Swiss Fondue Chicken

I like to serve this chicken with fluffy white rice and a vegetable. The original recipe calls for dry sherry or chicken broth, but I like to use white wine; it gives it a nice flavor with the mushrooms and cheese. Also, I like that you can make it ahead and freeze it.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 (4 1/2-oz.) jar whole mushrooms, drained
8 oz. (2 cups) shredded swiss cheese
1 (10 3/4-oz) can condensed cream of mushroom
soup
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup dry sherry or chicken broth (or I like to use alcohol-removed white wine)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breasts in ungreased 12x8-inch (2 quart) baking dish. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with swiss cheese.
2. In small bowl, combine soup sour cream, and sherry (or broth or wine). Blend well. Pour over chicken. *
3. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear. Place chicken on serving plate. Stir sauce if necessary to blend. Serve with chicken.
* Make-Ahead Directions: Prepare recipe as directed; do not bake. Cover with foil; freeze. When ready to use, do not thaw; bake, covered, at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover; bake an additional 10 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

This recipe is from one of my good friends, Cara Newman. She was my visiting teacher for a while and would make this for me every fall and bring it to my house. It is so yummy!

2 beaten eggs
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 cup pureed or canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 2/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Scant 1/2 tsp ground cloves
About 1/3-1/2 cup chocolate chips
Combine eggs and sugar, mix well. Add pumpkin, oil, and water. Blend thoroughly. Add all dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into greased mini loaf pans about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Thai Chicken Stir Fry

A favorite of mine from the better homes and gardens cookbook.

Thai Chicken Stir Fry
12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 tbs dry sherry
2 tbs reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tbs fish sauce (optional)
1 tbs water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tbs cooking oil
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 cup bias-sliced carrots
2 cups fresh pea pods (or broccli florets)
4 green onions bias sliced into 1 inch pieces
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts
hot cooked rice

1. Cut chicken into one inch pieces; set aside
2. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together the sherry, soy sauce, fish sauce (if using), water, cornstarch, and red pepper. Set aside.
3. Pour oil into a wok or large skillet. (If necessary, add more oil during cooking.) Heat over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to wok; cook and stir for 15 seconds. Add carrots; cook and stir for 2 minutes. add pea pods and green onions; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes more or until vegtables are crisp-tnder. Remove vegtables from wok.
4. Add chicken to wok; cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Push chicken from venter of wok. Stir sauce; add to center of wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return vegetables to wok. Stir in peanuts. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes more until heated through. Serve with rice.

Fast, Easy, Delicious, and Healthy! Whole Wheat Spaghetti with zucchini and Tomatoe

Whole wheat spagetti with zucchini and tomato

Whole wheat spaghetti
3 tablespoons olive oil
course salt and pepper
small red onion cut into thick slices
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large zucchini cut lengthwise into sticks
2 plum tomatoes cut lengthwise into strips
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Boil noodles in salted water
Sautee 3 garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 3 minutes
Add zucchini and 1/2 cup water. Let sit on med. for 10 minutes
Add tomatoes, onions and 1 tablespoon of oil.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Add cheese.

I got this recipie off of this blog: www.cuisinenie.blogspot.com This is her image too. It's really good and healthy and fast! Enjoy!

Delish! Stir Fry Beef Noodles

I have been craving yummy Asian food. I got it off of this blog http://jenyu.net/blog/ . It was fast and easy and it was SO good, and mine looked just like the picture!


Stir-fried Beef Noodles

8 oz dried Chinese egg noodles
vegetable oil (a few tbsps to 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup snow peas, trimmed
1 head broccoli, florets of

1/2 cup straw mushrooms or shitakes

1/2 cup baby corn

1/2 cup bamboo shoot strips

salt to taste
1/2 lb flank steak
2 stalks green onions, trimmed and sliced

3 cloves garlic, sliced

4 tbsps soy sauce (or more if you want more sauce)

