Pizza Dough via Mel's Kitchen Cafe blog

* Wonderful dinner.  A hit with everyone.


INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

DIRECTIONS
Make the dough the night before or early the morning on the day you want to make the pizza. In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), mix the water, yeast, sugar, honey and oil. (If using active dry yeast, increase the amount of yeast to 2 3/4 teaspoons and proof the yeast in the water until foamy before mixing in the sugar, honey and oil.) Then mix in 1 cup flour and the salt. Continue mixing in all the remaining flour until you get a nice, soft dough. Knead until dough is soft and smooth, about 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a stand mixer.
Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl and cover tightly (with a lid or plastic wrap). Place the dough in the refrigerator to slowly rise until three hours before baking. Three hours before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, keeping it lightly covered.
45-60 minutes before baking, move the rack to the lowest position in the oven (if the lowest rack in your oven is nearly touching the oven floor, move it up one notch - you don't want it that close or the bottom of the pizza will burn), place the pizza stone on it and preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Don't be nervous about a hot oven! I used to be scared to death to cook anything above 400 degrees but I promise 500 degrees is the only way to go when cooking pizza. If your oven is a bit sketchy at that temperature, bake at 475 degrees. Also,I think a pizza stone makes all the difference in good versus great pizza. I have this pizza stone and I love the rectangular shape. I have baked many a pizza on this stone and it is awesome.

Beef with Snow Peas via Pioneer Woman Cooks

* Adult hit.  Kid flop.


Ingredients
1-1/2 pound Flank Steak, Trimmed Of Fat And Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons Sherry Or Cooking Sherry
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger
8 ounces, weight Fresh Snow Peas, Ends Trimmed
5 whole Scallions, Cut Into Haf-inch Pieces On The Diagonal
Salt As Needed (use Sparingly)
3 Tablespoons Peanut Or Olive Oil
Crushed Red Pepper, For Sprinkling
Jasmine Or Long Grain Rice, Cooked According To Package

Preparation Instructions
In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, and ginger. Pour half the liquid over the sliced meat in a bowl and toss with hands. Reserve the other half of the liquid. Set aside.
Heat oil in a heavy skillet (iron is best) or wok over high heat. Add snow peas and stir for 45 seconds. Remove to a separate plate. Set aside.
Allow pan to get very hot again. With tongs, add half the meat mixture, leaving most of the marinade still in the bowl. Add half the scallions. Spread out meat as you add it to pan, but do not stir for a good minute. (You want the meat to get as brown as possible in as short amount a time as possible.) Turn meat to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean plate.
Repeat with other half of meat, allowing pan to get very hot again first. After turning it, add the first plateful of meat, the rest of the marinade, and the snow peas. Stir over high heat for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Check seasonings and add salt only if it needs it. Mixture will thicken as it sits.
Serve immediately over rice. Sprinkle crushed red pepper over the top to give it some spice.

Bacon, Chicken, Avocado Chopped Salad (Italian) via Gimme Some Oven blog

* Adults loved.  Kids not so much.


Salad Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
8 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
8 slices bacon, cooked and diced
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
2 avocados, pitted and diced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup garlic vinaigrette (see recipe below)
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Garlic Herb Vinaigrette Ingredients:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (optional)
pinch of salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp. dried Italian seasonings
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

To Make The Salad:
Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken. Cook for 3 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. (Cooking time wil vary depending on the thickness of the chicken.) Remove chicken and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Dice chicken into small pieces.

Add the diced chicken, lettuce, bacon, blue cheese, avocados and tomatoes to a large bowl, and toss until combined. Drizzle or toss with garlic vinaigrette and serve immediately.

To Make The Vinaigrette:
Whisk all ingredients together until combined.

