Warm Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad

This recipe is from The Pampered Chef. Its very good and healthy. I did alter it a little bit so I blog about the altered recipe, and it came out great. I will make this again.
A couple bulk mushrooms, sliced (Recipe actually calls for snap peas but our store didn't have any)
1 lb baby red potatoes, quartered
2 tsp salt (I omitted)
4 boneless skinless chicken breast (actually I oven roasted a whole chicken and then shredded the meat)
1 lemon, 1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 small red onion (I forgot to get to I sliced a yellow onion)
1 medium red bell pepper (Kayla picked out a green pepper)
1 jar, 6oz, marinated artichoke hearts, quartered, drained
1/2 cup fresh parsley (I omitted)
2 tablespoons lemon pepper rub, divided

Here are MY directions:

Start boiling potatoes. Slice up onion, green pepper, mushroom and place them in a pan with a little olive oil and cook until desired doneness.

Place shredded chicken in pan with small amount of olive oil, turn on low heat to keep warm. Add 1 tablespoon lemon pepper rub.

If using chicken breasts, rub with 1 tablespoon lemon pepper rub and cook chicken 7-9 minutes in pan. Set aside and keep warm.

For dressing: juice lemon to measure 2 tablespoons. Combine juice, remaining rub, and minced garlic in small bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Set aside.

Combine chicken, green pepper, onion, mushrooms, parsley, artichokes in bowl. Mix. Add potatoes and dressing. Toss gently. Serve warm.

This was really good!

Chewy Oatmeal Squares

One of Kayla's favorites!
Hard to believe she will be TWO in a few months. Hard to believe she was ever as small as the baby in the picture in the header of this blog...and even harder is to believe now we have her baby brother, who is even smaller than the little girl in the header picture.
Tis why I have been slacking over here on my path of recipes!

Anyways, Enjoy!

This is low in fat and very healthy for you.

Here is a good healthy dessert recipe. My one year old loves this. I throw in a small handful of chocolate chips to sweeten it up for her.
Chewy Oatmeal Squares - serves 18
1/2 cup vegetable oil Vegetable oil spray 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 4 1/2-ounces jar strained applesauce(baby food) 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups quick-cooking oats 1/3 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray a 9-inch square pan with vegetable oil spray. In a mixing bowl, combine oil, brown sugar, applesauce and vanilla. Add oats, walnuts, baking powder, and cinamon. Mix until blended. Press mixture evenly and firmly into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Cut into 36 squares while hot. Allow to cool in pan. Store in an airtight container.

French Fry Casserole

I have really slacked in the recipe department, no lie there.

But I do have good reason.

As you all know, Im sure, we are in the middle of the *hopeful* adoption of Kayla's biological baby brother due very early Feb, 2010. So things are crazy to say the very least. Its not going nearly as smooth as Kayla's adoption.

Anyways, I got a wonderful Christmas present from a blogger friend, who is more than just a blogger friend. I feel like I personally know them. They are the most kind, caring, thoughtful people I have ever met and I am lucky to 'know' them.

The Christmas Present you ask?

A cook book from their church full of delish recipes!

The first recipe I made from the cook book is French Fry Casserole.

1 lb hamburger, 1 can cheddar cheese soup, 1 can golden mushroom soup, frozen french fries Press uncooked burger into a square cake pan, add any seasonings on top you want. i just do salt and pepper. Mix the 2 undiluted soups and pour ove rmeat. Top with generous layer of frozen french fries and bake at 350 for about 1 and a half hours.

I cant tell you how this turned out because it's in the oven as I type this. I cant wait to dig in!

Cheerios Treats

This recipe was as easy as could be and oh so yummy.
I decided to make this because yesterday was the first of Kayla's WIC checks that we got THREE huge boxes of cheeries. I know she/we cant eat it all in a fair amount of time and over every month we would just have a ton of Cheerios. So, I made this.

Im hosting a Pampered Chef party this weekend and Im going to be making this along with a slew of other things.

Cherrios Treats

5 cups Cheerios
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 tbs butter
1 package mini marshmallows

Melt 3 tbs butter in saucepan. Melt in marshmallow and peanut butter. Remove from heat. Stir in Cheerios. Mix well. Press into 13x9 pan. Cool. Cut into squares.

It comes out sorta like Rice Krispie Treats, only with Cheerios and peanut butter instead.

Its hard for me to stay from these so I gave half of the pan to my neighbor.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

TIME: Prep: 10 min. Bake: 15 min./batch
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2)
1-3/4 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients; beat in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg, bananas and oats; mix well. Stir in chips and nuts.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Yield: 4 dozen.


I skipped the chocolate chips and added raisins. These cookies are so GOOD! It was hard to stay away from them. So...yeah..I ended up throwing them away only because I couldnt stand to let myself eat anymore, and I had noone to give them to.

Cheesy Corn with Chile's

I bought myself a new slow cooker recipe book and Im so excited to try every single one!

The first one I tried was Cheesy Corn with Chile's because I was invited to Mexican night in my friend's neighborhood since I am always at her house. I seem to be part of her neighborhood these days.

The recipe turned out great. The corn was fantastic. I did omit the very last step...only because I forgot. When I make this dish again, I will still omit the very last step.

Makes 12 servings.

2 16-oz packages frozen whole kernel corn (thawed)
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)
1 14 3/4 oz can cream style corn
1 cup chopped tomato
1 4-oz can diced green chile peppers, undrained
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 16-oz carton sour cream
cilantro

1. In 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker combine, whole kernel corn, cheese, cream corn, tomatoes, chile's, onion, chili powder, salt.

2.Cover and cook on low heat for 5-6 hours or high heat for 3 hours.

3.Turn off cooker. Gently stir in sour cream and cilantro. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Again, I accidentally omitted step 3, and the corn still turned out great. I had many compliments on this dish and will make it again.

I will return!

After our long trip to PA, and a long adjustment after getting home, and a sinus infection while battling with a severe allergy to poison oak, and teething and the purchase of a brand new car, and some teething and a terrible week....

I was left totally, comepletely and utterly exhausted.

But now, I shall return soon with new recipes!