Swiss Mushroom Chicken

Can we say YUM! This is a new favorite of mine. I love everything about it. This is quite an easy dish, but doesn't look it! Definitely something you could cook to impress company.


Swiss Mushroom Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1 egg
1 cup crushed butter crackers (such as club)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 lb fresh sliced mushrooms
2 TBSP butter divided
4 slices deli ham
4 slices swiss cheese

Flatten chicken to 1/4 inches. (I take a large chicken breast and just slice it in half). In a bowl lightly beat egg. Combine cracker crumbs and salt in another bowl. Dip chicken in egg then in crumbs; set aside. In a large skillet saute mushrooms in 1 TBSP butter, remove and set aside. Add remaining butter to the same skillet and cook chicken over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side of until juices run clear. Top with ham slice, mushrooms and cheese. Reduce heat to low and cover until cheese melts (about 1-2 minutes)

Stuffed Peppers!

I hadn't had stuffed peppers in years. My mom would rarely make them because she and I were the only ones who would eat them at home. My husband brought them up and I can't believe I had forgotten about these little gems. YUM! I got this recipe from my other aunt, Star. I'm so lucky to have so many great cooks in my family who are willing to share their recipes and I've made this one twice since she gave it to me! Seems like it's a pretty traditional stuffed peppers recipe, so probably nothing new. I'm mostly putting it on here for me. :)


Stuffed Pepper Cups

Cut of tops & remove seeds/membranes of 6 peppers, any color
Boil in salted water 5mins.
Drain and salt inside cups ( save 1/2 cup water stock from peppers)
Filling:
1 lb. Ground beef or ground turkey
1/4 cup chopped onion (optional)
1/2 tsp. Salt & dash pepper
2- 8oz. Cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup uncooked minute rice (white or brown)
3/4 cup corn, frozen
1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Cook ground beef or turkey with onions til browned.
Add remaining ingredients including 1/2 cup of stock from boiling peppers.
Cover & simmer approx.15 mins.
Stir in 1 cup shredded cheese
Stuff meat into cups and stand upright in baking dish
Top each cup with more cheddar cheese
Bake uncovered for 20-25 mins 350 degrees.

Chicken Scampi

Now that it's actually somewhat light while we are eating dinner, I'm going to try and be better at posting new recipes! This is another great recipe from my Aunt Tiffini. It sounded like something good and different.. and it sure was both! Loved it! The first time I made it I used the homemade chili sauce.. not sure who makes it, but I didn't really like it. The 2nd time I used Heinz chili sauce and it was a winner!! YUM! I now make this often. It comes together so quickly. Perfect for a busy night.


Chicken Scampi

8 cloves crushed garlic
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried parsley
4 T lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 c olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup chili sauce
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces

Combine together in greased 9x11 inch pan. Bake at 450 for 12-15 mins uncovered or until chicken is done. Serve over cooked angel hair pasta with Parmesan cheese on top.

Best Taco Soup!

It's been forever, I know!! I will try to be better about posting! :)

Ok so I really don't like taco soup.. I've eaten it a few times because.. honestly, I didn't want to be rude. But, I'm the type of person who gets these urges to try things I haven't liked in the past.. After all, maybe it was just that recipe that I wasn't a fan of. So, I decided to give taco soup a second chance when I saw a recipe that wasn't like any of the past ones I've had. Usually they are really thin and kind of bland. The first thing I noticed about this recipe is that it was chunky. I like chunky.. plus it had diced green chilies in it.. I'll eat almost anything with diced green chilies in it. lol. I am definitely making this more often.. We ate it a few days ago and I've been eating it everyday for lunch since. It makes a TON! So, I froze some(hope that turns out).


Simple Taco Soup
2 lbs ground beef (I actually only used one.. oops.. still seemed like enough to me)
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 1/2 cups water
1 (15 ounce) can mild chili beans
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (I didn't have these so I used black)
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers (aka rotel)
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 (1 ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix

In a Dutch oven or large kettle, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add taco seasoning and mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

We topped ours with a dollop of sour cream and some cheddar cheese.. Dipped chips in it and it was oooohhh so good! I think it would also be awesome with some diced up avocado thrown on top.

