BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad

I used to have a similar salad at TGI Friday's every time I went there in college and then they stopped making it. Big mistake. I have no reason to go to TGI now. Luckily, it's easy to re-create, super good, and hard to mess up!

Salad Ingredients:
-Chicken (prepared any way you like; I just "browned" mine on the stove top)
-Lettuce (I just used a bag to make it super easy)
-Can of corn, drained (or you can use frozen, I'm sure)
-Can of black beans, drained and rinsed
-Tomato
-Shredded cheese (I used Colby Jack)
-Avocado
-Crushed up tortilla chips and/or onion straws (depending on preference)

Note: you'll notice there are no measurements because it's up to how many people you're serving and how much you want of each thing - I just guessed it all out. Like I said, it's hard to mess up.

Dressing Ingredients:
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 cup Ranch dressing (I used Hidden Valley, I'm sure whatever is fine)

Directions:
1. Put chicken, lettuce, corn, beans, and tomato in a bowl and mix up, set aside.

2. In separate bowl, mix up BBQ sauce and Ranch (you may like more or less BBQ or Ranch, up to you).

3. Put lettuce mixture in bowls or on plates and top with shredded cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips (or onion straws).

4. Put dressing on and mix up and eat!

(See, it's so easy I had a hard time making directions...it's pretty self explanatory. Also, you don't have to have avocado, but it makes it so good - especially if you're lucky enough to have good avocados in your area! Californians!)

Pam's Chicken Enchiladas

2 cans chicken breast
16 oz. sour cream
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 c. shredded cheese
1 can diced green chiles
1 c. sliced black olives
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 pkg. flour tortillas

Combine all ingredients and place desired amount in center of tortilla, roll up tortilla burrito style and lay in greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Place remaining mixture over the tops of the tortillas. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Creamy Rigatoni with Broccoli and Brie

This pasta combination is delicious and easy to make.

1 pound dried rigatoni
1 head broccoli, florets and saltks cut into ½-inch pieces and steamed
½ cup (2 ounces) pine nuts, toasted
8 ounces Brie (with rind), cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt and pepper

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Add the steamed broccoli, pine nuts, Brie, ¾ tablespoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir until the cheese melts. Divide among individual bowls.

Tip: The Brie’s rind adds a rich, earthy flavor to the pasta, but you can omit it if you prefer. You can also try fontina or Taleggio instead of Brie.

Spaghetti Primavera

I tried this out today from Kraft Foods but had to modify due to our lack of supplies and money. Robby said it was fantastic!

Ingredients:

2 cups cut-up fresh vegetables (bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, carrots)

2 Tbsp oil

4 oz. spaghetti, cooked, drained (about 2 cups)

3/4 cup spaghetti sauce

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook and stir vegetables in hot oil in large skillet 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Add spaghetti and spaghetti sauce. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stillring occasionally. Add cheese; mix well.

Kraft Kitchen Tips

Subtitute 2 cups frozen mixed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots for cut-up fresh vegetables.

I used frozen peas because that was all I had on hand. It also only serves 3 so I guess it would just be for you and the hubs.

Enjoy!

Roasted New Potato Salad

A fresh twist on an old favorite. This potato salad is flavorful and satisfying. It is a little labor intensive, but worth it. Here are the details:

1 1/2 pounds new potatoes (about 9 or 10) cut in half
5 Tablespoons EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1 cup chopped parsely
2 plum tomatoes

Preheat oven to 425. Put potatoes in roasting pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the Olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until tender. Let them cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

While potatoes roast, bring 1 quart salted waterto a boil in a small saucepan. Add green beans and boil 1 to 2 minutes, no longer. Drain and rinse in cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the garlic, vinegar and 3 Tablespoons Olive oil. Add onion, parsley, tomatoes, and green beans.

Add potatoes to the bowl and then add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Toss well.

Bon Apetit!

Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips

Fruit Salsa

2 kiwi fruit, peeled and diced
2 golden delicious apples, peeled and diced
8 oz. raspberries
1 lb. strawberries
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. Brown sugar
3 Tbsp. preserves (any flavor)

Mix raspberries and strawberries with the sugar and preserves.
Add apple and kiwi. Cover and chill for at least 15 minutes.

Cinnamon Chips

10 flour tortillas (small ones)
Melted butter-between ½ and ¾ a stick
1 cup cinnamon and sugar mixture

Brush tortillas with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture.
Use pizza cutter to cut into wedges.
Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool.

How unique is this? I love this. It's different, delicious, and classy. It could almost be used as an April Fools meal. Enjoy.

Szechwan Shrimp

4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup sliced green onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces cooked shrimp, tails removed

DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, stir together water, ketchup, soy sauce, cornstarch, honey, crushed red pepper, and ground ginger. Set aside.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in green onions and garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in shrimp, and toss to coat with oil. Stir in sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is bubbly and thickened.
Serve over hot cooked rice.
This is a surprisingly easy and quick recipe. Ready in 30 minutes or less. I would suggest doubling the liquid ingredients for extra sauce. If you do not like spicy food or are serving to children, I would suggest decreasing the crushed red pepper or taking it out all together. I personally love the extra zing it gives the dish. You can also add carrots or stir fry vegetables to the sauce for a little change.

Brushetta Chicken Bake

I found this recipe on the back of a box of Stove Top and it's awesome. I've already made it 3 times. Once for myself, once with Angie and Hill in San Diego, and then I made it to take over to a sister in our ward who had a baby. Seriously, it's so great because it's super easy, pretty healthy, and it tastes really good. I highly recommend it as an option when you have to take meals to people since it's more of a healthy casserole. It worked out great for me!

Ingredients:

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 pkg (6 oz.) chicken Stove Top

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup hot water

1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 tsp. dired basil leaves

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Put first four ingredients in a bowl and mix until moistened.

3. Place chicken in 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with basil and cheese.

4. Top with stuffing mixture.

5. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Seriously...SO easy and really good. Enjoy!

Chocolate Sour Cream Waffles

Technically these are "dessert" waffles but I make them for breakfast and just eat them as is without syrup or anything. My husband uses syrup, but I think that might make them too sweet. Either way, they're really yummy even though I'm not generally a chocolately breakfast person.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 T. unsweetened cocoa
2 tea. baking powder
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter (I've used margarine as well)
1 egg
1 tea vanilla

Directions:
1. Heat waffle iron to medium-high heat (or you can make pancakes).

2. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa and baking powder.

3. In medium bowl stir together sour cream, milk, butter, egg and vanilla until smooth. (It's definitely important to mix the flour mixture and liquids separately first.)

4. Stir liquids into flour mixture until well blended.

5. Cook on waffle iron or griddle.


Note: they turn out pretty flimsy looking and soft...not hard and crispy like your average waffle. I liked them that way though.

Can be also be served as a dessert with ice cream, frozen yogurt, strawberries, etc...