Sweet and Spicy Noodles With Chicken

2-3 chicken breasts cut into chunks and cooked (You can cook it with some peanut sauce tossed in to give the chicken some added flavor, if desired.)

1 lb noodles, fully cooked and drained (any kind you prefer)

In a small sauce pan, brown 4 tsp minced garlic in some olive oil then add:

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. white vinegar

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. sesame seeds

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
2 c. steamed broccoli (optional)

Toss the chicken, noodles, and sauce together in a large fry pan or wok on medium heat. Let it all simmer together for about five minutes so the noodles absorb some of the sauce. Toss in steamed broccoli (optional). Serve hot.

* I finally found a spicy dish that didn't make me crave more heat! WOW was this spicy and we loved it! Surprisingly, I think I will add less red pepper flakes next time so I can taste more of the sauce and not just feel the heat. It was still really good and so easy! We loved the broccoli with it. I served it with some hot and fresh rolls and of course some cold milk to help with the delicious spice. This was yummy and different than our usual dishes. Loved it!

Recipe & photo from Favorite Family Recipes

Sloppy Joes

1 1/2 lb extra lean ground beef (I only used 1 lb)

1 onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons Worcestershire

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt (I just did it to taste)

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper (I just did it to taste)

water 1/4 to 1/2 cup to thin sauce, if needed (I did not have to do this)

Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain off any grease. Add chopped onion, red pepper and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until onion is softened. Add tomato paste, sauce, Worcestershire and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat. If mixture is too thick, thin with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water. Serve with hamburger buns. Top with cheese, if desired.

* My husband has never been a huge sloppy joe fan until he had these. He downed quite a few because he could not get enough. They were so delicious and so easy. I had everything on hand (except the red pepper) and it all came together within minutes. I'm sure my hubby will be asking for these again very soon and I have no problem eating them myself again. :-) I like to serve them with chips or a green salad.

Recipe & photo from A Bountiful Kitchen

Homemade Oreo Cookies

2 Duncan Hines Deluxe Devil's Food Cake Mixes
1 1/2 cups shortening
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine ingredients. The dough will be very thick. Roll cookies into balls about the size of a melon ball. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375* for 9 minutes (no longer!) They set up as they cool.

Frosting:
8oz cream cheese
1/2 cube margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb powdered sugar

Cream frosting ingredients together and spread on each cooled cookie. Put two cookies together. You can roll the edges in sprinkles, crushed up peppermint candy, coconut, nuts, etc. if desired.

* These are always such a big hit! The cookies turn out so soft and delicious and I love the light flavor of the cream cheese frosting. We like to color the frosting to match the occasion but they are just as pretty with white frosting. This makes 40-50 large Oreo like cookies.

Photo from Coffee Break With Liz & Kate

French Bread Pizza

loaf of French bread
your favorite pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
your favorite pizza toppings- pepperoni, pineapples, ham, olives, sausage, peppers, etc.

1. Cut the French bread loaf in half lengthwise.
2. Spread desired amount of pizza sauce on bread. Top with cheese and toppings.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and it has reached desired crispiness.

* We made these when I was child and they still taste just as good as an adult! They are so easy and so yummy! It's the perfect recipe to make after a busy and stressful day. It's also good when you rub a garlic clove over the bread and sprinkle it with Italian seasoning & parmesan cheese right before baking. We like to serve this pizza with a delicious green salad.

Photo from Two Peas and Their Pod

Wingers Sticky Finger Salad

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips

1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup bread crumbs
2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
2 tomatoes
croutons
cheddar cheese, grated
ranch dressing
craisins
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup Frank's Hot Sauce(Original)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Dip chicken breasts into the sour cream and then into bread crumbs. Place on a sprayed/greased sheet pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked and crispy.

While the chicken is baking, prepare salad and make the dressing. To make the dressing, combine the 2 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1/3 cup Franks Hot Sauce, and 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar in a pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let boil for one minute, but no longer! If you boil too long it will turn hard.

When the chicken is done dip into sticky sauce and place on a plate. To serve, place sliced strips on top of salad with any additional toppings (cheese, croutons, tomatoes, craisins, etc.) and drench in ranch dressing. Save the additional sticky dressing as an extra topping for the salad...it adds a little more tang!

