Parmesan Crusted Chicken*

* Can also use pork chops if desired.

In a small mixing bowl, mix the following ingredients:
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup italian bread crumbs
2 TBSP chopped parsley
1 tsp minced garlic
2 TBSP olive oil

Line a 9''x13'' pan with chicken breasts (6-8) or pork chops. Sprinkle pepper and salt over chicken. Then sprinkle cheese/breadcrumb mixture evenly over the chicken. Press mixture lightly over chicken.

Bake in a 400 degree oven, uncovered for about 30-45 minutes.

Freezer Meal Option: Mix ingredients and place in a disposable pan. Thaw an cook another day! I like to get all the ingredients, make 2-3 batches at once which saves me time later!

Summer Seasoned Pork Chops and Baked Corn

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a med. bowl combine:
3 Cups Corn
2 Cups cream-style corn
2 Cups cracker crumbs
1 Cup onion, diced
1/2 Cup evaporated milk
1/2 Cup liquid egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Once combined, Spray a 9x9 square pan (or similar casserole dish) with cooking spray. Add corn mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover. Stir and bake an additional 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

While the corn is baking, add the following to a small bowl and combine:
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp (or more depending on taste preference) cayenne pepper
Once mixed, pour on a plate - will use to coat pork chops.

Heat a saute pan or electric skillet to med. heat. Or use grill.
Take 2 TBSP oil and rub on both sides of 6 pork chops. Then dip pork chops into seasoning mixture. Place in saute pan and cook about 5-7 minutes per side.

Time saver tip: Make a double batch and freeze to cook later!

No Bake Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter or 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened.

Start timing when mixture reaches a full rolling boil; this is the trick to successful cookies. If you boil too long the cookies will be dry and crumbly. If you don't boil long enough, the cookies won't form properly.

Sloppy Johns

1 1/2 cups of rice
2 cups of water
1 chicken bullion cube
Taco seasoning
Tomatoes - fresh is best
Part of a Bell pepper
Can of shredded chicken (We have the Costco kind)
Black beans

Hamburger buns

• Start cooking rice - rice, water, chicken bullion cube.
• When the rice starts to boil, or at least get going, start cutting up tomatoes into cubes and toss them in.
  
• When you have some tomatoes in there, add the taco seasoning.
• Keep adding tomatoes until you think you have enough, chop up the pepper and toss it in.
• Important: At this step, if you have the rice nearly done, and the Stake President calls and says he is pulling up to the house, take the pan off the heat so the rice on the bottom doesn't burn...
• When the rice is cooked, remove the pot from heat, add the chicken and beans, stir until well mixed.
• Serve inside hamburger buns
  

Fried Pot Roast

First step - have a pot roast dinner - meat, potatoes, carrots, whatever you like in your dinner. Make enough for leftovers.
Second step - Save the leftovers in the fridge.
Third step - Heat up a frying pan, add some butter
Forth step - slice up your leftovers, fry them up in your pan. Add a little salt and a little pepper.

Reviews were pretty favorable...

Crispy chicken tacos

flour tortillas (we used the 'cook it yourself' tortillas from Costco)
breaded chicken strips - I was going to make a crushed tortilla breading, but the chicken strips we have from Maceys already had a breading on it, so I went with it
cole slaw
cucumber - cut into little spears

Fry breaded chicken strips until golden brown. Slice chicken rstrips into smaller pieces, long and skinny is ok. Holding tortilla in taco shape add chicken, then cucumbers, then coleslaw, and a little more chicken on top. This of course assumes that your flour tortilla is big enough to hold all that stuff.

Cole Slaw

Cabbage - green cabbage and possibly a little red cabbage, if you want.
Chopped green onion
Shredded carrot (optional)

Sauce
Mayo or Miracle Whip - use a little less than you think you will need, or your slaw will be very wet
Salt
Pepper
Celery seed
small spoon of sugar - add more or less to taste. more makes it sweeter, less gives it more kick
vinegar - enough to mix in to the stuff

Mix sauce in small bowl by adding everything but the vinegar, getting it well mixed, then add the vinegar and mix together. The mixture will change color slightly as the vinegar is added.

In a separate larger bowl, add cabbage and whatever else you have to stick in. Then add the sauce and mix well. You will get it after one or two tries.

