSkyy Infusions Pineapple - Drink of the Week, Apr 2009

You should read the whole article (and patronize the site, they'd love you for it).

 

Thousand Island Dressing

Thousand Island Dressing

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 or 2 teaspoons dry parsley
1 teaspoon paprika
3/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Method:
Get out a pint size canning jar or clean peanut butter jar, with a
good lid. Measure all of the ingredients into the jar. Put the lid on
and shake it up until it is all smooth. Store in the fridge, makes
about 1-2/3 cup. This is especially good on wedges of iceberg
lettuce. It is also nice on submarine sandwiches.

Pasta Pizza Bake

Pasta Pizza Bake

  All the flavors of Italian sausage pizza cooked inside a pasta crust

Prep Type: Bake

Prep Time: 20

Cooking Time: 30 minutes-one hour

Makes: 8 servings (1 square each)

PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

8  ounces  dry angel hair pasta,  uncooked

1  pound  Italian sausage, casings removed

1  can (14.5 ounce)  Hunt's® Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and

Oregano, drained

1  can (6 ounces)  Hunt's® Tomato Paste

2  cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

2  eggs

2  tablespoons  grated Parmesan cheese, (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking

spray; set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, brown sausage in large nonstick skillet over medium-high

heat, stirring occasionally to crumble the sausage; drain. Stir in

diced tomatoes and the tomato paste; cook until heated through,

stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella

cheese.

2. Drain pasta; rinse under cold water. Set aside. Beat eggs lightly

in large bowl. Stir in Parmesan cheese, if desired. Add pasta; toss

to coat. Press firmly onto bottom of prepared dish. Top with the

sausage mixture; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

3. Bake 32 to 35 minutes, or until sausage mixture is heated through

and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into 8

squares to serve.

Pepperoni Pizza Salad

Pepperoni Pizza Salad

10 plum tomatoes, diced

3 medium green peppers, cut into 1" pieces

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

1 pkg. (3-1/2 oz.) sliced pepperoni

1 can (2-1/4 oz.) sliced ripe olives, drained

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup tomato juice

1/4 cup red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil OR vegetable oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

3/4 cup seasoned salad croutons

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, green peppers, cheese,

pepperoni, olives and onion.

In a small bowl, combine the tomato juice, vinegar, oil, garlic,

basil and pepper; mix well.

Pour over tomato mixture and toss to coat.

Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Just before serving,

sprinkle with croutons.

Yield: 12 to 14 servings.

Roasted Chicken with Herb Butter

Roasted Chicken with Herb Butter

Serves: 6 / Preparation time: 15 minutes / Total time: 2 hours

1 whole chicken, about 4-5 pounds

BRINE

2 gallons water

1 cup kosher salt

1 cup sugar

SEASONINGS

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 large clove garlic, pressed or crushed

2 tablespoons favorite fresh herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, parsley, tarragon), chopped

1 whole head garlic

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 medium onion, peeled, cut in half

2 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth or more as needed

Place the chicken in a large stock pot. Pour in the water and sprinkle in the kosher salt and sugar, swishing it around to dissolve. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Remove the chicken from the brine, discard the brine and rinse the chicken well inside and out under cold running water. Pat the chicken dry.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix the butter with the pressed garlic and fresh herbs. Remove loose papery skin from the head of garlic and cut off the top 1/4 inch to expose cloves. Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper to taste and place the whole garlic and onion halves in the cavity.

Gently loosen the skin of the chicken from the breast, thigh and leg, being careful not to tear it. Rub about half of the herb butter under the skin and on the flesh of the chicken.

Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outer skin and season with salt and pepper. Loosely tie the legs together and place the chicken in a shallow roasting pan. Add chicken broth to the pan.

Roast about an hour and 10 minutes, basting occasionally with the pan juices, or until just beginning to brown. Increase the heat to 400 degrees and roast another 20-25 minutes or until the skin is nicely browned and the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees.

Remove chicken from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. If desired, make a pan sauce with the drippings. Degrease the juices and set the pan over 2 burners. Add broth or wine and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Knead together 1 tablespoon flour with 1 tablespoon softened butter. Whisk the butter and flour mixture into the pan to thicken the juices.

