Roasted Honey Balsamic Carrots

This is one of my go-to recipes for a vegetable side dish.  It's super easy.

Ingredients:
* 3 - 4 lb. baby carrots
* 2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus some for lightly coating
* salt
* fresh ground black pepper
* 2 Tablespoons honey
* 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place carrots in a gallon size zip lock bag.  Pour just enough olive oil in to coat the carrots very lightly--you will just need a tad.  Close the zip lock bag and let all the air out.  Move the carrots around in the bag using your fingers on the outside of the bag so that all the carrots will get coated.

Pour the carrots onto a baking sheet, getting them into as much of a single layer as possible.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to season.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in pourable measuring cup, whisk together the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, honey, and balsamic vinegar.

At the end of the 20 minutes of roasting, remove the carrots from the oven.  Give the honey mixture one more whisk.  Pour over the carrots.  Stir the carrots so that they are all coated with the mixture.  Arrange into a single layer again.  Roast in the oven for 20 more minutes.  We like a little brown on them, but if you don't then roast them a little less.

Home Made Bean and Chicken Tostadas

Makes 10 tostadas
 

Ingredients:
*1 small package HEB fajita marinated chicken breasts
*1 can Mexican-style diced tomatoes, mostly drained (not Ro-tel, but Mexican style diced tomatoes)
*1 can fat-free refried beans
*1/2 can water
*shredded iceburg lettuce (I buy the small bags)
*2 cups shredded 2% cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
*1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
*10 corn tortillas
*olive oil flavored cooking spray
*salt

Directions:
Place the chicken in a crock pot with the can of diced tomatoes.  Cover and cook on low 6 hours.  Shred.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Heat the refried beans in a sauce pan with the water stirred in over low heat, stirring often until hot.

Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.  Line the tortillas in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Spray with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with salt.  Turn over.  Do the same thing.  Bake for several minutes until crispy.  Watch them the whole time.  They can go from flimsy to burned in an instant.  Remove from oven.

To assemble:  Spread some beans on the tostada.  Top with chicken, then lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes.

Greek Salad

This is not your traditional Greek salad because it lacks cucumbers.  My husband and I hate them.  If they are your thing, then just add them to the recipe.  This is an adaptation of the Pioneer Woman's Greek Salad.  For our taste we toned down the olives, played up the sugar just a tad, and got rid of the cucumbers and parsley.

Ingredients:
*1 bag Romaine lettuce leaves
*4 firm Roma tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges and then cut in half width-wise
*1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
*20 pitted whole Kalamata olives, 5 of them diced very small
*6 oz. reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese
*1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil
*2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
*2 teaspoons sugar
*1 garlic clove, pressed or very finely minced
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*fresh ground black pepper
*1 fresh lemon, cut in half

Directions:
In a large salad bowl combine the Romaine, tomatoes, red onion, whole Kalamata olives, and almost all of the feta.  Toss.

To make the dressing:  In a liquid measuring cup, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, and black pepper to taste.  Whisk well.  Pour over salad and toss.

Top with the remaining feta.  Squeeze both halves of the lemon over the top of the salad.

Chicken Cattiatore

I recently discovered the Pioneer Woman on the Food Network.  She has had her own blog for some time now, and I cannot get enough of it.  Everything that I have made of hers is outstanding.  This is the Pioneer Woman's Chicken Cacciatore exactly.  If you have never been to her website, then do it now!  Her stuff is amazing, and her posts are very entertaining.  I love her!  Click here to get her recipe.  Her final version is much prettier than mine, and she explains everything perfectly.

Braising the chicken...I was so proud of myself!

The yummy sauce I made...thanks Ree for teaching me how to do this!

Salisbury Steak

This is the amazing Ree Drummond's recipe for Salisbury steak exactly.  Boy, howdy is this delicious.  I used Le Seuer peas and HEB brand already prepared mashed potatoes that I found in the refrigerated section instead of making her masked potatoes and peas to make this a quick weeknight dinner.  Her website is full of delicious recipes.  You should check it out!  Click here to get the Pioneer Woman's recipe for Salisbury steak...you will be soooooooo happy that you did!

My finished product!

BLT Wraps on Wheat Tortillas

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
* 8 wheat tortillas (I use the freshly baked wheat tortillas from the HEB bakery.  They have the texture of home made flour tortillas)
*4 Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
*Romaine lettuce leaves
*1 package of bacon
*cooking spray
*salt
*black pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.  Line the bacon on the baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake for 20 minutes or until crispy.  Remove from oven.  Use tongs to transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towel.  Baking bacon will give you crispy bacon every single time without the fuss of the bacon grease splattering everywhere.

Wrap tortillas up into a paper towel making sure all sides are sealed.  Microwave for 20 seconds or until warm.

To assemble:  Place a couple slices of bacon on a tortilla, top with lettuce and tomato wedges (use half a tomato per tortilla).  Sprinkle the tomato slices with salt and pepper.  Roll up.

Peanut Butter Crispex Apples

 

Makes 2 servings (4 slices each)

Ingredients:

*1 green apple, cored

*reduced-fat peanut butter

*1/2 cup Crispex cereal, crushed

*brown sugar

Directions:

Slice the apple into four wedges.  Slice each wedge in half so that there are 8 wedges total.   Spread a little peanut butter on each wedge.  Place the crushed cereal in a bowl.  Dip the apples into the cereal so that it sticks to the peanut butter.  Sprinkle each wedge with just a tiny amount of brown sugar.

Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches on Wheat Buns

 Follow my recipe for BBQ chicken.  Use two forks to shred the chicken.  Place on wheat buns.  Enjoy!

The BEST Chicken Pot Pie Ever

Okay...I have made this recipe over and over, and I think I have finally gotten it to where I want it.  This is always a hit.  I've made this for agape meals, for my family and extended family at Easter, and for dinner parties.  Everyone always wants the recipe, so here it is.

Ingredients:
*4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
*1 small-medium yellow onion, finely chopped
*1 large baking potato, cubed
*5 carrots, peeled and chopped
*2 stalks celery, chopped
*Kosher salt to taste
*black pepper to taste
*4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
*2 teaspoons dried thyme
*3 Tablespoons flour
*1/2 cup white wine
*2 cups chicken broth
*1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
*1 cup frozen corn, thawed
*1 cup frozen peas, thawed
*3 cups cooked shredded chicken or 3 cans chopped chicken breast in water
*corn starch
*cold water
*1 box refrigerated pie crust (there are 2 pie crusts per box)
*cooking spray
*1 egg
*splash of water

Directions:
Preheat oven to double pie crust directions.  Remove sealed pie crusts from the box and lay on the counter still in their packaging to allow them to come to room temperature.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat.  Once hot, melt the butter in the pan.  Cook the onions and potatoes, seasoned with salt and pepper, until the potatoes are half-way tender.  Add the carrots and celery with more salt and pepper to taste, and saute until the carrots are tender.  Add the garlic and thyme, and cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently.  Add the flour and cook for about two minutes, stirring frequently.

Turn the heat to medium-high.  Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine.  Stir well.  In a measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth and Dijon mustard.  Whisk in the chicken broth-mustard mixture into the pan.  Add the corn, peas, and chicken.  Cook on a low simmer until the sauce thickens up to a thick gravy, stirring frequently.  (If it needs to be thickened even after it has thickened naturally on the stove for a while, pour about half a cup of cold water into a glass.  Mix in a tablespoon or so of corn starch, and whisk.  Gradually stir in a little of that mixture into the pan at a time, stirring until the mixture comes to a bubble.  After a minute or two, if it needs more, then add a little more from the glass at a time.  Once thickened, remove from the heat and set aside.

In a deep pie plate or deep baking dish, place one pie crust.  Trim off the edges.  Scoop chicken mixture on top of the pie crust.  Top with the other pie crust.  Flute the edges.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg together with a splash of water to create an egg wash.  Brush the top of the pie crust with the egg wash.  Cut four small slits in the top to let the steam escape when baking.  Cover just the fluted edges with foil to prevent them from over browning.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let it sit for 10 minutes.

*Note:  I usually make a double recipe, make one chicken pot pie, and freeze the other half of the filling.  It makes for an easy dinner later.  Just defrost the filling and bake in the pie shells in the oven.

Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers

This recipe is from Melissa d'Arabian from the Food Network.  Her recipe makes four turnovers, so I doubled the recipe so that we could have left-overs. I did not double the thyme and Dijon, though.  The amount was perfect.  The recipe below shows my adjustments.

Makes 8 turnovers.

Ingredients:
*4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
*1 onion, chopped
*3 carrots, peeled and chopped
*2 stalks celery, chopped
*Kosher salt to taste
*black pepper to taste
*4 cloves garlic, minced
*2 teaspoons dried thyme
*3 Tablespoons flour plus some for dusting
*1 cup white wine or white cooking wine
*2 cups chicken broth
*1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
*1 cup frozen peas, thawed
*3 cups cooked shredded or cubed chicken (I used canned, chopped up)
*2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
*cooking spray
*1 egg
*splash of water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat a large saute pan over medium heat.  Once hot, melt the butter in the pan.  Cook the onions, carrots, and celery with salt and pepper to taste, until the carrots are tender (about 10 minutes).  Add the garlic and thyme, and cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently.  Add the flour and cook off the raw taste (about 1 minute).

Turn the heat to medium-high.  Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine.  Stir well.  In a measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth and dijon mustard.  Whisk in the chicken broth-mustard mixture into the pan.  Add the peas and chicken.  Cook on a very low simmer until the sauce thickens up to a thick gravy, stirring frequently.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, unfold the puff pastries.  Cut each into 4 even squares (cut once vertically and once horizontally).  Gently roll out each square, increasing the size by about 20%.

Place the squares on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Spoon the cooled chicken mixture in the center of the squares.  Fold the squares diagonally to make triangles.  Pinch the edges to create turnovers, using a little water on the edges if needed to make the dough stick together.  Press the edges with a fork.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg together with a splash of water to create an egg wash.  Brush the entire tops of the turnovers with the egg wash.  Cut a small slit in the tops of each turnover to let the steam escape when baking.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let cool for 10 minutes.

Apple and Dried Fruit Winter Oatmeal

I adapted this recipe from a recipe on foodnetwork.  It's perfect for a cold, rainy, winter's day.  It makes enough that you can store the leftovers in the fridge and just add a little milk and heat up each day for a quick, healthy breakfast.

Ingredients:
*3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
*2 Gala apples, cored and diced with the peel still on
*1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
*4 Tablespoons brown sugar
*8 cups water
*2 cups steel cut oats
*1/4 cup dried cranberries (like Craisins)
*1/4 cup golden raisins
*milk
*chopped walnuts (optional)
*extra brown sugar to add at the end
*extra dried cranberries to add at the end
*extra golden raisins to add at the end
*honey to add at the end (optional)

Directions:
1.  Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the apples and saute until lightly golden brown, about 3 minutes.

2.  Stir in the cinnamon and brown sugar until it is dissolved.

3.  Add the water.  Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.

4.  Once boiling, add the oats.  Stir well until the water begins to thicken a little.  Turn the heat down (I put mine on 3), and simmer for 30-35 minutes uncovered.

5.  About 3 minutes before the end of the 30 minutes, add the dried cranberries and golden raisins.  Stir well.  They will plump up.

6.  To serve, scoop some of the oatmeal into a bowl.  Stir in enough milk to make it creamy.  Top with some more brown sugar or honey.  Set out extra cranberries, raisins, and walnuts for people to add to their individual bowls of oatmeal if they would like.

Note:  I don't have to add extra brown sugar to my son's bowl, but I do to mine because I like mine a little sweeter.  Honey would be a healthier sweetener option also.

Note:  If you prefer old fashioned quick-cooking oats, then use 3 cups of water and 2 cups of quick-cooking oats instead of the steel-cut oats.  Once the water is boiling, add the quick-cooking oats and the dried fruit all at once.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly until the oats are cooked and the fruit is puffed up.

