About Me

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Who am I? Wife. Mother of 2. "Newbie" to fitness. Personal Trainer-in-training. Lover of health. Fitness. Religion. Family. Gluten and refined sugar intolerant. Welcome to my journey. Learn with me.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Spaghetti Florentine

This was definitely unusual - there is no doubt about that. It is completely vegetarian and has a very unique flavor. However! It was tasty, we liked it, and it was easy! So, try it and see what you think! This recipe was from campbellskitchen.com! P.S. If you don't like the flavor of spinach, this is NOT the recipe for you!

SPAGHETTI FLORENTINE

1 can (14 oz.) Swanson® Chicken Broth (1 3/4 cups)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, crushed
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 pkg. (about 10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 medium tomato, diced
4 cups hot cooked spaghetti, cooked without salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

MIX broth, flour, Italian seasoning, garlic and pepper in saucepan. Add spinach. Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat.STIR in yogurt and tomato. Toss with spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese.Serves 6.

*I added salt and extra pepper, lemon juice, and extra garlic powder to my sauce. I like things with FLAVOR!
*NOTE: I enjoyed this recipe the night I made it, but it was 10 times better the next day re-heated for lunch! The parmesan got all melty and the taste of the spinach wasn't nearly as strong.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Sweet & Sour Chicken


Mmmmmm... so good! This is a little more involved to make, but it wasn't too bad. If you have a fantastic husband to help you around the kitchen it goes quite fast. Make sure to prepare ahead of time for the hour it takes to cook! But let me tell you, it was WELL worth it! This recipe is courtesy of http://mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup (or ¼ cup)
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Mom's Quick and Easy Apple Crisp

This is a recipe that I tried with some of my girlfriends because we had a TON of apples sitting around in our house. It was another shot in the dark recipe and I LOVED it! Super quick and easy - especially if you have girlfriends to help you cut up the apples.

MOM'S QUICK AND EASY APPLE CRISP

8 Granny Smith apples, peeled & sliced thin
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1/4 c. oats
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. cinnamon

Cream sugar and butter. Mix in flour, cinnamon and oats. Place apple slices in glass pie dish (8 or 9 inch). Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high (optional). Remove plastic wrap, sprinkle with flour mixture, pat a little. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

*The original recipe doesn't call for you to toss anything with the apples... I thought this was rather curious and so I tossed them with 3 Tbsp. butter creamed with 1/4 cup brown sugar, a dash of nutmeg, a palm full of cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp. of vanilla.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Chicken Casserole

This is a classic dish that I grew up with. So easy to make and very tasty!

CHICKEN CASSEROLE

3-4 chicken breasts
1 c. mayonnaise
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cans green beans
Grated cheese

Cook and cut up chicken. Mix together mayonnaise, soup, and lemon juice. Layer: chicken, beans, sauce, and cheese. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.

*I add a little bit of salt, pepper, and onion powder to my sauce.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Easiest Brownies in the World

These turned out so great and they were SOOOO easy! This recipe is courtesy of http://mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/

EASIEST BROWNIES IN THE WORLD

1 12-ounce bag chocolate chips (use the kind you prefer)
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate chips. Stir constantly and remove from heat when chips are fully melted. In the same pot, blend in the sugar. Then add eggs, blending fully one at a time. Add flour and beat until air bubbles form in the batter. Pour into a greased 9 X 13-inch pan (this recipe works great doubled and poured into a large 11 X 17-inch rimmed baking sheet). Bake for 20 minutes. Turn heat down to 325 degrees and bake for 10 more minutes.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Joan's Easy Southern Peach Cobbler

This recipe was a shot in the dark. Jake brought home some peaches the other night and they looked VERY ripe! AKA: Don't have a whole lot of time before they go bad. I was browsing recipes on the internet to find something I could do with the peaches (and that I had all of the ingredients for already sitting around my house). I came across this recipe on About.com's Southern recipes. The reviews for it were either really great or really bad with nothing in between. SO..... I took a risk and it paid off! Jake loved it and so did I! He had two pieces with lunch and insisted that we have it for dessert at the end of the day. I will definitely be making this again!

JOAN’S EASY SOUTHERN PEACH COBBLER

I used fresh peaches in this recipe, but fresh ripe nectarines or drained canned peaches will work as well. Serve this cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or drizzle with a little cream.

