Double Chocolate Chip Brownies

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

MELT 1 cup morsels and butter in large, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs. Stir in flour, sugar, vanilla extract and baking soda. Stir in remaining morsels and nuts. Spread into prepared baking pan.

BAKE for 18 to 22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Cheddar Baked Chicken

1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 egg
1 TBS milk
1 c shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 c Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 c crispy rice cereal
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half

2 TBS butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a medium baking dish with non-stick spray.

In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and milk. In a third bowl, mix the cheese, bread crumbs, and cereal.

After trimming chicken, dredge the pieces in the flour mixture, dip in the egg mixture, then press in the breadcrumb mixture to coat. Arrange in the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle the rest of the breadcrumb mixture over the pieces to make sure they are thoroughly coated. Drizzle butter evenly over chicken, and bake for 35 minutes or until coating is golden brown and chicken juices run clear.

Italian Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops

4 (6 ounce) center cut pork chops
1 cup Sargento® Fancy Shredded 6 Cheese Italian Cheese
2 tablespoons crushed garlic croutons
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cut a horizontal pocket in the side of each pork chop (or ask your meat retailer to do this for you). Combine 3/4 cup cheese, croutons and thyme; stuff into pockets and pinch edges together to close pockets. Combine salt, paprika and pepper; sprinkle over chops.

Heat a 12-inch ovenproof skillet (wrap handle in foil) coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add chops; cook 3 minutes per side or until browned. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over chops. Transfer skillet to a preheated 375 degrees F oven. Bake until chops are no longer pink in center, 8 to 10 minutes depending on thickness of chops.

Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

2 cup(s) flour
2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
3/4 teaspoon(s) salt
3 tablespoon(s) chilled solid vegetable shortening
5 slice(s) bacon
1 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup(s) butttermilk

Preheat oven 400 degrees F. In 10-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 7 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the fat is melted. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; crumble. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon fat in small bowl or cup, cover and refrigerate until solid.

In large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut into reserved bacon grease and shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in crumbled bacon and shredded cheese, and then add buttermilk and stir in until dry ingredients are just moistened (mixture may be slightly lumpy).

Transfer dough to lightly floured surface and knead several times until it just holds together. With lightly floured hands, pat dough out 1/2 inch thick. Flour 2-inch round biscuit cutter and cut out biscuits, placing them 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Gather up scraps, pat out again and cut out more biscuits.

Bake 15 minutes, or until biscuits are lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature.

Delicious Ham and Potato Soup

3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

Italian Chicken Marinade

16 oz bottle Italian salad dressing
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 lb chicken breasts

Lay chicken breasts in a marinade pan or in a deep bowl. Mix salad dressing with salt and garlic powder and then spread over the chicken. Marinade for 4 hours, or overnight for best results.

Spiced Potatoes

6 red potatoes, cubed
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, or cup, combine paprika, cayenne, chili powder, onion salt, garlic powder and parsley. Drizzle potatoes with oil and sprinkle with spice mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until crisp, turning every 10 minutes.

Spicy Garlic Chicken

3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and parsley. Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side.

Pizza Stuffed Bread

1 lb pizza dough
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese

8 slices ham

8 oz sliced pepperoni
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Stretch the dough out on a flat surface. Layer the cheese over ¾ of the dough leaving an inch or two to over lap at the bottom. Layer the ham over the cheese. Then layer the pepperoni over the ham. Roll the dough into a loaf tucking in the ends. Make an egg wash, mixing the egg with the water. Brush over the loaf. Use a knife to pierce slits in the loaf so it doesn’t burst. Bake for 25 minutes. Let the loaf rest a few minutes, so the cheese settles, then slice and serve.

No-Bake Cookies

2 c sugar
¼ c cocoa
½ c milk
1 stick butter
3 c quick oats
1 tsp vanilla
½ c peanut butter

Lay out several pans and/or platters and line them with wax paper. Measure out the oats and peanut butter to have them ready, and have vanilla handy.

Combine sugar, cocoa, milk, and butter in a large saucepan and bring to a boil; let boil one entire minute. Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter, then quick oats, then the vanilla; stir together quickly before it starts to harden.

