So Good it will make you ... Slap Yo’ Mamma French Toast

Whipped Topping:
8 oz. of Softened Cream Cheese
1 Pint of heavy whipping cream
2 Teaspoons Real Vanilla
3 Tablespoons of Sugar

In Electric Mixer with Whisk attachment.
Whip cream cheese till soft, add vanilla and sugar, whip until mixed.
Add heavy whipping cream and whip on high until peaks form.

Carmel syrup:
1 part caramel topping
1 part maple syrup.

Egg wash:
6 eggs
½ cup of Milk
2 Teaspoons of Vanilla
2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon

Whisk until mixed.

Bread:
Use Kneaders Cinnamon Twist bread and slice 1 inch thick.

Soak bread in egg wash and place on a preheated 350 degree Flat Grill.
Cook until both sides are a golden brown
Top with Whip Cream and drizzle over caramel syrup.

Chicken Divan

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. flour

2 c. milk

1/2 t. salt

dash cayenne

2 c. cheddar cheese

2 10 oz. pkg. frozen broccoli spears (cooked and drained)

4 chicken breasts (cooked and sliced)

Cook and slice chicken into strips. Cook and drain broccoli. Make White Sauce: In a small saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Stir in milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 min. more. Add 1 3/4 c. cheese and stir in. Arrange chicken and broccoli in baking dish and top with sauce and remaining cheese. Bake for 35 to 40 min. at 350.

Cinnamon Rolls

3/4 cup shortening
1 Tbsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs

Cream above ingredients well in a mixer. Then add:
1 1/2 cups hot water
4 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp. yeast

Mix all ingredients well. Sticky dough. Let sit 1 hour. Stir down. Shape into rolls or put in fridge until needed.

Filling:
1/4 cup butter
cinnamon
nutmeg
brown sugar

Cut evenly into 2 pieces. Roll out into rectangles about 1/4 inch thick. Spread with melted butter, sprinkle a little nutmeg. Add a layer of cinnamon and brown sugar, more or less to taste. Roll up the long way so the rolls are wider and have more layers. Use a piece of dental floss or string to pull into 8-9 slices per rectangle. Place in pan. Let rise 40-60 minutes, or until double in size. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes. Ice while still hot.

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-4 tsp. milk until smooth

Mix together, adding more or less milk until it's the consistancy you want. Drizzle over hot cinammon rolls.

To bake from frozen:
Take lid off and place rolls back in bag. Let defrost/rise at room temp for about 5-7 hours or until doubled in size. These are great to defrost overnight and bake for breakfast. Cook at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until the center is cooked through and they are slightly golden brown on top. Cut a small corner of icing bag and squeeze to drizzle over hot rolls.

Baked Tilapia Parmesan

3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 - 1 lb. tilapia fillets

Combine melted butter, bread crumbs, and cheese in a small bowl. Place fish in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with the crumb mixture and bake at 450 for 10 minutes or until fish flakes when touched with a fork. The top will have a nice golden crust.

From frozen: If you don't want to deal with the smell of fish, don't worry about defrosting them. Take them out of plastic and top with crumb mixture. Place in oven. Add 10 to 15 minutes more cooking time.

Oven Fries
3-4 baking potatoes
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt or onion salt (to taste)

Cut potatoes into strips for french fry sized pieces. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the fries for one minute. Drain and allow to cool. Freeze on a cookie sheet (flash freeze). Once frozen, transfer to ziplock bags. To cook, don't defrost. Add 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil straight to the bag and shake to coat potato strips with oil. Arrange potatoes in single layer on baking sheet. Bake at 450 for 20-30 minutes or until light brown and crisp. About halfway through cooking, use a spatula and flip potatoes. Continue cooking. Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt.

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

1 (16 oz.) pkg frozen broccoli - or fresh
6 carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cubes butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups flour
10 cups water
10-12 chicken bouillon cubes (to taste)
1 (16 oz.) container Cheez Whiz or Velveeta cheese

Steam vegetables until almost tender. In a separate bowl, microwave butter until melted. Stir in flour and mix until smooth. In a large saucepan, dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water. Add a cup of bouillon water to the butter/flour mixture and whisk together. Then add to boiling water and stir. Add drained vegetables to soup. Add Cheez Whiz or Velveeta cheese. Stir until melted.

Chicken Parmigiana

1 beaten egg + 1 TB water
1/2 C. Italian bread crumbs + 2 TB Parmesan cheese
1 lb. Chicken
1 C. Spaghetti Sauce
4 oz. mozzarella cheese

Dip chicken in egg mixture first, then bread w/bread crumbs. Bake 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes (until cooked through). Then top with sauce and cheese and bake another 5-10 minutes. Serve with noodles if desired.

