Southwestern Chicken Skillet

1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
8 oz velveeta, cut up
1 can rotel, undrained
1/2 cup sour cream

Cook chicken in large skillet for 5-7 minutes or until cooked through. Stir in 2 cups water. Bring to boil. Stir in macaroni; cover. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer 15 minutes or until water is almost absorbed. Add velveeta and rotel. Cook until melted, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream.

Serves 6

Shanghai Chicken and Noodles

8 oz uncooked fettuccine
1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 bag (16 oz) frozen stir fry vegetables
3 oz sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup stir fry sauce

Cook and drain fettuccine. Spray large skillet with cooking spray; add chicken and stir fry for 4 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Add vegetables and mushrooms; stir fry about 3 minutes. Stir in stir fry sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Add noodles and toss until well coated and heated through.

Serves 6

Microwave Apple Crisp

5 medium granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup quick cooking or old fashioned oats
1/2 cup bisquick
4 Tbsp butter, softened
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg

In ungreased microwaveable 1 1/2 quart dish, arrange apple slices. In bowl, stir remaining ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Microwave uncovered for 7-10 minutes, until apples are tender. Serve warm.

Serves 6

Bisquick Substitute

1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/8 cups flour
2 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Stir together all ingredients until consistency of corn meal. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Makes approximately 2 cups

Creole Tilapia

2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 onion, cut into large chunks
1 green bell pepper, sliced
4 green onions, sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets
Creole seasoning to taste
Hot cooked rice

Heat oven to 350. Sprinkle fish fillets with creole seasoning. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. Meanwhile, saute tomatoes, onion and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes. Add green onions, vinegar, thyme, salt, and red pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. Cook rice. Once rice has been cooked, add to vegetable mixture and mix well. Serve fish over vegetable rice mixture.

Serves 3

Baklava Bars

Cookie base:
1 pouch sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 egg
Filling:
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
8 frozen mini phyllo shells (from 2.1 oz pkg)
Glaze:
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
Garnish:
5 Tbsp honey

Heat oven to 350. Spray bottom only of 13x9 pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes (it will only be partially cooked at the end of this time). Meanwhile, in bowl, stir walnuts, sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1 tsp cinnamon and salt with a fork until mixture is well mixed and crumbly. Sprinkle nut mixture evenly over partially baked base. With hands, crumble frozen phyllo shells evenly over nut mixture. Bake 18-20 minutes longer or until golden brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, microwave 1/3 cup honey, 2 Tbsp butter, brown sugar, lemon juice and 1/4 tsp cinnamon uncovered for 1 minute. Stir in vanilla. Drizzle honey mixture evenly over phyllo layer. Cool completely. Before serving, drizzle honey evenly over dessert.

Cajun Black Beans with Sausage and Corn

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 med onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
8 oz smoked kielbasa sausage, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

In skillet, heat oil. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Add bell pepper and onion; cook and stir 2-3 minutes. Stir in corn, sausage, salt, thyme, and peppers. Cook 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until corn is tender. Stir in tomatoes and beans; cook 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until hot.

Serves 3

Banana Nut Bread

1 1/3 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 large)
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 2/3 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350. Grease 9x5 pan. Stir bananas, sugar, milk, oil, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in bisquick and nuts. Pour into greased pan. Bake 50-60 minutes.