EASY SKILLET CHICKEN AND NOODLES

1 tbsp canola or coconut oil
4 (1 lb) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 small onion, sliced
1 can condensed chicken broth
2 cups dry egg noodles
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp basil
dash of freshly ground black pepper
1 pkg (16-oz) frozen vegetables of your choice, thawed
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Thin strips of a small red bell pepper for garnish, optional

Place a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.  Cook the chicken in hot oil with the onion for 10 minutes or until the chicken is browned on both sides.  Remove the chicken and onion; set aside.

Skim fat from oil in skillet.  Add the broth, noodles, water, basil, and pepper to the skillet; heat to boiling.  Add the chicken and onion back into the skillet, arranging over the noodles.  Top with the vegetables.  Cover and cook 10 minutes or until the noodles are tender and the chicken is cooked through.  Stir occasionally to keep noodles from clumping together.

To serve, remove chicken from skillet.  Place noodle/vegetable mixture on serving platter; top with the chicken.  Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over all.  Garnish with the bell pepper strips.

Yield: 4 servings.

ROASTED CHILE-GARLIC BROCCOLI

6 cups broccoli florets
2 tbsp dark sesame oil
2 tsp ground fresh chili paste
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of sugar
6 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

Place a small roasting pan in the oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place the broccoli in a large bowl and drizzle with the sesame oil: toss to coat.  Add the chili paste, salt, and sugar; toss.  Add to the hot roasting pan; toss again.

Bake broccoli  for 5 minutes or until lightly browned at 450 degrees.

Yield: 4 servings

Note: This is an old Cooking Light recipe.

VERY EASY PINEAPPLE CHEESE DANISH

1 can (5-oz) refrigerated flaky buttermilk biscuits
1 tub soft cream cheese with pineapple
flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Very lightly oil the bottom of a round cake pan.

Separate biscuits and place, without sides touching, on the bottom of the prepared pan.  Make indentations in the center of each biscuit.  Place 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese into the indentations of each biscuit.  Sprinkle lightly with the coconut.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

Best served warm.

Variations:

• Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar
• Use soft cream cheese with strawberries

SPINACH AND MUSHROOMS

To the best of my remembrance, I got this recipe from a TOH magazine 3 or 4 years ago.  I love spinach and I love mushrooms so this is a favorite.  I neither cook with white wine or chicken broth so I replace that with vegetable broth.  You may wish to stick with the original recipe.

1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
6-oz fresh baby spinach
1 can (8-oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained

In a large nonstick skillet, saute the mushrooms in the butter and olive oil until tender.  Add garlic and cook for another minute.  Stir in the wine or broth, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, thyme, and salt.

Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 7 or 8 minutes until the liquid is evaporated.

Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted.  Stir in the water chestnuts and heat through.

CHICKEN-PARMESAN NOODLE TOSS

1/2 lb linguine pasta
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast strips
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 can (14-oz) diced tomatoes, do not drain
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on the package.

While pasta cooks, heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet.  Add the chicken; cook and stir for 8 minutes or until cooked through.

Stir the tomato paste and garlic powder into the chicken and cook, stirring, over medium heat for a minute.  Add the tomatoes, water, and Italian dressing to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl; add sauce and toss to coat pasta well.

Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over all.

Yield: 8 cups

CUCUMBER PUNCH

Looking for a refreshing Summertime punch?  Try this Cucumber punch I got a few years ago from a TOH Healthy Cooking magazine.

2 medium cucumbers
3 cups water
1 can (12-oz) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 liters diet ginger ale, chilled
4 1/2 cups diet grapefruit or citrus soda, chilled

With a zester or fork, score cucumbers lengthwise; cut width-wise into thin slices.

In a large pitcher, combine the water and lemonade concentrate; add the cucumber slices.  Cover and refrigerate overnight or all day.

Just before serving, transfer cucumber mixture to a punch bowl; stir in the ginger ale and soda.