Quinoa, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad

From the New York Times by Martha Rose Shulman (originally a spicy salad)

1 cup quinoa
3 cups water
Salt to taste
2 cups diced cucumber
2 cups finely diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus several sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 avocado, sliced, for garnish

1. Place the quinoa in a bowl, and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes. Drain through a strainer, and rinse until the water runs clear. Bring the 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt (1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) and the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and translucent; each grain should have a little thread. Drain off the water in the pan through a strainer, and return the quinoa to the pan. Cover the pan with a clean dishtowel, replace the lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes. If making for the freezer, uncover and allow to cool, then place in plastic bags. Flatten the bags and seal.

2. Meanwhile, place the finely diced cucumber in a colander, and sprinkle with salt. Toss and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the cucumber with cold water, and drain on paper towels. If using the onion, place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water and drain on paper towels.

3. Combine the tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice and olive oil in a bowl. Add the cucumber and onion, season to taste with salt, and add the quinoa and cilantro. Toss together, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve garnished with sliced avocado and cilantro sprigs.

Yield: Serves six.

Advance preparation: The quinoa freezes well, and the assembled salad will keep for a day in the refrigerator. The leftovers will be good for a couple of days.

Nutritional information per serving: 236 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 25 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 6 grams protein

Chinese Food Recipes

Cashew Chicken

Ingredients

1 egg white

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp oil

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

1/8 tsp salt

dash of pepper

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

5 Tbsp oil

dash of red chili pepper flakes

2 green onions, minced or chives

1/4 tsp dry ginger or 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced

3 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp water

1/3 C cashews

Instructions

Mix together marinade using egg white, cornstarch, oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Mix in chicken and marinade for 15 minutes up to 60 minutes.

In a wok, or frying pan heat 5 Tbsp oil until the oil forms bubbles around a wooden skewer or chopstick when put into the oil.

Place chicken in the oil and cook until chicken turns white and is cooked through.

Add in soy sauce mixture. Stir to coat chicken and mixture will thicken. Add in cashews

Serve over rice and garnish with chopped green onions.

Green Beans

Ingredients

1-2 pounds green beans

½ teaspoon salt

2-3 tsp peanut oil or canola oil

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp black bean sauce

1 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce

½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

Wash and pat dry the beans. Snap the ends off of the beans.

Mix together black bean sauce, garlic sauce, pepper, soy sauce and sugar and set aside.

Heat oil in a deep pan. Once hot, add beans in a single layer. May have to do multiple batches. time. Don't over-crowd the pan.

Cook until they are golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel and sprinkle with salt and cook your next batch.

The beans should still be crisp at this point, not mushy.

Put all the beans back into the pan and then add the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant. Add the sauce. Stir-fry for about 3-4 minutes. Drizzle with sesame oil.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1 C cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 C canola oil

Sauce:

¾ C sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

½ C vinegar

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

Cut chicken 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 9 x 13 baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over chicken.

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes so it is evenly coated with the sauce. Serve over rice.

all three recipes and photos from Your Homebased Mom


Chinese Stir Fry
ginger (fresh, grated...I LOVE ginger)
garlic (minced...to taste)
stir fry in a little oil

Add chicken and saute to cook through

add chopped red pepper

sauce:

1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
red pepper flakes

Mix together and add to stir fry. Sauce will thicken after a minute or two
Then add some dry roasted peanuts and scallions.

Serve over rice.

Stuffed Shells

1 box jumbo pasta shells

2 cups or 15 oz. ricotta cheese

3 cups Mozzarella cheese (divide 1/2 cup out)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1-2 lbs ground beef (your preference)

1 family size bottle meat flavored Prego sauce (or your favorite red sauce)

1/2 cup water

Bread (toasted with butter & garlic salt)

Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook beef, add Prego sauce and 1/2 cup water. Let simmer for 10 minutes. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil, add shells and cook for 15 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Toast the bread until crisp. Pour some of the Prego mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Stuff the shells full of the cheese mixture and place in the baking dish. Pour the rest of the Prego mixture on top of the shells. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and crumble garlic toast on top. Bake at 350 degrees, covered with foil for 30 minutes. Bake uncovered for additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Crock-pot Season

Ranch Chicken Tacos
Chicken + broth + ranch seasoning + taco seasoning

Crockpot Honey Chicken

3/4 pound chicken (of your choice)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup chopped onion (or 1/16 cup onion flakes)

1/8 cup ketchup

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3 hours or on high 1 1/2 hours. Chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce. Serve over rice or noodles.

