Cheesy Chicken Skillet Dinner

Ingredients
1 tsp oil
1 1/4 lb chicken cut up into pieces
2 cups carrots (sliced)1 medium zucchini (sliced)
2 TBSP soy sauce
8 med green onions (sliced, 1/2 cup)
2 cups cheddar cheese

Directions
Heat 12 inch skillet over med-high heat. Add oil and chicken- stir fry 4-5 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Remove from skillet.

Add carrots & zucchini to skillet, stir fry 4-5 minutes or until crisp tender. Add chicken & soy sauce; toss until chicken & veggies are coated with soy sauce.

Sprinkle with onions & cheese. Cover skillet until cheese is melted.

Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole

Layer the following ingredients in this order in a 9x13 dish:
-Chicken breasts
-Swiss cheese
-Ham
-2 cans of cream of chicken mixed with 1/4 C water
-Stove top chicken flavor made with 1 1/4 C water
-1/3 C butter on top

Bake 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees

Cheese Ball anyone?

Has anyone ever made a cheese ball? Do you have any recipies or tips??

Lemon Meringue Pie

* Well, I think you should make a pie since November always reminds me of Thanksgiving aka turkey, mashed potatoes, and PIES. So I haven't actually made this one, but citrus pies are always nice to cleanse the palate! Let us know how it tastes!

Ingredients
Pastry for one-crust pie
3 large egg yolks (reserve egg whites for meringue)
1 1/2 C sugar
1/3 C plus 1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 C water
3 Tbsp butter or stick margarine
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1/2 C lemon juice
2 drops of yellow food color (if desired)

Directions
1. Bake pastry for baked One-Crust Pie.
2. Heat oven to 350. Complete step 2 of Meringue for 9-inch pie (see below).
3. While sugar mixture for meringue is cooling, beat egg yolks with fork in small bowl; set aside. Mix sugar and cornstarch in 2-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Cook over med. heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.
4. Immediately stir at least half of the hot mixture into egg yolks, then stir back into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in butter, lemon peel, lemon juice and food color. Press plastic wrap on filling to prevent a tough layer from forming on top.
5. Complete step 3 of meringue recipe. Pour hot lemon filling into pie crust. Spoon meringue onto hot lemon filling. Spread over filling, carefulling sealing meringue to edge of crust to prevent shrinking or weeping.
6. Bake 15 min or until meringue is light brown. Cool away from draft 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate cooled pie until serving. Store covered in refrigerator.

NOTE: Use the egg whites left over from separating eggs for the lemon filling to make the meringue. Letting the egg whites stand at room temperature is okay for up to 30 min. They'll beat up well after being out of the refrigerator for a short time.

This meringue has a special method: making a syrup with sugar, cornstarch and water. It makes the mergingue that clings to a filling, does not shrink and cuts beautifully. It's well worth teh small bit of extra effort.

Meringue for 9-inch Pie
Ingredients
1/2 C sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
1/2 C cold water
4 large egg whites
1/8 tsp salt

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Mix sugar and cornstarch in 1-qt saucepan. Stir in water. Cook over med. heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Cool completely while making filling for pie. (To cool more quickly, place in freezer about 10 minutes)
3. Beat egg whites and salt in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks just begin to form. Very gradually beat in sugar mixture until stiff peaks form.
4. Spoon meringue onto hot pie filling. Spread over filling, carefully sealing meringue to edge of crust to prevent shrinking.

Cooking chicken....

When a recipe calls for "cooked cubed chicken" how do you cook it? Do you think there is a difference in taste if you cut it before or after cooking?

Chicken Broccoli Divan

1 lb fresh broccoli cut into spears, or 1 pkg (10oz) frozen broccoli cooked & drained
1 1/2 C cubes chicken or turkey (cooked)
1/3 C milk
1 can cream of broccoli or chicken soup
1/2 c shredded cheese
2 Tbsp dry breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 450. In 10x6 baking dish arrange broccoli and top with chicken. In a small bowl, combine soup and milk. Pour over top of chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. In cup, combine breadcrumbs and butter, sprinkle over cheese. Bake 15 minutes or unitl hot and bubbly.

I felt bad not having a beautiful picture to post with this recipe (like the pictures of the soup & chicken pot pie), but I promise it is delicious...especially for how easy & quick it is!

Chunky Pecan Pie Bars

Crust

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour

1/2 C (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened

1/4 C packed brown sugar

Filling

3 large eggs

3/4 C corn syrup

3/4 C granulated sugar

2 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 C (11.5 oz package) semi-sweet chocolate chunks (U just used morsels)

1 1/2 C coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat oven 350. Grease 13X9 inch baking pan.

For Crust

Beat flour, butter, brown sugar in small mixer bowl until crumby. Press into prepared baking pan.