Yield: Approximately 2 dozen servings of about 3/4 cup each.

CHOCOLATE-SOUR CREAM BUNDT CAKE

1 reg size box any basic chocolate cake mix
1 small carton sour cream
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water
3 large eggs
1 pkg (reg-aize) dark chocolate chips

Grease a Bundt cake pan and set aside.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.


Combine the cake mix, sour cream, oil, and water together in large mixer bowl.  

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each until combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes; middle will still be a little gooey. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Remove cake from pan and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until serving time.

If you wish to serve warm, microwave for 20 seconds.

Serve with whipped cream.

Note: This is a recipe I got from the cooking.com website.

BROWNIE BUTTON BITES

A refrigerated roll of brownie dough makes this recipe quick and easy!

1 roll (16.5-oz) refrigerated roll of triple chocolate chunk brownie batter
1 bag of miniature peanut butter cups

Spray or line with paper baking liners 20 mini muffin cups.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Fill each cup almost full with the brownie batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 19 to 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool in pans for 3 to 4 minutes; gently press 1 mini peanut butter cup into each brownie until the top of the candy is level with the top of the brownie.

Cool for 10 minutes in pans.  Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 20 brownie bites

Note:  This is a recipe I got from Southern Living several years ago.

PIMIENTO PINWHEELS

2 tubes (8-oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup pimiento cheese

Unroll crescent dough onto a lightly floured surface; pat into 2 rectangles, pressing the perforations to seal.

Spread half the pimiento cheese onto each rectangle going all the way to the edges.

Roll up each of the rectangles, starting with long end and cut each into 10 even slices.

Place onto the prepared baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees 10 minutes or until browned.

Yield: 20 pinwheels

ORIENTAL CHICKEN BROCCOLI

Cooked brown or long-grain rice for 4 servings
1 tbsp canola oil
1 lb chicken breast strips
1 small yellow onion, chopped coarsely
1 medium-size red bell pepper
1 can cream of broccoli or mushroom soup
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp soy sauce
green onion to garnish
soy sauce for serving

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the chicken until browned in the canola oil.

Add the onion and bell pepper to the chicken in the skillet; cook 5 minutes or until the veggies are tender and chicken is no longer pink inside.

Stir the soup, water, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce into the mixture; heat to boiling.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook another 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally during this 5 minutes.

Serve over the rice.  Garnish with the green onion and serve with soy sauce, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

FETTUCCINI CHICKEN & TOMATO DINNER

While I don't eat chicken, most of my family loves it.  I know from the recipes most viewed on this site and the requests I get, most of you love chicken recipes.  I got this recipe in an email today and wanted to save it.  I know my family will love it as will many of you.  The recipe is from Just a Pinch and was submitted by Denise Miles of Auburn, Alabama.

16 oz	fettuccine, uncooked
2 lg	chicken breast halves, skinless and boneless, diced
1 md	onion, chopped
4	zucchini (approximately 5 in. long and 1 to 1 1/2 in. in diameter)
4	yellow zucchini (same size as above)
2 can(s)	diced tomatoes w/ italian seasoning
1 tsp	dried italian seasoning
1 Tbsp	garlic, miced
1 tsp	canola oil
1/4 c	water
1 c	grated parmesan cheese Prepare fettucine per directions, cooking until al dente. Drain and set aside. 2  Cook Chicken on med/high heat in Non-stick Skillet until done. Set aside until cool to the touch. Dice Chicken into pieces. 3  Chop onion into a large dice. Slice zucchini and yellow squash into 1/4 inch medallions (may have to cut some of the squash medallions in half on larger end) 4  In that same large skillet over medium heat, saute onion in canola oil. When almost translucent, add zucchini and water. Add yellow squash, garlic, and dried Italian seasoning. Cook until squash and zucchini are desired tenderness. Add both cans of tomatoes and continue cooking until heated through. Add cooked fettucine and toss to blend. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.