CRUNCHY THAI CHICKEN SALAD WITH PEANUT DRESSING
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I love the flavors and crunch of this salad I found at Lauren's Latest!

4 cups romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite size pieces

1/2 c. thinly sliced or shredded carrots

3 thinly sliced radishes

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1 grilled chicken breast, chilled and sliced-leftover or rotisserie

works well too

3 T. fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

3 T. dry roasted peanuts

3 T. chow mein noodles

Peanut Dressing

2/3 c. natural peanut butter

1/4 c. honey

2 T. soy sauce

juice of 1 lime

pinch of red pepper flakes

hot water

Combine salad ingredients in a bowl. For the dressing, stir peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, lime juice and red pepper flakes together. Slowly whisk in hot water until dressing is the consistency you want. Drizzle over salad and serve to hungry people.

CASHEW CHICKEN

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I have a confession. Every recipe posted on our blog has been tried by my sister or I first and must be deemed "blog-worthy" -aka- the majority of those it was served to would want it again. I am short on main dish recipes and decided to post one I would LIKE to try but haven't yet. I'm posting this as-is but when I do make it, I'm sure I will have to cut down the amount of oil. If you try it before me, be sure to come back and let me know how you like it! Found at Amanda's Cookin.

3 large boneless chicken breast fillets, cut into bite sized pieces

2 T.cornstarch

2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
5 T. canola oil, separated
2 c. cashews
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, leaves and ends removed, cut into thin slices
1 small onion, peeled & cubed
6 oz. snow peas
6 green onions, cut into 1" pieces
3 tsp.cornstarch
1 1/2 T. Hoisin sauce (find in the asian food section)
3/4 c. chicken stock

Place chicken pieces into a bowl. Add cornstarch, stir to coat. Mix together salt, sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar. Add to the chicken and stir to combine. Set aside to marinate.Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok and quickly stir fry cashews until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain.Add 1 tablespoon of oil to pan. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add 1-2 more tablespoons of oil and fry chicken for 3 to 4 minutes. Add snow peas, celery and cubed onion. Stir fry 3-4 more minutes.Add cashews and green onions and stir fry another minute or so. Mix cornstarch, Hoisin sauce and chicken stock. Pour this sauce over chicken. Mix well and cook until the sauce thickens. Good served over rice.

ALFREDO SAUCE

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I like this recipe because I almost always have all the ingredients to make it and all 3 kids like it! It makes quite a bit, so I halve this recipe when I'm making it for them. Would also work great in a recipe, such as this one!

1/3 c. butter
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese (I use reduced fat)
3/4 c. parmesan cheese (green can stuff works)
1/2 c. milk
to taste: garlic salt, black pepper, nutmeg, parsley

In a saucepan, melt the butter and cream cheese, stirring frequently. (It might start out as a lumpy texture, but keep stirring and it will smooth out.) Add parmesan cheese and then stir in milk. Add seasonings to taste. Heat and stir until smooth but do not boil. Serve over noodles.

CORNED BEEF BRISKET WITH CABBAGE

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This recipe takes about 5 hours from start to finish to get tender, flavorful meat. It's nice for St Patrick's Month though! These might be the perfect ending to the meal.

3 lb. corned beef brisket
1/2 c. onion
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 c. maple flavored pancake syrup
1/2 c. yellow mustard
1 T. prepared Horseradish
1 head green cabbage, sliced into wedges

Place meat in a large pot. Cover with onions, garlic and bay leaves. Add enough water to cover all ingredients. Cover and bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat for 1 hour. Drain, reserving meat in pan. Remove and discard bay leaves. Add enough fresh water to pot to cover meat. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender.

Heat oven to 350ºF. Remove meat from pan, reserving liquid in the pan. Place meat in shallow baking pan. Mix syrup, mustard and horseradish. Spoon half over meat. Reserve remaining syrup mixture for brushing onto cooked meat. Bake for 20 min. Meanwhile, add cabbage to reserved liquid in saucepan. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until desired tenderness.

CHICKEN GYROS

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This is a light and yummy meal that will remind you summer is coming! Eventually!

