Maple-Walnut Chicken Thighs and Cheddar-Apple Rice

This was a little more time consuming than I originally thought, but well worth the effort. Since we don't eat rice, I just substituted cauliflower florets (frozen) to make cauli-rice and it turned out great!! Below are my modifications. The original recipe can be found here.

1 cup Walnut Halves
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 package froze cauliflower florets
2-½ cups Chicken Stock, Divided Use
1 whole Apple (peeled, Seeded, And Chopped)
¾ cups Packed Flat-leaf Parsley Leaves
¼ cups Packed Fresh Dill
Salt And Coarsely Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 pieces Bone In Chicken Thighs
¼ cups Apple Cider Vinegar
½ cups Dark Maple Syrup


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F).
Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and roast until well toasted and fragrant, 10-12 minutes.
In a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the cauliflower and saute for a couple of minutes. Add 2 cups chicken stock and bring to boil, and lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the apple and simmer for 8 minutes longer.

While the cauliflower cooks, using a food processor, pulse 1/4 cup chicken stock, the parsley, dill, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Stir into the cauliflower during the last minute of cooking. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 1-2 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken dry and season alot with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and cook turning once, until browned 10-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Drain off all but 1 Tablespoon of the fat and add the vinegar to the skillet. Cook, scraping all the the drippings then add the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock, the maple syrup, and black pepper to taste. Cook until thickened about 1 minute longer. Add the chicken and walnuts and spoon the sauce over them. Loosely cover the pan with foil and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with the cauli-rice. Delicious!!

Chicken Mania

I made some Chicken Tortilla Soup for a food day at work today. It's so good and so yummy and Zone appropriate! 1/12 of the recipe is 2.5 blocks. Good luck on the math on that one! Thanks Formula Zone!

Tomorrow night is Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Night! Yum.

2 cup Cheese, cheddar, 2%, shredded
3/4 lb Chicken, breast
1 16oz cn Refried beans, canned
2 10oz cn Soup, cream of mushroom, 98% fat free
2 cup Sour Cream, Light
12 ea Tortillas, taco, low carb, MISSION


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Use canned chicken breast. Drain water from chicken. Combine cheeses. In a medium sized bowl combine chicken, soup, 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup cheese. Divide mixture evenly between the 12 tortillas, roll the tortillas and place seam side down in a 9 x 13 inch dish (you will have to squish them all in). Using the same bowl, combine remaining cheese, sour cream and the last can of soup. Spread evenly over the top of the enchiladas. Bake uncovered in the oven for 35 minutes or until cheese looks melted and enchiladas are heated through. Heat beans in the microwave and serve on the side. Enjoy!

My Favorite New Chicken Salad Wrap

This is another Zone Recipe .. Serving size is 1 wrap though it makes enough for 1.5 wraps! It is super easy and super yummy!!!

1/4 10oz cn Chicken, canned
1 lg Egg, white
1 lg Egg, whole
1 & 1/4 Tbsp Mayonnaise, Fat Free
2 tsp Nuts, pecans, raw
1/2 Tbsp Pickle relish, sweet
3/8 Tbsp Seasoning, Cajun
1 ea Tortillas, low-carb, large, LA TORTILLA FACTORY

TOTAL CALORIES: 443
Makes 1-1/2 wraps
(Each whole wraps is 3.4 Blocks)

Boil eggs. Mix chicken, chopped eggs, nuts, mayo, relish, and seasoning in a bowl. Store in airtight container in refrigerator until ready to serve. To serve, spread chicken salad on tortilla and enjoy!

Zone Diet

I started the Zone Diet last month in an effort to increase my performance during workouts and to lose weight. It's working! I lost 4 lbs in the first week! Every meal and snack is weighed and measured to the ounce, so it's a little time consuming but worth the effort. This recipe is a Zone recipe, but so yummy!

