Amber's Chicken Bowtie Pasta

Paul loves this recipe! Can you tell? He requests it at least once a week.

Cook about 1/2 lb to 3/4 lbs bowtie pasta, while it's cooking prepare the rest of the ingredients.
1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
1 zucchini sliced.
8oz mushrooms, sliced (I don't like mushrooms so I substitute a yellow squash)
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped
6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (Paul likes extra bacon, so we do 12 slices)
1/4 cup fresh basil (We usually don't have fresh, so we do 4 teaspoons dried)
1 cup of fresh Parmesan cheese- not the shaky powdery stuff. Get the real stuff!
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Chop the bacon in to bite sized pieces and cook when that's done, put about a tablespoon of butter in a pan, I usually use the pan I just cooked the pasta in, it's deep enough to hold everything. Add the zucchini and mushrooms/yellow squash. Saute for 5 minutes until they're soft, and add the garlic, saute for another minute, don't burn! Pour the cup of cream in the pan with the garlic and vegetables, let it simmer for about 5 minutes until it gets a little thick. Add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the basil, chicken and the bacon. Now add the cooked, drained pasta. Stir everything together, taste it and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour it in a shallow cooking dish and spread the last 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese on top, add more if it looks bare. Stick it under the broiler in your stove until the top turns brown and bubbles. Get your salad and bread sticks ready, this is going to be better than olive garden!

Orange Chicken

I got this yummy recipe from Paul's sister, Jill. It does take some prep work before dinner but it is all worth it. I had time one day to make the marinate but that night we didn't end up making it dinner so it marinated for three days which tasted awesome. I would say this recipe is better than any orange chicken we've tried. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

· Sauce:
· 1 1/2 cups water
· 2 tablespoons orange juice
· 1/4 cup lemon juice
· 1/3 cup rice vinegar
· 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
· 1 cup packed brown sugar
· 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
(I just used 1/4 tsp ground ginger from McCormick because I don't
really like the taste of fresh ginger)
· 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
· 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
· 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

· 3 tablespoons cornstarch
· 2 tablespoons water

· Chicken:
· 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
· 1 cup all-purpose flour
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 1/4 teaspoon pepper
· 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Pour 1 1/2 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the brown sugar, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool 10 to 15 minutes.

Place the chicken pieces into a resealable plastic bag. When contents of saucepan have cooled, pour 1 cup of sauce into bag. Reserve the remaining sauce. Seal the bag, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

In another resealable plastic bag, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the marinated chicken pieces, seal the bag, and shake to coat.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken into the skillet, and brown on both sides. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels, and cover with aluminum foil.
Wipe out the skillet, and add the sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; stir into the sauce. Reduce heat to medium low, add the chicken pieces, and simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step from Jill. I dipped my cut up chicken pieces in egg BEFORE I shook it in the flour mixture. It made the breading not fall off as it was simmering in the orange sauce. I didn't use all the cornstarch mixture either. I just added it until the sauce was the consistency that I liked. Not to thick, not to runny. Also, I ran out of red pepper flakes so I didn't add them in when I brought you dinner. If you like them, go for it.

Tomato Artichoke Pasta

Courtesy of ourbestbites.com

Extra virgin olive oil
5-6 cloves garlic, pressed
1 can diced tomatoes
3 oz. tomato paste
3 oz. white cooking wine or chicken broth
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 C chopped green onions
6-7 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1 package fresh pasta (or 1 lb. dried)


In a large saucepan, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boiling. When oil is hot, add garlic, green onions, and artichoke hearts. Saute until garlic is fragrant. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, wine or chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Heat through and toss with cooked pasta. SO SO SO YUMMY!

I Want S'more Muffins

These muffins are super tasty. They are good for breakfast, dessert or any occasion!

3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons 2% milk
1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
6 tablespoons marshmallow creme

In a small bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Stir in sour cream. Combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips.

Coat six muffin cups with cooking spray; fill one-fourth full with batter. Spoon 1 tablespoon marshmallow creme into each muffin cup. Top with remaining batter.