Marinade:
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. minced garlic, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch strips
Tzatziki sauce:
1/2 c. chopped peeled cucumber
1/3 c. plain yogurt (I used greek yogurt)
1/2 tsp. garlic (I used powder, you can also use fresh)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dill weed
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. honey
2 whole pita breads
Optional toppings:
feta cheese
sliced red onion
sliced tomato
shredded lettuce

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the lemon juice, oil, garlic, mustard and oregano. Add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. In a food processor, combine the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, salt, dill, vinegar, and honey. Pulse until desired texture. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Drain and discard marinade. In a large nonstick skillet, saute the chicken for 7-8 minutes or until juices run clear. Spoon onto each pita bread. Top with yogurt mixture and desired toppings; fold in half.

INDIAN BUTTER CHICKEN
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This tomato cream sauce is really tasty! It tastes better and the chicken is more tender if you marinate it beforehand, so plan for the extra time.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite sized pieces
5 cloves garlic, minced (I used 3 large ones)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1 lime, juiced
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup. butter
1 can (14.5 oz. can) tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 oz. can) petite diced tomatoes (I used chunky pasta sauce instead of the tomato sauce and tomatoes)
1 pint whipping cream or half and half*
1 bunch chopped cilantro, or to taste (I did not use)

In a glass or plastic container or a zipper bag, combine chicken with the garlic, salt, peppers, coriander, cumin, cardamom, and lime juice. Marinate at least 4 hours or overnight.
Saute the onion in the butter until soft. Add marinated chicken and cook about 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat with the lid on. Add the whipping cream and cilantro just before serving. Serve over rice or noodles.
*I used about half a can evaporated milk instead of the cream to save on some calories.

LASAGNA CUPCAKES

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Sounds kinda crazy, right? These are delicious and adorable to boot. Thanks goes to my new favorite recipe blog: Framed Cooks. These would be great for a party because the easiest way to eat them is with your hands -like a cupcake!

Use your favorite lasagna recipe substituting the wonton wrappers for noodles and following the muffin tin instructions or use this one:
1 c. pasta sauce
1 lb. ground beef (I used some sausage)
12 wonton wrappers
4 oz. ricotta cheese
3 oz. parmesan cheese, grated
8 oz. grated mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and coat 6 serving muffin tin with cooking spray. Cook meat, drain, and season to taste. Combine ricotta cheese and about half of the parmesan and shredded mozzarella. The remaining cheese will be used for the top. Start assembling the lasagnas. Line each cupcake mold with a round wonton wrapper. Put a spoonful of the ricotta mixture in each cup. Top with a little meat and a spoonful of sauce. Repeat layers of wonton wrappers, cheeses, meat and sauce, creating 2 of each layer in all, and ending with sauce. Sprinkle each lasagna with reserved parmesan and mozzarella. Bake until the lasagnas are nicely browned, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and remove from pan.

ITALIAN EGG ROLLS

From Taste of Home Magazine. Don't run away thinking it will be

too time consuming! This is a unique recipe that is worth a little effort.

1/2 lb. bulk hot Italian sausage
3/4 c. finely chopped green or red pepper
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 pkg. (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1-1/2 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
14 egg roll wrappers
oil for frying
marinara sauce, warmed, optional

In a large skillet, cook the sausage, peppers, and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain and cool. Stir in the spinach, cheeses and garlic powder.
Place 1/3 cup sausage mixture in the center of each egg roll wrapper. Fold bottom corner over filling; fold sides toward center over filling. Moisten remaining corner with water; roll up tightly to seal. In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry egg rolls, in batches, for 2-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with spaghetti sauce if desired.
Yield: 14 egg rolls.

SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS

Serve over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes for a warm comfort food dinner.

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 c. soda cracker crumbs

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 T. minced onion

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 c. milk

ground pepper to taste

1 egg

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 T. corn starch

1/4 c. rice vinegar

1 T. soy sauce

1 can pineapple tidbits (juice too)

1 bell pepper, your choice of color

1-2 carrots, sliced

other veggies are good too such as onion, oriental pea pods, celery, etc

Combine ground beef, cracker crumbs, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion, salt, milk, and egg. Mix gently just until ingredients are combined. Form into meaballs and fry in a skillet until brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels. Wipe grease from pan. Add brown sugar, corn starch, vinegar, soy sauce, and pineapple. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Add meatballs and veggies. Cover pan and simmer until vegetables are to desired tenderness. Sometimes I add some barbeque sauce to this for a different flavor.