Grilled Chicken Tacos

So, I don't have a photo for this.. we eat it up too fast! My husband bought this marinade and grilled us some chicken the day I got home from the hospital. IT WAS SO GOOD! I loved it up.. as I was eating it, I thought.. you know this would make excellent tacos.. my husband agreed so a few nights later we made it again and turned it into tacos. Oh man! So good! My sister-in-law was staying with us at the time and she told me she was taking me home with her because they were the best tacos she had ever had. I agree! I would have never bought this flavor of marinade.. so I'm glad my husband did. Our pantry is now stocked with several bottles of the stuff because it's on sale at Macey's for 3 for $5 right now. Yummy Yummy stuff!

Grilled Chicken Taco's

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (or however many you think your family will need)
1/2 bottle Lawry's Havana garlic and lime marinade
Flour tortillas (get the uncooked ones.. it's the only way)
cheddar cheese
lettuce
tomato
avocado
sour cream

Marinade chicken in Lawry's marinade for 30 mins or overnight. Grill chicken until done, dice chicken into bite size pieces. Prepare tacos using chicken meat and toppings of your choice.

Easy dinner.. and SO YUMMY! Lawry's is not paying me for this post either.. but I wish they were.. with the marinade! hehe.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

I got this recipe out of the recent Taste of Home magazine. I thought it looked easy, tasty and something a little different from our normal. I halved the recipe because it served 10 people but when I put in half the amount of tortellini I felt it wasn't hearty enough for me, so I ended up using the whole package. I also felt it was lacking just a little in flavor, so I think next time I make it I will add more seasonings, I would recommend just adding to your taste. This is the recipe halved, so if you can double it if you want. I also made homemade bread sticks.. I got the recipe from My Kitchen Cafe. If you would like it you can go here. They were very yummy!


Tomato Tortellini Soup (5-6 servings)

1 package frozen cheese tortellini (or you could use fresh, frozen is just cheaper)
1 can healthy request tomato soup, undiluted
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half
1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun dried tomatoes
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan (I had this yummy Parmesan mix I found at walmart in the bagged shredded cheese section.. it was SO GOOD!)
Additional shredded Parmesan, optional

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, In a dutch oven, combine the soup, broth, milk, cream, tomatoes and seasonings. Heat through, stirring frequently. Drain tortellini; carefully add to soup. Stir in cheese. Sprinkle each serving with additional cheese if desired.

Crockpot sweet and sour meatballs

So, you know how I said I never buy frozen meatballs... well.. I was walking into Walmart the other day and walked past Subway.. The smells just made me crave a meatball sandwich, and we had hoagies at home. So, I gave in and bought some frozen ones so I could easily make me a meatball sandwich for lunch, it was divine. Anyway, so I now have some store bought frozen meatballs in my freezer and I needed to use a few things in my fridge(pineapple and the sweet and sour sauce). So, I decided to throw it all in my crockpot and see how it all tasted. YUM YUM YUM! My pregnant body could hardly handle smelling it all day, I wanted to dive in! After my husband got home I was constantly asking him if he was hungry yet.. after the 3rd no.. I decided I was going to test them out. I ate 5 meatballs before we even ate. They were so yummy and super easy! Anyway, I love this sauce and have used it on chicken before but it was very good for this too, so I would recommend getting it if you can.

I have found it's cheapest at Walmart, if you can find it at yours! Anyway here is the recipe. I wish I got paid to advertise this sauce, but really.. I just like it! I also use their fajita sauce every now and then.


Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs
frozen meatballs (as many as you need for your family)
1 bottle sweet and sour sauce (I prefer world harbors)
1 can pineapple chunks or tidbits, mostly drained
1/2 of green pepper diced
Garlic salt (to taste, I probably used a teaspoon, makes it a little more savory and not so sweet)
Hot cooked rice

Combine first 5 ingredients in a slow cooker and cook for 5-6 hours on low or until heated. Serve over hot cooked rice.

