Thursday, October 25, 2012

Chicken & Penne Pasta Bake


  Chicken & Penne Pasta Bake

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/chicken-penne-pasta-bake-130553.aspx?cm_mmc=eml-_-rbe-_-20121023-_-1039&cm_lm=6AB0553E9CCA033A2343D4F64BE1A294
time
prep:
20 min
total:
40 min
servings
total:
6 servings, about 1-2/3 cups each

What You Need

2-3/4
cups  penne pasta (12 oz.), uncooked
1
Tbsp.  olive oil
1
lb.  boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1
jar  (24 oz.) marinara sauce
2
cups  loosely packed baby spinach leaves
1
pkg.  (6 oz.) FRESH TAKE Italian Parmesan Recipe Cheese Breadcrumb Mix, mixed together

Make It

HEAT oven to 400ºF.
COOK pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, heat oil in large ovenproof skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 to 6 min. or until evenly browned. Stir in marinara sauce.
DRAIN pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Add to ingredients in skillet; mix lightly. Stir in spinach; top with cheese mixture.
BAKE 20 min. or until heated through.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Note
If you don't have an ovenproof skillet, you can use a regular skillet instead. Just wrap handle with several layers of foil before using as directed.

Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake


  Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/three-cheese-chicken-penne-pasta-111666.aspx?cm_mmc=eml-_-rbe-_-20121023-_-1052&cm_lm=6AB0553E9CCA033A2343D4F64BE1A294
time
prep:
20 min
total:
43 min
servings
total:
4 servings, 2 cups each

What You Need

1-1/2
cups  multi-grain penne pasta, uncooked
1
pkg.  (9 oz.) fresh spinach leaves
1
lb.  boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1
tsp.  dried basil leaves
1
can  (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
1
jar  (14 oz.) spaghetti sauce
2
oz.  (1/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, cubed
1
cup  KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
2
Tbsp.  KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Make It

HEAT oven to 375ºF.
COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt and adding spinach to the boiling water for the last minute.
MEANWHILE, cook and stir chicken and basil in large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat 3 min. Stir in tomatoes and spaghetti sauce; bring to boil. Simmer on low heat 3 min. or until chicken is done, stirring occasonally. Stir in Neufchatel.
DRAIN pasta mixture; return to pan. Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella; pour into 2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray.
BAKE 20 min. or until heated through; top with remaining cheeses. Bake 3 min. or until mozzarella is melted.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Note
If watching sodium, prepare using no-salt-added diced tomatoes and lower-sodium spaghetti sauce.
Substitute
Substitute an 8-inch square baking dish for the 2-qt. casserole.
Serving Suggestion
Serve with CRYSTAL LIGHT Iced Tea.

Undone Stuffed Pepper Casserole


  Undone Stuffed Pepper Casserole

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/undone-stuffed-pepper-casserole-115888.aspx?cm_mmc=eml-_-rbe-_-20121023-_-1048&cm_lm=6AB0553E9CCA033A2343D4F64BE1A294
time
prep:
15 min
total:
40 min
servings
total:
7 servings, 1 cup each

What You Need

1
lb.  lean ground beef
2
 green peppers, coarsely chopped
3
cloves  garlic, minced
2
cups  cooked long-grain white rice
1
jar  (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1-1/2
cups  KRAFT Shredded Italian* Five Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA, divided

Make It

HEAT oven to 350ºF.
BROWN meat with peppers and garlic in large skillet; drain. Stir in rice, spaghetti sauce and 3/4 cup cheese.
SPOON into 2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining cheese.
BAKE 25 min. or until heated through.
* Made with quality cheeses crafted in the USA. CHINET® and CHINET BAKEWARE® are registered trademarks of Hutamaki, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Healthy Living
Save 30 calories and 4g of fat, including 3g of sat fat, per serving by preparing with extra-lean ground beef and KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Italian* Three Cheese Blend.
Plan Ahead
Chinet Bakeware® baking pans help make meal preparation a snap! Prepare this delicious casserole in a large oval Chinet Bakeware® pan as directed. After serving, cool any leftovers, then snap on the lid and store them in the refrigerator up to 2 days. When ready to serve, remove the lid and reheat them in the microwave. Chinet Bakeware® baking pans are versatile so you can take them from the oven to refrigerator to microwave all in the same pan.
Substitute
Prepare using cooked brown rice.