From and tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen. Analysis includes skin. 434 calories (63% from fat), 30 grams fat (12 grams sat. fat), 0 grams carbohydrates, 38 grams protein, 116 mg sodium, 144 mg cholesterol, 25 mg calcium, 0 grams fiber.

Menu

Roast chicken

Redskin potatoes

Lemon-seasoned asparagus

Field greens salad

Pinot Grigio

Brunch Peanut Butter Muffins

Brunch Peanut Butter Muffins

Prep time 15 min
Cook Time 20 min
Servings: 12

Crisco original no stick cooking spray
Batter:
2 cups Pillsbury best all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup Crisco pure vegetable oil
Topping:
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons Pillsbury best all purpose flour
3 tablespoons Jif creamy peanut butter
Or Jif extra crunchy peanut Butter
1/8 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 400F. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with a no stick cooking spray or line with paper cups.

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.
Combine egg, milk and oil in small bowl. Add liquids to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Divide batter evenly among cups.

Combine sugar, flour, peanut butter and salt in small bowl, mixing with fork until crumbly. Divide topping over muffins. Lightly stir into muffin with knife.

Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan to rack to cool completely.

Source: Pillsbury

Margarita Cheesecake

Margarita Cheesecake

Crust
enough nonstick vegetable oil spray
1-3/4 cups plain sweet biscuit crumbs
1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine, melted
Filling
3 pkg (8 oz. each) reduced-fat cream cheese - room temperature
1-1/4 cups light sour cream
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
2-1/3 tbsp Triple Sec or other orange liqueur
2-1/2 tbsp tequila
2-3/4 tbsp fresh lime juice
4 large eggs
Topping
3/4 cup light sour cream
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp sugar
very thin lime slices, cut in half
very thin lime peel strips

Crust:  Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.  Spray 9" springform pan with 2-3/4" sides with vegetable oil spray.  Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl until blended.  Press crumbs over bottom and 1" up sides of prepared pan.  Refrigerate crust.

Filling:  Using mixer, beat cheese in large bowl until fluffy.  Beat in sour cream, then sugar, triple sec, tequila and lime juice.  Beat in eggs.  Pour filling into crust.  Bake until outside 2" are set and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 50 minutes.  Remove from oven; turn off oven.

Topping:  Whisk sour cream, lime juice and sugar in small bowl to blend.  Spread evenly over cheesecake.  Return cheesecake to hot oven.  Let stand 45 minutes or less.  Cheesecake will look very soft, but will set up when chilled.  Refrigerate cake until well chilled, up to 1 day.  Run knife around pan sides.  Remove pan sides.  Place cake on platter.  Arrange lime half-slices and peel around top edge of cheesecake.

Italian Tossed Salad

Italian Tossed Salad
Simple & Delicious
May/June 2009 issue
Page: 31

“I like to serve this salad with Italian food or with grilled steak or chicken and a baked potato. It's such a colorful, appetizing to-look-at salad.” Rita Addicks - Weimar, TX

SERVINGS: 6
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD:
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 10 min.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh cauliflowerets
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
4 cups shredded lettuce

Directions:
In a large salad bowl, combine the cauliflower, tomatoes, celery, onion and green pepper. Add the salad dressing; toss to coat. Cover and chill until serving.

Just before serving, add lettuce and toss to coat. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving:1 cup
Calories: 100, Fat:
8 g, Saturated Fat:1 g, Cholesterol:0 mg, Sodium:368 mg, Carbohydrate:7 g, Fiber:2 g, Protein:2 g
Diabetic Exchange:
1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Coconut Margarita

Coconut Margarita

1 cup ice

1 teaspoon cream of coconut, such as Coco Lopez

2 ounces pineapple juice

1 ounce tequila

2 ounces sweet and sour mix

1/2 ounce orange-flavored liqueur, such as Triple Sec

1 teaspoon shaved, toasted coconut, for rim

Place ice in a blender and add remaining ingredients except toasted

coconut. Blend for 8 seconds. To make the drink thicker, add more ice

and blend.

Dip wet rim of a large margarita glass in toasted coconut. Pour

blended mixture in the glass.

Makes 1 drink.

Rosemary Almonds

Rosemary Almonds

Source: Party Appetizers: Small Bites, Big Flavors by Tori Ritchie

 

I love sneaking Worcestershire sauce into my recipes. It's one of

those ingredients that makes people ask, 'What's in this that tastes

so good? They'll say it about these nuts, if they can stop eating

them long enough to talk.