2-3 tbsps sesame oil
1-2 tbsps corn starch
Boil the Chinese noodles according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles and set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok. If you want slightly fried noodles, then just use a few tablespoons of oil. If you want crispy fried noodles, use up to 1/2 cup. Add the noodles to the hot oil and let fry until golden or just crisp. Flip the noodles over to fry the other side to desired doneness. Remove noodles from the pan and set on plate. Slice the flank steak against the grain at an angle. Mix the flank steak slices with soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Set aside. In the frying pan, heat remaining oil (you want about 1-2 tablespoons) and sauté the snow peas and broccoli until they turn a rich green color. Add the mushrooms, corn, and bamboo shoots and continue to sauté, seasoning with a little salt to taste. Remove the vegetables to bowl and set aside. In the same pan, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil and add the garlic and green onions. Sauté until fragrant and add the beef. Stir-fry until the meat is pink and add the vegetables. When the meat is just done, pour the mixture over the noodles and serve hot.

sit and stay awhile apple crisp

{via joy the baker}

bake in an 8×8 baking dish or double the recipe and bake in a 9×13 dish

Filling:


5 to 6 medium-size apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices. (About 7.5 cups)


3 tbsp granulated sugar


1.5 tsp cinnamon



Topping:


1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour


1 1/3 cups lightly packed brown sugar


1/2 tsp ground cinnamon1 stick unsalted butter, well-softened


2/3 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)


1/3 cup quick oats

Preheat the oven to 350. Generously grease an 8×8 baking pan with butter.

Place a layer of apple slices in the bottom of the pan and dust with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Continue layering apples and dusting with cinnamon/sugar until done. Toss the apple mixture until evenly coated in cinnamon sugar. The apples should be just about to the top of the pan (they will cook down).

For the topping, place the flour, brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon and oats in a large bowl and stir well with a wooden spoon. Work the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until evenly distributed. Take one full handful of the topping and toss it into the sugared apple mixture. Spread the rest of the topping evenly over the apples. (I usually end up with a dough-like topping that I just lay on top of the apples).

Bake the crisp in the dish on a baking sheet on the center oven rack until the topping is crunchy and the apples are bubbling, 55-60 minutes.

Serve hot; it’s excellent with vanilla ice cream.

Individual Chocolate Souffle's

Honestly, no joking, these are DELICIOUS! I love to make them when I want a nice, chocolaty, guilty, treat. You will make yourself sick eating these because you won't be able to eat just one.

1/2 cup (1 stick)butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon powdered instant coffee (I used french vanilla and loved it!)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa1
1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease and sugar eight 6-ounce ramekins. (My friend didn't have ramekins, and used small glass tupperware bowls instead)
In large mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Scald milk. Remove from heat and add powdered coffee, stirring until dissolved.
Stir together flour, cocoa and baking powder. Add alternately with milk mixture to butter mixture. Beat 1 minute on medium.
Divide batter evenly among ramekins.
Place ramekins in 2 8-inch square pans. Pour hot water in bottom of pans to 1/8 inch deep and place pans in oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove pans from oven and let ramekins stand in water for 5 minutes.
Remove ramekins from water and let cool slightly.
You can serve in dish or invert onto dessert plates.

glazed nuts (for salads)

My sister-in-law Erika and I made these this weekend... and I am so glad that she knew how because I would never have guessed!



1-2 tablespoons BUTTER

1/4 cup sugar

dash cinnamon (optional, I liked it better.)

pecans, walnuts, or almonds.



heat in a skillet and wait for it to carmelize. then let cool on wax paper... SO good!!

yummy bread pudding

via picky palate While on our cruise I had the best bread pudding ever... this is the first that has even come close!! instead of chocolate chips use white chocolate... PURE HEAVEN!!!

1 lb loaf Cinnamon Swirl Bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

½ Cup semi sweet chocolate chips(I use white chocolate)

1 1/3 Cups 1% low fat milk

3 large eggs

½ Cup sugar

2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

Pinch of salt

½ Cup powdered sugar

2 ½ Tablespoons 1% low fat milk

1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place bread cubes and chocolate chips into a large mixing bowl.

In a medium bowl whisk the milk, eggs, sugar, brown sugar and salt.

Pour over bread cubes. Stir to combine.

2. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray and spoon bread pudding mixture evenly into muffin tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of pudding. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

3. In a medium bowl whisk together powdered sugar, milk and syrup until well combined. Drizzle over bread pudding and serve warm. Enjoy!

