Phyllo Wrapped Asparagus

Made this yummy side dish for a special Valentine dinner for my hubby! It was so delicious! Goes together in a snap, really. In the past we have deep fried different veggies and those are good too, but we both really liked the delicate, crispy, bread taste on these. Much lighter than deep frying too. I imagine you can wrap just about anything in phyllo dough and it would taste good!

Phyllo Wrapped Asparagus

2 dozen asparagus spears, depending on size (Mine were quite thin, so I used 4 in each one)

1/2 (16-ounce) package frozen phyllo dough sheets, thawed

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus. Unwrap 1 pkg of the phyllo and cover it with a damp towel to keep it from drying out. Take 1 sheet of phyllo and at the seam, rip off 1/3 of the sheet of dough and set that small piece aside. Brush the remaining larger piece with some melted butter. Sprinkle with some Parmesan. (we are not "huge" Parmesan fans, so I sprinkled sea salt on them rather than Parmesan. I did however sprinkle the outside w/ the Parmesan) Place 2 to 3 asparagus spears on the short end of the sheet. Roll up, jelly-roll style. Place each piece, seam side down, on a baking sheet. Brush with more melted butter and sprinkle with more Parmesan. Repeat until all the asparagus spears are used up. Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy

ITALIAN CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP

Fall is here! My favorite time of year! Time for some yummy soup recipes. Soup just warms you up on a crisp Fall day. This recipe is ridiculously simple. But oh so tasty. If you are having a busy day and your schedule seems rushed, you should add this one to your menu. It goes together in a snap. Especially if you already have leftover, cooked chicken. I cooked my chicken on my Foreman grill, while I threw the rest of the ingredients together, and it all came together right on time. Don't be afraid of the 'spaghetti sauce' in the recipe. I was a bit nervous to add it too, but then I reminded myself that it's only tomato sauce with the seasonings "already in there!" (Little plug for Ragu there! haha)

ITALIAN CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP

1 (49 oz) can chicken broth (I have had trouble finding these big cans of chicken broth lately. Now they are selling it in the 32 oz size box. (This is why it's good to have homemade broth on hand). Anyway, I just mixed up 2 cups of hot water w/ 2 tsp of chicken soup base, and added it to the broth, and it was fine.
1 (26 oz) Spaghetti sauce (meatless)
1 1/2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
1 small zucchini, cubed
1 small summer squash, cubed
2 Tblsp. minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3 cups cooked rice
1 tsp. sugar

In a soup kettle or dutch oven, combine the broth, spaghetti sauce, chicken, parsley, thyme, zucchini and squash. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until zucchini and squash ore tender. Stir in cooked rice and sugar. Simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes or until rice is heated through.

Yield: 10 servings

SZECHUAN BEEF AND BROCCOLI

This dish was amazing! I found it in the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook that I just purchased at Barnes and Nobles. This even got me a high five and knuckle bump from my Honey! He LOVED it! It is so very simple to make, but packed with a ton of flavor. A little on the spicy side, but not too much. We all have different tolerances for spice, and this pleased the whole family. This one will be making an appearance on our family dinner table again and again! I purposely made extra with lunch in mind for the next day. But..... after dinner was 'over' everyone just sat around 'picking' at the leftovers in the dish, until it was completely gone. It was just so tasty. 2 thumbs up from the whole family!

*This dish cooks up quickly, so be sure to have all of your ingredients prepped before you start. Watch the meat - if you overcook it or the pan isn't hot enough when you put it in, the beef could turn out tough.
I also added sliced zucchini and summer squash to this dish and it was DEElicious!