* WOW! This salad was incredible! We really could not get enough of it. It tasted exactly like we had gotten it from the restaurant. The sauce and chicken was to die for! We drizzled extra sauce on the salad before eating it for some extra amazing flavor. I could eat this everyday for a week. This recipe will definitely be repeated in our house!

Recipe from Sisters Stuff
Photo from Ptit Chef

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Alfredo Sauce (recipe below)
2-3 cooked chicken breasts, diced
1-2 cups fresh chopped broccoli, cooked and hot
fettuccine, cooked according to package directions. (You can substitute another pasta if needed.)

Cook chicken in method desired. I boiled mine on the stove. Add chicken and broccoli to Alfredo sauce and heat through. Serve over hot, cooked fettuccine.

Alfredo Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups heavy cream
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon (1 clove) minced garlic
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic with the butter. Add cream, garlic powder, and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Trust me, it will thicken. When sauce has reached desired consistency, stir in Parmesan cheese. Use for Chicken Broccoli Alfredo, or just serve as is over fettuccine. Serves 4-6.

* The alfredo sauce had a lighter taste to it than I am used to but we really loved it! My husband is not normally a big pasta eater but he went to town on this dish! It didn't leave us feeling like we had eaten a heavy dish either. We sprinkled our pasta with a little extra parmesan cheese. So yummy!

Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything
Photo from Heartland Fields

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese (I used a Fiesta blend cheese because it's what I had on hand)
about 16 small corn or flour tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well. You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

The corn tortillas are harder to roll without cracking. For the corn tortillas: work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Makes around 16 taquitos.

Dip in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or Tomatillo Dressing.

* These were amazing! We were so excited to try this recipe and it definitely did not disappoint! They were so filling but we didn't want to stop eating them! We used corn tortillas and really liked them but had to work fast so they didn't start to crack. I used light cream cheese and they still tasted great. We dipped them in hot sauce, sour cream, and guacamole and served them with a green salad for a healthy and very satisfying meal!

Recipe & photo from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Creamy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

2-3 cups shredded chicken

1-1/2 cups salsa

2 cups shredded Colby and Monterrey jack cheese

1 14 oz can of Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce (This is the best brand for this)

about 8 tortillas

1 cup sour cream

1/2 can of cream of chicken

In a bowl combine the cooked shredded chicken with salsa and 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups of the shredded cheese. Just depends how cheesy you want the middle to be.

Next dip a tortilla into the enchilada sauce, making sure every last inch of it is covered and place it in a 9x13 pan. Place desired amount (about 1/8) of the chicken mixture onto the middle of the tortilla, and roll it up. Scoot the tortilla all the way over to the edge of the pan. Repeat for remaining enchiladas. Your filling should spread to about 8 tortillas and your pan should be completely filled.

For the creamy topping, in a separate bowl, mix 1 cup sour cream with 1/2 a can of cream of chicken. The mixture tastes best when it is predominately the sour cream, so it should look more white than yellow.

Spread creamy topping over all the enchiladas.

Top with the remaining cheese ( about 1/2 to 3/4 cup cheese).

Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes.

* These were so delicious! We loved the simple ingredients and simple flavors. I used enchilada size flour tortillas and this dish was extremely filling, even for my husband. I used medium salsa and medium enchilada sauce and we were so in love with the extra kick. The creamy topping is to die for. This may not be our all time favorite enchiladas, but they are a close second and will be made again soon in our house. I served it with rice on the side and it was plenty!

Recipe & photo from Chef In Training

Orange Honey Grilled Chicken Tenders

1 to 1-1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 Tablespoons butter softened

2 Tablespoons finely chopped scallions

2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

1 Tablespoon honey

1-2 Tablespoons grated orange zest, from ~1/2 an orange

Cut each chicken breast into 3 length wise strips. (You can use chicken tenders.) Thread 3 strips accordion style, on each of 4-6 long metal or wooden skewers. If using wood skewers, soak them for at least 20 minutes in cold water before using to prevent scorching on the grill. To make the basting sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the butter, scallions, orange juice, cilantro, honey, and orange zest. Brush about half of the sauce on the chicken, covering each strip well. Set aside to marinate for about 15 minutes. If you have to let the chicken marinate longer refrigerate. Prepare grill to medium hot. Grill chicken about 15 minutes, turning several times, until the chicken is cooked through but still moist. Baste several times with the remaining basting sauce. Stop basting 5 minutes before the chicken is done. Remove the chicken from the grill and serve immediately. (Do not serve any of the basting sauce with the chicken.)

