Baked Italian Chicken

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Mayonnaise or plain Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 teaspoons Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

Mi together mayo (or yogurt) and cheese. Lay chicken breasts on baking sheet and spread mixture evenly over each piece of chicken. Then evenly sprinkle bread crumbs on top. (I did this for both sides of the chicken although the original recipe did not call for that.)


Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly and juices run clear. Tops will be browned and chicken will be incredibly juicy. Season with a dash of salt and pepper.

Black-eyed Pea Stew

We recently went to a finger food supper and someone brought this delicious soup! I knew I had to get this receipe from the man who brought it....it is definitely a keeper!

1 package (16 ounces) smoked sausage links, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 cans (15 ounces each) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1-1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed

In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

Stir in the peas, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth and seasonings.

Cook and stir for 10-12 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Stir in corn; cook 5 minutes longer or until heated through.

Southwest Chicken Wrap

This is a family favorite. They are so yummy!

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS:
Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: on some of the wraps, I dotted the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center – it made the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.

Salsa Chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
1 cup salsa
1 package taco seasoning
1 cup sour cream

Before serving add: cilantro, a little shredded cheddar-jack, black beans and scallion on top


Put chicken, soup, and salsa in slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over everything. Cook on low for 6 hours. If shredding the chicken, pull the breasts out and shred; return back to slow cooker. Stir in sour cream and heat just until everything is combined

Buffalo Chicken Wontons

1-2 chicken breasts
1/2-1C water or chicken broth
1 package wonton wrappers, room temperature
1/4-1/3C buffalo sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot)
Chunky blue cheese dressing
Celery slices for dipping

**Note: Wonton wrappers should be removed from refrigerator 20-30 minutes prior to filling and frying to bring to room temperature. Cold wrappers break easily.

Instructions:
Prepare chicken by removing any fat and pounding down meat into an even thickness. A meat tenderizer or rolling pin can be used for this. Quick method: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken breast and at least 1/2 cup water or chicken broth to pan. Cover, reduce heat to medium low. Let cook on each side for 3-4 minutes before flipping. Add more liquid if needed. Long method: In a slow cooker; add chicken and 1 cup water or chicken broth. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4.

Shred meat with forks. Don’t worry if it isn’t 100% cooked to your liking, just as long as it’s no longer pink. Transfer shredded meat to a medium bowl.

Add 1/4 cup buffalo sauce to shredded chicken. Toss to coat. Drizzle with more buffalo sauce as desired. Depending on the size of your chicken and how much you use, amounts on sauce and liquid may vary slightly … or based on personal preference.

In a deep fryer or large skillet, heat oil to roughly 350 degrees.

Lightly dampen one side of a wonton wrapper. Add a 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp of shredded meat just above the center and towards one wrapper corner. Fold wrapper in half to form a triangle. Wet seams to seal. Repeat until you have used up all of the shredded meat. If not frying immediately, cover prepared wontons with a damp paper towel to keep moist.

When oil is hot, fry wontons for 2-3 minutes total flipping half way through. Carefully remove and transfer to a paper towel lined tray or plate to drain and cool slightly. How many you can fry at a time will depend on the size of your deep fryer or pan. Don’t over crowd them.

Serve with chunky blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.

Recipe: Link

Pesto Fettuccine

1 pound fettuccine, linguine or spaghetti
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 (6 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
18 cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup prepared pesto

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, melt butter in vegetable oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned and firm to touch, about 5 minutes per side.

Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Discard all but 1 Tbsp. fat from skillet.

Add tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Cut chicken into chunks.

Ladle off 1 cup pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add chicken, tomatoes and reserved pasta water. Stir in pesto and mix well until ingredients are coated.

PW's Lasagna

Several people have mentioned this recipe so I thought I would give it try myself. It is delicious!

1-1/2 pound Ground Beef
1 pound Hot Breakfast Sausage
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes
2 cans (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste
2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
2 Tablespoons Dried Basil
1 teaspoon Salt
3 cups Lowfat Cottage Cheese
2 whole Beaten Eggs
1/2 cup Grated (not Shredded) Parmesan Cheese
2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
1 teaspoon Salt
1 pound Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
1 package (10 Ounce) Lasagna Noodles
(add 1/2 Teaspoon Salt And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil To Pasta Water)
Preparation Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps.

In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna until “al dente” (not overly cooked).

To assemble:
Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top.

Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.

Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.

***Recipe Posted by Ree

Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

In slow cooker add:

1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
10 oz. cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 cup broth
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

Stir it all together right in your slow cooker.

Add 6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (I chopped mine into large chunks)

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or slow cook all day.

Serve over whole wheat egg noodles or fettuccine.



*Recipe adapted from Clover Lane

Southwestern Club Wrap

Photo and recipe courtesy of Family Fun

4 to 6 large flour tortillas (we use whole wheat)
3/4 cup ranch dressing
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, very thinly sliced
1/2 pound pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
1 cup pitted black olives, chopped (optional)
1 cup red bell peppers, chopped
1/2 pound smoked or buffalo-style turkey, thinly sliced
Handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered


Heat the oven to 250° F. Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and warm them in the oven for about 10 minutes to soften. This will make them easier to roll. Alternately, heat each tortilla in the microwave for 10 seconds.

Make the sauce by combining the ranch dressing and barbecue sauce in a small bowl and stir until blended.