Bake 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

For Filling

Beat eggs, corn syrup, granulated sugar, butter, and vanilla in med bowl with wire whisk. Stir in chunks and nuts. Pour evenly over baked crust.

Bake 25-30 min or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. INDULGE!

Swiss Chicken

Ingredients:

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 box stuffing mix
8 oz swiss cheese, shredded
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1/2 pkg frozen corn

Directions:
Mix stuffing mix according to microwave directions (add water and melted margarine) without cooking. Set aside. Mix soups. Spread thin layer of soup mixture on bottom of ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Layer all of chicken, (I salt and pepper on top of chicken if I didn't salt and pepper when cooking chicken), all of corn, all of cheese, rest of soup, all of stuffing. Bake uncovered at 325' for 45 min.

Ranch Halibut

Ingredients:
1 envelope (1 ounce) ranch dressing mix
16 round buttery crackers (Ritz), crushed (3/4 C)
2 Tbsp butter or margine, melted
1 tsp lemon juice
1 lb halibut, marlin or other firm fish fillets about 1 inch thick, skin removed
1/2 C tartar sauce
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp lemon peel

Directions:
Heat oven to 450. Line rectangular pan, 13x9 with foil; spray foil with cooking spray.

Mix dressing mix (dry) and crackers in a shallow bowl. Mix butter and lemon juice in another shallow bowl.

Cut fish into 4 serving pieces. Dip fish into butter, then coat with cracker mixture. Place in pan.

Bake uncovered 10-15 min or until fish flakes easily with fork.

While baking, mix tartar sauce, parsley, and lemon peel. Serve tartar sauce with fish.

Comments:
We really like the fish, but hated the tartar sauce (I don't think we like plain tartar sauce either).

Skillet Barbecue Pork Chops

Ingredients
4 pork loin or rib chops
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 can (15 ounces) chunky tomato sauce with onions, celery, and green peppers
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground mustard

Directions
Spray a 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Sprinkle both sides of pork with salt and pepper. Cook pork in skillet about 5 minutes, turning once, until brown.

Stir remaining ingredients into skillet. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pork is slightly pink when cut near bone.

Comments
Sorry there aren't any pictures. I whipped this up & then was too hungry to take pictures! It was so fast & yummy!

This is great with potato salad and green beans!

Oh yeah, for some reason (I am blaming it on the fact that I was shopping with two kids!) I couldn't find "chunky tomato sauce". So instead I got a can of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, & oregano & then added a little bit of tomato sauce. It still turned out great!

Enjoy! Happy Hump Day!

Portable Dinners

Hi guys!
I am making dinner for a friend who just had twins next Tuesday. What's your favorite "portable dinner" to make?? Any suggestions?

Hump Day- Tomato-Basil Fettuccini

Ingredients:
1/4 C chopped onion
1 Tbsp dry basil or 6 fresh leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 C olive oil (it's healthier, but I usually just use canola oil)
3 1/2 C chopped tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
12 oz fettuccini (I usually use a little less than 12 oz)
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Saute onion and garlic in oil. Chop tomatoes (use fresh or canned).
Add tomatoes, basil, salt, & pepper to onion.
Simmer 15-20 min.
Cook fettuccini according to package, drain well.
Immediately toss hot fettuccini with tomato-basil sauce.
Enjoy!
I love this recipe (especially made with fresh tomatoes from the garden)! I also love that I usually have the ingredients in my pantry. Post your favorite "pantry" recipes!

Pasta Milano

My mother-in-law is an incredible cook. She made this for us when we were visiting and it is absolutely wonderful! I haven't made it yet (I just got the recipe), but it was so yummy I couldn't wait to share it with you all! That's why there aren't any pictures. It tastes exactly like the Pasta Milano from Macoroni Grill. Oh, it is so good. So enjoy! (One question does any know how to do the "1 head garlic, roasted"?)

4 chicken breasts
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Wash and dry chicken breasts; mix garlic powder, salt, and pepper and sprinkle on chicken. Grill chicken on stove top in a skillet or outside on the grill until it is done all the way through; set aside.

16 oz. bow tie pasta
4 Tbls. butter
1 1\2 cups sun-dried tomatoes
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
Place pasta in salted boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile saute the mushrooms and tomatoes in butter until soft.

2 quarts heavy cream (I substituted 1\2 Half & Half)
1 head garlic, roasted
1\2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 cup parmesan cheese
Place heavy cream, roasted garlic, pepper, salt, and parmesan cheese in food processor and puree. Place cream mixture in a saucepan and bring to a boil; turn down heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until sauce has thickened.

Mix in mushrooms and tomatoes and add to the cooked pasta. Slice the grilled chicken and place on top of the pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!!!

