Mixed Vegetable Quiche with Cheddar and Parmesan

From Robin Miller, All rights reserved
Serves:
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup cooked stir-fried vegetables
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Cheddar
1/4 cup low fat milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Press pie crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch, removable-bottom tart pan (or 9-inch pie pan). Set aside. In a large bowl, combine spinach, stir-fried vegetables and place on top of uncooked crust. In another bowl combine ricotta, cheddar, milk, eggs, Dijon, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix well. Spoon cheese mixture on top of vegetable mixture in prepared pie crust and top with Parmesan. Bake 20 minutes (it took mine about 40 minutes), until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean and crust is golden brown.

**I am adding ground sausage and using 150% of the cheese mixture to make sure I can still taste the egg part of the quiche

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.

Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce

From Sisters' Cafe

1 lb chicken breasts
1 green onion, cut into several pieces
1 piece of ginger, cut into several pieces
1 Tb cooking sherry
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
a little water

Cook above ingredients together in shallow pan, covered, over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Allow chicken to cool slightly, cut into strips. Make sauce while chicken is cooking.

Spicy Peanut Sauce:
1 Tb peanut butter
2 1/2 Tb canola oil
3 1/2 Tb soy sauce
2 T sugar
2 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tb green onion, minced
2 Tb cilantro, chopped

Whisk sauce ingredients together without cooking. Serve over chicken and steamed Jasmine rice.

Rumbi Island Easy Mango Chicken and Rice

From Sister's Cafe

4-5 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups mango salsa
Cumin to taste
Lemon Pepper to taste

Put chicken breasts in crock pot. Add spices. Cover and cook chicken until tender. Shred chicken on a plate and return to crock pot. Save juices in separate bowl. Add corn, beans and salsa. More salsa can be added to taste. If mixture seems dry, add some of reserved juices.
Serve over coconut jasmine rice for that Rumbi Island Grill taste. Garnish with cilantro or parsely, if desired.
*You could use regular salsa for a Mexican taste and serve over regular rice or tortilla chips.

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

1 1/2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast meat-cubed
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. dried oregano
10 (6") flour tortillas
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup shredded lettuce
1/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup sour cream

1. Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat for about until almost cooked. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onions, garlic and oregano. Simmer for a couple more minutes until most of the sauce has been absorbed.
2. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and warm each side of tortillas. (Or just warm them up for about 45 seconds in the microwave.) Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, salsa and sour cream.

Crockpot Chicken & Rice

1 block cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup milk
1 pkg dried Italian dressing
3-4 chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Can use over rice or noodles, but I prefer it over rice.Cook rice separately

Garlic Chicken Pasta with Spinach

From Kitchen Cafe

6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (this doesn't add spiciness - just the right amount of flavor)
6 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound penne pasta
1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
6 tablespoons juice from 2 lemons
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, combine garlic, pepper flakes and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 1 minute.Pat chicken dry with paper towels and cut into bite-size pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the garlic/red pepper oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat until oil is rippling. Add chicken and cook until well browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to boiling water and cook until tender but still slightly firm (al dente). Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and return to the pot. Stir in chicken, spinach, basil, lemon juice, Parmesan, and remaining garlic mixture, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

BBQ Chicken Quesadilla w/Tropical Salsa

Quesadilla:
1 breast chicken
1/2 red onion
cheddar cheese
1 can of black beans
BBQ sauce
wheat tortillas
Cut chicken breast into small pieces. Dice red onion. Place chicken and onion in small skillet over medium heat. Heat until chicken is cooked through and onions are translucent. Stir in 2 Tbls. BBQ sauce. Put small amount of butter in large skillet over medium heat. Place one tortilla in pan. Top with cheese, chicken and onions, couple scoops of black beans, BBQ sauce and a little more cheese. Place second tortilla on top. Heat until cheese begins to melt then flip. Heat other side until cheese is completely melted.

Tropical Salsa

2 mangos
1/2 fresh pineapple
1/4 red onion
1/2 red, sweet bell pepper
cilantrolime

Dice mangos, pineapple, onion and bell pepper. Put in bowl. Chop up some cilantro. Add to salsa. Cut lime and squeeze juices over top. Stir and serve.

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!

Chile Cheese Rice Burrito

6 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Non-stick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green onions
1 cup cooked rice
3/4 cup shredded fat-free pepper jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1 tomato, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons salsa

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Warm tortillas in oven.
While tortillas are warming, heat a non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add zucchini, chiles, and green onions and sauté for 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in the rice, cheese, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. Fill warmed tortillas with rice mixture. Top with lettuce and tomato. Roll up the burrito and serve with salsa.

Warm Chicken Caesar Wraps

8 boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
1 cup water
1 cup white rice, instant and uncooked
3/4 cup Caesar salad dressing, nonfat
8 flour tortillas, 10-in., warmed
2 cups lettuce, shredded
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup croutons, small and seasoned; (optional)

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium-high. Add chicken; cook 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned and done (internal temp 170°F). Add water and bring to boil. Stir in rice. Cover and remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in salad dressing.Serving Suggestion: Fill each tortilla with chicken and rice mixture, lettuce, tomatoes and croutons. Fold in sides of tortilla and then roll up. Serve with black beans.

**I usually carmelize onions and add it to this wrap. It is great.

Orange Zested Chicken

From Body For Life

2 chicken breasts
1 T. whole grain mustard
1 tsp. honey
1 orange, zested
¼ tsp. fresh ginger, grated (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Marinate chicken in honey, ginger, orange zest, and mustard for at least one hour and refrigerate. Roast or broil chicken and serve.

Chicken Cream Cheese Soup

From Sister's Cafe

1 lb chicken (breasts or combination)
1 onion, diced
1-2 Tb butter
2 handfuls baby carrots (about 2 cups sliced small)
4-5 potatoes, diced small
1 c milk
1/4 c flour
8 oz package cream cheese

1. Put chicken in pot and cover with water; boil until cooked. Take chicken out of water but keep the broth. When chicken is cool, shred.
2. Saute onion in butter. Put onion in pot and add carrots and potatoes. Add 3-4 cups of broth or enough to cover vegetables. Add bouillon cubes or soup base for flavor (I add 4 bouillon cubes). Bring to a boil and simmer until veggies are tender.
3. Mix flour with milk and add to soup. Soften cream cheese in microwave then add to soup in little pieces and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Layered Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

From Sisters Cafe

2 cups diced chicken breast meat
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
2 Tb chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chili peppers, drained
1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce – MILD
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 (8 oz) container low fat sour cream

Preheat the oven to 375°. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and spray with vegetable cooking spray. Sauté chicken with cumin and coriander until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and green chili peppers.
Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11x7 inch baking dish. Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream.
Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas.
Cover dish with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
Remove the cover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with sour cream. Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.