SZECHUAN BEEF AND BROCCOLI

1 lb of chuck steak, sliced against the grain, into thin strips (1/4")
1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Olive oil spray (or cooking spray)
1 (14 oz) bag frozen broccoli (about 5 cups) (I used fresh broccoli)
1 Tblsp. freshly minced garlic
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup bottled Szechuan stir-fry sauce (I used 'House of Tsang' brand)

In a large bowl, combine the steak, garlic powder, salt and pepper and toss until will combined.
Place a large non-stick skillet or nonstick wok over high heat. When hot, mist it with the olive oil spray. Add the broccoli and garlic and cook, stirring, for 4 - 6 minutes, or until the garlic softens and the broccoli is heated through and crisp tender, being careful not to burn the garlic. Transfer to a large bowl and cover to keep warm.
Return the pan to high heat and add 2 tsp of the sesame oil. When hot, add the steak in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on both sides, 2 - 3 minutes. Return the veggies to the pan with the meat, and remove from the heat. Add the Szechuan stir fry sauce and mix well to coat. Divide among 4 bowls and serve.

Calories: 191
Carbs: 10 g
Fat: 6 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 25 g

ASIAN GRILLED GREEN BEANS

Boy! Where does the time go?! I need to start posting some new recipes on here that we've tried and enjoyed. In our quest to eat healthy, I'm scouring 'light' cooking books and magazines for new takes on veggies. Tonight we tried this yummy little dish called Asian grilled green beans. It was a real hit with hubby, who isn't a huge fan of veggies. It's spicy, so beware. If you tend to be whiner when it comes to spice, just use half the amount of crushed red pepper flakes. This one is a keeper, for sure.
* One thing I would like to try next time though, is stir frying this dish, rather than 'steaming' them in the foil packets. I like my beans a bit on the crisp side.
* You could also top this side dish with a sprinkle of heart healthy, toasted nuts to give it a nice crunch.

ASIAN GRILLED GREEN BEANS

1 Tblsp. Brown sugar (I omitted this because we are cutting down on sugar, and it still turned out fabulous)
1 Tblsp. Sesame oil
1 Tblsp. Soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (can reduce to 1/4 tsp if you don't like spicy dishes)
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
6 medium fresh mushrooms, quartered (I used baby bellas)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients.Add the beans, onion and mushrooms. Toss to coat.
Place the veggies on a double thickness of heavy duty aluminum foil about 24" square. Fold foil around vegetables and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 18 to 20 minutes or until beans are tender, turning packets over once. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape.

Serving size: 3/4 cup
55 calories
2 g fat
9 g carbohydrates (less if you omit the brown sugar)
3 g fiber

Diabetic exchange: 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat

FRESH SALSA AND HOMEMADE CHIPS

OK, OK I know it's easy to stop at the store and pick up a bag of Tostitos and a jar of Pace salsa, but come on! Where's your sense of adventure? There is NOTHING like the taste of FRESHLY made salsa! And what's better than serving something fresh to your family, that has absolutely no preservatives in it? There really is no trick to it. It's a cinch to make and you can make it as hot or mild as you like it. And the chips - they are just fun to make! And CRUNCHY? Wow! They are super good with the homemade salsa. Guacamole too!


FRESH SALSA

8 - 10 ripe Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 of a large sweet onion, diced
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles, with juice
3 - 4 Tblsp fresh Cilantro, chopped fine
1 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients, stir well and let it sit for about 30 minutes to marinate. Serve with homemade chips.


HOMEMADE CHIPS

1 pkg corn tortillas, cut into 1/4's
Canola oil
Salt

Line a platter or cake pan with paper towels, and set aside. In a heavy iron skillet, heat oil to at least 350. Separate cut tortillas and fry them about a dozen at a time. As soon as you get a dozen into the hot oil, start flipping them over, starting with the first one you placed in the oil. Let them fry on the 2nd side for about a minute. The longer you let them fry, the crispier they get. So after the first batch comes out, use your own judgement, on whether they need to fry longer or not. Use a "spider" or some other slotted untensil to remove the chips from the hot oil. Place them on the paper towel lined platter to drain. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat until all the chips have been fried.
Serve with Fresh Salsa or Guacamole.