"Freakin' Awesome"....

Fettucini with Chicken and Mushrooms
This is one of those meals that I make when I need a little positive feedback about what a good cook I am. That's right, EVERYTIME I make this Tel always gives me kudos and tells me it's "freakin' awessome"!

Ingredients
4 oz uncooked fettucini
5 Tbls margarine (divided)
1 lb skinned, boneless chicken, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 C sliced fresh mushrooms
1 Tbls flour
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 C half and half
1/4 C parmesan cheese

Directions
Prepare fettucini according to package directions adding 1 Tbls butter to cooking water. Drain and rinse with warm water. Toss 1 Tbls butter. Set aside.

Melt remaining 3 Tbls butter in 2qt saucepan; add chicken and mushrooms. Cook and stir over moderate heat for about 10 min or until cooked throughout.

Stir in flour, parsley flakes, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Blend in half and half.

Cook and stir over moderate heat until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat; add fettucini and Parmesan cheese, tossing to coat. ENJOY!!

Eclair Cake

This ones' for you Dani! I love this recipe because it is so simple & DELICIOUS! (Sorry no pictures, but writing it out has made me crave one so maybe I will make one this weekend!)

Ingredients:
1 box graham crackers (whole)
2 small pkgs French Vanilla instant pudding
1 (8oz) cool whip
3 1/2 C. milk

Butter 9x13 pan. Line bottom of pan with whole crackers. Mix pudding as directed with milk. Fold in whipped topping. Pour over crackers. Add another layer of crackers and more pudding, ending with cracker layer.

Frosting:
3 T cocoa
3 T warm milk
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
3 T butter
touch of vanilla

Mix to a smooth creamy consistency and spread over top layer of graham crackers. Refrigerate.

(The first time I made this I just skipped the whole "refrigerate part" because I thought it was a "eat or refrigerate". Nope, it doesn't taste like an eclair if you don't refrigerate it! I don't know exactly how long you need to refrigerate it for but now I usually make it the night before I want to eat it. The refrigerating allows the crackers to become soft so it has the texture of an eclair rather than a cracker.)

QUESTION...

How do you thaw frozen meat (any chicken, beef, pork, etc)? I used to put it in a bowl with water in the sink to thaw, but then I heard you should thaw in the fridge. However, I have tried thawing the meat in the fridge two days in a row now and both times the meat has been COMPETELY frozen still. I put the meat in the fridge in the morning and wanted to use it that night for dinner. Does that mean I now need to know what I am making for dinner a few nights before??? HELP!

Hump Day- Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

1/4 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing, divided
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves

PLACE large sheet of heavy-duty foil over half of grill grate; preheat grill to medium heat. Pour 2 Tbsp. of the dressing over chicken in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with the dressing. Refrigerate 10 min. to marinate. Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag and marinade.

GRILL chicken on uncovered side of grill 6 min. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cheese, basil and remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing.

TURN chicken over; place, cooked-side up, on foil on grill. Top evenly with tomato mixture. Close lid. Grill an additional 8 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170ºF).

Hump Day- Chicken Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Prep time: 25 min

Total time:25 Min

2 cups farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 pkg. (6 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Grilled Chicken Breast Strips
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or 1 large tomato, cut into chunks
1/2 cup KRAFT Light Zesty Italian Reduced Fat Dressing, divided
1/2 cup KRAFT Natural 2% Milk Reduced Fat Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese Crumbles
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese

COOK pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the cooking water for the last 2 min. of the pasta cooking time; drain.


TOSS chicken, tomatoes, dressing, cheese crumbles and olives in large bowl. Add pasta mixture; mix lightly.


SPRINKLE with Parmesan cheese.

I loved how easy was to make, how it tastes good as left-overs, & how healthy it is!

Banana Bread

Hey guys...
Does anyone have a good banana bread recipe? I have a bunch of bananas that are going bad & so figured it would be a good excuse to try making banana bread. Also, do you want the banana's completely black?

Creamy Broccoli-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This chicken looks so fancy, but it is actually very easy to make! So don't be scaried off because you have to pound and roll the chicken. I loved how moist the chicken was. I did add some of the Grill Creations Chicken and Rib Rub because I didn't have paprika. ENJOY!

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 cup water
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) 98% fat-free condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup fat free milk
1 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Combine stuffing mix and water in large bowl. Let stand 5 min. Meanwhile, pound chicken to 1/4-inch thickness using meat mallet. Add broccoli to stuffing; mix lightly. Spread evenly onto chicken breasts to within 1/2 inch of outer edges. Roll up each chicken breast from one of the short ends, enclosing the stuffing mixture.

PLACE chicken, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish. Mix soup and milk; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with paprika and Parmesan cheese.

BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170ºF).