Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Sauce

Made this tonight and it was fast, easy, different and delicious! I served with wild rice vs. the potatos, as recommended in the origninal recipe - either would be yummy!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider
2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; add to pan. Cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken; place pan in oven. Bake at 450° for 9 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup broth and cider; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 4 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in mustard, 1 tablespoon butter, and parsley.
3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add Brussels sprouts; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup broth to pan; cover and cook 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Serve sprouts with chicken and sauce.

Robin Bashinsky, Cooking Light DECEMBER 2011

Spinach Chicken Enchiladas

I made these a few weeks ago and they were delicious. I have been craving Mexican food, so I try to make a mexican dish at least once a week! This recipe is a keeper!

Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles
4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 cup cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
10 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado

Preparation

Combine 1 can tomatoes and green chiles, chicken, and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Drain remaining 1 can tomatoes and green chiles, and add liquid to saucepan. Set drained tomatoes and green chiles aside.
Bring chicken mixture to a boil; reduce heat, and cook 10 to 15 minutes. Remove chicken, and strain cooking liquid, reserving 2 1/2 cups liquid and diced tomatoes and green chiles. Cool chicken slightly, and chop.
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in reserved tomato liquid until blended. Add cream cheese, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Spread 1 cup sauce into bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
Press spinach between paper towels to remove excess moisture. Stir together spinach, chicken, half of reserved diced tomatoes and green chiles, cottage cheese, sour cream, and 1 cup cheese blend. Spoon mixture down center of each flour tortilla; roll up. Place, seam side down, in dish. Top with remaining sauce.
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese, and bake 5 more minutes. Sprinkle with remaining tomatoes and green chiles. Sprinkle with toppings.

Southern Living, SEPTEMBER 1997

Chicken Cacciatore with Crisp Polenta

My sister and Michael told me about this recipe and they way they described it, we had to try it. We really enjoyed it! It has a completely different taste and is perfect when you want something outside of the norm. I did use regular chicken breasts because our lovely Norwood Kroger did not have the boneless, skinless chicken thighs (oh and I am not a fan of chicken with bones - even if the recipe calls for it). Norwood Kroger also did not have polenta, so I substituted with Country Mush - haha. It worked, but just annoyed me enough to say I wouldn't go back to the Norwood Kroger again! Hate it! Anyway, we liked the meal so much that I am making it again tonight - this time with the boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

Ingredients
Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil
8 skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds total)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in juice, broken up with a spoon
1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/3 cup pitted green olives, halved
1 tube (16 ounces) plain prepared polenta, sliced into 12 rounds

Directions

1. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in two batches, sear chicken, meaty side down, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate (chicken will cook more in step 2).
2. Add mushrooms to pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes (with their juice), wine, onions, garlic, olives, and chicken (with any juices). Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Season stew with salt and pepper.
3. While stew is cooking, heat broiler. On a rimmed baking sheet, brush both sides of polenta slices with remaining oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil, without turning, until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken cacciatore over polenta.

From Everyday Food, October 2008
Marthastewart.com: Chicken Cacciatore with Crisp Polenta - Martha Stewart Recipes

Black Bean & Chicken Tortilla Soup...

...or as Tim called it - CHILI! Whatever, it is not chili! I got a new food processor today and was so excited to try it! This is a recipe I just made up - so I will do my best to put it into measurable amounts! I will definitely make this again when I am not in the mood for chili!

Ingredients:

1 - 2 cups of cooked chicken (I had cooked some in the crockpot - so it ended up being shredded - but diced grilled chicken would be good too)
1 box chicken broth
1 can of petite diced tomatoes with chiles
1 can of stewed tomatoes
2 can of black beans (divided)
1 cup of frozen corn
4 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce (optional - do not use these if you do not like spicy soup, Tim could barely hang)
1 Tbsp of cumin
1 Tbsp of chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Garnishments - all optional, but highly recommended:

6 small CORN tortillas
oil for frying
salt to taste
sour cream
cheese
cilantro
lime

Add both cans of tomatoes an, one can of black beans and the chipotle peppers (if using) to the food processor. Blend until smooth! Transfer mixture to a large pot. Slowly add in chicken broth until mixed throughout. Add in chicken, the other can of black beans (drained and rinsed), the frozen corn, cumin and chili powder . Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 45 min to 1 hour.