DEEP FRIED MUSHROOMS

We love mushrooms! Every once in a while we get a hankering for a batch of crispy deep fried mushrooms. My Honey made these the other night and boy, were they ever good! You just can't go wrong using Drakes coating mix. It is wonderful on chicken, mushrooms, onion rings, etc... The only "problem" is, everyone wants to stand around the kitchen, eating the mushrooms, as soon as they come out of the fryer. It just doesn't work to make these to "go with the meal!" You'd be better off to consider them as an appetizer. haha

DEEP FRIED MUSHROOMS

1 lb. First Choice, fresh, white mushrooms
3/4 c. Drakes coating mix
3/4 c. water
Cooking oil for deep frying

Wash mushrooms and dry thoroughly on towel. Cut stem ends even with bottom of mushroom. Stir coating mix and water together until smooth.

Dip mushrooms in batter and fry in 400 degree oil for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Oil should be deep enough for mushrooms to float freely. Drain on paper towels. We don't dip ours in anything, they are good just like they are.

OVER THE TOP GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Are you tired of the same ol' green bean casserole that's been around for 100 years? If you still love it, then my apologies. But for me, it's gotten a bit blase'. I was SO thrilled when Monica (my daughter in law) walked in with this dish yesterday, for Thanksgiving dinner! I heard she was trying something different. And this was just over the top! You REALLY need to try this one! It's amazing. You'll have a hard time not picking at the croutons though, until dinner is ready!

OVER THE TOP GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

* 3 pounds green beans
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 loaf crusty Italian bread
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
* 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
* 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 pounds mixed mushrooms (such as button, cremini, shiitake), sliced
* 2 shallots, sliced
* 1 cup heavy cream

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add a big pinch of salt and the green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes, the beans should still be crisp, they will be cooked more in the oven. Drain them and set aside. Butter a baking dish large enough to hold the green beans with 1 tablespoon butter and set aside.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Tear the bread into 2-inch pieces, put them into a bowl, and add 1 tablespoon chives, 1 tablespoon thyme, 1 tablespoon rosemary, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Stir well to coat and spread onto a baking sheet. Bake just until the bread just starts to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 10 minutes. Pour in the heavy cream, add the remaining thyme and chives, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the green beans and stir well. Put the green bean mixture into the prepared baking dish, top with the croutons, and sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan. Bake until everything is hot and bubbling, about 20 to 25 minutes.

SWEET POTATO CRUNCH

Here's a favorite Thanksgiving recipe of ours. The first time I had this was at a friends house. I begged her for the recipe, I could not believe it was sweet potatoes! It is just absolutely delicious and gets requested every year for Thanksgiving. The crunchy topping is just to die for!

SWEET POTATO CRUNCH

6 cups mashed sweet potatoes (I use canned)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 stick butter, melted
4 eggs
Cinnamon to taste

Beat all ingredients, except melted butter, until creamy, and with as few lumps as possible. In a 9 x 13 pan, pour melted butter. Place sweet potato mixture in pan on top of butter, do not stir.

TOPPING:

2 cups pecans or walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 stick butter, melted (more as needed)
2/3 cup flour
Dash of salt and cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together until moist and crumbly. Sprinkle topping over potato mixture until evenly covered. Bake at 350 for about 45 min., or until topping is lightly browned.
Let it sit for abotu 10 minutes before serving.
ENJOY!

COMPANY CORN

Looking for a way to jazz up your boring dish of corn? Then you will like this recipe! It has a bit of a zing to it. I made this Sunday for my Guinea pig family! LOL The women liked it, the men folk - not so much. But it's hard to get anything new or different passed the men! They like their food the "usual" way! Me, I get sort of bored with the same ol', same ol'.
I do have to tell you though, that this dish is best when it is warm and fresh. Don't make it and then leave it sit. If you are serving buffet style, it would be best to put a warmer under this. Once it starts to cool off, it's not so good.

