Swirled Sherbet Dessert

Ingredients:
1 cup crushed vanilla wafers (about 30 wafers)
1/3 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 pint lemon sherbet, softened
1 pint orange sherbet, softened
Directions: In a small bowl, combine the wafer crumbs, coconut, pecans and butter; press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Arrange scoops of sherbet over crust, alternating flavors. Cut through sherbet with a knife to swirl. Cover and freeze overnight. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Swirled-Sherbet-Dessert?pmcode=TX971VH07M&_mid=201400&_rid=201400.190100.31366

Sand-Dollar Cookies

As found in the July 2009 Friend.




1 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk
3 3/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
slivered almonds
1/2 tsp cinnamon, mixed with 3 Tbsp sugar

Mix the margarine and sugar together in a mixing bowl until creamy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and milk, and mix until smooth.

In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture. Mix well.

Roll dough into small balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Dip the bottom of a drinking glass in flour, and use it to press the balls of dough into circles about 1/4 inch thick. Press five slivered almonds on each cookie so they look like sand dollars. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Bake the cookies at 375 degrees for 7 minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Sundaes

Submitted by Mallory Hayford
(REALLY GOOD! Especially for chocolate and peanute butter fans.)

1 package (3.4 ounces) cook-and-serve chocolate pudding mix
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilly extract
Vanilla ice cream
Chopped peanuts, optional

Directions:
In a saucepan, combine the pudding mix, water, corn syrup and salt. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in the peanut butter, butter and vanilla until smooth. Serve warm over ice cream. Sprinkle with peanuts if desired.

Yield: about 1-2/3 cups sauce

Chicken Pasta Primavera

Submitted by Mallory Hayford

Ready in 30 minutes or less

2 cups uncooked spiral pasta
1 pound boneless skinles chicken breasts, cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 package (16 ounces) frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, thawed
3/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet (seriously a LARGE skillet), saute chicken and garlic in butter until chicken is no longer pink. Add the vegetables and cream; cook until vegetables are tender. Drain pasta. Add the pasta, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to the skillet; cook and stil until heated through.

Yield: 4 servings.

Turtle Cheesecake

My husband is a fantastic dessert baker and this is one of my favorites that he makes.

1 3/4 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
2 tablespoons Chocolate Flavor Syrup
2 tablespoons caramel syrup or ice cream topping
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels

DIRECTIONS:

1. PREHEAT oven to 300 degrees F. Grease 9-inch springform pan.

2. COMBINE crumbs and butter in medium bowl. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of prepared pan.

3. BEAT cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk in large mixer bowl until smooth. Add sugar, eggs, lime juice and vanilla extract; beat until combined. Microwave morsels in medium, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; stir. Morsels may retain some of their shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Stir 2 cups of cheesecake batter into melted morsels; mix well. Alternately spoon batters into crust, beginning and ending with yellow batter.

4. BAKE for 1 hour 10 to 15 minutes or until edge is set and center moves slightly. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes; run knife around edge of cheesecake. Cool completely. Drizzle Nesquik™ and caramel syrup over cheesecake. Sprinkle with pecans and mini morsels. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Remove side of pan.

***The flavor of cheesecake intensifies with time, I prefer my cheesecakes about 1-2 days old, so I usually ask Ryan to make this a night or two before we're planning to eat it.

Wild Rice Chicken

(Makes 8 servings, I use 4 now and freeze 4 for later.)

2 pkgs long grain wild rice mix
8 chicken breast halves
Red Pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp butter

Cook pepper in butter in a sauce pan until pepper is tender. Continue to cook the rice per package instructions in the same sauce pan.

Meanwhile, spray frying pan with Pam and cook chicken for 10 minutes on each side.

Serve chicken and rice together. Place remaining chicken in a casserole dish sprayed with Pam. Top with remaining rice. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.

To use frozen: Thaw in fridge. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until heated through.