"Zoned" Chicken Stir-Fry
Makes 1 Serving

1/2 cup Carrots
1/2 cup Celery
2 oz Chicken, breast
1/2 Tbsp Cornstarch
1/2 cup Mushrooms
1 & 3/4 tsp Oil, olive
1/2 cup Onions
1/2 cup Peppers, Bell, green
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce, Light
2 & 1/4 Tbsp Water
3 & 1/2 Tbsp Water chestnuts
1/2 cup Zucchini

TOTAL CALORIES: 333
Recipes is 3.7 Blocks

Slice or chop all vegetables as desired. Slice or dice chicken. Heat oil in a wok or skillet. Add chicken, cook for 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery and onions. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add green pepper, zucchini, mushrooms. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add water chestnuts. Mix soy sauce, corn starch, and water, then add to pan and stir until thickened. Enjoy.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) chicken broth
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
Taco Seasoning (recipe below)
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Place the onion, beans, corn, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours (I ended up cooking this for over 9 hours and it turned out delicious).

Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired. Makes GREAT leftovers.

Taco Seasoning:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Dinner this Week

This week is completely inspired by Martha Stewart. Here's what we are having:

Monday:
Buttermilk Baked Chicken with Spinach Salad

Tuesday:
Pulled-Pork Sandwiches

Wednesday:
Bean and Pasta Soup

Thursday:
Light Chicken Parmesan

Friday:
Chicken Stir-Fry Wraps

Saturday:
Lighter Chicken and Biscuits

Sunday:
Beef Stroganoff

We are also going to try:

Lighter Macaroni and Cheese
and
Light Cherry Cheesecake

I can't wait for this week!

Easy and Quick Chicken Dish

This recipe comes from my favorite site, Allrecipes! It's a quick, easy, and comfort-food style satisfying. It's great when served with brown rice to soak up the yummy sauce. I hope you enjoy Chicken and Mushroom Saute! Just a note- I did make a couple of changes to the recipe- check it out below (indicated with a *)

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons olive oil*
1 cup fresh, thinly sliced mushrooms*
1 cup chicken broth*
1 can cream of chicken soup (99% fat free version) *
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
ground black pepper to taste


Season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour onto a sheet of wax paper. In a nonstick skillet, combine the vegetable oil and butter or margarine and heat over medium high heat until bubbly and hot. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.

To the same skillet, add the mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes. Combine the water, broth mix, cornstarch, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.

Return chicken to the skillet and cook until chicken is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve.

June 2008 Everyday Food Magazine

If you haven't already picked up your copy, I highly recommend you do so ASAP! This is full of fantastic recipes! I only rec'd my copy a few days ago and have already tried 2 menus and loved them!

The first is Grilled Steak Sandwiches with Goat Cheese and Arugula. I cut the recipe down from it feeding 8 ppl to a recipe suitable for 2 ppl. Official taste tester recommends toasting the baguette to make it easy to eat. Seriously one of my new fav steak sandwiches! I think even Grill Master Phil would approve! Serve it with the amazing twice-bake potatoes, and you can't go wrong!

This is a really easy and yummy meal. I did skip the mustard in the recipe because we don't care for it, but don't skip the goat cheese, it' fantastic!

The second amazing recipe out of this issue is the brown-sugar bbq chicket drumettes. It's so good! It's actually funny, b/c as I was reading this recipe, I thought, wow! this is mom's bbq chicken recipe! Mom has always made her bbq sauce with ketchup and brown sugar, so I am glad the rest of the world is catching up. I served with corn on the cob, but not the corn on the cob with cheesy butter that they recommended, that seemed a little intense! Kids would love this meal, of course I did too...

The next thing I can't wait to try:

Pineapple-Stuffed Jerk Chicken

I'll let you know how it is!

Menu: March 16-23

Here is my attempt at planning a healthful week of dinner!

SUN: Rich Cooks! BLTs, Roasted Asparagus, and Baked Sweet Potatoes (check out howtobakeapotato.com for the best way to bake a potato)

MON: Pizza - Ultra-Thin-Crust Pizza with Onions, Mushrooms, and Ricotta (everyday food magazine 2/07 page 98) and salad

TUE: Weight Watcher's Shrimp Scampi with thin spaghetti (5 Ingredient 15 minute Cookbook Feb 2007 Pg 49)

WED: Chicken and Rice Casserole

THURS: Ellie Krieger's (Food Network) Chix Fingers, Fries, Sauteed Asparagus

FRI: Leftovers or Rich Cooks!! Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas

SAT: Easter Dinner: Ham (Smithfield makes a "Paula Deen" Ham), Spinach Salad, Broccoli & Cauliflower salad, scalloped potatoes, rolls, salad delight desert, and home made carrot cake

SUN: Leftovers!!!

