Marmalade Chicken

I admit I stole this from Eatingwell.com, but it is pretty delish!

4 servings

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 pound chicken tenders
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

Preparation
Whisk broth, vinegar, marmalade, mustard and cornstarch in a medium bowl.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 4 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and shallots to the pan and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, about 30 seconds. Whisk the broth mixture and add it to the pan. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook until the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened, 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Add the chicken; return to a simmer. Cook, turning once, until the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in orange zest.

Nutrition
Per serving: 213 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 68 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 27 g protein; 0 g fiber; 246 mg sodium; 55 mg potassium.

Exchanges: 1/2 other carbohydrate, 3 1/2 very lean meat

Note
I did not use shallots, I used diced onion, and I did not add the orange zest at the end because I did not have an orange on hand.  Otherwise, we thought it was great!  I got a couple of frowns while it was cooking and even when we pre-tasted the sauce, but once you add the chicken and serve over rice, it was just right.  We'll definitely make this again!

Pita Chips

2 pitas
4 t. olive oil
Dash pepper
Scant 1/4 t. garlic salt
Dash basil

Preheat oven to 400º. Cut each pita into eight triangles. Place triangles on cookie lined (with parchment paper, wax paper, or foil) sheet. In a small bowl, combine the oil, pepper, salt, and basil. Brush each triangle with the oil mixture. Bake in preheated oven for about 7-8 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Watch carefully as they tend to burn easily!

Grilled Pineapple

1 large ripe pineapple
3 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. freshly-squeezed lemon or lime juice
1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

Trim, core and peel pineapple. Cut into quarters from top to bottom. Slice out the core from each quarter. Cut each quarter slice into four pieces, once lengthwise and once crosswise. you should have 16 wedges of pineapple about 1 inch by 3 inches.

In small bowl combine honey, lemon or lime juice and black pepper. Brush glaze on each slice of pineapple coating completely.

Preheat grill and spray with a non stick spray. Place wedges on the grill and cook approx. 4 minutes on each side, turning so that grill marks are on all sides, until pineapple becomes fragrant and starts to dry on the surface. Do not overcook or they will by mushy.

Remove and brush with any remaining glaze and enjoy.

Notes: oh my, this is so good I can never get a picture before it disappears. Imagine pineapple wedges with grill marks on them. I have to give credit to the website where I found this recipe but I don't know where it is at this moment. Just know I didn't make it up someone else did and shared it with me which I am now sharing with you. Seriously though, too delicious to describe with words. And don't skip on the pepper, it gives it an extra kick!

Thai Chicken Fettuccine

courtesy of Home Cooking the Costco Way

1 tbs vegetable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 cup Pace picante Sauce
¼ cup chunky peanut butter
2 tbs honey
2 tbs orange juice
1 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp ground ginger
3 cups hot cooked fettuccine (16 ounces)
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes, until it’s lightly browned, stirring often.

2. Stir in picante sauce, peanut butter, honey, orange juice, soy sauce, and ground ginger. Cook and stir until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Add fettuccine. Toss the mixture until evenly coated.

4. Top with cilantro if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Easy Pizza Sauce

(We found that store-bought pizza sauce is quite expensive. However, if we use one of the big cans of generic spaghetti sauce and add spices...YUM!)

26 ounces of spaghetti sauce
3 packets red pepper flakes
2 t. onion powder
2 t. sugar
4 t. garlic
4 t. basil

Mix all together. This makes enough for four pizzas, so we put them in freezer bag, and freeze until we need them. Also, it's a little spicy, but we like it that way. Feel free to cut back on the red pepper flakes.

Peach Crunch Cake

Peach Crunch Cake

24.5 oz jar of sliced peaches in light syrup
1 package yellow cake mix
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), cut into 16 pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Layer ingredients in a 13 X 9 dish, in order starting with the peaches.
Bake for about 40 minutes.
Serve warm or cold… with or without ice cream.

Enjoy!

It's more like a dessert than cake, it's a BIT gooey, but that's why it's so good.

Found on bakerella.com!!! Yum, yum, YUMMY!!!!!! And E-Z!!!