Speedy Layered Chicken Enchilada Pie

1 package flour tortillas for burritos (8 tortillas)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/2 cup uncooked instant rice
2 cups shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (19 oz) hot enchilada sauce
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup Thick 'n Chunky salsa
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
Reduced-fat sour cream, if desired
Chopped green onions, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch round (2-quart) glass baking dish or casserole with cooking spray. Cut 5 of the tortillas in half. Cut remaining tortillas into 2 1/2-inchwide strips.
2. In large bowl, mix chicken, rice, 1 cup of the cheese, the beans and 1 cup of the enchilada sauce.
3. Layer 4 tortilla halves in bottom of baking dish. Top with 1/4 cup enchilada sauce and half of the chicken mixture. Top with 2 tortilla halves; fill in empty spaces with 3 tortilla strips. Spoon corn over tortillas. Spread salsa over corn. Layer with 2 tortilla halves and 3 strips. Top with remaining half of chicken mixture. Continue layering with remaining 2 tortilla halves and strips, enchilada sauce, cheese and 2 tablespoons green onions.
4. Bake uncovered 35 to 45 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Cool 5 minutes. Top with sour cream and chopped green onions.

***I have found that I don't need to cut all of the tortillas, and I also don't use them all. I think it mostly depends on the size of your baking dish.

Spaghetti Diablo

One of my VERY FAVORITES!!!

2 T. olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped
2 mushrooms, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cayenne pepper (I like to add a little extra, you can put as much - or as little - as you like)
Dash of black pepper
3 c. cooked chicken, cubed
1 lb. vermicilli or spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil and cook the onion, mushrooms, and garlic until onion is tender. Add the crushed tomatoes, sauce, and seasonings. Adjust seasonings to taste. Combine sauce with chicken and pasta. Put in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

***This recipe does freeze well, just completely defrost and bake for about 25-30 minutes. :D

Vegetarian Variation: Omit Chicken, add extra mushrooms, and add one chopped zucchini to the vegetables.

Oriental Chicken Salad

6 cups Shredded cabbage and carrots
2 cups Cooked chicken, cubed
½ red onion, chopped
½ cup sliced almonds
1 can mandarin oranges
¾ cup chow mein noodles
½ - ¾ cup My aunt's poppy seed dressing

Mix. Chill. Yum!

Melt in your mouth BBQ Ribs

2 sides pork spareribs (about 6 pounds), separated
1 (28-ounce) can chunky tomato sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Place the spareribs in the bottom of a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture over the spareribs. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. (I recommend cooking on low, if possible.)

Meaty Spaghetti Sauce

I love a thick, meaty spaghetti sauce, so I came up with this sauce that is perfect for my taste buds. :)

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 t. Italian Seasonings

Cook ground beef in a large sauce pan, drain fat. Add onion and Italian seasonings and cook until onion is cooked through.

Then add:

4-6 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz crushed tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
1 t. black pepper
½ t. salt
1 bay leaf

Cover, simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.

***This freezes well, I like to make a double batch and freeze some for later. Just reheat in a crock pot or on the stove.

Vegetarian Variation: Omit ground beef, add 3 chopped mushrooms and one chopped zucchini when onions are almost cooked through.

Marinated Pork Tenderloin

This is really easy to make and is delicious everytime. One of my favorites to serve guests and everyone always loves it. It pairs very nicely with Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce, as shown in this pic.



1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons basalmic vinegar
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 (3/4 pound) pork tenderloins

Mix first 7 ingredients. Place pork in sealable bag and add marinade. Refrigerate for 6-12 hours.

Remove pork from bag, reserving marinade. Bake pork at 350 degrees until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees (about 50 minutes).

The pork, as is, was so juicy, tender, and delicious, but if desired, make gravy by heating remaining marinade to a boil. Meanwhile, blend 1 cup chicken broth and 1 tbsp flour, add to boiling marinade. Reheat to a boil while stirring frequently. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes, reduce heat to a simmer until thickened.

Mandarin Couscous Salad

One of my favorites to make for BBQs, picnics, or anytime really. ;)

1 1/3 cups water
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 cup chopped red onion
3 Tbsp cider or white vinegar
2 Tbsp olive or canola oil
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce

Place water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover and remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

In a bowl, combine the oranges, peas, almonds, onion and couscous. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, and hot pepper sauce; shake well. Pour dressing over couscous mixture; toss to coat.

Yeilds 7 servings

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (3/4 cup) equals 221 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 108 mg sodium, 31 carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 6 g protein.

Diabetic exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 1/2 fat, 1/2 fruit.

*** What is couscous? For the answer, click here. You can find it in the bulk section at Winco and also on the pasta/rice aisle at any grocery store. It cooks super fast and is a great alternative to rice or pasta as a side dish. :)

Lentil Soup

This soup is DELICIOUS! My husband's mom always makes Lentil Soup for New Year's; it's a tradition and it's supposed to bring you good financial success during the new year. Whether you believe stuff like that or not, this is a great soup to eat, so why not try it next New Year? I also like to make it around Easter.