 

1 tablespoon butter

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) whole unsalted almonds

Salt

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the garlic and rosemary and stir a few seconds until fragrant.

Add the almonds and salt to taste (be generous) and stir about 1

minute or until the almonds are well coated with butter and spices.

Pour in the Worcestershire sauce, shake the pan vigorously, then stir

the almonds until glossy, about 1 minute.

 

Pour the nuts onto a baking sheet with 5ides and place it in the

oven; bake until the nuts are toasted and fragrant about 8 minutes.

Let them cool before serving. (Nuts can be stored in an airtight

container for up to 2 days.)

 

Makes 1 1/2 cups (12 servings)

To Die For Roast Beef

To Die for Roast Beef

Serving Size: 6

1 beef roast (any kind)

1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix

1 envelope brown gravy mix

1 envelope Italian dressing mix

1/2 cup warm water

Place roast in crockpot. Mix contents of all 3 envelopes and sprinkle over roast. Pour water into the bottom of the crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours. Serve over mashed potatoes or hot buttered egg noodles.

Notes:

If you would like to cut down on the salt in this recipe, use only half an envelope of ranch salad dressing mix.

If using a chuck roast, leave out the water

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

CREAMY SUN-DRIED TOMATO DIP

4 oz. dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes

3/4 cup 5% ricotta cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/3 cup vegetable stock or water

3 tablespoons chopped black olives

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon minced garlic

In a small bowl, pour boiling water to cover over sun-dried tomatoes.

Let stand 15 minutes. Drain and chop.

In a food processor combine sun-dried tomatoes, ricotta, parsley,

stock, olives, olive oil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and garlic;

process until well combined but still chunky.

Yield: 8 Servings (Makes 1-3/4 cup)

Per serving: Calories: 111, Protein: 6 g, Sodium: 356 mg,

Cholesterol: 8 mg, Fat: 6 g, Carbohydrates: 10 g,

Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat

Adapted from source: The Best Diabetes Cookbook by Katherine E. Younker

Quick Parmesan Herb Dip

Quick Parmesan Herb Dip

1 8-ounce package cream cheese (reduced fat is fine, but not nonfat), softened

1 1-pound container sour cream (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 to 4 tablespoons minced red onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (the real stuff, not the

plastic-can variety)

1 to 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (optional)*

Salt to taste

Round loaf of bread (for a bowl)

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and

fluffy, about 1 minute.

Blend in the sour cream, then stir in the parsley, onion, garlic,

and mustard. Add the lemon juice, basil, paprika, cayenne, and

Parmesan cheese; stir.

Stir in 1 teaspoon of the Worcestershire sauce. Taste, then decide

if you want to add more. Add salt to taste. Assess the texture: If

necessary, thin it by whisking in milk a teaspoon or so at a time.

Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Serve the dip in a hollowed-out loaf of bread, with dipping

vegetables and crackers arranged in a star. Makes 3 1/2 cups of dip.

* Vegetarians can omit Worcestershire or use the vegan version.

Red Hot Fusilli

Red Hot Fusilli

Serves: 4
Serving Size: 1-cup

This lively low-saturated fat pasta dish contains lots of tomatoes and herbs and very little oil.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup freshly minced parsley
4 cups ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon oregano leaves, crushed or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
ground red pepper or cayenne pepper to taste
8 oz. uncooked fusilli pasta (4 cups cooked)
1/2 lb. cooked (or ¾ lb. raw) chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch pieces (optional)

Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Sauté garlic and parsley until golden.

Add tomatoes and spices. Cook uncovered over low heat 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Add chicken and continue cooking for 15 minutes until chicken is heated through and sauce is thick.

Cook pasta in unsalted water. Drain.

To serve, spoon sauce over pasta and sprinkle with coarsely chopped parsley. Serve hot as a main dish and cold for the next day's lunch.

Pancake Casserole

Pancake Casserole

35 min | 15 min prep

SERVES 6

1 1/2 cups Bisquick
1 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
12 slices bacon, crisp and crumbled

Grease and flour 9x13 pan.

Beat together Bisquick, sugar, eggs, milk, syrup, and 1/2 cup cheese, pour into casserole.

