CHEESY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS MEXICAN RICE JALAPENO POPPER DIP CHEESY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded (I like to buy 2 rotisserie chickens from the deli) 2 cups sour cream 1 can cream chicken soup 1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded 1 ½ cups Mexican blend or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 1 small can chopped green chilies 1 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder 16 (10-inch) corn tortillas Vegetable oil 1 cup of Colby jack cheese, shredded Salsa, extra sour cream and fresh diced jalapeno peppers for topping Combine first 7 ingredients, stir well and then set aside. Place a little oil in a skillet and place tortillas, one at a time, in a skillet and cook 5 to 10 seconds on each side over medium-high heat. Lay cooked tortillas on paper towels as you take them out of the skillet. Place about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll up. Place filled tortillas seam side down in a large baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle remaining 1 cup of Colby jack cheese evenly over enchiladas. Bake about 5 minutes more or just until the cheese is melted. Serves 6 to 8. MEXICAN RICE 1 tablespoon oil 1 tablespoon butter 2 ears corn, shucked and cut off the cob 2 cups Basmati rice ½ cup onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 (10-ounce) can Original Rotel 1 (14 1/2 –ounce) can diced tomatoes (don’t drain) 1 (14 ½-ounce) can chicken broth 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper 1 teaspoon cumin Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish In a large pot, Heat oil and butter and add onion and corn. Cook for 8 minutes. Add garlic and rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until water is all cooked out and rice is fluffy. Stir occasionally. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over rice before serving. Serves 6 to 8. JALAPENO POPPER DIP 1 (4-ounce) can diced jalapenos 8 ounces softened cream cheese 1 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon garlic powder 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ¾ cup parmesan cheese 1 cup panko crumbs 4 tablespoons butter ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional) Combine cream cheese, garlic powder and sour cream. Add cheddar cheese, ¾ cup parmesan cheese and diced jalapenos. Mix well and spread into a greased 8x8 baking dish. Combine the breadcumbs, melted butter, ¼ cup parmesan cheese and parsley. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the cream cheese mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipes from this morning's show :) Ranch Chicken, Green Bean Salad, Savory-Baked Rice & Orange-Cranberry Cake

RANCH CHICKEN GREEN BEAN SALAD SAVORY-BAKED RICE ORANGE-CRANBERRY CAKE RANCH CHICKEN 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts Garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper 1 stick melted butter 1 packet (1 ounce) Ranch dressing seasoning mix 2 cups crushed corn flakes 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 375° Spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Combine the Ranch seasoning mix, the crushed Corn flakes and Parmesan cheese into a dish and mix well. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper. Dip each chicken breast into the melted butter, and then dip the chicken into the cornflake mixture making sure to generously coat each piece. Place chicken into the baking dish. Bake chicken for 35 to 40 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken is at least 165 degrees F. GREEN BEAN SALAD 4 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and halved 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1 large English cucumber, seeded and chopped 1 cup fresh baby carrots, sliced 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional DRESSING: 1/2 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add beans; cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Drain and immediately place beans in ice water. Drain and pat dry. In a large bowl, combine the beans, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with a slotted spoon. SAVORY BAKED RICE 6 tablespoons butter 1 cup fresh, sliced mushrooms 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup uncooked rice 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can beef consommé’ Melt the butter in an ovenproof skillet and sauté onions and mushrooms until tender. Stir in the rice and sauté for about 2 minutes. Stir in the cream of mushroom soup and consommé. Place a lid on the skillet and bake in a 350 oven for 1 hour. If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet and lid, you can pour the rice mixture into a baking dish and cover tightly with foil. ORANGE-CRANBERRY CAKE 1 box yellow cake mix 4 eggs ¾ cup orange juice ½ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup water 1 cup dried cranberries Preheat oven to 350. Spray a Bundt pan with cooking spray with flour. Combine first 5 ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes then stir in the cranberries. Pour into Bundt pan and bake 45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

