Oven Fried Chicken Chimichangas

I found this recipe on Food.com.  I thought it looked good, but was concerned with how heavy it might be.  These were delicious and really not heavy at all.  Port even commented that these might be his new favorite.

2/3 cup picante sauce or 2/3 cup your favorite salsa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, chopped with some tops (about 1/4 cup)
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas (I used whole wheat)
Cooking spray
shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
chopped green onion, for serving
picante sauce, for serving

Mix chicken, picante sauce or salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese and onions. Place about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Fold opposite sides over filling.  Roll up from bottom and place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Spray a light coating of canola cooking spray over the top if you want. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes or until golden.  Garnish with additional cheese and green onion and serve salsa on the side.

Simple Orange Chicken with Broccoli

Delicious and a definitely will repeat are good descriptions of this dish. Port told me I could make this again if I wanted. He has tell me things like that because we don't repeat too many recipes unless they are really great (meaning they have great flavor, easy to cook, and pretty healthy!).

From My Kitchen Cafe

*Serves 4
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips
Salt and peper
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1-2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Saute until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. In the same skillet, combine the broccoli florets and the water, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cover the skillet and cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and stir in the broth, orange juice, soy sauce, sugar and orange zest. Add the dissolved cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce boils and thickens slightly. Serve over hot, cooked brown or white rice.

Pollo Grande Quesadillas

For Mother's Day I got this fantastic cookbook called, "The Worldwide Ward Cookbook". It is full of some great recipes that are really family friendly. This recipe is in the book. The recipe seemed pretty ordinary, but turned out surprisingly extraordinary. These quesadillas are definitley on our family favorites list. It was difficult to tear myself away from these. They also didn't last long enough to take a picture!

Quesadillas:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 large sweet onion, coarsely diced
5-10 T. oil, divided
Fajita seasoning to taste
2 bell peppers (any color), very coarsely chopped
8 0z. mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Jalapeno Cheese Sauce: (I doubled this portion of the recipe)

4 oz. Neufchatel cheese
1/4 c. fat-free sour cream
1/2 tsp. garlic (I used garlic powder)
1/4 C. milk
2-5 T. pickled jalapeno peppers, seeds removed

For assembly:

10-12 tortillas (I used whole wheat tortillas)
12 oz. cheese (Monterey Jack or cheddar), shredded

In a pan, fry chicken and onions in 1-2 T. oil and fajita seasoning to taste until chicken is cooked and onions are tender. In a separate in 1-2 T. oil unitl crisp-tender, adding the mushrooms to the peppers during the last 4-5 minutes of frying, if desired. In a blender, puree all Jalapeno Cheese Sauce ingredients. To assemble, layer one half of each tortilla with chicken mixture, peppers and mushrooms, 2 T. shredded cheese, and 1-2 T. Jalapeno Cheese Sauce. Fold over the other half of the tortilla, enclosing all of the filling. On a griddle or pan lightly brushed with the remaining oil, fry the quesadilla until the tortilla is light brown and the cheese inside has melted. Makes 10-12 servings.

**I didn't brush the tortillas with thet oil and I used my electric grill to cook the quesadillas.

Coconut-Macadamia Triangles

Picture and Recipe from Kitchen Cafe

These are a new favorite at our house. Port's all time favorite cookie is white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, mostly because of the macadamia nuts. These bars were a huge hit because they had all the best things in them...aka..macadamia nuts! Port didn't really want to share with any of us. Luckily it is the holidays and there are plenty of treats to go around.

*Makes 24 triangle bars


*1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
¾ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
½ cup shredded coconut
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted



Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil letting the edges hang over the pan slightly and lightly grease.Combine 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Whisk together to combine. Scatter butter pieces over the flour mixture and using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the butter until small crumbs form. (Alternately, you can use a food processor to do this.) Turn the flour butter mixture out into the prepared pan. Press the mixture into the pan in an even, solid layer.Bake until the edges are golden, about 10 minutes.Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoon flour, ¾ cup brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, egg and ¼ teaspoon salt. Beat with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended. Stir in the nuts and coconut until blended.Spread the coconut topping over the warm baked bottom crust. Return to the oven and bake until the topping is lightly browned and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan (this is important so the caramel layer doesn't fall apart upon cutting). Cut into twelve 3 by 2 ¼-inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half on the diagonal to make triangles. Dip one corner of each triangle in the melted chocolate and let cool on a sheet of waxed paper.

***I would probably not do the chocolate again. Port requested another batch with no chocolate. He really liked just the caramel and nuts.

Pepperoni Pinwheels

Pepperoni Pinwheels
Adapted from Put a Lyd On It

These are really fun to eat and make. They are the perfect party food and a fun twist on pizza. We made them for Halloween and the kids couldn't get enough of them. We dip them in pizza sauce or Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing. I really think you could do any version of pizza in these pinwheels.

1 tube (13.8 oz.) refridgerated pizza crust (I made my own dough, "Mom's Pizza Dough")
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded mozzerella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped pepperoni
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce, warmed, optional

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 16-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Sprinkle iwth cheeses and pepperoni.Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with the long side. Cut into 2 inch slices. Place cut side down in a greased 15x10 inch baking sheet. Lightly press down to flatten. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with spaghetti sauce if desired.

