Club Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

Makes 4 dinner sized salads

Salad Ingredients:

1 bag lettuce

¼ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese

½ pound deli roast turkey cut into strips

6 strips applewood smoked bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled

1 large tomato diced

½ cup thinly sliced scallions

Dressing Ingredients:

6 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1 ½ tablespoons honey

2-3 tablespoons room temperature water

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Combine mayo, Dijon mustard, yellow mustard and honey in a bowl. Whisk in enough water to thin the mixture to desired texture. Salt and pepper to taste.

2. Place lettuce in large salad bowl. Add dressing and toss.

3. Divide lettuce between plates and layer with cheeses, turkey, bacon, tomato and scallions.

Cobb Salad with Garlic Ranch Dressing

This makes 4 dinner sized salads

Salad Ingredients:

1 bag triple hearts (Romaine hearts)

1 ½ cups cooked chicken, chilled and cut into 1” pieces

½ pound bacon (about 10 slices), cooked and crumbled

6 hardboiled eggs, peeled and diced

6 roma tomatoes chopped and seeded

1 cup blue cheese crumbled

2 ripe avocados, peeled and diced

Dressing Ingredients:

½ cup sour cream

½ cup maynoaise (I’m assuming you can use low fat of both sour cream and mayo)

¼ teaspoon minced garlic

¼ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ cup reduced-fat buttermilk

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Place sour cream, mayo, garlic, paprika, dry mustard, sugar and buttermilk in a blender. Blend until sugar dissolves and dressing is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Place lettuce in a large salad bowl and add dressing to taste and gently toss.

3. Divide lettuce between plates and in rows top with the salad ingredients.

Crock Pot Minestrone

Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
4 cups fresh tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 chopped onion
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup diced yellow squash
1 cup green beans, cleaned and trimmed
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf (remove at end of cooking)
1 1/2 cup uncooked rotini or macaroni pasta
***Garnish***
Basil Pesto
Fresh Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Mix all ingredients except pasta in 4- to 5-quart slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 8 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in pasta. Cover and cook on high heat setting 15 to 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle each serving with parmesan cheese and pesto, to taste.

Chinese Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

Salad Ingredients:

½ cup fresh snow peas

1 bag spring lettuce mix

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 carrots peeled and grated

¼ cup thinly sliced scallions

¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves

½ cup chopped roasted peanuts

2 limes, quartered, for garnish

Dressing Ingredients:

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon freshly grated peeled ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

½ cup canola oil

pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Mix dressing by combining all ingredients and shaking well.

2. Bring salted water to a boil in a pot, add snow peas and cook until a vibrant green and still crisp--about 1.5 minutes.

3. Drain peas and immerse in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Drain and place in a large salad bowl.

4. Add all ingredients and toss with dressing. Garnish with lime wedges (optional).

Pesto Chicken Pasta

This is Chuck's famous dish--he made it on our first date, and its one of the main things he cooks when it's his turn to cook--it is actually very yummy!

Ingredients:
8 oz (4 cups) uncooked bowtie pasta
2 red or green bell peppers seeded and cut into slices
1 medium zucchini cut into slices
1/2 red onion cut into slices
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup pesto sauce

Directions:
1. Cook pasta, drain, and keep covered to keep warm.
2. While pasta is cooking, combine veggies, chicken and dressing in a medium bowl and toss well. Place in a baking pan and cook for about 15 minutes on 350 or so (our oven is messed up so you'll have to play with temperature). Stir occasionally throughout the cooking and it's finished when chicken is no longer pink.
3. Add pasta and pesto to chicken and veggies pan and mix well.

Teriyaki Chicken Drummettes

a favorite growing up!

Ingredients:

25 chicken drummettes

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

¼ cup pineapple juice

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and pour over chicken in a baking dish. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Crock Pot Chicken Azteca

Ingredients:

15 oz can black beans, drained
2 cups frozen corn
1 clove minced garlic
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 cup chunky salsa
2-5 chicken breasts
8 oz cream cheese cubed (this is ridiculous, so unhealthy and not needed! I add about a tablespoon of cream cheese to the pot and that is plenty!)
shredded cheddar cheese
cooked rice

Directions:

1. Combine black beans, garlic, corn, cumin, and ½ cup salsa. Place in slow cooker.
2. Arrange chicken on top and pour remaining salsa over the chicken.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
4. Remove chicken, cut into pieces and return to the cooker. Stir in the cream cheese until it melts.
5. Serve over rice and top with cheese.

Broccoli Cheese Noodle Soup

one of our family favorites :)

Note, this makes a lot, you will want to half this recipe!

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons oil

¾ cup chopped onion

6 cups chicken broth

8 oz noodles (egg noodles or small cork screws)

½ teaspoon salt

2 10oz packages frozen broccoli

1 clove minced garlic

5 cups milk

1 ½ pounds velveeta cheese

pepper

cornstarch

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes.

2.Add chicken broth and heat to boiling.

3.Gradually add noodles and salt so that the broth continues to boil.

4.Cook uncovered for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Stir in broccoli and garlic—cook 4 minutes more.

6. Add milk, cheese and pepper, cook until cheese melts.

7.If you want it thicker, add 2 Tablespoons cornstarch or flour in ¼ cup cold water. Once the lumps are out, pour it in soup and stir for 3 minutes.