Fruit Pizza

This Recipe is from What's Cooking America... so good!!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes

Ingredients:
* 1 (18-ounce) package refrigerated cookie dough
* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring (almond, orange, or lemon)
* Fresh blueberries, banana slices, mandarin orange sections, seedless grapes, strawberry halves, kiwifruit (or any other fruit you want really....
* 1/2 cup orange, peach, or apricot preserves (to make glaze - optional)
* 1 Tablespoon water

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line an ungreased 14-inch pizza pan with cookie dough cut in 1/8-inch slices, overlapping slightly. Bake 12 minutes or until light brown; remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract or other flavoring; spread over cookie crust. Arrange fruit over cream cheese layer in any design you want (use your imagination).

In a small saucepan over very low heat, make a glaze by heating preserves and water. Brush glaze over fruit, making sure to cover the fruit that will turn dark. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: This does not keep well, so plan on using it up. You may also use your own sugar cookie recipe in place of the refrigerated dough.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Gyoza

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground sausage browned
1/2 a cabbage head finely chopped
1 yellow onion finely chopped
garlic to taste
1/4 cup soy sauce (more to taste)
1 package Amazuya (or any other brand) Gyoza or pot-sticker wraps
Oil to fry.

Directions:
Brown Sausage in a frying pan or wok with about a teaspoon of minced garlic. add onions until cooked. Add cabbage and allow to cook before adding soy sauce and more garlic to your taste. stir all together and remove from heat. Put a small spoonful in the middle of one Gyoza wrapper. Dip your finger in water and run your finger around the edge of the gyoza. Now fold the two sides together and pinch with fingers or press with the edge of a fork until sealed tight. Place gyozas into a pan with hot oil and fry until barely browned on both sides. Remove and place on paper towel to absorb oil. Layer as necessary depending on how many gyoza you have made. Enjoy!
**I like transferring the meat and onion and garlic to a large pot before adding cabbage to let it cook down so its easier to stir around.

Easy Breezy Beautiful Boston Cream Pie

Yum!! (Courtesy of Jello Recipes)

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup cold milk
1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
1 round yellow cake layer (8 or 9 inch) prepared as directed.
1 square BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate
1 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. cold milk

BEAT pudding mix and 1 cup milk with whisk 2 min. Stir in COOL WHIP. Let stand 5 min. Meanwhile, cut cake horizontally into 2 layers with serrated knife.
STACK cake layers on serving plate, spreading pudding mixture between layers.
MICROWAVE chocolate and butter on HIGH 1 min.; stir until chocolate is melted. Add sugar and 2 Tbsp. milk; mix well. Spread over cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Mediterranean Chicken Packets

I'm making this for dinner tonight =) Its from Martha Stewart Everyday Food. Fantastic Recipe Magazine!!!

Ingredients (Serves 4.)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
4 artichoke hearts (from a 14-ounce can), quartered
12 Kalamata olives, halved and pitted
4 teaspoons capers
1/2 cup crumbled feta (2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place four 12-inch squares of parchment paper or heavy-duty foil on a work surface. Place a chicken breast on one half of each square, leaving a 2-inch border; season with salt and pepper.
Dividing evenly, top chicken with tomatoes, artichokes, olives, capers, and feta. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and oil. Fold parchment over ingredients, and crimp edges to seal.
Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until chicken is opaque throughout, 20 to 22 minutes.

Easy Crockpot Chicken

Super Easy and just an all around "comfort food" type meal.

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Chicken Gumbo Soup

Directions:
Mix the soups and pour over chicken in crockpot. Cook for 3 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low.



... I told you it was easy =)

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

Mix
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup milk in large bowl until well blended

Add
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks
2 tsp. CALUMET Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:
Stir just until moistened. Grease 5x9 loaf pan; fill with batter.

BAKE at 300 degrees for 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature. Cut into 18 slices to serve.

Beef Stroganoff

30 Minutes or less, perfect.

Ingredients:
1 lb. beef sirloin steak, cut into strips
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
1 Tbsp. oil
1 can (8 oz.) mushroom pieces and stems, undrained
2 beef bouillon cubes
4 cups (8 oz.) medium egg noodles, uncooked
1 container (8 oz.) Sour Cream

Directions:
BROWN steak with onion in hot oil in large skillet.
STIR in 1-1/2 cups water, mushrooms and liquid, the bouillon cubes and noodles. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 10 to 12 min. or until noodles are tender.
STIR in sour cream; cook an additional 2 min., stirring occasionally.

Low Sodium, Low Fat Chicken

Low Fat. Low Sodium. Just the way I like it!

Heat about 2 tbls Olive oil in a frying pan. Place 2 chicken breasts in the pan about one minute each side. Sprinkle with your favorite Mrs. Dash seasonings (I used original blend) and cook another 2 minutes each side. Continue to cook covered as much as possible (of course flip the chicken over every now and again) Low Sodium and Seriously good. Who knew???

Creamy Risotto

I made this tonight too and loved it! I left out the prosciutto since I had it with the chicken so I can't attest for that being wonderful but the risotto on its own was fantastic! Giada from Food Network, by the way... love her! (although my own adaptations are changed in the recipe)

Ingredients
4 thin slices prosciutto
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
12 asparagus spears, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 shallot, finely chopped
3/4 cup white rice
3/4 cup sparkling white grape juice with a splash of cranberry juice (substituted for champagne)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Place the slices of prosciutto on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake until the prosciutto slices are almost completely crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. The slices will crisp up even more as they cool. Reserve for garnish.
In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Blanch the asparagus in the chicken stock for 2 minutes. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon. Set the asparagus aside and keep the chicken stock at a low simmer.
In another medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more. Add the Champagne and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the asparagus, remaining butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Spoon the risotto into serving dishes and garnish by breaking the crisp prosciutto into smaller pieces over the top of the risotto. Serve immediately.

