Chicken Marinade

2 tsp salt

1/4 c Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp dry mustard

1 c oil

1/2 c red wine vinegar

3/4 c soy sauce (lite or reduced salt also works)

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp parsley flakes

Combine all marinade ingredients. Place chicken pieces in 1 gallon freezer bag. Pour marinade over the meat. Freeze.

To serve, thaw. Grill or cook chicken until the meat is no longer pink inside and juices run clear.

Chicken Enchiladas

16 flour tortillas

1 medium onion

1 tbls vegetable oil

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 c shredded cheddar

1 tsp ground cumin

1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese

1/4 c chopped black olives

6 cups shredded cooked chicken

3/4 c salsa

Enchilada sauce

Heat oven to 350. I large saucepan, heat vegetables oil, add onion, chili powder, garlic and cumin. Add cream cheese, chicken and salsa. Removed from heat when thoroughly combined. Add 1 c cheddar and the olives.

Spread 1/4 c enchilada sauce over the bottom of baking dish(es). Spoon 1/3 c chicken mixture into tortilla and roll. Place side by side in a baking dish. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

NOTES:

• This recipe would work well with beef or turkey also.
• I've also chopped up chicken breasts instead of using shredded chicken.
• It makes a good freezer meal. Place filled tortillas into the baking dish as instructed. Put enchilada sauce in a small zip-loc on top and put cheese into another small zip-loc on top so it all stays together. Cover well and freeze. When you want to serve it, just thaw, finish the sauce/cheese steps of the assembly and bake.
• I rarely have enchilada sauce on hand, but have substituted a small can of tomato sauce (8 oz) mixed with cumin.

Kathy's Lasagna

1 1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 tbls. parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbls. dried basil

1 tbls. dried oregano

3 6 ounce cans tomato paste

1 16 ounce can diced tomatoes

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1 c water (add up to 1/2 c more if it's reduced too much. The uncooked pasta will need some liquid.)

1 16 oz. pkg lasagna noodles

30 ounces ricotta

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tbls parsley

1/2 c Parmesan

1 lb. mozzarella, sliced or shredded

1. Brown meat; drain off excess fat; stir in remaining ingredients in first section above. Simmer one hour, stirring occasionally.
2. Combine ricotta, eggs, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, 2 T parsley, and Parmesan.
3. Spoon about 1/2 c meat sauce on bottom of 9 x 13 pan.
4. Cover with layer of uncooked noodles
5. spread 1/3 of cheese mixture, 1/3 of mozzarella and 1/3 of the meat over the noodles. Repeat layers twice.
6. Freeze.
7. Bake at 375 for 1 hour. Let stand for 15-20 minutes before cutting.

NOTES:

I made a half recipe and used a smaller baking dish.

I substituted cottage cheese for the ricotta

SOURCE: Kathy Huber, Christine Houle

Four-Cheese Spinach Lasagna

2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped

1 1/2 c carrots, julienned

1 c green onions, sliced

1/2 c sweet red peppers, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp oil

1/2 c flour

3 c skim milk

1/2 c Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed

1 1/2 c cottage cheese

1 c mozzarella cheese (4 oz. = 1 c)

1/2 c Swiss cheese, shredded

12 cooked lasagna noodles

In skillet, sauté the vegetables and garlic in oil until crisp-tender. Remove from the heat; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, whisk flour and milk until smooth. Bring to a oil; cook and stir for 2 mins. Reduce heat; add 1/4 c Parmesan, salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute longer or until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in spinach. Set one cup aside. In a bowl, combine cottage cheese, mozzarella and Swiss. Spread 1/2 c of spinach mixture in a greased 13x9 pan.

Layer:

4 noodles

half of the cheese mixture and vegetables

3/4 c spinach mixture

Repeat layers. (Use remaining spinach, vegetables, and cheese)

Top with remaining noodles, reserved spinach mixture and remaining Parmesan. Cover and freeze.

Cover loosely with foil and bake at 375 for 35 mins. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10-15 mins. before cutting.

NOTES:

We made a 1/2 batch and put it in an 11 cup rectangular pyrex dish.

SOURCE: Christine Houle

Bruschetta Chicken

No matter how you pronounce it, these flavors are great together! ;-)

1/2 c flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 c dry bread crumbs

1 tbls. melted butter

Bruschetta:

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

3 tbls. minced fresh basil

2 minced garlic cloves

1 tbls. olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt (or less)

1/4 tsp pepper

1. Place flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in the flour, then in eggs. Place in a sprayed baking dish.
2. Combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs and butter. Sprinkle over chicken.
3. Loosely cover the baking dish with foil. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer until top is browned.
4. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients (tomato, etc.)
5. Put each serving on a plate and top with a little bruschetta for those who aren't foolish enough to think tomatoes are yucky.

NOTES:

• Italian herb seasoned crumbs would've been great too.
• I usually add more garlic to just about everything and did this time also. That was really not the best idea. Next time, I'll just dutifully stick to 2 cloves.
• I had 5 chicken breasts and actually there was a lot of topping. I could've done 6.

Candied Nuts

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound walnut halves

1 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread nuts in a single layer over a baking sheet. Roast for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until the nuts start to turn brown and the smell of roasting nuts fills the kitchen.
2. Stir together sugar, cinnamon, salt, and milk in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, or until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage of 236 degrees F (113 degrees C). Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla immediately. .
3. Add walnuts to sugar syrup, and stir to coat well. Spoon nuts onto waxed paper, and immediately separate nuts with a fork. Cool, and store in airtight containers.

Great with pecans!

Oven Chicken Fingers

1 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced about 1/2 inch or less

2 eggs with 1 tbls water, beaten

Mix dry ingredients. Dip chicken in egg, dip in dry ingredients, place on a sprayed baking sheet.

Bake 350 for 20 minutes. Cool, freeze. Reheat to serve. It's possible that it would be nicer to drizzle these with butter before baking the 2nd time.

Serve with dipping sauce.