COMPANY CORN

2 (10 oz) pkgs frozen corn, cooked according to pkg directions
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup butter, cubed
2 Tblsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried savory
1/2 tsp. white pepper
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp. lemon juice

Cook corn according to pkg directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onions and celery in butter until tender. Stir in the parsley, salt, savory and white pepper.
Drain corn. Add to onion mixture in skillet. Stir in sour cream and lemon juice. serve immediately.

SAVORY SQUASH CRISP

Do you ever make new recipes for dinner guests? I must be a glutton for punishment - I made 2 things today, that I had never eaten or made! This was one of them. A friend had given me a couple of butternut squash from her garden, and I had them sitting in a basket by my stove. I needed to use them, but am still sort of new to the whole squash scene. We're trying to eat more of it, but it's still unfamiliar territory for me. I actually saw this recipe in one of those recipe card holders at the grocery store, by the produce. I saw the word squash, read the recipe, and said, "I have everything I need to make this! I'm making this for Sunday dinner!" It got rave reviews at dinner, by everyone at the table. So yep, it's a keeper!
Very savory and delicious!

SAVORY SQUASH CRISP

1 (2 lb) Butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" cubes
1/4 cup butter, divided
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups seasoned crouton stuffing mix
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400. Bring large pot of water to boiling. Drop in squash cubes. Cook 7 - 8 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well. Spoon squash into 3 qt baking dish. Toss with 1 Tblsp butter, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Set aside.
Meanwhile, melt remaining 3 Tblsp butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, saute for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in bread cubes, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and thyme. Saute 1 to 2 minutes to coat with butter. Stir in pecans. Spoon evenly over squash. Bake 10 - 15 minutes or until bread cubes are lightly browned.

*This can be made the night before. I mixed this up last night. Pulled it from the fridge early this morning (7 am) and then let it sit and come to room temperature during church. When I got home, I tossed it in the oven for about 20 minutes (maybe 30) and it baked up just as nice and fresh as if I had just made it.
*I also drizzled a little melted butter over the top before I put it in the oven.

21 DINNER GUESTS!

Don't wait for ...... to show hospitality to someone! Just keep the meal simple, use what you have and DO IT! You won't be sorry. If you don't have many decorations, just take a walk outside and see all that God has given you to decorate with, in the way of nature! My daughter is always cutting things outside to bring in and stick in a vase.
I remember the days when we were first married. We lived in a tiny little 2 bedroom apt. When we had dinner guests over, I would set up the ironing board, cover it with a sheet and use it as my buffet! haha The food fit perfectly on it, and then we ate in the living room with our plates on our laps. So don't let the lack of space keep you from having friends over. And the meal can be anything you want it to be. From soup and sandwiches, to a fried chicken dinner, to burgers & dogs on the grill, or just dessert and coffee. And your house doesn't have to be the Taj Mahal. Just be thankful for what you have, keep it clean and neat and remember, people don't come to look at your house - they come to visit YOU!

Today we had a blast with our Sunday dinner guests! The whole Maxwell clan (3 families) came over for dinner! I had just rearranged my living room last week to a more user friendly set up for our family. And amazingly, it allowed room for 2 long banquet tables end to end in there! So we all fit perfectly! I didn't make any new dishes. I stuck to good ol' standbys. And don't judge me for the paper plates and plastic cups! They were Chinet - does that count? haha I still used tablecloths and cloth napkins - oh, and real flatware!

The menu:

2 hams (got them on sale for 1.49 / lb)
Party potatoes
Cheesy broccoli
Corn
Hot yeast rolls
Pumpkin gooey butter cake
Hot fudge pudding cake w/ ice cream

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For those that like the Party potatoes - (they go perfect paired with ham by the way) I came up with a MUCH easier way to prepare them! I'm also going to edit that post to include the amounts for "feeding a crowd."

