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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Lemon and Mustard

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Lemon and Mustard

 

From Lose Weight the Smart Low-Carb Way: 200 High-Flavor Recipes and a 7-Step Plan to Stay Slim Forever, pg. 169

 

Ingredients

4 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 TBS + 1 tsp. lemon juice

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

8 TBS cornmeal

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

 

Directions

Place the oven rack in the top position and preheat the oven to 450ºF.

 

In a small bowl, mix 2 teaspoons of the mustard and the lemon juice.

 

In another small bowl, lightly beat the egg and stir in the Worcestershire sauce, oil, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 teaspoons mustard.  Dip the chicken into the egg mixture.  Press each piece into the cornmeal and turn to coat both sides.  Place on a platter. 

 

Refrigerate for 10 to 60 minutes to help cornmeal mixture stick.

 

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and preheat it on the upper rack of the oven for 5 minutes.  Arrange the breasts, thickest side down, on the sheet and cook until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.  Turn and cook until the juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads 170ºF, 4 to 5 minutes.  Drizzle with the lemon-mustard sauce.

 

Makes 4 servings.

 

Per serving: 271 calories, 42g protein, 9g carbohydrates, 7g fat, 1g saturated fat, 152 mg cholesterol, 408 mg sodium, 1g fiber.

Diet Exchanges: 0 milk, 0 vegetable, 0 fruit, 1/2 bread, 6 meat, 1 fat.

 

Flavor Tips

Use 5 tablespoons cornmeal with 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.  Add 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard to the egg mixture and serve the chicken with lemon wedges instead of the lemon-mustard sauce.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Cheesy Couscous

I stumbled across the original recipe for this wonderful side dish via my husband’s Flipboard addiction.  It’s become one of our very favorite sides ever since.

The original recipe calls for pimento and fresh chive, although I’ve left that off this recipe since I’ve discovered that this is an extremely versatile recipe that can easily be adapted to fit any dish you’re making.

Disclaimer: my main reason for re-writing this recipe is to add my variations, but mainly because the actual steps of the recipe on the original site is contained within a video and that makes it difficult for someone with kids (and a cat) to prepare.  So, don’t get angry with me… I’m not stealing it nor am I claiming ownership.  I’m just claiming it’s yummy.

Cheesy Couscous

(adapted from this Food Wishes video blog)

2 tsp. olive oil

1 cup Israeli couscous

2 cups chicken broth, low sodium preferable

1/2 cup heavy cream, or fat-free half and half works well, too

3 oz sharp cheddar cheese

Salt, pepper, and other spices, to taste

1. Heat oil in skillet.  Add couscous and stir until lightly golden brown. 

2. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  Lower heat to just bubbling and stir occasionally until almost all of the broth has been absorbed. 

3. Add cream and stir until the majority of the cream has been absorbed into the couscous.  Don’t panic if it isn’t completely absorbed, it will thicken upon standing. 

4. Remove skillet from heat and add cheese.  Stir until melted.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne.

 

Variations

I’ve made this to go with many meals.  On one occasion, I used Mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning.  On another occasion (read: earlier this week), when I made this recipe, I used cheddar cheese, coconut milk in place of the half and half, and spiced it up with cumin and chipotle pepper powder. YUMMY.  

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Oven-Fried Chicken Chimichangas

Made these for dinner last night and they were extra-yummy!  I did make a couple of changes, however.  I hate 'chopped' chicken in things like this - the texture just isn't right for me, so I put a chicken in the crock pot, sprinkled it with cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper, added a little water to the bottom and cooked it all day, shredding it when I got home.  For some reason, shredded doesn't bother me as much as the chopped.  And since my husband and older child would simply *die* on the spot if there were onions OR tomatoes in their food, I opted out of the picante sauce and instead tossed the chicken with homemade taco seasoning (which I just posted) and leftover broth from the cooking.  I had originally planned on pureeing the salsa, but was entirely too lazy to do so last night.  LOL

If you'd rather not butter the tops, I have no doubt you could brush with olive oil or even spray with butter flavored Pam if you really wanted to.  I made some homemade Rice-A-Roni (posted here) to go with it.  Very simple and tasty.

