ALFREDO SAUCE

Here is a healthy alternative to using whipping cream and tons of butter in homemade Alfredo sauce.  This is from my friend AK.  =)

2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 oz Neufchatel or regular cream cheese
1 tablespoon flour
Dash of pepper
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Combine milk, flour, salt, pepper and whisk until smooth.  In a pan melt butter, add garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add mix and cook 6-8 minutes.  Then add Parmesan and cream cheese.  Add choice of pasta, cooked chicken (or not) and eat!!

GARLIC LEMON ROASTED CHICKEN

This is how I roast a chicken.  I use it as the main course for one dinner and then for 2 more dinners during the week!!  It really is cost effective and super yummy.

1 whole chicken, defrosted
1 lemon
3 cloves of garlic
1 large onion
1/4 cup butter
Salt and peper to taste

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Melt butter in small bowl.  Add minced garlic, the zest from lemon, and salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Thickly slice onion and place on the bottom of enameled cast iron dutch oven.  Prepare chicken by washing and removing giblets.  Liberally rub and season chicken with butter mixture.  

Cut lemon in quarters, reserve juice, and then stuff the chicken with the rinds.  Place chicken in dutch oven and pour lemon juice over it.

Roast chicken for 15 minutes at 475 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook for approximately 20 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Let chicken sit for 10 minutes before cutting into it.  Enjoy!!

BEST CROCK POT BBQ CHICKEN SANDWICHES

I've tried a lot of BBQ chicken recipes and this is by far my fave!!  I think the Italian dressing really adds a new dimension.  Enjoy!

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup BBQ sauce

¼ cup Italian dressing

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

salt to taste

Season chicken breasts lightly.  Combine BBQ sauce, Italian dressing, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well combined.  Pour over chicken and cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hour.  Shred and serve on buns, over rice, in wraps, on a salad or eat a plateful as is!!

SPINACH RAVIOLI LASAGNA

This is a super easy to make because you use frozen ravioli.

6 oz fresh baby spinach, thoroughly washed  
1/3 cup refrigerated pesto sauce 
1 15-oz jar alfredo sauce
1 25-oz package frozen cheese-filled ravioli (do not thaw) 
1 cup shredded Italian six-cheese blend

Preheat oven to 375°. Chop spinach and toss with pesto in a medium bowl.

Spoon one-third of alfredo sauce mixture into a lightly greased 2.2-qt. or 9X13 baking dish. Top with half of spinach mixture. Arrange half of ravioli in a single layer over spinach mixture. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining alfredo sauce.

Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake 5 minutes or until hot and bubbly. I'm sure it would be good with beef-filled ravioli too.

BEST MARINADE EVER

I got this recipe from my sistah.  It really is an awesome marinade.  I half the recipe for my family of 4.   

3/4 cup oil
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sesame oil
3/4 cup soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic (1 big tsp of garlic in a jar)
3/4 tsp ginger
4 lbs of steak or chicken

Mix together and marinade meat overnight (or longer!!)  Grill and enjoy.

CROCK POT MAC AND CHEESE

My MIL got the Americas Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution cookbook and this little gem of a recipe came from it.  It really makes perfect macaroni and cheese and it's so easy.  Just put it in the crockpot and forget about it.  YUMMMMM.

1 pound of uncooked pasta
2 cans of evaporated milk
2 cans of condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups of shredded jack cheese
1 teaspoon of salt, plus salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups of hot water, plus 1/2 cup of hot water to add before serving

Add milk, soup, hot water and salt to a large pot until heated throughout. Slowly add both shredded cheeses to soup mixture and whisk until melted. Transfer to crock pot and add uncooked pasta and mix well.

Cook on low for about 2 1/2 hours. Mac and cheese will be thick, so add 1/2 of a cup of very hot water after cooking and stir together to smooth out the sauce.

CROCK POT LIME CHICKEN TACOS

I love to serve this on a taco salad.  Super easy and yummy.

1.5 lbs chicken breasts
3 T lime juice
1 T (or less) chili powder
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup chunky salsa

Place the chicken in a slow cooker. Combine lime juice and chili powder and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender. Shred chicken. Stir in corn and salsa and reheat. Serve in tortillas, taco shells, or in a taco salad. 

