Chicken in Lime Butter

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon minced chives

Cook's Comments:

- we also dip the chicken in egg and coat in breadcrumbs before cooking them ... like it better that way!

Directions

• Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reaches 170°; drain. Remove and keep warm.
• Add butter and lime juice to the skillet; cook and stir until butter is melted. Stir in dill and chives. Drizzle over chicken. Yield: 4 servings.

Cook's Comments:
- I never follow the recipe when I make this...I just get thin chicken breasts and then use whatever amount of the ingredients I think smells/looks good. I usually use more lime juice than it calls for and I have also experimented with dipping the chicken in egg first, and have also breaded it. All 3 ways are good, can never go wrong. I usually pair with a veggie and sometimes rice.

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

From Pampered Chef

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed (or finely minced)

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can fat free low-sodium cream of chicken soup

3 (14 1/2 ounce) cans fat-free chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2/3 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked   

1.  Heat a 4 quart stockpot over medium heat.
2.  Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3.  Add carrots, onion and garlic, cook and stir for 2 minutes.
4.  Stir in chicken, lemon zest, lemon juice, soup, broth and black pepper; bring to a boil.
5.  Stir in rice and reduce heat.
6.  Cover and simmer over low heat 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender.
7.  Remove from heat and stir in parsley just before serving.

Cook's Comments:

- Love it! Usually end up adding more broth than it calls for

Butternut Squash Lasagna

From Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 amaretti cookies, crumbled  (I have used Pepperidge Farms gingerbread cookies)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• Pinch nutmeg
• 3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti cookies and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender*. Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.

Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Spaghetti Pie

Borrowed from Heidi Reservitz

Ingredients:

- 1lb hamburger or turkey meat (I always use turkey)
- 2 small cans of tomato sauce (I use garlic tomato sauce)
- 8oz spaghetti
- 4 to 6oz cream cheese
- 4 to 6oz sour cream
- chives (
- shredded cheddar cheese (I use a lot, probably 2 cups if not more)

Steps:

1. Cook turkey meat in cans of garlic tomato sauce, let it simmer and soak in the sauce (can add more or less sauce depending on how much you prefer)
2. Also cook 8oz spaghetti
3. In a bowl mix about 4oz of sour cream with about 4oz of cream cheese and scallions (this part you can adjust the amounts to suit your likes/dislikes, I use a lot of all 3)
4. In a greased casserole dish you will put the spaghetti first, then cover it with a layer of the sour cream/cream cheese/scallion mix, then pour the meat and sauce on as the third layer and then sprinkle
cheese over the entire thing.
5. Put in the oven at 350, with the cover on the dish, for 25 minutes.
6. Then take the cover off and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Cook's Comments:
- it's great with garlic bread!
- freezes okay

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Passed on by Laura Georgy

Ingredients:

1 medium sized onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced (or 3 tsp of canned minced garlic)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (32 ounce) can/box condensed chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1 (15 ounce) can white corn
1 (15 ounce) can white hominy
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (15 ounce) can black beans (negroe frijoles), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
crushed tortilla chips
shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. Dice (or shred when cooked) chicken and cook on stovetop in oil, handful of onions and 1 tsp garlic.
2. In a medium stock pot, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, cumin, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Stir in corn, hominy, chiles, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips and cheese.
5. If too thick, add a can of tomato juice, more broth or water.

Cook's Comments:
- love it, a true favorite, make it all the time
- always end up adding more crushed tomatoes or broth
- freezes really well....I usually double for that purpose