Lemon Basil Chicken with Vegetables

This recipe is from the Reynolds Brand Recipes

1 Reynolds® Oven Bag, Large Size

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons each dried basil and rosemary, divided

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel, divided

1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt, divided

2 small red potatoes, quartered

2 teaspoons paprika

6 to 7 pound whole chicken

1 small zucchini, sliced 1-inch thick

1 small yellow squash, sliced 1-inch thick

1 small red bell pepper, cut in 8 pieces

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF.

SHAKE flour in Reynolds Oven Bag; place in 13x9x2-inch or larger baking pan at least 2 inches deep. Add lemon juice, 1 tablespoon each basil and rosemary, 1 teaspoon lemon peel and 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt to bag; squeeze bag to blend in flour.

ADD potatoes to oven bag. Turn bag to coat potatoes. Push potatoes to sides of bag. Combine remaining spices; spoon 2 teaspoons into chicken cavity. Sprinkle and rub remaining spices over entire chicken. Place chicken in bag in center of potatoes. Arrange zucchini, squash and bell pepper over potatoes.

CLOSE oven bag with nylon tie; cut six 1/2-inch slits in top. Tuck ends of bag in pan.

BAKE 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 180ºF. To serve, remove chicken from oven bag. Stir sauce and serve over chicken and vegetables.

REYNOLDS KITCHENS TIP: To reduce fat and calories, remove skin from chicken before eating.

Number of Servings: 5-6

Apple Chicken Salad with Rosemary Pecans

from: The Fresh Market

This salad is sooo tasty! We can't wait to have it again, and love that there are left-overs for lunch tomorrow!

Ingredients:

ROSEMARY PECANS

	2 tablespoons butter
	1 1/2 cups pecans
	1 teaspoon seasoned salt
	2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped



APPLE CHICKEN SALAD

	2 tablespoons olive oil
	2 chicken breasts (approximately 1 pound)
	4 - 6 fresh thyme sprigs, chopped
	2 cups apple cider
	2 apples, cored and chopped (do not peel)
	1 cup celery, chopped
	1/3 cup golden raisins
	1 cup mayonnaise
	1 tablespoon sugar
	2 teaspoons rosemary, chopped
	1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
	1 teaspoon salt
	1/2 teaspoon pepper
	bed of lettuce or flaky croissant, for serving

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350º. Place butter on a pizza pan in the oven and allow to melt while oven preheats. Remove pizza pan from oven when butter is melted and spread pecans on the pan; stir to coat pecans with butter then sprinkle seasoned salt and rosemary over pecans. Bake 7 to 10 minutes in preheated oven; remove from oven, stir and let cool.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Place chicken breasts in pan and sear 5 to 6 minutes on each side until golden brown. Add thyme and sauté for 1 minute. Pour in apple cider, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low; poach chicken for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through (liquid will barely bubble while poaching but should not be boiling).

Remove chicken from pan, increase heat to high and boil liquid about 10 minutes until reduced to 1/2 cup; strain into a bowl and allow liquid to cool. Shred chicken after it has cooled.

Mix shredded chicken, apples, celery, raisins, mayonnaise, strained apple cider mixture, sugar, rosemary, seasoned salt, salt and pepper until well blended. Fold in 1/2 cup Rosemary Pecans.

Sprinkle remaining pecans on top of salad before serving and serve on a flaky croissant or over a bed of lettuce.

Baked Pasta

from: TLC Recipes

Baked Pasta with Ricotta

YIELD Makes 12 servings
See Cooking Videos

INGREDIENTS

1	package (16 ounces) uncooked rigatoni or penne pasta
1	container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
2/3	cup grated Parmesan cheese
2	eggs, lightly beaten
1/2	teaspoon salt
1/8	teaspoon black pepper
2	jars (26 ounces each) marinara sauce, divided
3	cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 13X9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cook rigatoni according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, beat ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, salt and pepper in medium bowl until well blended.
3. Spread 2 cups marinara sauce over bottom of prepared pan; spoon half of cooked pasta over sauce. Top with half of ricotta mixture and 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat layers of marinara sauce, pasta and ricotta mixture. Top with 1 cup mozzarella, remaining marinara sauce and 1 cup mozzarella.
4. Cover with foil; bake about 1 hour or until bubbly. Uncover and bake about 5 minutes more or until cheese is completely melted. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Cuban Calzones

Recipe from Pillsbury

INGREDIENTS:

2	Pillsbury® Grands!® frozen buttermilk or southern style biscuits (from 25-oz bag)
1 1/2	teaspoons yellow mustard
1 1/2	teaspoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
2	oz sliced pork (from deli)
2	oz sliced ham (from deli)
4	round dill pickle slices, well drained
2	tablespoons shredded Swiss cheese
1	egg, beaten
1/2	teaspoon dried minced onion

User Rating:

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2.	Place biscuits on microwavable plate. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) 30 to 45 seconds, turning over halfway through microwave time. (Biscuits should still be cold for easier handling.) Press and stretch each biscuit into 6-inch round.
3.	In small bowl, stir mustard and mayonnaise until smooth. Spread mustard mixture on each round to within 1/2 inch of edge. Arrange pork and ham slices over mustard mixture to within 1/2 inch of edge, folding if necessary. Top each round with two pickle slices; sprinkle with cheese. Brush egg around edge of biscuit rounds. Fold dough over filling; press edges with fork to seal. Brush with egg; sprinkle with onion.
4.	Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Steak Tostadas with Avocados, Tomatoes & Olives

Recipe from Pampered Chef

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb beef flank steak 2 tbsp olive oil, divided 2 tbsp Crushed Peppercorn & Garlic Rub 2 medium avocados 1 cup grape tomatoes 1 cup pitted kalamata olives		1 lemon 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 tsp salt 12 tostadas 3/4 cup (3 oz) cotija cheese, crumbled

Directions:
1.	Heat Grill Pan over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Brush both sides of steak with 1 tbsp of the oil and sprinkle with rub. Place steak into pan; top with Grill Press. Cook 4 minutes. Turn; top with press. Reduce heat to medium; cook an additional 4-6 minutes or until Digital Pocket Thermometer registers 140°F for medium-rare doneness. Remove steak from pan; tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes (temperature will rise to 145°F).
2.	Meanwhile, peel and dice avocados using Avocado Peeler. Cut tomatoes in half and coarsely chop olives using Santoku Knife. Zest lemon using Microplane® Adjustable Grater to measure 1 tsp zest. Juice lemon to measure 1 tbsp juice. Combine avocados, tomatoes, olives, zest, juice, parsley, salt and remaining 1 tbsp oil in Classic Batter Bowl; mix well.
3.	Thinly slice steak diagonally against the grain. Cut slices into 1-in. pieces. Divide steak evenly among tostadas; top with avocado mixture and cheese.
Yield: 6 servings Nutrients per serving: (2 tostadas): Calories 530, Total Fat 35 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Cholesterol 50 mg, Carbohydrate 25 g, Protein 32 g, Sodium 1310 mg, Fiber 3 g Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 1/2 starch, 4 medium-fat meat, 3 fat (1 1/2 carb) Cook’s Tips: To quickly cut the steak into pieces, carve diagonally against the grain into thin slices; without moving slices apart, cut lengthwise into 1-in. pieces. If desired, 3 garlic cloves, pressed, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper can be substituted for the peppercorn rub.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

recipe from Weight Watchers

This recipe is FAST n' EASY and tastes oh sooooo yummy!!! I just doubled the recipe, made it on the stove top earlier in the day and then had it warming in the crockpot until dinner time. It worked out perfectly! And would you believe it is a Weight Watcher recipe!? You won't believe it!

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Points: 4
Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes

1 (12oz) package fresh broccoli florets, coarsely chopped (I just used fresh broccoli steamed and chopped)
2 1/4 cups fat-free half-and-half
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
12 oz light processed cheese cubed (such as Velveeta light)

1. Place chopped broccoli in microwave safe bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes or until tender.

2. While broccoli cooks, combine half-and-half and flour in pan stirring with a whisk. Cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until thick, stirring CONSTANTLY with whisk. Add chicken broth & cheese; cook over medium heat until cheese melts, stirring CONSTANTLY. Add broccoli and cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Yields: 7 servings (serving size: about 1 cup).
Calories per serving: 194 (30% from fat)
Fat: 6.5g
Fiber:1.6g

Slow Cooker Fall Favorites

recipe from: a year of slow cooking

a whole bunch of Fall Favorites that are bound to please the crowds!

Beverages

Holiday (non-alcoholic) Punch (although "Holiday" is in the title, I've been making this a lot. Wednesdays can totally be the new Holiday.)
Pumpkin Spice Latte (yummers)
Chai Tea Latte (I don't actually like this so much, but my mother-in-law loves it, and so do her friends.)