Sour Cream Chili Bake

1 lb. Ground Beef

¼ C. Chopped Onion

1 can (16 oz.) Kidney Beans, Drained

1 can (15 oz.) Tomato Sauce

1 envelope Taco Seasoning mix

1 can of Corn, Drained

1 C. (4 oz.) Shredded Cheddar Cheese

3 ½ C. Fritos1 ¼ C. Sour Cream

Cook ground beef and onion until meat is browned and onion is tender; drain. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, taco seasoning, corn, onion and ¾ C. cheese. Sprinkle 2 ½ cups Fritos in bottom of 8×8 baking dish. Cover with Chili. Bake at 350 degree for 20-25 minutes. Spread sour cream on top of chili. Top with remaining corn chips and cheese. Bake 3-4 minutes longer.

*Time Saving Tip* If you’re running short on time, you can use 2 cans of chili and a can of corn, drained for the middle part of the casserole.

Texas Beef Brisket and Cake

Season 1 3 ½ lb. brisket with meat tenderizer and bake in a pan at 350˚ covered with tin foil for six to eight hours. Shred with two forks and pour on Bull’s Eye original barbeque sauce to taste. Serve on rolls.


Grammie Doll’s Famous Moist Cake

INGREDIENTS
Cake:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup (2 cubes) margarine
1 cup water
4 Tbsp. cocoa
½ c. buttermilk
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting:
1 stick butter
4 Tbsp. cocoa
4 Tbsp. milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, blend sugar and flour. Put aside. In a medium saucepan melt margarine, water and cocoa. Pour over flour mixture. Stir in eggs and buttermilk. Stir in soda, cinnamon, and vanilla until well-blended.

Bake in a 9x13 pan greased with cooking spray at 350˚ for 20-25 minutes. Cool and spread on frosting.

Creamy Bacon Chicken

5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 oz. precooked bacon bits (not artificial)
1 can roasted garlic cr. of mushroom soup (I couldn't find that, so I substituted a can of golden mushroom soup and some garlic powder)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup flour

Place chicken in crock pot. Mix all other ingredients together and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over egg noodles.

December Meals

Pizza Braid - Ariane

Sour Cream Chili Bake - Britta

Japanese Chicken Curry - Julianne

Baked Tilapia Parmesan, Cinnamon Rolls - Julie

Texas Beef Brisket - Kimberly

Chicken Divan - Laurie

French Toast - Margaret

Cheddar Broccoli Soup - Melanie

Creamy Bacon Chicken - Naomi

Chicken Parmigiana - Tawnee

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 Tablespoons chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup bamboo shoots or water chestnuts (8 oz. can)
2/3 cup mushroom (4-5 mushrooms)
4-5 leaves iceberg lettuce
vermicelli or bean thread noodles (optional)

Special Sauce:

1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 Tablespoon hot mustard
1 teaspoon red chili paste
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Stir-Fry Sauce:

2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar

Directions:

1. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
2. Add other special sauce ingredients.
3. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to pour over the wraps.
4. Prepare noodles using package directions. Can be fried to add a nice crunchy topping or boiled and cut into small pieces to cover bottom of serving dish. Then pour chicken mixture on top of the noodles when ready to serve.
5. Prepare the stir-fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
6. When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
7. Place the pan back on heat. Add chicken, onions, garlic, bamboo shoots or water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
8. Add the stir-fry sauce to the pan and sauté the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce "cups" rolled up like burrito.

Italian Meatball Subs

1. Slice the roll length-wise (­not all the way through)
2. pick a little bit of the bread out from the inside, to create a cradle for the meatballs
3. open up the rolls a little bit and place them on a cookie sheet.
4. warm up the rolls in the oven for about 5 +/- mins at 350 (just long enough to warm the bread and even toast it a little)
5. remove the bread from the oven. put 2 thawed meatballs in each sub-roll
6. ladle as much sauce over the meatballs as your heart desires and top with mozzarella cheese
7. put back into the oven and warm up the sub sandwich until the cheese is melted
8. heat the rest of the sauce for dipping

Bon Appetite!

Recipe for Italian Meatballs
Well, if you’re anything like me, my meatballs are different each time I make them. I’m always trying new things out. But this is how I made them this time:

2 lb. lean hamburger
1 lb. Italian sausage (I use the Italian sausage links from Costco. It comes in a 5 lb. bag). Squeeze out the sausage from the casings
3 eggs, whipped up
½ onion, chopped real fine (the Pampered Chef chopper works really well for this)
About 1 ½ cups Italian bread crumbs
Scoop of Pesto Sauce (about a 1/3 cup) (I use the pesto sauce from Costco)
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Put all ingredients into a large bowl. If you’re daring you can mix all the ingredients with your hands until it is well mixed. I prefer to use a hand-held potato masher to mix everything together.