Chocolate S'mores Pie

Ingredients:
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bag jumbo marshmallows
1 ready-made graham cracker pie crust

Directions:

1. Into a microwave safe bowl add: 1 cup sweetened comdensed milk
2. Place bowl in microwave and heat for 30 seconds.
3. Into bowl add: 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4. Stir with spatula to combine.
5. Place bowl in microwave and heat in 5-second intervals (and stir) until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.
6. Pour mixture into a ready-made graham cracker pie crust.
7. Take 1 bag of jumbo marshmallows (28-30) and place marshmallows in concentric circles on top of the chocolate.
8. Bake at 425 degrees in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until marshmallows are a nice golden brown.
9. Remove pie from oven and let sit on cooling rack for 5 minutes. For easier slicing, spray knife with cooking spray.

Make an extra and freeze for later!

Blueberry Crumb Cobbler

Mix the following in a large bowl:
1 cup white cake mix
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 TBSP lemon juice

Mix well and then add 3 cups of blueberries. Mix together with a spoon until blueberries are evenly coated. Pour into a 9''x13'' baking pan.

Into a small bowl, add:
1 1/2 cups white cake mix
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup oats
6 tablespoons butter, cut

Using a pastry knife or fork, blend mixture. The butter should be crumbly.
Spread this mixture over the blueberries.

Then top it all off by sprinkling 2 TBSP of brown sugar.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees until the topping is a nice brown color.

Strawberry Margarita Pie

1 can sweetened condensed milk
Margarita mix - liquid, not frozen
1 package frozen strawberries, thawed
1 lime
1 container whipped topping
1 prepared graham cracker crust

Mix the following:
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup Margarita mix
1 cup strawberries, sliced (best if you buy frozen sliced & sweetened - thaw before making pie)
lime zest - fresh from 1/2 a lime (or more if you would like it to be extra lime-y)

After that is mixed well, fold in:
1 3/4 cups whipped topping

Pour this mixture in a ready-made graham cracker crust. Cover pie and freeze.
Take out of freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken in Cream Sauce

2 cups Minute rice, uncooked
1 can (14oz) chicken broth, divided
6 Ritz crackers, finely crushed
2 TBSP parmesan cheese
6 chicken breasts
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/3 cup chive & onion cream cheese spread
3/4 pound (1 bunch) asparagus spears, trimmed, steamed

Cook rice as directed on package, using 1 1/4 cups of the broth and 1/2 cup water.
Meanwhile, mix cracker crumbs and parmesan cheese on plate. Rinse chicken with cold water; shake off excess water. Dip chicken in cracker mixture, turning to coat.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook 5-6 minutes on each side or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Place chicken on serving plate. Set aside; keep warm. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth and cream cheese spread to same skillet. Cook on med-heat until mixture just comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer 3min or until sauce thickens. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve rice and asparagus with chicken.

One Bowl Chocolate Bliss Cookies

2 pkg (8 squares each) Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate, divided
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, slightly softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Corsely chop 8 chocolate squares, set aside. Microwave remaining 8 squares in large microwave bowl in high 2 min, stirring after 1 min. Stir until completely melted. Add sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla; stir until well blended. Add flour and baking powder; mix well. Stir in chopped chocolate and walnuts.
* Note: if omitting nuts, increase flour to 3/4 cup.

Drop rounded tablespoons of dough, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 12 to 13 min or until cookies are puffed and shiny. Cool 1 min; move cookies to wire racks. Cool completely.

Chocolate Walnut Coconut Bars

11 Honey Maid Graham Crackers, crushed (about 1 1/2 cups crumbs)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 pkg (8 oz) Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups flake coconut
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup raisins
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9''x13'' baking pan with foil, leaving 3 inches of foil extending over short sides of the pan. Create handles by crunching up extended foil; grease foil lining. Mix crushed grahams and butter. Press evenly onto bottom of prepared pan.

Sprinkle chocolate, coconut, walnuts and raisins over crust. Pour sweetened condensed milk over mixture in pan.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan. Lift out of pan onto cutting board, using foil handles. Cut into 32 bars to serve.

Sweetened condensed milk is a canned milk product used in desserts and candy. Don't confuse it with evaporated milk , which is unsweetened and won't perform well in this recipe.