To bake chicken as a 30 minute meal:

Dice chicken and season both sides with salt and pepper, place in 8x8 pan. Pour sauce over chicken and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

STEP 1: Add everything (chicken, salsa, black beans drained, frozen corn, cumin, garlic, oregano, salt) except the rice, cheese, and cilantro to the slow cooker along with 1/4 cup of water (for good measure). Give everything a good stir and make sure the chicken is covered in the mixture.

STEP 2: Secure the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hrs.

STEP 3: Near the end of the cooking time, cook the two cups of rice according to the package directions (Bring the rice and 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot with a lid in place, as soon as it reaches a boil, reduced the heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving).

STEP 4: After 8 hours of cooking, carefully remove the lid of the slow cooker. Stir with a fork to shred the chicken (it should be super tender and will shred easily). Build the taco bowls by placing rice on the bottom, then the taco chicken mix, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro.

Bag of frozen chicken in the crock pot. Put the cream cheese, corn, rotel and black beans on top and let it go for 6-8 hours on low. You can shred when done or leave the chicken whole.

1 c. steel cut oats

1 1/2 c. water

2 c. unsweetened almond milk

1 1/2 T. granulated erythritol

1 1/2 T. butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. ground flax seed (a.k.a. flax meal)

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. grated apple

1 tsp. cinnamon

optional add-ins: almonds, sugar-free maple syrup, flavored unsweetened almond milk, etc…

Coat crock pot with spray or spritz with oil to prevent ingredients from sticking to the edges, pour all ingredients into crock pot, cook on a low setting for appx. 7 hours. I like to sprinkle a little bit of ground flax seed on the steel cut oats along with some berries. Add additional almond milk to taste.

Crockpot Chicken Taco Soup

2 15oz cans dice tomatoes
1 15-¼ oz can Corn with juice
1 15oz can Black beans with juice
1 15 ½ oz can Red Kidney beans with juice
1 15 ½ oz can Pinto beans with juice
1 envelope dry Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 envelope dry Taco Seasoning
½ cup Salsa
¼ cup Green Pepper (optional)
1 tsp Lime Juice
2 large cans (13oz) chicken with juice. (Break apart pieces)

Chicken Marrakesh

1 onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

2 large carrots, peeled and diced (I didn’t use carrots)

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

DIRECTIONS

Place onion, minced garlic, carrots, sweet potato, garbanzo beans, chicken and tomatoes into the slow cooker. Then, in a separate bowl, mix the spices so they are evenly spread throughout. Pour spices over the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir. Cook for about 4 hours on low, or until chicken is cooked thoroughly and the sweet potatoes are soft.

Add all ingredients into crock-pot, stir. Cook low for 4-6 hours

Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken

5-6 FROZEN chicken breasts

1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained

1 (16oz) bottle BBQ sauce

Spray crockpot with cooking spray and place frozen chicken inside. Cover with BBQ sauce, then dump pineapple over top. Place lid on and cook on HIGH for 3 hours. Shred chicken with a couple of forks and stir so the sauce covers the chicken. Serve over rice.

Creamy Salsa Crockpot Chicken

I lb chicken

I can cream of ___

I cup salsa

I package taco seasoning

Cook for 6 hours

1 cup sour cream

1 can black beans

Zesty Crockpot Chicken

2-4 chicken breasts

8 oz cream cheese

1 can cream chicken

1 packet Italian Seasoning

Crockpot Beef Sandwiches

4 lb beef roast

1 can beef broth

1 package ranch dressing mix

1 package Italian dressing mix

Braised Balsamic Chicken

• My sister-in-law cooked this a few months ago and I still think about it...
• 
  
• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

1. Season chicken breasts with ground black pepper and garlic salt. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet, and brown the onion and seasoned chicken breasts.
2. Pour tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken, and season with basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes.