BEEFY CHEESY CASSEROLE SWEET CORN APPLE PEACH DUMP CAKE Beefy Cheesy Casserole 1 small onion, chopped ½ stick butter 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 lb. ground sirloin 3 T flour 1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce 1 (8-oz) container sour cream Salt and pepper to taste 1 t each of garlic powder and onion powder 1 can beef consommé (this is by the soups) 1 (12-oz) package egg noodles, cooked and drained 1 lb. Velveeta cheese, grated Brown the onion in butter then add the garlic and ground sirloin and brown. Do not drain. Add flour, tomato sauce and beef consommé. Simmer 15 minutes then remove from heat and add the sour cream. Place cooked egg noodles in a 13x9x2 pan and pour beef mixture over noodles. Cover with cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. SWEET CORN 1 (16-ounce) package frozen corn 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons butter salt and pepper to taste Place all ingredients in a glass bowl with a lid and microwave for 8 minutes or until heated through. Stir well before serving. APPLE PEACH DUMP CAKE 2 cans (21-ounces) apple pie filling 2 cans (15-ounces) peach slices, drained 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided 1 box white cake mix 1 stick butter, melted Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 13x9x2 baking pan with cooking spray. Spread the apple pie filling and peaches in the baking dish. Sprinkle with half the cinnamon. Next sprinkle the cake mix over the fruit. Pour melted butter evenly over cake mix and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon. Bake 1 hour. Delicious with ice cream ☺

TACO-PASTA SALAD 10-MINUTE BLENDER SALSA HOMEMADE GUACAMOLE CRESCENT ROLL CHURROS TACO-PASTA SALAD 1 lb. ground sirloin or ground turkey 1 package taco seasoning mix 2/3 cup water 1 (12-ounce) box tri-colored rotini pasta, cooked and drained Shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, jalapenos, avocado slices Sharp cheddar, shredded For the dressing: 1 (5-ounce) container plain Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon sour cream 2/3 cup salsa Mix yogurt, sour cream and salsa together. It’s best if it sits in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Brown beef and drain well. Stir in taco seasoning and water and simmer on low for about 10 minutes. To serve: place shredded lettuce in the bottom of a bowl, next add about ¾ cup pasta, then add the beef. Top with as many toppings as you’d like! Finish with cheese and the dressing. TEN-MINUTE HOMEMADE BLENDER SALSA 1 (28-ounce) can whole or crushed tomatoes 1 (10-ounce) can original Rotel 1 (10-ounce) can HOT Rotel (if you like heat, otherwise, use 2 original Rotels) 1 small onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 large Jalapeno, chopped 1 teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt Juice of 1 whole lime ½ to ¾ cup fresh Cilantro, chopped Because this makes such a large batch of salsa, you want to place the ingredients in blender in 2 batches. So first, add large can of tomatoes along with onion, garlic, and Jalapeno. Blend well and pour into large bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Next add the 2 cans of Rotel sugar, salt and lime in the blender and blend well. Pour into the other batch and then stir in fresh Cilantro. This is best when refrigerated overnight. Enjoy! HOMEMADE GUACAMOLE 2 ripe avocados, peeled and diced ½ cup onion, chopped ½ cup fresh tomato, chopped 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, diced (I remove the seeds) 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, optional In a bowl, use a fork to mash avocados, then add remaining ingredients and stir well. Serve with chips or veggies. CRESCENT ROLL CHURROS ½ cup sugar 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon ½ stick melted butter 1 (8-count) tube crescent rolls Preheat the oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Unwrap and separate each crescent roll. Brush melted butter on each roll and sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Roll each one up, brush tops with butter and sprinkle more sugar and cinnamon over the tops. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken Parm, Spinach-Alfredo Ravioli and Triple Chocolate Cake...enjoy! :)