1 stick (4 ounces) butter, melted
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 375°. Pour melted butter into a 2-quart baking dish (11x7 or 8-inch square). In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of the sugar, the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir to blend. Stir in the milk and vanilla until blended. Pour the batter over the melted butter. Toss the peaches with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Arrange the peach slices over the batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. The top will be browned and the cake will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Serve warm with a little heavy cream, whipped topping, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Serves 6.

*This recipe is very finicky about WHERE you cook it in the oven! You have to make sure it is IN THE MIDDLE so that the top or the bottom doesn‘t cook faster!

Tip for skinning peaches: Boil water in a large pan on the stove. Remove from hot burner and place peaches in water. Wait for 2 - 3 minutes and remove peaches. Skin should EASILY peel away from cut peach slices. Be careful not to leave the peaches in the hot water for very long or they will start to cook through and get really soggy and hard to cut.

Chicken Parmesan

I am all about quick recipes that taste really good without having to spend an eternity in the kitchen and using a hundred different dishes that I will need to wash afterwards. I love cooking, but I love simplicity also! This recipe is a great one. Jake and I ate almost the entire thing by ourselves last night!

CHICKEN PARMESAN

1 can (32 oz.) spaghetti sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese
2-3 chicken breasts, cut up
1 cup parmesan cheese

Add all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 2 - 3 hours, or cook in Dutch oven and simmer 2-3 hours. Serve over cooked noodles.

*I only used 26 oz. of spaghetti sauce and sprinkled the cheeses to my liking. (Not exact measurements)

My Spaghetti Sauce Strategy: I start with a VERY basic sauce in a jar. (You can get them for $1.00 at the grocery store). I add a package of spaghetti seasoning, and basically anything that sounds good that day! Usually a little extra salt, garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasoning, and sometimes paprika.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Virgin Strawberry Colada

This was one of our favorite things to make in the late night days of college. This beverage is especially good served with a fresh piece of fruit.

VIRGIN STRAWBERRY COLADA

4 Chilled Glasses
1 c. cream of coconut
1 c. crushed ice
1 c. pineapple juice
12 oz. strawberries fresh or frozen

Blend fresh or frozen strawberries, cream of coconut and pineapple juice. Add crushed ice and blend until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses. Serve with a straw.

Wassail

A classic holiday treat! If anything, make the whole thing - no halving! You may even want to double it. Trust me, you will want to continue to return to the pot and just have to heat it up! My mom QUADRUPLED this recipe and it was gone in 2 days. Yeah, it's that good.

WASSAIL

½ gallon apple cider
1 ½ cups of orange juice, made up
¼ cup honey
½ tsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg

Add all ingredients to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and serve.

Ashley Crapo's 7 Layer Dip

Jake had VERY few requests for his birthday this last year - and this dip was one of them. It is the best 7 layer dip I have had and is even good for the next few days after your parties... assuming there are leftovers, which is doubtful.

ASHLEY CRAPO’S 7 LAYER DIP

Layer 1: 10 oz. Bean dip mixed with 16 oz. Canned refried beans

Layer 2: 1 c. mayo mixed with 1 c. sour cream and 1 pkg. Taco mix

Layer 3: 2 lg. Avocados mixed with ½ tsp. Lemon juice and salt

Layer 4: Cheese

Layer 5: Tomatoes

Layer 6: Olives

Layer 7: Green Onions

Ashley Crapo's Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Okay, so I love Ashley. A ton of my dessert recipes are from her. We always request that she brings different desserts to our get togethers and they are always great! These are some of the best chocolate chip cookies I've had. Self control goes out the window when these are hot on the counter.

ASHLEY CRAPO'S ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 1/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c Crisco
2 T Milk
1 T Vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 c flour
1 t salt
3/4 t baking soda
1 c chocolate chips
1 c nuts (optional)

Cream brown sugar, Crisco, milk and vanilla together. Add the egg. Add dry ingredients until just mixed. Bake at 375 for 8 - 10 minutes.