Bake 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes, uncovered.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon.  Bake 3-5 minutes more until cheese is melted.

Serve warm with additional warmed maple syrup, if desired.

Enchilada Chicken Pizza

Enchilada Chicken Pizza

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: 20 min.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-0/1 inch strips
• 1 cup enchilada sauce
• 1 bread shell pizza crust
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper\cooked, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper\cooked, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup onion\cooked, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbs. sliced ripe olives
• 2 oz. cotija or feta cheese
• 2 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 450° F. Combine chicken and enchilada sauce in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Cook 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked throughout. Place bread shell on a large baking sheet. Spoon enchilada chicken mixture evenly over bread shell. Top with remaining ingredients. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Per Serving: calories 208, fat 6.8g, calories from fat 29%, protein 14.3g, cholesterol 35.7mg, dietary fiber 1.1g

Black Cat

BLACK CAT

(Serves 1)

1 part Kahlua

2 1/2 parts vanilla vodka

1/4 part Sambuca

Espresso beans, for garnish

Combine Kahlua, vodka and Sambuca in a cocktail shaker filled with

ice and stir until chilled.

Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with 3 espresso beans.

Dra-Kahlua

(lol - this gets posted JUST because of the name)

DRA-KAHLUA

(Serves 1)

1 1/2 parts Kahlua

1/2 part Martell V.S. Cognac

1/2 part Hiram Walker Triple Sec

3/4 part fresh lemon juice

1/2 part simple syrup

Blood orange wedge, for garnish

Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a

chilled, half sugar-rimmed martini glass and garnish with a blood

orange wedge.

Purple Parrot Chocolate Martini

Purple Parrot Chocolate Martini

1/2 ounce Absolut

1/2 ounce Kahlua

1/4 ounce Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur

1/4 ounce Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur

1 tablespoon half and half

In a cocktail shaker, add ice. Add liquor and liqueurs in order.

Shake with ice and fine strain into a chilled martini glass.

Yield: 1 martini.

Kahlua Mayan Passion

KAHLUA MAYAN PASSION

(Serves 1)

2 parts coffee liqueur, such as Kahla

1 1/2 parts tequila Tezn

1/2 part orange liqueur, such as Hiram Walker Triple Sec

2 parts passion fruit juice

Orange twist, for garnish

Shake Kahlua, tequila, orange liqueur and passion fruit juice in a

cocktail shaker with ice, and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Garnish with an orange twist.

Quick & Easy Chicken, Broccoli & Brown Rice

Recipe courtesy of Campbell’s Soups

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 can (10 3/4 oz) Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups uncooked instant brown rice

2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets

Heat oil in 10” skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook until well browned on both sides.  Remove chicken from skillet.

Stir soup, water, paprika and black pepper in skillet.  Heat to a boil.

Stir rice and broccoli in skillet.  Reduce heat to low.  Return chicken to skillet.  Sprinkle additional paprika and black pepper over chicken.  Cover and cook 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender.

Stephanie’s Italian Pasta Salad

From a recipe card I picked up at Fresh & Easy

1/2 bottle Fresh & Easy Italian Dressing

fresh baby spinach

sliced black olives

1 cup Fresh & Easy Colby Jack cheese

1 cup grape tomatoes

1 package Fresh & Easy fussili pasta, cooked

Prepare pasta, chill completely.  In a large bowl, mix olives, tomatoes, cheese and pasta.  Drizzle dressing in as you continue to stir the ingredients. 

Can be served in several large leaves of red leaf lettuce.

Pork Loin Chops with Cinnamon Apples

Pork Loin Chops with Cinnamon Apples

Warm flavors like sage and cinnamon play up the contrast between the juicy chops and caramelized apples. Tart Granny Smiths and slightly sweeter Braeburn apples both work well for this dish.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and 3/4 cup apple mixture)

Ingredients
1  teaspoon  dried rubbed sage
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
4  (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/2  teaspoon  vegetable oil
Cooking spray
1  teaspoon  butter
4  cups  (1/2-inch) slices peeled Granny Smith apples (about 4 medium)
1  tablespoon  brown sugar
1  teaspoon  fresh lemon juice
1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
Preparation
Combine first 3 ingredients, and sprinkle over the pork. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add pork; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove the pork from pan. Cover and keep warm.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add apples and remaining ingredients, and cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Serve the apples with pork.