OK Wow - I just looked back through my recipe files and realized that I've never posted the recipe for Party Potatoes! I can't believe that! It's such a great recipe! I'm surprised it wasn't one of my first recipes! I'm going to post it w/out a pic this time and the next time I make them, I'll come back and edit this to include the pic. They really are just delicious - they go especially well with any meat that doesn't have a gravy - such as ham or meatloaf. I'll post the original recipe and then below it, the edited version for "feeding a crowd."

PARTY POTATOES

8 servings of Instant potatoes, prepared according to pkg directions.
1 (8 oz) cream cheese, cut into chunks
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 stick butter
Paprika

In a large saucepan, prepare 8 servings of instant potatoes according to pkg directions. Stir in cream cheese, sour cream and garlic powder. In 2 qt baking dish, melt 1 stick of butter. Pour potato mixture on top of melted butter and then spoon some of the butter from the edge, over the top. Do not stir. Sprinkle with paprika and bake uncovered at 350 for 30 - 45 minutes or until bubbly. Allow to cool for several minutes before serving. Good with BBG meat, meatloaf or ham.

*An easier way to prepare these is to mix the cream cheese chunks and the sour cream into the hot water, milk and butter mixture, BEFORE you add in the instant potato flakes. Once the cream cheese and sour cream are melted and blended in, then add the potato flakes and proceed from there.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

PARTY POTATOES FOR A CROWD

6 1/2 cups water
4 cups milk
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 (8 oz) cream cheese
2 cups sour cream
2 tsp garlic powder
6 1/2 cups instant potato flakes (or more depending on consistency)
Paprika

In large stock pot, heat water, milk and 1 stick of butter until heated through and butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in garlic powder, cream cheese chunks and sour cream. Whip with wire whisk until cream cheese and sour cream are both thoroughly blended in. Slowly add potato flakes and whip with wire whisk until they are the consistency of nice creamy mashed potatoes. If they are too thin, add more potato flakes. If they get too thick, add a bit more milk.
Melt the other stick of butter and pour it into a large dutch oven or roasting pan, pour the potato mixture over the melted stick of butter. Spoon some of the melted butter from the edges, over the top. Sprinkle with paprika and bake at 375 for 30 - 45 minutes or until bubbly.
Serves 20

CREAMY HERBED POTATOES

Another big thank you to the Pioneer Woman for this one. As soon as Leah pointed this recipe out to me, I knew it would make it's appearance on our Sunday dinner table last week! And it didn't disappoint - my family loved it! A dear friend had given us a bunch of buffalo meat and I made a roast and then these potatoes to go with it. I just wanted something different than plain ol' mashed potatoes & gravy. Do you ever feel like that?
I kind of changed up the recipe a bit to make it quicker - a must for this family. Also the original recipe called for rosemary and sage - our family doesn't like either one of those, so I omitted them and added the marjoram. But if you like them, by all means add them. It called for 1 tsp of finely chopped rosemary and 1/2 tsp of finely chopped sage - all fresh herbs, mind you.

CREAMY HERBED POTATOES

4 to 5 russet potatoes, cut small, and boiled until fork tender, but not mushy.
1 stick (1/4 pound) butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
8 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk (half & half works, too)
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped chives
1 teaspoon dried marjoram

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add butter to a large skillet over medium low heat, When melted, add diced onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add cream cheese to the pan and stir to melt.
Pour in cream and milk, stirring to combine.
Season with plenty of salt and pepper, then add chopped herbs.
Place potatoes in a buttered baking dish. Pour contents of skillet over the top.
Top with Parmesan cheese and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bubbly, and top is golden brown. Allow potatoes to sit for 5 or 10 minutes before serving.

I really should have left mine in the oven a bit longer, but we had to have dinner on the table in a hurry, because of a nursing home service that afternoon. So mine didn't turn out as brown as I would have liked them to.

*NOTE* In the original recipe, it called for the potatoes to be sliced thin and layed in a buttered dish, uncooked. Then pour the sauce over and bake for 45 minutes. Just in case you'd rather try that way, I've added this note.