Ashley Crapo's Oreo Balls

Okay, so these are to die for. Really, I'll be honest. If I didn't exercise self control I would probably devour the entire batch in one sitting. These are a hit ANYWHERE you take them and are absolutely divine. HOWEVER, they are a bit of a pain to make. Very few ingredients, just time consuming to put together. But I promise - get some friends, make them together, and you'll love them!

ASHLEY CRAPO’S OREO BALLS

1 pkg. Oreos
1-8 oz. Cream Cheese
Almond Bark Chocolate

Put all the Oreos in a large Ziplock bag and crush them using a rolling pin or large spoon. Make sure there aren’t any large chunks. Add cream cheese to the bag and mix with your hands until well blended. Roll into small balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in freezer for about 30 min. Dip balls in melted almond bark. Store in the freezer until serving.

Traditional Troff Banana Bread

I LOVE BANANA BREAD!!!! It is one of my favorite things. I would really love to eat it every morning if I had it on hand that often. This is the most fantastic banana bread recipe I have ever tried and you are sure to love it! (FYI: Troff is my maiden name - this is a family recipe!)

TRADITIONAL TROFF BANANA BREAD

RECIPE FOR ONE LOAF
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
3 - 4 medium bananas, mashed
1/3 c. water
1 2/3 c. flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Baking powder

Heat oven to 350. Mix sugar and margarine in bowl. Stir in eggs until blended. Add bananas and water and beat for 30 seconds. Stir in remaining ingredients until just moist. Grease the bottom of the bread pan only (regular sized bread pan). Pour into pan. Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until middle of bread is firm.

*We usually double or triple the recipe.

Hearty Lasagna Soup

You would think that this soup would have a strong tomato base or flavor, but it really doesn't. It has a lighter flavor than you may expect but is still really good.

HEARTY LASAGNA SOUP

From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. dried parsley flakes
3 1/2 cups Beef Broth
1 can (about 14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1 1/2 cups uncooked mafalda or corkscrew-shaped pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the beef, onion, garlic and parsley in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until the beef is well browned, stirring often. Pour off any fat.

Stir the broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning in the saucepan and heat to a boil.

Stir the pasta in the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Stir in the cheese. Serve with additional cheese, if desired.

*I like to use ¼ cup green onions instead of regular yellow or white onions and for the broth I just dissolve 4 beef bouillon cubes in 4 cups water and measure out 3 ½ cups for my soup. (If you boil the water for 5 - 10 minutes it should boil out the extra ½ cup pretty closely.)

German Pancakes

This is a classic recipe I grew up with and love! Super quick and easy and goes well with ANY syrup or jam!

GERMAN PANCAKES

6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
½ tsp. Salt
5 Tbsp. Butter

Melt butter and put in 9x13 pan. Add batter and cook at 450 for 15 minutes.

ALTERNATE GERMAN PANCAKE RECIPE TO LOWER FAT CONTENT

1 Tbsp. Margarine
4 large eggs
2/3 c. milk
2/3 c. flour

Beat eggs with a wire whisk for 1 min. Add milk and beat for 1 minute. Add flour and beat until smooth. Spray a 9x9 glass cake pan and pour melted margarine over the bottom. Pour egg mixture over melted margarine. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Fantastic French Toast from Campbells

Pregnancy has brought a LOT of different cravings and French Toast has been a constant. I am very picky about my French Toast and I was very pleased with this recipe. I would probably make it every morning if it was a bit more healthy for me...

FANTASTIC FRENCH TOAST FROM CAMPBELLS

From: Family Time
Prep: 5 minutes
Serves: 4

2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon or vanilla extract
pinch salt
8 slices day-old homemade style bread or any slightly stale bread

Preheat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat. Lightly beat the eggs in a pie plate or similar shallow dish. Stir in the milk, sugar, cinnamon or vanilla, and salt.

Put about 1 tablespoon of butter or oil on the hot griddle or in the skillet. While it's heating, dip a slice of bread in the egg mixture. Turn it to coat both sides and then transfer it to the griddle. Continue to coat the rest of the bread slices. Add more butter or oil as needed to the pan to prevent sticking. Cook 1 or 2 slices at a time. Cook the bread for 30 seconds to a minute, or so, until lightly browned. Turn and cook until lightly browned on the other side.

Transfer the cooked French toast to a plate and serve hot. Serve with syrup or jam.

