Chicken Pepper Dish

Mom Comment: This is an original (I had no ideas and just started adding to a pan.)

Ingredients:

• Chicken Sausage (Like the big brats) (or whatever – you could use sausage too)
• Onion – sliced
• Peppers – whatever kind you like – I prefer Red and Green
• Balsamic Vinegar (I used 2 tablespoons to start and added a tad based on taste)
• ½ Cup chicken broth
• Add Seasoning to your taste (21 season salute from Trader Joe’s is Yum) Italian seasoning is also yum.

Directions

Simmer all in a pan on med – medium low heat until veggies are to your liking – about 20-25 mins.

Serve over couscous or rice.

Source: Makaela M. 

Submitted by: Makaela M. 

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Mom Comment: My family loves saucy things, so I was worried that this didn't look like it had much sauce. Don't add too much b/c the flavors are amazing at the dose she suggests.

The Pioneer Woman

Serves 8

• 1-1/4 pound Ground Chuck
• 1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce - (you might want to use a tad-bit more)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 1-1/4 cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
• 1/2 cup Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste)
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients. 

Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside. 

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir. 

To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.

Source: The Pioneer Woman 

Submitted by: Amanda T.

Pizza Mac

Mom Comment: My daycare provider growing up made this for the kids and I literally still love it.  The Presti's seasoning can be a bit spicy, so you may want to stick with a mild type.

Ingredients 

• 12 oz package of macaroni
• 1 lb velvetta (1/2 of regular package)
• 2 cans of mushrooms drained
• 1 lb sausage (or ½ sausage, ½ hamburger)
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tablespoons of Presti’s seasoning (if you don’t see presti’s, just get a pizza/Italian seasoning, but make sure it is pizza seasoning)
• 2 cups longhorn cheese (grated)
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese (grated)

Directions

Cook & drain macaroni.  Brown sausage.  In large bowl mix, sausage, macaroni, velvetta, milk, presti’s seasoning and mushrooms.  Put in a casserole dish (either two, 2 qt dishes or one 9x13 pan) and top with the longhorn and mozzarella cheese.  Put in the oven until cheese is melted (usually 20 minutes) at 350 degrees (I usually cover mine with a lid or with tin foil).

Source: Mystery
Submitted by: Amanda T.

Baked Ziti

Mom Comment: My recipe for this month is from a friend of mine who was a Home Economics teacher for years.  This is delicious and I usually eat half and freeze half.  Or it’s a good recipe to make when you’re taking meals to family or friends.

Ingredients 

• 1 lb. ziti pasta (1 lb. is a 16 oz. package of noodles)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 – 26 oz. jars spaghetti sauce (I use two Prego jars.)
• 6 oz. provolone cheese slices (eyeball this, usually about 8 slices)
• 1 ½ c. sour cream
• 6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 oz. grated parmesan cheese (I use the shredded fresh parmesan instead of dried, canned parm)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook ziti for 8 minutes and drain.  In a skillet, brown onion and ground beef.  Drain.  Add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.

If eating all at once, spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Layer as follows:

•       ½ ziti, provolone cheese slices, sour cream, ½ sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese, remaining sauce mixture and finally parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. The 9x13 version feeds about 8 people.

If separating into two casseroles, this works in 8x8 or 9x9 pans.  Layer as above in both pans.  If you freeze or give the casserole as a gift, don’t bake until you’re ready to eat it.  Splitting it feeds about 4 people per pan.

Source: Teacher Friend
Submitted by: Amy C.

Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Mom Comment:  You have to know I have a love affair with cheese. Any cheese, really. I’m an equal opportunity cheese eater. So, it should come as no surprise that my first submission is all about cheese. In fact, most of my submissions will likely have cheese in them. Hope that’s okay. There is nothing healthy about this recipe except for the wheat bread, and any health benefit is pretty well cancelled out by the butter and cheese.

Yield: Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 8 slices of  wheat bread (something like Oroweat)
• butter
• 4 slices of Jarlsberg
• 4 slices of a double-cream Gouda
• 4 slices of Gruyere
• 1 or 2 ripe, Summer tomatoes (optional)

Greek Salad in a Whole-Grain Sandwich

Mom Comment: I eat anything with Feta.

Source: Diane Kochilas

Yield: Makes 8 sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups seeded and finely diced cucumber
• 1-1/4 cups seeded and finely diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta
• 4 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 4 – 8 pepperocini, seeded and chopped or sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin Greek olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Greek red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 medium (6- to 7-inch) whole-wheat or regular pitas, warmed, or 4 large bread rolls or other sandwich breads
• 4 cups lightly packed fresh baby spinach leaves or arugula
• 8 tablespoons Kalamata or green olive tapenade

Easy Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas

Mom Comment: I saw this on a can of Campbell’s soup and thought I’d give it a try.  It was super simple and the results from my boys:  “Mom this is the best meal you’ve ever made”…I’ve been making ever since. 

Source: Campbell's Kitchen

Yield: Serves 6, 1 enchilada 

Ingredients:

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 flour tortillas (6-inch), warmed
1 small tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 green onion, sliced (about 2 tablespoons)

Baked Artichoke Chicken

Mom Comment: This is not a quick recipe, takes about an hour, but it is delicious!

from Stacey Snacks

Makes 4-6 servings.

• 4 lbs. chicken legs and thighs, w/ skin (I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
• 1 cup artichoke hearts, halved (canned is fine)
• 1 medium onion, cut into pieces same size as the artichokes
• 1 pound white button mushrooms (halved or quartered)
• 2 tablespoons brown mustard
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup red or white wine (I’ve used white wine and I’ve used chicken broth and both tasted the same)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Green Chile Sauce

Mom Comment: I love this chicken and white bean enchilada recipe because it’s a little different, but everyone loves – kid and hubby. It doesn’t take a long time and I know that I am serving something that won’t be an issue with anyone at the table. This recipe is also very easy to modify.

from SkinnyTaste.com

Makes 8 servings. Serving Size: 1 enchilada 

For the Chicken and White Bean Filling: (If you don’t like beans – it still tastes yummy without or I have used Blackbeans)

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced white onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
• 15.5 oz can Navy beans (or Cannellini beans)
• 8 oz cooked shredded chicken breast
• 1/3 can water
• 1 chicken bullion
• 1 tsp cumin

Company's Coming Pot Roast (Slow Cooker)

Mom Comment: This was a new twist on a pot roast.  My family loved it and it was pretty healthy and easy to make.

Makes 8 servings and is ideal in a 4 or 5 quart slow cooker (I used my 6 quart and it was fine.)

3-lb. boneless pot roast (I used a chuck roast.)

2 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp.  prepared mustard

1 Tbsp. chili sauce

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. red cider vinegar (I couldn’t find this so I used red wine vinegar.)

1 tsp. sugar (I used 1 packet of Truvia)

4 potatoes, sliced

2 onions, sliced (I used one large onion)

Broiled Salmon

Home Cook Comment: Very quick, delicious and healthy!

• Skinless salmon filets
• Lemon pepper (I use Trader Joe’s)
• Dijon mustard (I’ve used Grey Poupon or Maille)

Prepare fish with lemon pepper and Dijon on one side.(I’ve found using a small amount of the Lemon Pepper and Dijon on each side of the fish tastes best.) Place filets on baking sheet and place under broiler for about 3-5 mins. Flip fish, place lemon pepper and Dijon on other side. Place back under the broiler for another 3-5 mins until desired doneness.

Serve with fresh lemon if desired. Enjoy!

Submitted by: Amy D.