Roll meat mixture into large meatballs (it makes about 30-35). You can make them any size you want. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for about 20 mins at 375 degrees. You want to cook them until there is no pink in the middle. If you are making smaller or jumbo-size meatballs, you may need to adjust your cooking time by a few mins.

These are great to keep in your freezer and pull them out the next time you make spaghetti or other pasta dishes.

Corn Quesadillas

12 corn tortillas
2 cups cubed chicken mixed with 1/2 cup mild salsa
4 cups shredded cheese
1 cup spanish rice
1 cup frozen corn
oil to heat in pan (or spray)

Spray or oil a large frying pan. On medium low, spread out tortillas. Layer some cheese, then chicken, followed by rice and corn. Top with cheese and another tortilla. Cook until the bottom cheese is melty and flip. Continue cooking until all cheese is melty and quesadilla is slightly browned.

To cook from frozen:
Defrost a little in the microwave. If defrosted completely, they can become soggy. Place some oil in a large frying pan and heat to medium low. Place partially thawed quesadillas in pan and cover to the heat will continue to melt the cheese in the middle. Cook and flip until center is warmed (if cooked too long, they can become very crunchy). Top with guacamole and salsa. Also great with sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, more cheese, or even try smothering in enchilada sauce.

For guacamole:
Buy it at Costco and freeze it. Let defrost a couple of hours or defrost slowly in the microwave and stir often. You don't want it to be warm or cooked.

Creamy White Chili

1 lb. chicken breast, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cans Great Northern beans
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. oil
1 (15 oz.) can chicken broth, or substitute
1 (8 oz.) can chopped green chiles
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream

Saute chicken and onions in 1 Tbsp. oil. Add beans, green chiles, seasonings, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, simmer uncovered on medium about 30 minutes. Add all sour cream and 1/2 cup heavy cream, heat until hot (don't boil). Serve with tortilla chips.

Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole

1 (8 oz.) tube refridgerator crescent rolls
1 lb. ground sausage, cooked and well drained
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp. minced green bell pepper (optional)
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Beat together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir in cheese and green pepper and mix well. Set aside. Unroll tube of crescent rolls and press together to cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Seal perforations. Crumble cooked sausage over rolls. Pour egg mixture over rolls and sausage. Freeze, or refridgerate overnight if cooking in the morning. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until browned.

Lion House Chicken Noodle Soup

2 tsp. chicken bouillon
6 cups chicken soup stock
2 C. chopped carrots
2 C. chopped celery
3/4 C. chopped onion
2 Cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 C. milk
2 C. Cooked Chicken
4 C. uncooked noodles
salt/pepper to taste

Boil chicken in water. Pull out and pull chicken into chunks. Add veggies, cream of chicken soup, and noodles to stock. Cook until veggies are tender. Add Milk. Serve with whole wheat bread.

Cheese Filled Shells

1 (12 oz.) box jumbo pasta shells

Cheese Mixture:
2 pints cottage cheese
1 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
3 eggs
3/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt

Sauce:
1/2 cup diced onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 (8 oz.) can tomato paste
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. basil
1 tsp. sugar

Cook shells half the recommended time. Drain and cool in a single layer on a pan. Combine cheese, eggs, oregano, and salt. Fill each shell with cheese mixture. Cover and put in refridgerator while you prepare the sauce. Combine all the sauce ingredients and simmer 1 hour in a saucepan. Pour 1/2 cup sauce on bottom of baking dish. Place shells in a single layer in the baking dish. Cover with the rest of the sauce. Bake 350 degrees for 30 min.

Gnocchi Fresh Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves (washed and thoroughly dry, no brown spots)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, Reggiano, or Romano cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts (or pine nuts)
3 medium sized garlic cloves
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Basil Pesto: Process garlic cloves in food processor until finely minced. Add walnuts and pulse a few times. Add basil and pulse a few more times. Add olive oil. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.

If you want to freeze, omit cheese (it doesn't freeze well). Line an ice cube tray with plastic wrap, and fill each pocket with the pesto. Freeze and then remove from the ice tray and store in a freezer bag.

To use, defrost basil pesto. In skillet, mix pesto, 1/2 cup half & half, and 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese. Stir over medium heat and bring to a boil to thicken.

Serve over gnocchi, pasta, baked potatoes, or toasted baguette slices.