I have also fallen in love with crockpot liners. They are definitely a nice thing to have, but can be a little pricey. I think it's worth it, most of the time. :)

Sooner than I thought...

While I am still not feeling up to cooking every night. I have been able to cook the past few nights and also had the energy to do the dishes. Which is a big improvement.. But, I don't know if it will continue or not.. we will see. I made this Veggie Meatball soup tonight and it was so yummy! It was super easy too! I know during this time of year easy meals are important to alot of people. I used my homemade meatballs but the recipe calls for frozen. So, you can make it as easy as you want. I usually make up big batches of my homemade meatballs(my hubby and I think they taste much better than the stores) and then freeze them. So, I usually have some on hand. If you would like my meatball recipe, let me know and I will post it. The recipe also calls for a can of stewed tomatoes, I think next time I will try Italian stewed tomatoes just for a little extra flavor. I also think it would be yummy with some fresh Parmesan cheese grated on top, but I didn't have any.


Veggie Meatball Soup
adapted from the taste of home

1 14 oz can Beef Broth
1 1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed.
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 bag of frozen meatballs, thawed. (depending on how big your bag is.. I would just put in the right amount for each person in your family. I usually do 4 a person.)
2 Bay leaves
1/8 teaspoon pepper or to taste
1 cup pasta (use whatever you have on hand.. I used mini Farfalle)

In a slow cooker, combine the first 6 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through. Cook pasta as directed on package, drain. Add to soup and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Discard bay leaves before serving.

Chicken Divine

I know you have probably heard of chicken divan before and I'm not sure how similar this recipe is to that but most chicken divan recipes I have read didn't have noodles in them. Anyways, I got this recipe from my friends mom back when I was probably 12ish. I had some for dinner at their house and loved it so I had to take the recipe home with me. My mom has been making it ever since. It's a really easy meal and comes together quickly, especially if you already have some chicken cooked or left over turkey works nice too. My mom actually canned some chicken and I used that and it turned out great! This casserole is cooked in the microwave so if you've got everything cooked ready to go you've got dinner in 10 minutes!


Chicken Divine

1 can cream of mushroom
1/2 c mayo
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
3 cup uncooked egg noodles
cooked chicken
cooked broccoli (you could substitute peas)
shredded cheese
Cook egg noodles as directed on package. Mix together soup, mayo, lemon juice, curry in a casserole dish. Add cooked noodles, chicken and broccoli. Mix well. sprinkle cheese on top. Cook in microwave for 10 minutes. If your microwave doesn't rotate, then rotate after 5 minutes.

Salisbury Steak and Garlic red potatoes

I'm not much of a person who likes a lump of hamburger. Sure I love hamburgers but when they are on buns.. and meatloaf.. we won't even go there.. Anyways, my mom made these once when we were at her house and I wasn't excited to eat it, but I didn't want to be rude. So, I ate it anyway. Let me tell you.. AWESOME! I love these little babies. Infact, I wanted more. Now I've got the recipe and plan on making it often. It's quite simple too! Whole family raves over these little guys. Of course they may not look like a million bucks, but most comfort foods don't. I also tried this recipe for red potatoes last night. My hubby is not a big potato kind of guy, but I thought he might like this recipe that has a hint of lemon to it, and he did! Both will be added to our dinner rotation. This would also go great with home-made mac and cheese! Enjoy!


Salisbury Steak
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1/4 cup catalina dressing
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Mix and shape into patties. Cook in a baking dish at 400 for 10-15 minutes(depending on the thickness of your patties). They will not be done at this point. While that is cooking mix together, set aside.

1 envelope brown gravy mix
1 small onion thinly sliced (I didn't have an onion on hand so I just used the dehydrated)
1 cup water

When the timer goes off, pour the above mixture over patties. cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness. YUM!