White Chicken Chili

Easy, delish, and makes a ton.

4-5 cans Great White Northern beans DO NOT DRAIN
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic cut up small
1 can green chilies (7 oz, chopped)
4-5 chicken breasts shredded
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
3 cans chicken broth
1 c sour cream
1 c Monterrey Jack cheese shredded

Saute onions and chopped garlic with a little EVOO. Boil chicken breasts in chicken broth until fully cooked. Remove chicken. Add onions and garlic into still boiling broth. Then add chilies, cumin, oregano, and beans (UNDRAINED). Simmer for 1 hour. During that time, shred the chicken. Just before serving, add shredded chicken back into pot, as well as the shredded cheese and sour cream.

Top with chips, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, and sour cream.

Baked Ziti Pesto

This is easy, and one of my hubby's favorites!

8 oz. ziti pasta
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups mozerella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup prepared pesto
2 cups crushed tomatos
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 Tbs. olive oil
Cook ziti for 7 min. then rinse with cold water.
Saute garlic and onion in olive oil and add crushed tomatos. Simmer 10 min.
In a medium size bowl combine:ricotta, 1 cup mozerella, parmesan, and pesto. Mix well
In a 8x9 pan layer: 1/2 of tomato sauce, half of ziti noodles, all of cheese mixture, the remaining half of ziti, the remaining tomato sauce, and 1/2 cup mozerella. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

Quick Moroccan Chicken

In case you haven't already noticed, I love Real Simple. I love their recipes. Here's what I'm making tonight. I hope it's good!

1 10 oz box couscous
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large clove garlic, thinkly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
pinch ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 15 ox can diced peaches drained or fresh peaches slices
1 rotisserie chicken cut into pieces
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)

Cook the couscous according to the package directions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the sugar, nutmeg, vinegar, and orange juice and bring to a simmer. Add the peaches and continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.

Divide the couscous and chicken among individual bowls, top with the peach sace and sprinkle with the parsley (if using)

Makes 4 servings

Cheese Enchilada Casserole

Another one from "Cooking Light." Really good, and vegetarian.

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1/3 cup sliced green onions
2 tsp. chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
9 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Cooking spray
1 cup taco sauce (such as Ortega)
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Arrange 3 tortillas in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread half of cheese mixture over tortillas. Repeat procedure with 3 tortillas and remaining cheese mixture; top with 3 tortillas.
3. Pour taco sauce over tortillas; sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until cheese melts. Yield: 4 servings.

CALORIES 299 (18% from fat); FAT 6g (sat 2.8g, mono 1.7 g, poly 0.9 g); PROTEIN 19.1 g; CARB 42.3 g; FIBER 4.3 g; CHOL 15mg; IRON 1.4 mg; SODIUM 1029 mg; CALC 332mg

La Bamba Casserole

This is from my best of "Cooking Light" recipe book and is really good if you're looking for Mexican-with-a-twist.

1 (5.25-ounce) can whole green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 cup chopped onion
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained (such as Rotel)
2 cups frozen whole-kernal corn, thawed
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut chiles in half lengthwise. Arrange chiles in a single layer in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add turkey and next 5 ingredients; saute 5 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add diced tomatoes; cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates.
4. Spoon turkey mixture over chiles. Top with corn. Carefully spread beans over corn. Sprinkle cheese over beans. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes; top with chopped tomato and green onions. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups.)

CALORIES 344 (28% from fat); FAT 10.7 g (sat 6.3 g, mono 2.9 g, poly 0.8 g); PROTEIN 32.2 g; CARB 30.7 g; FIBER 7.4 g; CHOL 77 mg; IRON 3.2 mg; SODIUM 902mg; CALC 269mg

Chicken Pillows

4-6 Chicken Breasts (I like to use 1 can of chicken breast instead)
1(8oz.) Cream cheese
1 can Mushrooms(I dont put mushrooms in and it is still good)
1 1/4 cups butter
2/3 cups Pepperidge Stuffing( I use breadcrumbs)
2 cans of Crescent Rolls(Get the bigger ones)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil Chicken and chop. Mix cream cheese and 1/4 c. softened butter and dash of pepper. If you use the canned chicken put it in the cream cheese and butter mix. Fold in chicken and mushrooms (Drained). flatten rolls and put spoonful of mixture towards large end of the rolls. Seal up each roll. Melt 1 c. of butter. Roll the rolls in the melted butter, then in the stuffing. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the rolls are lightly browned.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

I made this for a ward campout we had a few weeks ago and they were a huge hit!

