Holli's Favorite Tortellini Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
2 zucchini(small), diced
carrots(medium), diced
2 summer squash(small), diced
6 c chicken stock
1/2 tsp+ dried basil
1 bay leaf
parsley
1/2 c canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt + more to taste
black pepper
1 20 oz pkg tortellini
optional: Italian sausage
Heat oil. Add onion and saute.
Add veggies and saute.
Add chicken stock, tomatoes, spices.
simmer.
Add tortellini when veggies are soft. 

Add ANY veggie you want to this recipe. Whatever you have on hand.

Creamy White Chicken Chili

(Nikki)

Ingredients:
3 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces (I use rotisserie chicken)
1 medium onion diced
1 spoonful of mince garlic

2 15.5 oz cans great northern white beans rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
2 (4oz) cans chopped green chilies (I just use one 7 oz can)

Seasonings:
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup sour cream (only used half and would be happy with even less)

Directions:
In a Large sauce pan saute chicken, onion, and garlic until chicken has a few brown side and no pink. Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer about 20 mins uncovered. Remove from heat and stir in cream and sour cream. Serve immediately. 

Southwest Pasta Salad

(audrey)
Dressing:
6 T fresh lime juice
1/4 c white wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
1-1/2 t chili powder
1 t cumin
1/2 t coriander
1/2 t sea salt
2 t sugar
3/4 c olive oil
1/2 c roughly chopped cilantro.  

Salad: 
Zest from two limes
1/2 lb. bowtie pasta (I used penne because I couldn't find whole wheat bowtie) cooked according to directions
1 (14oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tomatoes or 3/4 c halved cherry tomatoes
1 large yellow, red, or orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 c sliced green onions
1/2 c frozen corn, thawed
8 oz. grilled chicken, optional; salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
lime wedges for garnish, optional.

Step 1. For the dressing: Process lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and sugar in a blender until smooth. With the blender running on slow speed, add the oil in a steady stream until incorporated. Turn off blender and add cilantro. Pulse 5 - 6 times so cilantro gets broken up but some pieces still remain intact.

Step 2. For the salad: Zest limes and place zest in large salad bowl. Place cooled, cooked pasta in with zest. Add beans, tomatoes, pepper, green onions, corn and chicken if desired. Toss with dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste. For best results, chill 1 hour before serving. Right before serving, sprinkle cheese on top and serve with lime wedges.

Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole

-2 1/2- 3 cups rice
-2 chicken breasts, cubed and cooked
-6 slices of swiss cheese
-ham, chopped (around 10 slices)
-2 cans cream of chicken soup
-1/2 c. milk
-1/2 c. sour cream
-salt and pepper to taste

For breading:
-15 saltine crackers
-3/4 tsp paprika
-1/4 tsp garlic salt
-3/4 tsp parsley

Grease a 9x13 baking dish (cooking spray). Add a bed of rice (around 2 1/2-3 cups). Then add your cooked, cubed chicken over the top of the rice. Next lay your 6 slices of swiss cheese side by side. Then add your cut up ham on top. In a separate bowl, mix together cream of chicken, sour cream, milk, salt and pepper to taste. pour over top of casserole.
Crush up about 15 saltine crackers. Add seasoning, mix well, and cover the top of the casserole with them.

Bake at 350 for 30 mins.

Spicy Chicken Pasta

(from Nikki)

{picture to come}

Here is one of those pasta dishes that are to die for good but so bad for you.
I only make it every once in a while...

Note: I leave out the shrimp because Tyson doesn't like seafood and only add half the cayenne pepper otherwise it's too spicy for our taste. For our family of four, I half the recipe.

servings: 6-8

• 2 (8 ounce)boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 20 medium raw shrimp, peeled, tail removed, and cleaned
• 1 cup fresh button mushroom, cleaned and sliced
• 1 cup green onions, sliced
• 1 cup sun-dried tomato, sliced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup romano cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 16 ounces dry penne pasta

1. Season and grill the chicken breasts until done. Cool and slice into bite sized pieces.
2. Add butter to a large sauté pan on medium heat.
3. Once butter is melted, add the shrimp, sliced chicken, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, salt and pepper.
4. Saute mixture until shrimp and mushrooms are cooked.
5. Add the cream, Romano cheese and cayenne pepper. Let cream reduce by half while stirring frequently.
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente according to package directions; drain excess water.
7. Toss cooked pasta with contents of sauté pan. Serve.

(If you add precooked shrimp wait to add it when you are tossing the pasta and the sauce.)

Grandma's Alabama Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/3 c. diced onions

3 TB diced red pepper

5 TB butter

1 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. cream

1/4 tsp lemon juice

mix:

-1/3 c. flour

-1/2 tsp paprika

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp thyme

-1/2 tsp pepper

Dredge chicken in flour mixture. Brown in stainless steel skillet in 5 TB butter. Remove and place in a 9x9 baking dish. Saute onion and red pepper. Whisk in remaining flour leftover from dredging the chicken. Whisk in chicken broth. Stir and cook until thickened. Add cream and lemon juice. Pour over top chicken breasts and bake at 325 for 1 hour.

We served it over rice. Delicious!

Rockin' Easy YUMMY Beef Stew

Stew Meat

1 pkg. Lipton Beefy Onion OR Beefy Mushroom soup mix.

1 pkg. brown gravy mix

onion, chopped

celery

carrots

potatoes

salt to taste

pepper to taste

parsley to taste

1. Place a little oil at the bottom of a pot. Cover the stew meat in flour and brown in the oil. Add water so it just covers stew meat. Pour Lipton soup and brown gravy mix on top and stir it in. Add onions and celery. Add some seasoning. Cover pot. Bring to boil and then turn down till just simmering. Simmer for 3-4 hours or until meat is BEGINNING to fall apart. (If you wait too long and the meat if PERFECT then it will be too done once you wait for the potatoes and carrots to cook).

2. Add carrots first, then a few minutes later follow with potatoes*.

3. Season to taste.

* I have found that Yukon Gold potatoes work and taste the best for beef stew.