CHICKEN PARMESAN SPINACH RAVIOLI BAKE TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE CHICKEN PARMESAN 3 thick chicken breasts, sliced in half 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 large eggs 2 tablespoon milk Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper Oil for cooking chicken 1 small jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Split each chicken breast to make 6 pieces and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet. I like to put a piece of wax or parchment paper over the chicken and then pound it. Pound for about 20 seconds then flip the chicken and pound the other side. Season each side of the chicken breasts with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Combine the breadcrumbs and cheese, mixing well. Beat the eggs, milk and 1 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning together. Dip chicken on each side into the egg mixture then into the breadcrumb mixture, coating well. In a large non-stick skillet, place just enough oil (I use Mazola) to cover the pan. Heat on medium high and cook 2 chicken breasts at a time for 2 minutes on each side or just until browned on each side. Place chicken on a rack or pan to drain off excess oil. Once all chicken is cooked, place in a large baking dish, top each breast with 2 tablespoons spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Serve with your favorite pasta. This chicken with be moist, delicious and fork-tender ☺ SPINACH RAVIOLI BAKE 1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach, chopped 1/3 cup refrigerated pesto sauce 1 (15-ounce) jar Alfredo sauce ¼ cup vegetable or chicken broth 1 (25-ounce) package frozen cheese ravioli (don’t thaw) 1 cup shredded Italian six-cheese blend Preheat the oven to 375. Rough chop the spinach and toss with the pesto in a bowl. Combine the Alfredo sauce and broth. Spread ½ cup of the Alfredo mixture in an 11x7-baking dish. Top with half the spinach mixture. Place the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the spinach mixture. Repeat the layers then top with the remaining Alfredo sauce. Bake for 30 minutes at 375. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Delicious! DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE 1 box Devil’s food cake mix 1 (3 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding 2 cups sour cream 1 cup melted butter 5 eggs 1 t. almond extract 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 10-inch Bundt Pan. In a large bowl, mix first 5 ingredients together for about 2-3 minutes. Then fold in the almond extract and chocolate chips with a spatula. Pour into pan and bake for 55 minutes. Let it cool about 20 minutes and turn out on rack to cool completely.

SPAGHETTI WITH CANNED CLAMS BAKED SHRIMP GOAT CHEESE & SUNDRIED TOMATO CROSTINIS TRIPLE FUDGE BROWNIES SPAGHETTI WITH CANNED CLAMS 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs ½ teaspoon each of garlic powder, salt and pepper 1 lb. linguini, cooked and drained (reserve ¾ cup pasta water) 3 tablespoons butter 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ½ cup dry white wine (Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc) 2 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams, do not drain ¼ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese ½ lemon ½ to ¾ cup reserved pasta water Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the breadcrumbs and seasonings. Stir until the breadcrumbs become toasted and light golden in color. This will take 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. In another large skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive and 3 tablespoons butter. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes on medium low heat. Next add the wine and canned clams with the juice and bring to a gentle boil. Season to your liking with salt and pepper and add in the cooked linguini pasta and ½ cup pasta water. You can add another ¼ cup of pasta water if you would like the sauce a little thicker. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes and remove from the heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan and parsley. Squeeze a half lemon over the pasta, careful not to get seeds in the pasta. To serve, place a generous helping in a bowl and top with the toasted breadcrumbs. This is delicious! Don’t let canned clams scare you away…it’s not fishy at all, and it pairs beautifully with my baked shrimp. Enjoy ☺ OVEN-BAKED SHRIMP 2 lbs. fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined ½ cup chopped onion ½ cup green onions, chopped ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped 3 to 4 fresh garlic pods, minced 4 tablespoons melted butter Olive oil Salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to taste Place shrimp in a large baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over all the shrimp. Sprinkle the seasonings evenly over the shrimp. Next place the onions, parsley and garlic over the shrimp. Drizzle the melted butter over all and bake at 350 for 15 to 18 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through. This is delicious tossed with pasta. GOAT CHEESE AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO CROSTINI 4 ounces soft goat cheese 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil 1 teaspoon garlic powder Olive oil French baguette, sliced (you’ll get 12 to 14 slices) Slice bread ½” inch thick and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle bread with olive oil and toast for 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, mix cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic powder together to make a spread. Remove bread from oven, flip over and spread a generous amount of cheese mixture onto each slice of bread. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes or just until the cheese starts to melt. Watch carefully ☺ TRIPLE FUDGE BROWNIES 1 (3.0 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding 1 box chocolate cake mix 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips Make pudding according to directions on the box. With an electric mixer, add the cake mix and beat for 2 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips. Line a large baking sheet (I use a jelly roll pan) with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray (I use the baking cooking spray with flour in it). Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until set. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