* I'm not going to lie, I was highly disappointed with this recipe. It sounded so delicious and I was so excited about the flavor combinations but it lacked some major flavor. I was hoping for a bit of a stronger orange flavor but you could only very lightly taste the cilantro and onions. I will not make this recipe the same way again but I would love to try and switch it up a bit and see if I can't make it more to our liking because I love the idea! I served it with our Green Puffy Salad" to compliment the flavors I was hoping would be in the chicken.

Recipe & photo from The Sisters Cafe

Scalloped Chicken & Potatoes

1 box scalloped potatoes (including seasoning packet)
6 chicken tenders
3 cups water

Put potatoes in greased slow cooker first, followed by seasoning packet and chicken. Pour water over all. Cover and cook on low heat 4-5 hours.

* I don't think a recipe could get any more simple than this one! I used southwestern flavored scalloped potatoes and we loved the flavor! The chicken was so moist and tender that it fell apart with one small poke of your fork. The potatoes were extremely soft and delicious. I sprinkled it with a little bit of salt and pepper and it was so yummy. My husband really enjoyed dipping his bites in a little bit of barbecue sauce. Either way, this recipe was a winner!

Recipe & photo from Sisters' Stuff

Easy Chicken Bake

,1 pkg (6oz) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for chicken
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup sour cream
16oz frozen mixed vegetables, thawed, drained

1. Preheat oven to 400*. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.
2. Mix chicken, soup, sour cream and vegetables in 13x9" baking dish; top with prepared stuffing.
3. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

* This is just a yummy comfort food recipe. It's super easy and quick and always a hit with my hubby.

Recipe from Stove Top Stuffing Mix
Photo from Kraft Recipes

Lemon-Soy Marinated Steaks

1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Combine everything in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Place the steaks in a Ziplock bag and pour the marinade over the steaks. Let them sit for about 24 hours, turning every few hours. Grill steak how you like best. This recipe can cover about 3 steaks nicely, about 1 lb each.

* This marinade was amazing! I could smell the steaks marinating every time I walked past the fridge for a day and a half. It was such a simple marinade too and I loved that I already had everything on hand to make it. It had such a light but flavorful taste to it and we loved the way all the flavors blended so well together. We will definitely be using this recipe again!

Recipe & photo from Recipes of a Cheapskate

Teriyaki Chicken Pasta Salad

Salad
4 cups cooked chicken
16 oz. bow tie pasta
20 oz. baby spinach
sliced green onions
12 oz. honey roasted peanuts
mandarin oranges
1/2 cup sesame seeds

Dressing
2 cups oil
1 1/3 cups Teriyaki sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/3 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Blend ingredients for dressing.
2. Marinate chicken in some dressing for a few hours.
3. Cook pasta al dente.
4. Bake or Grill chicken.
5. Mix all salad ingredients together.
6. Toss salad with dressing and serve.

* This salad was yummy! It was a fast and easy meal with a light flavor. I cut all the ingredients in half and we still had leftovers. It is filling but still a light meal. We felt the dressing called for way too much oil so next time I am going to reduce the amount of oil I use in the dressing/marinade. I also think it would be good to add croutons and craisins. I found that this is even better the second day!

Recipe from Dayna Jamison
Photo from Karrissa's Kitchen

Nachos

½ lb ground beef

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

1 small zucchini, chopped (1 cup)

1 cup chili beans in chili sauce (from 15-oz can)

1 cup thick-and-chunky salsa, divided

Tortilla chips (the salted kind, of course!)

1 ½ c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (6 oz)

sliced ripe olives

diced fresh tomatoes

Brown ground beef. Drain and remove ground beef to a plate; set aside. Using the same pan, stir-fry bell pepper and zucchini for 2 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Stir in chili beans and ½ cup of the salsa; cook until hot. Stir in ground beef.

Line tortilla chips on a broiler safe pan. Spoon dollops of the mixture atop the chips. Sprinkle with olives and tomatoes (or you can add these after the nachos come out of the broiler). Sprinkle with cheese, to your liking. Put under broiler (not super close) until cheese is melted, only a couple of minutes.

