Curry Chicken

from allrecipes.com, submitted by Priscilla

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup butter, melted 1/3 cup honey 1/4 cup Dijon-style prepared mustard

4 teaspoons curry powder 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a medium bowl combine the melted butter/margarine, honey, mustard, curry powder and cayenne powder. Mix well. Place chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish and pour honey/mustard mixture over chicken. Cover and place in refrigerator. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
3.	Remove dish from refrigerator and bake, covered, in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove cover and bake about 10 minutes more, or until done and juices run clear (baking time will depend a little on how thick your chicken breasts are). I like to cut the chicken breasts in half so they cook a little faster.  Even so, ours needed a little longer than the recipe calls for.  I also cut out the butter and it was still great.  I may double the sauce next time so I can put more on the chicken after cooking or even put it all on rice. Oven Roasted Potatoes from allrecipes.com, submitted by MakeItHealthy INGREDIENTS: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). 2. Combine oil, garlic, basil, rosemary, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt in a large bowl. Toss in potatoes until evenly coated. Place potatoes in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet. 3. Roast in preheated oven, turning occasionally, until potatoes are brown on all sides, 20 to 30 minutes. I don't see any reason to peel the potatoes.  You can omit the red pepper flakes if you have eaters who don't like spicy food.  Also, dried herbs work well if you don't have fresh ones.  As a general rule, cut the amount given in thirds when using dried herbs. Husband and boys rating:  I honestly don't remember so you'll just have to give it a try!

Shrimp Lemon Pepper Linguine

from allrecipes.com, submitted by skini

INGREDIENTS:

1 (8 ounce) package linguine pasta 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup white wine 1 lemon, juiced 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

salt to taste 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/4 cup butter 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine, and cook for 9 to 13 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2.	Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and saute garlic about 1 minute. Mix in chicken broth, wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced by about 1/2.
3.	Mix shrimp, butter, parsley, and basil into the saucepan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until shrimp is opaque. Stir in the cooked linguine, and continue cooking 2 minutes, until well coated.

I thought I'd give you the recipe as written and then give you my version based on what I had on hand and increasing the portions:

12 oz linguine pasta (I used about 3/4 of a 16 oz package)

1 tbsp olive oil

6 tsp minced garlic

1 c chicken broth

1/2 c white wine

1 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper to taste (many reviewers thought the amount of pepper in the original was too much)

12 oz frozen shrimp, peeled, deveined, thawed and then I quickly popped the tails off all the shrimp.  I don't like to have something on the plate that can't be eaten so I always take the tails off

1/4 butter

about 1/4 c olive oil

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

I thought the recipe called for a lot of butter so instead of doubling the butter for my family size I did half butter and half olive oil.  It was too oily for us.  Next time I think I'd keep just the 1/4 c butter and not add more butter or oil.  

Husband rating:  2 stars (because it was too oily, which was my fault in experimenting!)  I loved the smell of this as it was cooking and the flavors were nice, but I agreed about the oil

Boys say:  thumbs up

Southwest Chicken Dish

from Betty Crocker's Good and Easy Cookbook

2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp chili powder
1 lb skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 small yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
1/3 c picante sauce or salsa
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1.  Mix lime juice and chili powder in medium glass or plastic bowl.  Stir in chicken until well coated.  Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

2.  Heat wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat.  Add 1 tbsp of the oil; rotate wok to coat side.

3.  Add chicken and marinade; stir-fry 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.  Remove chicken from wok.

4.  Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to wok; rotate wok to coat.  Add zucchini and yellow squash; stir-fry about 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.  Stir in chicken, picante sauce and cilantro.

I served this over rice, but my husband thought it didn't have enough sauce to go with rice.  Some of our boys put the chicken and veggies in tortillas.  I think that works better.  It does have a great flavor and I love zucchini and yellow squash.

If you put this in corn tortillas (instead of flour) you'll have a gluten free meal for those who need/want it.

With tortillas:  4 stars

Lemonade Pork Chops (or Chicken)

from my friend Linda

6 pork chops or chicken pieces (enough for 6-8 servings)
2 eggs, whipped with small amount of milk
1-2 c flour, mixed with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper
1 12 oz can lemonade
6 tbsp ketchup
6 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp vinegar

Dip meat in egg mixture and roll in flour.  Brown in hot oil.

Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl to make sauce.  Place meat in slow cooker.  Pour sauce over meat.  Cook on low for five hours.

I was short on time so I skipped the egg mixture and browning the meat.  I just threw the pork in the slow cooker and covered it with the sauce.  I should have seasoned the meat with salt and pepper so don't skip that!  The sauce is not thick so you can't really expect to have some to serve over the meat.

We had this with corn and a salad.

If you skip putting the meat in the flour you'll have a gluten free meal.

Husband Rating:  3 stars
Boys say: thumbs up

Orange Teriyaki Salmon

from ourbestbites.com

about 2  pounds salmon; one large filet or 2 smaller ones
3/4 C orange marmalade
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 C orange juice
3 Tbs bottled teriyaki sauce

6 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1/8 tsp ground red pepper, or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
several cracks black pepper
2 Tbs chopped dry onion, or 1/4 C minced fresh onion
3 Tbs dry parsley or about 1/2 C fresh

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Layer a piece of heavy duty foil over a large baking sheet  Lay on one more sheet in the opposite direction, leaving about 8″ of overhang on all sides.

Place marmalade and butter in a small microwave safe bowl and heat for about 30 seconds, or until butter is melted.  Whisk until smooth.  Combine this mixture with all ingredients (except fish) in a bowl and stir until smooth.  Rinse salmon in cold water and pat dry.  Place skin side down on baking sheet.  Pour marinade over fish.