Garlic Red Potatoes
taken from allrecipes.com

2 pounds red potatoes, cut into bite sized cubes
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Place potatoes in an 8x8 inch baking dish. In a small bowl combine melted butter, garlic, salt and lemon juice; pour over potatoes and stir to coat. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over potatoes. Bake, covered, in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta

I have shared this recipe on my family blog before. But not with a photo and I just figured I would share it here. It is very popular in my little family. My hubby usually requests it for his birthday meal! My two year old loves it as well. My old boss made something similar to this one day for lunch and I just kind of made up my own version of it. And if you are on a diet, this recipe is not for you! :) I don't have specific measurements since I just kind of throw everything together but I will do my best!


Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 pint grape tomatoes halved(also great if you have them in the garden. and cherry tomatoes work well too, just cut them into 4s if they are big)
Spaghetti noodles (as much as you need for your family)
Cooked Asparagus (or any green veggie your family likes, asparagus isn't cheap so I used broccoli this time.)
Lemon Pepper seasoning
Garlic Powder
Poultry seasoning
Season Salt
Right now you are probably thinking.. what is so unhealthy about this recipe? Well...
Here's the bad part...
1 stick of butter melted (this is what I use for about 5 adults, so you can do less)
fresh grated Paremsan cheese

Season chicken with just the poultry seasoning and season salt to taste. Stick it in the oven covered loosely with foil and bake at 375 for 30-45 mins. (depends on the size of the chicken)While that is cooking, get your water boiling for your Spaghetti and slice the tomatoes in half. When the chicken is done let it cool for a while. Then cube it and put it in a deep bowl. Sprinkle in the Lemon Pepper seasoning. Then shake the bowl to coat all of the pieces. You will probably want to add bits of lemon pepper at a time and shake it up several times. I just keep doing that until I can see that all of the chicken is coated with the seasoning.. Just don't under do it! (this is alot of the flavor in the dish) hehe. Set that aside. Cook up your Asparagus or whatever type of green veggie your family loves. Add garlic powder to your stick of melted butter.. Just go crazy! I love LOTS of garlic! (sorry I don't know how much I never measure it) After draining the spaghetti put it back in the pan and add chicken, tomatoes, aspargus, butter sauce and heat on low until all heated(maybe 5 mins or less). Toss and sprinkle with fresh paremsan cheese.

Thats it.. I hope that makes sense.. I just kind of typed it up.

Just some tips:

• I usually cook up double the chicken. Then after I cut it and season it with lemon pepper, I freeze the extra for next time. Just pull it out to thaw in the fridge the day before you plan to make it and warm it up when you toss it together.
• If you don't want to add a green veggie... just sprinkle in some dried parsley to give it some color!

Taco Casserole

I adapted this recipe from my taste of home Best ever casseroles cookbook. It required to packages of taco seasoning, we don't like that stuff in our house so I made some changes to it. It was very tasty, reminded me a little of a tamale. I didn't use the 2-1/2 lbs ground beef that the recipe called for, so I should have halved the biscuit topping. I think I forgot that the recipe called for the 2 1/2 lbs and just figured it was 1 lb like most recipes. Anyway, toddler loved it, hubby loved it, I loved it.. we will be making it again! I am going to put the recipe how I made it except I will half the biscuit part for you.


Taco Casserole

1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 to 3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
salt to taste
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Pepper jack cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup biscuit/baking mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, diced
1 can sliced olives, drained.

In a large skillet cook beef and onions until meat is no longer pink, drain. Add garlic and continue to saute for 1 minute. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in beans

Spoon mixture into a greased 8-in square baking dish. Sprinkle with Monterey jack cheese. In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk and biscuit mix until moistened. Pour over cheese.

Bake uncovered, at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Spread with sour cream. Top with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomoato and olives. Enjoy!

Cheesy Shell Lasagna

This recipe is very similar to another casserole I make. I like this one better though. It's made with the small pasta shells, which is easy for my little guy to eat and it's chunkier than the other casserole I make. We liked it so much we had it for dinner 2 nights in a row. :) Well I didn't make it twice, but we had enough left over! :)


Cheesy Shell Lasagna
Adapted from Best Ever Casseroles

1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1-2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
8 oz uncooked small shell pasta
2 cups reduced fat sour cream
11 slices provolone cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onions and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms and italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Place half the pasta in an ungreased 13x9 baking dish(I actually used my large casserole dish). Top with half of the meat sauce, sour cream and provolone cheese. Repeat the layers. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Cover and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until the cheese begins to brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder.

