Garlic Chicken Pasta with Spinach

Garlic Chicken Pasta with Spinach

 (from the Recipe Shoebox)

6 Tbs. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 box (1-lb) penne pasta
5-oz. fresh spinach, chopped
1 Tbs. dried basil (or 1/2 cup fresh)
6 Tbs. lemon juice
1 cup Parmesan cheese

• Heat olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a small glass bowl in the microwave for about 1 minute to blend flavors.
• Pour about 1 tablespoon of the flavored oil in a skillet.
• Salt and pepper chicken and cook in the oil over medium high heat until chicken is browned and juices run clear.
• Add the chopped spinach and saute with the cooked chicken for 1 minute (or until just barely wilted) and remove from heat. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package; drain well.
• Add cooked chicken/spinach to pasta, along with basil, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese.
• Stir in the remainder of the flavored olive oil. Toss lightly until all ingredients are well combined. Serve immediately. Makes about 6 servings.

SURVEY SAYS:  This recipe was pretty good, but I don't think I will make it again...

Cranberry Chicken Crockpot AKA Casey's Mom's Chicken Recipe

Cranberry Chicken Crockpot AKA Casey's Mom's Chicken Recipe

5 or 6 frozen chicken breasts - throw in crock-pot
1 can of whole cranberry sauce - open and throw in crock-pot
3/4 of a regular salad dressing bottle of French or Catalina - dump in crock pot

Cook until it's cooked (about 4 hours depending on your crock pot) and cut or shred it with fork while it's in the crock-pot and serve over rice.

SURVEY SAYS:  So good!  We all really enjoyed this - it is different than most of the crockpot recipes I have tried (that all use condensed soup of some kind) - this one has a yummy flavor and is definitely going to be made more often in our home!  We served it over white rice.  I received this recipe from a church recipe exchange.

"Family Favorite Meatloaf" aka Hamburger Pie

"Family Favorite Meatloaf" aka Hamburger Pie

1.5 pounds ground beef
1 cup dry bread crumbs (I used the Seasoned kind)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 eggs
1 tsp. minced onion
1/2 can 15 oz. tomato sauce

Mix and form into a loaf and put in a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Bake at 350º for 50 minutes.

Sauce:
Remaining 1/2 can tomato sauce
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar (I didn't use)
2 tsp. mustard

Pour the suace over the meatloaf during the last 10 minutes of baking.  Can serve with white rice.

SURVEY SAYS:  Keeper.  Ethan didn't like it, but he said he didn't like it before I even started making it (he ended up eating most of it, though).  I think it may just be the name "Meatloaf" that automatically turns kids off of it, so we changed the name to Hamburger Pie.  Sean really liked this recipe!  I got it from a recipe exchange at church.

No Bake Cheesecake

No Bake Cheesecake
(From Allrecipes.com)

2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (21 oz) can apple pie filling (optional)
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

• Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.  Fold in Cool Whip.
• Fill pie crust and top with pie filling.  Chill 1-2 hours before serving.

SURVEY SAYS:  My mom has made this recipe for years and I finally asked her for it and made it for Sean's birthday.  Yumm... SOO good! We put freshly cut strawberries on top instead of the applie pie filling.

Campbell's Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Campbell's Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

1 can Campbells Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 1/3 cups of water
3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1/2 tsp. onion powder (I used minced onion because I don't have onion powder)
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups frozen veggies
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

1.  Stir soup, water, rice, onion powder, black pepper and veggies in 11 x 8 baking dish.

2.  Top with chicken.  Season the chicken as desired.  Cover.

3.  Bake at 375º for 45-50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.  Top with cheese.  Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes.  Stir rice before serving.


Alternatives...
Try It Alfredo:  use 1/4 cup grated Parmesan for Cheddar cheese.  Add 2 tablesoons Parmesan cheese with soup.  Use broccoli flowerets for veggies.  Top chicken with remaining Parmesan Cheese.

Mexican:  In place of onion powder and pepper use 1 teaspoon chili powder.  Substitute Mexican cheese blend for Cheddar.

Italian:  In place of onion powder and pepper, use 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed.  Substitute 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan for Cheddar.

SURVEY SAYS:  It's a keeper!  I made the original recipe and it was super easy to make.  Ethan liked it, except that the veggies I bought had peas in it and he doesn't like peas.