Cheesy Mac-Topped Casserole

1 pkg (14oz) Mac-n-cheese dinner
1 lb ground beef
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/ 2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg (9oz) frozen green beans, thawed and drained
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Prepare mac-n-cheese as directed on box. Meanwhile, brown meat with garlic and oregano in large nonstick skillet; drain. Add tomatoes with their liquid and the beans; mix well.
Spoon meat mixture into 13''x9'' baking dish; top evenly with mac-n-cheese. Cover with foil.
Bake 30 minutes or until heated through. Remove from oven; uncover. Sprinkle with cheese. Let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 6 servings, 1 1/2 cups each.
390 cal, 11g fat, 4g fiber, 30g protein

Berry Lemonade Slush

1/2 cup Country Time Lemonade Flavor Drink Mix (dry)
1/2 cup water
3 cups ice cubes
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries

Measure drink mix into cap to 1 qt line (1/2 cup). Empty into blender container.
Add remaining ingredients; cover. Blend on high speed 10 sec. Turn off blender. Stir with spoon; cover. Blend an additional 5 sec or until smooth, using pulsing action.
Serve immediately. Store leftover in freezer.

Makes 4 servings, 3/4 cup each.

Chili Lime Chicken with Black Bean Salsa

Mix the following ingredients:
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp grated lime peel
2 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP lime juice
1 TBSP olive oil
and add to 6 chicken breasts, coating evenly.

Put the chicken on the grill over med heat for 6-8 minutes on each side.
OR preheat oven to 375 degrees, place in shallow baking dish or baking sheet and cook for about 25 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking mix the following ingredients to make the salsa:
1 cup black beans
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 TBSP cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP lime juice
1 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP jalapeno, chopped (if desired)

Serve the salsa over the cooked chicken.

Double or triple the batch, place in freezer bag and stick into the oven to cook later!

Potato Tips

1. Choose firm, heavy, well-shaped potatoes.
2. Store potatoes in a dark, cool, dry spot, such as a pantry shelf. Keep seperate from onions, which emit a gas that will age potatoes quickly.
3. If potatoes grow sprouts or green spots, cut them out prior to cooking (and cut away the surrounding area), as they taste bitter.

Peanut Butter Fudge-Topped Chippers

1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup chocolate whipped ready-to-spread frosting
1 (18 oz) pkg. Pillsbury Refrigerated Ready to Bake! Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt peanut butter chips in small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in frosting. Cool about 10 minutes or until firm enough to shape.
2. Place cookies on ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 14 minutes or until golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, shape peanut butter mixture into 20 (1-inch) balls.
4. Immediately press 1 ball into center of each hot cookie on cookie sheet. Cool 2 minutes; remove cookies from cookie sheet.

Chicken Crescent Almondine

1 can cream of chicken soup
2/3 c. mayo
1/2 c. sour cream
2 Tbs minced onion
3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 can sliced water chestnuts (optional)
1 can mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 can crescent rolls

Topping
2/3 c shredded cheese
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tbs butter, melted

In large sauce pan, combine soup, mayo, sour cream, onion, chicken, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and celery. Cook over med heat until hot and bubbly. Pour into 9x13 baking dish. unroll crescent rolls into two rectangles, trimming to fit dish. place rectangles over hot chicken mixture. combine cheese and almonds, sprinkle over dough, drizzle with butter. bake at 375 for 20-20 min or until rolls are brown. (you can also read the instructions on the back of your crescent rolls to see how hot and how long to cook)

curry

3/4 cup mayo
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 can cream of chicken
3 cups cooked rice
5 chicken brest, cooked , shred or cube
2 heads of broccoli, steamed
2 cups of graded cheese

in a 11x13 pan layer rice, chicken and broccoli,
in separate bowl
mix mayo, lemon juice, curry powder, cream of chicken.
poor on top of rice, chicken, broccoli.
put in oven 350 for 25 min. take out and sprinkle cheese on top

One-Pan Chicken & Potato Bake

4 bone-in chicken pieces
4 large potatoes
1/4 cup Zesty Italian dressing
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken and potatoes in 13x9-inch baking dish.
Pour dressing over chicken and potatoes; sprinkle with cheese.
Bake 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
Makes 4 servings.

Tasty Corn Salad

In a medium skillet over medium heat add:
3 cups corn
1/4 cup red pepper, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
2 tsp taco seasoning
1 TBSP olive oil

Stir occasionally while cooking, heat until warm.

Creamy Rice with Peas and Mushrooms

1 sm onion, chopped
1/4 cup Zesty Italian dressing
1 pkg (8 oz) fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups minute white rice, uncooked
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook and stir onion in dressing in large saucepan over med-hi heat 2 min or until tender.
Add mushrooms, cook 2-3 min or until tender.
Add broth and peas, stir. Bring to a boil.
Stir in rice and cream cheese, cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 8 min. Stir in lemon peel and parmesan cheese. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh dill, if desired.

Makes 8 servings, 2/3 cup each

Family Sausage Supper

4 oz uncooked vermicelli or spaghetti, broken
4 Tbsp margarine or butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (4.5 oz) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (1lb.) pkg frozen broccoli cuts
1 (1 lb) smoked sausage or polish sausage ring, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 to 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook vermicelli to desires doneess as directed on package. Drain, rinse with hot water. Return to saucepan . Stir in 1 Tbsp of the butter. Cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, melt remaining 3 Tbsp of butter in a large skillet over med-hi heat. Add onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and broccoli; cook about 5 mins or until broccoli is thawed, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add sausage, oregano and garlic powder; mix well. Cook about 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.
4. Place warm vermicelli on serving platter. Top with sausage and vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 (1 1/3 cup) servings

Lime Garlic Chicken with Rice

1 package (1 lb, 4 ozs) bone-in skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
2 TBsp butter ot margarine
1 cup uncooked instant rice
chopped parsley, if desired

Place chicken in 3-4 quart slow cooker, add remaining ingredients except rice and parsley.
Cover and cook on low heat setting 8-10 hours. During last 15 minutes of cooking, stir in rice.
Remove chicken from cooker. Place cooked rice on each serving plate. Top with chicken. Spoon any remaining juices over chicken. Garnish with parsley.

6 servings - 215 cal - 9g fat - 17g carb, 16g protein

Double/triple the batch and freeze for cooking later!!

All-in-One Veggie Mac and Cheese

1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 pkg Mac & Cheese Dinner
3 cups frozen veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans or peas - mix them up!)
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Bring water and milk just to a boil in saucepan on med. heat. Add Macaroni; reduce heat to low. Simmer 6 min or until macaroni is tender.
Add vegetables; cover. Cook 3 min until liquid is almost absorbed and vegetables are heated through.
Add cheese sauce mix and butter. stir until well blended.
Makes 4 servings.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

AKA: "Peanut Butter Baby Blessings"

1 pkg (8 squares) Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tub (8oz) cool whip, thawed

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Microwave chocolate in large mucrowaveable bowl on high 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Stir in peanut butter until well blended. Cool to room temperature. Gently stir in whipped topping. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Scoop peanut butter mixture with melon baller or teaspoon, then shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Store in refrigerator.

Can also prepare as directed but roll in finely chopped pecans, toasted coconut, grated white or semi sweet baking chocolate or finely crushed cookies.

My pictures make them look like Munchkin donuts, don't they?

Easy Cookie Truffles

AKA: "Baby Blessings"

1 pkg (20 oz) sandwich cookies - you can use oreos, generic or all natural (no hydrogenated oils, no transfat, 1 g saturated) Joe-Joes from Trader Joes like I did
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
2 pkg (8 oz each) Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted.

Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use (cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin)
Crush remaining cookies to fine crumbs; place in a med. bowl.
Add cream cheese, mix until well blended.
Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1 inch in diameter.
Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use). Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles. covered, in refrigerator.

How to: For easy dipping, place truffle ball in melted chocolate to coat; roll if necessary. Lift truffle from chocolate using 2 forks (this will allow excess chocolate to run off) before placing on wax paper.

Potatoes O'Brien

6 or 8 potatoes - cubed - peeled or not - Red, Gold, White, or whatever kind of potato will do. (Or a combination, the more the merrier.) Frying Pan with oil & butter Chopped bell peppers - Green, Red, Yellow, Orange, or any combination crushed garlic Some onion Salt & Pepper seasonings - savory, italian seasoning, rosemary, or whatever Put potatoes, onion, & peppers in pan with oil and butter, season until it looks about right. Brown until you are happy with the texture.