Scoop the mixture by tablespoons onto the wax paper covered pans you set out. Let them harden at room temperature, but when storing, keep them in the refrigerator so they do not soften.

Banana Bread

1 ½ c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c sugar
1 egg
3 bananas, mashed
¼ c vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour a loaf pan. Mix flour, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix egg, mashed bananas, and oil, and then stir in the dry ingredients. Pour into loaf pan and bake for about an hour on the middle rack.

Wholesome Bean Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1/2 med onion, chopped (or 3 TBS minced onion or 1 TBS onion powder)
1 tsp minced garlc
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
3 TBS chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 15.5 oz cans dark red kidney beans
2 TBS Adobo
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1 can corn

Heat oil over medium heat, cook ground beef until browned and then add garlic and onion and cook until they are browned as well. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder and cumin, bring to a boil and then add in beans and return to boil before adding in Adobo, pepper, sugar and corn, once it returns to a boil this time, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef
1 pkt taco seasoning
½ c water
1 can corn
1 can dark red kidney beans

Brown ground beef; add in all other ingredients, stir, bring to a boil and let simmer for about 5 minutes or until flavors are well blended.

Macaroni Ratatouille Soup

1 lb Mild Italian sausage
1 med onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp oregano
2 cans Campbell's Tomato Soup
2 cans beef broth
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 c water
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb elbow macaroni, uncooked

In a large pot: Cook sausage, onion, garlic, and oregano until sausage is browned, breaking sausage up while cooking (I used ground and just cooked like hamburg). Once browned, add soup, broth, tomatoes, water, and pepper. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to low, stir in uncooked macaroni, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until macaroni is tender. Be sure to stir often so macaroni doesn't stick on the bottom and is able to absorb all the flavor!! Garnish with parsley and grated parmesan cheese once it is finished!!

Jane's Brunswick Stew

1 lb chicken, cut into small pieces
1 c water
2 med potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 med onion, sliced into small pieces
1 15.25 oz can lima beans
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
1 15.25 oz can corn
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
¼ c butter
½ c dry bread crumbs

In a large saucepan, brown chicken over medium-high heat. Add in water and bring it to a boil, making sure the chicken doesn’t stick on. Add the potatoes, onion, beans, and seasonings, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

1 lb ground mild Italian sausage
1 c chopped onion (3 TBS minced)
2 cloves garlic (1/2 tsp minced)
5 c beef broth (3 cans)
1/2 c water
2 14.75 oz cans tomato sauce
1 c carrots, finely chopped
1/2 TBS basil
1/2 tsp oregano
3 TBS parsley
15 oz pkg cheese tortellini

In a large pot, brown Italian sausage. Add in the onions and garlic and saute until both are golden brown. Stir in beef broth, water, tomato sauce, carrots, basil and oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Stir in parsley and simmer covered for about 10 minutes, add in tortellini, stir well, and simmer for another 10 minutes or until tortellini is soft and ready.

Italian Meatball Soup

For the meatballs:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese
3 TBS fresh parsley (or 3 tsp dried parsley)
1 egg
2 cloves garlic (or 1/2 tsp minced garlic)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground oregano
2 tsp lemon juice

For the soup:
3 TBS olive oil
7 c beef stock
2 c water
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS tomato paste
3/4 c onion, chopped
3/4 carrots, chopped and quartered into bite-sized pieces
3/4 c celery, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 c chopped potato
1/2 lb cabbage, chopped

To make meatballs combine all ingredients and mix well; roll them into small bite-sized meatballs and chill them for 30 minutes.