To prepare the garnishment, which in my opinion, may have been the best part - slice the corn tortillas in long thin strips longways and then cut in half, so you end up with about 2 inch pieces. Place the oil in a pan and heat until bubbly. Fry the tortillas until golden brown. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel to drain. Make sure to salt them while they are still hot! So yummy!

Chicken Shish Kababs

Deb made these for the June meal exchange - they sound easy and delicious. Love the summer grilling theme!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of cooking oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2-3 cloves of crushed garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 skinless chicken breasts
Various vegetables for grilling

Directions:

Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Combine all ingredients and marinate for 1 hour.

Thread chicken and vegetables on skewers and girll on each side for 4 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.

Serve with rice.

Chicken (or Turkey) Burgers with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Holly brought this for our June 2010 meal exchange and I am so excited to try them. She was making them the other night when we stopped by to play and they smelled yummy!

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds ground chicken
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons very finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
2 teaspoons chile powder
Salt
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons chopped salted peanuts
4 round ciabatta rolls, split and toasted
Lettuce, for serving

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken with 1/4 cup of the chopped onion, 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon of the chile powder, 1 teaspoon of salt and the garam masala. Using slightly moistened hands, form the ground-chicken mixture into four 4-inch patties.
In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped onion and 1 teaspoon of chile powder and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter and hot water. Stir in the peanuts and season the sauce lightly with salt.

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Brush the chicken burgers with vegetable oil and grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until they are golden and crusty and just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Spread the peanut sauce on the rolls. Top with the burgers and lettuce, close and serve.

Recipe by Grace Parisi, Food & Wine Magazine

Chicken Salad Contessa

I am obsessed with chicken salad, always have been and I am also recently obsessed with Tarragon - I think because when you sprinkle on any kind of food, it reminds me of steak Oscar. Anyway, this is a recipe from Ina Garten, of Barefoot Contessa. She used to make this and sell it at her store. I will say I altered it a little bit by doing the following: I cooked 4 good size chicken tenders in a crockpot on low for like 8 hours (just a little broth in the bottom, salt, pepper, some dried tarragon). I also didn't have any pecans or walnuts, so I used sliced almonds and they were a fine substitute. I used reduced fat mayo and reduced fat sour cream and I used dried, not fresh tarragon. Also, her recipe calls for two tsps of Kosher salt and apparently if you don't use Kosher salt and use regular or sea salt - it is too salty, according to the reviews. I put a little over 1 tsp and I will still cut back on the salt next time, but if you pay attention to this one detail - this is excellent. I will probably make it again this weekend :)

Ingredients

2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (1 1/2 pounds)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup walnuts halves
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves, divided
1 cup green grapes, cut in 1/2
Lettuce leaves, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside until cool. When the chicken is cool, remove meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Cut the chicken into a 3/4-inch dice. Meanwhile, place the pecans and walnuts on a separate sheet pan and toast in the oven for 7 to 8 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool. For the dressing, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Fold in half the chopped tarragon leaves. Place the diced chicken in a bowl, add the pecans, walnuts and grapes. Pour the dressing over the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle the remaining chopped tarragon leaves on top, and serve on a bed of lettuce leaves.

2007, Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved

Chicken & Dumplings

This is a Shonda original - meaning, I just wing it, but I did follow it pretty closely to make five meals for the December meal exchange.