STICKY CHICKEN

My lovely friend, Melanie, shared this recipe with me and it was an instant hit with all 5 in my house. My husband said, "I could eat this every week!" I think it is the closest thing I have made to sweet and sour chicken from a restaurant. When I made it, I also made white rice and served the chicken over that. There is enough sauce to flavor the rice too.

4 large chicken breasts cut into cubes
3 eggs whipped
1 c cornstarch (yes 1 cup!)
garlic salt

Dip chicken in egg, then in cornstarch. Fry until light brown in oil. While browning, sprinkle with garlic salt. Place cooked chicken in a 9x13 baking dish.

Sauce:
2 T soy sauce
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c vinegar
1/2 c pineapple juice*
6 T catsup
1 tsp salt

Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over the chicken and bake for 60 minutes at 350. (The sauce will be thin at the beginning, but will thicken up.) Stir pieces every 10-15 minutes. Do not cover.

*If you don't usually keep pineapple juice in the house, you can buy an Old Orchard pineapple concentrate in the freezer section. It's the kind with the lid that you can reuse. Put two tablespoons of the concentrate in a 1/2 cup measuring cup and then fill it up to the top with water. You can keep the remaining pineapple concentrate in the freezer for the next time!

EASY SALSA SHREDDED BEEF

One of my very favorite ways to eat beef is shredded for mexican food. I finally remembered to try a recipe from a family cookbook and it couldn't be easier or yummier!

1 beef roast
1 jar your favorite salsa

Season roast on all sides to your liking. (I used onion powder, garlic salt, and cumin). Brown in a little oil in a hot skillet. When browned, add to a crockpot. Top with salsa and cook on low all day (around 8 hours)- shredding and returning to salsa in crockpot for the last 1-2 hours. Eat as tacos, tostadas, in a salad, or make enchiladas with it. So tender and good!

BUBBLE UP PIZZA

I used to make this while still living at home and just recently revived the recipe to try on my boys. It got the "will you make this again?" seal of approval!

pizza toppings of your choice: 1 lb. ground beef or sausage, pepperoni, ham, sliced mushrooms, peppers, onions, olives...the possibilities are endless!
1 pound lean ground beef or sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
2 c. spaghetti or pizza sauce
2 cans (8 biscuits each), cut in half
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375. In a skillet, brown meat. When almost done, add garlic. Spray a 9×13 pan well with cooking spray. Place pizza sauce into a bowl. Add halved biscuits (kitchen shears make this really quick) and stir to coat. Pour into prepared pan. Top with pizza toppings, ending with shredded mozzarella. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until biscuits are cooked through.

BUNUELOS

A really tasty Mexican treat.

1 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt
12 medium flour tortillas
oil for frying
garnishes: we like honey and whipped cream but caramel or chocolate sauce would be good, too
brown paper bag

Preheat 1 inch on oil in a pan to 375. Combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl; pour into paper bag. Cut tortillas into 4 triangles. Fry each triangle in the oil until lightly browned and crisp, turning once. While still warm, add to sugar mixture in the brown paper bag and shake gently to coat. To serve, drizzle with honey and top with whipped cream.

SOUR CREAM CHICKEN ENCHILADAS


4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or cut into chunks
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp minced onion
1 4 oz can green chilis (or less to taste)
1 pkg medium sized flour tortillas

Mix ingredients together and fill tortillas. Place seam side down in a greased 9x13 pan. May sprinkle more shredded cheese on top if desired. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Makes approximately 6-8 enchiladas.

BRUSCHETTA CHICKEN BAKE

This is an easy, pretty healthy recipe from Kraft's Food & Family Magazine.

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (my husband has issues with canned tomatoes so I used spaghetti sauce instead)
1 pkg. chicken flavored stuffing mix
1/2 c. water 2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 c. 2% milk shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water, and garlic just until stuffing is moistened. Layer chicken, basil, and cheese in a casserole dish or 9 X 13 pan. Top with stuffing mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

HOMEMADE CHEESE RAVIOLI

This may sound daunting at first. But if you have never tasted the delicate texture of "fresh" pasta, you deserve to! These come together easily once you get the techinique down.