While they are chilling, cut up all the veggies. Once they are done chilling heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Brown meatballs and then place them off to the side (they don't have to be fully cooked, just browned on the sides, they will cook through in the soup). Add the beef stock, water, salt and tomato paste to the pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Add onions, carrots, celery and potatoes, bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. Add cabbage and meatballs, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Garbage Soup

1 lb ground beef
6 small potatoes, diced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
3 TBS minced onion
1 tsp celery salt
2 cans beef broth
2 c mixed vegetables
1 tsp pepper
1/8 TBS rosemary
1/8 TBS thyme
1/4 TBS basil

Brown ground beef in a large pot. Once it is cooked through add all other ingredients, stir well and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Chili Mac N Cheddar Soup

1 TBS olive oil
1 lg onion, diced
1 lb ground hamburg
1 TBS chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
2 1/2 c milk
2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
1 10.75 oz can condensed cheddar cheese soup
3 c uncooked elbow macaroni
3 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat; cook hamburg until browned and then add in onion to saute. Once those are browned well, stir in chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring until well combined. Add milk and broth, then stir in condensed soup until dissolved; bring to a boil, and then add in pasta; once it returns to a boil again, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Mine stuck on really bad, so be sure to stir constantly. Then stir in the shredded cheese until melted and smooth, and everything is well mixed!

Italian BBQ Chicken Wraps

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
Kraft Zesty Italian dressing
1/2 c Kraft original BBQ sauce
4 flour tortillas
1 c shredded mild cheddar cheese

On the stove:
Cut chicken into strips, place in skillet and pour Italian dressing over the chicken just until it is covered. Cook over medium heat tossing the chicken around until it is cooked through and has absorbed the dressing. Then, pour the BBQ sauce over the chicken strips and cook them long enough to become coated in the dressing (you may want to turn the heat down since BBQ sauce is a little thicker). Once they are done, place some chicken in the middle of the tortilla, sprinkle some cheese on it, zap it in the microwave to melt your cheese (if you desire) and then roll up.

On the grill:
Brush chicken with Italian dressing. Grill 6-8 min on each side or until done (168F). Then, brush each side with BBQ sauce for the last few minutes. Cut into strips and then assemble it on your tortilla just the same as above!!

Grilled Ham N Jack Cheese

spreadable butter
8 slices Texas toast
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
12 slices deli ham
Ranch salad dressing for spreading
4 slices pepper jack cheese (you can use any kind you like, really)

Butter one side of 4 of the pieces of toast and lay them butter side down on a griddle. Place one slice of cheddar cheese, 3 pieces of ham (I always fold each piece in half, put one on each side and one in the middle), and one slice of pepper jack cheese. On the remaining 4 slices, one at a time, butter one side and spread ranch dressing on the other, place the ranch dressing side into the sandwich and the butter side up. Heat up the griddle and cook for 3-4 minutes (once the bottom is browned) before flipping the sandwich over and cooking on the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes until that side is browned as well and cheese is melted.

Turkey Burgers Milanese

1 lb ground turkey (or chicken)
1/3 c shredded Parmesan cheese
2 TBS oregano
1/4 tsp each kosher salt & black pepper
4 TBS Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
Olive oil
4 slices cheese (I used provolone)
4 hamburger buns

Mix turkey, cheese, oregano, salt and pepper in medium bowl; form into 4 patties; sprinkle 1/2 TBS breadcrumbs on each patty. Coat a skillet with olive oil and place over medium heat. Place burgers in skillet crumb-side down and cook until the first side is golden brown. Sprinkle 1/2 TBS breadcrumbs on the side facing up (the one without breadcrumbs already) and then flip burgers and cook until the other side is golden brown and it is cooked through. Then, right before turning the burner off, stick a cheese slice on each burger and let it melt. Serve on hamburger buns.

Tex-Mex Taco Dinner

1 lb ground beef
1 pkt taco seasoning
2 c chicken broth
1 c water
2 c mexican shredded cheese
2 c instant white rice, uncooked

Brown meat in large skillet. Add taco seasoning packet, chicken broth, and water; stir and bring to a boil. Stir in cheese and rice, cover, reduce heat and simmer on low for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened.

Taco Ring

1 lb ground beef
1 pkt taco seasoning
2/3 c water
2 8 oz pkgs refrigerated crescent rolls
2 c Mexican cheese
lettuce and tomatoes for topping, if desired

Preheat oven to 350F. Brown ground beef; once browned, add in taco seasoning and water and stir, cooking until it is combined and thick. Arrange the crescent rolls in a ring by slightly overlapping each triangle in a circle on a large round pan with wide ends on the inside (the points will extend off the edge of the pan). Scoop the beef mixture onto the crescent roll arrangement by placing each scoop in the middle of the arrangement all the way around the circle. Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under dough at center to form a ring; filling with show. Sprinkle the cheese all over the top of the ring and bake for 20-25 minutes or until browned. If desired, place lettuce and tomatoes, and any other toppings you like on tacos, in the center, to be scooped out while serving.

