Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Chicken Pesto Pasta

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into strips
1/2 cup pesto sauce (you can use Classico's pesto sauce and subtract the garlic from the ingredients)

DIRECTIONS
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Saute garlic until tender, then stir in chicken.
4. Season with red pepper flakes. Cook until chicken is golden, and cooked through.
5. In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto. Toss to coat evenly.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Cherry-Pineapple Dump Cake

From: Amy at Little Bits of Our Life

Ingredients:
1 large can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple
1 can cherry pie filling
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 stick butter

Directions:
1. Pour pineapple, including juice, into a 9 x 13 pan. Spread evenly.
2. Spread cherry pie filling over the pineapple.
3. Spread dry cake mix evenly over all.
4. Cut stick of butter in to small pats and arrange on top of cake mix.
5. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

*This can be served with whipped cream.

Mississippi Mud Cake

Ingredients:

Icing:
1/2 cup evaportated milk
1 box (3 3/4 cup) powdered sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 t. vanilla
1 stick margarine

Cake:
2 sticks margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 T. cocoa
1.5 cup all purpose flour
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Directions:
1. Combine cake ingredients together and put in a 9x13 greased baking pan.
2. Cook @ 350 for 35 minutes.
3. Spread 7oz marshmallow cream over cake as soon as it comes out of oven.
4. Combine all ingredients for the icing and spread icing over cake.

*This is my grandfather's favorite cake. I make it every year for his birthday. :)

Cookies N Cream Cake

From: Sonya at Ladybugs, Butterflies, and Boxing

Ingredients:

CAKE

12 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped
1 package white cake mix
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream
3 egg whites
2 Tbs vegetable oil

ICING

6 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
3 Tbs butter, softened


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray fluted cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. For cake, coarsely chop cookies, set aside. Combine cake mix, water, sour cream, egg whites and oil; mix according to package directions.
2. Pour half of the batter into pan. Sprinkle chopped cookies evenly over top of batter but not touching sides of pan. Spoon remaining batter over cookies.
3. Bake 50-55 minutes or until center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Loosen cake from sides and center tube of pan. Invert onto cooling rack; remove pan. Cool completely.
4. For icing, coarsely chop cookies; set aside. Combine powdered sugar, sour cream and butter; beat until smooth. Ice top of cake, allowing some to flow down the sides. Sprinkle top with cookies. Let stand until icing is set. Cut into slices.

Crock-pot Creamy Ranch Chicken

From: Faith at Simple~But~Delicious

Ingredients:
4 skinless~boneless chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pkg dry ranch dressing mix
4 oz creme cheese (cubed)

1. Mix soup and dressing mix in crock pot.
2. Add chicken, spooning soup mixture on top of chicken breasts.
3. Cook on high for about 3 hours or on low for about 4.5 hours.
4. Add creme cheese bits and cook about 30 longer.
5. Serve with rice (or noodles), spooning soup mixture on top of the rice or you can shred the chicken and mix with rice and soup mixture.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Upside Down Pizza

INGREDIENTS
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Brown beef, onion and garlic in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Once browned, drain fat and stir in spaghetti sauce.
3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread a layer of sauce. Top with 1/2 of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, another layer of sauce and the rest of the cheese.
4. Top with crescent rolls, pinching seams together.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:
3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
2 8oz. packages of cream cheese
1 cup of Ranch dressing
3/4 cup of your favorite hot sauce
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Boil chicken breasts. Shred chicken once cooked.
3. Add all ingredients to a 9 x 13 baking dish.
4. Cook in oven for 20 minutes
5. You can convert it to a crock pot to keep it warm.

You can serve this with crackers, chips, or even celery. Enjoy!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

In a Hurry Chicken Curry

Ingredients:
2 c cooked/diced chicken or turkey
½ lb. thinly sliced mushrooms
1 T. margarine
1/3 c. chopped onions
3 T. flour
1 chicken bouillon cube
½ t. salt
1 ½ t curry
1 c. finely chopped apples
¼ c. chopped parsley
¾ c. skim milk
1 c. water

Directions:
In a large skillet, sauté chicken, mushrooms, and onions in margarine until chicken is lightly browned on all sides. Still in flour, bouillon, salt, and curry. Add apples and parsley, then pour in milk and water. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until apple pieces are tender-crisp. Serve over rice. Makes 4-6 servings.