Spaghetti Carbonara from Sweet Paul
Serves 4

6 ounces bacon, sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 pound spaghetti
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
Salt, to taste
1 cup cream
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen, blanched

In a small pan, fry bacon and garlic until bacon is golden; set aside.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente, according to package instructions; for the last minute, add the carrots.
Drain and return to pot.
Add cream and egg yolk; heat gently.
Add bacon, Parmesan and peas.
Serve at once.
Photo by Colin Cooke.

From Your Homebased Mom

Sunday Pot Roast

Pot Roast- 3-5 lbs.

1 envelope Lipton onion soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can of water
1 tsp. beef bouillon

carrots and potatoes

Peel carrots and potatoes. Put roast into roasting pan. Mix together soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, water and beef bouillon. Pour over roast. Cover and bake for 3 hours at 325 degrees.

Turkey Lettuce Wrap

STIR-FRIED TURKEY LETTUCE WRAP

Found in Everyday Food Mag HERE.

Yield: 4 servings (we ate two wraps each & caroline ate some meat)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons fish sauce
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped (a shallot is like an onion/garlic hybrid—FAB)
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small jalapeno or serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 pound ground turkey (93 percent lean)
• 2 large heads Bibb, Boston, or iceberg lettuce, leaves separated

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Set sauce aside. (I doubled the sauce this time, but really did not need to)
2. Heat a large skillet or wok over high until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat skillet. Add shallot, ginger, garlic, and chile and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add turkey and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, 5 minutes. Add half the sauce to skillet and stir until meat is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve in lettuce leaves with remaining sauce.

Delicious Soup

2 cans white beans

2 cans chicken broth

1 can green chilies

1-2 cloves chopped garlic

1-2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

onion

1-2 tsp cumin

So delicious. Thanks Kaydi!

Gnoocchi, Banana Choc Chip Waffle, Lemon Chicken

From Double Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld via GOOP

Gnoocchi

Prep: 40 minutes

Total: 50 minutes

Yield: Serves 6

• 1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour, plus 1/4 cup to roll out the dough
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 (24-ounce) jarred pasta sauce, heated or at room temperature

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, sweet potato puree, egg, egg white, Parmesan, baking powder, and salt. Add both types of flour at once. Mix with a wooden spoon until the flour is just absorbed, the puree is well-combined, and a soft sticky dough forms.

Cover 2 baking sheets with waxed paper or aluminum foil. Cut the dough into 8 pieces. On a lightly-floured counter, roll the dough into a log about 12 inches long and 1 inch thick. Slice off 1 x 12-inch pieces of dough to form the gnocchi. Transfer to the baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Fill an 8-quart stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Add half the gnocchi (so that they don’t stick) and gently stir. Cook until the pasta is tender and no longer translucent in the center, 4 to 6 minutes. The gnocchi should be floating. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large serving dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi and top with sauce. Serve immediately.

Calories: 350, Carbohydrate: 50 g, Protein: 18 g, Total Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Sodium: 645 mg, Fiber: 6 g

Banana Chocolate-Chip Waffles

Prep: 10 minutes

Total: 20 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup low-fat (1%) buttermilk

1/2 cup carrot puree

1 ripe banana, mashed (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons bittersweet or dark chocolate chips

nonstick cooking spray

Preheat a waffle iron on high. In a large bowl or zipper-lock plastic bag, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl, beat the oil, egg whites, buttermilk, carrot puree, and banana with an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for 1 minute until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Add the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined—the batter will be lumpy. Coat the waffle iron with cooking spray. Ladle 1/8 to 1/4 cup of the batter into each compartment of the iron. Cook until the top of the iron releases easily and the waffle is lightly brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Calories: 298, Carbohydrate: 40 g, Protein: 7 g, Total Fat: 13.5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Sodium: 565 mg, Fiber: 6.5 g

Lemon Chicken

Prep: 15 minutes

Total: 25 minutes

Yield: Serves 6

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, separated

3 cups low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons water

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 cup cauliflower puree

1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)

2 large egg whites

1 large egg

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (about 2 1/4 pounds)

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, sauté the chopped garlic in 1 teaspoon of the olive oil until it begins to turn golden brown. Add the chicken broth, turn the heat to high, and reduce by half, about 8 minutes. Add the lemon juice.

In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch. Slowly stir the cornstarch mixture into the boiling chicken broth. The mixture will thicken quickly. Add the cauliflower puree. Sprinkle in parsley, if desired. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

Meanwhile, begin heating the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Whisk the egg whites and egg in a shallow bowl. Combine the flour, salt, and garlic powder on a large plate. Dredge each chicken cutlet in the seasoned flour and then dip in the egg mixture. Drop the cutlets directly into the heated skillet. Sauté 4 to 5 minutes per side, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Add the lemon sauce and cook 2 to 3 minutes more to combine flavors. Serve.

Calories: 333, Carbohydrate: 18 g, Protein: 45 g, Total Fat: 8.5 g, Saturated Fat: 1.5 g, Sodium: 565 mg, Fiber: 3 g

Loaded Potato Soup

4 red potatoes

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup prechopped onion

1 1/4 cup chicken broth

3 tbsp flour

2 cup milk, separated

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 bacon slices halved

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Pierce potatoes with fork. Microwave 13 minutes, cut in half, heat oil over medium-high, add onion for 3 minutes, add broth, combine flour and 1/2 cup milk, add to pan with rest of milk, bring to boil, stir often, cook 1 minute, remove from heat, stir in sour cream, salt, pepper, arrange bacon on paper towel on plate, cover with paper towel, microwave 4 minutes, crumble bacon, discard potato skins, coarsely mash potatoes into soup, top with cheese, bacon

calories for 1 1/4 cup 325 yields 4 servings

Aloha Chicken with Pineapple Dip

1/2 8 oz can crushed pineapple in juice

2 boneless skinless chicken breast (cubed)

salt/pepper

4 1/2 tsp honey

1. whisk pineapple with its juice and honey

2. season chicken cubes with salt/pepper and place in plastic bag with 2/3 pineapple sauce

3. refrigerate for at least an hour

4. place chicken on foil lined baking pans and broil on middle rack for 6 to 8 minutes per side.

5. for sauce, while chicken in broiling, put remaining sauce in pot over medium heat for 1 minute

Pumpkin Penne

1. cook pasta - drain - return to pot covered (to keep warm)

2. heat olive oil - add onion powder or shallots - whisk in broth (1.5 cups), evaporated milk (.5 cup), pumpkin (15 oz can), salt, pepper - boil - reduce to low - simmer for 4 minutes

3. toss pasta with sauce - top with parsley and parmesan cheese

Love this for dinner

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/dinner-15-minutes-selections/index.html

Asparagus-Egg Drop Soup

3/4 lb asparagus cut into 3/4 inch pieces

32 oz chicken broth

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 slice ham, diced

2 tsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp black pepper

1. boil water - cook asparagus 3-4 minutes (until tender) - drain - rinse under cold water

2. boil broth - reduce heat to simmer - gradually pour in eggs, beating constantly with whisk - cook until eggs are cook through (1 min) - stir in asparagus, ham, soy sauce, pepper - cook until hot (1 minute)

Easy Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

8 oz whole wheat fettuccine

4 cups broccoli

1/2 cup light ranch dressing

1/2 cup fat-free half and half

1/4 cup fat-free cream cheese

1 tbsp olive oil

1 pound chicken breast

• cook pasta; during last 4 minutes add broccoli, drain when done
• while pasta is cooking, mix next four ingredient together until creamy
• heat oil in skillet, cook chicken, add pasta and broccoli, stir in sauce

Salmon Chowder

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 2 (16 ounce) cans salmon
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
• 1/2 pound Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery, and garlic powder until onions are tender. Stir in potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, pepper, and dill. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Stir in salmon, evaporated milk, corn, and cheese. Cook until heated through.