3 big chicken breasts (cubed)
1 bag of frozen mix of celery, onions and carrots
1 small can of mushrooms
1 large box of chicken broth plus 1 can (I use low sodium)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
Bisquick Mix
Low-fat milk
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Boil check breasts and cut into cubes. Saute celery, onions, carrot mix and mushrooms in olive oil until tender. Combine chicken and vegetables in large stock pot. Add the chicken broth, cream of chicken and cream of celery soup. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 - 25 minutes. While the soup mixture is simmering, make the dumplings. There is a recipe on the Bisquick box for dumplings. I usually make three batches. Each batch is 2/3 cup of Bisquick milk and 3 tablespoons of milk. After the soup has simmered, return it to a boil. Drop the dumplings into the boiling soup a tablespoon at a time. With a large spoon, dunk the dumplings in the broth. They will be finished in about 5 - 8 minutes. Turn the heat to low and allow the mixture time to thicken, usually another 10 - 15 minutes. Depending on the consistency you like, you may want to thicken it using cornstarch and milk.

Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

This is Deb's contribution to the September Meal Exchange - looks awesome! She referred to it as "fancy mac n' cheese".


Yield 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)



Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
3 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) carton 2% low-fat cottage cheese
4 cups hot cooked penne (about 8 ounces uncooked tube-shaped pasta)
2 cups shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup, undiluted



Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°.
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach, oregano, and black pepper; sauté 3 minutes or just until spinach wilts.
Place cottage cheese in a food processor; process until very smooth. Combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, pasta, chicken, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, milk, and soup in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Cooking Light, March 2006

Tortilla Casserole

6 medium flour tortillas
3 cooked chicken breasts, cut up (I used frozen tenderloins that come in the 3-lb. bag)
1 8 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 8 oz. can chopped black olives
6 green onions, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use cream of chicken)
1 can water
1 package taco seasoning powder
1 tomato chopped
6 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
6 oz. shredded monterey jack cheese
sour cream for topping
taco sauce for topping

In a 9 x 13 casserole place tortillas on bottom. Mix the soup with 2 cans of water and taco seasoning. Heat and blend with wire whisk. Spoon 2 T of soup mixture on top of tortillas. Add 1/3 of chicken pieces, 1/3 of the olives, chilies, and onion. Top with 1/3 of cheese. Place 2 more tortillas on top and repeat process. Add last 2 tortillas and put remaining ingredients on top. Pour remaining soup mixture over top and add all the chopped tomato. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 6 to 8. Top with sour cream and taco sauce if desired.

Mexican Chicken Lasagna

I made this for the March meal exchange and tried ours the night that I made them. This was really tasty and we had it for leftovers the next day, however, next time I make it - I will add corn and beans to the chicken and onion layer to get some vegetables in there. Also - if you notice below - the original recipe has you microwave the casserole. For the meal exchange, since they are in foil pans - microwaving will not work :) Defrost the casserole overnight in the fridge and then cook covered for 35 - 40 minutes at 375 degrees or until bubbly. When I made mine, I baked it and think that it is just better that way vs. microwaving it! For the chicken in this casserole I made it ahead in the crockpot with some broth, the onion and a packet of low sodium taco seasoning. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, lightly packed
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded, divided
1 medium onion (about 2/3 cup chopped)
1 (28 ounce) can enchilada sauce (I used green enchilada sauce)
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
3 cups cooked chicken (diced or shredded)
Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Chop cilantro. Place cream cheese in microwaveable bowl and microwave on HIGH 30-45 seconds or until very soft. Add cilantro and 1½ cups of the Monterey Jack cheese; mix well. Chop onion; set aside. Spread 2/3 cup of the enchilada sauce over bottom of baking dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce into mixing bowl; set aside.
2. To assemble lasagna, dip four tortillas into enchilada sauce in mixing bowl and arrange over sauce in baker overlapping as necessary. Scoop half of the cream cheese mixture over tortillas; spread. Top with 1 cup of the chicken and one-third of the onion. Repeat layers one time. Dip remaining four tortillas into sauce and arrange over second layer. Top with remaining chicken and onion. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over lasagna and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese.
3. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 12-15 minutes or until center is hot. Let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro. Cut into squares.

Mexican Pizza

This recipe is from Tara - she prepared it for the May meal exchange and since it wasn't frozen when I picked it up today - we just had it for lunch today! This was awesome and I will definitely make it again!