Serve with remaining salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

* These were so easy to make and super filling! We felt that they didn't have as much flavor as we would have liked but they were still yummy. We are going to throw on jalapenos next time for sure! I am going to continue to experiment with flavors, different vegetables, different meats, etc. These would be great as an appetizer!

Recipe Adapted from The Sisters Cafe.

Weeknight Lasagna Toss

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 of a small onion, chopped (optional)

2 green peppers, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jar (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1-2/3 cups Water

1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing

12 oven-ready lasagna noodles, broken into quarters

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1. Brown meat (and onion, if desired) in large saucepan; drain.
2. Add peppers, garlic, spaghetti sauce, water, and dressing; bring to a boil. Stir in noodles; cover.
3. Cook on medium-low heat 10-15 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese; cover. Let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

* A little something special: You can stir 1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese into noodle mixture before sprinkling with shredded cheese, if desired.

* You can substitute 12 regular lasagna noodles, broken into small pieces, for the oven-ready noodles. Increase water to 2 cups and cook 30 min., stirring occasionally.

* This easy stove top lasagna recipe has been one of our favorites for awhile. Even my super picky little eater enjoys it! I always add some onions to the meat because I love the flavor that it gives to this dish but it's completely optional. I also use a little more of the zesty Italian dressing than it says. :-) I like to serve it with French bread or garlic bread along with a green salad and it is very filling with plenty of leftovers.

Photo & Recipe Adapted from Kraft Foods

Grilled Island Chicken

1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1-2 lemons)
1 ½ Tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano (I used Italian seasoning)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2-4 chicken breasts

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl or large airtight plastic bag. Whisk or shake well until the marinade is well mixed.
2. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or plastic bag so that they are covered by the marinade. Refrigerate and marinate up to 10 hours (I would suggest marinading for at least 3 hours at the minimum).
3. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side (depending on how thick the chicken breasts are), until the chicken is no longer pink in the center (if you have a meat thermometer, the chicken should register 165 degrees). Tent with foil and let the chicken rest for about five minutes before serving.

Alternately, the chicken can be baked using the following directions:
When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the excess marinade over them. Bake in the oven until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 45 minutes (exact baking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

* This chicken was so delicious! It is one of our favorite chicken breast recipes. You could taste each individual flavor in every bite. I love lots of marinade so I doubled the marinade recipe but did not have enough fresh lemons for all of it so I used just a little bit of fresh squeezed lime juice and it tasted just as amazing!

Photo & Recipe Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

Easy Ranch Chicken

1 chicken breast per person
1 1/2 cups ranch dressing
1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Put ranch in one bowl and bread crumbs in another. Dip chicken in ranch and then in bread crumbs. Place in a greased 9 x 13 in. baking dish. Place in a preheated 375* oven and cook for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.

* I was really excited to try this recipe but was slightly disappointed with the results. It was super easy but not near as flavorful as I had hoped. I think next time I will add some powder ranch dressing in with the bread crumbs to add more flavor. It was still edible and not horrible, just not as flavorful as I hoped. I am going to keep experimenting with this recipe. I served it with angel hair pasta with herbs and extra ranch dressing for dipping.

From Jamie Gillman

Grandma's Chicken Salad

2 cups diced, cooked chicken
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup diced celery
1 cup seedless grapes
2 hard cooked eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Sprinkle chicken with lemon juice and salt. Chill for several hours. Combine chicken with remaining ingredients and serve.

* This has been a family favorite for as long as I can possibly remember. I hate most any recipe that calls for hard cooked eggs but this one is delicious! This recipe is used as more of a base in our family. If we use canned chicken, we use less salt than the recipe calls for. We often use more grapes, more eggs, and ore more nuts than it calls for as well. We just do whatever suits our fancy! Serve on salad greens or as a sandwich filling inside croissants or rolls. Every time I make or eat this salad, it reminds me of my amazing and sweet Grandma.

From My Grandma

The BEST German Chocolate Cake

1 yellow cake mix
1 instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk
2 eggs

Mix and bake at 350* for 35 minutes.

Frosting:
6 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon evaporated milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cook for 5-10 minutes over medium heat. Pour over cake.

* This is the BEST German chocolate cake I have had and the easiest to make! I got this recipe from an old friend's brother who was a culinary chef. It's always best to double the frosting recipe so that it spreads more evenly across the cake. I love it cold out of the fridge. Enjoy!