Oven-Fried Chicken Chimichangas

From: Campbell's Kitchen

Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 25 minutes

Serves: 6

Here's a delicious way to enjoy chimichangas without all the mess from deep-frying...and guess what?  They actually taste better this way.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Pace® Picante Sauce

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed

1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese  (about 4 ounces)

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

6 (8-inch) flour tortillas

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

Stir the picante sauce, cumin, oregano, chicken, cheese and onions in a medium bowl.

Place about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Fold the opposite sides over the filling. Roll the tortillas up from the bottom and place them seam-side down on a baking sheet. Brush the tortilla rolls with butter.

Bake at 400°F. for 25 minutes or until they're golden brown. Serve with additional picante sauce. Garnish with cilantro.

Recipe Tips:

Tip: Substitute 2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained, for the cooked chicken.

Nutrition Information

Nutritional Values per Serving

Using Pace Picante Sauce: :

Calories 341, Total Fat 17g, Saturated Fat 8g, Cholesterol 61mg, Sodium 672mg, Total Carbohydrate 28g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein 19g, Vitamin A 10%DV, Vitamin C 2%DV, Calcium 21%DV, Iron 14%DV

Taco Seasoning Mix

From the Make-A-Mix Cookbook published a bazillion years ago. LOL  Trust me... if you saw the photos in it, you'd understand.  Still a very valuable resource, however.

For my *special* blend, I add an additional teaspoon of ancho chili powder as well as upping the oregano and cumin to 1 teaspoon each. 

Taco Seasoning

Ingredients
2 teaspoons instant minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppers
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions

Combine seasoning ingredients in a small bowl or container, package into small jar until ready for use.

To make tacos:

Brown ground beef and drain off fat. Add water and dry seasoning mixture. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 20-25 minutes. If mixture gets too thick before cooking is complete, add a small amount of water to thin. Serve on soft or hard taco shells topped with your favorite vegetables and sauce.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Creamy Herbed Chicken and Noodles

Last night’s dinner wasn’t too bad, although it seemed to be missing a bit of something. However, I’m going to post the recipe anyway. I might fiddle with it some more in the future and find that magical, missing element. We’ll see. I also doubled the recipe because one serving as it was written would not have filled Zan up by any means. So, even with it doubled, the main meal came to a little less than 600 calories. Not TOO bad for a dinner. If you don’t count the biscuits I made to go with it. LOL OH! And one change I will definitely make in the future – this would be so much better with shredded rotisserie chicken!

Creamy Herbed Chicken and Noodles

The 1500-Calorie-A-Day Cookbook, pg. 120

6 ounces dry no-yolk egg noodles

½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup (4 ounces) light cream cheese with herbs and garlic, such as Alouette

2 tablespoons fat-free milk

1 medium garlic clove, minced

3 medium green onions, chopped fine (1/3 cup)

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the noodles according to package directions, omitting any salt or fat.

Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium heat until hot, and coat the skillet with cooking spray. Cook the chicken 4 minutes or until no longer pink in the center, stirring frequently.

Drain the noodles, return them to the pot, and add the chicken and remaining ingredients, except the Parmesan cheese. Toss until the cream cheese has melted and the mixture is well blended. Sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Calories 290; total fat 6g (saturated fat 4g); protein 22g; carbohydrates 36g; fiber 2g; cholesterol 55mg; sodium 530 mg; vitamin A 2%; vitamin C 4%; calcium 15%; iron 10%

Time Shaver Tip: To save time, you can use about 1 ¼ cups cooked chicken in place of the raw chicken, using either leftovers from a rotisserie chicken or the frozen chopped variety.

Crazy Lady’s Note: You could easily add all sorts of vegetables to this making it more filling and a one-dish meal.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

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

clip_image0042

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.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

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.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

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

Thursday, June 4, 2009

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

Sunday, May 24, 2009

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.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

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.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

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.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

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.