Lentils and Rice, or Rice and Lentils

olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 c rice
1 c lentils, picked over
4 c water or broth
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent; add remaining ingredients. Bring to simmer and cover, cooking 25-30 minutes or until moisture is absorbed and rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo

This is from the Great American Recipes cookbook

Serves 4 -6 depending on serving size

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups whipping cream
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (I use the fresh kind in the cold section of the store)
1 box fettuccine
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil to taste

1. Place the butter in a large heatproof bowl. Using a wooden spoon or electric mixer set on low, beat until smooth (I always use the mixer because my hand gets way too tired!). Add the cream and Parmesan cheese. Stir until well blended. Set aside.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and immediately add the hot pasta to the butter mixture in the large bowl. Using two forks or a large noodle serving spoon, toss the fettuccine in the butter mixture to coat well. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Sometimes I'm not fast enough and the cheese will clump or not quite melt. I pop the bowl in the microwave for 30-60 seconds to heat it back up and stir some more. Because of my turtle speed, I mix my pasta and butter in a 13x9 glass baking dish, not a bowl).

3. Sliced basil can be added to the top according to taste.

***This is so yummy! We usually add seasoned cooked chicken strips and/or broccoli to this. Leftovers are great too. I won't tell you the calories because then you won't make this, but we all know 2 sticks of butter and heavy cream aren't the best if you are on a diet. :)

Curry Couscous

1 1/2 c. couscous
3 c. chicken broth
1 T. curry powder
2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
2 T. olive oil
1/2 c. raisins
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted

Pour couscous into a bowl. Mix chicken stock, curry powder, salt, pepper, olive oil, and raisins in a saucepan and bring to a boil; remove from heat. Pour the boiling liquid over the couscous. Seal the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. Top with cilantro and almonds.

Note: I like this because it was so easy and I had almost everything on hand. What I didn't (cilantro), I simply omitted, although I think it would be good. My 15-month-old ate this quite readily at first but I think there was just too much pepper (did I not halve it like everything else?!) so when I do it again, I'll certainly reduce the pepper. I think that craisins would be just as good in this as the regular raisins. Also, I just boiled everything in a sauce pan, added the couscous, removed from heat, and put lid on for 10 minutes. No need to dirty two pans.

Peep Nests

Chocolate
Chow mien or crispy rice noodles
Coconut
Whopper Robin Eggs
Peeps chicks

These fast easy chocolate nests are the perfect sweet treat for Easter. I found these on this blog. Unfortunately there are no measurements so go with what you feel. I used 1 bag of milk chocolate chips. 1 and 1/2 (3 oz.) cans of LaChoy rice noodles. After I had formed my nests and stuck the eggs on I put them in the fridge for an hour to solidify them. You can also sprinkle coconut on top and use colored jelly beans instead of robin eggs. Serve with a side of Peeps chicks. Voila!

Boursin Cheese Ball

16 oz. cream cheese – room temp.
4 Tbsp. Butter – room Temp.
1 tsp. lemon juice
4 cloves minced garlic
1 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. diced fresh parsley
Plus….
Nuts or parsley to coat the outside.

Combine all ingredients in a mixer. Shape into a ball and wrap in seran wrap and chill over night. Right before serving, cover with nuts or parsley. Serve with crackers.

Sour Cream Pork Chops (Crock Pot)

6 pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
4 to 8 ounces sour cream (you decide)
3/4 cup beef broth
2 cups milk
mushrooms (optional)
red potatoes (optional)

1. Season pork chops with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and dredge in 1/2 cup flour. In a skillet over medium heat, lightly brown chops in a small amount of oil.
2. Place chops in slow cooker, and top with onion slices. Combine soup, sour cream, beef broth, and milk. At this point add the mushrooms and/or red potatoes if desired. Pour soup mixture over the meat and onions.
3. Cook on high 4 hours or Low 7 to 8 hours. Serve over rice.

Notes: It’s also good to use one can each of cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup. You can also use either beef or chicken broth.

Fudge

1 - 12 oz package chocolate chips
1 cube butter
1 box powdered sugar (3 3/4 cups)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Melt chocolate chips and butter in double-broiler over low heat.
2. Beat eggs in bowl until lemon yellow in color. Add powdered sugar and beat well.
3. Add melted chocolate and vanilla to bowl. Beat well.
Add nuts if desired.
4. Pour into 9/13 in or 9x9 in buttered or foil lined pan. Pan size depends on how thick you like your fudge.

Cool and cut into squares. Keep unused portion in refrigerator.

Texas Rice Salad

3 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup (15oz.) can black beans rinsed and drained
1 can (11oz.) corn, drained
1-2 avocados peeled, pitted, diced
2 cups salsa
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped red onion (I don't add this--not an onion fan)
2 T fresh lime or lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Mix all well and serve with Fritos Scoops

Cottage Cheese Ranch Dip

8 ounces small curd cottage cheese
8 ounces sour cream
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 heaping spoonful of mayonnaise

1. Mix all the ingredients together. Chill for at least one hour (preferably longer) before serving.

Use as a dip for crackers, veggies, chips, cheese, etc.

