Sweet and Sour Chicken

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. While the oil is heating, cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Place the cornstarch in a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Put the chicken into the bag with the cornstarch and seal, tossing to coat the chicken. Whisk the eggs together in a shallow pie plate. Dip the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces in the egg and place them carefully in a single layer in the hot skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then flip each piece over to cook on the other side until nicely golden but not all the way cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl and pour over the chicken in the baking dish. Bake for one hour, turning the chicken once or twice while cooking to coat evenly with sauce. Serve over hot, steamed rice.

recipe adapted from www.melskitchencafe.com

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Grilled Lemon Chicken Marinade

3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 large chicken breasts

Combine and let marinade for 3-4 hours before grilling.

recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

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Refried Beans

2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed

6 cups water

1 tablespoon dried onion

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for 8 hours. Mash beans with a potato masher or in a food processer.

recipe adapted from 100 Days of Real Food

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Broiled Parmesan and Lemon Chicken

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Preheat your oven’s broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Stir in the dried basil, pepper, salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Mix well and set aside.

Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer on the prepared pan. Lightly season each side of the chicken with salt and pepper. Broil a few inches from the broiler element for 4-5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and broil for a 3-4 more minutes, until mostly cooked through. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spread an equal amount of the Parmesan mixture over the top of each chicken breast. Broil for another 2-3 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbly and the chicken is completely cooked through. Serve.

recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

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Pork Tenderloin with Pan Sauce

1⁄2 cups olive oil
1⁄3 cup soy sauce
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1-2 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoon dry mustard
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1-lb. pork tenderloin

Combine all marinade ingredients and reserve 2-3 Tbsp. Place the pork tenderloin and marinade in a Ziplock bag and let marinate for at least 3-4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a hot skillet over medium-high heat, sear each side of tenderloin for 2-3 minutes. Place in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the meat has reached 160 degrees. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Pan Sauce:
Pan scrapings from pork tenderloin
1/2 cup of chicken broth
2-3 tablespoon of pork marinade (thoroughly mixed)
1-2 teaspoon butter
Meanwhile, place the skillet back on the stove over medium heat. Add the chicken broth and scrape up all the browned pieces from the bottom of the pan. Add the marinade and let it boil down for 2-3 minutes. Add the butter and remove from heat stirring until butter has melted. Pour over the pork tenderloin.

Recipe from Chef Mommy

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Pizza crust

1 cup warm water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

Mix all ingredients and let stand for 10 min. Roll onto a baking sheet or pizza stone, top with toppings, and cook at 450 for 15-20 min.

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Honey Mustard Chicken

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 chicken breasts

Mix and marinate for half an hour. Grill chicken until juices run clear.

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Hamburger Soup

1 lb hamburger
8 cups beef broth
1/3 cup pearl barley
1/2 carrot, diced
1 can tomato soup
1/2 teaspoon worchesterchire sauce
2/3 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger in a large pot. Add broth and barley and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until barley is done. When barley is almost done, add carrots. Next add tomato soup, worchestershire sauce, peas and salt and pepper. Cook until peas and carrots are done.

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Asian Cabbage Salad

1 14 oz bag coleslaw mix
1 cup sugar snap peas, cut in thirds
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
Optional: 1 1/2 cup cooked, shredded or diced chicken

Dressing:
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablesppons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, or one small garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Marinade vegetables in dressing for at least 1/2 hour before serving. Add sesame seeds, almonds and chicken just before serving.

recipe adapted from http://www.ourbestbites.com/

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Korean BBQ Beef

1 1/2 lb. sirloin steak, cut against the grain into thin (about 1/4") slices
1/2 c. rice wine or pear juice
1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce
1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil

Combine wine or pear juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, chili sauce, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add sliced steak. Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour or up to 8 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat the grill. While the grill is heating, thread the steak pieces onto bamboo skewers. Cook over medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes per side, being careful not to let the meat get too cooked. Serve immediately; serves 4-6.

recipe from ourbestbites.com

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Baked Egg Rolls

1 lb lean ground pork
1 bag shredded coleslaw
1/2 bag bean sprouts
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp pepper
18 large egg roll wrappers
1 tsp vegetable oil

In nonstick skillet, cook pork over medium-high heat, breaking up with spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes; drain off fat. Add coleslaw and beansprouts and cook for another 2 minutes.
In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, cornstarch, 1 tbsp water, sesame oil and pepper; pour into pan and toss well. Let cool slightly.

Forming 1 roll at a time, place wrapper on work surface; brush with water. Spoon scant 3 tbsp pork mixture on bottom third, leaving 1/2-inch borders on bottom and sides. Pull bottom edge over filling and roll up; pinch ends to seal.

Place, seam side down, on rimmed baking sheet; brush with oil. Bake in 375°F oven until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes.

adapted from www.cbc.ca/bestrecipes

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Asian BBQ Chicken

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts

Mix together all marinade ingredients and put in a ziploc bag with chicken and let marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Grill for 5-10 minutes per side.

recipe adapted from ourbestbites.com

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Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas

This is a delicious variation on your traditional quesadillas. Visit The Pioneer Woman's recipe for a better explanation on grilling pineapple.

6 large flour tortillas
1/4 fresh pineapple
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 green pepper, diced
barbecue sauce

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and grill on both sides until done, brushing with barbecue sauce. Dice into small bite size pieces. Remove rind and core from pineapple and cut wedge in half, resulting in two long wedges. Stick each wedge on a skewer and grill over low heat. Cut into slices.