BROCCOLI SOUP

OK it's time to get serious about some Autumn recipes! Here is a real favorite in our house, once the chilly Autumn weather sets in. This recipe was passed down to me, by another pastor's wife, years ago. There's nothing any more comforting than a hot bowl of homemade soup and a warm from the oven, breadstick or butter dip. Mmm! We are in the midst of our missions conference and I made this for dinner tonight, to serve to our speaker. He prefers to eat dinner after the evening service, so I opted to serve something a bit lighter - soup.
Every time I take this to a soup and sandwich fellowship, I bring back an empty pot. If I don't bring it, people ask me where my broccoli soup is! LOL

BROCCOLI SOUP

1 stick butter
1 med. onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 quart chicken broth
1 quart 1/2 & 1/2
1 bag frozen broccoli florets
1/4 of a loaf of Velveeta, cubed
Thickening agent: cornstarch & water.

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, melt the stick of butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and the minced garlic. Cook just enough to sweat the onions and garlic. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth, 1/2 and 1/2 and bag of frozen broccoli florets. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. When it boils, turn down to simmer until broccoli is tender (20 - 30 minutes). In separate mixing cup combine ½ cup cornstarch w/ ½ cup cold water until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Slowly stir into simmering soup until it is thickened and smooth like chowder.
Add the cubed Velveeta chunks and stir until cheese is melted. Remember, this is not a brothy soup, it has the texture of a good thick chowder. Keep warm until ready to serve.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH TOMATO RAGOUT & GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS

WAIT A MINUTE! You come back here! Before you turn up your nose at this one, let me just tell you, it is DEElicious! If you haven't broadened your horizons yet to include spaghetti squash, you really need to put this on the shopping list this week. Squash is coming into season, and our local supermarket had it dirt cheap yesterday - 2 for $1! 1 decent size spaghetti squash will feed 4 people. As I was eating this tonight, I actually forgot it wasn't pasta under the tomato ragout! I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this dish and will definitely be making it again and again. Very "figure friendly" too. I'm not sure what the WW points on this would be, but it can't be very high. If someone wants to figure it out and let me know, I'll gladly edit this post to add them.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH TOMATO RAGOUT & GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS

2 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Bottled Italian dressing

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
Olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, chopped (I used canned and it was perfectly fine)
2 Tblsp chopped fresh basil (I used dried, but just a tad less)
Fresh spinach leaves (optional)

To begin. Take each chicken breast and insert them individually into a ziploc baggie (1 breast for each baggie). Squeeze out excess air and seal it shut. Take your metal meat mallet and pound each chicken breast to about 1/2" thick. Open bag and pour in about 1/4 cup of Italian dressing. Seal it back up and put it in the fridge to marinate for about an hour.

Now let's work on that squash. It has a tough outer skin, so use a very sharp, sturdy knife to cut it lengthwise. I usually jab the knife in and then rock it back and forth until it is mostly cut in half. The stem area can sometimes be a stickler, but I cut the whole thing around and then just break it the rest of the way by the stem end. Spray your baking pan with cooking spray. Lay the squash in the pan, cut side down. Pour in just a little water, maybe 1/2 cup. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until a sharp knife can be inserted through the skin with only a little resistance. Remove squash from the oven and set aside to cool just enough to be easy to handle. (I didn't wait for it to cool. I flipped it over, stuck a meat fork in one end to hold it steady and started scraping with my dinner fork. It will shred and look just like spaghetti. Place the shredded squash in a separate bowl and keep warm.

Heat a George Foreman grill. Spray with cooking spray. Remove the chicken from the fridge. Remove chicken breasts from marinade. Grill as many chicken breasts as your foreman grill will handle. Mine is small and I can only do 1 at a time. But for me, each chicken breast only took 5 minutes total. They were sooooo juicy and tasty!