Thai Sweet Plum Chile Stir-Fry

I got this recipe from a chef at the main cooking station at HEB.  I make it with steak, but it can be made with chicken or pork as well.  It's a perfect blend of spicy and sweet.  The rice helps tone down the heat a little bit.  This dish might be too spicy for little ones

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
*vegetable or canola oil
*1 lb. flank steak, cubed (or boneless, skinless chicken breast or boneless pork loin chops)
*Adam's grilling seasoning
*1 bag (16 oz.) frozen broccoli florets, thawed
*1 yellow onion, sliced into strips
*1 cup chicken broth
*2 teaspoons corn starch
*1 cup sweet chile plum sauce (I find this at HEB)
*cashews
*2 steamer bags of white or brown rice

Directions:
Preheat a large skillet over high heat.  Season cubed flank steak with Adam's grill seasoning.  Make sure every piece is seasoned well.

Once the skillet is very hot, add about 1 Tablespoon of oil.  Immediately add the steak.  Stirring constantly, cook the meat for just a minute or two--until cooked to medium doneness.  It will cook more later, so do not cook past medium.  Remove the steak from the pan and set aside.

Heat skillet back up to high heat again.  Once very hot, add a Tablespoon of oil again, and add the onion and broccoli.  Season well with the Adam's grill seasoning.  Stir-fry onion and broccoli by stirring constantly until the onions are tender and the broccoli is al dente.  Remove from heat.

Measure out the chicken broth, and add the cornstarch to the room temperature chicken broth.  Whisk it in well.  Place skillet back onto the burner over medium-high heat.  Pour the chicken broth into the skillet.  Add the sweet chile plum sauce.  Add the meat.  Add the cashews.

Bring to a boil.  Once to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened.

Meanwhile, microwave steamer bags of rice.

To serve, pour stir-fry over rice.

Pesto Chicken Pizza

I created this recipe a few days after I ate at Mellow Mushroom.  I had a pizza there that had an olive oil and garlic base instead of a traditional tomato sauce base.  It was delicious, so when I saw pesto marinated chicken breasts at HEB, I thought they would be great on an olive oil and garlic base pizza.  My husband doesn't care for a pesto spread on anything usually, much less pizza, because the flavor is very intense, so I thought this would still give the pizza a pesto taste without blowing him away with pesto flavor in every bite.  He loved it, and so did my son.  If you don't have an HEB near you, you can buy jar pesto (or make your own), and spread the pesto all over raw chicken breasts and marinate for 24 hours before making this pizza.

Makes 9 slices

Ingredients:
*a good extra virgin olive oil
*salt
*black pepper
*1 bulb of garlic (Yes, the whole thing, don't worry)
*cooking spray
*1 package of HEB pesto chicken breasts (I use 2 out of the 3 chicken breasts and freeze the last one)
*1/2 cup to 1 cup of water
*1 tube Pillsbury thin crust pizza dough
*1 bag (8 oz.) part-skim shredded Italian blend cheese (mozzarella, Romano, Parmesan, etc.)
*1 bag fresh pre-rinsed spinach leaves
*about 20 grape/cherry tomatoes (The HEB brand calls them "champagne tomatoes"), quartered

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Roast the garlic--Remove most of the the outer skin peel off the bulb of garlic, but leave enough skin to keep the cloves all together.  Cut about 1/4" off the top of the garlic bulb (the side with the pointy skin).  Place on top of a foil sheet, with the cut side facing up.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle the tops with salt and black pepper.  Wrap the foil over the top, making a foil pouch.  Seal.  Place the foil pouch in a baking dish.  Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes until soft.  Open the foil to let the garlic bulb cool.  When it is cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic out of the bulb into a shallow bowl.  Mash well.  Pour about 1/4" olive oil over the garlic into the bowl.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Stir well.  Set aside and let the garlic infuse the olive oil for at least 20 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, keep the oven on 400 degrees.  Place a pizza stone or cookie sheet in the oven so it can get hot.

Meanwhile, cook the chicken:  Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat.  Once hot, spray with cooking spray.  Immediately place the chicken breasts in the hot pan.  Cook about 7 minutes per side until no longer pink inside.  When you flip the chicken, spray the pan with cooking spray again.  About 1 minute after flipping, start adding the water to de-glaze the pan and make a glaze.  When the pan starts to get dry again, add more water.  Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and drizzle with the glaze.  Set aside to let cool.

Meanwhile, roll out the pizza dough into a rectangle on the pre-heated pizza stone or cookie sheet.  (If using a cookie sheet, make sure you spray it with cooking spray first.)  Pre-bake the crust on 400 degrees for 5 minutes.

While the crust is pre-baking, slice the cooled chicken into thin slices, and then cut each slice in half lengthwise.  Set aside.

Brush the garlic infused olive oil onto the pre-baked crust liberally.  Using a fork, spread the mashed roasted garlic evenly on the crust.  Pour the remaining olive oil over the quartered tomatoes in a bowl.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Stir well.

Spread chicken evenly onto pizza crust.  Top with spinach leaves.  I use about half of a bag.  It cooks down a lot.

Top evenly with the Italian blend cheese.  Top with the garlic infused marinated tomatoes.

Bake on 400 degrees for 6 to 10 more minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Hawaiian Roll Sandwiches

Need an easy and quick dinner or an easy but kicked-up a notch lunch for company?  This is it. 

Makes 12 sandwiches (how ever many rolls are in the package)

Ingredients:
*1 package Hawaiian bread rolls (usually near the deli counter)
*assorted deli lunch meats (ham, turkey, roast beef)
*assorted sliced cheeses (Swiss, cheddar, Colby jack, jalapeno jack, and provolone)
*Various sandwich fixings for people to add at the end (sliced Roma tomatoes, Romaine lettuce leaves, avacado slices, mustard, mayo, salt, pepper)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spit rolls.  Place split rolls on a baking sheet.  Put the various meats on the bottoms.  Put the various cheeses on the other sides of the rolls.  We like the following combos:  ham with Swiss or pepperjack, turkey with cheddar or colby jack, or roast beef with provolone.  Place in the oven open-faced.  Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and sandwiches are hot.  Watch closely so they don't burn.  Place tops on sandwiches.  Let people add their sandwich fixings after the sandwiches come out of the oven.

My personal favorite is ham, pepper jack cheese, Roma tomato, avacado, salt, black pepper, and a dollop of HEB tomatillo salsa.

Jenni's Southwest Breakfast Tacos

 I created this dish one Saturday morning.  I wanted something different for breakfast, but still something healthy.  I had some left-over white corn tortillas from making crispy shrimp tacos earlier in the week, as well as some left-over green bell pepper and yellow onion.  This dish is great served with fresh fruit on the side.

Makes 2 tacos

Ingredients:
*I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray
*cooking spray
*1/8 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped (or 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, and finely chopped)
*1/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
*1 egg or 1/4 cup Egg Beaters (egg white egg substitute)
*salt
*black pepper
*1 splash of low fat milk
*3 Tablespoons tomatillo salsa (I buy HEB brand tomatillo salsa in a jar)
*2 white corn tortillas
*2% shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat a small saute pan over medium heat.  Once hot, spray several sprays of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray into the pan.  Saute the bell pepper and onion for several minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork.  Add salt and black pepper to taste.  Add milk, and beat until combined.  Spray the pan with the bell peppers and onions in it with cooking spray.  Stir.  Pour egg mixture into the pan.  Scramble the eggs.

When the eggs are almost done, add the tomatillo salsa to the pan.  Stir well.  Let cook for a minute or until the salsa is hot, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.

Wrap tortillas in paper towel.  Heat in the microwave for 15 seconds.

To assemble tacos, place cheese on tortillas.  Top with egg/salsa mixture.

French Onion Soup

This recipe is from Melissa d'Arabian from the Food Network, whom I admire.  It was no surprise that we ended up loving the flavor profile, but it was no where near soupy enough for our liking...so much so that I wouldn't consider it a "soup".  I also changed how I did the bread.  Below are my adjustments.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
*2 Tablespoons butter
*1 3/4 lb. yellow onions (about 4 onions), thinly sliced with the grain to hold their shape
*Kosher salt
*black pepper
*1 teaspoon flour
*1 cup dry red wine or red cooking wine
*1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
*1 bay leaf
*2 teaspoons lemon juice
*4 cups beef broth
*4 cups chicken broth
*1/2 cup shredded Swiss or Provolone cheese
*1 Tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese
*a baguette (use 4 slices, 1 inch thick and then cubed)

Directions:
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.  Add the onions.  Sprinkle with salt.  Cover, and cook for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours until deeply caramelized, stirring every so often.

Meanwhile, place baguette cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Place in a 500 degree oven for just a few minutes until the bread starts to get crispy.  Watch it carefully.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Increase the heat on the stove to medium and sprinkle with flour.  Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.  Deglaze the pan with red wine.  Add the thyme, bay leaf, lemon juice, beef broth, and chicken broth.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Equally distribute the baguette cubes on the bottom of each ramikin. 

Ladle the soup into the ramekins.  Heat the oven to broil.  Mix the Swiss or Provolone with the Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.  Evenly distribute the cheese on top of the soup on each ramikin.  Broil just until cheese is bubbly and browning, about 1 minute.

Calabacitas Casserole with Polenta and Cheese

This is one of Rachel Ray's recipes.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
*2 Tablespoons olive oil
*2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
*4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
*2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
*2 zucchini, diced
*1 yellow squash, diced
*1 yellow onion, chopped
*1 can (14 oz.) stewed tomatoes
*2 teaspoons chili powder
*salt
*black pepper
*1 tube (16 oz.) prepared polenta
*2 cups shredded 2% Monterrey Jack cheese
*3 green onions, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add olive oil to skillet.  Add corn, garlic, and jalapenos.  Saute for 3 minutes.

Add zucchini, squash, and onions.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Season with chili powder.  Cook for 7 to 8 minutes.  Add stewed tomatoes and heat through.

Transfer to a baking dish.  Cut polenta into 1/2-inch slices lengthwise.  Top vegetables with polenta and then cheese.

Bake at 500 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes, until the polenta is hot and the cheese is melted.  Top with green onions.

Broccoli with Cheese

This is how my mom made broccoli with cheese when I was growing up.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
*2 lb. frozen broccoli florets
*8 oz. 2% Velveeta
*1/8 cup milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Prepare broccoli according to the microwave directions on the package.  Drain really well.  Or use a steamer to steam the broccoli.  Place broccoli on a plate lined with paper towel to remove extra moisture. This is an important step.  The cheese sauce will be too thin if you skip this step!

Dice Velveeta.  Place in a medium microwave safe bowl with the milk.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Melt in the microwave for 5 minutes on power level 6.  Stir well.  Microwave more if needed.

Place half of the broccoli in a large baking dish.  Pour half of the cheese on top.  Put the rest of the broccoli on top.  Pour the rest of the cheese on top.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Chicken & White Bean Bruschetta Bake

Looking for a FAST weeknight meal?  And I mean FAST?  This is it.  This recipe is from Pillsbury Bake-Off Prize Winning Recipes, Collector's Edition, Volume 2.  There are so many good recipes in this magazine.  I adjusted the amount of balsamic vinegar in my version below as well as how I season the chicken.

Makes 4 servings at 1 1/2 cups each

Ingredients:
*cooking spray
*1 can (19 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
*1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, drained
*1 package (6 oz.) refrigerated cooked chicken breast strips, cut into 1-inch pieces
*Olive Oil flavored cooking spray
*Italian seasoning
*1/2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1 can (11 oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated original bread sticks
*2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Italian cheese blend (I use 2%)
*1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.  Place chicken in a medium bowl.  Spray with olive oil cooking spray, and stir to coat.  Sprinkle Italian seasoning on chicken, and stir to coat evenly.

In a large bowl mix the tomatoes, chicken, balsamic vinegar, and salt.  Add the beans and mix gently.