Nutritional Information
Calories:251 (30% from fat)
Fat:8.3g (sat 3.1g,mono 3.3g,poly 0.9g)
Protein:24.1g
Carbohydrate:20.2g
Fiber:2.3g
Cholesterol:67mg
Iron:0.9mg
Sodium:388mg
Calcium:38mg
Abby Duchin Dinces, Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2003

Applesauce Noodle Kugel

Applesauce Noodle Kugel

SUBMITTED BY: ANGCHICK  PHOTO BY: POLARBEE 

"Tender noodles are stirred with a comforting blend of margarine, sour cream, egg substitute, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, chunky applesauce, and raisins. Bake over a light sprinkling of graham cracker crumbs and top with cinnamon for a sweet treat."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PREP TIME  20 Min 
COOK TIME  1 Hr 10 Min 
READY IN  1 Hr 30 Min 

1 (16 ounce) package wide egg noodles
1 cup reduced fat margarine
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1 1/2 cups egg substitute
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 (16 ounce) jar applesauce
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Cook noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain.

In a large bowl, mix together margarine, sour cream, egg substitute, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and applesauce. Stir in noodles and raisins.

Spread graham cracker crumbs on the bottom of the prepared dish. Pour the noodle mixture over the crumbs. Sprinkle top with cinnamon.

Bake 45 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until set. Cover with foil if it browns too quickly.

Stuart Anderson’s Black Angus Cucumber Dressing

Stuart Anderson's Black Angus Cucumber Dressing

Makes: 2 cups

1 cup packed cucumber, grated
1/4 cup yellow onion, grated
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 dash Tabasco sauce
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Mix all ingredients together in a mixer on low speed for 10 minutes.
Pour into a container, cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Strawberry and Feta Salad

Strawberry and Feta Salad

   1 cup slivered almonds
   2 cloves garlic, minced
   1 teaspoon honey
   1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
   1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
   2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
   2 tablespoons brown sugar
   1 cup vegetable oil
   1 head romaine lettuce, torn
   1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
   1 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the almonds, stirring
frequently, until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and set aside.
In a bowl, prepare the dressing by whisking together the garlic,
honey, Dijon mustard, raspberry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, brown
sugar, and vegetable oil.

In a large bowl, toss together the toasted almonds, romaine
lettuce, strawberries, and feta cheese. Cover with the dressing
mixture, and toss to serve.

Garden Orzo Salad with Herb Dressing

Garden Orzo Salad with Herb Dressing

For the herb dressing:
2 lemons, zested and juiced
2 oranges, zested and juiced
1 cup cider vinegar
2 cups fresh parsley leaves
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
4 cups orzo
Salt, for water
5 ears corn, kernels removed
5 stalks celery, diced
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
2 pints cherry tomatoes
For the herb dressing:

In a food processor add lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, cider vinegar, parsley, basil. Turn on the processor and slowly add the olive oil until the mixture is blended together. Process until smooth and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

Cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To a large mixing bowl add the raw corn kernels, diced celery, seeded and diced cucumber and whole cherry tomatoes.

Once orzo is cooked, drain and rinse under cold water; drain well. Add cooled orzo to bowl and toss. Add dressing to salad and toss again. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve.

The Cheesecake Factory Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

The Cheesecake Factory Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

Salsa Verde
2 tomatillos, chopped (remove papery thin)
1 4-ounce can mild green chilies
1 green onion
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 1/4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Southwestern Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon water
3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
dash salt
dash garlic powder

Tomato Salsa
1 medium tomato
1 tablespoon minced Spanish onion
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
1/4 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 small fresh jalapeno, minced
dash salt
dash ground black pepper

Cakes
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup corn masa (corn flour)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Garnish
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Prepare salsa verde by combining all ingredients (tomatillos,
green chilies, green onion, cilantro, sugar, cumin, salt, and pepper)
in a food processor on high speed. Cover and chill.

Prepare tomato salsa by combining all ingredients (diced tomato,
onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, salt, and pepper) in a small
bowl. Cover and chill.

Prepare southwestern sauce by combining all ingredients
(mayonnaise, vinegar, water, sugar, chili powder, paprika, cayenne,
onion powder, salt, and garlic powder) in a small bowl. Cover and
chill.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the tamale cakes by chopping 1 cup of the frozen corn in a
food processor until it's coarsely pureed. Combine pureed corn with
softened butter, sugar, and salt. Blend well with electric mixer
until smooth.