Meanwhile (while you're waiting on the timer to beep for the chicken in the grill), heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and peppers in oil until tender and opaque. Add garlic and saute for 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and the basil and cook until the tomatoes are bubbly. Optional: add fresh spinach leaves and stir until wilted. Top spaghetti squash with tomato ragout and a big pinch of shredded mozzarella.
I was able to make this ragout while the chicken breasts were grilling. This is one QUICK supper! I loved it for that too!

CREAMY VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

This is another result of looking for a different side for a church fellowship. This jumped out at me as different, and I like that about a recipe. It's a real comfort type, side dish. And it went over really well. Will definitely make again.

CREAMY VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

1 pkg (16 oz) frozen california blend (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower)
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 carton (8 oz) spreadable garden vegetable cream cheese
1 cup seasoned croutons

Prepare vegetables according to package directions. Cook until crisp tender. Drain and place in a large bowl. In a separate microwave safe bowl, combine soup and cream cheese. Give it a quick stir and microwave until just warmed through. Pour over cooked veggies in bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to a greased 1 qt baking dish. Sprinkle with croutons. Bake, uncovered at 375 for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

MARRIED POTATOES

I'm always looking for new side dishes to take to church fellowships. This one had a boring name, so I renamed it. Actually I read down through the recipe and thought, well that's nothing more than jazzed up party potatoes! LOL It's party potatoes married to a prominent ingredient - spinach! My little party potatoes grew up and got married! At first, I thought, ewww, but then remembered that I like spinach! LOL These really were VERY good. I love party potatoes, but I honestly don't know if I'll ever make them again without adding the spinach and other extras. And a sure sign to me that they were good, is when I carry home an empty dish. And that was the case this past Sunday after we had a potluck dinner for our church anniversary. These would go really good with any meat that doesn't have a gravy. Like ham, or BBQ chicken, things like that.
And if you are dieting, you could lighten it up by using the light versions of cream cheese, sour cream and cheddar.

MARRIED POTATOES

3 lbs Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 Tblsp butter
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion salt
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Place potatoes and garlic in large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 - 25 minutes or until very tender. Drain well. In a mixing bowl, mash potatoes and garlic with cream cheese and butter. Add sour cream and 1 cup shredded cheddar, garlic salt, onion salt and spinach. Stir just until mixed. Spread into a greased 2 qt baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 - 35 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.
Yield: 10 - 12 servings

FEIJAO - Brazilian black beans and rice

This is Feijao (Fay-jown). My sister-in-law, Althea (Hubby's younger sister) and her family are missionaries to Brazil. They have been there for 12 years now. When they were home on their last furlough, they stayed with us. We have lots of extra room and enjoyed the fellowship with them during their time home in the states. Althea loves to cook too, and would often cook up a big ol' batch of Feijao for us all. We loved it so much that I learned how to make it. So every time we get the hankering for some Brazilian food and get to missing Althea, we cook this up and think of her!

In America, we eat meat and potatoes. In Brazil they eat Feijao. It's a staple on their dinner table. The slaves in the colonial Brazil created the "Feijao" (Fay-jown). They started cooking the pork meats that Farmland owners discarded such as ear, tails, feet in a big pot with black beans. This dish became traditional all over the country. Since then, the dish was incremented with pork sirloin and sausages that transformed the menu in a famous entrée that everybody who visits Brazil have to taste. This is an easy-to-do version of Feijao made only with bacon and sausages. This recipe is for busy people that don't want to handle the salted pork ears, tails and feet found in the complete Feijoada.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb of varied pork sausages (prefer smoked sausages)
1 lb bacon, chopped in bite size pieces (I used scissors to cut it up)
2 cans of black beans (15.5Oz)
1 can refried black beans (15 oz)
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
2 or 3 bay leaves (bay leaves give a special taste to feijao)

PREPARE:

In a dutch oven, fry chopped bacon with salt, onion and garlic.
Add all the sausages and stir over medium-heat until heated through.
Feijao is made with black beans and pork meats. You can use a can of beans already cooked or google how to cook dried beans. Add black beans & refried black beans to the meat in the dutch oven, and add in the bay leaves.
Cook for about 15 minutes on med heat until hot and bubbly, stirring often to keep from sticking.
Simmer on low until ready to serve. If it gets to thick, just thin it a bit with hot water.