10 cups water
1 lb lentils
8 bacon slices
2 cups chopped leek
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped carrot
½ cup chopped red pepper
1 can v8 vegetable juice *or 16 oz tomato juice
2 cups chopped ham
4T oil
4 T flour
1 ½ can condensed chicken broth
2 t salt
4 T vinegar
2 bay leaves
1 t pepper
pinch of thyme

Put water and lentils in crockpot. Simmer for 3-4 hours.

Cut bacon into small pieces; sauté in large skillet until crisp. Add to bacon in skillet: leek, onion, carrot, pepper, and ham. Saute over low heat 5 minutes. Combine with lentils in crock pot. Add vegetable juice to crock pot.

Put oil in skillet, stir in flour until smooth, then gradually stir in broth. Add salt, vinegar, pepper, bay leaves, and thyme and bring to boiling point, stirring. Pour into lentils; simmer for 30 minutes.

*** You can make this on the stove, I just usually make it in the crock pot.

**** Also, this freezes well. Just defrost and heat on the stove or in a crock pot.

Italian Skillet Supper

3 cups uncooked spiral pasta
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese


Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Drain the pasta; mix with meat mixture and half of cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Hawaiian Haystacks

I am always surprised when I hear that someone isn't familiar with this - it is such a great meal and perfect when you have a group or picky eaters because people just put on what they want and everyone's happy. :)


2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 - 1 1/2 cups milk, depends on how thick/thin you want it
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
Garlic salt and pepper to taste

Heat soup and milk, make sure it's blended well. Add chicken and season to taste.

Cooked white rice
Chowmein Noodles
Shredded Cheese
chopped onions
chopped peppers
sliced olives
sliced celery
sliced almonds
coconut
mandarin oranges
pineapple tidbits
diced tomatoes

Spread some rice on your plate, top with chowmein noodles and chicken gravy, add whichever toppings you like!

Teriyaki Chicken

5 to 6 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, thighs or mixture of both
(if you have a small family or a small crock pot you can cut this recipe in half, or even 1/3 easily)

For the sauce mix the following in a bowl
1 1/2 C brown sugar
1 1/2 C soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger (fresh grated ginger works great if you have it as well) or to taste
3 to 4 cloves fresh garlic (chopped) or to taste (you can use garlic powder, dried garlic or another equivalent, but fresh is best)
4 1/2 T white vinegar (rice vinegar if you have it works also)
1/4 C sesame oil (you can substitute olive oil if you don't have sesame oil)

Stir the sauce well and pour over the chicken in the crock pot. I just put the chicken in still frozen unless I am in a hurry. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours or until done. Use a fork to shred the chicken and stir it into the sauce. Serve over the rice of your choice. Enjoy!

This recipe will easily feed our family of 8 twice. We often freeze the leftover chicken and save it for a day when we don't feel like cooking. It is also a great recipe to use for when we are having another family over for dinner. If you only want enough to feed five or six people, you can use the following measurements and a smaller crock pot.

2 lbs boneless chicken

For the Sauce:

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 to 2 cloves fresh garlic

1 1/2 T white vinegar

2 T sesame oil

Shrimp Alfredo

3 Cups of Heavy Cream (you can substitute half and half for a healthier version, but we like it with the Cream)
1 1/2 sticks of butter
3 Tbsp. Cream Cheese
¾ to 1 C. Parmesan cheese (we get the fresh grated kind, but powdered works too)
1 tsp. Garlic powder or you can use fresh chopped garlic to taste
½ to 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (I buy the easy peel kind, so I don’t have to mess with deveining and the shell peels right off)
2 T additional butter
Minced Garlic to taste
1 lb pasta of your choice

Preparation: In a medium saucepan combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Simmer this until all is melted, and mixed well. Add the Parmesan cheese and Garlic powder (or fresh garlic if you so desire). Simmer this for 10 minutes on medium, stirring as needed. The sauce will thicken and expand, so be careful not to let it boil over. You may wish to season with a little salt and pepper. While the sauce is simmering, melt the 2 T additional butter in a pan. Saute the minced garlic in the butter, and then add the raw, peeled shrimp. Cook the shrimp in the butter until the Shrimp is pink and curls into nice little rounds. Add the shrimp mixture to the Alfredo sauce and stir well. Serve over the pasta of your choice. This recipe serves 8. You can easily cut it in half or even 2/3 for a smaller group of people. The sauce without the shrimp added is also great if you are not a seafood fan. Just leave the steps where you cook the shrimp in butter and garlic out. Enjoy!

