Dinner in a Pumpkin

Here is an easy casserole for Halloween night. You can scrape out a little pumpkin and bake it inside the pumpkin, or just bake it in a casserole dish for ease. Either way, you'll get a nice savory dinner you can eat in a hurry (before the trick-or-treaters arrive, of course).

1 cup rice
1 lb ground beef
1 t salt
3/4 c celery, chopped
3/4 c onion, chopped
1/4 c soy
2 T brown sugar
1 (10 oz) can of cream of chicken
1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, chopped

Cook rice; set aside. In a skillet, brown ground beef with salt, celery, and onion. Drain off any fat. Add remaining ingredients.
For a casserole, pour in a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
For Dinner in a Pumpkin, pour into a small, scraped out pumpkin. Place pumpkin on a foil-lined pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles

This recipe came from my grandma. She taught my mom, and then my mom taught my sisters and me. I love, love, love the homemade noodles! They are irregular and homey, much more comforting than the boring, smooth noodles from the store. Since the noodles are a bit of a time investment, I feel like it's worth it to go all the way and make the whole soup from scratch. Don't you want to spend the day indoors cooking now that the weather is cooler, anyway?

I have many happy memories of coming home from school to see noodles drying on the counter. The house always smelled delicious from the broth my mom had simmering, often accompanied with fresh bread baking in the oven. When my mom stayed in all day to cook, she went all out! One day, my kids will be in school and I can't wait for them to come home to those delicious smells of home cooking.

The noodles have to be rolled out thin,

cut into strips,

cut into noodles,

and then left out to dry.
It's totally worth trying, at least once.

Homemade Noodles
from my grandma
2 eggs
3 T milk
1 t salt
3/4 t pepper
approximately 1 1/2 c flour

Beat egg with fork. Add milk, salt, and pepper. Gently stir in flour with a fork to make a dough. Roll onto a floured board until very thin (my mom said "paper thin"). Use plenty of flour to keep your dough from getting sticky. Cut into long strips about 2 1/2 inches wide. Stack strips and cut into noodles (1/2 inch by 2 1/2 inches). Separate noodles and spread out on waxed paper. Allow to dry all day. Dried noodles can be kept in an airtight container for a few days.

Chicken Noodle Soup
from my grandma and my mom

FOR BROTH:
1/2 onion
1 stalk celery
1 1/2 t chicken bouillon
3 chicken breasts

Put all ingredients in a large pot and add at least 12 cups of water. Add more water if needed to cover all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Allow to cool. Remove chicken and set aside to chop. Strain broth and return to pot.

FOR SOUP:
1 pot of homemade broth
1 bay leaf
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 recipe homemade noodles
1/2 c frozen corn
1/2 c frozen peas
3 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth, as needed
salt and pepper

Bring your homemade broth to a boil. Add bay leaf, potatoes, onion, celery, and carrots. Allow to come back to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Add noodles. Boil until veggies are tender and noodles are cooked through. Add corn, peas, and chicken. Heat through. Add any canned chicken broth as needed for taste or consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Enjoy!

Waffles

Ooh, I love these waffles! They are from an old family cookbook, and I only discovered them earlier this year. They taste so much more delicious than something from a box. I think the key is folding in the beaten egg whites. Anyway, try it for yourself, and tell me what you think!

My only regret when I make these waffles is that I only have one bowl for my Kitchenaid mixer. Since you have to beat the egg whites separately, you always end up needing two mixing bowls. It's not too big of a deal, but it would be nice to have two for the machine. When push comes to shove, I always choose to beat the whites with the mixer and the rest of the batter by hand.

And! When I make these for breakfast, the boys and I enjoy a hearty meal. Then I freeze the rest in three smaller separate portions for three future breakfasts. It's easy to fry a couple eggs and defrost the waffles for a yummy breakfast without the hard work!

Belgian Waffles
from Diane Priday
6 eggs, separated
1 t vanilla
6 T butter, melted
2 c milk
2 c flour
1 t salt

Beat egg whites until stiff; set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, beat egg yolks. Add vanilla and butter. Add milk. Combine flour and salt; gently stir in and then beat well. Fold egg whites into mixture. Spray waffle iron with cooking spray and bake waffles as usual. Top with strawberries, whipped cream and homemade syrup

Homemade Syrup

I can't do maple anymore.

This syrup is so, so, so delicious. I really don't think I can ever go back.

My very favorite syrup in the world is homemade buttermilk syrup. But since I never have buttermilk on hand (and I never see it on sale), I enjoy making this similar syrup instead. I always have the ingredients on hand, and it's so easy to whip up as I'm making pancakes or waffles for breakfast.

I pour all the extras in a glass bottle. I like my bottle because it has a lid and a spout. The syrup seems to keep in the fridge just fine for a week or two. I heat it in the microwave at 20 or 30 second intervals until warm and viscous. Then voila, delicious homemade syrup in seconds!

Homemade Syrup
1 stick real butter
1 c sugar
1 c milk
1 t vanilla

In a large pan, heat butter, sugar, and milk on medium high heat. Stir frequently once it comes to a boil. Boil until desired consistency. (The trick I use is to watch it boil up and then start to boil down. Just after it has started boiling down, I know it has thickened up a bit. I don't watch all that closely, though, and it seems to always work out one way or another.) Add vanilla. Remove from heat. Serve immediately or store in the fridge.

Pasta e Fagioli

A friend of mine was recently rotating her food storage when she found she had a very large amount of tomato products that were going to expire in the next few months. Realizing she had more on her hands than she could get through with her family alone, she offered some of the cans to me. I happily accepted, and now I am trying to find ways to use a lot of tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and diced tomatoes! This recipe was on the back of the Western Family can of crushed tomatoes. It caught my eye because it looked simple and right up my alley. I'm excited to try a new pasta recipe! (Shocking, I know.) I'll report once we've tried it..

*So we tried it! And we really liked it. We decided this tasted like SpaghettiOs, except way better. It was a huge hit with the kids, but it was also tasty for the adults. This would be delicious served with grilled cheese or garlic bread. It's nice and thick with plenty of noodles. Yum! I would love this on any chilly autumn night.

Pasta e Fagioli
from Western Family

1 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 c onion, finely diced
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 (14 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (14 oz) can Great Norther beans, not drained
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
2 c rotini pasta

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot. Add garlic and onions to oil and cook until onions are golden brown and tender. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, pepper and parsley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Add rotini to the pot and simmer until pasta is tender, approximately 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

My mom makes a mean spaghetti sauce. And lucky for you? It's super easy, too.

Now that my littlest sister is the only one left at home with my parents, I LOVE when my mom makes spaghetti. Why? Leftovers, of course! My mom is wonderful, and she often comes with a bag full of goodies when she pops in for a visit. (Bag full of goodies means a super random sack of things only she can give me- books to borrow, clearance socks for my boys, a little treat, or a container of leftovers.) The best news about leftover spaghetti sauce is that it freezes really well for a night when you need a quick meal. Just put it in a quart jar and don't forget to leave a little space at the top for expansion.

You can get fancy with this recipe if you want. Do you prefer Italian sausage to ground beef? Well then go ahead and swap it out. Do you have a ton of garden veggies you're dying to use? Feel free to grate in extra carrot or even some zucchini or squash. Add extra onion if you prefer. It's pretty hard to mess this up.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
from my mom :)

16 oz spaghetti

1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 lb ground beef (preferably 93% lean)
1 carrot, peeled
1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
1 T dry basil
1/2 t salt
1/4 t nutmeg
2 T butter

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain.

In a large pan, saute onion in a little cooking spray until translucent. Add beef and cook until brown and crumbly. Grate in carrot and cook for a minute. Add tomato sauce, basil, salt, and nutmeg. Simmer sauce on medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in butter and remove from heat.

Pass Parmesan cheese with pasta and sauce at the table, if desired.

Anniversary Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Salad

When my husband and I were dating, he would always try to do sweet things for me. Ok, he still does that, but he happens to do it a little more skillfully these days. Once upon a time, I had to stay late at school studying, and since he lived just off campus, I asked if I could take a quick study break to see him and eat some dinner. He offered to make some food, and I asked for something quick and easy, like pb&j. When I arrived at his apartment, I was surprised to find he had tried a new chicken recipe from AllRecipes in hopes of spoiling me with an exciting dinner.

