Creamy Bow-Tie Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli

This is really what the name of this recipe is at KraftFoods.com. Very original - Don't you think?

Ingredients:
3 cups bow tie pasta
4 cups broccoli florets
3 Tbsp Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1.5 lbs)
2 garlic gloves minced
2 cups tomato basil spaghetti sauce
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the cooking water for the last 3 minutes of the pasta cooking time. Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add Chicken and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Turn chicken over; continue cooking 4 to 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked thru.

Drain pasta mixture; return to pan and set aside. Add pasta sauce and cream cheese to chicken in skillet; cook on med-low heat 2 to 3 minutes or until cream cheese is completely melted, mixture is well blended and chicken is coated in sauce, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm. Add sauce mixture; mix well. Transfer to 6 serving bowls.

Cut chicken crosswise into thick slices; fan out chicken over pasta mixture in each bowl. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan Cheese.

My 2 cents worth on this:

• You can use frozen brocolli.
• I don't do the fancy presentation. I just mix it all up and serve.
  
• It looks like a lot but it is really easy and very very good.
• I usually cook a whole box of pasta just to have extra.
  

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

I got this off of my friend Patrice's blog.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup grated parmesan
4 chicken breasts
4 tsp Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

Combine mayo and cheese. Spread on chicken and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.

My 2 cents on this one:

• Yummy and Easy!
• All of us ate it up and love it.
• We have done this when guests come and they also love the taste of it!
• Did I say it was easy?? IT IS!

Chicken and Rice

I got this one from my mom, but she got it from her Grandmother Dorriety. I think it is one of everyone's favorites!

Ingredients:
Chicken pieces as desired
1 cup rice
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can french onion soup
1/2 stick of butter
Pimento &/or green pepper (optional)

In glass dish, sprinkle rice over bottom. Add 1.5 cups of hot water. Place chicken in dish, salt and pepper to taste. Spoon soups over contents. Sprinkle peppers and pimentos, if desired. Dot with butter.

Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 1.5 hours.

My 2 cents worth on this:

• I have done this with all chicken breasts, with all chicken legs, with boneless and bone-in and it all works out great. Depending on the chicken pieces, the time could be shorter to cook.
• I never salt or pepper my chicken and I never add peppers or pimentos and it is great.
• The cool thing about this dish is that you have chicken and some yummy rice when you are done. 2 in one.
• This is great left over so fill the dish up with chicken. Don't worry - it will get eaten!

Lu's Tuna Noodle Casserole

I got this one from Recipezaar!

Ingredients:
2 (7.25 oz) boxes of macaroni and cheese dinner mix
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk
1 (10.75 oz) can of cream of chicken soup
1 (6 oz) can of tuna, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook both boxes of Mac and Cheese noodles only.
Drain noodles.
Slice 6 tablespoons of butter into 6 separate pats and place in 9x13 baking dish.
Add drained noodles, cheese sauce mix, and milk to baking dish. Stir well.
Add soup. Stir well.
Add tuna and 1/2 cup cheese. Stir well.
Top with 1/2 cup cheese.
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

My 2 cents worth on this:

• This was yummmy and inexpensive.
• Hannah, my 2 year old, asked for more.
• Makes lots. Enough for all of us to have it for lunch the next day.
• I am not sure why you can not add the sauce mix packet, milk, and butter to noodles like you are making mac and cheese. I think it would be easier to stir that way??
  

Salsa Chicken

I feel very bad because I got this off someone else's blog and I meant to write down where I got it from and I have no idea. I think it was from a recipe swap. I am sorry for whoever I am not giving credit to but I am openly saying this is not my recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cups black beans, cooked
1 can corn drained
1 cup salsa
Chicken

Combine black beans, corn, and 1/2 cup salsa in your crock pot. Stir. Place your choice of chicken pieces on top. (Boneless will cook quicker.) Spread the rest of the salsa on top of the chicken. Cook on low approx 5-6 hours until chicken pieces are done.

My 2 cents worth on this:

• We are not really a crockpot family. Because of our schedules crockpot recipes do not usually work out. Because of that we won't get to have this recipe as much as we wish we could.
  
• We thought this recipe was great - it may become a regular weekend meal since we can't do crockpot during the week.
  
• We used boneless skinless chicken breasts (4), thawed.
• I used canned black beans rinsed in cold water and drained.
• We put sour cream on top of it.
• It could have been used as a chicken dip and spread over tortilla chips, with shredded cheese and sour cream on top.
• Because of all that, we only had to cook it for 4 hours on low.

Pork Medallions Alfredo

I got this one from Kraft Foods. (I know everyone is surprised.)

Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin (1 lb) cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat on medium-high heat. Add meat; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned on both sides.

Add cream cheese, broth, dressing, parmesan cheese, and juice; stir until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended. Cook 3 minutes or until sauce is thickened and meat is cooked thru.

Sprinkle with basil.

My 2 cents worth on this:

• I used already cut pork and it was great.
• This is so easy and I am so excited to have another meat in our rotation - not just chicken and hamburger meat.
• I used the basil spice that you just buy and not fresh.. it was still good.
• Hannah ate every piece of it on her plate. We told her it was pork with cheese and saying "cheese" hooked her. She loved loved loved it.
• Did I say this was easy? It is. And very good.
• I served it with noodles so we put noodles on our plate, a piece of pork on, and then spooned some of the extra sauce on top.
  

Frito Salad

I got this one from a recipe swap with some girls from our congregation. (I forget who brought it!)

Ingredients:
2 cans of whole kernel corn, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
6 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
10 oz bag of chili cheese Fritos

Mix and serve immediately

My 2 cents worth on this one:

• YummmmY
• This makes a lot and it is not very good left over.
• I made this for supper and we all ate it up.
  
• If I do this for our family again, I will probably just do half of everything so that we won't waste so much.
  

4 Can Black Bean Chili

I got this one from Connie in a Recipe swap on the Grocery Cart Challenge Blog.

Ingredients:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Rotel
1 can of Mexican Corn (Or regular sweet whole corn)
1 can beef broth
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Don't drain the rotel or the corn. Heat all together on stove top. Serve in bowls with a scoop of sour cream on top or with shredded cheese. This goes well with tortillas, rice, cornbread or biscuits.

My 2 cents worth on this one:

• I did not use cumin because I didn't have any and it was fine.
• I used the Mexican corn and loved it. It gives it a little something extra, I think.
• I fixed biscuits with this and had shredded cheese and sour cream and scoop fritos. It was YUMMY!
• We had a friend over for supper and he said that he did not think it would be as good without the sour cream and cheese.
• Hannah loved it and ate some with a spoon and some with chips.
• Chris is a fan and would love to have it again.
• This is really EASY!!

Pound, Pound, and a Bottle

I got this one from another blog.

Ingredients:
1 lb of hamburger
1 lb of Velveeta Cheese
1 Bottle of green taco sauce

Brown the hamburger; Drain.

Cube the Velveeta cheese and add to meat in pan, when it starts to melt add the taco sauce. Stir well until cheese is melted and all is well blended. Serve with Lots of chips for dipping.

My 2 cents worth on this:

• I could not find anything at the store called "Green Taco Sauce" so I went with the brand she recommended and got La Victoria Salsa Verde and it was a medium size ( I think) bottle. I don't know how many ounces.
• We used Tortilla chips.
• This was very yummy and quick.
• Hannah, my 2 year old, ate this meat dip with a spoon. She loved it.
• Chris, my hubby, says that this is similar if not better than the meat cheese dip from Applebees and that it would be a GREAT "meal" for Monday Night Football get together.
  

Creamy Pasta Primavera

I got this one from Kraft Foods!

Ingredients
3 cups penne pasta
2 Tbsp Italian Dressing
1 1/2 Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
2 Zucchini cut into chunks
1 Red Pepper chopped
1 1/2 cups cut up fresh asparagus
1 cup Chicken Broth
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package

Meanwhile heat dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and veggies; cook 10-12 minutes or until chicken is cooked thru, stirring frequently. Add broth and cream cheese; cook 1 minute or until cheese is melted, stirring constantly. Add Parmesan cheese; mix well.

Drain pasta; return to pot. Add chicken veggie mixture; toss lightly. Cook 1 minute or until heated thru. (Sauce will thicken upon standing.)

My 2 cents worth on this one:

• I skipped out on the asparagus and we still loved the dish.
• I used a green pepper instead of red and it was good.
• We used bow tie pasta and it was great.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Stir Fry

I got this one from Kraft Foods - again. I know I know... I really love this website and magazine!

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts but into bite size pieces
1 Tbsp oil
3 cups chopped fresh veggies (red or green bell peppers, baby carrots, mushrooms, snow peas)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup catalina dressing
2 Tbsp hoisin or soy sauce
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Cook and stir check in hot oil in large skillet on high 3 minutes.

Add veggies and garlic; cook and stir 5-6 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned.

Stir in remaining ingredients; cook an additional 2 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and veggies are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.

My 2 cents on this one:

• I serve this one with rice.
• I use bell peppers only as my veggie and love it but I am sure any other veggie you want to use is great.
• Even Hannah (2 years old) eats it so, despite the pepper it is not crazy spicy.
  

Taco Salad

I got this one from my wonderful Mom!

Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger meat
1/2 of a big bag of Doritos
1/2 head of lettuce
1/2 block of cheddar cheese shredded
1 can of whole corn (optional)
1 chopped tomato (optional)
Catalina dressing

Cut up lettuce and mix with cheese in a large bowl. Brown and drain meat and put in with lettuce cheese mixture. Mix in dressing to taste. Crush Doritos and add to salad. Add corn and tomato if desired. Mix in a little more dressing to taste. Serve immediately.

My 2 cents on this one:

• One of my favorites of all time.
• I use to ask for this for my birthday instead of cake!
• I use corn but no tomatoes.
• If you have left overs, refrigerate. When you want some more, add a little dressing and some more crushed Doritos to freshen it up.
  