Chicken and Broccoli Lo Mein

1 lb thin spaghetti noodles (I prefer angel hair but any spaghetti will work in a pinch)
1 T sesame oil (olive oil will work, but sesame really brings out the asian flavor)
extra sesame oil for cooking
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or you could alternatively use chicken thighs if you wanted to)
1 small to medium onion sliced thin
1 lb package frozen chopped broccoli (or an equivalent amount of fresh)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground ginger (fresh is fine too)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth (I use bullion to make the broth)
1/3 cup brown sugar

Cook the spaghetti noodles in salted water. When they are done, drain and add the Tablespoon of Sesame oil to them and toss to coat the noodles evenly. Set aside. Coat the bottom of a large pan or wok with sesame oil and heat. When the pan is hot add the broccoli and the onion and stir fry for about three minutes. Next add the ginger and garlic, and the meat. Cook (stirring often) until the chicken is cooked through. In a separate dish mix the soy sauce, broth and brown sugar. Once your chicken is cooked through add the noodles to the pan, and pour the sauce mixture over the top. Stir and cook until everything is heated through and the sauce and veggies are evenly distributed. If your pan is too small to take everything at once you can cook half the noodles with half the veggies and half the sauce at a time. That is what I used to do before I got my wok. This recipe will serve 8. You can cut it in half for a smaller family. If you would rather make this with beef you can substitute steak for the chicken and beef broth for the chicken broth. We just like it with chicken better. All of my kids (even the picky ones) love this recipe. It has become our replacement for a quick spaghetti dinner.

Simple Stroghanoff

This is my favorite way to make stroghanoff. I had previously always made this recipe with steak, but in these times of economic uncertainty I decided to try it using ground meat, and it turned out great. I even cut down the amount of meat and only used about 1/3 of a pound, and it still fed seven of us and we didn't feel we were missing out on meat. The best thing about this recipe is that it only takes about 20 minutes to make.
On to the recipe...Ingredients:
1 lb of egg noodles (of course you can use any kind of pasta you want, and I won't tell!)
a little butter or margarine
about 12 oz of steak, sliced into thin strips (or substitute anywhere from 1/3 lb to 3/4 lb of ground meat)
2 cups of water
1 package of onion soup mix
1 1/2 cups of sour cream
4 Tablespoons of flour
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Start out by cooking the pasta according to package directions in lightly salted water. (I do this on one burner while cooking the rest of the recipe on another.) When they are done, drain them and toss a tablespoon of butter or margarine in with the noodles, stirring to coat them so they won't stick. In a large pan cook the meat until it is browned and done to your liking. If you are using steak I recommend cooking it until it is almost cooked through the center of each piece. (It will continue cooking in the gravy as well, so if you cook it really thouroughly it may end up tough). Add two cups of water directly to the meat, then add the onion soup mix and stir well. In a small bowl mix the sour cream and the flour and stir until well combined. Add this to the meat mixture and stir until it begins to thicken. Open the can of mushroom soup and add directly to the pan, stirring well. If you want to you can thin the gravy with a little milk or water, but we like it pretty thick here. Serve the gravy over the noodles and enjoy!

Ham and Pineapple Kabobs

3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
3/4 pound cooked ham, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 (15 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
skewers

Preheat grill for high heat.

In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, vinegar, vegetable oil, and mustard. Thread ham and pineapple chunks alternately onto skewers.

Lightly oil grill grate. Place skewers on the prepared grill, and brush liberally with the brown sugar mixture. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently and basting often. Serve when heated through and richly glazed.

*** Great with onion and green pepper, too.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I can't take credit for this one either. My friend shared the recipe with me and it has become one of our favorites!

1 quart stewed tomatoes (I buy diced tomatoes with onions and peppers)
1 qt water
3 tsp chicken boullion
1 tsp chili powder
salt to taste
chicken (No exact amount, just however much you want)
Frozen corn (Again, however much you want)

Liquify tomatoes in blender. Add the other ingredients to a large soup pan. Simmer on low heat until hot. Add whatever condiments you like:

corn chips or tortilla chips
avocado
tomato
cheese
green onion

*** I sometimes make a large batch and freeze some of it for later. Just reheat on the stove or in a crockpot.

Chicken Potpie

2 cups diced peeled potatoes
1 3/4 cups sliced carrots
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup butter
3/4 - 1 cup flour - The original recipe called for 1 cup, but I found that to be a little too much.
1 3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
Pastry for two double-crust pies (9 inches)

Place potatoes and carrots in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until crips-tender. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, thyme, and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken, peas, corn, potatoes, and carots; remove from heat.

