Candied Chicken

6 chicken breasts

Sauce:
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c chopped green onion
1/4 c mustard
1/2 c ketchup
1 Tbsp soy sauce

Flour and brown chicken breasts in pan and place in 9x13" baking dish. Mix all ingredients for sauce and simmer for 5 minutes in saucepan. Pour over chicken and bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hour. Yum!

Pesto Bruschetta on Toasted Garlic Crostini

Make these for your next party. Or for your midnight indulgence. Don't be afraid. You will thank me. Your guests will thank me....err...you. And when you invite me over, I'll give you a hug and a kiss. Really I will. Just make sure everyone eats one (or inevitably several of them!) so that you can all have garlic breath together. Stephanie, I will forever be grateful to you for introducing me to such divine yumminess! Mmmmmmmm.....

Pesto Bruschetta on Toasted Garlic Crostini

Pesto Ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil leaves

2 large minced garlic cloves

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 T freshly grated Pecorio Romano Cheese (Or I just used the Kraft Parmesan/Romano mix in the green container for both of these....so sue me. It was still delish!)

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

Additional Ingredients

1-2 baguette sliced at a 45-degree angle about 1/2 inch thick (I'd say 2...there's enough pesto and once your guests figure out how fabulous they are, you'll be glad you did!)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, sliced lengthwise

1 basket grape tomatoes

Preparation:

Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan, Pecorio, and pine nuts in food processor or blender. Slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil until fully incorporated. Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper.

Prepartion:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange bread on rimmed baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and rub with cut side of garlic. Bake until beginning to crisp, about 8 minutes.

While bread crisps, make pesto and half cherry tomatoes lengthwise.

Top crostini with pesto spread and cherry tomato slice.

Cheese Fondue

A must have at our house at least once a month. A dinner my kids gobble up.

2 loaves French bread cut into cubes

1/2 lb. Swiss or Emmenthallar cheese, shredded

1/2 lb. Gruyere or smoked swiss, shredded

2 T. cornstarch

1/2 tsp dry mustard

pinch nutmeg

Combine above ingredients in a bowl so the dry ingredients are evenly mixed throughout the cheese.

1 garlic clove peeled and crushed

1 cup white wine, apple juice or white grape juice

Combine in a fondue pot and set on medium low; if using wine, the alcohol will burn out. When liquid is bubbly, slowly add the cheese mixture one handful at a time. Keep stirring and add more cheese till all is incorporated. Turn pot down to WARM. Serve with bread cubes and enjoy.

We usually add a nice big green salad with tomatoes and cucumbers to round out the meal.

look ma, I cooked fish

Telapia with lemon and garlic:

-telapia, rinsed and patted dry with paper towel

-lemon juice

-1 tablespoon melted butter

-garlic

-parsley

-pepper

-parmesan

--put rinsed and dried telapia on a foil covered pan, that has been sprayed with Pam. Put lemon juice on whole fish, then melted butter, then sprinkle parsley.pepper.and garlic on top. cook at 375* for 30 minutes and no longer. When you take it out of the oven it should break apart with a fork really easily. Sprinkle some parmesan on top for finishing touch and squeeze a little bit more lemon on top for some extra zing!

{i have never cooked fish in my life, let alone enjoyed it. This is a really summery fun recipe}

parmesan chicken

this meal is super duper easy. and the clean up is lovely. 

-chicken breast

-butter{melted}

-saltine crackers

-salt/pepper

-parmesan

-First you soak the chicken in the butter, until well soaked and seeped in..just a tad. {we added some of our own herbs to the butter mixture and salt and pepper}

-Then, you crush the saltines in a bag, until broken down. and dip each piece of chicken in mixture until coated.

-put on tin foil covered pan and sprinkle {i doused them} with parmesan cheese.

-put in oven for 30 minutes. at 350 degrees

We put with marinara sauce/ranch. you can put it with the classic pasta dish as well. it's easy and fun. good luck. :D

Easter Egg Nests

1 stick butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
4 1/2- 5 cups All-Bran or Fiber One cereal

Melt butter and marshmallows. Add to cereal in a large bowl. Stir well till combined. When cool enough to handle form into "nests" for your Easter Eggs. Spray hands often with Pam. It kinda stuck to wax paper, but lifted right off my silpat. I would say Pam the wax paper and you should be alright. Makes about 4-6 nests depending on size.

Key Lime Pie

1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, mix together lime rind, lime juice, and condensed milk. Whisk in pudding mix and allow to set up 5 minutes. Fold in 8 ounce tub of whipped topping. Pour mixture into pastry shell. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with additional whipped topping if desired.


Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter or margarine, and cinnamon until well blended . Press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 7 minutes. Cool. If recipe calls for unbaked pie shell, just chill for about 1 hour.

Cafe Rio Pulled Pork Salad (KSL)

Thanks Mom!

Sweet Pork

Ingredients:
1 (3-5 lb.) sirloin or boneless pork loin roast
1 cup salsa
1 cup packed brown sugar

(I've also seen this using a can of Coke and 1 cup brown sugar, which was very good, but I think I would like the salsa one too)

Method:
Place ingredients in a greased 3 ½ - 5 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat 8-10 hours. Shred pork with a fork or potato masher before serving. Use meat in salads, burritos, or tacos.