Calzones

Rhodes Texas Rolls, thawed & risen
Pepperoni
Sliced olives
Chopped mushrooms
Chopped green &/or red peppers
Chopped red onion
Mozzarella cheese
Any other pizza toppings your heart desires!
Heated pizza/pasta sauce

Two rolls make one large and delicious calzone. Squish two thawed rolls together and roll out flat into a 10 inch circle. Combine pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, onion, peppers and cheese, place 3/4 to 1 cup of mixture on each circle (the more filling, the better!). Fold the dough over and seal edges with fork. Place on sprayed baking sheet, bake at 350* for 20-25 min or until starting to turn golden brown. Serve with sauce for dipping.

* These were so great! The first time I made these, I ended up using three rolls together to make one very large calzone. They were huge and extremely filling which is good when you have a hungry husband like I do. :-) I served them with sweet corn on the cob. A yummy and light side dish to compliment these heavy calzones.
I actually like to spread some of the pizza/pasta sauce on the calzones before adding the toppings. I leave some room on the edges so they seal. I think I am going to start adding a bit more cheese next time to make them cheesier and the recipe is right, the more filling the better!
I love the fact that all I had to do is thaw the frozen rolls for several hours and then fill & cook them so they are super easy and quick and that is a huge plus! I sprinkled some Italian seasoning on the top of the calzones right as I was throwing them in the oven for some added taste! YUM!

Adapted from Mrs. Harding Cooks
(Photo from Budget Bytes)

Crescent Chicken Roll Ups

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup sharp cheese (I used cheddar)
1 garlic clove, pressed (I chopped mine)
Red and/or green bell peppers, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 packages crescent rolls
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons slivered almonds, optional

Preheat oven to 375*. Combine chicken, broccoli, bell pepper, and cheese. Press garlic over mixture. Add mayonnaise, dill weed and salt and fold together until all ingredients are coated. Open your crescent rolls but when you unroll them, keep 2 rolls together so instead of 8 sections, you will have 4 bigger ones per can. Put a good sized spoonful in center of dough and roll up. Place seam side down on greased baking sheet. Brush the egg white over the top of roll ups and sprinkle with slivered almonds, if desired. Bake according to roll directions until golden brown.

* I'm not going to lie, I was a bit hesitant to try this recipe but I am so glad that I did! They were delicious and very filling. Even my husband really enjoyed them. They are not so great reheated as leftovers the next day since they become a bit soggy. I especially loved how simple and very fast they were to prepare. I am going to keep experimenting with the filling (not that it needs it) by possibly adding some green onions or even chopped celery to add a bit more flavor and/or crunch. I had leftover filling that I refrigerated and used as a cold filling for a sandwich like a chicken salad sandwich and it was delicious!

* I made these again last night and added finely chopped celery and green onions. I didn't notice a huge difference in the taste but I loved the extra crunch!

Adapted from Melanie N's original recipe

Baked Ziti

1lb. ground beef
1 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (32 ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon oregano (I used Italian seasoning)
1 (16 oz) package ziti pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, add ground beef, onions, and garlic. Cook over medium high heat stirring frequently until the beef is browned. Stir in spaghetti sauce, chicken broth and oregano. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Stir in 1 cup of sauce into the cooked ziti noodles. Spoon ½ of the ziti mixture into a 13×9” baking dish. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese and ½ cup parmesan cheese over the top of the ziti mixture. Top with 2 cups of the sauce, then add remaining ziti mixture and top that with the remaining sauce.

3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

* This was super yummy and easy to make. The ingredients for this recipe are staples in our house so it makes this dish very convenient. The recipe says it serves 6 but I would say it serves a lot more than that. It makes a ton. I served it with French bread and that was honestly all it needed since it was so filling and flavorful.

From Real Mom Kitchen

Sesame Chicken

1 1/2 to 2 pounds of frozen popcorn chicken

6 Tablespoons honey

4 Tablespoons sugar

Salt (to taste)

4 Tablespoons ketchup

2 Tablespoons white distilled vinegar

a sprinkle of ground black pepper

diced green onions, optional

sesame seeds, optional

Deep fry your popcorn chicken and drain on a plate lined with a paper towel. In a wok or sauce pan, combine the remaining ingredients and warm over medium heat. Bring to a boil while stirring and simmer until sauce slightly thickens. In the wok or in a serving dish coat chicken with the sauce. Serve over cooked rice and garnish with diced green onions and sesame seeds.

