Creamy Chicken Fettuccine

Taken from 365 Days of Slow Cooking--Copyright 2012 Covenant Communications, INC.
 by Karen Bellessa Petersen


2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder
1/8 t. pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
4 oz. velveeta cheese, cubed
16 oz. spinach fettuccine

Place chicekne in a slow cooker; sprinkle with powders and pepper.  Top with soups.

Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours
Stir in cheese.

Cover and cook until cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, cook fettuccine according to package directions; drain serve with chicken and sauce.

Skinny Chicken Parmesan

Serves 4 (one chicken breast each)  225 calories

2 8oz. chicken breast, sliced in half (horizontally, or butterflied but cut all the way through)

3/4 c. seasoned breadcrumbs

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. Italian Seasonings

1/4 c. grated Paramesan cheese (or the stuff in the green bottle)

1 1/2 T. butter, melted

3/4 c. reduced fat mozzarella cheese

1 c. marinara

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450.  Line baking sheet with foil and spray with cookin spray. 

Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and Italian seasonings in a bowl.  Melt the butter and lightly brush the chicken, then dip into crumb mixture.  Place on baking sheet.

Lightly spray a little more cooking spray (this makes it nice and crispy) and bake in oven for 20 minutes.  Remove chicken from oven and turn over.  Spoon sauce over chicken and top with mozzarella cheese and bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Oreo Truffles

 

I have a little thing for Oreos.  Fine.  A HUGE thing for Oreos.  I can’t get enough of them, be it smashed up, coated in chocolate, or even without the center cream (because when my kids eat them, they lick out the cream and leave the cookie part)—I’ll eat them (they’re less calories without the cream ).

 

1 pkg. Oreos—Crushed

1 8oz. cream cheese

1 pkg. white almond bark

1 pkg. chocolate almond bark

 

Mix oreos and cream cheese together.  Roll into balls.  Chill for an hour.  Dip the balls into 3/4 melted white almond bark.  Allow to cool.  Drizzle melted chocolate almond onto white balls.  (If you’re feeling super motivated, you can alternate, and have chocolate balls with white drizzle too!)

Café Rio Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

(I am not sure where this recipe came from.  It was on a loose piece of paper stuffed tucked nicely into one of my recipe books.  My only guess is that it magically appeared there because I was meant to have it.  I know we shouldn’t drink salad dressing, but after tasting this, who can refuse? )

Puree (in a blender):
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 c. (or less) fresh chopped cilantro

Add the following to the puree:
3 fresh tomatillos—peeled and cut into quarters (p.s. tomatillos can be found in the fresh produce section, they kind of look like leaf wrapped green tomatoes. What? I never knew there were such a thing.)
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sour cream
1 8oz. Cream cheese
1 pkg. dry Ranch Buttermilk Dressing Mix
6 stalks green onions with ends
2 cloves crushed garlic
4 t. sugar
5 cross section slices of a jalapeno pepper

Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Tastes great on burritos, salad (with a little grilled chicken strips on top…yum!), or heck, go ahead, drink it.  It’s that good.

Sugar Cookie Bars

 

http://www.crunchyrock.com/2011/01/sugar-cookie-bars.html

 

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
1. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
4. Add the vanilla to the creamed mixture and then slowly add the dry ingredients.
5. Press into a greased 13 x 18 inch pan and bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes.
6. Cool and frost (see directions below).

Frosting Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons of milk
food coloring (optional)
sprinkles (optional)

Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, beat the shortening and butter until creamy.
2. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar.
3. Gradually add the 5 tablespoons of milk until you reach your desired constancy.
4. For the sprinkles, I found that they rolled all over the place.  To help this, place a sheet of plastic wrap over the frosted sugar cookies and gently press the sprinkles into the frosting.
5. Chill and cut.

 

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

 

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/09/crispy-southwest-chicken-wraps.html

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (optional)
6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS:
Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: on some of the wraps, I dotted the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center – it made the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.
Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.
 

Chili’s Copycat Salsa Recipe

(Recipe from Deals to Meals)
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) whole tomatoes—drained
1 can (4 oz.) diced or whole jalapenos

1/4 c. yellow onion (cut into quarters)
1 t. garlic salt
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. sugar
1 t. lime juice
Place all the ingredients together into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.  Serve with tortilla chips.