Working with one wrapper at a time, layer each ingredient on half of the tortilla. Start with a bit of sauce (there'll be plenty left to serve on the side as well), then add the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, avocado, olives, and peppers, using as much of each as you like. End with a piece of the turkey. Fold in each side of the tortilla and begin rolling the wrap from the end with the filling. Tuck in the filling as you roll.

Slice each sandwich in the center, on the bias, with a sharp serrated knife and serve (with the extra sauce in a bowl). Makes 4 to 6 wraps.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Combine the following ingredients in shallow baking dish or large ziploc bag.

1/2 c soy sauce
2 T brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 c orange juice
1 tsp ground ginger

Add pork tenderloin. Cover (or seal bag) and refrigerate for 8 hours, turning pork often.


Grill until done.

Monterey Chicken

boneless, skinless chicken breast
BBQ sauce
2 slices of well crisped bacon per chicken breast
Monterey and cheddar cheese mixture
salt and pepper to taste


Pound chicken breast until it is somewhat flat. Season with salt and pepper. Either grill chicken or spray Pam in nonstick skillet and cook on stove top until done.

Top chicken with BBQ sauce, bacon, and cheese. Broil chicken in oven only until cheese has melted.

Sprinkle small amount of cold chopped tomato and chives before serving.

Serves 1

Chicken Tetrazzini

Photo:  Taste of Home

1 package (7 ounces) spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces

2 cups cubed cooked chicken (or you could use turkey)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans (4 ounces each) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Additional shredded cheddar cheese, optional


Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. Transfer to a large bowl; add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spoon into a greased 2-1/2-qt. casserole; sprinkle with cheese if desired. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 40-45 minutes or until heated through.

 Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Spinach and Cheese Lasagna Roll-ups

15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen spinach

1 egg
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb. lasagna noodles
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Combine ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, Parmesan, salt & pepper. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water until done.

Spread with spinach mixture and roll up.

Place seam-side down in 9×13 in. baking dish. Top with tomato sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 min.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) cans green chili enchilada sauce
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce

1 can large black olives, cut in half
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
16-20 oz. penne pasta (Depending on how "saucy" you want the pasta)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent.

Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until pepper is barely tender.
Add the cooked chicken, green chilies, spices, enchilada sauces and olives.

Let the sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes.

Add the sour cream and cheese and heat through, until the cheese is melted (but don't boil!).

Pour the sauce over the hot pasta. Garnish with extra sour cream, cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions or crushed tortilla chips.

Creamy White Chicken Chili

This is a delicious soup that I know you will enjoy! The flavors compliment each other so well and it has just the right amount of kick to it!


I have to tell this funny story.... I told my husband that I was making a new chili recipe called White Chicken Chili. He immediately turned his nose up at the thought of me changing from our traditional chili! So in addition to my new recipe, I also made him a pot of regular chili.

Well, after tasting the soup, I knew Scot would love it so I told him that he just HAD to try it. I gave him a bite and LOVED it. He fixed himself a bowl (or two) and never even ate a bowl of his beloved chili!



1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon oil
3 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chicken broth
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream.

Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.

Easy Beef Tips

This is such an easy and delicious meal. Just put the meat in the crock pot and let cook all day.

1 can French Onion soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat

Serve over rice.

Isn't it so nice to put something in the crock pot in the mornings and forget about it? For me there are just those days when you need to be able to have supper on the table quick. This is one of those meals. All you have to do is cook your rice and veggies, then you have quick 10 minute meal! So simple!

Broccoli and Chicken Casserole

My mom makes this simple dish and my kids love it!

1 lg pkg broccoli, cooked
2 cup rice, cooked
chicken, cooked and shredded
1 can of cream of mushroom soup *


Mix all ingredients together. Pour into baking dish and top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes.

*you can use cream of broccoli, chicken, or mushroom

Spicy Chicken Breasts

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can Rotel tomatoes

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup uncooked rice
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a medium bowl combine the rotel, soup, rice, salt and pepper. Mix well. If necessary, add a little water.

Place chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour sauce mixture over chicken. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes, until rice is tender.

Mexican Meat Mixture

This meat mixture is perfect for all the various Mexican dishes (tacos, burritos, etc). I have also used it in a variety of other Mexican dishes including Enchilada Casserole and Mexican Pizza. It is fun just to add variety to the same ol' dishes.

ground beef
onion
taco seasoning
cumin
garlic
black beans (drained)
sour cream
picante sauce (salsa)

Brown hamburger meat and onion. Drain. Add taco seasoning (mixed with small amount of water), cumin, and garlic. Mix well.

Add drained black beans, sour cream, and picante sauce. Mix well. Simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes or until heated thoroughly.

If you want to add some heat, finely chop a jalapeno and add to mixture OR use the hot picante sauce.

Chicken Delight

Recently, I found a great blog named Fly Through My Window. I love the variety of things she talks about on her blog from decorating to kids to sewing to cooking.

Recently, she shared this yummy recipe. It is super simple summer recipe. Go check out Darby's Chicken Delight - she shares fantastic step-by-step pictures and instructions!

Here is an overview:

Make individual serving packets by placing the following ingredients on a large square aluminum foil sheet.

Chicken breast
squash
zucchini
marinara sauce
mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

Close foil carefully allowing enough room at the top so the cheese doesn't stick to your foil! Place in baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes.