Creamy Basil Chicken

Semi-Homemade!  Quick, easy and delicious pasta dish courtesy of Pillsbury.

If you haven't used italian dressing in your cooking, you are in for a very pleasant surprise!  I also love using Progresso Recipe Starters for a quick and delicious meal when I just don't have the time to spend in the kitchen.

Sometimes I have other things to do besides slave away in the kitchen!

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked penne pasta 
• 1/2 cup Italian dressing 
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 to 5 oz each), flattened slightly 
• 1/4 cup white wine 
• 1 pouch (9 oz) Progresso™ Recipe Starters™ creamy Parmesan basil cooking sauce 

Directions

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. In resealable food-storage plastic bag, place dressing and chicken. Seal bag; refrigerate 15 minutes.

In 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-low heat. Drain chicken, discarding dressing. Add chicken to skillet.

Cook chicken 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (at least 165°F). Stir in wine; cook until most of the wine has evaporated.

Stir in cooking sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot.

Serve over pasta. Top with basil and Parmesan cheese.

• Source:

Grilled chicken breasts can be used instead.

Crusty whole wheat rolls would make a nice accompaniment to this pasta dish.

You can purchase frozen chicken breasts that are already flattened--usually they are smaller in size than the fresh ones.

Cocada . . . Easy Coconut Bark

Reminds me of coconut macaroons!

So easy . . . two ingredients!

Looks like you slaved away in the kitchen :)

Recipe courtesy of Marcella Valladolid
The Food Network
SHOW: The Kitchen
EPISODE: Fresh New Food Ideas

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray, for spraying baking dish
• 5 1/2 cups (one 14-ounce bag) sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix the coconut and condensed milk in a bowl until well combined. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Bake until the coconut is completely browned with dark and crispy edges, about 20 minutes.

Cool slightly, then cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken

Doesn't that chicken look awesome?  Reminds me of the yummy rotisserie chicken we buy at the grocery store.

How can you go wrong with 40 garlic cloves, white wine and cognac cooked in the slow cooker until it is about to fall off the bone?  I look forward to making this chicken!

The photo and recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine 
• 2 tablespoons cognac 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons butter 
• 1 whole chicken (3 to 3 1/2 lb), skin removed, cut into 8 pieces 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 
• 40 cloves garlic (about 4 whole heads), peeled 
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves 
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley, if desired

Directions

Spray 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In small bowl, stir broth, wine and cognac; set aside. 

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. 

Sprinkle chicken pieces evenly with salt and pepper. Add to skillet; cook 5 minutes, turning once, until golden. Place chicken in slow cooker.

Add garlic to drippings in skillet; cook over medium heat 1 minute, stirring constantly, until garlic begins to brown. 

Stir in broth mixture, scraping skillet to loosen brown particles. Boil 2 minutes or until sauce is reduced to about 1 cup. 

Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with thyme.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 hours or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest pieces are cut to bone (at least 165°F). Garnish with parsley.

Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms is one of my favorite appetizers to serve at parties.  I like serving a variety of stuffed mushrooms, so I'm always looking for promising recipes.

This recipe is quick and easy, with lots of room for variations.  Isn't everything better with cream cheese?

Ingredients

• 12 large fresh mushrooms (1 lb.)
• 4 ounces (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA® Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 slices Oscar Mayer® Bacon, cooked, crumbled
• 1/2 cup KRAFT® Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

HEAT oven to 350°F.

REMOVE stems from mushrooms; discard or reserve for another use.

MIX remaining ingredients; spoon into mushroom caps. Place, filled-sides up, in shallow baking dish.

BAKE 18 to 20 min. or until heated through. Yield: 12 servings.

• Originally published as Cheese 'n Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms Provided by Philadelphia® Cream Cheese Cheese 'n Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe photo by KRAFT