First of all, fall is definitely here! It seems it got cold over night, and I hope it stays that way. I love fall weather! Well, a few weeks ago I went to The Taste of Home Show in Ogden with my mom. They made this cheesy vegetable chowder and I knew I had to have it! I have always been a huge fan of cheesy soup with vegetables, and I knew it would be a great way to get my little guy to eat them. I made this last night and it was sooo good! My meat-loving hubby even agreed. It might seem like alot of work but it really came together fast. Because of that I would recommend to have everything chopped, grated and opened, ready to go before you even start. This is definitely my favorite soup!


Cheesy Vegetable Chowder
slightly adapted from the Taste of Home magazine

1/2 cup each finely chopped carrot, celery and onion
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
8 Tablespoons butter, divided
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (You can do more but I thought this was just right)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
2 cups shredded SHARP cheddar cheese (make sure you use sharp or it might be bland)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Additional shredded cheese, optional

In a dutch oven, saute carrot, celery, onion and red pepper in 4 tablespoons butter until vegetables are tender. Stir in broth, broccoli, potato, Worcestershire and cayenne; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until the broccoli and potato are tender.

Meanwhile in a saucepan, melt remaining butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cheese. Continue to stir just until cheese is melted. Slowly stir cheese sauce into vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with additional shredded cheese if desired.

Skillet Chili Mac with Green Chiles

When I found this recipe on My Kitchen Cafe it was perfect timing. I needed a recipe using ingredients I already had on hand and I had all of this except for the cilantro. My family isn't a fan of cilantro so I guess that was ok, although I like it. Anyway this... recipe... was... AWESOME! I couldn't stop eating it and it makes so much I literally won't stop eating it for the next few days. :) But I won't mind. My whole family loved it! I will half it next time for sure. I made a few changes when I made it, if you would like the original recipe it's here (I don't like corn mixed into things). :) And if you are thinking it looks like cowboy delight.. it's not.. I hate that stuff. But this... is going on our "make often" list! THANK YOU MELANIE FOR SHARING THIS!


Skillet Chili Mac with Green Chiles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, minced
3/4 tablespoon chili powder (add more if you want more heat)
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 cups water
8 ounces (2 cups) elbow macaroni
1 4.5-oz can chopped green chiles
2 cups shredded cheese

Heat oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, onion, chili powder, coriander, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook the ground beef until it is no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat or grease. Stir in garlic and brown sugar and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce, water, and macaroni. Cover and cook, stirring often and keeping the heat at a steady simmer, until the macaroni is tender, about 12-12 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup of the cheese and green chiles and sprinkle remaining 1 cup of cheese over the top. Cover and let sit off the heat until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Chicken Pillows

This recipe first came to me from my friend Sandy. She wanted to make dinner for her then fiance (I believe). This was one of his favorite dishes. She asked me to help her make it and of course I did. There was enough for me and Tagg to have some as well. It was yummy but I didn't keep the recipe. Then at my church we had a little recipe night and this was a recipe submitted by one of the girls. This recipe was a little easier than the one we had made originally, so I stuck with it! I didn't know my husband was such a big fan of it until he requested that we have it and was so excited when he saw it cooking. Go figure! :) Anyway, it's super easy and I often just use a can of chicken from costco.. which makes it even easier!


Chicken Pillows

1 pkg large crescent roll
Chicken (cooked cubed or in pieces or you can use a large can)
1 (8 oz) tub onion & chive cream cheese
1/4 Tbsp. Butter or margarine
1 can cream of chicken soup set aside
Melt cream cheese & butter in microwave. Add chicken. Roll out crescents and combine 2 to make a large rectangle. Add chicken mixture and fold over and pinch to look like a pillow. Bake 350 for 18-20 min Serve with heated cream of chicken soup on top. (I usually thin it down a little with milk so it has more of a gravy texture).