November Meals

Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole - Margaret

Turkey Roast and Potatoes - Laurie

Italian Meatball Subs - Melanie

Corn Quesadillas - Julie

Gnocchi Basil Pesto - Kimberly

Cheese Filled Shells - Rachel

Butternut Squash Ravioli Alfredo - Julianne

Creamy White Chili - Naomi

Lettuce Wraps - Tawnee

Lion House Chicken Noodle Soup - Britta

Baked 4-Cheese Pasta

Bread crumb topping:
3-4 slices white sandwich bread torn into quarters
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Pulse bread in food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer to small bowl, stir in other ingredients. Set aside.

Pasta and cheese:
4 oz. Italian Fontina cheese, shredded
3 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/2 c. grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb. penne pasta
1 Tbsp. plus 1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. butter
1 tsp. flour
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Heat oven to 500 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Combine cheeses in large bowl; set aside. Add pasta and 1 Tbsp. salt to boiling water, stir to separate pasta. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat; whisk flour into butter until no lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in cream, increasing heat to medium, and bring to boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 minute to ensure that flour cooks. Stir in remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper; cover cream mixture to keep hot and set aside. When pasta is very al dente (when bitten into, pasta should be opaque and slightly underdone at very center), drain about 5 seconds, leaving pasta slightly wet. Add pasta to bowl with cheeses; immediately pour cream mixture over, then cover bowl with foil or large plate and let stand 3 minutes. Uncover bowl and stir with rubber spatula, scraping bottom of bowl, until cheeses are melted and mixture is thoroughly combined. Transfer pasta to 9x13 in. baking dish, then sprinkle evenly with reserved bread crumbs, pressing down lightly. Bake until topping is golden brown, about 7 minutes. Serve immediately.

Shredded Pork

Pork:
Pork roast, not too fatty
2 cups salsa
2 cups brown sugar

Put all ingredients in crockpot. Cook and shred. After shredded you can add a little more brown sugar to taste and cook for an additional hour in a low oven.

Salad Dressing:
2 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix
1 lime, juiced
3 Tbsp. green salsa verde
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. sour cream

Mix in blender. Thin with milk if needed.

Cilantro and Lime Rice:
For every 3 cups cooked rice, add 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, and juice of 2 small limes. Use zest of one lime completely, and 1 tsp. salt.

Toppings:
Tortillas, lettuce, rice, beans, tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips.

Shrimp Scampi

1/2 carton frozen Shrimp Scampi
6-10 oz. fresh baby spinach
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
8 oz. linguine, cooked and drained
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the shrimp in a 12 inch skillet for 6 minutes. Add the spinach and tomatoes. Cook and stir for about 5-6 minutes more or until the shrimp turn pink, and spinach wilts. Add pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. Portion onto plates and top with sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Chicken Enchiladas

8-10 white corn tortillas
3 breasts boneless/skinless chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can diced green chilies
1 8 oz. sour cream
1 small onion - diced
2 cups shredded cheese

Boil chicken. While boiling chicken combine soup, chilies, onion and sour cream and set aside. Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Spread sauce mixture onto each tortilla, place chicken in center, roll up and place seam-side down in a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle shredded cheese over all. Bake uncovered at 350˚ for 20 minutes.

Serve with MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE

Heat 4 cups skim milk and 1 tablet Abuelita chocolate in a med. Saucepan over med-high heat. Mix constantly with a wire whisk until frothy and starts to boil. Remove from heat; add sugar to taste. Serve immediately.

French Dip Sandwiches

1 beef roast (any kind that boneless--as cheap as you can find!!)
1 or 2 pkgs. Italian dressing mix (like you'd make salad dressing with)
1 or 2 pkgs. Au Jus seasoning (in gravy section)
2-3 cups water (depending on how much au jus you want for dipping)
Sandwich rolls

Place roast in crock pot. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and Au Jus packets (I use two of each if it's a bigger roast, and one of each if it's smaller). Pour water over all and stir seasonings into the water. Cook roast in crock pot on high 6-8 hours or until tender enough to shred with a fork (I usually flip the roast over at least once to cook evenly in liquid). Shred meat, Serve on any kind of rolls, with Au jus on the side for dipping.

October Meals

Roast and Vegetables - Margaret

Shrimp Scampi - Tawnee

Thai Egg Rolls - Julie

Chicken Enchiladas - Kimberly

Enchilda Lasagna - Laurie

French Dip - Naomi

Baked 4-Cheese Pasta - Julianne

Shredded Pork - Ariane

Chili and Baked Potatoes - Melanie

Spinach Artichoke Chicken - Britta

Marinated Chicken

Chicken Breasts

Equal parts:
oil
7-up
soy sauce

1-2 tsp on garlic chili sauce

Mix. Pour over chicken to marinate as long as desired. Grill on medium heat for about 20 minutes, or bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until done.

