Alfredo Baskets

1 pkg. Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry shells 1/2 lb. diced cooked chicken (or 1/2 lb. medium shrimp, shelled and diveined) Alfredo sauce, purchased and warmed or make your own
Alfredo sauce:
1/2 c. butter
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed (low-fat neutchetal)
1 c. milk
1/2-1 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. garlic powder

Mix over low heat until smooth.

Bake pastry shells according to directions. Make alfredo sauce. Warm chicken or shrimp in sauce. Spoon into prepared shells. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese.
From Lori Bennett, Thanksgiving Point cooking class

Honey Pecan Chicken

Baked Honey Pecan Chicken

3 - 4 lb split chicken breasts

Basting sauce:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. water
1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Honey-Pecan Sauce:
3 T. honey
2 T. butter or margarine, melted
2 T. chopped pecans, toasted
2 t. lemon juice

Prepare Honey Pecan Sauce by mixing all ingredients together.

Spray bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with vegetable oil. Preheat oven to 275°F. Mix all basting sauce ingredients together in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place chicken in baking dish, skin sides up, and mop or brush basting sauce over chicken. Bake chicken 25 to 35 minutes; mop with basting sauce. Cover and bake 35 to 45 minutes longer, mopping 2 or 3 times with basting sauce until juices are clear. Discard any remaining basting sauce.

Serve chicken with Honey-Pecan Sauce.

Menu Plan Sunday

Sunday: Roast, rolls, vegetables
Monday: Dinner at the drive-thru on the way to Salt Lake for Children's Museum
Tuesday: Tacos
Wednesday: Chicken Baskets, company rice
Thursday: Spaghetti, salad, breadsticks
Friday: Chicken Alfredo Baskets, company rice, steamed broccoli

Chocolate Chocolate Cake

1 box devil's food cake
1 box instant chocolate pudding
3 eggs
1 c. water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients and bake according to the cake package directions for 2 9-inch round cakes.

Frosting:
1 pkg. of light cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick of butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 c. or 2-3 pkg. of hot chocolate mix like Swiss Miss


Beat all ingredients until smooth.


Allow cake to cool and then frost.


You must have a plan when baking this cake, i.e. have company over or give huge slices away. It is deadly for the waistline!

Skor Cake

1 chocolate cake mix baked in a 9 x 13 pan
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar caramel ice cream topping
1 8 oz. whipped topping
6-8 Skor candy bars, chopped

Bake cake, while still warm poke holes around cake using the end of a wooden spoon. Pour sweetened condensed milk into cake. Top with caramel topping and whipped topping. Sprinkle with chopped Skor bars. Refrigerate until serving.

Chicken Baskets

1 box long grain and wild rice mix (rice-a-roni or uncle ben's)
2 c. cooked chicken, canned, leftover, or rotisserie
1/2 can cream of mushroom soup (or all)
1/3 c. chopped green onions
1/3 c. diced red bell pepper
1/3 c. diced celery
1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/3 c. chopped slivered almonds
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)
1/4 c. milk (maybe add a little more)

Prepare puff pastry shells, thawed and baked according to directions.

On stove: prepare rice according to package, add mushrooms, nuts
In side bowl: mix chicken, green onion, cream of mushroom, add remaining ingredients, then add it all to the pan on stove. Mix well and heat through. Fill pastry shells with rice mix. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and grated swiss or parmesan cheese.

From Lori Bennett, Thanksgiving Point cooking class

Company Rice

Saute 1/2 chopped onion in 1/4 c. butter until translucent. Add 1 c. rice and stir until well coated, pour into rice cooker. Cover with 2 c. chicken broth.

Fresh Steamed Broccoli with sauce

1-2 lb. broccoli, cut in bite size pieces
4-6 T. butter, melted and browned
balsamic vinegar, about 1 T.
salt and pepper to taste

Steam broccoli. Brown butter and stir in vinegar. Drizzle over broccoli and season with salt and pepper.

Menu Plan Monday

Sunday: Polenta with Chicken Marinara Sauce

Monday: Probably fast food from the drive-through on our way to Salt Lake for the Dinosaur exhibit

Tuesday: Chili, rolls, green salad

Wednesday: Baked potato bar (use up leftover chili)

Thursday: Sweet Potato Corn Chowder (can't wait to try this recipe from Kelly)

Friday: Homemade pizzas

Satuday: Leftover buffet

Penny's Smoothies

Blend together:

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1/2 frozen banana, sliced

4 large frozen strawberries

1 cup pineapple juice

2 T. vanilla yogurt

1 scoop protein powder (vanilla flavored)

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Then add:

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1 T. Honey

ice

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Re-blend and serve

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I got this recipe from Penny S. We made them tonight for our Family Night treats. The kids call them "slushie drinks." They are a yummy, healthy treat. Also a filling drink to have for summer breakfasts.

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(A tip that I got from Penny: cut your bananas up into slices, put them in a plastic baggie, then put them in the freezer. Then you have them ready to pop into your smoothies every time you make them. This really comes in handy if you made them often. She also mentioned you could throw in some almonds. Ginger adds a scoop of oatmeal to hers.)

Salsa Crockpot Chicken

Salsa Crock Pot Chicken

from Crystal

4 Chicken Breasts
1 c salsa
1 can cream of chicken soup

Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.

During the last 10-15 minutes: Break up the chicken and then add 2 c minute rice

Put on tortillas and add cheese, sour cream etc.

I made this, and my family loved it! It was so easy, especially because I already had all the ingredients on hand. Thanks Crystal!