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