Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup with Cheesy Crouton Bread

Creamy Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup
Ingredients:
3 ¼ cups Chicken Broth
1/3 cup Wild Rice (Uncooked)
½ cup Sliced Green Onion
½ cup Sour Cream
½ cup Milk
1-2 tbsp. Crumbled Blue Cheese
2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Snipped Fresh Thyme OR ¼ tsp. Dried Thyme, crushed.
1/8 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1 cup Sliced Fresh Mushrooms
Method:


In a medium sauce pan, combine the chicken broth and the uncooked rice.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 25 minutes until rice is tender.
Stir in the green onion.
Whisk together the sour cream, milk, flour, thyme and pepper till well blended. Add to the rice mixture.
Add mushrooms and blue cheese. Cook and stir till thickened.
Makes 4 servings.


White Cheese Croutons
Ingredients:
4 Slices rustic bread
Olive oil for brushing
¾ cup Dubliner Irish cheese or shaved Parmesan
Method:



Lightly brush bread with olive oil.
Place bread oil side up on a cooking tray.
Sprinkle bread with cheese and place under broiler till cheese is melted and slightly golden.
Serve with creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom soup

Cheesy Stove Top Chicken
Ingredients:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 breasts, 1 1/2 lbs)
1 small package Velveeta Cheese (8 oz) (use lowfat for a healthier option)
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 small container of Sour Cream (1 cup)
2 c. Stove Top Stuffing Mix
6 Tbsp. of Butter
Method:



1. Spray a 9 x13 pan with cooking spray.
2. Place chicken breasts in pan.
3. Mix together soup and sour cream (thin with milk, if needed).
4. Pour over chicken breasts.
5. Sprinkle stuffing mix over the top of the chicken.
6. Cut the Velveeta Cheese into thin slices and spread over chicken.
7. Top with slices of butter.
8. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes (or until chicken is done).
Healthy Make-over tips for the Cheesy Stove Top Chicken

1. Reduced fat products -


2% milk Velveeta cheese (24 grams fat vs 48 grams of fat per recipe)
Healthy Request Cream chicken soup (6.25 grams vs 17.5 grams per can)
Fat-free sour cream (0 grams vs 6 grams per 2 tablespoons)
Butter reduce to 3 tablespoons

Jambalaya

Jambalaya
Ingredients:
2 (5-7oz) packages rice mix; chicken, beef, creole or spanish flavor
1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14-oz) can corn, drained
4 cups water
6 chicken breasts
Method:


Pour rice and seasonings from rice packet into a large baking pan. Add tomatoes and their juices, black beans, corn and water. Stir to mix. Place chicken breasts on top of rice mixture. Place in 375 degree oven and cook for aprox 1 hour. Stir rice occasionally.

For variety add keilbasa sausage, shrimp, pork or any other meat you might have in your freezer. Jambalaya is a great dish to play with!

"Real" Fettuccine Alfredo

"Real" Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients:
1 Pound dried pasta (fettuccine, tagliatelle, or linguine)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:


Bring to a boil 6-9 quarts of water plus a small handful of salt in a large pot.

Cook the pasta according to directions until tender, but al dente (firm to the bite).

Add the butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and toss vigorously. Add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water if necessary to loosen the sauce. It should be silky and glistening.

Season with additional salt and pepper to taste; serve immediately.

Chicken Mole Poblano

Chicken Mole Poblano
Ingredients:
1 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 cup raisins
1 small chipotle chile in adobo sauce (from 7-oz can), seeded
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons ground ancho chile pepper or chili powder
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 Old El Paso® flour tortillas for burritos (from 11.5-oz package)
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese or fresh mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Method:


1. In blender or food processor, place salsa, peanut butter, raisins, chipotle chile, broth, garlic, chocolate chips, ground chile pepper, pumpkin pie spice and coriander. Cover; blend until smooth.

2. In 12-inch skillet, place chicken breasts; add salsa mixture. Heat to boiling over medium heat, turning chicken occasionally to coat with sauce. Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer about 20 minutes, stirring sauce occasionally, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F). Remove chicken from skillet to cutting board; cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Return chicken to skillet; stir to coat with sauce.

3. Heat tortillas as directed on package. To serve, place each tortilla on serving plate; spoon 1/4 of the chicken and sauce mixture onto each tortilla. Top with avocado, cheese and sour cream. Fold tortillas in half over filling. Serve immediately.