Meatloaf

2 lbs ground beef
1 envelope beefy onion soup mix
3/4 cup saltine crackers, crushed
2 eggs
3/4 c. water
1/3 c. ketchup
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp garlic salt
6 strips bacon

Combine all ingredients except bacon. Place in a large loaf pan or 2 smaller pans. Cover with strips of bacon. Bake at 350 for 1 hour until done. Let stand 10 min. before slicing.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

2 cups cooked and cubed chicken breast
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 chopped celery stalks
1/4 cup coarsley chopped cashews
dash of salt and pepper
dash of onion salt
dash of garlic powder
1 cup grapes sliced in half (optional)

Mix all ingredients together. Chill. Serve on rolls or bread.

Hawaiian Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 cup crushed pineapple with juice
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or stew in slow cooker for 4-6 hours. Serve over rice.

Sweet Chicken

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup apricot-pineapple jam
1 cup Catalina dressing
1/4 cup dry onion soup mix

Put chicken breasts in a 9x13 pan. Mix all other ingredients together and pour over chicken. Bake at 350 for 1.5 hours or until chicken is done. Or cook 4-5 hours in a crock pot on low (1-2 hours on high). Serve over rice.

Chicken Stir Fry

1 Tbsp. oil
3/4 lb. broccoli, chopped
5-6 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 onion, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
12 oz. chicken breast, cut and cooked
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup water
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 cup rice, cooked

Stir fry vegetables in oil until tender crisp; add cooked chicken and heat through. While veggies are cooking, in small saucepan dissolve bouillon cubes in 1/2 cup warm water. Bring to a boil, then add soy sauce and sugar. Mix cornstarch and remaining 1/2 cup water together, then add to boiling mixture. Stir until thickened. Pour over stir fried veggies, tossing to coat. Serve over cooked rice.

Lemon Salmon

Salmon fillets
Lemon pepper
1/4 cube butter
1 cup water
Lemon, sliced

Cut fish in 1 1/2-2 inch pieces. Place on heavy duty foil, or 2 layers of foil. Sprinkle with lemon pepper. Cover with butter, water, and lemon slices. Seal foil. Grill for 15-20 minutes on medium.

September Meals

Chicken Salad Sandwiches - Julie

Meatloaf - Naomi

Artichoke Chicken Pasta - Julianne

Lemon Salmon - Laurie

Chicken Cordon Bleu - Tawnee

Hawaiian Chicken - Rachel

Sweet Chicken - Kimberly

Marinated Chicken - Melanie

Hawaiian Haystacks - Margaret

Chicken Stir Fry - Britta

Lasagna

1 box oven ready lasagna noodles (12 oz)
1 jar pasta sauce (1 lb. 10 oz.)
1 large cottage cheese (24 oz.)
1 lb. smoked honey ham
1 lb. mozzarella cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 dash of Italian seasoning

(I usually make one to eat and one to freeze) Spray 2 8x8 pans or 1 13x9 with nonstick oil. Start with a layer of sauce, then noodles, next cottage cheese, then a layer of ham, following with mozzarella. Continue layers until top. End with a layer of sauce covered with mozzarella and parmesan. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Place a toothpick or 2 in the center of pan. Cover with aluminum foil. This will create a tent so the cheeses don't stick to the foil. Bake at 375 for about 60 minutes. If cooking from frozen, add another 30 to 60 minutes.

Asian Beef and Snow Peas

2 lbs beef round steak (I used a roast) cut into thin strips
8 ounces snow peas
1/2 C. soy sauce
1/3 C. beef broth
2 TB brown sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
2 TB vegetable oil
2 TB minced garlic
1/8 tsp ground ginger

In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, broth, brown sugar, cornstarch, oil, garlic, and ginger. Set aside.

Stir fry beef in 2 TB oil until cooked through (there will be juice from the beef in the pan—leave it in there). Add the snow peas and stir fry 2 minutes. Pour sauce over mixture and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 more minutes, until slightly thickened. Serve over rice.

**If you like a thicker sauce, you can add some cornstarch mixed with water to the sauce.

BBQ Pizza

Chicken Breasts (2 cups shredded)
BBQ sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's)
Diced Red Onions
1 1/2-2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
Cilantro

Pizza Dough
1 cup warm water
1 t sugar
2 t yeast
mix above and let sit, then add
2 1/2 c flour
2 T olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Directions: Place chicken breasts and BBQ sauce in crock pot 8-10 hours. Shred chicken and put more BBQ sauce on (I've already done this much for you). Put BBQ chicken on top of pizza dough and top with red onions, cheese and cilantro and Bake.