He had logically chosen a recipe with extremely high ratings. But since his bachelor apartment wasn't fully stocked with all of the ingredients called for in the recipe, he had made a few substitutions of his own. In the end, you probably guessed that the chicken was a bit of a disaster. We laughed at how his time would have been better spent making sandwiches.

Well, a few days ago I got an email from AllRecipes with that very same recipe as the Recipe of the Day. My husband and I vowed that we would have to try it (with all the right ingredients this time!) to see what all the five-star fuss was about.

So, without further ado, here's the recipe for Anniversary Chicken, from AllRecipes.

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup teriyaki basting sauce
• 1/4 cup Ranch-style salad dressing
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 (3 ounce) can bacon bits
• 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts, and saute 4 to 5 minutes each side, until lightly browned.
3. Place browned chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush with teriyaki sauce, then spoon on salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese, green onions and bacon bits.
4. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Americanized Thai Pasta, Edamame

I have been dying to try this Thai Pasta recipe from CreativeStirrings for months now, but somehow I hadn't ever gotten around to it. I have almost all of the ingredients in my fridge at the moment, so I thought I better get with it and make it!

You can find the original post for this recipe here at the Creative Stirrings blog, along with another creative and delicious-looking recipe for burritos if you want to try this sauce two different ways.

I am opting to only make the pasta, so I have modified the recipe by cutting out the extra sauce ingredients for the burritos. But man, check out the presentation on the burritos!


Americanized Thai Pasta
from Creative Stirrings

1/4 (1.0 oz.) dry package of Ranch® Salad Dressing and Seasoning Mix

1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 bunch of cilantro
3.75 oz (a little less than 1/2 cup) jarred red peppers, drained and patted dry with a paper towel
1 tablespoon regular salsa
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce or more!

Combine the ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

Add the following in the blender:
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3/4 teaspoon black pepper or more!
Additional hot sauce would also be good

Blend until smooth. Then, pour into a small saucepan or microwave safe bowl and set aside while you prepare the following:
16 oz. linguine pasta, cooked and drained

1 1/2 cups chopped and cooked chicken
1 red pepper, sliced

Stir the chicken into the sauce and heat through. Place noodles on individual serving plates and top with the sauce and red pepper slices. Serve immediately.

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

I am super excited to try this recipe! Click here to see the original recipe post and photo on The Seven Bum Kitchen.

It's probably no surprise that I will use milk in place of the half-and-half, and I may decrease the cheese depending on how much we have left in the fridge by Tuesday. Here is the copy of the recipe:

1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts

1 1/2 c. chopped onion

1-2 garlic cloves (or 1 tsp. minced)

3 T. butter

2 chicken bullion cubes

1 c. hot water

1 tsp. cumin

2 c. half-and-half

2 c. shredded Monterey-jack cheese

1 can creamed corn

1 can (4 oz.) green chiles, drained

1 med. tomato, chopped

Cut and cube chicken. Brown with onion, garlic, and butter.

In a separate pan, dissolve bullion cubes in hot water. Add cumin, bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes.

In a 3 qt. pan, add bullion mixture, chicken, and rest of ingredients (except tomatoes). Add shredded cheese after all mixed together. Cook and stir until cheese if melted. Add tomatoes.

Crunchy Baked Chicken

We loved this chicken. It's quick, simple, flavorful, and kid-friendly. Five stars from me!

This recipe comes from a neighbor. It's so simple to prepare; it would probably be great to make for a crowd.

Crunchy Baked Chicken
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into three pieces each
1 c sour cream
1/2 pkg Lipton onion soup mix
salt, pepper, paprika to taste
Pepperidge Farms stuffing (blue bag)
butter

Line casserole dish with foil. Place breasts in dish. Combine sour cream and soup mix. Sprinkle salt, pepper and paprika on breasts. Spoon sour cream mixture to coat the top side of chicken. Sprinkle each breast liberally with stuffing mix and put a dot of butter on each breast. Bake uncovered at 375 for one hour.