Appetizers

Brie with Balsamic Apricot Topping (just made this again on Saturday, and have been requested to make it on Thursday for my friend Jennifer's jewelry party. Oh! anyone want to buy jewelry? I think there might be an online form.)
Sundried Tomato Dip (one of the very first things I made during my challenge)
Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Rotel Dip (AKA Mommy Crack)
Pizza Fondue (liquid pizza)
Fancy Cheese Fondue

Main Courses

Apricot Chicken (the kids LOVE this)
Pomegranate Beef (from Karina's Kitchen, the Gluten Free Goddess. She is wonderful.)
Pizza Soup (because you need more liquid pizza)
Cowboy Stew (from Headless Mom)
Pasta Fagioli (copy cat(ish) from the Olive Garden. We eat this monthly.)
Coq au Vin (red wine for purple, white wine for not-purple)
Azorean Stew (from Sean at Hedonia)
Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup (I get the nicest thank you notes about this one)
Java Roast (doesn't taste like coffee. I promise.)
Chile Verde (I make this for guests. Often.)
Margarita Chicken (from Alanna, of Kitchen Parade)
Mongolian Beef (lots of ingredients, but totally worth it)
Korean Ribs (from Stefania, of City Mama)
Orange Apricot Pork Chops (a favorite with kids)
Cranberry Pork Tenderloin (my little buddy Austin's review is priceless on this one)
Asian Peanut Butter Pork (mmm. peanut butter.)
Sausage Vegetable Medley (we eat this an awful lot. super easy.)
Autumn Sausage Casserole (C. Beth reminded me to add this!)
Jamaican Pumpkin Soup (amazingly delicious)

Desserts

Cheesecake (I was crazily ecstatic at how this turned out. I think the neighbors could hear my squealing)
Crustless Pumpkin Pie (exactly what it sounds like!)
Apple Crisp (the people in the audience at GMA liked this)
Peach (or whatever fruit you'd like) Pie (I had canned peaches in the house)
Pumpkin Pie Dip (fondue-y)
5 Layer Brownies (use a small slow cooker for this, or your middle won't set)
Pound Cake (I can't believe I ate the whole thing)
Rice Krispies Treats (the kids can do this alone. while I nap. It's a good thing.)
Caramel Apples (great surprise as an after school snack)
Brownie-in-a-Mug (So. Much. Fun.)

Taco Pockets

I am using the leftover Taco Salad ingredients to make these.

hamburger (you can add taco seasoning to this, but I just add salsa to my salad later)
lettuce
tomatoes
cheese
sour cream
kidney beans
black olives
Dorothy Lynch dressing (or French Dressing)
salsa
corn (optional)

Pita Pockets

Carefully open pita and place all ingredients inside.

Taco Salad

I'm sure it seems funny to have a "recipe" for Taco Salad, but this is so I don't forget any ingredients when I'm running to the store!

hamburger (you can add taco seasoning to this, but I just add salsa to my salad later)
tortilla chips
lettuce
tomatoes
cheese
sour cream
kidney beans
black olives
Dorothy Lynch dressing (or French Dressing)
salsa
corn (optional)

**Lil Mama's Note**
I always have leftovers. This time I am going to try using the leftover ingredients to make nachos and Taco Pockets.

Chicken Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy

(from Mommy's Kitchen)

8 (6-ounce) skinned and boned chicken breasts
4 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
76 saltine crackers (2 sleeves), crushed
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
8 cups milk, divided
4 large eggs
Peanut oil

Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper evenly over chicken. Set aside. Combine cracker crumbs, 2 cups flour, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and ground red pepper. Whisk together 1 1/2 cups milk and eggs. Dredge chicken in cracker crumb mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge in cracker mixture again. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a 12-inch skillet (do not use a nonstick skillet). Heat to 360°. Fry chicken, in batches, 10 minutes, adding oil as needed. Turn and fry 4 to 5 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack in a jellyroll pan. Keep chicken warm in a 225° oven. Carefully drain hot oil, reserving cooked bits and 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Whisk together remaining 1/2 cup flour, remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper, and remaining 6 1/2 cups milk. Pour mixture into reserved drippings in skillet; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Serve gravy with chicken.