The Recipes:

Ultra-Thin-Crust Pizza with Onions, Mushrooms, and Ricotta Recipe

Olive oil
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 tortillas - I used whole wheat found in the "Mexican" Aisle
1 cup shredded Asiago cheese (about 2 ounces)
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
6 mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced - I used baby bellas
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a small sauté pan on medium hight heat. Add the sliced onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften. Cook for a few more minutes until the onions are thoroughly softened and translucent. Remove from heat.

Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and brush with olive oil. Place a tortilla on each baking sheet and brush each with olive oil.

Sprinkle each tortilla with half a cup of shredded Asiago cheese. Add bits of ricotta cheese, 1/3 cup for each tortilla. Sprinkle with mushrooms and with the slightly caramelized onions. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Place the baking sheets in the oven. Bake until the crust is crisp and brown all over (the time varies, depending on the oven and if your cookie sheet has already been heated, start with 10 minutes and check), rotating the sheets to ensure even baking.

A seriously delicious pizza. Not at all traditional, but so yummy!

SHRIMP SCAMPI

1 & 1/2 T olive oil
1 & 1/2 t bottled minced garlic (or about 7 cloves of fresh minced garlic)
1 & 1/2 lbs peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp (I just used the already cooked bagged variety)
1/4 c finely chopped fresh parsley
1 & 1/2 T lemon juice
1/2 t salt
1/8 t ground red pepper

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat; add garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add shrimp, and cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done, stirring occasionally; remove pan from heat. Stir in parsley and remaining ingredients. Serve over top of cooked angel hair or thin spaghetti.

Chix and Rice Casserole:

1/2 cup light butter or margarine (I didn't use this much!! I only used about 6 tsp)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 c rice (I used brown rice), uncooked
1 can reduced fat cream of chix coup (i substituted cream of mushroom b/c that is what I had)
1 & 3/4 soup cans of water
4 to 5 chix breast

Grease deep casserole dish with margarine and cut remaining margarine in pieces, leaving it in bottom of casserole. Cover this with dry onion soup mix. Add rice.

Dilute chix soup with water and pour in casserole. Mix lightly. Mixture will be thin. Arrange chix on top, being sure each pice is coated with the liquid first.

Bake in dish at 400 degrees for 1 hr and 15 min.

Very, very yummy!!!

CHX FINGERS:

1 1/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut across into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
Cooking spray
4 cups whole-grain corn cereal (recommended: Corn Chex or cornflakes)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish. Cover and chill for 15 minutes.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Put the cereal in a sealed plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a shallow dish. Season the chicken with the salt and a few grinds of pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the cereal to fully coat and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Leave the chicken on the baking sheet to cool slightly. It will become crispier.

(http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_34076,00.html)

To complete the meal...

CHICK-FIL-A : CHICK-N-Strips

1 boneless, skinless chx breast half (5 oz)
2 t unbleached or all purpose flour
2 t sugar
1/2 t salt
1/4 t paprika
1/8 t cayenne
1 egg white
3 T dry bread crumbs
1/8 t black pepper
1/8 t garlic powder
1/8 t onion powder
olive oil spray
1 1/2 t fat - free milk

place chx on a cutting board. cover with a sheet of waxed paper with the smooth side of a meat mallet, point to an even 1/4 " thickness. cut diagonally into 6 equal strips (4"x3/4").

in a small re-sealable plastic bag, combine the flour, sugar, salt, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. shake to mix well. add the chx. shake to completely coat the chx with the flour mixture. place in the fridge for at least 10 min.

preheat the oven to 450. lightly mist a small nonstick baking sheet with oil spray. set aside.

in a small shallow bowl, combine the egg white and milk. beat with a fork until smooth. place the bread crumbs on a small sheet of waxed paper set next to the egg white mixture.

one at a time, dip the chx strips into the egg white mixture, being sure to coat completely. allow any excess egg white to drip off. dip into the bread crumbs to coat completely. place, not touching, on the reserved baking sheet.

lightly mist bohth side with oil spray.

bake 4-6 min per side, or until the breading is crisp and the chx is no longer pink inside.

Grecian Goodness

I tried this recipe out of my Real Simple Meals Made Easy cookbook. So yummy. I wanted to eat another, but was too full! I thought I had chicken but when I thawed it, it was pork chops! So, I substitued shrimp and it was great! I love this and will totally make it again!!! I did omit the olives b/c I don't like them, and substituted water for the lemon juice b/c I was out, and substitued white wine vinegar for the red wine, but it turned out yummy even with all the substitutions! I'll have to make it again with all the right ingredients to see how it should really taste!

YUM!


Chicken Souvlaki

4 pieces flat bread or pitas
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup crumbled Feta
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 small cucumber, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

Heat oven to 200° F. Wrap the bread in foil and place in oven.

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, Feta, and olives.

In a large bowl, combine the oregano, thyme, pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the vinegar, and the lemon juice. Slowly add 4 tablespoons of the oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly until incorporated. Pour 2 1/2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette over the tomato mixture, toss, and set aside. Add the chicken to the remaining vinaigrette, toss, and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer the chicken but not the liquid to the skillet and heat, turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, dill, and the remaining vinegar. Spread the bread with some of the yogurt sauce and top with the chicken. Add the tomato salad and fold.

Tip: Greek souvlaki traditionally calls for lamb, but you can also make it with chicken breasts, turkey cutlets, or shrimp.

http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1107169

Szechuan Chicken with Peanuts - 6 pts

This recipe is from my sister, and is a great and satisfying dinner! It's a little spicy (though not much by my standards) but if you want to kick it up, just add more chili-garlic sauce! Yum!

Szechuan Chicken with Peanuts

1 lbs skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
2tbsp cornstarch
1/2 c low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2tbsp sugar
2 tsp chili-garlic sauce
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
2 med. carrots, thinly sliced on a diagonal
1/4 cup unsalted, dry roasted peanuts

1. Combine the chicken, 1 tbsp hoisin sauce, and 1 tbsp of the cornstarch in a med bowl, toss well to coat and set aside. Combine the remaining 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch, the broth, vinegar, sugar, and chili-garlic sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat a nonstick wok or a large, deep skillet over med-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in the oil, and then add the chicken. Stir-fry until almost cooked through, 2-3 mins. Add the ginger and garlic; stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 secs. Add the bell pepper, carrots and peanuts. Stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 mins. add the hoisin sauce mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, and the chicken is cooked through, about 1 min.

per serving (1 cup)
302 cal
11 g fat
3 fiber
6 points
4 servings
(a little spicy!!!)

Chicken Tetrazzini

This delicious and creamy comfort-food is great for a chilly night, or really any night! The recipe has been modified for a more healthful approach, so don't be scared to try it only 394 calories per serving (makes 4 servings).

6 oz dried spaghetti (I use whole wheat spaghetti)
1 1/2 c sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 c chopped red or green sweet pepper
1/2 c cold water
1/4 c flour
1 12-oz can (1 1/2c) evaporated low fat milk
1 t instant chicken bouillon granules
1/4 t black pepper
1/8 t salt
1 c chopped cooked chicken or turkey (5 oz)
1/4 c finely shredded Parmesan cheese (1 oz)
2 T dry sherry or milk
1 T sliced almonds

~Directions~

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, except omit the cooking oil and lightly salt the water. drain well.

Meanwhile, in a large covered saucepan cook the mushrooms and sweet pepper in a small amount of boiling water until tender. Drain well, return to saucepan.

In a screw top jar combine 1/2 c cold water and flour; cover and shake well. Stir into the veggie mixture in the saucepan. Stir in the evaporated milk, bouillon granules, black pepper, and salt. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the cooked spaghetti, chx, parmesan cheese and dry sherry/milk.

Lightly coat a 2-qt square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon spaghetti mixture into dish. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake, uncovere, ina 400F oven about 10 min or until heated through and nuts are lightly toasted.

Serve with a tossed salad and low cal dressing! ENJOY!!!

Chx and Black Bean Skillet

1 lb cuben boneles, skinless chx breast
2 t olive oil
2/3 c salsa
3/4 c uncooked instant rice
1/3 c water
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

-in a large no-stick frying pan, combine the chx and oil. cook over high heat, stirring, for 4 min, or until the chx begins to brown.
-stir in the salsa. cook for 3 min. add the rice, water, and beans. bring to a simmer.
-cover and simmer for 8-10 min, or until the chx and rice are cooked through. fluff w/fork before serving. season w/ the salt (if using) and pepper.