Line two 9 inch pie plates with bottom pastry; trim pastry even with edge. Fill with chicken mixture. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pies. Cut slits or decorative cutouts in pastry. Place over filling; trim, seal, and flute edges.
Bake one potpie at 425 degrees for 35 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Cover and freeze remaning potpie for up to 3 months.

To use frozen potpie: Shield frozen pie crust edges with foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350, bake 70-80 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown.

Chicken Neapolitan

8 boneless skinless chicken breast (4 oz each) - I used a 2.5 lb bag of frozen chicken breasts (defrosted) and cut the largest pieces in half so that I had 8 pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
(1 pound mushrooms, quartered) - I left these out because we don't particularly like mushrooms.
2 cans (10-3/4 oz each) condensed tomato bisque soup, undiluted - I used regular condensed tomato soup because I couldn't find the bisque
3/4 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Hot cooked rice or egg noodles
Sliced ripe olives and minced fresh parsley to garnish, optional

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, cook chicken, uncovered, over medium-high heat in oil for 8-9 minutes. Turn chicken, add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook 8 minutes longer or until chicken juices run clear.
Using a slotted spoon, remove four chicken breasts and half of the vegetables to a greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oup, broth, basil, and oregano; pour half over chicken in the skillet. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until heated through. Serve over noodles or rice. Garnish with olives and parsley, if desired.
Pour remaining soup mixture over chicken in baking dish. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.

To use frozen chicken: Thaw in the fridge overnight. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until heated through. Serve over noodles or rice. Garnish with olives and parsley, if desired.


***I'm thinking about experimenting with this to bake instead of cook on the stovetop. I may try sauting the vegetables first in just a little oil - probably 1 Tbsp, and adding them to the sauce, then pouring the sauce over raw chicken breasts in a baking pan and baking at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Cookie Recipe

Submitted by Holly Breeden. She says, "I got a good semi-healthy cookie recipe from this website: http://www.101cookbooks.com. It turned out pretty good and my kids liked it!"

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm - so it isn't solid (or alternately, olive oil)
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 - 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.

In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips.The dough is a bit looser than a standard cookie dough, don't worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes. I baked these as long as possible without burning the bottoms and they were perfect - just shy of 15 minutes seems to be about right in my oven.

Makes about 3 dozen bite-sized cookies

Grilled Salmon

Submitted by Holly Breeden

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
lemon pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat grill for medium heat.

Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade.

Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Cheeseburger Soup

I get lots of recipe requests for this one...

1/2 lb ground beef
1 T. olive oil
3/4 c. chopped onion
3/4 c. sliced celery
3/4 c. chopped carrots
1 T. parsley flakes
3 c. chicken broth
4 c. diced potatoes
Pepper to taste
3 T. butter
1 1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. flour
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c. sour cream

Brown beef, drain and set aside. In same pan, saute onion, celery, carrots, and parsley in 1 T. olive oil. Cook until veggies are tender (about 10 minutes). Add broth, potatoes, pepper, and cooked beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce. Cook until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile in a small saucepan, place 3 T. butter and flour. Blend. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Heat until thick. Add to large pot once the potatoes are done.

Put cheese in soup and once cheese is melted, remove from heat. Blend in sour cream. Enjoy!

***I often make a double batch and freeze half for a later day. Just defrost and warm on the stove or in a crockpot.

Vegetarian Variation: Omit ground beef. Add broccoli. Substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.

Bourbon Street Chicken

I cannot take credit for this one. A friend shared the recipe with me awhile ago. But it's so good, I need to share with others!

2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs. olive oil (for frying)
4 Tbs. cornstarch

Sauce
1 garlic clove (minced)
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce

Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, and lightly dust with cornstarch. I used a gallon ziplock baggie. Just toss chicken and cornstarch together. Heat oil in your wok or frying pan and fry chicken until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

In a separate bowl combine all sauce ingredients. Pour into wok or frying pan and bring to a boil. Add chicken back to the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Banana Bread

This is my FAVORITE banana bread recipe!