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Bites

4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour; mix well. Refrigerate 15 mins or until dough is easy to handle.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls, place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 min or just set (do not over bake). Let stand on cookie sheet 1 min; transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

JAZZ it up: customize these drops with a variety of toppings. Right after they come out of the oven, press 1 of the following options onto each cookie : a waltnut half, a marshmallow half with cut edge dipped into colored sugar, half of a caramel, corsely chopped candy canes, a drizzle of melted semi-sweet chocolate, etc.
Makes about 5 dozen.

Double Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (2-3 bananas)
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups Banana Nut Crunch cereal
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
Beat eggs in a med. bowl. Add bananas, oil and water; mix well.
Add to flour mixture; stir until just moistened. (batter will be lumpy)
Stir in cereal and walnuts. (I like to also add chocolate chips)

Pour evenly into 4 greased mini loaf pans.
Bake 40 min or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pans 10 mins. Remove from pans, place on wire racks. Cool completely.

Mojito Shrimp with Rice and Salsa

Start rice first:
2 cups rice
4 cups water
2 TBSP cilantro
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
2 TBSP plive oil
Mix and start cooking in a rice cooker or on stove top (bring to boil and then simmer for 20 mins, covered). During the last 4-5 minutes of cooking, add 1 cup of kidney beans to rice.

Then start shrimp:
4-5 cups of shrimp
2 tsp. garlic, minced
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
2 TBSP olive oil

In a large skillet over med-hi heat, cook shrimp for 10 minutes or until the shrimp are opaque(depending on size of shrimp).

While shrimp and rice are cooking, make salsa:
1 cup limeade concentrate
2 TBSP mint, chopped
2 TBSP cilantro, chopped
2 cups mandarin orange slices
3 TBSP brown sugar
gently mix to combine

When ready to serve: rice, shrimp and then spoon some salsa over shrimp to taste.
Serves 6

Freezer Meal Option: Place rice ingredients in one bag, shrimp in another and salsa in a third. Place all three bags in one gallon freezer bag for cooking at a later day - don't forget to include cooking instructions!

Zesty Home Fries

2 lbs red new potatoes (about 6 potatoes) cut into large chunks
1/2 cup Zesty Italian dressing
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 large red onion, cut into chunks
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 slices bacon, crisply cooked & crumbled
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss potatoes with dressing and pepper in greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Spread into a single layer. Bake 20 mins. Stir in onions, continue baking 20 min or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley and bacon; stir. Top with cheese. Bake an additional 2 min or until cheese is melted.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients: Rice Water Butter Pat Some lime juice (2 tsp. lime juice per 1 cup of rice) fresh chopped cilantro Add all ingredients to pan, cook rice. (Don't do too much lime juice, a little will go a long way.) This is something I had a couple of times at a restaurant/pool hall in Ft. Collins, Colorado. It was pretty good then. I tried this last night, and it was pretty good now.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice & Turkey

1 can (14 1/2 oz) fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups Minute White Rice, uncooked
6 ozs. Velveeta Cheese, cut up.

Combine broth, turkey and broccoli in a large skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add rice and velveeta; cover. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes or until rice is tender and velveeta is melted. Stir until well blended.

Makes 4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each.
Cal: 430, Fat: 13g., Fiber: 2g, Protein: 35g

Substitute: Try 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1lb) for the chopped cooked turkey. Heat small amount of oil in a large nonstick skillet on med-hi heat. Add chicken, cover. Cook 5 min on each side or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate; cover to keep warm. Bring broth and broccoli to boil in the skillet; continue as directed, returning chicken to skillet along with rice and velveeta.

Sugar Tips

• Combine white and brown sugar to give cookies a chewier texture. Using granulated sugar alone will make them crispier.
• To measure granulated or powdered sugar, spoon into a measuring cup, then level off with a flat kitchen utensil.
• Brown sugar must be packed when measured. Pour or spoon into a measuring cup and press down firmly, adding more sugar as needed.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. (Seal brown sugar in a plastic bag). If stored properly, sugar can keep for several years.
• If brown sugar has clumped, revive it by adding an apple wedge or slice of bread . Seal and let stand about 1 or 2 days. A quick solution? Microwave sugar on high for 30 seconds.