Santa Fe Chicken

Santa Fe Chicken

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/santa-fe-chicken-114523.aspx?cm_mmc=eml-_-rbe-_-20121023-_-1035&cm_lm=6AB0553E9CCA033A2343D4F64BE1A294


time
prep:
10 min
total:
55 min
servings
total:
Makes 4 servings

What You Need

2
cups  instant white rice, uncooked
1
can  (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
1
 yellow pepper, chopped
1
can  (10-1/2 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
2
cups  water
1/4
cup  chopped fresh cilantro
4
small  boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1/2
cup  TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1
cup  KRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese

Make It

HEAT oven to 400°F.
COMBINE rice, beans and peppers in 13x9-inch baking dish. Mix soup, water and cilantro; pour over rice mixture.
TOP with chicken and salsa.
BAKE 45 min. or until chicken is done (165°F), topping with cheese for the last 10 min.
TACO BELL® and HOME ORIGINALS® are trademarks owned and licensed by Taco Bell Corp.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Healthy Living
Save 50 calories and 6g of fat, including 3g of saturated fat, per serving by preparing with 98%-fat-free reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup and KRAFT Mexican Style 2% Milk Finely Shredded Four Cheese.
Substitute
Don't have fresh cilantro? Use 1 tsp. ground coriander instead.

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie


  Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cheesy-chicken-pot-pie-114144.aspx

time
prep:
10 min
total:
35 min
servings
total:
8 servings

What You Need

3
cups  chopped cooked chicken
1
pkg.  (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, green beans, peas), thawed, drained
1/2
lb.  (8 oz.) VELVEETA®, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1
can  (10-3/4 oz.) reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup
1
can  (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Make It

HEAT oven to 375ºF.
COMBINE first 4 ingredients in 13x9-inch baking dish.
UNROLL dough; place over chicken mixture.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until crust is golden brown.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Healthy Living
Save 40 calories and 4g of fat, including 2g of sat fat, per serving by preparing with 2% Milk VELVEETA, 98% fat-free condensed cream of chicken soup and refrigerated reduced-fat crescent dinner rolls.
Note from KRAFT Kitchens
We appreciate your comments, and we agree that thawing the vegetables first produces a better dish. Thank you for all of your suggestions!
How to Thaw the Frozen Vegetables
Place vegetables in a colander inside a bowl and run warm water over them; let stand 5 min. or until they are thawed. Drain.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Banana Oatmeal Cups with Chocolate Chips


Banana Oatmeal Cups with Chocolate Chips  
http://greenlitebites.com/2009/03/07/banana-oatmeal-cups-with-chocolate-chips/

 3 mashed bananas (the more ripe the better!)
    1 cup vanilla Almond milk (you could use skim but you may want to add a little sweetener)
    2 eggs
    1 tbsp Baking powder
    3 cups (240g) Old Fashion or Rolled Oats
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    3 tbsp (42g) mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Mix all ingredients except the chocolate chips together, and let sit while you prepare the muffin pans.

Spray a muffin pan and/or liners with with non-stick spray.

Stir the chocolate chips into the oatmeal batter.

Divide batter into 15 muffin cups. They should be just about filled.

Bake 20-30 minutes, you’ll see the edges just starting to brown and they will be firm to the touch.

The muffins may stick when hot but are removed easily when cooled for a bit.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Jessica Kozol Quinoa Salad

Jessica Kozol Quinoa Salad

Off the top of my head it's quinoa (1 and a half cups?) cooked in vege broth (or chicken) and let it cool.

Then the veggies are tomatoes, cucumbers, canned artichoke hearts (optional but good), red onion, parsley, cilantro.

The dressing is a few tbls. olive oil,1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, juice of a half lemon or so, a clove or two of garlic finely chopped. Top with feta at the very end just before serving.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Cinnamon and Sugar Pull-Apart Bread


Cinnamon and Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

http://www.recipesnobs.com/2012/03/cinnamon-and-sugar-pull-apart-bread.html


Dough
     2 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
     1/4 cup sugar
     2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)
     1/2 tsp. salt
     4 Tbsp. butter
     1/3 cup whole milk
     1/4 cup water
     2 eggs (at room temperature)
     1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Filling
     1 cup sugar
     2 tsp. cinnamon
     1/4 tsp. nutmeg
     4 Tbsp. butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, mix 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Set aside.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and milk. Once the butter is completely melted take off the burner and add the water and vanilla. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.

Pour the milk mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well. Whisk together the eggs and add to the batter. Keep mixing. Add 3/4 cup of flour and mix well. The mixture will be very sticky which means it's perfect. Place the dough in a medium greased bowl. Cover with wrap and let it sit in a warm place to rise for about 30-45 minutes. Once the dough has doubled its size, knead in 2 tablespoons of flour. Cover the dough again for 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, start on the filling. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.

Once the dough is ready, roll it out on a floured surface. Brush the melted butter on the dough and add the sugar mixture. Make sure everything is covered. Using a shape knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into equal sized strips (about 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide). Then cut the strips into equal sized squares. Stack the squares on top of each other and place them in a bread pan. Cover the dough for another 10-15 minutes to rise.