Add masa and flour and blend well. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup of
frozen corn kernels by hand.

Measure 1/2 cup portions of the mixture and form it into 3-inch
wide patties with your hands. arrange the patties on a baking sheet
and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cakes are browned on the
bottom. Carefully flip all cakes with a spatula and bake for an
additional 5 to 7 minutes or until other side is browned.

While the cakes are baking, spoon a portion of the salsa verde
onto a plate or platter (you may want to heat up your plate in the
oven for a bit to help warm the sauce). You'll need to use enough
salsa verde to coat the entire plate -- it should be about 1/4-inch
deep. Arrange the tamale cakes side-by-side on the salsa verde. Spoon a dollop of sour cream onto each tamale cake. Drizzle the
southwestern sauce over the cakes in a criss-cross patter (use a
squirt bottle if you've got one -- see "Tidbits"). Spoon some tomato
salsa over the cakes, followed by the chopped avocado. Finish off the
plate by sprinkling the coarsely chopped cilantro leaves over the
top.

Serves 4

Applebee’s Chicken Cheese Tortilla Soup

Applebee's Chicken Cheese Tortilla Soup

1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 cups chicken broth
15 oz. can tomato puree (see note)
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup hot sauce - optional
1/4 cup chopped green pepper - optional
1 Tbsp. minced jalapeño pepper - optional
1 tsp. chili powder - optional
1/4 tsp. black pepper - optional
1/4 cup all-purpose flour mixed with 1/2 cup water
1 lb. cooked chicken - cubed
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
8 oz. process cheese food - cut in 1" cubes
(10) 6" corn tortillas - cut in 1/4" strips
chopped cilantro - optional, for garnish

Sauté garlic and onions in oil in large pan or Dutch oven until soft.
Add next 10 ingredients to pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and
simmer 20 minutes.

Whisk flour/water mixture into soup.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add cream, sour cream, and cheese; stir until cheese is melted.

Deep-fry tortilla strips in 350F degree oil OR spray with non-stick
cooking spray and bake in a 400 degree oven until crisp.

Sprinkle with salt if desired.

Pour soup into bowls, pile tortilla strips into a "haystack" shape on
top of the soup, garnish with cilantro.

Note: I use an 8 oz can tomato sauce and add another a can full of
chicken broth to rinse the can and make up the difference

Corn 'N' Chicken Bake

Corn 'n' Chicken Bake

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 pounds total)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 package (8 ounces) corn bread stuffing mix
1 can (8-3/4 ounces) whole-kernel corn, drained
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup (see Options)
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 9" x 13" baking dish with
nonstick cooking spray.

Place the chicken breast halves in a single layer in the baking
dish; season with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the stuffing mix, corn, water, and melted
butter; mix well and spoon over the chicken.

In the same bowl, combine the soup, milk, and parsley; mix well.
Pour over the stuffing mixture then cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 35 minutes then uncover and bake for 8 to 10 more
minutes, or until no pink remains in the chicken and the stuffing is
golden.

Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast

Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast     

(Notes following are from a review on Allrecipes.com.  Her suggestions make sense and are how I prepared the meal)    

Submitted By: Behr
Photo By: Allrecipes
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes    Ready In: 40 Minutes
Servings: 4

"Cheddar cheese and sweet apple are enclosed in sauteed chicken breasts."

INGREDIENTS:
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chopped apple
2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Italian-style dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter    1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for
garnish

DIRECTIONS:
1.    Combine apple, cheese, and bread crumbs. Set aside.
2.    Flatten chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Divide apple mixture between chicken breasts, and roll up each breast. Secure with toothpicks.
3.    Melt butter or margarine in a 7 inch skillet over medium heat. Brown stuffed chicken breasts. Add wine and 1/4 cup water. Cover. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.
4.    Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch; stir into juices in pan. Cook and stir until thickened. Pour gravy over chicken, and garnish with parsley. Serve.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2009 Allrecipes.com    Printed from Allrecipes.com 1/24/2009