Starting from one end, gather the foil overhang together and roll them together to seal a tent-like pouch.  Bake in oven for about 25 minutes. Fish should be opaque and flake easily with a fork.  Test fish and return pan to oven for an additional 5-10 minutes if necessary.  Serve salmon with sauce spooned over top.

Grill instructions: Preheat gas grill to 325. Place foil pouch on upper rack if you have one, or on indirect heat on the main rack.  Follow the same baking instructions as if it were in the oven.

Fish can also be cooked in a foil tent over a camp fire. Season the fish as desired (you can also add a couple of tablespoons of water to help it steam in the hot fire) and close up your foil tent. Nestle your foil pouch into the glowing embers where the heat isn’t as intense as the flames. Cooking time may vary depending on the size and variety of fish, so check it after 10 minutes. If it’s not done, check at 2-3
minute intervals after that.

My rating:  solid 4 stars, I really like the flavors in this dish
Boys say:  thumbs up

Sunday Beef Stew

from ourbestbites.com

1 1/2-2 lb. lean stew beef, cut into even smaller bite-sized pieces (just pull out a pair of kitchen shears and cut anything that looks like you’d need to use a knife and fork on)4-5 medium red potatoes, chopped
4-5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups roughly chopped onions, one large or 2 small
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 12-oz. cans or 3 c. vegetable juice cocktail (like V8 or even Bloody Mary mix)
1 10-oz. can condensed tomato soup
10 oz. water (just use the can from the tomato soup to measure)
1 tsp. basil
2 beef bouillon cubes (or 2 tsp. beef base)
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large dutch oven or other oven save dish with a tight fitting lid.  Cook for about 3 hours at 350, or in a slow cooker on low for 9-10 hours or high for 5-6.

Honestly, we're not big stew fans, but this is pretty good as far as stews go!

Husband Rating:  3 stars

Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu

from Six Sisters' Stuff

Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
6 slices deli ham
6 slices Swiss cheese
1 (8 ounce) package herbed dry bread stuffing mix
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions: 
Mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk in a small bowl.  Pour enough of the soup into a slow cooker to cover the bottom.  Layer chicken breasts over the sauce.  Cover with slices of ham and then Swiss cheese.  Pour the remaining soup over the layers, stirring a little to distribute between layers.  Sprinkle the stuffing on top, and drizzle butter over stuffing.  Cover, and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or high for 2-3 hours.

My recommendation would be to crush the stuffing mix into finer pieces.

Husband Rating:  3 stars

Honey Mustard Chicken and Red Potatoes

from allrecipes.com, submitted by Carol Alter

INGREDIENTS: 1 (4 pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces 1 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 3 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons apricot jam DIRECTIONS: 1. Sprinkle chicken with paprika, pepper, and curry powder. Place in a roasting pan. 2. Combine mustard, honey, and jam in a small bowl. Pour over chicken, and marinate for 1 hour or overnight. 3. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 1 hour, basting often. We used boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Next time I'm going to try doubling the sauce and putting the chicken and sauce over rice. Red Potatoes 6 red potatoes, cubed 2 tbsp olive oil 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic 1/4 c grated parmesan 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tbsp rosemary pepper to taste Preheat oven to 425.  Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray, such as Pam.  Place all ingredients in a bowl or plastic bag.  Mix.  Spread potatoes in dish.  Bake in oven about 40 minutes. Husband rating:  4 stars Boys say:  thumbs up

Spaghetti with Meatballs

Unfortunately our entire family came down with the stomach flu in February!  A friend brought food for our kids when we were too sick to cook.  She made them spaghetti with meatballs.  It made me realize that I don't ever make that!  All she did was use precooked meatballs in spaghetti sauce from a jar.  So easy!  When you need a fast easy meal you can try this!  

Boys say:  thumbs up

Seasoned Pork Chops and Rice Pilaf

I had the opportunity to live in Spain during college.  I remember going to the Corpus Christi celebration in Toledo, one of my favorite cities in Spain.  During this celebration rosemary and thyme were thrown in the streets.  When I make this dish I think about being there and the beauty of that country.

Seasoned Pork
pork chops
dried rosemary
dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

There are no measurements for the spices because I just sprinkle some on.  You can start with a little bit and increase it the next time if it wasn't flavorful enough for you.  I usually season one side and then throw them in the pan seasoned side down and then season the other side.  You could cook these in a pan with a little extra virgin olive oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the pork.  It's also easy to put them under the broiler for 6-8 minutes on a side, again, depending on the thickness of your pork chops.  Better yet, toss them on the grill!

We used a rice pilaf mix from a box and steamed some broccoli.  If you haven't cooked broccoli before here's how I do it most of the time:  I put the broccoli in my 8x8 glass dish.  I put 1/4 cup water in the dish.  I cook it in the microwave (covered with a paper towel) for 4 minutes.  I mix it up and cook it for another 4 minutes.  Then I drain the water, add a little butter, salt and pepper and it's ready to go!

Garlic Parmesan Chicken

from allrecipes.com, submitted by Carol

INGREDIENTS: 2 teaspoons crushed garlic 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). 2. Warm the garlic and olive oil to blend the flavors. In a separate dish, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dip the chicken breasts in the olive oil and garlic mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture. Place in a shallow baking dish. 3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

I doubled the bread crumb/parmesan mixture.  I baked the chicken for closer to 25 minutes.

Husband rating:  4 stars
Boys say:  thumbs up