Unroll the dough and separate into 12 bread sticks.  Cut each bread stick into 4 equal pieces.  Stir 1/4 of the bread stick pieces at a time into the bean mixture until all are mixed in.  Stir in 1 cup of the cheese.  Spoon the mixture into the baking dish, gently smoothing the top.  Top evenly with the remaining cheese.  Sprinkle with basil.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and the top is golden brown.

*Note:  I usually serve this with either oven-roasted asparagus or my garlic and white wine sauteed asparagus.

Oven-Roasted Asparagus

Quick and easy, healthy and delicious.  My kind of recipe.

Ingredients:
*2 bunches asparagus
*olive oil
*salt
*black pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Rinse the asparagus and pat really dry with paper towels.  The water will make the asparagus limp, which is not good.  Pick up one asparagus, holding it by the ends with each hand.  Bend the asparagus until it snaps naturally.  Discard the bottom part that snapped off.  Line the top of the snapped asparagus up with the rest of the asparagus on a cutting board.  Use that piece as a template and cut off the other ends of the asparagus.  Discard the bottoms.

Place the asparagus in a gallon-size zip lock bag.  Pour in some olive oil--just enough to barely coat the asparagus.   Close the bag and shake around so that all the asparagus gets lightly coated.  Add more if needed.

Dump the asparagus out on a large baking sheet.  Spread the asparagus out so that they are in a single layer.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven for 12 minutes.  The asparagus will be cooked but still have a crispness to it.  Yum.

Garlic and White Wine Sauted Asparagus

Makes 2-4 servings

Ingredients:
*1 bunch asparagus
*2 Tablespoons butter
*salt
*black pepper
*3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
*white wine

Directions:

Rinse the asparagus and pat dry with paper towels.  Take one asparagus and holding it by the ends with each hand, bend the asparagus until in breaks naturally.  Throw the bottom part away.  Line the top of the snapped piece of asparagus up with the rest of the tops of the other asparagus.  Use the snapped asparagus as a template to cut off the rest of the ends of the other asparagus.  Discard ends.

Heat a skillet on medium heat.  Add the butter until melted.  Add the asparagus to the pan and season with salt and pepper.  Saute for a few minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for one minute.  Add a splash of white wine to deglaze the pan.  Saute until the alcohol cooks out--a couple of minutes.

Parisan Tuna Sandwiches

I love tuna, but I hate mayonnaise and Miracle Whip.  Most tuna recipes call for one or the other.  I love this recipe because the base is red wine vinegar instead.  This recipe is from the Food Network.  I adapted it some.

Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:
*2 eggs
*3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
*1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
*dash table salt
*black pepper
*1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
*4 fresh multi-grain rolls, each split in two (I buy these from the bakery at the grocery store)
*2 cups fresh spinach and arugula mix
*1 Roma tomato
*1/4 of a small red onion
*1 cup jarred marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
*12 oz. canned tuna packed in water, drained*
*1 radish, sliced

Directions:
Boil the eggs--Place the eggs in a saucepan covered with water.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for 8 - 10 minutes.  Drain.  Fill sauce pan with cool water, covering the eggs.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Put the rolls cut-side up on a work surface and drizzle with a quarter of the dressing. Place the arugula/spinach on the roll bottoms. Top with the sliced tomato, red onion and artichoke hearts. Season with table salt and drizzle with another quarter of the dressing.

Drain the tuna well. Toss the tuna in the remaining dressing, and then divide among the sandwiches. Peel and thinly slice the hard-boiled eggs and layer the slices over the tuna. Top with radishes. Cover with the roll tops, pressing gently but firmly. Wrap the sandwiches in plastic wrap and place a skillet on top to weigh them down for at least 15 minutes so the bread absorbs the flavors.

*The Food Network recipe calls for tuna packed in oil, but the sandwiches were way too oily.  I prefer the tuna packed in water--less oily, less messy, and healthier.  The original recipe also calls for anchovies and kalamata olives.

Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
*2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and very finely chopped
*1/4 cup red onion, very finely chopped
*1 mango, coarsely chopped
*1 teaspoon lime juice
*salt to taste for salsa plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/2 teaspoon black pepper
*1/2 teaspoon cumin
*1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
*1 lb. small shrimp, peeled and tails removed
*at least 1/4 cup flour
*canola or vegetable oil
*8 white corn tortillas
*shredded lettuce
*2% shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend

Prepare mango salsa first and set aside so that the flavors can blend while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Directions for Mango Salsa:
In a medium bowl, combine tomato, red onion, mango, and lime juice.  Add salt to taste.  Stir well and set aside.  Stir occasionally while you are cooking the rest of the meal.

Directions for Tacos:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wrap corn tortillas in foil.  Place in oven on 350 degrees.  Pat dry all the shrimp with paper towel.  Lay all shrimp out on cookie sheet.

Heat a 12-inch skillet over high heat (I use level 5 1/2 out of 7).  In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the black pepper, cumin, and garlic powder.  Sprinkle over the shrimp and stir the shrimp well so that they are all coated with seasoning.

Place about 1/4 cup of flour in a shallow bowl.  Dredge shrimp in flour and place back on the cookie sheet.  Add more flour to the bowl as needed.

Pour enough canola oil in the skillet to cover the entire bottom.  Once oil is very hot, place shrimp in the oil.  It should sizzle when you put it in.  Cook about 6 minutes, stirring about half way through.  Scoop out the shrimp and place on a plate lined with a paper towel.  Remove tortillas from oven.

To assemble tacos, place shrimp, cheese, lettuce, and mango salsa on corn tortillas.

Pepper Jack, Arugula, and Spinach Stuffed Grilled Chicken

This recipe is from the Food Network.  My husband is the expert when making this dish.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
*8 oz. shredded Pepper Jack cheese (2 cups)
*4 cups fresh arugula and spinach leaves mix, chopped
*4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*olive oil for brushing
*Kosher salt
*Cajun seasoning
*vegetable oil

Directions:
Heat a grill pan on high heat (level 5 out of 7 on my stove).  Meanwhile, combine cheese and greens in a bowl.  Cut a two-inch wide and deep slit on the thickest side of each chicken breast, making a pocket.

Stuff each chicken breast with the cheese and arugula*.  Brush all sides of the chicken with olive oil.  Sprinkle with a little bit of Kosher salt and Cajun seasonings.

Pour a little bit of vegetable oil in the grill pan, coating it.  Grill the chicken about 10 minutes per side (more if needed) until the chicken is no longer pink.

*Note:  Instead of Pepper Jack cheese for my son's piece, we used Swiss cheese in his to cut down on the spice.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

This recipe is on the back of the Lipton Onion Soup box.  Easy breezy.

Makes 8 - 10 servings

Ingredients:
*cooking spray
*4 medium baking potatoes, cut into chunks (skins on)
*1/3 cup olive oil
*1 packet Lipton onion soup mix (each box has 2 packets--only use 1)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.   Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Place potatoes in the baking dish.  Pour olive oil over potatoes and stir until all potatoes are well coated.  Pour onion soup mix over potatoes and stir until all are coated.

Bake at 425 for 30 minutes.

Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops With New Potatoes

This is from one of my mom's slow cooker cookbooks.  I adapted it a little bit.

Makes 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients:
*cooking spray
*6 - 8 boneless, skinless pork loin chops (3/4" thick)
*1 packet (1.3 oz.) dry Ranch salad dressing mix
*1/2 teaspoon black pepper
*2 cans (10.5 oz. each) new potatoes, drained, the big ones quartered, and the medium ones halved
*1 can (10 oz.) Campbell's French onion soup
*1/8 cup water

Directions:
Spray a crock pot with cooking spray.  Place pork chops on the bottom of the crock pot.

Sprinkle pork chops with half the black pepper and half the Ranch seasoning.  Flip pork chops.  Sprinkle with the rest of the black pepper and Ranch seasoning.

Place potatoes around and on top of pork chops.  Pour French onion soup and water over potatoes and pork chops.

Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

*Note:  I serve this with steamed veggies.