Turkey Ramen Stir Fry, Mamma's Egg Rolls and Cauliflower Fried Rice :)

DHC21 RAMEN NOODLE STIR FRY TURKEY RAMEN NOODLE STIR FRY MAMMA’S VEGETABLE EGG ROLLS MELISSA’S CAULIFLOWER FRIED RICE TURKEY RAMEN NOODLE STIR FRY FOR THE SAUCE: ½ cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2/3 cup chicken stock 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 4 tablespoons brown sugar 6 cloves garlic, minced STIR FRY: 2 small packages of Ramen Noodles (discard the seasoning packet) 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 lb. ground turkey 1 cup fresh broccoli florets 1 small red bell pepper, sliced 1 small onion, sliced 1 cup snow peas ½ cup fresh carrots, sliced ½ cup sliced fresh mushrooms 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, optional In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and cornstarch until no lumps remain. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients, mix well and set aside. In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and add the ground turkey. Once the turkey is cooked, remove from the pan and set aside. Next add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and sauté all the veggies just until the broccoli is softened, about 6 to 7 minutes. Next add the cooked ground turkey, ramen noodles and sauce to the pan and cook until Ramen noodles are softened and the sauce is thickened. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. MAMMA’S VEGETABLE EGG ROLLS 1 Package egg roll wraps (This recipe will make 20) 4 tablespoons olive oil or sesame oil 1 bag broccoli slaw 1 bag cabbage slaw 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds Garlic powder and black pepper to taste Sweet & Sour Sauce for dipping or Apricot Preserves In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil and cook broccoli slaw and cabbage slaw on high for about 10 minutes, stirring continually. Add the soy sauce, sesame seeds and seasonings and cook a few more minutes or until no liquid is left. Set aside. Take one egg roll wrapper at a time out of the package while stuffing (this will prevent drying out). Place about 2 tablespoons of cabbage mixture onto to each egg roll wrapper following instructions on the wrapper. Wet fingertips with water to seal wrappers. Once you wrap up 20 egg rolls, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Place 4 eggrolls at a time into the hot oil and cook for about 1 minute per side or until brown and crispy. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel to dry. Serve with sauce or preserves. You can also add shrimp or chicken to the cabbage mixture. This is a much lighter version than deep-frying the egg rolls ☺ MELISSA’S FRIED RICE 2 tablespoons real butter 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 small bag frozen peas and carrots 2 eggs 1 teaspoon salt and pepper 3 tablespoons soy sauce (taste and add more if desired) 2 cups cooked white rice (I like to cook my rice in the morning and refrigerate it for about 6 hours) or you can substitute 16-ounces frozen riced cauliflower instead of rice. In a large wok or electric skillet, heat butter and sesame oil for about 1 minute. Add onion, peas and carrots and cook on high for about 6 to 8 minutes. Push to the side and add eggs, salt and pepper. Cook eggs for 1 to 2 minutes or until scrambled. Add rice and soy sauce. Mix all together and cook on high for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

LASAGNA ROLLATINI, ARUGALA WITH HOMEMADE BALSAMIC VINIGERETTE & FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE :)