Sides
4 potatoes
baby carrots

Stab potatoes with a fork. Bake at 425 while you thaw and prep the chicken. Then turn down the oven to 375, add the chicken to the oven, and the potatoes will be done around the same time.

Steam carrots. Season with salt and pepper or with a maple glaze.

Turkey Bacon Ciabatta

Looking for a fancy sandwich to impress all your friends? Or do you just want something delicious that you can pack for a picnic in these waning days of sunshine? Well here you go! My mom passed along this recipe that she got from a friend while volunteering to make lunches for the teachers at the high school. Apparently it was a hit school-wide.

You can make the sandwiches as written, or just make do with whatever rolls, Parmesan cheese, and greens you've got on hand. The dressing is really the key, in my humble opinion.


Dressing:
1/2 c mayo
1/2 bunch Italian Parsley
1 t Dijon mustard
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1 clove garlic

Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to mellow.


To assemble sandwiches:
6 ciabatta rolls
1 lb turkey deli meat
12 slices bacon, cooked
Parmesan cheese slices, shaved off a block with a vegetable peeler
baby arugula

Slice rolls. Spread both sides lightly with dressing. Layer turkey, bacon, Parmesan slices, and arugula in between ciabatta. Enjoy immediately or save in the fridge/cooler for up to 24 hours.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

This soup is thick and rich, perfect for a fall day! I believe the recipe is adapted from AllRecipes. You'll be happy if you have an immersion blender, but if not, you'll have to make do with a regular blender like I do!

I'll be serving this soup with a green salad and some sort of bread. I can't decide if I want to make homemade rolls, bread, or mozzarella grilled cheese sandwiches.


Roasted Red Pepper Soup
3 red bell peppers
1 onion, chopped
2 T minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
1 T oil
2 (14 oz) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth or vegetable broth
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to broil. Place bell peppers on a cookie sheet and broil on the top rack of the oven, using tongs to turn as each side blackens. Place blackened peppers in a paper bag. Close tightly and let cool 20-30 minutes. Then peel skin off peppers and discard stems and seeds. Chop roasted peppers and set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in oil for 5 minutes. Add the roasted peppers and cook 2-3 minutes more. Next add the chicken broth and beans, stirring well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use a blender to puree soup in batches. Return to pot and reheat before serving.

Spinach and Ricotta-Stuffed Shells

We enjoyed this recipe, but didn't love it like crazy. I was surprised at how little my son cared for it, actually. I think it could definitely use more marinara and less ricotta mixture. Plus, the homemade marinara was a lot of work for a red sauce. I'd probably just use something I already had in the pantry to save time. I doubt I'll be making this one again anytime in the near future.

This recipe comes from Cooking Light magazine. I'm excited to try the homemade marinara sauce (using the extra for other yummy things!), but I'm sure you could substitute your own favorite red sauce to simplify the preparation.

Basic Marinara
1 T olive oil
1 c chopped yellow onion
1 t sugar
1 T minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
3/4 t salt
3/4 t dried basil
1/2 t dried oregano
1/4 t dried thyme
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1/8 t fennel seeds, crushed
2 t balsamic vinegar
2/3 c chicken broth
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes (no-salt-added variety)

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 4 minutes stirring frequently. Add sugar and next 7 ingredients (through fennel seeds); cook 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in vinegar; cook 30 seconds. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat for 55 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
Yield: about 4 cups

Spinach and Ricotta-Stuffed Shells
2 c Basic Marinara
2 1/2 c part-skim ricotta
1/2 c grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t dried oregano
1/4 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1 (10 0z) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 large egg yolk
1 garlic clove, minced
24 cooked jumbo pasta shells

Preheat oven to 350. Spread 1/2 cup Basic Marinara over bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine ricotta and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl, stirring well. Spoon about 1 1/2 Tablespoons filling into each pasta shell. Arrange stuffed shells in prepared dish; spread with remaining 1 1/2 cups Basic Marinara. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Summer Squash Ribbons and Pasta

This is a delicious summer pasta dish! It is surprisingly flavorful, especially given the simple ingredients. I love that you don't have to cook anything but the pasta, which helps keep the kitchen from getting too hot.