Blender Potato Soup

1/2 cup veg oil
3 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 tsp fresh minced garlic
1 qt. chicken broth
3 cups peeled and diced russet potatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add celery, onions, and garlic; saute until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients except 1/3 c. parsely and cheese; bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Pour half of mixture into blender; puree until smooth. Set aside. Pour remaining soup into blender; blend until coarsely chopped. Combine both mixtures. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with remaining parsely and cheese.

20 Minute White Bean Chili

1 cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp veg oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 (14 1/2 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup dijon mustard
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (8oz) can corn, drained
Tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, cilantro, etc

In 3-qt saucepan, over medium-high heat, saute onions and garlic in oil until tende. Add turkey; cook until done, stirring occasionally to break up meat. Drain. Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, mustard, chili powder and pepper. Heat to boil; reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in brans and corn; cook for 5 minutes. Top with additional toppings as desired.

Fiesta Chicken

Take about 12 chicken tenders (1.5 pounds or so). Place into a ziploc bag. Into bag add:
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP taco seasoning
1/4 cup liquid egg

Close the bag up and squish everything around to make it mix evenly.
Take another zip loc bag and place about 3 cups or so of tortilla chips. Close bag and crush chips.

Add 3 TBSP of oil to a large skillet and heat to med-high. Once oil is hot, take 2 chicken tenders at a time and place in the crushed tortilla chips. Shake it up so that the chicken is well coated. Place the chicken into the skillet and repeat until all chicken is cooking.

Cook each tender for about 4-6 minutes on each side, until chips are browned and chicken is cooked. If skillet becomes dry, add a little more oil.

CAFE RIO!!

Café Rio Dressing
1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make as per recipe)
2 tomatillos (tomato like vegetable with a husk around them)
½ bunch of cilantro
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeño (Use the seeds too if you like it spicy. You could substitute a few drops of green tobasco for the jalapeno.)

Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients well. Refrigerate.

Cafe Rio Chicken

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic—minced
5 lbs chicken breast


Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.


(Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing has 2 grams of sugar per serving. I try to avoid dressings with sugar, but this is a very small amount. You're only using 8 ounces of the dressing per 5 pounds of chicken if you follow this recipe, so it should be fine, even for South Beach Dieters.)

Café Rio Rice

3 c rice
4 t chicken bouillon
4 t garlic –minced
½ bunch cilantro
1 can green chiles—or equivalent fresh
¾ t salt
1 T butter
½ onion


Blend cilantro, green chiles and onion together in food processor. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered 30 minutes.(or how ever long your rice needs cooking)

(For South Beach diet, use Uncle Ben's Converted Rice to make this, which is very low on the glycemic index. I would still use the rice sparingly on my salad.)

Jambo Burgers a la Tomahawk

Ingredients for 8 hungry campers:

• 3 or 4 medium onions
• 2-1/2 to 3 pounds hamburger
• 2 cans vegetable soup
• 2 cans vegetable-beef soup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-2/3 cups pre-cooked rice
• Shortening (or 2 strips of bacon)

Preparation:

1. Put two frying pans over bed of hot coals with about 2 tablespoons of shortening in each.
2. Remove outer layers from the onions and cut the ends off. Dice into small pieces.
3. Divide onions into the two hot frying pans.
4. While onions are being browned, form hamburger into balls about the size of quarters. Press so that each patty has two flat sides.
5. Thoroughly brown each side of a few patties at a time in the frying pans.
6. Open the soup and pour into an 8-quart dutch oven or kettle. Add one can of water.
7. Put kettle on a low fire and allow this to come to a boil. Stir occasionally.
8. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to soup.
9. When soup starts to boil, add 2/3 cups of pre-cooked rice and move kettle to a lower fire to simmer. Stir bottom occasionally.
10. When patties are browned, add them and the onions to the soup. Do not add the grease. (When you run out of time, just brown the remaining hamburger.)
11. Stir, but try not to break up the patties. Add more water if the mixture is too dry.
12. Ready to serve about five minutes after adding the rice.

Shepherd's Pie

Sesame Apricot Chicken

Take 12 chicken tenders, place in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Then Add:
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp ginger puree
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
Seal bag and gently massage to coat chicken.