Need:

Pizza crust
1 tablespoon olive oil
fajita seasoning
2 cooked chicken breasts, diced (I bake chicken with fajita seasonings)
1 can black beans, drained and mashed a little
1 can corn, drained
1 can rotel, drained
1-2 cups shredded cheesesour cream (for garnish)

Cook pizza crust according to package directions. Before throwing in oven, I spread olive oil on it and dust a little fajita seasoning on it. Once crust is golden brown, take out and spread mashy black beans over the entire crust. Then sprinkle desired amounts of corn and rotel. The more rotel you use, the spicier it will be. You can use mild rotel if you want. Spread desired amount of cheese on top and then the chicken. Bake at 350 degrees until melty and heated through. We cut and serve with sour cream on the side. If you're going for presentation, pipe sour cream in diagonal lines over entire pizza before cutting. (that's how they do it at the restaurant we stole this from)

Chicken, Cheese & Chili Enchiladas

This recipe is from Elizabeth - she added corn to this to get another vegetable in!




Yield: 8 Servings



1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño chili, seeded and minced
4 cups cooked, shredded skinless chicken (from one 1 1/2-
lb. rotisserie chicken)
2 cups coarsely shredded sharp Cheddar
1 16-oz. jar salsa verde
1 4-oz. can diced mild green chilies, drained
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
16 5 1/2-inch corn tortillas
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro






Preheat oven to 375°F. Mist a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Warm oil in a
medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned,
5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeño and cook 2 minutes longer, stirring often. Remove from heat
and let cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, chicken, 1 cup cheese, 1/2 cup salsa and mild green
chilies. Stir until well combined.
Pour broth into skillet and heat until almost simmering. Working one at a time, dip a corn
tortilla into broth, taking care to work quickly so tortilla doesn't become too soft, then transfer
to a clean workspace. Spoon about 2 Tbsp. of chicken mixture down center of tortilla. Roll
tortilla around filling like a cigar, and transfer, seam side down, to prepared dish. Repeat with
remaining tortillas and filling. Pour remaining salsa over top of enchiladas, spreading to coat.
Sprinkle remaining cheese over top.
Bake enchiladas, uncovered, until cheese is melted and enchiladas are hot throughout, about 20
minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with cilantro.



CALORIES 346 ; FAT 14g (sat 6g); CHOLESTEROL 90mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22g; SODIUM
678mg; PROTEIN 32g; FIBER 3g



All You, JANUARY 2009

Coconut-Curry Chicken Soup

Deb made this for the January meal exchange. It is something different as far as soup goes (not your usual chicken soup) and it was so flavorful! Here is a quote from the creator of the recipe, "The aroma, color, texture, and combination of flavors make Thai cuisine delicious. The coconut milk gives the soup a creamy, smooth texture. Cook and shred the chicken before you start the recipe. This soup also reheats well."

Yield 7 servings (serving size: 2 cups soup and 1 lime wedge)

Ingredients

4 cups water
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
1/2 pound snow peas, trimmed and cut in half crosswise
1 (5 3/4-ounce) package pad thai noodles (wide rice stick noodles)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 teaspoons red curry paste
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 small hot red chiles, seeded and chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
7 lime wedges

Preparation

1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add spinach and peas to pan; cook for 30 seconds. Remove vegetables from pan with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl. Add noodles to pan; cook 3 minutes. Drain; add noodles to spinach mixture in bowl.
2. Heat canola oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and the next 5 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth to pan, and bring to a boil. Add coconut milk to pan; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add chicken, onions, sugar, and fish sauce to pan; cook for 2 minutes. Pour chicken mixture over noodle mixture in bowl. Stir in cilantro and chiles. Serve with lime wedges.

Tina Washburn, San Diego, California, Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2008

Chicken Tortilla Soup

The following three posts all come from Tara. These are a few of her staple recipes that she makes for her family! She says that she is a different kind of cook and kinda uses what she has to make up meals on her own! She has some recipes that sound great and some good time saving tips for making chicken ahead or using the pre-cooked rotisserie chickens! Tara also made this for the March Meal exchange for us to try!