Since the recipe didn't require a full box of pasta, I cooked the whole thing anyway and kept the extras plain in case my son didn't like the squash ribbons. Luckily, the whole recipe was a hit with him, as well as my husband and myself!


Summer Squash Ribbons and Pasta
adapted from Cooking Light magazine
12 oz flat pasta, such as fettuccine or pappardelle
3 small zucchini
3 small yellow squash
1 T olive oil
1/4 t grated lemon rind
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t salt
1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove minced
1 t oregano
1/3 c thinly sliced fresh basil
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, plus more to pass at the table

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep hot.

Meanwhile, make sure zucchini and squash are washed well. Shave zucchini and yellow squash into ribbons using a vegetable peeler, stopping at the seeds; place ribbons in a large bowl. Discard seed cores. Combine oil, rind, juice, salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Drizzle oil mixture over vegetable ribbons; sprinkle with basil. Toss gently then mix into hot pasta. Sprinkle with cheese.

Falafel Pitas (Round II)

I got this recipe for falafels from Cooking Light. I liked falafels the first time we tried them, but I didn't particularly love deep frying the patties. When I found this recipe had only 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, I knew it was much more within my comfort zone!

There are multiple options for the sauce on these pitas. I personally added Ranch dressing as option #3; it is neither authentic nor light, but it sure is easy and tasty!


Falafel Pitas
from Cooking Light

Sauce Option #1
1 cup reduced fat Greek yogurt
2/3 c chopped peeled cucumber
1 t chopped fresh dill
1 garlic clove, minced

Sauce Option #2
hummus thinned with lemon juice

Sauce Option #3
6 T Ranch dressing

Falafel
1 (15 oz) can no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/4 c dry bread crumbs
1/4 c finely chopped fresh parsley
3 T finely chopped red onion
1 t garlic salt
1 t ground coriander
1 t ground cumin
2 T olive oil
Remaining Ingredients
2 whole wheat pitas, cut in half
2 c shredded romaine lettuce
1 c chopped tomato
2/3 c thinly sliced peeled cucumber
1/4 c thinly sliced red onion

Depending on which sauce option you choose, combine sauce ingredients; set aside. To prepare falafel, drain chickpeas, reserving 3 Tablespoons liquid. Place chickpeas, 3 T liquid, breadcrumbs, and next 5 ingredients (through cumin) in a food processor; Process until minced. Divide chickpea mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Spread sauce into each pita half. Fill with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, and two patties.

Korean-Spiced Beef and Cabbage Sandwiches

I was very intrigued by this recipe when I saw it in Cooking Light. It was printed as an appetizer, but we found these sandwiches made a very satisfying dinner with even a few leftover. It is not a quick-fix meal, however, so I'd suggest only attempting this recipe on one of those rainy fall days when you feel like staying in to bake!

My only change to the recipe would be to roll the dough thinner before wrapping it around the filling. My husband thought he'd like these served French-dip style, with some delicious broth. We didn't happen to make a dipping sauce, so please let me know if you come up with a good idea!

Korean-Spiced Beef and Cabbage Sandwiches
from Cooking Light
Filling
1/2 c chopped green onions
1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce
1 T sesame seeds
1 T sesame oil
2 t sugar
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t bottled ground fresh ginger
1/4 t bottled minced garlic
1/8 t ground red pepper
1/2 lb ground sirloin (lean ground beef)
cooking spray
2 c thinly sliced green cabbage

Dough
4 c flour
2 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/3 c water
1/4 c honey
1 T water
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 T sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 375.

To prepare filling, combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef mixture to pan; cook 8 minutes or until done; stirring occasionally. Stir in cabbage; cook 4 minutes until cabbage is tender. Remove from heat; cool completely.

To prepare dough, combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1 1/3 c water, honey, and canola oil in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add water mixture to flour mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes); cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Roll dough into a 16x12-inch rectangle (although I would probably roll it out thinner next time). Cut dough into 12 squares. Working with 1 square at a time, spoon about 1/4 cup beef mixture into center of each square. Moisten edges of dough with water; bring 2 opposite corners to center, pinching points to seal. Bring up remaining 2 corners and pinch tight. Pinch edges to seal. Place rolls, seam side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Combine 1 Tablespoons water and egg white in a small bowl. Lightly brush tops of dough with egg white mixture; sprinkle each with 1/4 tsp sesame seeds. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until rolls are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheet; cool on wire racks.