It's a good base recipe, but after reading the reviews, I knew it needed kicking up a notch. So I did the following: For the stuffing, I used red delicious apples, about 3/4 C, 3 T crumbs, and 1/4 C sharp cheddar, shredded. It smelled bland. So I added about 3-4 T brown sugar, and somewhere around 1 t cinnamon. Then, I added a few dashes of my personal spice blend (which is seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, oregano, basil and a dash of thyme), and it STILL needed something. McCormick Curry Powder! A couple of dashes and it was exactly what I wanted. The smell can only be described as odd and complex. I browned them in olive oil instead of butter. Doubled liquids, I used herbed chicken bouillon in place of water, and the wine was Turning Leaf Chardonnay, 2003 Reserve. I had a handful of apple chunks and slices left over, so in the last 10 minutes of simmering, I threw these into the sauce to cook, and added a couple T of brown sugar. I removed the chicken to plates when it was done, placed the cooked apple slices on top, stirred the sauce over high heat, adding a bit more brown sugar, and the sugar began to caramelize, thickening it nicely without the need for flour. I served with baby carrots and garlic bread. The sauce was an EXCELLENT complement to the carrots, and the chicken was the perfect balance of sweet and savory. If you try this method, make SURE to use McCormick curry powder! I will definitely be making this again ... MY way!

Chicken Mozzarella

CHICKEN MOZZARELLA

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup Bisquick baking mix
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon pepper
6 Large chicken breasts, halved, skinless
2/3 cup chili sauce
¾ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 425°. Brush bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan with oil. Mix next five ingredients. Dredge chicken through mix. Arrange chicken, skin side down in pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn chicken. Spread chili sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with Mozzarella. Bake for 5 minutes more or until cheese melts.

Fettuccine and Ham Casserole

Fettuccine-and-Ham Casserole

Serves 6
Recipe By:  Cooking Light, Nov/Dec 1993, page 140

8 ounces fettuccine -- uncooked
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 pound diced lean lower-salt cooked ham
1 cup 2% low-fat milk
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese -- (4 ounces)
1/2 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese
6 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 egg whites
4 egg yolks

Break fettuccine in half. Cook according to package directions, 
omitting salt and fat. Drain well; set aside.

Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium heat  until hot. Add ham; saute 5 minutes. Combine fettuccine, ham, and  remaining ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Spoon mixture into a  shallow 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray.  Cover with aluminum foil, and chill 8 hours.

Bake, covered, at 350 deg for 45 minutes. Let stand, covered, for at least 15 minutes before  serving.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup).

Tomato Rice Soup

Time for dinner: Make your own tomato soup

By J.M. Hirsch
Associated Press

Updated: 01/15/2009 02:30:08 PM CST

A magnificent tomato and rice soup must strike a delicate balance between rich creaminess (provided by, yes, cream) and tangy savoriness (you guessed it, the tomatoes).

Let's start with the latter. Since soups like this are best during winter, a time when most of the nation is at the mercy of lousy tomatoes, this recipe uses canned tomatoes.

To intensify the flavors, the tomatoes are pressed to extract as much juice as possible, then tossed with chopped onion, olive oil and herbs, then broiled until just lightly caramelized. A little heat goes a long way in developing flavor. This mixture then is pureed with the extracted juice and spiked with a bit of balsamic vinegar.

For the cream, fat-free half-and-half was the winner. Really. The taste is exceptional, as is the creamy mouth-feel. To make this soup even healthier, you could substitute brown rice for the white, but that will take longer to cook.

CREAMY TOMATO AND RICE SOUP

Makes 6 servings.

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 1/2 cups water

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped

6 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 cup fat-free half-and-half

To cook rice: In small saucepan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce to simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until done. Remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes.

To prepare tomatoes: Meanwhile, heat oven to broil. Drain diced tomatoes by pouring them into mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Using silicone spatula, press tomatoes to extract as much juice as possible. Set juice aside. Transfer diced tomatoes to rimmed baking sheet. Add onion, garlic, basil and olive oil. Strip leaves from rosemary sprigs. Add to tomatoes and onions. Toss to coat well. Season with salt and pepper. Broil tomato mixture on center rack for 4 minutes. Gently stir. Broil for 4 minutes or until onions and tomatoes begin to brown.

To puree tomatoes: Transfer mixture to a blender. Add reserved tomato juice. Puree until smooth.

