Chocolate Brownie Cookies *

6 squares semi sweet baking chocolate
4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
6 Tbsp butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups toasted chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325.  Microwave chocolates and butter for 2 minutes or until butter is melted.  Stir until chocolate is completely melted.  Add sugar; mix well.  Blend in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour, baking powder and salt; mix until well blended.  Stir in pecans.  Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets.  Bake 12 minutes or until cookies feel set to the touch.  Cool 1 minute; remove from baking sheet to wire racks.  Cool completely.

Makes 4 dozen

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo *

8 oz fettuccine, uncooked
2 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup italian dressing
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 2/3 cup milk
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp basil

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the boiling water for the last 2 minutes of the pasta cooking time.  Drain pasta mixture.  Meanwhile, heat dressing in large skillet.  Add chicken; cook 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.  Stir in milk, cream cheese, parmesan cheese and basil.  Bring to boil, stirring constantly.  Cook 1-2 minutes or until sauce is well blended and heated through.  Add chicken mixture to pasta mixture; mix lightly.

Serves 4

Chicken Manicotti *

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups water
4 oz velveeta, cut up
2 cups broccoli
12 manicotti pastas, uncooked
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 12 inch strips
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400.  Mix soup, water and velveeta in bowl.  Microwave on high 3 minutes or until velveeta is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring every minute.  Pour 1/3 of the soup mixture onto bottom of 13x9 pan; set aside.  Add broccoli to remaining soup mixture.  Stuff pasta with chicken strips; place in baking dish.  Cover completely with remaining soup mixture.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Cover with foil.  Bake 45-50 minutes or until pasta is tender and chicken is cooked through.

Serves 4

Chicken and Corn Chili *

1 large onion, chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1 can rotel, undrained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp cornmeal
Shredded monterey jack cheese

In a slow cooker, combine onion, chicken, broth, green pepper, jalapeno, 1 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne and 1/4 tsp salt.  Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.  Remove the chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool slightly.  Shred the chicken and return it to the slow cooker with remaining 1/4 tsp each of the cumin and cayenne and the tomatoes, corn and beans.  Gently mash some of the beans against the side of the bowl to thicken the chili.  Stir in the cornmeal and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt.  Let sit a few minutes to soften the cornmeal.  Serve sprinkled with a little of the monterey jack cheese. 

Serves 6

Chili Macaroni Skillet *

1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 pkg Hamburger Helper chili macaroni
3 1/2 cups hot water
2 tsp chili powder
2 cups diced tomatoes (from 28 oz can), undrained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
Shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook sausage in skillet, until no longer pink.  Drain.  Stir in uncooked pasta, sauce mix and remaining ingredients except cheese.  Heat to boiling, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 14-16 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.  Remove from heat and uncover (sauce will thicken as it stands).  Sprinkle with cheese.

Serves 5