Sweet & Sour Baked Chicken

Ingredients:

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt & pepper

2 tbsp. cooking oil

1 (20 oz. can) pineapple chunks (with juice)

1 c. canned jellied cranberry sauce

1/4 c. cornstarch

1/4 c. packed brown sugar

1/4 c. rice or cider vinegar

1/4 c. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1/4 c. dry sherry, chicken broth, or water

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

2 medium green sweet peppers, seeded and cut into bite-size strips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Sprinkle chicken lightly with salt and pepper.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add chicken and cook about 4 minutes or until browned, turning once.  Transfer chicken to a 9x13 pan.
2. Drain pineapple well, SAVING 2/3 c. of the juice.  Spoon pineapple chunks (not juice) evenly over the chicken in pan; set aside.
3. For sauce, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the reserved pineapple juice, the cranberry sauce, the brown sugar, vinegar, orange juice concentrate, sherry (broth or water too), soy sauce, ginger, and cornstarch (sprinkled in lightly while whisking).  Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.  Pour over chicken and pineapple in baking pan.
4. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes.  Uncover and add sweet peppers, stirring gently to coat the peppers in the sauce.  Bake for 5 minutes longer, UNCOVERED.
5. Serve with rice.  
6. Enjoy!

Jane's Banana Bread

Ingredients:

3 rotten bananas

2 eggs

1/2 c. shortening

2 c. flour

3/4 c. sugar 

1/2 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Beat together sugar and shortening.  Then, add bananas and eggs and mix until all are combined.  
2. Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  
3. Gradually, add small amounts of dry ingredients to banana mixture and beat, while adding small amounts of the buttermilk.
4. Once all are mixed into one bowl, add vanilla and STIR.
5. Add walnuts to mixture if desired.
6. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes in a bread pan.  For muffins, bake for 18-20 minutes.

*Recipe from Jane Murphy

Applebee's Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

* 1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
* 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
* 1 cup shredded parmesan-romano cheese mix
* 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
* 10 ounces prepared alfredo sauce
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 4 ounces softened cream cheese
* pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine ingredients thoroughly in a bowl and spread mixture into a small baking dish (I used an 8" X 8" dish.
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheeses are bubbling and melted.

4. Serve with chips or bread and enjoy. (I toast slices of french bread....like crostinis.)

White Chicken Chili...no crockpot needed!

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 rotisserie chicken (easiest way to do it)
1-1.5 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
1 (4 oz) can green chile peppers, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
¾ tsp. cayenne pepper
2.5 (14.5 oz) cans Great Northern Beans, undrained
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for ten minutes or until onions are tender. Add the chicken, chicken broth, green chile peppers, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and add the beans. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Pour into individual bowls and top with cheese.

Serve with cornbread.

Peanut Butter Pie....REDUCED FAT!

Serves 20...

Ingredients:

1 c. powdered sugar

1 (8oz.) block of light cream cheese, softened

1 c. natural style, reduced fat creamy peanut butter (such as Smucker's)

1 (14oz.) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1 (12oz.) tub frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

2 9-inch ready made reduced fat graham cracker shells

4 tsp. fat free chocolate sundae syrup

Directions:

Combine first three ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.  Add the condensed milk, and beat until combined.  Stir in the whipped topping. Divide the mixture evenly between shells; chill 8 hours or until set (pies will have a soft, fluffy texture).  Cut into wedges and drizzle with chocolate syrup.  For even MORE effect, I like to add a little dallop of whipped cream from the can on the top with chocolate shavings (using a grater/zester).  Soooooo good, and perfect for the holidays!  Some also serve this dessert frozen.  

Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:

1-1.5 oz. margarine or butter
2 large leeks
6 oz. chicken base
5 large Idaho potatoes
1 quart heavy cream
1 quart water
S & P to taste

Directions:

1. On low heat, slice leeks & sautee in butter until wilted.
2. Add cubed potatoes and allow potatoes to grab flavor.
3. Add all liquid ingredients at once.
4. Turn flame to HIGH to boil.
5. Drop to simmer for 45 minutes.
6. Add rou (1/4 c. butter and flour) if soup is not thickening.
7. I like to serve in bread bowl...so yummy, especially in cold weather!
   

Brushetta 'n Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

1-1/4 cups KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

8 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (2 lb.)

1/3 cup KRAFT Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Combine tomatoes, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the basil and dry stuffing mix; stir just until moistened.

PLACE 2 chicken breast halves in large freezer-weight resealable plastic bag. Pound chicken with meat mallet or side of heavy can until chicken is 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding two at a time to bag. Place chicken, top-sides down, on cutting board; spread evenly with stuffing mixture. Starting at one of the narrow ends, tightly roll up chicken. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish. Drizzle evenly with dressing.

BAKE 40 min. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake an additional 5 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165°F) and cheese is melted.

Serve with veggie of choice. Enjoy!