LASAGNA SOUP

This is now one of my fav soups.  So easy and I usually have all the ingredients on hand.  Tastes just like lasagna but without the fuss of layers and putting it together.

1 lb ground meat of choice
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme (I use less, but that's just me!!)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 cups chicken broth
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced stewed tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 lasagna noodles, broken up
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
 2 cups mozzarella cheese, for topping

Put ground sausage, onion, bell pepper, and  minced garlic into a pot. Cook the mixture over medium high heat until the sausage is browned and the onions are translucent.

Then add thyme, brown sugar, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt and chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Reduce and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Then add broken lasagna noodles to pot and let simmer for another 10 minutes.

Finally add Parmesan cheese to the pot. Give it a stire and allow the cheese to melt.  Remove from heat and ladle into serving bowls and sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese.  Done!!

CHEESY POTATO SOUP

"Souper" yummy!! hahaha. This soup is great especially because I usually have all the ingredients on hand. =)

5 cups water
5 teaspoons chicken bouillon
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped carrots
5 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1 cup cold milk
1/2 cup flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Bring water and bouillon cubes to a raging boil. Toss in onion, carrots and potatoes and let cook for 20 minutes or until fork tender.
2. In a separate bowl combine milk and flour together. Whisk until lumps are gone.
3. While soup is boiling, slowly pour flour mixture over top and stir constantly. Boil for 3 minutes to allow soup to thicken.
4. Reduce heat and simmer. Stir cheese into soup and simmer until melted. Garnish with cheese over top prior to serving.

Makes 8 healthy servings.

THE BEST TACO SOUP

Ok, so usually I HATE taco soup...so bland, runny, and too much meat for my liking. This recipe is SO flavorful and yummy...and the best part, it's EASY!! Throw it in the crockpot and forget about dinner!!

1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch mix
1 15 oz can black beans, drained
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can of corn, undrained
1 4 oz chopped green chili’s
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1b ground beef, browned
1/2 onion, diced, cooked/softened with beef
1 package of dry taco seasoning mix

Brown ground beef and diced onions in a large skillet.

Throw skillet contents, and remaining ingredients into a crock pot/slow-cooker and cook for at least 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

Serve with corn chips, sour cream, and grated cheese.

TURKEY TETRAZINNI

This recipe is AWESOME for leftover turkey from Sunday dinner or Thanksgiving. Give it a try.

8 oz broken spaghetti, cooked and drained

5 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons flour

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

1 cup sliced mushrooms

5 tablespoons minced green pepper

3 cups cooked turkey, cubed

1/2 cup Parmesan

1/2 cup chedder, grated

Melt butter in a large pan and blend in flour. Stir in broth and milk and cook until thickens. Add salt, pepper, mushrooms, pepper, and turkey. Finally, add the cooked spaghetti and mix well. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

MOCK TACOS

This is definitely a family favorite and so easy. My mom says that in some funky restaurants this is served in individual serving sized bags of Fritos. Slit the bad on one side and pile the ingredients in and eat it right from the bag !! Great for camping!!

1 lb ground beef/turkey

1 onion

1 package taco seasoning

Fritos

Black beans

Shredded lettuce

Grated cheese

Chopped tomatoes

salsa

guac

sour cream

chopped olives

Brown meat and onion, drain. Add taco seasoning and prepare according to directions. Layer in order on a plate. Yum. My husband loves adding Ranch dressing too.

RITZ CHICKEN

This recipe is a spin-off of Parmesan Chicken from my mother-in-law. We usually eat it plain but you can add spaghetti sauce and serve over noodles.

4-6 thawed chicken breasts

1 roll Ritz cracker, smashed

1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt

3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

Melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in shallow bowl and set aside. In another bowl whisk the 2 eggs. Start by dipping each chicken breast in eggs, then dry mixture, and setting in a 9x13 greased pan. Then drizzle melted butter over top. Bake for 45 minutes.

CHICKEN DIVAN

Simple yet yummy...that's what I like!!