Bake at 400 for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
Serve warm. Yield: 6 muffins.

Chocolate Chip Dip

Hello Ladies,
I'm so excited about this blog. I love to try new recipes and share the delicious ones that I have!
This is a scrumptious dip. It says to use graham cracker sticks. I have used Teddy Grahams as well. Sooo delish!

Chocolate Chip Dip
1 pkg. (8oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup (6oz.) miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Graham cracker sticks

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Serve with graham cracker sticks. Yield: 2 cups.

Grilled BBQ Chicken Salad (Cheesecake Factory Style)

Hi ladies,

Yes, I am posting again. We just got through eating dinner and Paul said this was an A+ meal. This goes in my 30 minute meal category because it is so EASY.

6 Chicken tenderloins

Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce

Romaine Lettuce

Corn

Black Beans

Mozzarella Cheese

Avocado

Cucumbers

Homemade Ranch Dressing

1. Marinate chicken in BBQ sauce.

2. Prepare Homemade Ranch Dressing (refrigerate for 30 minutes).<>

3. Grill Chicken- brush with extra marinate. Discard marinate when through.

4. Heat up Corn and Black Beans. Then place in fridge. (You can use straight from the can, put I just want to make sure its cooked first.)

5. Get Ready to Eat.

I have Paul put his salad together since he may want more beans or meat then I would do. Put all the fixing's on your plate and drizzle with Ranch and extra BBQ Sauce. I love the Cheesecake Factory's BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad and I have adapted this to our tastes.

Beef Broccoli Stirfry

This is the only way I can get Paul to eat his veggies. We usually have this for dinner twice or three times a month. It is so easy & yummy!

½ to ¾ lbs. top round or sirloin
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash ground ginger
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons sesame or peanut oil
¾ cup broccoli flowerettes
¾ cup snow peas
1 to 2 medium carrots, bias sliced
½ onion, sliced in thin wedges
Cooked Jasmine Rice
Slice beef into thin slices and place in glass bowl. (Partially freeze beef for 30 to 60 minutes to make it easier to slice.) Add garlic, ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Toss to coat. Allow beef to stand, at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Combine remaining soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce with broth, cornstarch, sugar and salt. Set Aside.
Turn skillet or frying pan to 350 degrees and add oil. Heat 1 minute. Add meat to skillet. Stir fry 7 to 9 minutes or until beef is done. Remove meat, drain and keep warm. Add vegetables. Cover and cook 3 minutes or until the veggies are crisp tender. Stir midway through cooking to keep from burning. Reduce temperature to 250 degrees. Blend meat into veggies. Stir broth mixture then pour over meat and veggies. Heat, stirring until broth is hot and thickened. Serve over Jasmine Rice.

Easiest Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 slices swiss cheese
4 slices ham ( I used lunch meat)
1/2 C bread crumbs ( I use the Peppridge farm Herbed season stuffing mix/ blue bag)
4 TB water

Pound Chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thick ( I had 2 large breast that I just cut in half ). Sprinkle each piece of chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Place in 9x 13 pan. Place one slice of cheese and one slice of ham on top of each chicken breast. Sprinkle bread crumbs around pieces of chicken and add a few Tablespoons of water to soften breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and place 1/2 cheese slice on each breast then bake an additional 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted. TA DA!! Easiest Chicken Cordon Bleu ever!!

Best Chocolate Sheet Cake

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 2 cups Flour
• 2 cups Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• 4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
• 2 sticks Butter
• 1 cup Boiling Water
• ½ cups Buttermilk
• 2 whole Beaten Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• _____
• FOR FROSTING:
• ½ cups Finely Chopped Pecans
• 1-¾ stick Butter
• 4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
• 6 Tablespoons Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar

Preparation Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.

In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.
Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.

In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.

*I got this recipe off The Pioneer Woman and it is the "BEST SHEET CAKE EVER- When I made it I didn't add the Pecans.