Warm a griddle or large nonstick skillet to medium heat. To assemble, spray one side of a tortilla with cooking spray and place down on skillet. Sprinkle with a little cheese and 1/3 of each of the chicken, green pepper and pineapple. Drizzle with a little barbeque sauce and more cheese. Place another tortilla on top and spray with cooking spray. Cook until bottom tortilla is golden brown and then flip and cook the other tortilla until golden. Remove from pan and cut into wedges.

recipe adapted from thepioneerwoman.com

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Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

I just made this chicken for the first time last night and it was SO yummy! It started raining just as I was about to go out to the BBQ so I just popped them under the broiler. I halved the recipe and it made plenty for marinading two chicken breasts.

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup ranch dressing
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste (optional)
5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes

In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

recipe from allrecipes.com

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Chicken Souvlaki Gyro Style

Souvlaki Marinade:

3/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 large pita bread rounds
feta cheese
tzatziki sauce
assorted veggies

In a small bowl, mix the balsamic vinaigrette, juice from 1/2 lemon, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over the chicken, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and place on prepared grill. Discard remaining marinade. Cook chicken until juices run clear, about 8 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from heat, and allow to sit about 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips.

Place pita rounds on the grill, and cook for about 2 minutes, until warm, turning frequently to avoid burning.  Stuff pita pockets with chicken and toppings to serve.

recipe from allrecipes.com

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White Chicken Chili

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 lb cooked, shredded chicken
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans white beans
1 3.5 oz can green chilies
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon salt
1 lime
4 cups chicken broth

In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes- just until it starts to become translucent. While onions are cooking, drain beans and rinse with cold water and set aside. Sprinkle chopped chicken with a little salt and pepper and add to pot. Add garlic as well. Cook until there's no more visible pink on the chicken, 3-4 minutes.

Then add green chills- along with all of the juices in the can. Add beans, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, and a few turns of fresh cracked pepper. Stir to combine and with your spoon smash some of the beans up so it will thicken the broth. Then add chicken broth.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the juice from one lime. Add salt and pepper to taste.

recipe from http://www.ourbestbites.com/

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Chicken Noodle Soup

6 cups chicken broth
1 lb. cooked, shredded chicken
1 cup sliced carrots
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 bay leaf
1 handful fresh chopped parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried)
½ teaspoon basil
1 14 oz can evaporated milk
fine egg noodles

In a large pot, heat some olive oil over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Saute for a few minutes and then add chicken broth, chicken, bay leaf, and basil. Bring to a boil. Add carrots and celery and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until carrots and celery are tender. When carrots and celery are almost done, add chopped parsley. Add evaporated milk. Increase heat to boiling and add noodles. Cook until noodles are tender.

recipe from http://www.ourbestbites.com/

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Alfredo Sauce

This isn't your standard, thick alfredo sauce. It has a much lighter taste and I actually prefer it to the heavier sauces. I like to serve it with penne, grilled chicken and steamed broccoli.

1/3 cup margarine
½ cup fat free evaporated milk
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Heat margarine and milk in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until margarine is melted. Stir in cheese, salt and pepper.

recipe from http://www.bettycrocker.com/

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Balsamic Mushroom Chicken

This is great special occasion or everyday dish. It tastes really fancy but is easy enough to make. I sometimes saute the mushrooms separately so they get nice and browned.

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¾ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¾ cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon butter

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat and sauté the chicken until it is nicely browned on one side (about 3 minutes). Add the garlic. Turn the chicken breasts and scatter the mushrooms over them. Continue frying, shaking the skillet and stirring the mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes and then add the vinegar, broth, bay leaf and thyme. Cover tightly and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.

Transfer chicken to a serving platter and cover with foil. Continue simmering the sauce, uncovered, over medium high heat for about 7 minutes. Swirl in the butter and discard the bay leaf. Pour mushroom sauce over chicken and serve.

recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

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Poppin’ Garlic Ranch Biscuit Topped Chicken Pot Pie

4 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Mix, reserve ½ teaspoon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ fresh cracked black pepper
2 10 oz cans cream of chicken soup
10 oz can cheddar cheese soup
1 Cup chicken broth
1 Cup milk
2 15 oz cans Mixed Veggis, drained
¾ Cup crumbled bacon pieces, already cooked
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 6 count can Pillsbury Homestyle Biscuits
½ teaspoon Lawry’s Garlic Salt
½ teaspoon reserved dry Ranch Dressing Mix
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place shredded chicken into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle in ranch mix (reserve ½ teaspoon for later), salt and pepper. Toss to combine seasonings. In a large rimmed skillet or dutch oven, place soups, broth and milk over medium heat; whisk until combined. Stir in mixed veggis then shredded chicken. Transfer to a large 9×13 inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle bacon and cheese over top. Open biscuits and place onto wax paper. Cut each biscuit into 10 little triangle pieces (cut biscuit in half then cut each half into fifths). Place little pieces of biscuit over top of chicken mixture until it’s all covered. Sprinkle biscuits with remaining ranch dressing mix, garlic salt and ½ Cup cheese. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and biscuits are cooked through underneath. Cover with foil the last 25 minutes of baking to prevent too much browning. Let cool for 10 minutes then serve.

recipe from http://www.picky-palate.com/

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