To keep the French toast warm, put it in a 200 degree F oven for up to 30 minutes.

*I like to use the cinnamon AND vanilla. Also, the longer you soak the bread in the mix before putting it on the skillet - the softer it will be. (I like mine to be REALLY soft.)

Crepes

This is a basic crepe recipe I got for allrecipes.com. They turned out delicious and we may have had a dozen crepes each before we had to give in to the fact that we were so full!

CREPES FROM ALLRECIPES.COM

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

*These are really great served with a Danish dessert wrapped inside the crepe with whipped cream on top. You can buy the Danish dessert in boxes at the store by the jello. Follow the directions on the back of the box for the Pie Glaze.

Ham & Noodle Casserole

This casserole is kind of like an American Lasagna. It's easy to make and requires very basic ingredients. The only reason we have leftovers when this meal is over is because there are only two of us and we can't eat a whole casserole by ourselves! (Although I think Jake gets close sometimes!)

HAM & NOODLE CASSEROLE

1 can Cream of Mushroom
1 c. sour cream
1 8 oz. pkg. Lasagna noodles (cooked)
2 c. cheese (shredded)
2 c. cubed ham (16 oz.)
½ c. milk

Mix soup, sour cream, and milk. Layer noodles, cheese, ham, sauce, and repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.

*I like to add some onion powder, salt, and pepper to my mix to give it more flavor.

Enchilada Casserole

This is one of Jake's favorites. It requires a little bit more work to put together but the final product is well worth the effort!

ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
4-5 flour tortillas
1 lb. hamburger
Onion powder to taste
1 can enchilada sauce (I use Hatch's Mild Red Sauce)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can chopped green chilies
6 tsp. milk mixed with soup
1 can sliced black olives
Grated cheese
Sour cream, lettuce, and tomatoes as desired

Fry hamburger with onion powder until brown. Drain. Add enchilada sauce, soup with milk, and green chilies. Simmer while preparing the rest.
Tear tortillas into fourths. Put a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan (to avoid sticking). Layer ingredients: tortillas, grated cheese, chopped olives, sauce, then repeat until all the sauce is gone. (Usually 2 layers of each). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Top as desired.

*I like to replace the can of green chilies with ¼ tsp. of cayenne pepper. We think it gives it a bit more of a kick.

*NOTE: This dish does not refrigerate well BEFORE baking. Unlike some enchiladas you should put this dish together and bake almost immediately. I tried to let it sit in the refrigerator for a while and the tortillas got too soggy.

Swedish Meatballs

This is, hands down, one of my all time favorite meals. I am not a big raw meat person so Jake usually mixes it for me and forms the meatballs - but it is a simple, quick recipe that tastes DIVINE!

SWEDISH MEATBALLS

1 lb. Hamburger
½ c. oats
1 egg, slightly beaten
¾ tsp. Salt
Few grains pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 c. milk

SAUCE

½ c. brown sugar
¼ c. vinegar
1 tsp. mustard
¼ c. barbeque sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Mix together and roll in balls. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes. Heat sauce and pour over meatballs. Serve over rice.

*I recommend doubling the sauce recipe and pouring it over the meatballs BEFORE cooking. This gives more sauce to put over the rice and a stronger meatball flavor.

Upside Down Spaghetti

This is a classic spaghetti dish in our home. Jake and I love it and we even had it for our anniversary dinner! It's super quick, easy, and doesn't require many ingredients!

UPSIDE DOWN SPAGHETTI

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. sour cream
12 oz. spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1-2 c mozzarella cheese

Mix cream cheese and sour cream together. Spread mixture in the bottom of a 9x13x2-inch pan. Place spaghetti noodles over cream cheese mixture. Pour spaghetti sauce over the top. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top. Bake for 45 minutes at 350°.

*If noodles and sauce are already hot, baking time can be reduced to 20-25 minutes.
*Spaghetti noodles can be substituted for fettuccine noodles or angel hair.
*Using 6 oz. of cream cheese and sour cream instead of 8 oz. makes the cream cheese taste less overwhelming. I also like to use 16 oz. of noodles instead of 12 oz.
*Cheddar cheese is the preferred cheese in our house and it tastes great! I also top my "casserole" with italian seasoning.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Chicken and Rice

TALK ABOUT EASY!!! If you want minimal work, great taste, and few ingredients all bundled together with a terrific outcome - this is the recipe for you! This recipe is just chicken in a sauce, served over rice. Simple enough, right?

CHICKEN AND RICE

2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream, generous
2-3 chicken breasts cut into tenders or strips
Salt and Pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in the crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours. (Longer if chicken breasts are frozen) Serve over cooked rice.

If you don't have a crock pot or you don't want to wait 6 hours for dinner just put all the ingredients in a casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil, and cook at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Don't forget to cover it or your sauce will dry out!

NOTE FOR NEW COOKS: If you aren't familiar with how to cook rice it is really simple to remember: you always use a 1:2 ratio. (1 cup rice = 2 cups water, 2 cups rice = 4 cups water, etc.) You put the rice in the water and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to simmer, COVER, and leave alone for 20 minutes. DO NOT LIFT THE LID! Rice cooks by STEAM.

Super Spuds

This is a recipe that I got from the Foods class that I helped aide last year at West Jordan High School. I thought it was something my husband would like and I was right! I am NOT a mushroom fan but this recipe didn't bother me. In fact, I really liked it! And it is really simple to make.

SUPER SPUDS

1 - 2 potatoes per person
1 lb. Hamburger
½ c. Sour Cream
1 1/3 c. water
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ can mushrooms
2 Tbsp. Dried onions
4 Tbsp. Diced green chilies
Grated Cheese

One way to cook potatoes: Scrub potatoes and poke a hole in each one. Cook in the microwave on high power for approximately 8 min. Cook until fork can go in smoothly. When potatoes are cooked, wrap in clean dish towel and let steam.

*I cooked 4 small red potatoes in the microwave, wrapped in a paper towel for 8 minutes at 100% power. They were very soft and tender. You will want to adjust microwave cooking time if you use more or bigger potatoes.

Another way to cook potatoes: Wash the potatoes and cut out any bad parts. Then poke the potatoes with a fork in several different places, wrap them in aluminum foil and put them directly on the oven rack. I cook them somewhere between 350 and 375 for an hour to an hour and a half depending on how big the potatoes are.

Brown hamburger in skillet and drain. Add onion, chilies, and mushrooms to brown hamburger. Heat together. Add soup and water, bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add sour cream, stir in meat mixture. Open up potato, top with meat mixture and grated cheese.

*I like to use just less than ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper instead of the diced green chilies. (It is cheaper and easier to come by when I’m throwing something together around the house.) I also used 1 small can of mushrooms instead of ½, and onion powder is just as good as diced onions - besides the fact that it is cheaper, more convenient, and cleaner! Adding salt and pepper is necessary for flavor and I added some chives to my sauce.

Angel Hair Pasta with Lemon and Chicken

This is a great LIGHT pasta for a simple, tasty dinner! Courtesy of Allrecipes.com.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH LEMON AND CHICKEN

1 (9 ounce) package Angel Hair Pasta
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or just 1 Tbsp. ground parsley)
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Toss pasta with chicken, butter, lemon juice, parsley, marjoram and garlic powder. Season with salt and ground black pepper, if desired.

*I added parmesan to my pasta and it made a big difference in the taste and texture.

Chicken Tikka Masala

I got this recipe from http://mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/ - one of my new favorite places to find recipes. My husband really likes Indian food but it is quite pricey to buy at a restaurant. This ingredient list is mildly lengthy and requires a few things you may not have on hand, but it is well worth it and not too difficult to make!

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (can be substituted for paprika if you don't want it so spicy)
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (Can be left out or just use regular ground ginger)
1 teaspoon salt
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and refrigerate for one hour. Grill or cook chicken in frying pan. Discard marinade.

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (can also be left out)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro


Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for one minute. Season with cumin, paprika and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over hot rice.

*I left out the cayenne pepper and the jalapeno when I made this recipe for fear that it would be too hot; however, I ended up adding just less than ¼ tsp. to the final sauce because we like things a little bit more spicy at my house.

In case you are new to cooking and aren't sure what the reference to "CREAM" is - it is the whipping cream that you find at the grocery story by the sour cream and milk that comes in little cartons. There are different options for whipping cream including heavy and half and half. You just need the one that is basic, with no special things about it!