Mini Ham and Cheese Rolls

I have seen this recipe floating around cooking blogs for awhile and I finally decided to try it. I thought it would be just another hot sandwich. It was so good! I got the picture and recipe from "Cooking Mamas". This is now a family favorite. I definitely recommend trying it. It is super simple and easy.

2 T. dried minced onions ( I used fresh)

1 T. prepared mustard (I used Dijon)

1 T. poppy seeds

1 stick melted butter

1 dozen dinner rolls or 2 dozen party rolls (I made my rolls)

1/2 pound ham

1/2 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 325°. In a small mixing bowl mix onion, mustard, poppy seeds, and melted butter. Leaving the dinner rolls intact, slice them open so that you have one solid top and bottom. Place the bottom half on a baking sheet or in a 9x13 inch baking pan, the pan size will depend on choice of rolls. Line the bottom half of the rolls with cheese slices and ham. Return the top part of the rolls and drizzle the butter mixture evenly over top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Now use a sharp knife and separate the little sandwiches. Place on a pretty platter and serve immediately.

Chicken Chow Mein/ Hawaiian Haystacks

This is my go to meal when I don't know what to make. It is generally pretty quick and a favorite at our house.

2 or 3 Boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
2 cans of chicken broth
1 T. Montreal Steak seasoning
Dash of red pepper flakes
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of lemon pepper seasoning
Dash of salt and pepper
Shredded cheese
Mandarin oranges
Tomatoes
Green peppers
Chow mein noodles

Melt butter in saucepan and add flour. Cook together for about 1-2 minutes or until it smells slightly nutty. Add one can of broth and stir until it thickens. Once thick add remaining broth until desired consistency. We like a runnier gravy so we add both cans. Bring gravy to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add seasonings. Add chicken. Serve over rice with other ingredients on top. Enjoy!

Chicken Poppyseed Salad

From Kitchen Cafe

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

Spinach leaves ( I just bought bag salad mixes because they were on sale, they tasted great!)
Romaine leaves
Grilled chicken, sliced (grill with lots of lemon pepper seasoning)
Red onion, sliced thinly
Crispy bacon, crumbled
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Toasted almonds (or you can sugar the almonds. Put sliced almonds in a pan with lots of granulated sugar (about equal amounts). Cook on medium heat until sugar melts, coating the almonds as they brown.)

The best part... The Dressing:
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry mustard
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tb Maui or Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cups canola oil
3 Tb poppy seeds

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a blender, then slowly add the oil, blending until thick. Stir in poppy seeds. Toss all ingredients together with generous amount of dressing before serving.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

From a Bountiful Kitchen

1 egg, beaten
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup shortening
2 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
Chocolate frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla
for cookies:
Beat egg and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla, shortening and melted chocolate. Blend well. Combine all dry ingredients into small bowl. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to chocolate mixture. If using, add nuts. Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. When the cookies are almost done cooking, remove from oven and place 1/2 of a large marshmallow on top of each cookie. Return to oven for about 1 minute or just until marshmallow puffs. Remove from oven, flatten marshmallow with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. Cool completely. Frost with chocolate frosting.
for frosting:
Beat softened butter in bowl. Add vanilla. Slowly beat in cocoa, powdered sugar, milk or half and half. If needed, add more milk, a little at a time.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies

We just went to a party and someone brought cream-cheese brownies that were delicious. The lady that made them said they were from a box. I found this recipe and decided to try it. I think it was way better than the box mix.

From Taste of Home

TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 35 min.

Ingredients:
1 package (4 ounces) German sweet chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup chopped nuts
FILLING:
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup Sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Cool. In a small bowl, beat eggs. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and pale yellow. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture. Stir in melted chocolate, extracts and nuts. Pour half of the batter into a greased 8-in. square baking dish; set aside. For filling, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, flour and vanilla; mix well. Pour over batter in pan. Spoon remaining batter over filling. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl the chocolate. Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: about 2 dozen.

Chocolate Chip Cookies~

I love chocolate chip cookies and for a long time used the Nestle Tollhouse recipe until I found this one from Cherry Hill Cottage. It is awesome.

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside. Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Tortellini Salad

I was messing around one day trying to come up with a new salad and this was the result. It has been a hit at most parties we take it to.

3 bags of frozen tri-colored tortellini
1 bottle Newman's Own Caesar dressing
1 bag baby spinach
1 tomato (add more if you like tomatoes)
1 red onion or 2 bunches of green onions
1/2 C. parmesan cheese
croutons

Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Rinse with cold water. When tortellini is cool, add to the bowl the dressing, tomato, onion and parmesan. Mix well. Just before serving add the spinach and croutons. Enjoy!

Banana Berry Bran Muffins

From Amy K.

These are mine and my kids favorite muffins. A friend gave us these muffins and recipe as we were leaving Washington to move to Idaho. They were a great comfort food as we drove. This recipe usually makes about 15 muffins and very rarely to we make it to the end of the day with muffins left over. I haven't had the heart to tell my kids the muffins are somewhat healthy for them.

1 egg
3/4 C. packed light brown sugar
1 1/3 C. mashed ripe bananas (3-4 bananas)
1/3 C. Veg. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C. flour
3/4 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. oat bran
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
Frozen berries

Mix ingredients, adding in the bananas last and stir just until moistened. Place one spoonful of batter into each greased muffin tin. Sprinkle with 4-5 berries (I usually mix the berries in the batter). Spoon batter on top of berries. Continue layering batter and berries until muffin tin is filled. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Top of muffins should be browning and should spring back when touched with finger.