In a small freezer bag add:
1/2 c. apricot preserves
1/4 c. red bell pepper, diced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tsp. corn starch
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
Seal bag and gently massage to combine.

In a small freezer bag:
1 1/2 cup rice

If freezing for later, try to get as much air out of the bags as possible, print and tape these directions to chicken bag and place all bags into another large freezer bag.

Cooking directions:
Thaw in fridge when ready to cook.
Place rice and 3 cups water in a med saucepan over high heat. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Keep covered and simmer for 20 minutes, until rice is tender and water is absorbed. (Can also use a rice cooker).
Meanwhile, place contents of chicken bag in a skillet over med. hi heat. Brown chicken lightly on both sides, about 5 min per side (chicken will not yet be cooked through). Open sauce bag and add 3/4 c. water. Reseal and massage bag lightly to mix. Pour sauce over chicken in pan. Cover pan and reduce heat to med-low. Simmer chicken for about 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked and internal temp. reaches 165 degrees. Serve over rice. Makes 6 servings.

Calories: Chicken: 253, Rice: 166
Fat: Chicken: 6.7 Rice: 0.3
Total Carb: Chicken: 20.5, Rice: 37.8
Protein: Chicken: 27.4, Rice: 3.1
Weight Watchers Points: Chicken and Sauce: 5 Rice:3

Make a couple of meals at the same time and throw in the freezer for later!

Best Bean Dip Ever

2 bunches of spring onions - chopped
2 cans of black eyed peas - drained & rinsed
1 can of white shoe peg corn - drained
3 cans "Ro-Tel" diced tomatoes & green chilies - drained
8oz. Italian dressing
1 red pepper - chopped
garlic salt - to your liking
chopped cilantro - to your liking

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and serve with Frito Scoops.

Cheesy Chicken and Spaghetti Casserole

1 Chicken
2 med. green bell peppers
1 can cream of mush. soup
1 can cream of celery soup
12 oz. spaghetti
Celery
1/2 stick of butter
1 large onion
1/2 cup broth
shredded cheddar cheese

1. Boil chicken until cooked. You can use boneless chicken or a whole fryer. Do NOt get rid of the water that the chicken was cooked in. You will use it later. After chicken is cooked, cube or shred the chicken.
2. Set aside 1/2 cup of the water the chicken was cooked in to use as broth. Then bring the water to boil and cook the spaghetti noodles in it.
3. While the noodles are cooking, saute the onion, celery and green peppers in butter. Then add the cream of mush and cream of celery soups and the 1/2 cup of chicken broth. This is your sauce.
4. By now you have shredded or cubed chicken, cooked spaghetti, sauce and shredded cheddar cheese.
5. In a buttered (or use cooking spray) 9x13 pan, you will layer the ingredients:
1/2 the noodles
1/2 the chicken
1/2 the cheese
1/2 the sauce
6.Layer the remaining ingredients in the same order, cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Finger Paint

3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. corn starch
2 c. cold water
food coloring
4 plastic cups
dish detergent

Mix sugar & corn starch in saucepan. Add water and mix a little more. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and let thicken for about 5 min. Cool, pour into plastic cups. Add food coloring and a drop of detergent. Mix.

Turtle Brownies

1 -14 oz. pkg. caramels
1/2 c. evaporated milk
Combine and melt over low until smooth

1 German Chocolate cake mix
1/3 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. butter, melted
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. pecans, chopped

Combine dry cake mix, butter, milk and nuts. Mixture will be thick. Spread half of the batter in bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Sprinkle chips over baked brownies. Drizzle melted caramels over chips. Spoon remaining batter over caramel. Bake again at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Authentic Spanish Rice

1 c. white rice
2 tsp. oil
1 c. water
1 c. fresh or canned tomatoes pureed
1 med. onion, finely diced
1/2 med. bell pepper (green or red), diced
2 cloves of garlic, mashed
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin

Add 2 tsp. oil to a large skillet and toast rice until it is a nice golden brown. Add onion and bell pepper and saute. Bring temperature to a med-high and add water and spices, bring to a full boil, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Do not uncover the skillet! The steam helps cook the rice. Uncover after 15 minutes and serve as a side dish to tacos, enchiladas or fajitas.