In a large pot, cook about half a white or yellow onion (chopped) with a little EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil for all of those that may not be Rachel Ray fans) and some fajita seasoning (cumin, pepper, etc). Cook on medium heat just enough to get the juices flowing. Then dump in:
Shredded cooked chicken (half a breast of prepared rotisserie or 2-3 cooked breasts)
1 can corn
2 cans rotel (one regular, one mild- if you like a little spicy, both mild if you don’t)
2 cans chicken broth
1 can refried beans
Simmer on low at least 2 hours (I do 3-4 hours)
Serve with chopped scallions, shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips


Note: Tara recommends using the already cooked rotisserie chickens for this recipe. Another great tip to save time is to bake a large amount of chicken over the weekend (usually marinated in Italian dressing, baked at 350 for 45-50 min.) and use that through the week for recipes, over salads, etc.

Creamy Bowtie Pasta

Cook box of bowtie pasta according to package in a big pot. While pasta is cooking, throw about half a red onion (chopped) in a skillet with a little EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil for all of those that are not Rachel Ray fans) and garlic. Cook on medium heat, just enough to get the juices flowing.
Cook alfredo dressing (get dry packet) according to package. (You could use a jar of it)
Drain pasta, throw back in pot and add:
Shredded (cooked) chicken, onion mixture, 1 jar sundried tomatoes (drained and chopped), 1 pkg. pine nuts, alfredo sauce, oregano, basil. Stir. If too dry, you can add more alfredo or add some of the sundried tomato oil they came in.

Note: Tara recommends using the already cooked rotisserie chickens for this recipe. Another great tip to save time is to bake a large amount of chicken over the weekend (usually marinated in Italian dressing, baked at 350 for 45-50 min.) and use that through the week for recipes, over salads, etc.

Easy Creamy Chicken

Throw in a crock pot:

4 chicken breasts (whole, can be frozen)
2 “cream of” soups (one cream of celery and one cream of mushroom- low sodium)
Chopped celery (I do a whole stalk- whatever your family prefers)
Diced onion (about half)
Season to family’s taste (I do some combination of pepper, thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage)

Cook on low for about 6 hours. Chicken should just shred apart.

Serve over egg noodles (or rice if you prefer). You can add different things to make it your own…milk and sour cream to make it creamier, more soups, chopped mushrooms, etc.

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

There was a lady on Good Morning America the other day and they highlighted her Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Lasagna recipe. She has an interesting blog, "A Year of Crockpotting", see link to the right, where she made it her New Year's resolution for 2008 to use her crockpot everyday for a year - WOW! There are a lot of interesting recipes on her blog, very creative! I really liked the recipe, but Tim thought it was a little too spicy for him - after all, it does call for a whole cup of hot sauce! I will make it again, but will probably cut back on the hot sauce so Tim can eat it without complaining.

Click here for the recipe!

Chicken Scallopine with Sage and Fontina Cheese

From Trisha! She said she made it for her girlfriends one night and it was a big hit!

Cook Time: 35 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

6 (4 1/2 to 5 1/2-ounce) chicken cutlets, pounded thin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 sage leaves
3 ounces grated fontina cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved
1/2 cup white wine
1 (28-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Special Equipment: toothpicks
Directions
Place the chicken cutlets on a clean work surface, narrow end facing you. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place one sage leaf crosswise on each of the pieces of chicken. Sprinkle each of the pieces of chicken with 1/2 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) of fontina cheese. Roll up the chicken and seal with one or two toothpicks.

Warm the olive oil and halved garlic clove in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and remove and discard the garlic. Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes while scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes and red pepper flakes in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the tomato mixture to the reduced wine in the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors marry.

Return the chicken to the pan. Simmer the chicken in the tomato sauce for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over and simmer until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan. Season the tomato sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon the tomato sauce onto serving plates or a serving platter. Slice the chicken into 1-inch rounds. Remove the toothpicks. Place the chicken over the sauce and serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis