Chicken Milano

A delicious pasta and chicken dish with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. Use the dry packaged sun-dried tomatoes instead of the tomatoes packed in olive oil. The sauce can be kept, covered, for one day in the refrigerator; heat again over low heat. Try it with some crusty bread if desired.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth, divided
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 8 ounces dry fettuccini pasta

Directions

1. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter; add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and 3/4 cup of the chicken broth; increase to medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender. Add the cream and bring to a boil; stirring. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
2. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and saute chicken. Press on chicken occasionally with a slotted spatula. Cook for about 4 minutes per side or until the meat feels springy and is no longer pink inside. Transfer to a board; cover and keep warm. Discard the fat from the skillet.
3. In the same skillet, over medium heat, bring 1/4 cup chicken broth to a boil; stirring the pan juices. Reduce slightly and add to the cream sauce; stir in basil and adjust seasonings to taste.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, transfer to a bowl and toss with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the sauce.
5. Cut each chicken breast into 2 to 3 diagonal slices. Reheat the sauce gently if needed. Transfer the pasta to serving plates; top with chicken and coat with the cream sauce; serve.

Quinoa and Black Beans

A flowering plant in the amaranthus family, quinoa is a pseudograin that is grown for it seeds.  After harvest, the seeds are processed to remove the bitter-tasting outer seed coat. Versatile for many dishes, cooked quinoa supplies nutrient content similar to wheat and rice, such as moderate amounts of protein, dietary fiber, and minerals. Quinoa is gluten-free.  Quinoa originated in the Andes mountains of northwestern South America.

Check out this alternative to black beans and rice.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
2. Mix quinoa into onion mixture and cover with vegetable broth; season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until quinoa is tender and broth is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes; mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Shakshuka

This North African one-dish-meal is so fast, easy, and delicious. Be sure to cook your sauce until the veggies are nice and soft and sweet. Once the eggs go in, you can finish covered on the stove, or just pop the pan into a hot oven until they cook to your liking.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes, or other high-quality plum tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water, or more as needed
• 6 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt. Cook and stir until mushrooms release all of their liquid and start to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in bell peppers and jalapeno pepper. Cook and stir until peppers begin to soften up, about 5 minutes. Season with cumin, paprika, turmeric, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir and cook to "wake up" the flavors, about 1 minute. Pour in crushed tomatoes and water. Adjust heat to medium and simmer uncovered until veggies are softened and sweet, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes. Add more water if sauce becomes too thick.
2. Make a depression in the sauce for each egg with a large spoon. Crack egg into a small ramekin and slide gently into each indentation; repeat with the rest of the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until eggs are to your desired doneness.
3. Top with feta cheese and parsley.

Low-Fat Ground Turkey Pasta

M. Leiland writes: "We make this low-fat ground turkey pasta recipe about once a week; it is really easy, low fat, and the cinnamon and cumin give the turkey a great flavor!"

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package rotini pasta
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook the rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain.
2. Combine turkey, onion, salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne pepper in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until turkey is browned, about 10 minutes. Add spaghetti sauce, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour over rotini.

Cream Cheese Cut-Outs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture. Divide dough into two pieces, cover and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut in to desired shapes using cookie cutters and place the cookies at least 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Mini Pecan Pie Cookies

Wonderful mini pecan pies. Perfect for cookie parties where you want to make something slightly different. You can spice up the cookies by adding cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg to the cookie mix!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan, and stir in the confectioners' sugar and corn syrup until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often, and stir in the pecans until well combined. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to chill.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl, and set aside.
3. Beat brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter, egg, and vanilla extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until well mixed. Pinch off about 1 tablespoon of dough, and roll it into a ball. Press the dough into the bottom of an ungreased cupcake pan cup, and use your thumb to press the dough into a small piecrust shape, with 1/4-inch walls up the sides of the cupcake cup. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Fill each little crust with about 1 teaspoon of the prepared pecan filling.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the cookie shells are lightly browned, 10 to 13 minutes. Watch closely after 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool in the cupcake pans for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to finish cooling.