Cilantro-Lime Rice

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked converted white rice
1 teaspoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated lime peel (zest)
1 can (15 ounces) chicken broth
¼ cup water
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
3 Tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

Method:
In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, lime zest, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook 15-20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice. Serve warm.


Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing

Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream
1 envelope Ranch Salad Dressing
½ envelope Fiesta Ranch Salad Dressing
6 tomatillos, husked and cut in half
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice from 2 freshly squeezed limes
¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a blender. And blend until smooth. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week.

seven layer jello

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-00,seven_layer_jello,FF.html

{seven layer jello is one of my favorite things that my mom makes, i'm not

even a huge jell-o person, but this is so yummy. The link is the recipe I found online..

but i'll get my mom's recipe on later}

Crash Hot Potatoes

I made my version of these from the Pioneer Woman's website and they were crunchy, yummy, scrumptiously good.

New potatoes (or other small round potatoes)
Olive Oil
Kosher salt
Black Pepper
Rosemary (or desired herbs)
Grated Cheese/Parmesan Cheese (Opt)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes. rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available). ......I also added parmesan on some and shredded cheese on others. Both were yummy. The shredded cheese got kind of crunchy, but I actually liked it. You could also add it 5 minutes before it is done if you just want it to melt.

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Apple German Pancakes

This is a recipe I stole from Delectable Edibles. It's basic German Pancakes, but the optional addition of the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon was extra, super yummy and quite pretty. Definitely a keeper! Plus, the kids love to watch this bake up in the oven... the more eggs you use, the puffier it gets.

1/4 c butter
4-6 large eggs
1 c flour
1 c milk
1/4 t salt
Lemon juice, maple syrup, powdered sugar, applesauce, etc. for toppings

Preheat oven to 400. Melt butter in 9x13 pan in oven; swirl around so it covers the pan; Beat eggs slightly; beat in flour, milk, and salt just until mixed... do not overbeat. Pour into pan. Bake 20-30 minutes, until puffy and deep golden brown. Serve at once sprinkled with lemon juice and powdered sugar, apple sauce, maple syrup or whatever you like on your pancakes.

VARIATION: Make as instructed above, except sprinkle 2 T brown sugar and 1/4 t cinnamon evenly over melted butter in baking dish. Arrange 1 thinly sliced/chopped peeled baking apple over sugar and pour batter over apple. Bake 30-35 minutes; immediately after baking loosen edges and turn upside on serving plate or serve as is.

Spaghetti Pie

This is a yummy change for spaghetti....the "crust" and cottage cheese really make it. This is a doubled-ish recipe as I found it easier to just use a pound of hamburger, a jar of sauce, and more noodles, and then I just freeze one of the "pies" for later. Enjoy!

8 oz dried spaghetti
2 Tbs butter
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced (or garlic seasoning in the sauce)
1 cup chopped onion (1 onion)
1 cup chopped green sweet pepper (optional....I've never had one on hand when making)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
Seasonings of choice for sauce (garlic, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, sugar.....)
2 cups low fat cottage cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook spaghetti and drain (I like to break mine into pieces first). Return to pan and stir in butter till melted. Stir in egg and parmesan cheese.

Meanwhile, cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic, seasoning the meat with salt and pepper. Drain fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce and seasonings to taste. Heat through.

Spray two 9-inch pie plates with non-stick coating. Press spaghetti mixture onto bottom and up sides of pie plates, forming a crust. Spread cottage cheese on bottom and up sides of crusts. Spread meat mixture over cottage cheese. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a 350 oven for 20-25 minutes or till bubbly.

Broccoli Salad

4-5 spears fresh broccoli ,washed and chopped

1 pound bacon, cut to bits, and fried crisp ( I use scissors to cut it)

1 cup golden raisins, plumped (Soak for 10 minutes in HOT water, drain) Can also use Craisins straight from the bag

1/2 cup toasted almonds or 1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds (or both)

In A bowl combine broccoli, raisins or craisins, toasted almonds or sunflower seeds, and bacon. Add dressing just before serving so the bacon doesn't get soggy.

Dressing

Mix together and let sit for a least 3 hours, for flavors to develop:

3 Tablespoons red onion, minced

2 Cups Mayo (NOT Miracle Whip)

1 Cup sugar (Can use 1/2 c sugar, 1/2 cup Splenda)

1/2 Cup Red Wine Vinegar

Chicken Cordon Bleu

finished product

pre-cooked

-chicken

-swiss cheese

-bread crumbs

-ham slices (deli slices)

Easiest recipe ever! Slice the chicken in half and place 2 ham slices and a piece

of swiss cheese inside. put flap of chicken back on and put bread crumbs, salt 

and pepper on top. Place in oven at 400 degree's, For 45 minutes.  When it's 

all cooked place another piece of cheese on top and put in oven again, for about

3 minutes, or until cheese is melted. 

Delicious, Easy, Filling meal.