Beef Stroganoff

2 lbs stew meat
1 onion minced
4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp ketchup
4 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
4 Tbsp beef base
4 cups sliced mushrooms
24 oz sour cream

In a large saucepan melt butter and sautee onions. Sear meat. Once browned add mushrooms, Worchestershire sauce, ketchup and beef base. Cover in water, turn heat to low and let simmer uncovered until meat is tender. Temper sour cream into meat mixture. Serve over egg noodles or rice.

August Meals

Stouffer's Lasagna - Laurie

Enchiladas or Tostadas - Tawnee

BBQ Pizza - Julianne

Fajitas - Margaret

Pizza Braid - Ariane

Lasagna - Julie

Asian Beef and Snow Peas - Naomi

Beef Stroganoff - Britta

Thai Egg Rolls

4 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup shredded onion
1 lb. ground turkey (chicken, beef, or pork)
1 or 2 garlic cloves
1/2 small package bean thread noodles (boiled and cut)
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup hoison sauce
4 eggs

Spring roll wrappers

Combine all ingredients and roll in spring roll wrapper. Seal end edge of wrapper with egg whites. Cook in oil 375 for about 8 minutes. (Freezes well once cooked. Reheat in oven at 400 for 20-25 min. or until crispy and heated through.) Serve with dipping sauce and rice.

Creamy Pesto Chicken (or Shrimp) with Pasta (Gnocchi, Cavatapi, or Linguini)

This is a variation on a recipe from the Food Network that was featured on Oprah, CNN, etc. It is also a variation on a dish served at the Corner Bakery (Pesto Cavatapi) in CA, Chicago, etc.

1 tbsp butter (15 mL)
1 tbsp olive oil (15 mL)
2 tbsp flour (30 mL)
2 cups 1% milk (500 mL)
1/2 tsp pepper (2.5 mL)
375 g pasta (11 oz)
2/3 cup grated low-fat Parmesan cheese (7 mL)
1/4 cup pesto (60 mL)
Grilled Chicken (or Large shrimp, cooked peeled and deveined (454g or 1 lb)
Chili flakes (optional)
Crushed red pepper, optional FYI: I added 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Directions:

Boil water for pasta. Melt butter and olive oil in a nonstick fry pan. Stir in flour until pasty, then add milk, stirring constantly. Season with pepper. Add pasta to boiling water. Set timer for 3 minutes for Gnocchi (or follow package directions). Stir Parmesan cheese into cream sauce. Blend in pesto and cook for a few minutes on low until thickened. If the sauce gets too thick it’s ok to keep adding milk a little bit at a time. Stir in chicken to heat through. Serve over hot pasta. Yuuuuummmmy!!!!!

(Meal group: Boil Gnocchi - set timer for 3 minutes, or substitute your favorite pasta. Bring the sauce to a boil on medium heat, then simmer until it thickens. The chicken is already cooked through. I don't know how well cream sauces freeze so you may choose to eat this one sooner than later.)

Easy Crock Pot Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

3 chicken breasts
1 cube butter
1 package Italian Seasoning (like you'd make salad dressing with)
8 oz cream cheese
1 large can cream of chicken
1/2 cup water

First, take out cream cheese and set on counter to bring to room temperature.

Cook Chicken, butter, and Italian dressing seasoning in crock pot on high for 3 hours, stirring ever so often to coat chicken with seasoning. Take Chicken out and shred. Before putting chicken back in crock pot, add cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and ½ cup hot water to seasonings. Stir until smooth-you may need to let it heat up a few minutes to get cream cheese completely mixed in, then add chicken and heat back up to bubbly.

Serve over fettuccine noodles. Top each serving with fresh parmesan cheese.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

3 chicken breasts, roasted and shredded
½ onion, diced
½ green or red pepper, diced
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¾ tsp sugar
1 cup chicken broth
2 cans cream of chicken soup
½ cup pace picante salsa
Sprinkle of cinnamon

Saute onions and green pepper in 1 T olive oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients except salsa and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add salsa, and heat to boil. Serve with sour cream, tortilla chips, and cheese.

(Meal exchange: Bring soup to a boil, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Top with cheese, chips, and sour cream. Also good with corn added, if you want more veggies.)