CHICKEN LASAGNA ROLLATINI ARUGALA SALAD WITH HOMEMADE BALSAMIC VINIGERETTE FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE CHICKEN LASAGNA ROLLATINI 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 (10-ounce) package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained very well 1 cup sour cream 1 cup shredded Mozzarella with a touch of Philly cream cheese 12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained 1 additional cup of shredded Mozzarella Fresh grated Parmesan cheese 2 jars of your favorite red sauce Make sure you squeeze as much liquid out of the spinach as you can by using paper towels or your hands. Mix first 5 ingredients together. Lay out noodles flat and spoon about 2 tablespoons of the mixture onto the lasagna noodle and roll up. Place filled noodles seam-side down in a greased 13x9x2 baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with additional Mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes more or just until cheese melts. To serve: Place a ladle-full of sauce into a pasta bowl and place the noodles on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Delicious ☺ ARUGALA SALAD WITH HOMEMADE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE VINAIGRETTE: 3 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon each of salt & pepper 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ cup balsamic vinegar ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil Wisk all together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. FOR THE SALAD: Arugula Pine nuts Dried cranberries Gorgonzola cheese crumbles Place 1 ½ cups of Arugula into a salad bowl and sprinkle desired amount of pine nuts, dried cranberries and Gorgonzola cheese crumbles and drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over the salad. FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE ICING 4 (1-ounce) squares semi-sweet baking chocolate ½ cup real butter ¾ cup sugar ½ cup cocoa powder 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 eggs, beaten For the icing: 8-ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips ½ cup half-n-half In a large saucepan, melt chocolate and butter together over low heat, stirring often. Add the remaining ingredients except the eggs, stirring well. When the mixture has a creamy consistency, remove pan from heat. Place a ladle full of the warm chocolate mixture into the eggs, and then add the eggs and small amount of chocolate mixture to the rest of the mixture. (This will keep you from having scrambled eggs). Wisk until very smooth and pour into a greased 8” cake pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. While the cake is baking, melt the chocolate chips and half-n-half in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir often with a whisk until it’s glossy. Making the icing only takes about 5 minutes. Remove cooked cake carefully from the pan and onto a plate. Pour all of the icing over the top of cake and let it run down the sides. This cake and icing is amazing! Enjoy ☺

CHICKEN CORDON BLEU BUNDLES Melissa Friday 8 Servings 4 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I use Wondra) 2 cups whole milk 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 6 thin slices good deli black forest ham, chopped 4 cups cubed or shredded cooked chicken (I like to use a rotisserie chicken from my deli) 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese 1 package (17.30 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 egg white, beaten plus 1 teaspoon of water Preheat the oven to 400. Remove the puff pastry from the box and let it sit out for about 40 minutes to thaw. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and then gradually stir in flour with a whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat and stir just until thickened for 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in the parm, lemon juice, seasonings, and mustard. Remove from heat and stir in the chicken, ham and Swiss cheese. On a floured surface, carefully unfold each pastry. Roll each pastry out just a little and cut each pastry into 4 squares. Place each square into a greased jumbo muffin tin allowing the corners to point up. Divide the chicken mixture into the 8 cups. Bring the pastry corners together, pinch and seal. Gently brush the egg wash over the bundles and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25minutes. I like to stuff the pastry pretty full of the chicken mixture ☺ Enjoy! HONEY-GLAZED CARROTS 1 lb. fresh carrots, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons honey Salt & pepper to taste Boil the carrots for about 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well and return carrots to the pot. Stir in the butter, honey and salt and pepper. ROASTED GREEN BEANS 1 lb. bag fresh green beans (I use the ones that are washed and snipped) Olive oil Salt & pepper to taste Place the green beans on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper and bake AT 375 for 15 to 20 minutes. ORANGE-JUICE RICE 1 cup rice 2 cups orange juice 1 tablespoon butter Salt & pepper to taste Cook the rice according to the package but use orange juice instead of water.