While dough is rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place a cookie sheet under bread pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until outside of bread is golden brown.

foodsnots.com

Saturday, October 13, 2012

SNICKERDOODLE MUFFINS


 SNICKERDOODLE MUFFINS

~ Tiffany/Eat At Home & Sonlight Forums
Bethany Weathersby
2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
2 t. cream of tartar
1 t. baking soda
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 T. sugar + 1 t. cinnamon for topping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, stir together the flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda; set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until well combined. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, just until moistened. Fill muffin cups 2/3 of the way full of batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.

Bethany Notes: I keep a jar of cinnamon sugar in the cupboard at all times, so I skip the topping in this recipe and just use our regular stash. These freeze well.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos


Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

http://joelens.blogspot.com/2010/05/cilantro-lime-chicken-tacos.html


When you think of pesto, does the traditional basil pesto usually come to mind at first? That's what I think of but there's a whole world of other kinds of pestos to check out! I've been experimenting with various kinds of pestos and my current favorite is this recipe for Cilantro Lime Pesto. It's definitely one to try and there's so many ways to use it, such as in these Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos...

Cilantro and lime is a flavor combo that's commonly seen together. When combined as a pesto, you can be sure the flavor is refreshing and light! The pesto is simply made with cilantro leaves, toasted sliced almonds, asiago cheese, fresh garlic, salt, olive oil and a bit of chicken broth. Just like a traditional basil pesto, this version can be frozen, used as a dip, a spread, a sauce... whatever your favorite application is for pesto!I tossed the cilantro lime pesto with some cooked chicken, then filled flour tortillas for a twist on chicken tacos. The pesto gave the chicken a bright and light flavor perfect for the warm spring and summer months. For the tacos, feel free to use whatever garnishes or additional toppings you wish. I topped our Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos with sauteed bell peppers and onions, slices of ripe avocado,and shredded cheese.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos
original Joelen recipe
cooking spray for sauteeing
2-3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup cilantro lime pesto (recipe follows)
flour or corn tortillas
preferred taco garnishes (salsa, sour cream, cheese, etc)
Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder. In a skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute chicken over medium high heat and cooked through. Toss cooked, seasoned chicken with the pesto. Fill tortillas with chicken and top with preferred garnishes.
* To make ahead/freezer meal - Cook chicken as directed as above and cool. Place chicken in freezer bag. Prepare cilantro lime pesto as directed below. Place a 1/2 cup of pesto in a small storage bag then place inside the freezer bag with the chicken. Freeze. When ready to prepare, defrost and heat chicken. Toss chicken with defrosted pesto. If desired, heat chicken and pesto together before filling tacos.
Cilantro Lime Pesto
recipe adapted from
Food Network

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (do not include stems)
2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sliced, toasted almonds
3 tablespoons chopped, fresh garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 cup shredded asiago (Parmesan or Romano can be substituted too)
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chicken brothUsing a blender, mix together the cilantro, olive oil, almonds, garlic, lime juice, asiago, salt and chicken broth on low speed for 2 minutes.

Salsa


Salsa
Natalie Mason

·       two  14.5 ounce cans of diced peaked tomatoes
·       1/3 white onion
·       1/2 jalapeno (add more or keep seeds if you want more spice)
·       1 lime juiced
·       Large handful of cilantro
·       3-4  green onions (optional)
·       Salt to taste
Put all of the ingredients listed above in a food processor and blend to desired thickness. Add more jalapeno or onion to your taste.   I usually double the batch.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Slow Cooker Chicken and Noodles

Slow Cooker Chicken and Noodles
 Added by Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out on September 17, 2012
in Main Courses, Slow Cooker
http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/slow-cooker-chicken-and-noodles/

4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
 ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
 ½ teaspoons Black Pepper
 1 cup Chicken Broth
 1 cup Low Fat Milk
 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
 1 teaspoon Sugar ½ teaspoons (heaping)
Garlic Powder
 ½ cups Reduced Fat Sour Cream
 ½ cups Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
 ¼ cups Flour

 Preparation Instructions Cut the chicken into strips or bite-size chunks. Place in the bottom of the slow cooker; sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together chicken broth, milk, cornstarch, sugar and garlic powder. Pour over the chicken. Cover the crockpot and cook on high heat for 3-4 hours or low heat for 7-8 hours. Then, in a separate bowl, combine sour cream, Greek yogurt and flour until smooth. Stir this into the cooked chicken mixture and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes until thickened. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt as necessary. Serve hot over egg noodles. *You may use all sour cream or all Greek yogurt instead of half of each if preferred. **Although my family serves this alongside vegetables, you could easily add vegetables into it. To add mushrooms, add sliced or diced mushrooms with the chicken in step 1. For other vegetables such as peas, add thawed frozen peas add them with the flour and sour cream mixture in step 4. This will allow them to heat through without getting mushy.