Pasta with Chicken & Sundried Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1/2 c. oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and cut

2 tbsp fresh basil

2 tbsp fresh parsley

1 packet Knorr leek soup mix

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated cheese

1 tsp black pepper

3 chicken breasts cut in 1/2 inch strips

1 pound rigatoni

Recommendation: double batch of the sauce

Directions:

Melt butter in large pan.

Add chicken and cook through.

Add sun-dried tomatoes, basil, parsley, soup mix, heavy cream.

Stir until it boils.

Reduce heat, add cheese, stir until melted.

Toss pasta with sauce. Top with extra cheese.

Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms

Ingredients

2 tsp vegetable oil

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 large garlic clove(s), crushed

1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces

2 cup(s) mushroom(s), small, halved

1/3 cup(s) canned chicken broth

1/4 tsp dried thyme, crumbled

Directions:

In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil.

· In a medium bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar, the mustard and garlic. Add chicken and turn to coat.

· Transfer chicken and marinade to skillet. Sauté chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a platter and keep warm.

· Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in skillet. Sauté mushrooms for 1 minute. Add broth, thyme and remaining tablespoon of vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are deep brown, about 2 minutes longer.

· Serve chicken topped with mushrooms.

Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Onions Risotto

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
7 cups hot chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
Handful of shredded Parmesan (my addition)

Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onions and saute for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the onions are a dark golden brown. Remove from heat, stir in the balsamic vinegar and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a separate large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the rice and mix well. Let heat for about 2 minutes, then pour in the wine. Reduce heat to medium low and start pouring in the broth about 1 cup at a time. Add more broth as each cup is absorbed. Continue in this manner until all the broth is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the reserved onion mixture and allow to heat through. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish each serving with fresh thyme.

**Notes from Jill - I had no white wine so I left it out. I threw some parm on top of our bowls right before serving. I cooked the chicken while the Risotto was cooking. The Risotto took FORTY minutes, not 20. The recipe turned out really good and I bet it would be just as good as a vegetarian dish if you left out the chicken.

Country Style Ribs & Chicken

Ingredients:

1 cup ketchup
2 cups water
salt & pepper
celery salt
1 small onion chopped
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp white vinegar
Country style boneless pork ribs
chicken breasts

Put all ingredients (minus the meat) into a saucepan and bring to a boil for about 30 minutes.

Put ribs in over for a half hour at 350 degrees. Then pour the sauce over the ribs and bake for about 2 hours. Add chicken towards the end allowing it only to cook as long as needed.

Jen's Notes: this is one of my favorite of my Mom's recipes. She'd make this often when Jeff and I were kids. Best when served with rice pilaf and green beans. MMM!!!

Asian Summer Salad

Salad
8 ounces uncooked vermicelli pasta
3/4 cup julienne-cut carrots, 2 inches long
3/4 cup julienne-cut zucchini,
2 inches long
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup sliced green onions with tops
3/4 pound deli roast turkey or chicken breast, cut 1/2 inch thick
(I usually add broccoli or pea pods... you can add any veggie you have on hand, and obviouly skip the meat if you're so inclined).

Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 T. rice vinegar
3 T. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 t. sugar
1/8 t. ground red pepper
1 t. finely chopped, peeled fresh gingerroot
1 garlic clove, pressed
Coarsely chopped peanuts or cashews and fresh cilantro (optional)

Intructions:
For salad, break vermicelli into quarters. Cook according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold running water using large Colander. Place vermicelli in large Colander Bowl and set aside.
Using Julienne Peeler, cut carrots and zucchini into julienne strips; cut strips into 2-inch pieces using Chef’s Knife. Chop bell pepper and slice green onions. Cut turkey into thin pieces, 2" long. Add vegetables and turkey to vermicelli.

For dressing, combine oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and ground red pepper in Small Batter Bowl. Peel gingerroot; finely chop (or press in garlic press). Add gingerroot and garlic pressed with Garlic Press to batter bowl. Mix well using Stainless Steel Whisk. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. Spoon salad into serving bowl. Garnish with chopped peanuts and cilantro, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings
Cook’s Tips: This salad can be prepared up to 1 day in advance.

Per serving: (1 2/3 cups): Cal: 300, Fat 11 g, Sat. Fat 1.5 g, Chol: 25 mg, Carb: 35 g, Pro: 16 g, Sod: 980 mg, Fiber 2 g

*This is my all-time favorite Pampered Chef Recipe. Its great for a party, picnic or cookout because its better the longer it sits and marinates.

Slow-cooker Chicken Tacos

1 1/2 pounds frozen chicken breasts

1 - 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 - packet taco seasoning

Directions:

Place frozen chicken breasts in crockpot.

In a separate bowl, mix together the can of diced tomatoes & the taco seasoning packet. Pour over the chicken breasts.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred & serve.

**Cindy's notes: I ladle back into the shredded chicken part of the cooked-down tomatoes & juices but not the whole thing or it's too much liquid. I just like to make it moist. This chicken is great for soft tacos, enchiladas, or quesadillas.

Recipe from Cindy Fisher

Roasted Lemon Balm Chicken

Ingredients:
Handful of fresh lemon balm leaves
stems removed 1/4 cup or so of fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 large roasting chicken
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°.

Trim herb leaves from stems; wash and pat dry. Set sprigs aside. Chop two-thirds of the leaves, and combine with the butter, salt, and pepper.

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Loosen the skin in several places and insert the herb butter underneath. Rub chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Insert the remaining herb sprigs into the cavity of the chicken. Place breast-side-down in a roasting pan.

Bake 30 minutes, then turn chicken over. Bake about 20 minutes longer. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Emeril's Mongolian Style BBQ

Emeril's Mongolian Style BBQ

Ingredients:
For the base marinade:
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons minced ginger
½ cup sake
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
¼ cup hoisin sauce
1 bunch scallions, green and white parts chopped

For the pork: 1 pound pork loin, sliced thinly on the bias 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 limes, juiced
For the chicken:1 cup orange juice 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the vegetables:2 zucchinis, thinly sliced 2 summer squash, thinly sliced
For serving:1 head red leaf lettuce, washed and separated into leaves 1 cup mung bean sprouts Kimchi Steamed short grain sticky rice

First, make the base marinade by whisking all of the sauce ingredients together in a large, non-reactive bowl. Once it's combined well, separate the sauce into three containers, which will be for the pork, chicken and veggies.

For the pork marinade, add the crushed red pepper and lime juice to the marinade in the first container and then add the pork loin, turning the pieces to coat. Cove the container and marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

For the chicken, add the orange juice to the base marinade in the second container and add the chicken, turning to coat. Cover the container and marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

For the veggies, simply add the zucchini and summer squash to the base marinade in the last container and toss to coat. Cover the container and marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

Heat a griddle to medium high and when hot brush with 1 tablespoon peanut oil. Remove the vegetables from the marinade and lay them on the griddle. Cook the vegetables until just tender and move to the cooler side of the griddle. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved sauce to the vegetables, when bubbly remove the vegetables and transfer to a serving platter. Keep warm in the oven while cooking the meats.

Add the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil to the griddle. Remove the pork and chicken from their marinades. When the griddle is hot add the chicken on one side of the griddle and the pork on the other. Do not over crowd the griddle, if necessary cook in batches. Cook the pork for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Cook the chicken for 8 minutes per side, or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 170 degrees.

Transfer the cooked meat to the warm serving platter with vegetables.

This meal is best served family style, with the lettuce leaves, bean sprouts, kimchi, and sticky rice alongside the warm platter of meat and vegetables.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings