Cranberry Chicken

This is really similar to the Apricot Chicken recipe I posted before, but worth a try if you feel like mixing it up a bit. There are lots of variations to this recipe, but here's the one I used from Favorite Family Recipes:

3-4 chicken breasts
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 pkg. chopped pecans
1 bottle Catalina dressing
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix

Place chicken in baking pan. Generously spread cranberry sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle pecans and onion soup mix over chicken. Pour catalina dressing over top. Bake lightly covered with foil at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.

I couldn't find whole berry cranberry sauce, so i just used the jellied kind and it was fine. I've seen variations that use French dressing instead of Catalina, and raisins instead of chopped pecans.

S'more Brownies

from the Food Network.

I went the lazy route and used a brownie mix but they still turned out fine. Just make sure you don't overcook them.

Crust:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt

Brownie:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 large cold eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
Topping:
4 cups large marshmallows
Directions
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.

Layered Mexican Bake

from Kraft

I found this recipe in their 500 calories or less dinners. I tried a few of them and this was the only one good enough to share.

3/4 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tsp. chili powder
1-1/4 cups TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen corn
3 high-fiber whole wheat tortillas (8 inch)
1/2 cup BREAKSTONE'S Reduced Fat or KNUDSEN Light Sour Cream
3/4 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided
make it!
HEAT oven to 375ºF.

BROWN meat with onions and peppers in large skillet on medium-high heat. Stir in chili powder; cook 1 min. Add salsa and corn; mix well. Simmer 5 min.

SPREAD 1 cup meat sauce onto bottom of 8- or 9-inch square baking dish; top with layers of 1 tortilla, 1/2 cup meat sauce, sour cream and 1/4 cup cheese. Cover with 1 tortilla, 1 cup of remaining meat sauce and 1/4 cup of remaining cheese; top with remaining tortilla and meat sauce. Cover with foil.

BAKE 25 min. or until casserole is heated through. Top with remaining cheese; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or melted.

Pear Walnut Salad

1 medium bunch arugula or spinach

1 Bosc pear

1/4 c sherry or white wine vinegar

1/3 c olive oil

2 heaping tsp whole grain Dijon mustard

1 shallot, minced

pepper

3/4 c walnuts, halved and toasted

Toss all together and enjoy!!

Mango Chicken

Wish I had a photo, but trust me that this was delish. If you like mango salsa, then you'll love this!

2-3 T oil

3 mangoes

1 large red bell pepper (or 2 small ones)

1 garlic clove

1" ginger root (or use ground ginger)

1/2 c apple cider vinegar

1/4 c white cooking wine or water

bunch of cilantro, chopped

Saute garlic in oil till lightly browned. Add ginger and cook a little longer. Add mangoes, saute till mashable. Add red pepper. Saute till soft. Reduce heat. Add vinegar and cooking wine/water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cilantro at end. Serve over grilled chicken and rice.

Southwest Chicken and Sweet Potato Fries

Grilled Southwest Chicken
Not really a recipe, but I thought I would share I love this marinade for chicken. Just follow the directions on the back of the packet and grill or bake.

Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Supposedly sweet potatoes are better for you than regular potatoes, so I gave this recipe a try last night by Cat Cora. I don't even like sweet potatoes usually but these were good. You just have to get them crispy enough and eat them while they're hot.

Ingredients:Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. dried Italian herb seasoning
Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil coated with cooking spray.

Spread the sweet potato strips out onto the baking sheet in a single layer, coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and spices, turning them over to evenly coat on all sides with oil and spices.

Bake for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes with spatula. Serve warm.

Crock Pot Sweet Pork

This recipe is a family favorite...and come to find out (looking in the blog archives)it's a lot like Chelsea's Crock Pot Chicken Tacos, except using Pork

1 pork tenderloin

1 jar Pace Picante (24oz)(mild or medium)

1 cup brown sugar

We usually get our pork at Costco, they come in a 4 pack
While we're at Costco we also grab these tortillas

1) Put pork in crock pot

2) In another bowl mix brown sugar and Picante together

3) Pour mixture over pork

4) turn on high for 4-5 hours

5) Once done shred

We like to do ours Cafe Rio style. We will put the sweet pork in a big flour tortilla, add black beans, cilantro/lime rice, and cheese (we like jalepeno jack, but is good with any kind really). Then roll that sucker up and enjoy!!!

To make cilantro lime rice, just add chopped cilantro and lime juice once the rice is done cooking. Easy peasy!!!