Chicken with Sun-dried tomato basil sauce

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it was easy and the best pasta I've ever eaten.  I'd rather stay home and eat this than go out for Italian.  It's amazing!! I thought it had too much chicken, I might do less next time and we used whole wheat linguine which was amazing.  Get some crusty bread to eat with it because you'll want to get all the sauce off the plate!!
Serves: 2-3
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: Chicken: 10 minutes
Cook time: Sauce: 10 minutes
Cook time: Spaghetti: 10 minutes

6 boneless, skinless chicken tenders, thawed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup onions, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 shallot, minced
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped (in package, NOT oil packed)
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 16 ounce package whole wheat spaghetti, uncooked


Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add chicken & grind fresh pepper on each side. Cover & cook until done, about 5 minutes on each side. (When done, chicken will have NO pink on the inside.)  Remove from heat and set aside, keeping covered.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, & shallots, cooking 1-2 minutes, just until soft.  Add sun dried tomatoes; stir. With a whisk in hand,  add flour & stir.  Slowly pour in chicken broth, whisking constantly to remove any lumps.  Add cream, still whisking.  Whisk that sucker to death! (just kidding).  Continue whisking for 3-4 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken.  Take off heat and let sit; it will continue to thicken, feel free to stir every so often as you cook the spaghetti:
Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  It is done when it is soft, but still has a bite; al dente please.

Add fresh basil to sun dried tomato sauce and give it a good stir.

Place spaghetti noodles on serving plates, placing chicken directly on top of noodles.  Spoon as much sauce as you would like over chicken & noodles; enjoy!

Tips: *To keep spaghetti noodles from sticking together after you drain them, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over & toss.

Andes Mint Chocolate Bark

We made this for Christmas treats.  If you like Andes mints this is one for you!

16 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon mint extract (NOT peppermint), optional
Green food coloring
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 box (4.67-ounces) Andes Crème de Menthe Thins, unwrapped and coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler (or in 30-second intervals in the microwave on 50% power, stirring after each). Once the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and let sit for a few minutes to cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Add the mint extract, if using, and stir to combine. Add a few drops of green food coloring and stir until desired color is reached.

3. Spread the white chocolate mixture onto the prepared pan in an even layer (depending on the size of the pan and how thick you’d like your bark, you may not need the entire surface of the pan). Refrigerate for 15 minutes, until just about set.

4. Meanwhile, melt the semisweet chocolate over a double boiler (or in 30-second intervals in the microwave on 50% power, stirring after each). Once the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and let sit for a few minutes to cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Pour over the white chocolate layer and spread evenly over top. Sprinkle with the chopped Andes mints and press down lightly to push the mints into the top chocolate layer. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until completely set.

5. Cut the bark or break into uneven pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. When stored in the refrigerator, it will keep for at least 2 weeks.

Christmas Crack

So I found this recipe on Pinterest and it's one of my favorites.  I made it and shared some at the credit union I go to and they asked me to post the recipe so here it is:

1 12.8-ounce box Rice Chex cereal (we did half corn and half rice)
1 12-ounce box Golden Grahams cereal
1 7-ounce bag shredded coconut
1 cup slivered almonds (we used chopped)
1 1/2 cups butter (3...yes 3...sticks of butter)
2 cups sugar
2 cups corn syrup

Combine Rice Chex and Golden Grahams, coconut and almonds in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
In a large sauce pan, cook butter, sugar and corn syrup to the "soft ball" stage...about 234 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour over cereal mixture and stir until all is well coated. Pour mixture out onto 2 large cookie sheets to cool. Stir it around occasionally to prevent clumping. Store in an airtight container.

Chicken Taco Pie

1 cup chopped onions

2 tbsp cooking oil

3 cups of cubed, cooked chicken

2 tbsp taco seasoning

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 cans cream of chicken/mushroom soup

1 1/2 cups sour cream

6-10 flour tortillas, broken into small pieces

1 cup of cheese

Sauté onions in oil until soft.  Stir in next 7 ingredients.  Mix in torn up tortillas.  Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly.

Note:  Use this recipe for enchiladas.  Roll the sauce into the tortillas.

Chicken Alabam

8 pieces chicken
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
dash pepper
dash thyme
5 Tbsp. butter
1/2 onion chopped
1 cup  chicken stock
1/2 cup cream or evaporated milk
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. pimento
Mix flour and next 4 ingred. Dredge chicken in flour mixture. Saute chicken in 3 tbsp. butter. Set aside.
Saute onion in remaining butter. Stir in remaining flour mix. Cook briefly then stir in chicken stock. Cook and stir until thickened. Add cream and cook until smooth and thick.  Add lemon juice and pimento. Place chicken in casserole and pour sauce over. Cover and bake 1 hour or until fork tender. (If using boneless breasts time will be less). Serve over cooked rice.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is the recipe from Pinterest that I used, and I followed it pretty much as  it is, but I thought it might work better to combine the eggs with the cornstarch to make a batter, because that's pretty much how it turned out anyway.  I didn't cook it as long either, probably between 30-40 min.  The sauce is really good.  I use it as dip for Cream Cheese Wontons. I probably won't buy it anymore.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

       Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.  

Lemon Drop Cookies

Jan asked me to make these for the wedding and several people have asked me for the recipe so I am posting it so it will be easy to share.

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups butter

3 eggs 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. lemon extract

4 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp.  baking powder

1 tsp. salt

zest of 2 lemons

3/4 cup crushed lemon drops  (1 6oz. pkg)

Glaze:     1 cup powdered sugar

               juice of 2 lemon

Heat oven to 350.  Cream first five ingredients.  Stir together dry ingredients and lemon zest and drops.  Add to mixer and mix until incorporated.  Roll into 1 inch balls.  Flatten tops.  Bake 8 to 12 minutes until lightly browned.  Let cool.  Mix together glaze ingredients and brush onto cookies.