July Meals

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi w/ Grilled Chicken - Julianne

Chicken Enchilada Soup - Elisa

Shish Kabobs - Tawnee

Porcupine Meatballs - Laurie

Crock Pot Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo - Naomi

Thai Egg Rolls - Julie

Cream Cheese Chicken - Emily

Tacos - Brandi

Tortiloni Marinara - Margaret

White Chili - Britta

Sweet Pork Tacos or Burritos

Sweet Pork
1 4 lb. pork roast
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Mix brown sugar, pepper, garlic salt in small bowl. Rub brown sugar mix on pork roast. Wrap roast in 4 layers of tin foil. Bake roast at 275 degrees for at least 6 hours (pork is amazingly tender if cooked for 9 to 11 hours). Shred pork, stir in sauce, simmer in sauce for 5 minutes, serve, enjoy!

Sauce
1 c. light corn syrup
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1/4 c. water

Mix all ingredients, warm in microwave, pour over shredded roast, simmer for 5 minutes.

Slow Cooked Beans over Rice
6-8 c. water
1 lb. dry pinto beans (black are also good) (1 lb. is about 2 c.)

Cook in crock pot on low for about 5-8 hours (some take longer depending on hardness of water and dryness of beans). About an hour before beans are fully cooked, stir in the seasoning mix from below. Continue cooking until done. Serve over plain cooked white rice.

Seasoning Mix
1 onion, chopped
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1-2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. tapatio Mexican hot sauce (more if you want spicier)

Heat skillet with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Add onions and garlic. Cook until clear and soft. Add pepper, salt, and tapatio. Mix into cooking beans.

Cafe Rio Salad Dressing
3 fresh tomatillo peppers
1 pkg. ranch buttermilk dressing mix
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 c. fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic (optional)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 jalapeno pepper (optional)

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth

Pizza Braid

One White Loaf Rhodes Frozen Bread Dough
Pizza Sauce
Pepperoni slices
Canadian Bacon slices
Mozzarella cheese, grated

Let the bread loaf thaw on a greased cookie sheet with plastic wrap (sprayed with Pam) covering it until double in size. Remove plastic wrap, and smash with hands to create a large rectangular piece of dough. Spread desired pizza sauce down the center of the loaf length-wise, leaving about two inches on each side of plain dough to twist later. Place desired toppings down center of dough, and cover with cheese. Take a knife and slice strips from the center of the dough out to the edges about an inch apart on each side - be sure to make the same amount of slices on each and have them line up on each side of the loaf as best you can. Then, starting on one end, pull a strip on each side up to the center of the dough, and twist twice and lay flat over the middle, until all the pizza is braided up. (Tuck the end in and then twist over for the edges). Bake immediately at 325 for 20-25 minutes or so, or wrap in plastic wrap and foil and place in freezer.

Russian Chicken

6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced (or use tenders)
1 (8 oz) bottle of Russian Dressing
1 small jar of apricot jam
1 package dry onion soup mix
2 tsp curry powder (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dressing, jam and onion soup mix together. Pour over chicken. Bake, for 1 hour (cover for the first half of cooking). Serve on its own or with rice.

Garlic Roasted Chicken

3 to 3 1/2 lb. cut-up friying chicken, skin removed
3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon grated gingerroot
4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange chicken pieces in ungreased 12 x 8-inch baking dish. In small bowl, combine all remaining ingredients; blend well. Brush chicken with soy mixture.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear, basting with drippings halfway through cooking.

Spinach Artichoke Chicken

12 chicken tenders
1/2 bucket Spinach Artichoke Dip (from Deli section at Costco)

Place chicken tenders in baking dish. Spread dip on top. Bake for about 30 min. at 350 degrees, or until done. Serve over rice.

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger

Recipe courtesy of Jeff O'Neill
From the show Oprah's Top Picks for Summer
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
1/8 cup canola oil
4 pounds ground turkey breast
2 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. chipotle Tabasco™
1 lemon, juice and grated zest
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney, pureed

Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool. Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with your favorite toasted bread, pita or hamburger roll.

June Meals

Hamburgers - Laurie

Russian Chicken - Julianne

BBQ Beef - Brandi

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burgers - Margaret

Pizza Braid - Naomi

Curry Chicken - Tawnee

Spicy Cashew Chicken - Elisa

Sweet Pork Tacos or Burritos - Julie

Garlic Roasted Chicken - Ariane

Spinach Artichoke Chicken - Britta

Breakfast Burritos

1 to 1 1/2 lbs of ground sausage, cooked and drained
12-18 eggs, scrambled (salt and pepper to taste)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
8 burrito size flour tortillas

Warm tortillas in microwave to soften. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup cheese (half cheddar, half pepper jack), 1/2 cup eggs, and 1/4 cup sausage. Wrap into a burrito and then wrap with foil. Bake in the foil at 350 for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and they are heated through.

Chicken Tacos - Weight Watchers

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 cup corn
1 cup salsa
Flour tortillas

Combine lime juice, chili powder, and chicken in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hrs. Shred chicken, leave juices. Stir in corn and salsa. Cover. Cook 30 min. more.

