Chicken Sausage Pasta

I don't really have a recipe, as I made this up, but here's sorta how it goes! Adapt to what you have on hand!

Olive oil
Veggies-I usually use 2-3 bell peppers and an onion
Pasta-I usually use half a box of ziti or penne
2-3 chicken and apple sausages (I usually get mine at Costco and then freeze them)
Your favorite red sauce
 
Cook pasta according to directions on box.  Chop veggies and sausages into bite size pieces. Heat oil in pan and then saute veggies and sausages until desired doneness. Combine pasta, veggies and sausage, and sauce.  Heat on low for a couple of minutes. Enjoy!

Contributed by Jenna Mullen

(Sorry I stink at writing recipes!)

INSIDE OUT PIZZA

This is not only a great meal for home, but works great for a picnic.  I love it for the beach when we are going to be there for dinner.

It is this simple....

*Buy or make a simple pizza dough (I use the Trader Joe's refrigerated dough in a bag)
*Roll dough out and cut into squares
*Fill each square with mozarella cheese and desired other pizza ingredients (i.e. pepperoni or ham and pineapple etc)
*Gather in sides of dough and pinched closed into ball-like shape
*Bake in the oven at the normal pizza dough (usually 350)

*Serve with marinara sauce to dip them into.


Posted by Tiff

EASY TACO SALAD

This meal literally takes 15 minutes to make. We eat it at least once a week in the summer. It is easy to take as a picnic, too.

Throw all the following things (in any order) into a big bowl and voila....your kid friendly taco salad:

1 lb browned hamburger or ground turkey seasoned with taco seasoning

1 can Black Beans, strained and rinsed

1 can Kidney Beans, strained and rinsed

Iceburg lettuce, finely chopped. I use 1/2 to 3/4 of the head

Shredded cheese (I use a couple handfuls of Costco's big bag of shredded Mexican style cheese). The amount does not matter much, probably about a cup and a half.

Chips: our favorite is the Flavor Twists Honey BBQ Fritos or Doritos

Mix and serve with dressing of choice*.

*I grew up using Thousand Island, my kids prefer Ranch, Mik and I love Ranch with some BBQ sauce stirred into it (so good).

Posted by Tiff Rinne

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Brought by Jenn Iverson

2-3 chicken breasts

1 can (10 oz.) red enchilada sauce (I prefer Old El Paso mild)

1 cup sour cream (I use light)

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

8 whole wheat flour tortillas

Boil chicken for 20-30 minutes, until cooked through (alternately, put frozen chicken breasts in Crock Pot with a little bit of water and cook on high 3+ hours until cooked through).  Cool chicken, remove fat, and shred or cut into small pieces. 

Preheat oven to 350º.  In a medium-sized bowl, stir together sour cream and enchilada sauce.  Spread tortillas out on a table or countertop.  Divide the chicken evenly among the tortillas.  Top each with a scoop (1-2 Tbsp.) of sauce and a handful of cheese.  Spray the bottom of a 9x13” baking dish with cooking spray.  Roll up tortillas and place in dish.  Top with extra sauce and cheese.  Spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray (to prevent the cheese from sticking) and cover dish.  Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through.  Remove foil and continue baking until cheese on top is nicely melted.

Skillet Chicken Nachos

Brought by Jenn Iverson
Recipe from Betty Crocker



I love this recipe!  It is SUPER easy!  It works great for quick lunches or dinners - everyone can just dish up their own plate with however many chips they want.  It also works great as leftovers!


Ingredients:

1

tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

1 1/4

lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 

package (1 oz) taco seasoning mix (I use 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning)

1

can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1

medium red bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

1

can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed

1

can (7 oz) corn, drained (I use frozen corn) 

2

cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz) (or cheddar)

6

oz tortilla chips (I like Snyder's Restaurant Style)

1/4

cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

1. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center.
2. Stir in taco seasoning mix, tomato sauce, bell pepper, beans, corn and 1 cup of the cheese. Reduce heat to medium; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through and cheese is melted.
3. Divide tortilla chips between 6 plates. Spoon chicken mixture evenly over chips. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese and the cilantro.

Special K Treats

Special K Treats 
(Jenn Iverson)

2 sticks butter (I used one salted, one unsalted)

1 cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

54 large marshmallows

1 tsp. vanilla

12 oz. pkg. Special K (12-13 cups)

2 cups chopped pecans

Slightly melt butter, then stir in sugars while the rest of butter is melting.  When butter is melted, mixture will be just starting to boil.  Turn heat to low.  KEEPING HEAT LOW, add marshmallows and stir to melt and dissolve.  Add vanilla, then pour over Special K and stir.  Add pecans.  Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool.  

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

Taken from
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com
Submitted by Jenna Mullen

Personally, I don't like making the homemade cinnamon chips, so I buy the Stacy's brand cinnamon sugar pita chips or Trader Joe's carries them as well.

Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Chips

by Allrecipes

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 (16 oz) carton of strawberries, diced
2 tablespoons white sugar (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (more or less to taste)
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor (I used strawberry)

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
melted butter or butter flavored cooking spray
OR

cinnamon sugar pita chips, Stacy's brand or Trader Joe's

Cinnamon sugar:
1 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons cinnamon

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3.Coat one side of each flour tortilla with melted butter or butter flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle tortillas with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Spray again with cooking spray (not necessary if using melted butter).

4.Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture. This salsa can also be serve with cinnamon graham grackers or cinnamon pita chips. Best when made and eaten the same day otherwise the fruit gives off so too much juice and it gets runny.