This is SOOO easy to make only takes like 20 min and it is very, very tasty.

Adding a little shredded chz to the dish adds a nice touch!

Smothered Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

One word: YUM.

2/3 c flour
1 frying chicken (3-3.5 lbs) cut into serving pieces and skinned (I used boneless/skinless chx breasts)
3 c defatted reduced-sodium chx broth
1/2 large onion
2 c halved mushrooms
2 large sweet potatoes, cut into eights
2 T cornstarch
2 T cold water
3 c hot cooked rice/noodles

-Preheat oven to 350
-Place 1/3 c of the flour in a self-sealing plastic bag. Add the chx, close the bag and shake to coat the pieces w/the flour.
-Coat a Dutch oven w/ no-stick spray. (I used a pot and then transferred to a baking dish) Set the pot over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chx. Brown the pieces on both sides. Remove from the pot and set aside.
-Pour 1/2 c of the broth into the pot and scape the bottom w/a wooden spoon to loosen and browned bits. Bring to a simmer. Add the onions, reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 min. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 min, or until softened.
-Add the remaining 1/3 c flour and cook, stirring for 2 min (the mixture will be dry). Add 1 c of the remaining broth and stir to break up any lumps of flour.
-Add the sweet potatoes, chx and the remaining 1 & 1/2 c broth. Bring to a boil, cover and transfer the pot to the oven.
-Bake for 1 hour, or until the chx is cooked through and the sweet potatoes are tender. Remove the chx and sweet potatoes from the pot to a serving platter.
-In a cup, mix the cornstarch and water. Pour into the pot. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until the broth is thickened. Serve the chx, sweet potatoes and rice or noodles.

Chicken Parmesan

This recipe was given to me by Paul at work. It came highly recommended. Rich and I tried it tonite and I think it was great! Very easy to make and quick too!

Official Taste Tester Says:
"Great and enough for left-overs"

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (I halved the recipe and it worked well)
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 jar/can (26-28 oz) pasta sauce
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Dip chx in egg, then bread crumbs, coating well.

In a glass baking dish, arrange chx. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

Pour pasta sauce over chx, then top with cheese. bake an additional 10 minutes or until chx is no longer pink. serve with hot cooked pasta.

10 minutes prep time - 30 min bake time

Crock Pot Chicken

If you are like me, you want dinner waiting when you get home. But, unless you cook it, it isn't there. That is why this recipes is awesome.

Ingredients:
chicken (i did about a pound, but you can add more)
2 c rice
1 can cream of celery or cream of chx soup (low sodium)
1 c chx stock (boullion cube, homeade, store bought will all do fine)
1 pkg frozen broccoli (10 oz.)

Cook rice per package directions.

Add chx, rice, soup, & stock in to crock pot. cook on low heat for 4-5 hours.

during the last hour of cooking, stir in broccoli.

this recipe is excellent topped with shredded cheese!

BBQ Chx

Anniversary cooking expedition #3! Man, what a weekend. Lots of cooking going on in Chef Amy's kitchen. It's a good thing our new apartment has a big kitchen lots of room to get that spatula dirty!

So this chx is perhaps a favorite of the husband/taste-tester. It's not a traditional bbq sauce, it's sweet and tangy and ooh soo good! It's actually passed down from my mom who always made it. Here's the low down:

Chx - has to have the skin on, other wise it gets dry
ketchup
brown sugar
worchesters... sauce (who knows how to spell that?!)

mix last 3 ingredients. I don't know the measurements, but prolly about 1/2c brown sugar, 2 t worch..., and a cup of ketchup. Basically taste it and see if you like it. You want it sweet and tangy. spread some in the bottom of a baking dish and then spread/rub over tops of chx. bake until done.

serve with mashed potatoes.

Yum!

For dessert we had our wedding cake! We were nervous to eat it after hearing the horror stories of how bad other people's were. Ours was great! Tasted like the day we were married...awww.. it was wrapped up super well.. layers of plastic wrap and stored in a tupperware container. then frozen in a huge freezer for a year. French Vanilla with raspberry filling.. to die for.. thanks Marilyn's Cakes in Ludlow, KY for the amazing job!!