Spanish Skillet Supper

1 lb hamburg
1 2/3 c water
1 pkg Fiesta Sides Spanish Rice
1 can corn, undrained
2 c shredded cheese

Brown the hamburg in a skillet; drain if necessary. Add in water and bring to a boil. Then add in the contents of the Spanish Rice package and the can of corn and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally or until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed. Stir in 1/2 c of the cheese until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on the top.

Spaghetti Carbonara

1 lb spaghetti
3 extra-large eggs
4 TBS chopped parsley (or 4 tsp parsley flakes)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBS olive oil
5 oz diced thick-cut bacon (about 1/3 of the 1 lb pkg)
1 TBS minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 c frozen peas, thawed
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese

In a large pot, cook spaghetti as directed on package. Once they are done, drain pasta, reserving 1 c of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, parsley, pepper flakes, and salt.

Add oil to a large, deep skillet and cook bacon over medium heat, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes or until crispy. Add garlic and black pepper and cook 1 minute more, reducing heat to medium-low. Add pasta, egg mixture, and peas, plus half the reserved pasta water, to the skillet with the bacon. Stir and cook 1-2 minutes more, adding more pasta water if necessary, until sauce has a creamy consistency. Mix in grated cheese and serve immediately.

Spaghetti a la Philly

Cut 4 oz cream cheese into cubes and once your sauce is warmed through put the cubes in and stir until it is all combined; then continue spaghetti as normal and sprinkle with parmesan cheese; YUMMY!!!

Smoky Chicken & Peppers Mac

1 TBS oil
1 lb chicken breasts
1 1/2 c water
1 14 oz pkg Kraft Deluxe Four Cheese Macaroni &
Cheese Dinner
1 c milk
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 c shredded mozarella cheese

Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until each side is cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet. Add water, macaroni, and milk to the skillet. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in cheese sauce and pepper flakes. Place chicken on top of macaroni mixture, top with mozarella cheese and continue simmering on low heat until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Sage-Rubbed Roasted Turkey

(measurements for a 12-14 lb turkey)

2 TBSP vegetable oil
2 TBS rubbed sage
1 TBS Lawry's seasoned salt
2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 325F. After rinsing and removing neck and giblets, place turkey in a roasting pan (I also put it in a turkey bag at this point); brush with oil. Mix seasonings. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the seasoning inside turkey. Spread remaining seasoning over entire surface. Roast for about 3 1/2 hours.

Ranch Chicken

1/2 c dijon mustard
1 1/2 TBS lemon juice
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
dash of cayenne pepper, OPTIONAL
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 lb bacon
1/8 c bacon grease
1/8 c canola oil
sharp cheddar cheese for sprinkling

To make the marinade:
In a large bowl mix together the dijon mustard, lemon juice, paprika and salt; whisk until smooth. (You can put a dash of cayenne pepper if you want, I did, but this is optional in the recipe). Then, rinse the chicken breats and pound them to about 1/2 in thick and then place them in the marinade for 3 hours.

About 15-20 minutes before the chicken is done marinating, start frying up the bacon. When it is all done, reserve about 1/8 c of the bacon grease and clean out the skillet. Preheat the oven to 400F. Pour the bacon grease along with the canola oil into the clean skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts into the pan and cook until browned on both sides. Place chicken on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, place a couple strips of bacon on each piece, sprinkle with cheese and then place back in the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bacon is sizzling.

Pronto Pasta Italiano

2 14 oz pkgs Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
1 lb ground beef
1 14 oz jar pizza sauce
2 cups Kraft shredded Italian Five Cheese blend

Prepare dinner as directed on package. Meanwhile, brown beef in large skillet. Once beef is browned, drain if necessary, then add in prepared dinner and pizza sauce and mix lightly. Sprinkle with shredded cheese; cover and cook on low about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Perfect Pulled Chicken

1 lb chicken
3/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c water
soft sandwich buns
BBQ sauce

Combine all seasonings in a small bowl and rub evenly over chicken, both sides. Place chicken in slow cooker, add water, cover and cook 8 hours on low or until chicken is very tender. Place chicken on a large plate and pull apart with a fork; scoop onto buns and top with BBQ sauce.

Patty's Chicken Braid

1 lb chicken, cut into small pieces
1 c brocolli
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
½ c mayo
½ tsp dill weed
salt
pepper
Red and green pepper, if desired
2 8 oz pkgs crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350F. Cook chicken and broccoli as you normally would and place them in a large bowl once they are finished. Add in minced garlic, shredded cheese, mayo, dill weed, a dash of salt and pepper, and red and/or green pepper, if desired. Mix well until it makes a thick pasty mixture. Arrange the crescent rolls in a braid by laying both packages of crescent rolls out without separating into triangles and rolling dough to seal the seams. Cut 7 small slits (about 3 in long) in each side of the dough so it looks like there are 8 small strips attached to a large center piece. Scoop the chicken mixture into the large center piece; starting at one end, lift one strip of dough; twist one turn and lay across top of filling. Repeat, alternating strips of dough to form a braid. Fold bottom edges of dough up at ends of braid and brush the top with egg whites. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned.

Meatball Spaghetti Soup with Mini Grilled Cheese

The soup:
1/2 TBS olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped (I used minced onion so he wouldn't even notice it!)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
3 c chicken broth
16 oz pkg turkey Italian-style meatballs
1/2 lb spaghetti

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Put in the garlic, carrots, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add spaghetti and meatballs to broth. Simmer 10 minutes, until pasta is tender.

Mini grilled cheese:
3 slices mozarella cheese
1 loaf baguette bread
margarine

Slice the baguette loaf into small slices (I got 34 total). Butter one side of 17 slices of the bread and place face down in a skillet. Cut each slice of cheese into 6 (I cut in 1/2 and then thirds the other way to get the perfect size for the bread, it will depend on the bread (size and amount of slices) of course!) Place each piece of cheese on a piece of bread, then butter one side of each of the remaining slices and place those face-up (just like a grilled cheese). Flip once the first side is golden brown. It was kind of time consuming and tedius buttering 34 SMALL pieces of bread, but worth it since Andrew ate 3 which is some sort of record for him!!!

Lemon Oregano Chicken

1 lb chicken breasts
3 TBS lemon juice
3 TBS olive oil
2 TBS oregano
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Mix all ingredients for the marinade together; after trimming and pounding the chicken place it in a pan, spoon half of the mixture over the chicken, flip and spoon the other half onto the other sides making sure both sides are well coated before cooking. Then, just cook until they are cooked through.

Lemon Chicken and Potato Bundles

Lemon Chicken Breasts
1 lb chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded
salt & pepper to season
1/4 c lemon juice
2 c chicken broth
2 TBS margarine

Season pounded chicken breasts with salt & pepper. Saute until golden; remove from skillet. Add lemon juice and chicken broth to skillet; boil until slightly thickened, and swirl in margarine. Add chicken back to skillet and cook until sauce is absorbed through. You may want to turn them a few times to make sure the sauce is coating evenly.

Potato Bundles
(Quantity of each ingredient will obviously depend on how many people you are serving)

You will need aluminum foil, russet potatoes, onion powder, margarine, heavy cream, kosher salt, paprika, black pepper, and parsley.