1 pkg. wrappers (these work so well)
1 15 oz. carton ricotta cheese, strained*
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. parmesan cheese (the stuff in the green can)
1 egg
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. dried parsley

*Strain your ricotta cheese by placing into a fine mesh strainer and letting the excess water drip out for about an hour.
Combine ricotta with cream cheese, parmesan, egg, nutmeg, and parsley. Begin assembling the ravioli by placing a teaspoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. (You can add more if the wrapper is bigger, but if it's squishing out when you seal them, it's too much). Dip your fingers in a bowl of water and wet the edges of the wrapper. Fold in half and seal all edges. Place on a baking sheet or pan while finishing the rest. To cook, bring salted water to a boil and add ravioli, cooking about 3-4 minutes or until they float. Serve with your favorite pasta sauce.

SPAGHETTI & GREEK MEATBALLS

Found at The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen. A classic with a twist of Feta.

1 lb. dried pasta

1 T. olive oil, divided

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 1/2 lb. ground meat (choice of ground beef, turkey, chicken, pork, or lamb)

1 T. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 T. parsley
1 jar your favorite spaghetti sauce
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

Cook pasta according package instructions. Drain and set aside. Add 1/2 T. olive oil to a large saute pan and heat to medium heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper and cook until lightly browned and tender. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, taking care not to burn. Remove from heat. In a bowl, mix ground meat, Dijon mustard, coriander, nutmeg, cumin, 1 T. of parsley, and the onion/garlic mixture. Use your hands to mix thoroughly but gently. To form the meatballs, use a small ice cream scoop to make meatballs 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Heat remaining olive oil in saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the meatballs (not touching) and cook for 2 minutes. Roll the meatballs and brown the other sides for 2 minutes each. When all sides are browned, pour the spaghetti sauce over the meatballs and bring to a simmer. Cook for an additional 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve over pasta topped with feta cheese and the remaining parsley.

UN-FRIED ICE CREAM

1/2 quart vanilla ice cream
2 1/2 c. cornflake cereal, crushed
1 T. butter
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
6 marachino cherries
whipped cream, honey, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce to garnish

Shape 6 ice cream scoops into a ball and freeze on a wax-lined cookie sheet for about an hour. Mix remaining ingredients and spread on a baking pan and bake at 350°F until crisp and golden (watch closely-10 minutes max). Allow to cool. Roll ice cream balls in the cooled mixture and refreeze for 2 hours more. Serve with honey, caramel, or chocolate sauce drizzled over and a cherry on top.

TURKEY SAUSAGE AND BELL PEPPER PASTA
WEIGHT WATCHERS FRIENDLY

This tastes really good and comforting and comes together quickly.

1/4 lb. Italian turkey sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 bell peppers, your choice of red, yellow, or green
1 onion, sliced
1 c. sliced mushrooms
2 T. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 c. chicken broth
2 c. cooked pasta (optional)
1 c. spaghetti sauce (optional)

Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Add sausage and stir frequently until no longer pink. Add peppers, onions, and mushroms. Cook and stir until tender-crisp. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, and chicken broth. Scrape bottom of pan to remove bits of flavor. Add spaghetti sauce and cooked pasta if desired. Simmer 5 minutes until warmed through.

CHICKEN ALFREDO LASAGNA

3 c. cooked, chopped chicken

3 c. broccoli, chopped small and cooked until just tender

(could also use cooked spinach)
2 jars alfredo sauce
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
2 c. shredded cheese (monterey jack, colby jack, or mozzarella)
12 lasagna noodles

Preheat oven to 375 and spray 9 X 13 pan with cooking spray. Combine the ricotta with the egg, garlic salt, and half of the shredded cheese. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Then layer the lasagna as follows: lasagna noodles, sauce, ricotta mixture, chicken, and broccoli. Repeat layers ending with noodles, sauce, and the last cup of shredded cheese. Bake covered for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes. Allow to sit 10 minutes before cutting.