2 lbs chicken, cooked and cut

2 cups frozen broccoli

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons mayo

1/2 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

Place chicken and broccoli in baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve over rice, noodles, mashed potatoes, etc.

Gluten-free if using Cream of Chicken substitute recipe.

CHICKEN CRESCENT ROLL UPS

Who doesn't like a crescent roll every now and then??

1 pound boneless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
4 ounces cream cheese (half a block) softened to room temperature
1 cup plus 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 plus 1/2 cup milk
2 packages refrigerated crescent roll
 1 can cream of chicken soup

In large bowl, combine cream cheese, shredded chicken and 1 cup shredded cheddar  Stir in 1/4 cup of milk a bit at a time until mixture can be formed into spoonfuls without crumbling

In a separate bowl, whisk together cream of chicken soup and 1/2 cup milk

Unroll crescents and place a spoonful of chicken mixture on each. Roll up and place in 13×9 dish.  Cover crescent roll-ups with creamy soup mixture.  Sprinkle remaining half cup of cheddar and 1/4 cup of parmesan over roll.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until tops of rolls are browned and sauce is bubbling.

LION HOUSE: CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

This soup is creamy instead of brothy. I love it and it's so easy to make.

2 teaspoons (or cubes) chicken bouillon
4 cups canned chicken stock/broth
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup evaporated milk or 1/2 cup whole milk
Roux (if you need it)
2 cups cooked diced chicken
4 cups cooked egg noodles

Heat chicken stock/broth and bouillon together. Add carrots, celery, and onion, and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add cream of chicken soup and milk. Thicken with roux as desired, then add cooked chicken and noodles. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 2 1/2 quarts or 10 one cup servings.

CROCKPOT ITALIAN CHICKEN

This is such a simple and yummy crock pot recipe. It's a GREAT recipe to fix on Sunday's since you just put some ingredients in a crock pot and let em' cook. Enjoy!!

1 pkg. Italian dressing mix
1 chopped onion
1-2 stalks of chopped celery
4 chopped carrots
5-6 frozen chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup (low fat is a great option)
2 8 oz. boxes of cream cheese (1/3 reduced fat works great too)

Put chicken, onion, celery, and carrots in crock pot and cover with water. Stir in dressing mix. Cook for 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. Pour off some broth but keep some in reserve just in case you need it later. Add other ingredients and stir. Chicken should shred. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles. Serves 8 easily.

MARINATED TURKEY BREAST

I just tried this recipe last night...sooooooo moist and yummy.

1 cup soy sauce

4 tablespoons Worcesteshire sauce

1 cup 7-Up

1 cup oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Cut turkey breast into thin strips. Marinate in above ingredients 24 hours. Cook on BBQ.

WINGERS: STICKY FINGERS

I have recently acquired a love for Winger's Sticky Fingers. The sauce is SO GOOD and instead of buying it I found a recipe to make it at home. How frugal of me. =)

6 T Franks Red Hot Sauce
4 T water
1 1/2 cups brown sugar

Combine in saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves and it thickens.

To make Sticky Fingers: Buy breaded chicken tenders and cook as per directions. Then coat cooked chicken with sauce.  Serve with Ranch and celery sticks. My nephew also claims this sauce is great on hamburgers. So versatile. =)

SCHOVAERS FAMOUS FAJITAS

This recipe has been in S's family for a long time!! It is a great family tradition. I used to make these every Sunday when we were first married but then we got sick of them. Now it's more of a monthly thing. Enjoy!!

1 fajita seasoning packet (we prefer Taco Bell brand...sad eh??)

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 of an onion, chopped

4 thawed chicken breasts, sliced

Put chicken in large skillet with 1 tablespoon oil. Cook until almost done. Add peppers and onions and saute for about minute. Add fajita packet and any oil/water according to package directions. Cook until chicken is cooked through and veggies are al dente.

Serve on warmed tortillas with cheese, olives, salsa, guac, sour cream, black beans, etc. Roll up and eat!! Yummmmmmmmmmm. =)

VARIATIONS: You can also precook the chicken on the grill then slice and cook with peppers and onions. You can also use steak...if you're daring!!