Swiss Chicken and Dressing

Swiss Chicken and Dressing

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 can cream of chicken soup
6 oz Swiss cheese (mozzarella can be used too, but Swiss is best)
1/4 cup white wine (chicken broth can be substituted)
1 cup crushed Herb Seasoned Dressing
1/2 stick butter
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and dry breasts and place in baking dish. Salt and pepper to taste, but be careful not to add too much salt because the soup is salty as well as the stuffing:) Top chicken with Swiss cheese. Mix soup and wine and pour over cheese. Crush dressing if it is already crushed and sprinkle over the soup mixture. Melt butter and pour over the dressing mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. This takes about 5 minutes to throw together and is really tasty. Great leftovers too.

I found this one at Kelly's Korner recipes. She has some great ones!

Cowboy Spaghetti

This is super good

1 lb spaghetti
1 tbls Extra virgin olive oil
1 lb ground sirloin
3 slices smoky bacon
1 medium onion
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tsp hot sauce...or more if you like
1 tbls Worcestershire
1/2 cup beer
1 can, chopped or crushed fire roasted tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
4 green onions
salt pepper

Heat a pot of water to boil, add spaghetti and salt the water. Cook until still slightly firm, but not hard. Heat a deep skillet over med-high heat, add EVOO and bacon, brown and crisp bacon, 5 minutes, and remove with slotted spoon. Drain off a little excess fat if necessary. Leave just enough to coat the bottom of skillet. Add beef and crumble as it browns. 3-4 minutes. Add onions, garlic and stir in meat. Season meat with salt and pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire, add 1/2 cup beer and deglaze the pan. Cook 5-6 minutes more then stir in tomotoes and sauce. Add hot spaghetti to meat and sauce and combine. Adjust seasonings and serve up pasta in shallow bowls. Grate some cheese over the pasta and sprinkle with green onions. Top with crisp bacon. I'm going to make this soon. I forgot how easy and wonderful it is, comfort food for sure. ENJOY!

Dr. Pepper Cake

1 box German Chocolate Cake Mix - Duncan Hines is the best
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 12oz Dr. Pepper

Combine firest 3 ingredients, beat until blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla and Dr. Pepper last. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Icing.
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/3 cup cocoa ( I like Ghirradelli..or however you spell it)
1 lb powdered sugar
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla

Beat until well blended and fluffy. Frost cake. Add a few candles if you are celebrating a birthday. Oh, this makes me want a piece now. The cake is light, but the icing is heavy..good combo.

Teriyake

I'm not a big Asian food cook, I think the restaurants can do it better...LOVE PEI WEI, but this is an easy marinade for your files.

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup red wine 1 clove garlic crushed
3 TBLS brown sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger...I used about 1/4 tsp

Combine ingredients over medium heat.

I made this then let my pork and veggies hang out in it for about an hour before stir frying in about 2 TBLS oil. I thought it was great and just realized that I forgot the garlic....and I didn't even notice, but garlic would make it even better I'm sure.
Here is what my dinner looked like last night. Of course, I happened to use the one bowl with a big chip in it. I tried to hide it with the fork...I don't think it worked! It may not look super fancy, it I enjoyed every bite. Leftovers tonight.

Artichoke Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup mayo
1/3 cup sour cream
1 14 oz can artichokes - chopped and drained
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
a few shakes Tasbasco
1/2 cup Grated Mozzarella cheese

Place chicken breasts in a baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl except Mozzarella cheese. Spread over chicken breasts and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Top with grated cheese and bake for another 15 minutes or until chicken is done and juices run clear. I estimated the measurements since I only made a 1/2 portion, but these should be fine and just as yummy.

Bacon wrapped stuffed chicken breast

Thanks to my sis-in-law Amy for the inspiration on this one.

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breast

3 boneless skinless chicken breast

1/2 carton fresh mushrooms

1/4 large onion, diced

1 tbs butter

bacon

2 slices of cheese per breast(I used American, but I'm sure any kind would be good)

balsamic vinegar, or balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Saute onions and mushrooms in butter until soft. Pound out chicken breast until 1/3 inch think. Place a spoonful of mushrooms/onion mixture in the middle of each breast along with 2 slices of cheese. Roll up the chicken breast and wrap with bacon. Use a toothpick to secure the ends. Place in baking dish and top the chicken rolls with remaining mushrooms/onions. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Baste with balsamic vinaigrette and cook for 5 more minutes. I used balsamic vinegar but it ran off, so the dressing would work better since it contains oil and will adhere better. Either way - this was yummy.

Two thumbs up from the guy who brings home that bacon.

I will try to post many more this weekend to get caught up....well sorta. I have so many in my head I'd like to post here, it is spinning!

Strawberry Bread, Lemon Bars, BBQ Meatballs

Lane's sweet Mimi gave me a cookbook with her favorite recipes in it for a wedding gift and I treasure all her hand written recipes. This strawberry bread is one I tried this week. I enjoyed it toasted or warmed with a little butter.

Strawberry Bread

3 cups flour

1 tsp soda

tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups sugar 1 1/4 cup oil

4 eggs

2 10 oz pkg frozen strawberries - thawed

1 1/4 cup chopped pecans (I left these out)

1 tsp vanilla

Mix dry ingredients and add to the mixture of eggs and oil. Add remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Makes 3 small loaves or 2 large loaves.

These lemon bars are super.

Crust:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks butter

Mix and press into 9x13 glass dish sprayed with cooking spray Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Crust will be light

Topping:

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups sugar

5 tbsp lemon juice

rind of 1 lemon

4 tbsp flour

powdered sugar for dusting

Mix well and whip again just before pouring over hot crust. Bake 20-25 minutes, shake pan to be sure filling is set. Sift powdered sugar over top as soon as it comes out of oven. Cool and cut with a wet knife.

BBQ Meatballs adapted from http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/ I made few changes to the recipe for the sauce. I noted my recipe

Meatballs

1.5 lbs ground beef

3 tbsp finely diced onions

3/4 cup oats

1 cup milk

salt and pepper

Roll into 1 - 1 1/2 inch meatballs and place in freezer. While in freezer make sauce

Sauce: 1 cup ketchup

3 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp Worchestershire

2 tbsp brown sugar

6-8 tbsp finely diced onions

1 tbsp yellow mustard

Take meatballs from freezer and dredge in flour immediately. Brown on 2 sides in a skillet with 2 tbsp oil. Do not cook completely. Place browned meatballs in baking dish and top with sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Enjoy! Lane had his on toast topped with mozzarella..mmm.