To finish soup: When rice is ready, add tomato mixture from blender. Set over medium heat. Add tomato sauce, chicken broth and balsamic vinegar. Heat until warmed through. Stir in half-and-half.

Spanish Garlic Soup

Spanish garlic soup

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Recipe by the Olive Press.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium head of garlic, cloves peeled and thinly sliced

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

8 ( 1/2-inch-thick) baguette slices

1 quart chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

4 large eggs

Salt to taste

1/2 cup packed small fresh cilantro sprigs

4 lime wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook garlic in oil in a deep, 10-inch heavy skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer garlic to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Add bread slices to skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned, about 4 minutes. Divide toasts among 4 large soup bowls.

Add broth, red pepper flakes and garlic to skillet, and bring to a simmer. Break 1 egg into a cup and slide egg into simmering stock. Repeat with remaining eggs. Poach eggs at a bare simmer until whites are firm but yolks are still runny, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer eggs with slotted spoon to toasts and season with salt. Ladle soup into bowls and top with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Per serving: 270 cal.; 8 g pro.; 8 g carb.; 23 g fat (5 sat., 14 monounsat., 4 polyunsat.); 217 mg chol.; 1093 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 76 percent calories from fat.

From: Olive: The Facts About Olive Oil from The Sacramento Bee

Fiesta Vegetable Soup

Fiesta Vegetable Soup

Serves 4

1 (10-ounce) bag frozen Fiesta vegetable blend, thawed

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (24-ounce) jar black bean and corn salsa (medium-heat)

2 (14-ounce) cans reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

(Optional side: Tortilla chips)

1. Combine Fiesta blend vegetables, beans and salsa in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in broth.

2. Bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

Comments

Taste: 4; prep: 5. Prepare in 20 minutes. Extremely simple. Sprinkle crushed chips on top.

Nutrition

240 calories, 38 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 2 g fat, 12 g protein, 1,300 mg sodium.

Source: Cook on a budget without cutting flavor by Joanie Fuson, Indystar.com

Romano Chicken

Romano Chicken

Submitted By: sal

Photo By: Lynn

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 4 Minutes

Ready In: 20 Minutes

Servings: 6

"Rollups of chicken, Swiss and Parmesan cheeses, ham and herbs - breaded and quickly cooked in the microwave."

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves -

pounded to 1/4 inch thickness

1/4 pound Swiss cheese, sliced

1/4 pound ham, sliced thin

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs

1. Place chicken breasts on a pan. Place Swiss cheese and ham slices on top and roll up, securing with toothpicks if necessary. In a small bowl combine the Parmesan cheese, paprika, garlic salt, tarragon, basil and bread crumbs. Mix together and dip rollups in mixture to coat.

2. Drizzle with melted butter and cook on High in microwave for 4 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2009 Allrecipes.com
Printed from Allrecipes.com 1/15/2009

Garlic Pita Chips

Garlic Pita Chips
Serves: 4
Serving Size: 8 chips
Take pita bread to a crunchy new level.
INGREDIENTS
2 pita breads
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350 F.
2. Using a small knife or kitchen scissors, cut along circumference of each pita bread to remove folded edge.
3. Combine oil and garlic in a bowl.
4. Brush each pita round with the oil and garlic mixture.
5. Stack the rounds and then cut into 8 wedges.
6. Arrange wedges in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until chips are golden brown.
NUTRITION INFO
Calories: 126
Fat: 5.3 g
Carbohydrates:17.8 g
Protein: 3.2 g

South-of-the-Border Chicken Bake

South-Of-The-Border Chicken Bake
1 c  sour cream
1/2 c  ricotta cheese (or creamed cottage cheese)
8 oz cream cheese,softened
3 c  coarsely chopped cooked chicken,(about 3 boneless/skinless breasts)
3 c  rice,Cooked
1 1/2 c  Monterey jack cheese -Shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup (10 -3/4 oz.)
1 can chopped green chilies,(4-oz.) drained
2    tomatoes,coarsely chopped
1/2 c  pitted black olives,drained
1/2 t  salt
1/4 t  garlic powder
1 c  coarsely corn (or tortilla) chip,Crushed

Blend together sour cream, ricotta cheese and cream cheese until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, except corn chips, to cheese mixture.

Pour into ungreased shallow 3 qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with corn chips. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
Makes 8-10 servings.