2 large old bananas
½ tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp. Salt
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup egg substitute
½ cup applesauce

Mash bananas in a small bowl and stir in soda. Let sit. Mix all other ingredients in another bowl. Add banana mixture. Spray bottom of bread pan with nonstick spray. Pour mixture in. Bake at 350 degrees for about 70 minutes. Makes 1 loaf.

Variation: (Inspired by my friend Heather G.) Add about 1 cup of chopped strawberries to the batter for a yummy change! Might have to bake a little longer, I think I added 10 minutes to my baking time and it came out perfect. Try it with other fruits, too! :)

Baked Beans with Pineapple

· 5 or 6 strips of turkey bacon, chopped
· ½ medium onion, chopped
· 28oz can baked beans (I used Van Camp’s Homestyle baked beans – 99% fat free and cholesterol free)
· 8 oz crushed pineapple, drained
· 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
· 1/4 cup ketchup

In a skillet, cook turkey bacon over medium heat until almost crisp. Add onion and saute until tender.

In a bowl, combine the beans, pineapple, bacon and onion. Combine brown sugar and ketchup; stir into the bean mixture.

Transfer to a greased baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 25-35 minutes longer or until bubbly and beans reach desired thickness

Baked French Toast Casserole

This is similar to the Baked Apple French Toast, but without the apple. It's a little more involved but it is tasty.

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Baked Apple French Toast

This is a favorite to have on Christmas morning. I make it up the day before and just have to pop it in the oven when we get up. Delicious!!!

· 20 slices French bread (1 inch thick)
· 1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
· 8 eggs
· 2 cups milk
· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
· 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
· TOPPING:
· 1 cup packed brown sugar
· 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
· 1 cup chopped pecans

Arrange 10 slices of bread in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Spread with pie filling; top with remaining bread. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Meanwhile, place brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over French toast.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Yield: 10 servings

***I've never fit 10 slices of bread in the pan, but it depends on the diameter of the bread.

My Aunt's Awesome Salad

This salad is terrific, but it's really the dressing that makes it "awesome". I will often use the dressing on other salads as well.

Spinach Salad
(Makes about 12 servings)

1 head lettuce (chopped)
1 lb. Baby spinach leaves
½ red onion thinly sliced
8 oz grated swiss cheese
8 oz dry curd cottage cheese
¾ cup bacon bits (the soft type)
¾ cup sliced almonds

craisins optional

Toss together above ingredients in large bowl. Chill until ready to serve.


Poppy Seed Dressing

¾ cup vegetable or canola oil
1/3 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
¾ tsp. Poppy seeds
1 tsp prepared mustard
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp grated red onion (optional)
¾ tsp salt

Blend above ingredients really well in a blender. Refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving. Keeps for a long time in the fridge, but may separate over a longer period of time and need to be reblended.

Makes enough for at least one batch of salad.

***You can toss the dressing with the salad just before serving, but if there is leftover salad, it will become soggy. I usually serve the dressing on the side.

Angie Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1/2 cube butter
1 pkg dry Italian seasoning
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Cut uncooked chicken into chunks, place in crockpot with butter and Italian seasoning. Cook on high for 3 hours.

Shred up the chicken a little, as much as desired. Add remaining ingredients and cook an additional 30 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

My family has never been crazy about asparagus but in an attempt to find new ways to get my family to eat more green vegetables, I searched for tasty recipes for asparagus with hopes that we would somehow learn to actually like it. After many failed attempts, I finally came across this recipe, which we all LOVE! Acadia will go back for THIRDS and it's usually her favorite part of the meal! Plus, it's super quick and easy! :)

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray, and season with salt and pepper.
Bake asparagus 5-6 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Pour over the baked asparagus to serve.

Chicken Manicotti

garlic powder
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
14 manicotti shells
1 jar spaghetti sauce, divided
1 pound Italian sausage cooked and drained
1 can olives, sliced
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup water

Cut chicken into long, thin strips; sprinkle with garlic powder. Stuff chicken into the manicotti shells. Spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce in greased baking dish.

Place stuffed manicotti shells in each dish. Sprinkle with sausage and olives. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cheese.

Drizzle water around the edge of dish. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 65-70 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and pasta is tender.


*** I like to double the recipe and freeze a batch for later. To use frozen casserole: Thaw in fridge. Let stand at room temp for 30 minutes. Bake as directed.