Preheat oven to 375F. Cut a piece of foil for each person you are serving. Dice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and place them in the middle of the foil squares. Do this to each square: Sprinkle onion powder, place a tablespoon of margarine on top, splash cream, sprinkle kosher salt, paprika, black pepper and then parsley. Wrap each square tightly into a bundle and bake for 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Lasagna Toss

1 lb ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 26 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 2/3 c water
1/4 c Kraft Zesty Italian dressing
12 oven ready lasagna noodles, broken into quarters
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown meat in a large saucepan. Stir in garlic, spaghetti sauce, water, and dressing; bring to a boil. Add noodles; stir and cover. Cook on medium-low for 10-15 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheese, and cover and let stand for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Lasagna Pizza

filling:
1 lb ground beef
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
¼ c water
1 envelope spaghetti sauce mix, divided

crust:
1 16 oz pkg hot roll mix
1 c warm water
¼ c shredded Parmesan cheese
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1 sm pkg ricotta cheese

Preheat oven to 325F. Brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Once it is browned, add in tomato sauce, water, and half of the spaghetti sauce mix envelope. Stir it and cook until heated through. Meanwhile, combine the hot roll mix, the remaining spaghetti sauce mix, and warm water following the directions on the box to make a pizza-like crust. Once you have completed this step, press it into a large cookie sheet and spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese onto the crust. Cover with the beef mixture spreading it so it covers the entire crust. Top with the Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and bake for 20-30 minutes or until cooked through.

Italian Penne Bake

1 lb box penne pasta
1 lb hamburg
1 med onion, chopped
1 6 oz pkg pepperoni
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS olive oil
1 24 oz jar marinara sauce
1 8z pkg Italian Style cheese blend

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook hamburg until browned and then add in olive oil, onion, pepperoni, and garlic and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes and then add in marinara sauce and cook until heated through. After pasta is done cooking and drained, return to original pan and pour meat mixture over and mix thoroughly. Spread pasta mixture in lightly greased 13x9 pan, sprinkle with cheese and bake in a 350F oven just until cheese is melted.

Homemade Macaroni N Cheese

4 c elbow macaroni
4 TBS margarine
1/4 c all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c milk
2 tsp (heaping) dry mustard
1 egg, beaten
1 lb shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp seasoned salt (Lawry's works best)
1/2 tsp black pepper
cayenne pepper, paprika & thyme for sprinkling

Cook macaroni in boiling water for ONLY 5 minutes. It should be too firm to eat out of the pan (this is the secret for it not overcooking when you bake it I learned); drain. Preheat oven to 350F. While that is boiling/cooking, put egg in a small bowl and beat it with a whisk. In a large pot (NOT the one you are cooking the pasta in), melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over low-medium heat whisking constantly so as not to let it burn. When it is mixed together pour in milk and put in dry mustard and whisk until smooth. Cook until it is thick and then reduce heat to low. Take 1/4 c of the sauce and slowly pour it into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the egg. Whisk together until it is smooth. Pour egg mixture into sauce whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Add in all but 1/2 c of the cheese into the pan and stir until the cheese is melted. Turn off the heat, add all the seasonings, stir one last time, and then pour the drained macaroni into the cheese mixture. Then, pour mixture into a greased 9x13 pan; sprinkle remaining cheese on top (I used even more than the 1/2 c because I wanted it covered in cheese, the cheese you sprinkle over it is going to become a crispy top, which is the secret to the creamy, soft bottom). Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is bubbly and golden brown.

Greek Grilled Chicken Breasts

1 lb chicken breasts
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS olive oil
3 TBS parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano

Combine lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, garlic, and oregano and stir together. If you are using an outside grill, marinate the meat for 25 minutes before grilling; if cooking on the stove put some olive oil in the pan, put the chicken breasts in and then spoon or brush the mixture onto the chicken; flip at least twice so you don't lose the flavoring!

French Onion Burgers

1 lb ground beef
1 10.5 oz Campbell’s condensed French onion soup
4 slices cheese
4 hamburg buns (I like the ones with sesame seeds)

Shape beef into 4 burgers. Heat skillet over medium-high heat; add burgers and cook until well browned on both sides; remove burgers from skillet.

Stir soup in skillet and heat to a boil. Return burgers to skillet; reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 5 minutes or until burgers have absorbed all the soup. Top burgers with cheese and cook until cheese is melted; serve burgers on buns; and if desired, have extra soup warmed on hand for dipping.

