Smothered Bacon Chicken

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 slices bacon
8oz sour cream
1 can condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Precook bacon until cooked through but not crispy. Allow to cool. Rub once side with brown sugar and lightly pepper.
Wrap each chicken breast with 2 slices of bacon each and place in glass baking dish
In small bowl mix the sour cream and soup. Cover the chicken with the soup mixture and bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Serve on top of rice or egg noodles.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sherry, or chicken broth
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan, combine the first five ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook for 1 minute. Cool for 10 minutes. Pour into a resealable plastic bag; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 7-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

Cheesy Garlic Scallop Potatoes

Ingredients:


1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup sour cream

1 cup milk

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 1 1/2 quart or larger casserole dish with butter or nonstick spray.
Layer half of the potato slices in the bottom of the casserole dish. Dot with half of the butter cut or pinched into small pieces. Arrange half of the garlic over the potatoes. In a seperate bowl mix the sour cream and milk until smooth. Pour half over potatoes. Sprinkle one cup of Cheddar cheese over the layer, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering of potatoes, garlic, sour cream/milk and Cheddar cheese. Season again with salt and pepper if desired.
Bake for 1/2 hour in the preheated oven, then sprinkle the Parmesan or Romano cheese over the top. This will create a semi-hard cheese crust. Continue baking uncovered for another 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when tested with a fork.

Comments:

I was pretty surprised by these potatoes. Every scalloped recipe I've tried in the past called for flour in some way. I think when I do the next one I might try a different cheese like Mozarella or pepperjack even just to give it a bit of kick. Also adding in things like bacon would taste good too.

Coffee Cup Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (Microwave Safe)

Directions?
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

Comments:
This has a good flavor but the texture is a bit different than a normal cake. We topped with whipped cream and a bit of chocolate syrup. Good if you just want a little something for that sweet tooth.

Easter Nests

Ingredients:
8 ounces (227 grams) semi-sweet or milk chocolate, chopped
2 - 2 1/2 cups chow mein noodles
Garnish:
small jelly beans, speckled malted milk eggs, or other egg shaped candy

Directions:

Chocolate Easter Nests:
Line a baking pan with a piece of aluminum foil, smooth the foil, and then butter or spray the foil with a non stick vegetable spray.Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Gently fold in the chow mein noodles, being careful not to break them.Spoon six mounds of the mixture onto the prepared pan and, using your fingers, form each mound into a 4 inch (10 cm) nest shape. Make a small indentation in the center of each nest.Place the pan, with the chocolate nests, in the refrigerator to set (about 30 minutes). Just before serving, remove the nests from the refrigerator and place some small jelly beans or other egg shaped candy in the center of each nest. Makes about six - 4 inch nests.

Easy Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients:
8 cups popped popcorn (1 regular sized bag)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup margarine
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt (I omit this if I use already salted popcorn)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
Pop the microwave popcorn per instructions on package. Once popped, remove the "duds." I do this by pouring the popcorn into a large bowl, shaking it, so all the duds fall to the bottom, then scooping the popcorn back into the bag in handfuls. Dump out the duds and return the popcorn to the large bowl.In a 2 quart casserole dish, or other heat-proof glass dish, combine the brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Heat for 1 minute 30 seconds in the microwave, then take out and stir until well blended. Return to the microwave, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave, and stir in the baking soda. Pour syrup over the popcorn in the bowl. Stir to coat the popcorn as best as you can. Put the bowl of popcorn into the microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Remove, stir well, and return it back to the microwave for another 30 seconds. Remove, stir well. Dump the popcorn out onto waxed paper, and let cool until coating is set. Store in an airtight container.

Crescent Casserole

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup pasta sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, saute the onion, garlic and green pepper in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in the beef, pasta sauce, oregano, salt and pepper; heat through.
2. Spread mashed potatoes in an 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Top with beef mixture; sprinkle shredded cheese.
3.Unroll crescent dough. Separate into four rectangles; arrange rectangles over the casserole. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until top is browned.

Comments:
This was super yummy! Was sort of like a goolosh or shepards pie. Very filling and perfect for a cool rainy day.