Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Fiesta Smothered Chicken




Ingredients


    • 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
    • 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
    • 1/4 cup chopped onion
    • 4 teaspoons chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
    • 6 teaspoons butter, divided
    • 1/4 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
    • 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese



Directions


Combine the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder in a large resealable plastic bag.  Add the chicken. 

Seal bag and coat the chicken; set aside.

Saute the mushrooms, onion and jalapeno in 2 teaspoons butter until tender in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray. Remove and keep warm.

Drain and discard marinade. 

Place drained chicken in remaining butter in the same skillet.  Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 170°. 

Spoon vegetable mixture over chicken breasts.  Sprinkle with cheeses. 

Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Yield: 2 servings.


Editor's Note: Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin. Avoid touching your face.




Originally published as Fiesta Smothered Chicken 
in Cooking for 2 Spring 2009, p28

Monday, September 22, 2014

Pumpkin Praline Bars



Quick, easy, semi-homemade and delicious
Pumpkin Praline Bars from Pillsbury!




Ingredients



    • Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
    • 1 (17.5 oz.) package Pillsbury® Perfectly Pumpkin Cookie Mix
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, melted
    • 1 large egg
    • 1/3 cup dark corn syrup
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3/4 cup chopped pecans



Directions

HEAT oven to 350°F. 

Prepare a 8 x 8-inch baking pan with foil.  Extend foil over edge of pan and coat with no-stick cooking spray.

Combine cookie mix and 1/2 cup melted butter in medium bowl with fork until evenly mixed.

Press cookie mix into prepared pan. 

Bake 10 minutes.

WHISK egg in medium bowl, then whisk in corn syrup, 2 tablespoons melted butter and vanilla until blended. Stir in pecans. 

Spread evenly over partially baked cookie mix layer.

BAKE 23 to 25 minutes, until topping is set and golden brown. 

Cool 15 minutes.  Using edges of foil, remove from pan.

Place on cutting board and pull foil away from sides of bars. 

Cool completely. 

Trim outer edge before cutting into bars.



Nutritional Information Per Serving

Serving Size (1 bar of 20), Calories 200 (Calories from Fat 100), Total Fat 11g (Saturated Fat 4g, Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 25mg, Sodium 170mg, Total Carbohydrate 25g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 13g), Protein 2g; Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 4%, Vitamin C 2%, Calcium 0%, Iron 4%.

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.






Source:  Pillsbury.com

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Chicken Alfredo and Rice



Chicken and rice is a favorite meal for me . . . well, I love just about anything with rice!

Love the addition of Alfredo Sauce for added creaminess and roasted red peppers for the extra flavor.  Add some poblano peppers or cayenne pepper if you like hot spiciness!





Ingredients
  • 1 10 ounce container refrigerated light Alfredo pasta sauce
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 1/2 cups cooked white rice or wild rice
  • 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/3 cup chopped bottled roasted red sweet peppers
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or 1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
  • 1 cup soft bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In large bowl combine pasta sauce and milk. 

Stir in rice, chicken, peas, sweet peppers, nuts, and basil. 

Transfer to 1-1/2-quart baking dish.

Bake, covered, 30 minutes. 

Uncover and stir. 

Combine bread crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle atop. 

Bake, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes more or until heated through and crumbs are golden brown. 

Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 


Serves 4


Nutrition Information

Per Serving: cal. (kcal) 456, Fat, total (g) 16, chol. (mg) 97, sat. fat (g) 8, carb. (g) 45, Monosaturated fat (g) 3, Polyunsaturated fat (g) 2, fiber (g) 3, sugar (g) 7, pro. (g) 32, vit. A (IU) 1068.98, vit. C (mg) 40.15, Thiamin (mg) 0.42, Riboflavin (mg) 0.28, Niacin (mg) 9.67, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0.55, Folate (µg) 116.92, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 0.37, sodium (mg) 672, Potassium (mg) 366, calcium (mg) 222.13, iron (mg) 3.78, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet


Source
Originally published by Better Homes and Gardens



Three Cheese Pasta Bake




This pasta meal reminds me of a very fancy mac and cheese!

Love these kind of meals that are fast, easy and delicious.








Ingredients

    • 1 (16-oz.) package ziti pasta
    • 2 (10-oz.) containers Alfredo sauce
    • 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream 
    • 1 (15-oz.) container ricotta cheese
    • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 
    • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
    • 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese 

Preparation

Cook ziti according to package directions; drain and return to pot.


Stir together Alfredo sauce and sour cream; toss with ziti until evenly coated. 

Spoon half of ziti mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.


Stir together ricotta cheese and next 3 ingredients; spread evenly over pasta mixture. 

Spoon remaining pasta mixture evenly over ricotta cheese layer; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.



Note: 

Ziti pasta is shaped in long, thin tubes; penne or rigatoni pasta may be substituted. For testing purposes only, we used refrigerated Buitoni Alfredo Sauce.


Prepare up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, and bake as directed.


Amy Faggart, Concord, NC, Southern Living APRIL 2006

Source