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Corn & Tomato Relish

4 6-oz. fillets
3 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for brushing
salt and pepper
2 cups corn kernels
2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped (or diced canned)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Brush mahi mahi fillets with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook corn in olive oil, stirring, until slightly brown. Add tomatoes and basil; stir and cook approximately 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Grill mahi mahi over medium heat for approximately 4 minutes on each side, or to an internal temperature of 150 degrees F. Top each fillet with the corn and tomato relish. Makes 4 servings.

May Meals

Grilled Mahi Mahi – Tonya

Pork Chops w/Potatoes & Corn – Margaret

Breakfast Burritos – Naomi

Chicken Skewers – Laurie

Cheese Ravioli – Emily

Breaded Tilapia – Brandi

Penne Pasta w/ Grilled Peppers & Sausage – Julianne

Chicken Fajitas – Elisa

Chicken Parmesan – Tawnee

Chicken Tacos - Britta

Hawaiian Haystacks

2 large chicken breasts
1 large can cream of chicken
1-2 c. milk
1 can chicken broth
2 T dried minced onion
2 tsp parsley
½ cup corn starch mixed with cold water to liquify
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the chicken any way you want. I usually throw the frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot for 5-6 hours on high and then shred them. Then add all of the ingredients, including the chicken, into a pan and stir while heating. Once the sauce has simmered for 5 or 10 minutes, you can decide how much of the cornstarch mixture to add. It is a thickener, and the more you add, the more thick the sauce will be. You could add half of it, stir for a few minutes, and then decide if you want to add the rest. Then serve with rice, coconut, almonds, rice noodles, pineapple, or other favorites!

Artichoke, Sundried Tomato, and Chicken Pasta

6.5 ounces Artichoke Hearts (chopped)
1/2 cup Sundried Tomatoes
1 lb chicken (I actually put in a little more than this)
2 cloves garlic
2 T basil
1/8 cup white wine (I used the non-alcoholic cooking version)
chicken stock (I simply used chicken bullion so you may want to add a little water)
salt & pepper to taste
pasta

Saute the ingredients in 2 T olive oil until the chicken is done and serve over pasta. As an alternative, if you prefer a cream sauce you can simply substitute the olive oil for heavy cream (although you would probably want to put in a cup or so).

April Meals

Chicken Salad – Brandi

Taco Salad – Tawnee

Chili Beef Rice – Britta

Brats, Fries, Onions – Margaret

Artichoke, Sundried Tomato, and Chicken Pasta - Julianne

Hawaiian Haystacks – Elisa

Mushroom Chicken – Tonya

Breaded Chicken Ranch – Naomi

Barbeque Chicken – Ariane

Stuffed Pork Chops – Laurie

Chicken Cordon Bleu

6 chicken breasts
6 slices provolone cheese
12 slices deli ham
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2/3 cups Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Pound chicken breasts until they are 1/2 inch thick. In a medium sized bowl, mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Put 2 slices of ham on the chicken. Roll up a slice of provolone cheese and place in the center of meat. Roll up meat and secure with a toothpick. Dip in melted butter and then in bread crumb mixture. If freezing, place in a freezer bag and freeze. Otherwise, place seam-side down on cookie sheet. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

White Chili

3 - 15 1/2 oz. cans Northern beans (rinsed and drained)
2 cups chicken broth
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. oil (or cooking spray for pan)
1 or 2 cans diced green chilis
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. cloves
3 to 4 chicken breasts

Put everything in crockpot for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Shred chicken just before serving. Top with chips, cheese, sour cream, or green onions.

Ranch Chicken

2-3 lbs of chicken tenders
1-1 1/2 cups ranch dressing (I used Gregg's brand which is sold at Costco)
bacon strips (I used the pre-cooked kind you can buy at Costco)
mozzerella cheese

Place chicken in baking dish, pour ranch dressing on top, cover with bacon strips and cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

March Meals

Salisbury Steak – Naomi

Green Salad w/Chicken & goodies – Carrie

Pork Sandwiches – Tonya

Chicken Cordon Bleu – Tawnee

Spaghetti & Meatballs – Margaret

White Chili – Britta

Lasagna – Ariane

Ranch Chicken – Julianne

Meatballs – Shari

Sloppy Joes – Hilarie

February Meals

Pot Roast – Tonya

Swiss Chicken – Laurie

Chicken Supreme – Naomi

Taco Soup – Hilarie

Stuffed Burger Bundles – Ariane

Fajitas – Margaret

BBQ Chicken – Shari

Tamales – Tawnee

Mushroom Chicken – Britta