Curried Honey Mustard Chicken, Rice, Broccoli

I tried a delicious honey mustard chicken at a friend's house years ago, and this recipe with the curry powder sounded like a fun twist on the idea. I'm guessing you could use regular mustard if you prefer it over Dijon; let me know if you try it!

Curried Honey Mustard Chicken
adapted from AllRecipes.com
2 T butter, melted
1/3 c honey
1/4 c Dijon-style prepared mustard
4 t curry powder
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
3 chicken breasts, cut into half or thirds

In a medium bowl combine melted butter, honey, mustard, curry powder and cayenne. Mix well with a whisk. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish coated with cooking spray and pour honey mustard mixture over chicken. Cover and place in refrigerator. Marinate 4 hours our overnight. Preheat oven to 375. Remove dish from refrigerator and bake, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove cover and bake about 10 minutes more, until chicken is cooked through.


Sides
1 c rice
broccoli florets

Cook rice according to directions. Serve chicken on top of rice, and spoon sauce over as desired.

Steam broccoli. Season with salt and pepper.

Chili Pasta

Yet another Cooking Light recipe I've wanted to try for a long time. . .and now I'm finally doing it! Hooray for one-pan meals!


Chili Pasta
1 T canola oil
3/4 c chopped onion
3/4 lb ground sirloin (lean ground beef)
4 t chili powder
1 t ground cumin
1 t dried oregano
2 c water
3/4 t salt
6 oz uncooked pasta (such as wagon-wheel shaped pasta)
1 (15 oz) can no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
1 (8 oz) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
shredded cheddar cheese
sliced green onions

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and beef to pan; cook 4 minutes or until onion is tender and beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and oregano; cook 1 minute. Stir in 2 c water and next 5 ingredients (through tomato sauce); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 minutes or until pasta is done. Top with cheese and green onions as desired.

Garlic Fries

I've been going through all my old cooking magazines, searching for new recipes to try. These garlic fries certainly caught my eye! The recipe makes 6 servings, so you may want to half it if you're serving a small family.

We really enjoyed these when we made them, but I think the garlic is a little heavy handed. You could probably half the amount of butter and garlic and these would still be very tasty and satisfying.

I found the recipe in Cooking Light.

4 t canola oil
3/4 t salt
3 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch strips
cooking spray
2 T butter
8 garlic cloves, minced (about 5 t)
2 T finely chopped fresh parsley
2 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, tossing to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning after 20 minutes. Place butter and garlic in a large nonstick skillet, and cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add potatoes, parsley and Parmesan cheese to pan; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Cinna-Peach Pancakes, Hash Browns

I love love love these pancakes! I think the combination of flavors is amazing! I have been dying to post this all summer. You can find the full recipe here at the Creative Stirrings blog.

I usually make a big batch of toasted pecans and then keep them in the freezer for any old time the craving strikes. I also keep cinnamon chips in my food storage and freezer for this very recipe.

If you already have pancake mix on hand, then here are some slightly simplified directions.

Simplified Cinna-Peach Pancakes
from Creative Stirrings

Toppings
¼ cup HERSHEY®’S Cinnamon Chips
¼ cup maple syrup
½ cup pecans, chopped
1 large peach, sliced

Pancakes
about 1 1/2 cups pancake mix
¼ cup HERSHEY®’S Cinnamon Chips

In large griddle, toast pecans over medium heat (350˚ F) 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Remove from skillet; set aside. Keep skillet hot for pancakes.

Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, melt cinnamon chips in microwave stirring every 20 seconds. Stir in maple syrup; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix pancake mix according to package directions. Add 1/4 cup cinnamon chips. Cook 10 small pancakes according to package directions.

To serve, stack two pancakes, slightly overlapping, on each of 5 serving plates. Divide peach slices among the 5 plates placing them on top of the pancakes. Evenly sprinkle pancakes with pecans and drizzle with syrup mixture; serve immediately.