Saucy Parmesan Chicken

I got this one from the Kraft Foods Magazine.

Ingredients:
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup Italian Dressing
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Place all ingredients in a large resealable freezer weight plastic bag; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with remaining ingredients. Lay flat so chicken does not overlap.

Refrigerate chicken 30 minutes to marinate. Preheat oven to 425. Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag and marinade. Arrange chicken on foil-covered baking sheet. Bake chicken 20 minutes or until cooked thru.

Here is my 2 cents on this one:

• I get my chicken out before I go to work and by the time I get back it is thawed.
  
• I then marinade the chicken for a few minutes (with maybe a little more of the ingredients than it calls for), put the chicken on the pan and then pour the rest of the marinade out of the bag onto the tops of the chicken.
• It seems so simple but every time we do it, either Chris or I will comment on how great it tastes.
  

Ham and Swiss Stromboli

I got this one from Recipe Zaar. Gayle from Grocery Cart Challenge led me to it!

Ingredients:
1 11oz package refrigerated French bread dough
6oz thinly sliced deli ham
6 green onions, sliced (optional)
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 cups shredded swiss cheese
2-4 tablespoons ranch dressing (optional)

Unroll dough on a lightly greased baking sheet. Place ham on dough, don't go all the way to the edge, leave about 1/4 to 1/2 inch; spread ranch dressing over the ham; sprinkle evenly with onions, bacon, and cheese. Roll up jelly-roll style, start with the long side. Pinch edges to seal and tuck the ends under. Place the seam side down on the baking sheet.

Cut several slits on top of the loaf (about 1/4 inch deep). Bake at 350 for 26-30 minutes until golden brown. Cool a bit before slicing.

My 2 cents on this one:

• This tasted really good!
• If you want this as a quick come-home-from-work supper you may want to cook and crumble the bacon the night before and you may want to tell your 2 year old to stop whining and get out of the kitchen!
• Chris thinks this may be better with Mozzarella cheese but he still like it the way it was.
• I definitely included the onions and ranch and highly recommend you don't leave them out.
• Unrolling that french bread dough was easier said than done for me but we got thru it!

Zesty Chicken and Rice Skillet

This one I got from the Kraft Food and Family magazine.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 chicken bouillon cube, dissolved in 1 3/4 cup boiling water
2 cups red and/or green pepper strips
2 cups Minute White rice uncooked

Mix 1/4 cup of the dressing and the mustard in large nonstick skillet until blended; heat on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 6 minutes or until cooked through, stirring occasionally.

Stir in remaining 1/4 cup dressing, bullion, and peppers; cover. Simmer 2 minutes or until heated through. Stir in rice; cover/ Simmer 5 minutes or until rice and peppers are tender.

Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed.


My 2 cents worth on this one:

• The liquid has never been completely absorbed for me before I serve. I don't know if I just can't wait or what?
• I am not usually a rice fan but I eat this up!! (And so does Chris and Hannah!)
  

Cream Cheese Corn

I got this one from my good friend JMelt.

Ingredients:
1 can sweet whole corn, drained
1/2 block of cream cheese
Spoon full of butter

In a microwave safe bowl put cream cheese, corn and butter. Microwave on high for 1 minute and then stir. Repeat until all ingredients are able to be completely mixed together smoothly. Serve.

My 2 cents on this one:

• You may want to make double because this is GOOD.
• You can use frozen corn but in my hubby's opinion it is not as good.
• Even my 2 year old LOVES this. It is yummy.
  

Chicken Enchiladas

I got this one from my good friend Elizabeth!

Ingredients:
7-8 chicken stripes cooked and cut up
1 1/2 cups of Monterey jack cheese
1 can of green chilies diced
1 cup of sour cream
1 can of enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese

Mix chicken, Monterey jack, chilies and sour cream together. Warm tortillas in skillet. Put filling in and roll them up. Spoon sauce over them. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Cook at 350 covered for 45-50 minutes.

My 2 cents on this one:

• I cheated and used canned chicken and everyone still loved it.
• I don't measure cheese - I just put a lot on it.
• I didn't cover it (because I forgot) and it was OK.
• My husband told me they were done after about 20 or 25 minutes and they seemed to be.

Fiesta Chicken Pasta

I got this one from the Kraft Food and Family magazine.

Ingredients:
2 cups rotini pasta, uncooked
1 Tbsp oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 cups chopped red peppers
1/4 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook and stir about 6 minutes. Add peppers, dressing, and chili powder; cook 3 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, stirring frequently. Stir in salsa and sour cream.

Toss pasta with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.


My 2 cents on this one:

• This is one of my favorites that we make.
• You don't really need anything to go with it.
• I probably put lots more cheese on it and I stir in with the whole thing.
• I have used red and green peppers and both are yummy.
• When you put in the salsa and sour cream the mixture looks like something isn't right - trust it - it is RIGHT!! yummm!!