Sift together-
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
set aside

Cream together-
1 stick softened butter
1 cup sugar
then add -
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
mix well

Add flour mixture to this mix, a 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Use a rounded tablespoon to drop mixture onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Cook for 8-10 minutes of 375. Meanwhile, cut 12 marshmallow in half, lengthwise and set aside. When cookies are done, take out of oven and press marshmallow into each center, pressing it down with the flat of a spoon. Put back in oven for 1-3 minutes, until marshmallow softens. Set cookies aside to let cool while you make the icing.

Icing-
Put 3 cups powdered sugar into a medium sized bowl.
In a medium sauce pan melt together-6 tablespoons butter and 4 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
Pour butter chocolate mixture into powdered sugar
Add 6 tablespoons milk, and 3/4 tsp. vanilla
Wisk together.

When cookies have cooled, top entire cookie with chocolate icing. Enjoy!

Roast Chicken with Grape and Blue Cheese Salad

Another favorite from "Real Simple". This no-cook meal takes only about 10-15 minutes to prepare, is low fat, filling and delicious!

Serves 4-6

2 Small heads boston or bibb lettuce, torn into pieces
4 stalks celery, sliced on the diagonal
1/2 red onion finely chopped
2 cups (about 1/2 lb) green grapes halved
3 oz blue cheese, crumbled
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tbs white wine vinegar
1/3 cup e.v.o.o.
Kosher salt and pepper
Rotisserie chicken meat thickly sliced

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, celery, onion, grapes, and blue cheese. In a small bowlwhisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Divide the salad and chicken among individual plates. Serve with the vinaigrette.

Jonya's "Cure All" Potatoe Cheese Soup

It's starting to get cold. Which means that cold/flu season is on it's way. Whenever I feel so disgustingly ill, this soup is cures all my ills! In our family, we swear that it cures cancer because I promise, you will be 100% better the next day! It's a tried and true recipe my mom used to make us when we were little. Plus it is absolutely delicious!

2 carrots chopped
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 stick of butter
4-5 large peeled potatoes
5 chicken bullion cubes (only if you don't use the chicken stock or chicken broth)
about 1 cup cheddar cheese
Dill to taste (probably about a couple tablespoons)
Salt and pepper to taste

Home-made chicken stock: (if short on time, just use the canned stuff, or you can do water and bullion cubes)
2 chicken breasts
a couple stalks of celery
salt and pepper
water

boil until chicken is cooked. Let cool. Set aside. (You can use your cooked chicken for another recipe like chicken sandwiches or something)
If you're my mother (a purist when it comes to food), the first step you'll take is to make home made chicken stock, if not, just used canned chicken broth

Now for the soup:
Cook carrots, onion, and butter in chicken stock on low for about 20 minutes. Add potatoes, bullion cubes (1 cube to every 1 cup of water) or stock and enough water/stock to cover the potatoes. Boil on high for about 30 minutes. After that, put the soup in a blender to puree to a smooth consistency. Put back in pot, add cheese, dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with some french bread. You will be healed! I think I'll make some this conference Sunday!

german chocolate cookies

last night at Bunko a friend made these cookies... they were THE BEST I have ever had! you must try! MUST!

1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup butter
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 Can evaporated milk small can or half a can of the bigger size.
coconut small package 2 1/2 cups ish...
pecans how ever many you want

Stir sugar, butter, yolks and evaporated milk. Cook until bubbled for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. After cooked add remaining ingredients...coconut, pecans, and vanilla.
Reserve 1 & 1/4 cup of this mixture.

Mix 1 box German Chocolate cake mix, 1/2 Cup melted butter and the reserved of above mixture. Roll into balls and push thumb in middle and put a little of remaining icing mixture in the middle.
Cook at 300-325°F for 10 minutes.