Baked Pesto Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into thick strips

Salt & Pepper

1 jar of basil pesto sauce

1/2-1 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375

Spread some of the pesto sauce on the bottom of a 9x12 pan that has been greased.

Place the chicken on top of the sauce. Season with desired about of salt and pepper and spread the rest of the pest sauce on top of each chicken strip. Cover very tightly with tin foil. Bake for 25 mins. Take dish out....sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top...place back in the oven without covering until cheese has melted. Switch to broil and do this until you have a nice light brown color.

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

This recipe was found here . I think next time I make it...I'm going to make the cubes a little bigger and add a few more seasonings. But it was a nice recipe and the potatoes were perfectly cooked.

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

5 Tbsp fresh shredded parmesan cheese (I changed it to fresh as I don't like the stuff you get on the shelf)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place the cubed potatoes into a 9x12 pan and sprinkle with the olive oil.

Mix all other ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add to the potatoes and toss so that they are fully coated.

Bake for 45mins but make sure to stir them at least 2-3 times during that time. When done....if desired...sprinkle with a little bit of sea salt.

Pampered Chef Black Forest Torte

1 Pkg Devils food cake mix (Plus ingredients to make the cake)
1 cup sour cream
2 cups (500ml) thawed, frozen whipped topping
1/2 tsp almond extract, divided
1 Pkg (3.4oz) white chocolate instant pudding and pie filling
1 cup cherry pie filling
Sliced toasted almonds (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour nonstick cake pans. Prepare cake mix according to package directions; divide batter equally between two 9" pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into centers comes out clean. Remove pans from oven; cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans; cool completely. If necessary, slice crowns off cakes using serrated knife.

2. Place one cake onto serving plate. Combine sour cream, whipped topping and 1/4 tsp. of almond extract in large bowl. Add pudding mix; whisk vigorously until mixture is blended and very thick. Fill an icing bag with 1 1/3 cups of the cream filling. Pipe half of the cream filling around edge of bottom cake layer; set decorator aside. Spoon remaining filling into center of bottom cake layer; spread to meet border. Place top cake layer over bottom layer; pipe remaining filling around edge to form a decorative boarder.

3. In small bowl, combine pie filling with remaining 1/4 tsp almond extract. Spoon pie filling over top of cake, spreading to meet boarder. Sprinkle almonds over top of cake, if desired.

Yield: 16 servings.

Caramel Apple Pizza

1 tube (18oz) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons milk
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 cups tart apples (about 3 large), peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1- 12oz can lemon-lime soda
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping (Do NOT do fat free)


Press cookie dough into a greased 14" pizza pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 mins or until golden brown. Run a large, flat spatula under crust to loosen from pan. Cool on wire rack.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, brown sugar, and milk until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust. In a separate bowl, combine the apples and soda, drain well. Toss apples with cinnamon; arrange over cream cheese mixture. Drizzle with the carmel topping and sprinkle with pecans. Cut into wedges.

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Pie

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese softened (you can do room temperature or microwave for 15-20 secs.
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon, divided
1 egg
1 chocolate pie crust
1/2 cup seedless red raspberry preserves

1. In small mixing bowl beat cream cheese on medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Add egg, beating until just combined.
2. Pour half of cream cheese mixture into crust. In a small bowl combine preserves and remaining lemon juice. Spoon half of preserves mixture over cream cheese mixture in crust.
3. Top with remaining cream cheese mixture and remaining preserves mixture. Use knife or narrow spatula to swirl preserves into cream cheese mixture.
4. Bake at 300 degrees for 50-55 mins. or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack for an hour.
5. Garnish as desired. Store in refrigerator for 3 hours.

Chocolate chip Pumpkin Bread

3 cups white sugar
1 (15oz) can pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
4 eggs
3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp nutmeg
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 Cup milk chocolate chips


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water and eggs. Beat until smooth.
3. Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt
4. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well.
5. Fold in chocolate chips
6. Fill pans 1/2 to 3/4 full
7. Bake for 1 hour or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from pans.

Pioneer Woman's Sweet Potatoes

4 medium sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup flour
3/4 stick butter


Wash the sweet potatoes and bake them in a 175 degrees oven until fork tender....about 30-35 mins. When they are finished cooking, slice them open and scrape out the flesh into a large bowl.

Add 1 cup of sugar....1 cup of milk.....2 eggs...1 tsp of vanilla extract and 1 tsp of salt. With a potato masher, mash them up just enough, you don't want them to be perfectly smooth.

Now, in a separate bowl, add 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup pecans, chopped (that means measure a cup of pecans, THEN chop them), 1/2 flour...3/4 stick of butter. With a pastry cutter or fork, mash together until throughly combined.

Spread the sweet potato mixture into a regular baking dish and sprinkle the crumb mixture all over the top.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 mins, or until golden brown.

Yummy Taco Salad

1 large bag Cool Ranch Dorritos
1lb ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 can sliced olives
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can corn, drained
1 small bottle Catalina salad dressing


Brown beef and drain. Add taco seasoning following directions on package. Toss the meat together with all the vegetables and beans. Crush Dorritos and toss with salad. Just before serving, add salad dressing and toss. Use enough dressing to coat.

Garlic Cashew Chicken

4 Tbsp hoisin sauce
3 Tbsp soy sauce, divided
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water or chicken stock
Dash of sesame oil
1/2 cup unsalted cashews
1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Tbsp oil, divided
4 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, chopped into large pieces
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cashews on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast in oven about 4 minutes or until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
2. In a small bowl, mix hoisin sauce, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, rice vinegar, cornstarch, water and sesame oil. Set aside.
3. In a wok or large nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil over high heat until hot. Pat chicken dry with a paper towl and add to the skillet with remaining 1 Tbsp soy sauce; Stir-fry until almost cooked through. Add garlic and 1/2 of the green onion and cook 1 minute or until just cooked through. Remove from pan, drain on paper towel and set aside.
4. Stir-fry remaining green onions, zucchini and mushrooms in 1 Tbsp oil until crisp-tender
5. Return chicken to pan. Add sauce mixture and stir until sauce thickens and darkens. Stir in cashews.

Chicken & Chipotle soup

****I would recommend a couple of changes to the recipe that I found****

I am new to the chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. The recipe calls for 2 chiles from a small can of can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. I did that, and I took the seeds out and it was still too spicy for me and the kids. So I am going to do it next time with just 1. I also added 1/2 cup of uncooked rice and let it simmer until the rice was ready. MUCH better. I want to try it again as I loved the smell and the flavor of all of it. Perfect with rolls. We topped it with Mexican cheese.....sour cream as well.


Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (Make sure you read this very carefully. It's NOT 2 cans...but 2 CANNED chipotle chiles....but if you don't want major spicy...try just one)
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and pepper
1 avocado, thinly sliced lengthwise into 12 pieces
Crushed tortilla chips
**I added the 1/2 cups of rice...and sourcream and mexican cheese along with the other toppings**


Directions

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, lower the heat to medium and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Increase the heat to high, push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the chicken and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chipotles and adobo sauce, then stir in the chicken broth. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming any foam. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.
Place 2 avocado slices in each of 6 soup bowls and pour in the soup. Top with the tortilla chips.