* We loved this dish! The sauce had great flavor and I loved using popcorn chicken because it made this a super quick dish with hardly any fuss or mess. I bought a 1 lb. 10 oz. bag of frozen popcorn chicken and since I was feeding a crowd, I just used the entire bag and doubled the sauce recipe and it was perfect! I will be making this one again for sure!

Adapted From Real Mom Kitchen

Stacked Tacos

2 lbs. ground beef
2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
2 (14.5oz) cans diced tomatoes
2 cups salsa (Adjust the spiciness to your liking by using mild, medium, or hot.)
1 can condensed tomato soup
2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
30 fajita sized flour tortillas
grated cheddar cheese
chopped lettuce
sliced olives
sour cream

1. Brown ground beef in a skillet and drain.
2. In a large soup pot, add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salsa, tomato soup, and taco seasoning. Stir well. Add ground beef, mix in, and allow mixture to simmer for 1 hour to blend flavors. (The mixture will be quite soupy.)
3. Heat a small amount of cooking oil in a skillet. Pan fry each tortilla in hot oil until brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
4. To serve: Place a tortilla shell on each plate. Add 1/4 cup of saucy meat mixture on each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Place another tortilla on top. Place 1/4 cup sauce and cheese on that tortilla. Repeat one more time. You should now have a stack of 3 layers. Then top with lettuce, olives, and a dollop of sour cream.

Makes 10 stacked tacos.

*The saucy meat mixture freezes well. You can use half for one meal and freeze the other half for another night.

* This was a super easy and tasty dinner. I cut the recipe in half and it was still too much but great for leftover or to freeze. These were very filling. I added diced onion while browning my meat and I also used hot style tomato sauce for an extra kick but it was still not too spicy. It was just right and the sauce is delicious! This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Adapted From Real Mom Kitchen

Hawaiian Haystacks

Stove top method:

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can of milk or so (I usually only use 1/2 to 3/4 of a can of milk)

2 cups of cooked chicken breasts, diced or shredded (You can leave the chicken out if desired.)
salt and pepper
parsley (if desired)

Heat soup and milk on the stove until heated through. You want this to be the consistency of gravy. You can add more milk if the mixture is too thick. Add the chicken and cook til warm.

Crock pot method:

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 frozen chicken breasts

milk

Put chicken breasts in the crock pot and then cover with soup. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove chicken from the crock pot and shred or dice the chicken and return to the crock pot. Add enough milk to make the consistency of gravy.

Serve the sauce over cooked rice. You can usually plan on at least one cup per person. Top with any of the following toppings.

shredded cheddar cheese

pineapple tidbits

sliced olives

diced green onion

chopped celery

shredded coconut

sliced almonds

diced fresh mushroom

Chow mien noodles

diced tomatoes

peas

mandarin oranges

raisins

diced green and/or red pepper

water chestnuts

cashews

soy sauce
sour cream

or anything else that you think would be good

* This is such an easy and quick dinner to make and I usually always have the ingredients on hand to make this dinner. My husband loves this recipe, especially the simple and creamy sauce. It's so filling too and this recipe always makes too much for just my husband and myself since my daughter won't touch most foods. I will probably start cutting the recipe in half. I also love that the topping options are endless!

Adapted From Real Mom Kitchen

Cajun Chicken Pasta

1 (8 ounce) package penne pasta, cooked and drained
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
4 Tablespoons butter
16 slices red bell pepper
16 slices green bell pepper
1/2 purple onion
6 large mushrooms, sliced
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Cook pasta, drain.
2. Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a resealable plastic bag; shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute chicken in butter until almost tender (about 5 to 7 minutes). Add onion towards the end to soften and saute.
3. Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and mushrooms. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.
4. Add cream and remaining seasonings; heat through. Add pasta and toss; heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

* This was a delicious pasta dish and very easy to make. I omitted the mushrooms since I am not a big fan of them. I used 2 fresh chicken breasts as well as some pre cooked frozen fajita chicken strips that I had on hand and they both worked great! The pasta has a very light flavor but we loved the kick the Cajun chicken gives this dish. It's not a diet dish by any means but my husband says this recipe is definitely a keeper!