Easy Chicken Rice Burritos

1 TBS olive oil
1 c frozen corn kernels
1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 c cooked long grain rice
1 16 oz jar thick n chunky salsa (we used mild Chi Chis)
3 c cooked chicken, shredded
1 1/2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 tsp ground pepper
6 10 in flour tortillas

First, cook rice according to directions on box (you want 3 c total once it's cooked), prepare chicken by trimming and pounding thin (I always do this, I find it cooks more evenly) and cook that in a skillet under it is cooked through. Stick it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to cool it down so it won't burn your fingers off. When it is cooled a little, take a fork and pull the chicken apart to shred it (like pulled chicken!) and place it in a medium size bowl.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (I used the same one I used for the chicken, just to preserve the flavor); add corn and cook until it is tender. Stir in beans, rice (once it is done cooking of course!) and salsa. Stir with a spoon to mix together and cook until it is heated through.

To the bowl with the chicken, add the cheese and pepper and mix together. Warm tortillas in microwave according to package directions.

To assemble burritos, spoon 1 cup of the rice mixture in a mound in the center and then top with 1/2 c chicken mixture. (We only have 8" tortillas here so I used less, and I would say you could mix the chicken and salsa together before placing in the burrito - I would do this next time so it would stick together, the chicken tended to fall out while we were eating!) Just fold the sides of tortilla and then roll tightly into a burrito.

Crunchy Chicken Tenders

vegetable oil
2 large resealable bags
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 (1.25 oz) packet of Southwest
Marinade Mix, McCormick
Grill Mates
ground black pepper
3 c corn bran cereal
1 egg, whisked
1/2 c buttermilk
1 lb chicken breast tenders

Fill a fryer with oil to its maximum level, or fill a deep pot no more than halfway with oil. Preheat oil. In one of the large resealable bags, combine flour, marinade mix, and sprinkle pepper in. In the other bag, add the cereal, seal the bag and gently crush cereal to course ground crumbs (I used a meat pounder, but it recommends a rolling pin). Set aside. In a shallow bowl, whisk together egg and buttermilk.

One tender at a time: dip chicken strip in buttermilk mixture, then toss in seasoned flour mixture; shake off excess flour and dip into buttermilk mixture again, and then toss in cereal crumbs to coat. Set on a plate and continue with the remaining chicken strips.

Fry chicken strips in small single layer batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes per batch (our last (3rd)) batch only took 4 minutes though since the oil was so HOT). Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Chicken Roll Ups

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
sliced cheese (we used cheddar)
bacon (you won't need the whole package, but I cooked it all; around here bacon doesn't last!)
Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing

Preheat oven to 375F. Pound chicken breasts so they are very thin; top with the cheese slices, roll up tightly; wrap bacon around long sides of the roll covering exposed cheese. (I wrapped bacon both ways to close it in) and then stick a toothpick in it to secure. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the chicken and then bake for 35-45 minutes or until cooked through.

Chicken Pizza

1 13.8 oz can premade pizza crust dough
2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 c shredded mozarella cheese
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 TBS minced onion
1 lb chicken
1 lb bacon
Cook bacon until crispy; drain. Dice the chicken into small pieces; cook.
Preheat oven to 375F. Unroll the pizza dough onto a pizza pan and press to fit. Drizzle crust with 1 TBS olive oil and minced garlic, followed by 1/2 c of mozarella and then 1/2 c cheddar. Sprinkle the minced onion, crumble the bacon, and then scatter the chicken over the cheese. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c mozarella and then 1/2 c cheddar cheese over the pizza, and drizzle with remaining 1 TBS olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes or until crust is browned.

Chicken Casserole

4 chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken
1 pkg frozen broccoli
1 pkg stuffing, cooked

Layer in that order in a 9x13 pan and bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes.

Cheesy Penne

1 lb hamburg
1 sm onion, chopped finely
2 cans tomato soup
1 can condensed cheese soup
garlic powder
3 c dry pasta (we used penne, but you could use others)

Cook hamburg with onion, drain if necessary.
Put all ingredients in a pan together (sprinkling garlic powder on, depends on how well you like it!), boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 15-18 minutes depending on how tender you like your pasta. Make sure to stir frequently because it tends to stick on, but it came out great!!!