Old Fashioned Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

(from Mommy's Kitchen)

5-6 chicken breasts or 1 whole chicken fryer
1 - 12 oz package spaghetti noodles
1 - 16 oz (1 lb) package velveeta cheese, cubed
1 - 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 - 14 oz can chicken broth or 2 cups reserved broth
1 - stick margarine (1/2 Cup)
1 - 8oz package shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese
1 - small onion, chopped
3-4 celery ribs, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
black olives, sliced (optional)

Fill a big stock pot with water. Clean and rinse whole fryer or chicken pieces. Add chicken to your pot of water, I also add a little Lawrys Season Salt & Poultry Seasoning while the chicken cooks but that's optional. Wash hands after handling chicken. Turn stove to high and let chicken come to a boil. Once chicken comes to a rolling boil, turn heat down and simmer chicken until done. For a whole fryer about 2 hours. For chicken breasts or pieces 45-50 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and place on a plate to cool. Drain and reserve broth in cooking pot. Cook spaghetti noodles per package directions, but instead adding the spaghetti to water cook the spaghettin in the reserved chicken broth that you cooked the chicken in. Add spaghetti noodles and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer noodles until al dente. While spaghetti noodles are cooking start deboning the chicken (make sure it is cool enough to handle) or break chicken breasts to smaller pieces if just using breasts. Chop up the vegetables, melt the margarine in a small skillet. Add the vegetables and saute until cooked and translucent in color. Drain spaghetti noodles and set aside. (Reserve 2 cups chicken broth if not using canned broth.) In a large bowl combine cubed velveeta cheese, chicken broth and cream of chicken soup. Place in microwave and cook on low for a about 5-7 minutes or until mixture is smooth and cheese is melted. To the cheese mixture add cooked vegetables with butter, spaghetti noodles and chicken pieces. Stir to combine. Spray a 9x 13 inch Casserole dish with cooking spray and add combined mixture to greased dish. Finally top finished casserole with 8oz of shredded cheddar cheese and add a few sliced black olive's on top (not pictured) the black olives are optional. Put Casserole in a preheated 350 oven and bake for about 45 minutes until cheese is golden brown and casserole is bubbly. Remove from oven let cool and serve.


Note: If a 9 x 13 inch pan is to big for you family then you can make (2) 8x8 pans serve one for dinner and freeze the second one for a quick meal another night. To freeze cover the whole unbaked casserole with plastic wrap then cover with foil twice, date and freeze. When you want to cook the casserole, remove from oven, completely defrost and proceed with baking directions.

Panko Crusted Salmon

(from Dinner's On Me!)

1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tsp lemon pepper
salmon fillets, skinned
1 tsp canola oil

(this is enough to coat 4 or 5 fillets)

Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine salt, panko and lemon pepper on a dinner plate.

Add oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat to medium-high. Dredge the skinned side of salmon fillets in bread crumb mixture. Add the salmon to the pan, crumb side down. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer salmon (now crumb side up) to the foil lined baking sheet.** Bake for 6-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. When testing for doneness, salmon should flake easily with a fork. Serve crumb side up and garnish with fruit salsa.

**note: I use an oven safe skillet, so instead of transferring fish to baking sheet I just turn the fish to crumb side up and place the whole skillet into the oven for 6-8 minutes.

I have served this salmon with two different fruit salsas. The first time I made this recipe, I topped it with the Pineapple Tomato Salsa (recipe below). I thought it was just okay, so the next time I tried the Peach Salsa (recipe also below) and I enjoyed it much more. The crunch of the Panko crusted salmon contrasted nicely with the soft, sweet peaches. Alas, the amazing fresh peaches are no longer in season.


Peach Salsa

2 peaches, peeled & diced
1/2 cup red onion, minced
1 Jalapeno (remove seeds), minced
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Combine in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. note: I used only half of the Jalapeno at first. (You can always add more later, but you can't take it away if it's too hot for you.)

OR you can Try

Pineapple Tomato Salsa

3 Tbsp shallots, diced
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple
1/2 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp granulated sugar
salt and pepper

In a bowl combine shallots, pineapple, tomato and basil. In a separate small bowl whisk together lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce and sugar. Pour over pineapple mixture and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fresh Pasta with Lemon Cream

from: http://www.angelfire.com/journal/wwrecipes/448.htm)

15 oz low fat ricotta cheese
dash salt
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp nutmeg (I used only 1/2 tsp)
4 cups cooked pasta - spaghetti or angel hair
black pepper to taste

Empty ricotta into blender or food processor, using the steel blade. Add salt. Process until all graininess disappears and ricotta has the texture of thick whipped cream. Flavor the mixture with lemon peel and nutmeg. Store in refrigerator. Drain the hot cooked pasta, then immediately return it to the saucepan it was cooked in.