From Allrecipes.com

Breadsticks & Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-4 1/2 cups flour

1. In a large bowl, combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.
2. Add salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 c. flour and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and your humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger.
4. Spray a glass or metal bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl.
5. Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
6. Remove from bowl and place on a lightly-floured surface.

For Pizza: Roll out and bake with toppings.

For Breadsticks:
1. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll into a rectangle and cut into 12 strips with a pizza cutter.
2. Roll out each piece of dough into a snake and then drape over your forefinger and twist the dough. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining 11 pieces of dough. Try to space them evenly, but it's okay if they're close.
3. Cover pan and allow dough to rise for another 30 minutes.
4. When there's about 15 minutes to go, preheat your oven to 425.
5. Rub butter and garlic salt and Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

* I used this recipe to make pizza crust. It was an easy and quick recipe and it turned out yummy. I rolled my dough into a rectangle and made one very large pizza on a cookie sheet. Next time I make this pizza dough, I am going to bake the crust a little bit before baking it with all the toppings on it. The center didn't cook quite as much as we would have liked but it was still yummy! Some Italian seasonings on the crust would be good too!

From Our Best Bites

Favorite Fruit Dip

8oz package cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar together until smooth. Add vanilla and blend in.

Makes about 2 cups of fruit dip. Great with strawberries, grapes, apples, bananas, and watermelon.

* This is one of my favorite fruit dips! I have made it with normal and low fat cream cheese and it tastes great both ways! It's super easy and always a hit!

From Kim Sharp

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Bottom Layer:

1 pkg. yellow cake mix (reserve 1 cup)
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, softened

Mix and press with hands into a 9 x 13 pan.

Middle Layer:

1 1/2 cups pumpkin
2 eggs
3/4 cups sugar
1 cups evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger

Mix and pour over cake.

Top Layer:

The 1 cup reserved cake mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons butter, softened

Mix and sprinkle over cake. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Serve with cool whip or vanilla ice cream.

* I had never heard of pumpkin pie cake until my sister served it to me and I was hooked after the first bite. Love the flavor and I love how easy the recipe is!

From Jane Ketcheside

Cookie Salad

1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup buttermilk
2 8oz containers frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 8oz can mandarin oranges, drained
1 pkg fudge-striped cookies

In a medium bowl, combine the pudding mix and buttermilk. Stir in thawed whipped topping. Add drained oranges. Stir in crushed cookies. (To crush the cookies, I leave them in the package and mash it against the edge of the counter; you can also just break them with your hands.) This salad can be served immediately, but it's still good the next day. makes 8-10 servings. Note: For variety, add bananas, grapes, or other fruit.

* This is one of my favorite dessert salads! I have also added bananas (which I will never eat alone) and it tastes just as yummy! Kids love it because it has the pudding and cookies but they are also getting some fruit in there too. :-)

From Julie Hougaard
Copied From Leissa Mahedy - Worldwide Ward Cookbook by Deanna Buxton (2009)

Easy Cheesy Rolls

1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated (from a can or jar, not fresh)
1 Tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1/2 cup cheese, shredded (any kind works)
1 tube canned refrigerator biscuits, plain or buttermilk (8-10 biscuits per can)

Melt butter or margarine and combine with the Parmesan cheese, basil, and garlic in a small bowl. Put the shredded cheese in a separate bowl. Remove biscuit dough from the can and separate into individual biscuit rounds. Flatten each round of biscuit dough slightly and place a little shredded cheese in the center, folding the dough around the cheese to form a ball. Pinch the dough together to enclose the cheese. Dip the ball of dough into the melted butter mixture and roll it around to cover completely. Place the cheese-stuffed biscuits balls on a baking sheet. Bake at 375* for approximately 5-8 minutes or until golden brown. Great with spaghetti or lasagna.

From Darleen Capson - Worldwide Ward Cookbook by Deanna Buxton (2009)

Gingerbread Pancakes

5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking soda
2 2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups molasses
2 teaspoons ginger
1 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon nutmeg
4 eggs, slightly beaten

Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, combing water, molasses, butter, and eggs. Gradually add molasses mixture to flour mixture, blending just until smooth. Cook on hot griddle.

From Kalene Sims - Worldwide Ward Cookbook by Deanna Buxton (2009)