Parmesan Crusted Chicken in Cream Sauce

Originally from Kraft Food and Family Magazine

2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked

1 (14 oz) can chicken broth, divided

6 Ritz crackers, finely crushed

2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves

2 tsp vegetable oil

1/3 cup chive and onion cream cheese spread

Cook rice as directed on package, using 1 1/4 cups of the broth and 1/2 cup water

Meanwhile mix cracker crumbs and Parmesan cheese on plate or in shallow bowl.  Rinse chicken with cold water; shake off excess water.  Dip chicken in cracker mixture, turning to coat.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat.  Add chicken; cook 5-6 minutes on each side or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through.  Place chicken on serving plate.  Set aside; keep warm.  Add remaining 1/2 cup broth and cream cheese spread to same skillet.  Cook on medium heat until mixture just comes to a boil, stirring constantly.  Simmer 3 minutes or until sauce thickens.  Spoon sauce over chicken.  Serve rice with chicken.

Thoughts and Tips:

I tried to just spray the cooking pan with cooking spray.  All the crusting came off the chicken.  So definitely use the oil and don't cook the chicken on too high heat at first so that the crusting will cook onto the surface of the chicken instead of onto the pan!

Asparagus or broccoli go well with this.

The crusting keeps the chicken lovely and tender.  I would guess you could bake this as well, but you wouldn't get the same crispy outside that you get from cooking in oil.

Lemon-Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Originally from Cooking Pleasures Magazine

Crust

1 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

3/4 cup butter, chilled, cut up

Filling

2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp flour

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp grated lemon peel

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs, room temperature

Topping

1 pint strawberries, sliced

3 Tbsp strawberry jelly, melted

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 13x9 inch baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Place 1 1/2 cups flour, powdered sugar, and 1 1/2 tsp lemon peel in medium bowl; mix until combined.  Add butter and use pastry blender to combine until mixture is crumbly.  Press into bottom of pan.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until edges just begin to brown.

Meanwhile, place cream cheese, 2 Tbsp flour, condensed milk, lemon juice, 2 tsp lemon peel and vanilla in large bowl.  Mix until smooth.  Scrape sides of bowl and add eggs.  Mix until just blended.  Pour filling into crust.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is set and edges are slightly puffed.  Center will look less done but will firm during cooling.  Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour.  Refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Arrange overlapping rows of sliced strawberries over top; lightly brush with melted jelly.  Cut into bars.  Serve cold.

Thoughts and Tips:

You can mix both the crust and the filling using a food processor if preferred. 

These were delicious, but really not very lemony.  I would add extra lemon juice to the filling (probably 1/4 cup) and definitely make sure that you use fresh lemon peel.  Otherwise, they end up being no different from any other cheesecake with strawberries.

Easy Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken and Broccoli

1 pound fettuccine noodles, cooked according to package directions

1/4 cup Italian dressing

2-3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips or cubes

2 cups water

1 chicken bullion cube

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 cup shredded Parmesan or Italian blend cheese

Heat Italian dressing in large skillet.  Cook chicken in dressing until cooked through.  Add water and bullion cube to skillet; bring to a boil.  Add cream cheese and cook until melted.  Add flour and stir regularly for 3-5 minutes until sauce thickens.  Add broccoli; cover and simmer for 5 minutes until tender/crisp.  Mix in nutmeg and cheese.  Cook until cheese is slightly melted.

Pour sauce over noodles on plate or mix noodles into sauce and serve.

Tips and Thoughts:

I find it easier to throw the broccoli in with the pasta for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time rather than cooking it with the sauce.

We love this recipe!  My husband actually likes this Alfredo sauce better than most restaurants'.  The cream cheese gives it a nice creamy texture, while the parmesan gives it the distinctive Alfredo flavor.

Western Casserole

1 pound ground beef

1 can kidney beans

1 can corn

1 can condensed tomato soup

2/3 cup milk

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef; drain.  Return to pan and add beans, corn, soup, milk, and chili powder.  Stir well and heat to boiling.  Simmer 10-15 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Stir in cheddar cheese and heat until melted.  Serve over warm corn bread.

Thoughts and Tips:

*You can also pour the soup mixture into a casserole and top with corn bread batter.  Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until bread is done.

*If you don't like kidney beans, substitute another type of beans such as pinto or Great Northern.

This is another quick and easy, one pan meal.  I usually use a Jiffy mix for the cornbread; bake it in an 8x8 pan or two packages in a 9x13.


Slow Cooker Variation
Pour all ingredients except cheese into a slow cooker.  Cook on low 5-6 hours or high 2-3 hours.  Add cheese and let sit 10-15 minutes until cheese melts.  

Spanish Rice

1 package Mexican or Spanish Rice

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can corn, drained

1 1/2 cups water

1/2-3/4 cup shredded cheddar or Cojack cheese

Mix all ingredients except cheese in microwave safe casserole dish.  Microwave on high for 6 minutes.  Stir.  Add another 1/4 cup water if it is dry.  Add cheese.  Microwave for an additional 6 minutes.  If rice is not completely cooked, heat for another 1-2 minutes as needed.

Tips and Thoughts:
We like Knorr's Spanish Rice for this dish. 
If you need a larger batch, double everything except the corn and cook in a skillet on the stovetop.

This started as a "what do I have to throw together for dinner" meal and has turned into a family favorite.  It is a quick and easy, one pot meal.

Salsa Chicken and Rice

This is a family favorite. 