Add the whipped ricotta. Toss until pasta is well coated with sauce. Can garnish with Parmesan, fresh parsley or a few thin slices of pitted black olives.

Can be served as a side with fresh salmon or chicken.

Makes 8 servings, 3 points per serving
(note: garnishes not included in points per serving)

Robyn's Roast - crockpot

(from Dinner's On Me!)

This pot-roast makes its own gravy!

2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1 (1oz.) package dry onion soup mix
1 ¼ cups water
3-5 pound roast

In the crock-pot, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in crock-pot and coat with soup mixture. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 8-9 hours.

When done I like to take the roast out and shred it up and add it back to the gravy so that I’m not spending my whole meal cutting up meat for the kids. We serve this over rice or baked potatoes. The kids even love it!

Macaroni & Cheese

(from Hillbilly Housewife)

• 2 cups dry macaroni
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup instant dry milk powder
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted (1/2 a stick)
• 2 medium eggs
• 3 cups shredded cheese (Colby is traditional)
• 4 oz of Velveeta type cheese, cut into chunks OR the equivalent of sliced sandwich cheese, torn into smallish pieces
• a pinch of dry mustard
• a pinch of salt

This is an incredibly rich version of that old favorite, macaroni and cheese. It isn’t the cheapest recipe for Mac ‘n Cheese. It is, however, the least expensive of all of the deluxe versions I have found in my church pot-luck travels. It is also really high in protein which is a good thing when your oldest boy won’t eat meat, but loves mac ‘n cheese. First boil the macaroni until it in tender in plenty of boiling salted water. When it is soft, drain it very well.

Meanwhile oil a 3-quart casserole or a 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan. Combine the dry milk powder, water, melted margarine, eggs, dry mustard and salt in the oiled casserole. I use a whisk to get it all emulsified nicely.

Sprinkle the shredded cheese and Velveeta-type cheese (or torn up sandwich slices) into the milk mixture. Add the macaroni too. Stir it all up until the cheese is sort of evenly distributed. One needn’t be obsessive about this part; randomness of the cheese distribution stands out as one of the charms of this creamy delicacy. Every third bite or so, has an extra gooey bit of cheese in it, which delights the palette of even an unsophisticated hillbilly. Bake the casserole at 350 ° for about half an hour. The cheese should be melted, and the milk should be absorbed into the dish, making it creamy and delicious. If desired, a bit of shredded cheese may be sprinkled on top of the casserole before baking.

This recipe serves about 8, fewer if they are gluttons. Which means it feeds my family for one meal as the main dish, without leftovers. I like to serve it with a plain green vegetable like broccoli or spinach, and a light dessert like gelatin with fruit, or even plain canned fruit cocktail. Tomato juice would be a good beverage to serve along side. As a side dish, this quantity serves about 10 or 12, once again, depending on how many macaroni cheese gluttons are in attendance. Excellent for pot lucks and the like.

Pizza Margarita

(from Dinner's On Me)

ingredients:
-your favorite pizza crust
-fresh mozzarella, sliced thinly
-fresh tomatoes, sliced thinly
-fresh basil
-olive oil
-parmesan cheese (optional)

This is about as simple as pizza can get! Drizzle a bit of olive oil on your favorite pizza crust. Top with sliced tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Bake until done. Serve with parm cheese, if desired.

**Sometimes this Lil Mama grills pizzas. Super tasty and fun for the summer!

"Comfort Food" Chicken Pot Pies With Cream Cheese Crusts

(from Mommy's Kitchen)

Shell crust:
1-2/3 c. flour
2 t. celery seed (optional)
1- 8 oz. cream cheese, cold
1/3 c. butter, cold
1/4 t. salt

Filling:
1 whole chicken, pulled from bone and chunked
(You may not need the whole chicken, just use as much of the chicken as you want)
1/3 cup - real butter
1/3 cup - flour
2 t. minced garlic
1/2 t. salt
dash of pepper
1-1/2 cup - warm water
2/3 cup- milk
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup- frozen mixed veggies
3 - individual sized tin pie bowls
(Found @ Kroger, Could not find them at Walmart)

For the crust combine the flour, cream cheese, and butter in a bowl. Cut in the cold cream cheese and butter until you have a crumbly mixture. Then starting working it with your hands, kneading until you have a ball of dough: On a floured surface, roll out the dough in to a flat square. Take one of your tin bowls and trace and cut an overlapped piece of dough. Place it into the bowl and softly press it into the corners: You will get three servings out of this recipe. roll out a total of 6 squares for 3 bottom crust and 3 top crusts. Or you will get one large pot pie like mine. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, garlic, and spices till blended. Slowly stir in the warm water, bouillon cubes, and milk. Slowly bring a soft boil and stir constantly for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and add the frozen vegetables (peas, carrots, celery, whichever you prefer!) and the chicken. Fill the shells: Put the tops of the crusts over this and seal the edges. You can use a fork to make a fluted edge. Make a criss cross slit in the center: Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Serve over mashed potatoes or right out of the bowl. If making one large pot pie bake about 30-40 minutes. Watch it carefully so it doesn't get to brown on top.

**NOTE: If not serving these over mashed potatoes, add cooked cubed potatoes to the filling. (about 1 cup)

*If freezing, wrap the uncooked pot pies with foil and then place in freezer bags. To bake just remove from the freezer thaw a bit and bake. Or to save cooked individual pot pies let cool and cover with each individual cover the tins came with. Store in the refrigerator and then just pop them in the oven to warm up for a quick meal.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches (crockpot)

(from Hillbilly Housewife)

• 2 lbs of pork (any kind works, but the leaner the better. If fatty, cut off all visible fat first. Pork steaks (minus bone) work great and often are on good sales)

Mix in a bowl:

• 1 c ketchup
• 1 c mustard
• 1/2 - 1 c brown sugar (can add to your taste)

Add mix to pork. If really thick, add 1/4 c water.
Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-10 hours.

When done cooking, use a spoon to spoon out any visible fat that has come off. Take two forks and shred the pork. Serve on a bun.

Submitted by HBHW reader Carrie Anne H

buffalo chicken chili mac

(from Rachel Ray)

Aired on:
January 22, 2008

This healthy combo of two of my favorite comfort foods is packed with the robust flavor of chili, heart-healthy whole wheat pasta and the creamy tang of two cheeses. Using stronger-flavored cheeses like pepper jack and blue lets you cut back on the amount you need while stretching flavor into every bite, giving you a much healthier bang for your buck.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 pounds (about 4 to 6, depending on size) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bits
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 to 1/2 cup hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 pound whole wheat elbow macaroni
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 scallions, root ends removed and thinly sliced


Yields: 6 servings

Preparation
To make cutting the chicken easier, place it into the freezer for about 15 minutes until it firms up slightly but isn’t frozen through. This will let you cut it up quickly into small pieces.
Preheat broiler and place a large pot of salted water over high heat to bring up to a boil for the whole wheat elbow macaroni.

Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the chicken bits and brown them, about 5-6 minutes. Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, paprika, bay leaf and some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook the veggies, stirring frequently, until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the hot sauce and crushed tomatoes, and bring up to a bubble. Simmer the chili for 8-10 minutes to let the flavors come together and thicken it slightly.

While the chili is simmering, toss the pasta into the boiling salted water and cook until al dente according to package directions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and toss it into the chili, then transfer everything to a casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the top and place it under the broiler until the cheeses have melted and the top is golden brown, 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle the chopped scallions over the top and watch this one disappear in no time.

buffalo baked chicken with blue cheese, celery & carrot slaw

(from Rachel Ray)

Aired on:

November 1, 2007

A more figure-friendly version of buffalo chicken.

Ingredients

3/4 cup hot sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot

6 tablespoons butter

4 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, cut in half across

4 chicken drummers

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup blue cheese crumbles

Juice of 2 lemons

1/3 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise (or make it lighter with buttermilk)

6 to 8 ribs of celery from the heart with greens, thinly sliced on an angle

2 cups shredded carrots

6 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced

1/2 head red cabbage, cored and shredded

3 cups salad croutons, ground into crumbs in a food processor

1/4 cup (a generous handful) flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Preheat oven 400ºF.

Melt butter over low heat in a small pot and combine with hot sauce.

Place chicken in a large bowl and season the pieces with salt and pepper. Pour the butter-hot sauce mixture over the chicken and toss the pieces to coat in the Buffalo sauce. Let stand 10 minutes.

In a salad bowl, combine the blue cheese, lemon juice, mayonnaise or buttermilk, salt and pepper. Add the celery, shredded carrots, scallions and red cabbage. Toss to combine.

Arrange the crushed croutons in a shallow dish. Add the parsley and mix with your fingers to combine. Press the hot sauce-coated chicken into the breadcrumb mixture to coat and set the pieces onto nonstick baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown.

Remove the chicken from the oven and serve with the blue cheese-dressed celery and carrot slaw alongside.