Balsamic Chicken and Roasted Tomato over Pasta

Balsamic Chicken
Ingredients:
1 lb. Pasta of choice
4 chicken breast, sliced into 1-inch slices
1 carton of cherry or grape tomatoes
1/3 - 2 cup olive oil
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cup minced fresh basil
1 tsp minced garlic, optional
1 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
2 Tbl capers, optional
4 oz grated Parmesan cheese
Method:


1. Prepare pasta according to package direction. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile toss chicken, cherry tomatoes and all other ingredients except Parmesan cheese, in a cake pan or baking sheet that has a one inch lip.

3. Broil for 7-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Pour entire mixture over pasta. Use a rubber scraper to get every bit of the yummy seasoning from the baking sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve. Serves 4.

Feta Sandwich and Potato Soup

Feta, Basil and Tomato Sandwiches with Potato Soup
Ingredients:
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 (1 1/2-ounce) slices firm white bread, toasted
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
Method:


Combine first 4 ingredients, tossing with a fork until well combined. Spread about 2 1/2 tablespoons cheese mixture onto each of 4 bread slices; top each sandwich with 2 tomato slices and 1 bread slice.
Place potatoes and water in a large saucepan; cook over medium heat until tender. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, saute onion butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add potatoes into flour mixture and heat through.

Citrus Salad

Ingredients:
Dressing:
2/3 c. olive oil
¼ c. lime juice
2 T. fresh orange juice
2 T. sugar
1 t. grated lime zest
1 t. grated orange zest
8 c. torn lettuce (I use Romaine and red leaf)
1 red onion
1 large orange
16 oz. strawberries
2 avocados
Method:


Mix dressing ingredients and let it stand. Prepare sugared nuts by adding ¼ c. sugar and 2/3 c. chopped pecans or slivered almonds in a skillet on low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and coats the nuts. Pour onto tin foil to cool. Break apart.. Then toss with the Lettuce, red onion, orange, strawberries and avocados

Stromboli

Stromboli - Baked Sandwich
Ingredients:
1 loaf Rhodes frozen bread dough, thawed but still cold
2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 pound thinly sliced ham
1/3 pound thinly sliced cheese of choice
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Garlic salt or garlic bread sprinkle, optional
Method:


On a lightly oiled surface, roll bread dough out into a 10x15 inch rectangle. Leaving 1-inch boarder on each side of bread dough, spread with mustard. Arrange slices of meat and cheese on dough, leaving 1-inch space along edges. Starting along one long side, roll Stromboli up "jelly roll" fashion. Pinch edges together to seal; fold ends under; brush top and sides with beaten egg; using a sharp knife, cut 1/2-inch deep vents along top; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and optional garlic salt. Place Stromboli on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap which has also been sprayed with non-stick spray; raise 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and bake 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Cool 10-15 minutes, cut into 6 pieces and serve warm.
Notes:

Stromboli originated in 1950 just outside Philadelphia, PA. It is named after a scandalous love affair which took place during the filming of the movie "Stromboli." You may just have your own love affair with this tasty sandwich. Note - nutrition analysis is for Ham n Cheese Stromboli above, does not include garlic salt. Serves 6

Try the following variations for fun and delicious Stromboli. Ingredients are only suggestions - create your own favorite flavor combination. Vegetables and sauces may create a soggy Stromboli, go easy. Serve vegetables on the side and use sauces for dipping baked Stromboli.

French Dip Stromboli - use 1/3 pound each thin sliced roast beef and provolone cheese. Follow directions above. To serve, dip in hot Au Jus

Chicken BBQ Stromboli - spread dough with 1/4 cup barbecue sauce; use 1 1/2 -2 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1/3 cup chopped green pepper, 1/3 cup sliced canned mushrooms, and 3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese; sprinkle top with sesame seeds. Follow directions above. To serve, dip in additional barbecue sauce.

Rueben Stromboli - use rye bread (or sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons caraway seed), 1/3 pound each thin slices deli corned beef and Swiss cheese, 1/2 cup well drained sauerkraut; eliminate garlic salt on top. Follow directions above. Serve with Thousand Island dressing and additional sauerkraut.

Spinach & Feta Stromboli - eliminate mustard; thaw and drain well 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach (squeeze out excess moisture), mix spinach with 1 beaten egg; 1/2 pound cooked finely crumbled Italian sausage; 3/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese. Follow directions above, bake 45-50 minutes.

Pepperoni Pizza Stromboli - eliminate mustard; use 1/3 pound thinly sliced pepperoni and or salami; 1/3 pound thinly sliced or shredded Mozzarella cheese; sprinkle top with garlic salt or garlic bread sprinkle. Follow directions above. To serve dip in warm pizza sauce