Rosemary Lemon Chicken with Prosciutto

MmmMmmm... just made this tonight, it's from the food network and it is seriously good!!

Ingredients
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
Leaves from 2 small sprigs fresh rosemary
1 whole chicken, quartered (about 3 pounds) ** I use chicken breast **
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Put a cast iron or other ovenproof skillet large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer, or a small roasting pan, over medium heat and get it good and hot. Drizzle the pan with a 3-count of oil. Add the prosciutto and rosemary and cook, stirring, until the prosciutto is crisp and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Push to 1 side of the pan. Season the chicken on both sides with a generous amount of salt and pepper and add it to the pan, skin side down, in a single layer. Cook for about 5 minutes until the skin begins to set and crisp. Turn and cook 3 more minutes. Turn the chicken again, stick the pan in the oven and roast until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 30 more minutes. ******** see below
Take the pan out of the oven. Remove the chicken and prosciutto from of the pan and arrange on a platter with rosemary and prosciutto sprinkled on top, keep warm while you prepare the pan sauce. Pour out all but about 1 tablespoon of the rendered chicken fat and return the pan to the stovetop. Stir in the stock and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, scraping up the flavors stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until reduced to a syrup, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the pan sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

***** Since I didn't use a whole chicken I cooked covered just like you would cook chicken breast normally and it turned out perfect =)

A few snack and side ideas

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

All you need is Asparagus and Prosciutto! Just wrap one peace around each asparagus spear. Steam or boil the asparagus as normal and then chill before wrapping the prosciutto around. You can hold it in place with a toothpick or lay it down


Apples and Feta

One of my favorite snacks when I come home from a long day is just apples with feta. Sometimes, I even just put it all in a bowl and eat it with a fork. The feta takes the sour edge off the apples leaving still just enough flavor that its still a refreshing snack or side -- and good for you too!


Frozen Blueberries and Milk

I love pouring a little bit of milk over frozen blueberries. Just enough that they're coated and the milk will freeze in the bowl with the blueberries. Great for breakfast even!


Couscous

You can cook it in your rice cooker if you buy it in bulk or you can buy the quick and easy kind I like. Buy plain couscous and just add some mint leaves torn up along with some peas and maybe a dash of some of your favorite seasonings. The mint gives it just the right amount of flavor!

Rosemary-Garlic Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 tbls olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1/4 tsp dried
1 1/2 pounds red new potatoes scrubbed and thinly sliced or chopped
salt and pepper

Combine oil, garlic, and rosemary in a 2 quart microwave and oven-safe baking dish with a lid. Cover and microwave on high until garlic is fragrant (1 minute) Stir in potatoes. Roast in the oven on 400 for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add rosemary sprigs for garnish

Serves 4

Olive Tapenade

First discovered by myself, my sister, and my mother at the Spaghetti Factory. Love at first bite.

Ingredients:
20 pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp rinsed, drained, and chopped capers
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
Fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
**Serve with water crackers or unsalted saltines to spread on.

Combine everything in a food processor (I use my magic bullet!) Put it in a bowl and chill until ready to serve. Will keep for up to 2 weeks refrigerated.

Pesto

I don't think something like pesto even needs an introduction... other than to say that this one is nut free =)

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves stemmed
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil (extra virgin please!!)
1 tsp salt, more to taste
1 grated zest of lemon
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp freshly ground (or not whatev) black pepper
(You can add pine nuts or pumpkin seeds if you want)

Directions:
Turn on a food processor and add the garlic first until finely chopped (5 secs). Add the basil, process 5 secs. Add cheese, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and pepper. Process until sauce is green. Taste the pesto and adjust anything you desire. Serve on crackers, toast, or your favorite pasta This pesto will keep for 3 days in an airtight container.

YUM!

Chicken Cigars

The kind of cigars even I can enjoy!!
This is a Rachael Ray recipe from her 30 minute meals book. It has a few things I happen to love: chicken, basil, and most of all..... PHYLLO dough =) =)

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
1 1/2 - 2 lbs ground (or shredded) chicken breast
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes chopped
1 cup, about 20 leaves, fresh basil chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbls fennel seeds
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and Black pepper to taste
8 sheets phyllo dough
1 stick butter, melted
2 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped
juice of 1 lemon

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425.
Heat a medium skillet with 2 tbls olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, cook until soft (onions should be see throughish; 6-7 minutes). Let the mixture cool in a medium mixing bowl. Add the chicken, tomatoes, basil, oregano, fennel, pepper flakes, cheese, salt and pepper and combine. Brush a sheet of Phyllo with some of the melted butter. Top with a second sheet of Phyllo and brush again. Form 1/4 of the chicken mixture into a 1 inch thick log as long as the phyllo sheet and roll. Cut the roll into 3 "cigars" and brush with a dab more butter. Repeat to make a total of 12 cigars (serves 2-3 total). Bake for 16-18 minutes, until golden brown.

Toss the lettuce with the lemon juice and remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.