1 large can chicken

2 cups water

2 cups instant rice

1 jar of your favorite salsa

3/4 cup cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Empty chicken into large pan.  Add water.  Heat to boiling.  Add rice; cover and simmer 5 minutes.  Stir in salsa (you may not need full jar); heat until desired thickness.  Stir in cheese and heat until melted.

Serve with tortilla chips or put in tortillas with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and extra cheese.

You can also use smoked sausage instead of the chicken. 

Tips and Thoughts:
For kids who don't like spicy food, you can use a milder salsa or pull some of the rice out before adding the salsa for them to eat plain.
You can use either white or brown instant rice or a mix.
Canned chicken is a great ingredient for a lot of recipes.  It saves cutting and cooking chicken.  The texture is a little different (more like canned tuna) and it crumbles more, so think about whether you want that texture before substituting in other recipes. 

Waldorf Salad

8 cups chopped apples, mix of green and red, with skins on

3 cups chopped celery

2 cups chopped walnuts

2 cups raisins (optional)

2 cups mayonnaise or creamy salad dressing

2 Tbsp lemon juice

In large bowl, mix apples, celery, walnuts, and raisins if desired.  In separate bowl, mix mayonnaise and lemon juice.  Coat apple mixture with dressing.  Chill overnight.

Tips and Thoughts:

This is a super easy salad that packs tons of nutrition in each serving.  Choose apples that are firm and crisp.  I like Braeburn, Granny Smith, and Honeycrisp for flavor and texture.

Even Jonathan, who eats next to nothing, will eat the apples and walnuts in this.

Brownie Chunk Cheesecake

Originally from Cooking Pleasures Magazine

Crust

31 crème filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling

3 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

4 eggs

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped brownies

Topping

8 oz. milk chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

2 oz white chocolate, melted

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  In medium bowl, stir together all crust ingredients.  Press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch springform pan.  Wrap pan with heavy-duty foil; freeze 30 minutes.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla at medium speed until blended.  Beat in sour cream and 1 cup cream.  Add eggs one at a time, beating just until blended.  Slowly beat in flour.  Fold in brownies.

Place springform pan in large baking or blroiler pan.  Pour batter into crust (batter will come to within 1/4 inch of top edge).  Add enough hot tap water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.  Bake 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours or until edges are puffed and top is dry to the touch.  Center should move slightly when pan is tapped but should not ripple as if liquid.

Remove springform pan from baking pan; remove foil.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Refrigerate overnight.

Melt milk chocolate and 1/3 cup cream in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth.  Pour over top of cheesecake.  Let stand 10 minutes.

Pour white chocolate into small resealable plastic bag.  Snip off corner of bag and drizzle chocolate over cheesecake.  Refrigerate at least one hour.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Thoughts and Tips:
You can use any kind of brownies that you desire in this.  For ease, I made a batch of Betty Crocker from a box.
Leave fairly good size chunks of brownie and fold them in gently.  If the pieces are too small, you lose the flavor in the final cheesecake.
There will be water in the foil around the pan, so have a towel handy when you remove it and be very careful as it will be hot!
You can melt the chocolate for the topping in the microwave.  Place chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat on high for 30 seconds, stir, then heat in additional 15 second increments until completely melted.

Let's face it, brownies and cheesecake and chocolate glaze are probably a bit of an overkill, but WOW is this a great dessert!  The cheesecake is nice and creamy and the combination of flavors is definitely amazing.  Cut small pieces (about 1/16th of the cake) because it is very rich.

Lemon Mousse Squares

48 vanilla wafer cookies, divided

3/4 cup boiling water

1 pkg (3 oz) lemon flavor gelatin

1 cup ice cubes

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp lemon zest

1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed, divided

Cover bottom of 8” square pan with 16 wafer cookies; line sides of pan with an additional 16 cookies.  In a small bowl, add boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved.  Stir in ice until melted.

Beat next 3 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until blended.  Gradually beat in gelatin.  Whisk in 2 cups of whipped topping.

Pour half the gelatin mixture into prepared pan; cover with last 16 cookies.  Top with remaining gelatin mixture. 

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.  Top with remaining whipped topping.

Thoughts and Tips:

If desired, warm 1/3 cup raspberry or strawberry preserves in microwave until melted (15-25 seconds in microwave).  Brush  over first layer of gelatin mixture before adding cookies.

If desired, garnish with fresh fruit before serving.

This has rapidly become one of my husband's favorite desserts.  I am generally not a fan of anything involving gelatin, but like the combination of cream cheese with it in this dessert.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake

My amazing husband made this up as a surprise for my birthday!

15-20 Mint filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed

2 cartons (1 1/2 quart) mint chocolate chip ice cream, softened

1 jar hot fudge sauce, warmed to pouring consistency

15-20 Chocolate filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crumbled

Press crushed mint cookies into bottom of 9” round springform pan.  Spread ice cream over top to about 2 inches thick (you may not use a full carton).  Pour hot fudge sauce over ice cream, sprinkle with chocolate cookies.  Spread another 2 inch layer of ice cream over top (again, you may not use all the ice cream).  Freeze for several hours or overnight.  Remove from freezer and allow to soften at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

Thoughts and Tips:

Do not use premium ice cream for this, as it will freeze too hard.  We like Kroger brand mint chocolate chip ice cream for its texture and flavor.  Generic brand cookies and hot fudge sauce are just as good as the name brand as well.

If you don't have a springform pan, you can make this in a round cake pan.  Line the pan with foil so you can lift the cake out for easy serving.

If desired, top with additional fudge sauce.

This was amazingly good and pretty easy to put together.  Leave some larger chunks of the chocolate cookies in the middle; if you crumble them too small, you lose the flavor and texture they add.