Crock Pot Beef Fajitas

2 pounds beef round steak
2 packets fajita seasoning mix
1 onion, thickly sliced
2 green bell peppers, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
1/2 cup water

1. Rinse steaks with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides of steaks with 1 packet of fajita seasoning. Slice into strips; set aside.
2. Add vegetables to a slow cooker. Toss with remaining packet of fajita seasoning. Add steak strips on top of vegetables. Pour in water. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.

Serve hot with peppers, warm tortillas, refried beans, and shredded cheese, if desired.

Guava Punch

I hosted a baby shower this weekend and made lots of yummy treats. I don't have pictures of all, but the recipes are coming!

A HUGE hit was this Guava Punch yum! For our shower the baby expected was a girl. I added a few drops of red food coloring to make it pink. You could add blue for a boy, green for St. Patricks day....This is yummy-licious!

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk (can use lowfat)
4 cans guava juice/nectar
1 cup pineapple juice
2 T lime juice

Combine above ingredients well. When ready to serve add 4 cups of club soda and ice.
This makes enough to fill a large punch bowl.

Fortune Cookies

I made these on Saturday and they were soooo easy! I found the recipe online. They are easy, taste yummy and were way too much fun!

Just one tip: be patient and let them brown in the oven so they are crispy after they cool. If you remove them too soon, they may still be a little soft in the center. I think mine are too light--make sure yours are a little more golden than these. I used my seasoned stoneware so I didn't grease my pan, and made 5 at a time.

This recipe made about 15 fortune cookies.

2 large egg whites

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. pure almond extract

3 T vegetable oil

8 T all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

8 T granulated sugar

3 tsp. water

Prep:

Write fortunes on pieces of paper that are 3 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. (I printed mine on the computer) Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease 2 9x13 baking sheets.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg white, vanilla extract, almond extract and vegetable oil until frothy, but not stiff.

Combine the flour, cornstarch, salt and sugar into a separate bowl. Stir the water into the flour mixture.

Add the flour to the egg white mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter. The batter should not be runny, but should drop easily off a wooden spoon. Note: if you want to dye the fortune cookies, add the food coloring at this point, stirring it into the batter. 1/2 tsp. food coloring is a good amount.

Place level tablespoons (I used the actual measuring spoon) onto the cookie sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Gently tilt the baking sheet back and forth and from side to side so that each tablespoon of batter forms into a circle 3-4 inches in diameter.

Bake until the outer 1/2 inch of each cookie turns golden brown and they are easy to remove from the baking sheet with a spatula (14-15 minutes) I used a metal spatula.

Working quickly, remove the cookie with a spatula and flip it over in your hand. Place a fortune in the middle of a cookie. To form the fortune cookie shape, fold the cookie in half, then gently pull the edges downward over the rim of a glass. Place the finished cookies in the cup of muffin tins so that it keeps it shape. Continue with the rest of the cookies.

You could chocolate dip these, or do other dang fun stuff with them for your kids/friends/husband/family for any occasion! So much fun--and sooo easy!

Berry Dumplings

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 TBS sugar, plus 1 1/2 cups
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice, optional
1 quart fresh or frozen berries of your choice (ex: mixed berries)
2 cups water
Vanilla ice cream or fresh cream, for serving

1. Stir flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Cut butter into dry ingredients, using a pastry cutter or fork.
2. Add milk and vanilla to form dough. Set dumpling dough aside.
3. In a large saucepan, combine berries, 1 1/2 cups sugar, lemon juice and water and bring to a boil. Drop dumplings into hot boiling berries by the tablespoonful (I roll them into balls).
4. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and cook slowly for 20 to 30 minutes. Do not remove the lid before 20 minutes has passed, and do not stir dumplings.
5. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh cream.

Serves 8

Notes: This recipe makes a lot of sauce. You may want to add a quarter or double more the dumpling recipe depending on how saucy you like it.

Honey Citrus Pork Chops with Cranberries

1/3 cup fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries; chopped
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 pork chops (boneless)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons honey

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 inch glass baking dish.

2. In a bowl, mix cranberries, marmalade, and cloves. Make a pocket in each pork chop; fill pockets with cranberry mixture. You can use both bone in or boneless chops. I find it's easier to make a pocket with the boneless pork chops.

3. Place the pork chops in prepared baking pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon 1 tablespoon honey over each chop. Bake uncovered about 45 minutes or until pork is no longer pink in the center.

Notes: For a more intense flavor, use 1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries instead of fresh or frozen cranberries and do not chop.