Chips and Salsa Chicken

When I saw this recipe on Favorite Family recipes I figured it would be a slam dunk with my hubby. See, he loves chips and salsa. He could live off of it I swear. Anyway, he didn't really care for it. Said he felt like he was eating chips and salsa and not chicken, I on the other hand loved it. I thought it was tasty. Go figure. It was a little different and I wish I had some guacamole to go with it. So, if your looking for something different, give it a try.


Chips and Salsa Chicken
from Favorite Family recipes

3 Tbsp. lime juice
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. honey
4 chicken breasts, halved
1 c. finely crushed tortilla chips
1 bottle of your favorite chunky salsa
1 c. shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (I only had cheddar, so I used it)
Guacamole
Sour cream
Fresh cilantro

Combine lime juice, honey, and oil. Dip chicken in lime juice mixture then coat with crushed chips. Place in ungreased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until juices run clear. Spoon a tablespoon or two of salsa over each chicken piece and sprinkle with Cheese, bake for 20 more minutes or until the cheese melts.
Serve with guacamole and sour cream and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Calzones

Oh how I love Calzones. There is this little restaurant on 25th st in Ogden that has the best ever! I was craving one of theirs when I decided to give it a try. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. It was pretty good but nothing like the Ogden restaurant. I asked my friend for her recipe and plan on trying hers soon. But for now, this one will do. It was pretty easy because you just use the refrigerated pizza dough.


Calzone (I halfed it)

• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry(I used fresh, chopped up)
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cans refrigerated pizza dough

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Italian seasoning, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and spinach. Set aside.
• Divide the pizza dough into 8 pieces and roll each piece out to about an 8 inch circle. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the ricotta filling onto each circle, fold over and seal the edges. Place onto a greased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until nicely browned on the tops and bottoms.

Parmesan Chicken

This is another recipe from my aunt Tiffini. She is such an awesome cook. Anyway this isn't your typical Parmesan Chicken. I've made a few recipes similar to this one but they involved mayo, I really like the idea of yogurt instead. Definitely healthier! I think it would taste good if you went the spaghetti sauce route too. The chicken was very flavorful and very tender and juicy. We will definitely be making this often at our house!

Parmesan Chicken

2 cups crushed Ritz crackers

3 T grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp garlic salt

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ( I never use this many for my family)

1 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine cracker crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and garlic salt. Dip each piece of chicken in yogurt to coat and then in crumb mixture. Arrange in greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Top with Sour Cream chicken sauce.

Sour cream chicken sauce

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

I usually just half this sauce. In a small saucepan heat soup and sour cream together over low heat, stirring frequently.

BBQ Beef Mac and Cheese

I wanted to try this recipe over at Picky Palate and had it on my menu for the week. We had my lovely Sunday Roast a few days before, so I thought instead of making it with chicken, I might as well use my left over roast instead. It was very good! I have to say I like it with or without the BBQ beef. So I just might make the recipe for the mac and cheese occasionally... even though I do have a favorite recipe for that. Another thing I was excited about was the homemade BBQ sauce. My little one is allergic to something in BBQ sauce and we haven't quite figured it out yet, but everything in the sauce wasn't something we had a problem with. And he loved it!


BBQ Chicken Crusted Smoked Cheddar Mac
(I think she made this for alot of people, I halved it and it was still quite a bit!)

1 lb mini farfalle pasta (use any pasta of choice)
5 Tablespoons butter
5 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
4 Cups milk, I used 2%
5 Cups shredded Tillamook smoked cheddar cheese (you could use any cheddar cheese)

2 Cups shredded BBQ Chicken HERE is the recipe(or you could use shredded beef instead)
1 Cup shredded Tillamook smoked cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

2. Melt butter into a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute stirring. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Increase heat to medium high, stir continuously until liquid thickens and comes to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheddar cheese until smooth then add cooked pasta. Pour mixture into a large baking dish then top evenly with BBQ chicken. Sprinkle with additional cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

3. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and serve.