Sweet Fire Chicken

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 can pineapple chunks, drained

2 Tbsp minced garlic

2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup water

4 Tbsp sweet red chili sauce

1 tsp salt

4 Tbsp cold water + 3 Tbsp corn starch

Hot cooked rice

Add chicken, chopped red bell peppers, and pineapple to greased crock pot.  In bowl, whisk together garlic, red pepper flakes sugar, 1 cup water, chili sauce, and salt.  Pour sauce into the crock pot and stir.  Cover and cook 2-3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low.  About 30 minutes before serving, whisk together the remaining cold water and corn starch.  Set the crock pot on high and pour corn starch slurry into the pot.  Stir then cover and cook another 30 minutes or until ready to serve.  Serve with rice.  

Cream Cheese Lemon Coffee Cake

Cream Cheese Layer:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Coffee Cake:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup greek yogurt, plain

zest of one lemon

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp cold cubed butter

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 8x8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  In medium bowl, stir together cream cheese, sugar, egg and lemon juice until smooth and creamy.  Set aside.  In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  In bowl of an electric mixer, mix oil and sugar.  Add egg and mix well.  Add greek yogurt, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Mix well on medium speed until smooth and creamy.  Gradually add the flour mixture to the batter and mix until incorporated on low speed.  Be careful not to over mix.  Spoon the batter into the prepared dish and smooth it out to edges.  Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the batter.  To make the crumb topping, pour the flour, sugar and cold cubed butter into a bowl and using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the butter into the flour and sugar until you have pea sized crumbs of flour coated butter.  Pour the crumb mixture over the cream cheese layer.  Bake the coffee cake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Allow to cool and then dust with powdered sugar.  

Serves 16

Southwestern Chicken Tortilla Soup

 1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound chicken breast, cubed

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

32 oz chicken broth

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 

1 tsp chili powder

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can tomato soup

Toppings: tortilla chips, sour cream, fresh cilantro, jalapenos, shredded cheese

Heat oil in large pot. Add chicken, onion, and garlic, saute until chicken is done.  Stir in corn, broth, red pepper flakes, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, tomatoes, and tomato soup.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer 1 hour.  Ladle soup into bowls; top with desired toppings.

Serves 4

Chili Cheese Burger Bake

1 pound ground beef

2 cups frozen bell pepper and onion stir fry

1 can whole kernel sweet corn

1 (1 oz) pkg taco seasoning mix

1/4 cup water

1 (16 oz) can refried beans

1/2 cup taco sauce

2 cups chili cheese corn chips

4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 375.  Spray 8 inch square glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently.  Drain.  Add bell pepper and onion stir fry, corn, taco seasoning mix and water; mix well.  Cook over medium high heat for 5-6 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine refried beans and taco sauce; mix well.  Spoon half of beef mixture into sprayed baking dish.  Top with half of bean mixture and half of the corn chips.  Top with remaining beef mixture and bean mixture.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Uncover baking dish; top with remaining half of chips.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Return to oven bake, uncovered, an additional 10-12 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted.  

Serves 6

Tomato Shrimp Scampi with Fettuccine

 8 oz fettuccine

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups plum tomatoes, chopped

1/2 chicken broth

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp sugar

4 scallions, chopped

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp dried basil

4 Tbsp shredded parmesan cheese

Cook fettuccine for 10 minutes or until tender but still firm.  Drain and keep warm  Saute garlic in olive oil in large skillet for 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes.  Cook 5 minutes.  Pour in chicken broth, lemon juice and sugar.  Simmer 6 minutes.  Add scallions, shrimp and red pepper flakes.  Cook until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Stir in basil and parmesan cheese.  Toss with cooked fettuccine; serve immediately in shallow bowls.

Serves 4

Breakfast Casserole

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup chopped red pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cups egg beaters

1 cup milk

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup diced ham

1 tsp italian seasoning

`1/4 tsp black pepper

6 slices whole wheat bread

Spray skillet with cooking spray.  Add peppers and onion; cook on medium heat 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Place in large bowl.  Add egg product, milk, ham, cheese and seasonings; mix with wire whisk until blended  Spray 13x9 pan with cooking spray  Line bottom of 13x9 with bread  Cover evenly with egg product mixture, ensuring all bread is coated.  Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean

Serves 6

Chili Con Pollo

1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken

2 cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained

1 can spicy chili beans in sauce, undrained

1 can rotel, undrained

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic salt

10 jalapeno slices from pickled jalapeno jar

1/4 cup juice from jarred jalapenos

4 Tbsp sour cream

4 Tbsp green salsa

In large pot, combine all ingredients except sour cream and green salsa.  Cook over medium heat about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot.  Serve sour cream and salsa over each individual serving.

Serves 4

Slow Cooker Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

 2 pounds frozen meatballs, thawed

1 jar (16 oz) roasted red bell peppers, drained

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup italian dressing

1 jar (26 oz) marinara sauce

2 plum tomatoes

Pasta or Hoagie Rolls

Place meatballs in slow cooker.  Place bell peppers in blender and blend until smooth.  Add cheese and italian dressing; cover and blend until mixed.  Add marinara sauce and pulse until blended.  Add tomatoes and pulse until blended. Pour sauce over meatballs. Cover and cook on low heat setting 6-7 hours.  Stir before serving.  Serve over pasta or over hoagie rolls.

Serves 12

Ratatouille Bean Stew

 1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained

1 Tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can chicken broth

8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms

1/4 tsp salt

1 zucchini, sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 tsp italian seasoning

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes with italian style herbs, undrained

Melt butter in large pot. Saute onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic for 3-4 minutes, just until slightly softened.  Add all other ingredients to pot  Cover and cook 30-35 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Serves 4

Creamy Chicken and Rigatoni

 1 Tbsp olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp dried basil

2 tsp dried oregano

28 oz diced tomatoes

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

8 oz rigatoni pasta, uncooked

16 oz frozen vegetable mix (broccoli, red pepper, onion and mushrooms), thawed and well drained

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large pot.  Cook chicken, garlic, basil, and oregano in oil about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center.  Stir in tomatoes, whipping cream, salt, pepper, and red pepper.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low.  Simmer uncovered about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Cook and drain rigatoni according to package directions.  Stir rigatoni and vegetables into chicken mixture; cook until hot.  Serve with cheese.  

Serves 8