CHICKEN & DUMPLING SOUP, SEMI-HEALTHY RANCH DRESSING & BANANA PUDDING PIE :)

CHICKEN & DUMPLIN’ SOUP HEALTHIER RANCH DRESSING BANANA PUDDING PIE MELISSA’S CHICKEN & DUMPLIN’ SOUP 2 packs chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces 1 family-size cream of chicken soup (26 ounces) 2 teaspoons each of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder 3 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules 1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth 1 bag frozen peas and carrots or package of mixed vegetables 1 cup potatoes, cubed (optional) DUMPLINGS: 2 ¼ cups Bisquick 2/3 cup whole milk 2 teaspoons sage or Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1 teaspoon salt and pepper Place the chicken tenders in a large pot and put enough water in the pot just to cover the tenders. You can also season the chicken with salt and pepper before adding the water. Bring to a boil and as soon as it comes to a boil, turn down the burner as low as it will go, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Next add the cream of chicken soup, seasonings, peas, carrots and potatoes and simmer for about 15-30 minutes. Add all the ingredients together for the dumplings and drop by very small teaspoons, or even a baby spoon, into the soup. Take a fork and gently separate the dumplings as they are cooking so that they don’t form one big dumpling ☺ Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes then place the lid back on the pot and cook another 10 or so minutes on very low. HEALTHIER HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSING ½ cup plain whole milk yogurt ¼ cup mayo 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar ½ teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder and dried dill ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. BANANA PUDDING PIE 2 cups finely crushed Nilla wafers ½ cup butter, melted 1 large box vanilla pudding 2-½ cups whole milk 3 large bananas, sliced 1 small container Cool Whip In a 9” pie plate, mix crushed Nilla wafers and butter together. Press into pie plate and up the sides. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely. Meanwhile mix pudding and milk together. Place half the banana slices on the Nilla wafer crust, then half the pudding then repeat one more time. Spread Cool Whip over pudding. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight before serving.

Steak Marsala, Augratin Potatoes and Roasted Asparagus :)

STEAK MARSALA AUGRATIN POTATOES ROASTED ASPARAGUS STEAK MARSALA FOR THE STEAKS: 4 petite steak filets Steak seasoning 1 tablespoon olive oil Pat steaks dry and generously season both sides with steak seasoning. Heat olive oil in an oven-proof black skillet for about 2 minutes. Place steaks in skillet and sear for exactly 2 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and place the steaks in the skillet into a 375 oven. Bake for exactly 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes. FOR THE MARSALA SAUCE: 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 1 (12-ounce) package sliced mushrooms ½ cup onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced Zattaran’s Cajun seasoning, to taste 1 (14.5-ounce) can beef broth 1 cup good quality Marsala wine 2 tablespoons sugar Salt and pepper to taste While the steaks are in the oven, heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet and sauté’ the onions for 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté’ another 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce to simmering for about 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Ladle sauce over steaks. MELISSA’S POTATOES AUGRAUTIN 2 large baking potatoes, washed and cubed 1 small onion, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons butter Salt and pepper to taste 1-cup sour cream 1 (8-ounce) bag sharp cheddar, shredded In a skillet (black skillet is best), place olive oil and butter on medium high heat. When the butter is melted, place potatoes in the skillet and sauté’ for about 10 minutes. Add the onions and continue to sauté’ the potatoes and onions together until the potatoes are very tender. You may even place a lid over the skillet and simmer the potatoes on low for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Once the potatoes are cooked, spread sour cream over potatoes then sprinkle cheese evenly over sour cream. Cover and simmer on very low for about 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. These are delish! LEMON-PEPPER ASPARAGUS 1 bunch fresh asparagus, washed and trimmed Olive oil Salt, pepper and lemon-pepper seasoning Place the asparagus on a baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle seasonings over asparagus and roast in the oven on 425 for 12 minutes.