Hint: If you do not have a can of refried black beans, to make the feijao creamy, you can liquefy 1/2 cup of black beans in the blender and add to the feijao.

SERVING SIZE: 6 portions.

OVEN FRIED POTATOES

Do you own any Pampered Chef stones? I have several, and let me tell you, they make the best oven fried foods! Even these simple oven fried potatoes, that we made tonight, turned out so delicious. I guess you could call them "roasted" potatoes too. I'll roast just about any veggie I can get my hands on. We LOVE them prepared that way more than any other. I fixed my Steak and Onion Hoagies tonight for dinner and these potatoes went really well with them.

OVEN FRIED POTATOES

4 small potatoes, sliced relatively thin
olive oil or butter (your choice)
1 clove garlic, minced
Sea Salt or Kosher salt
McCormick Grinders - Italian herb seasoning
Parmesan cheese

Slice potatoes and lay them on your Pampered chef stone. Drizzle either lightly with olive oil or if you prefer butter, dot here and there with butter pats. Sprinkle with minced garlic, Sea salt, McCormick's grinder Italian herb seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes, or until fork tender and lightly browned.

*NOTE* Do you own and use any Pampered Chef stones? If so, which ones do you own, and what do you use them for the most?

I have the cookie sheet, the 9 x 13 baking pan, the pizza stone, the deep dish pie baker and a large round bowl.
I use the cookie sheet the most for baking and roasting food items. The baking pan I use for cakes and roasting chicken or other cuts of meat. The pizza pan gets used for any type of bread item, roll or cookies.

OVEN FRIED EGGPLANT

Before tonight, I had only tried eggplant once. It was an eggplant parmesan dish. It was OK, but I don't think it really gave me a taste of the main ingredient, eggplant. I have been trying to incorporate new foods, especially veggies, into our diet. There are SO many out there that we don't use. I found this recipe for oven fried eggplant and thought it sounded pretty tasty, so tried it out on my family tonight. It was really good and very savory. You can really taste the Parmesan, so if you are kind of so-so with Parm, you may want to only put half the amount called for. We had ours with grilled chicken, but it really would be outstanding alongside a pasta dish with tomato sauce. This recipe originally appeared in "Cooking Light" magazine. This is a non-tradational way to prepare eggplant, but it really cuts the fat and calories (Cal: 122. Fat: 3.9 g). I'll definitely be making this one again.


OVEN FRIED EGGPLANT

Yeild: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 1 lb unpeeled eggplant, sliced (about 12 1/2 inch slices)
• 1/3 cup fine dry breadcrumb
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• vegetable oil cooking spray

Directions

1. Combine first 2 ingredients, stir well.

2. Spread evenly over both sides of eggplant slices.

3. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, and Italian seasoning in a shallow bowl; dredge eggplant in breadcrumbs mixture.

4. Place eggplant on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

5. Bake@ 425 degrees for 12 minutes.

6. Turn eggplant over; and bake an additional 12 minutes or until golden.

REAL BAKED POTATOES

Do you wrap your "baked" potatoes in foil to 'bake' them? If so, you need to realize that you are really steaming them, not baking them. If you have ever had a crispy, slightly salty skin on a real baked potato, you'll probably never wrap your potatoes in foil again. These are so good, but so very simple.

BAKED POTATOES

4 small russet potatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoons kosher or sea salt, plus for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pierce potatoes a few time to allow steam to escape. Toss the potatoes in a bowl with the oil, salt, and pepper until completely coated. Place on a baking sheet and bake until fork tender, about 45 minutes. Split open and garnish with butter, sour cream and chives, if desired. You can also top them with cheese and chopped, cooked bacon.