Mini Pavlovas

I love Pavlova. I've loved it since the first time I had it way back in 1990. Sadly, I've only had it a few times in my life, but that's about to change. I happened upon this recipe last week and it was so much easier to make than my previous experiences that I'm going to be making it regularly. :) The recipe I've made in the past makes one 11" pavlova. This recipe makes eight 3-4" pavlovas and comes together, ready to eat, in just over 2 hours. You're gonna love it! (Recipe from Our Best Bites found here.)

Pavlova:

1 cup sugar
1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch

4 egg whites

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. white vinegar

Whipped Cream:

1 c. heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbsp. sugar

Fresh fruit for topping (like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi...)

Chocolate ganache (see notes)

Preheat oven to 275º. If desired, trace 6-8 circles onto a piece of parchment with a pencil (the top of a large, wide-mouth mason jar or drinking glass works well). Flip paper over and lay on baking sheet. Set aside.

Place sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk together. Place egg whites in a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Beat for 1-3 minutes, until soft peaks form. with mixer running on medium-high speed, slowly add sugar mixture, one spoonful at a time until all is incorporated. Increase speed to high and continue mixing 3-4 minutes longer, until mixture is smooth and glossy and holds stiff peaks.

Add vanilla and vinegar and mix to combine, scraping down edges with spatula. Place mixture in a piping bag and pipe rounds onto prepared sheet. (Alternately you may simply spoon mixture onto the 8 rounds and shape with a spoon.)

Use a spoon to make a little indentation in the center of each mound, like a bowl. 

Place pan in oven and decrease temperature to 250º. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until edges are set and sound hollow when tapped. Turn off oven and with oven door cracked open, let pan cool completely. 

Pavlova shells may then be stored in air-tight containers for a day or two, or filled.

To fill, whip cream, vanilla, and sugar until soft peaks form. Spoon into center of each shell and then top with desired fruit. Drizzle with chocolate ganache (instructions below), if desired. 

Chocolate Ganache:

Use equal parts of heavy cream (by volume) and chocolate chips (by weight). I've found that 2 ounces of each is enough for all eight pavlovas.

Instructions: Heat 2 ounces of heavy cream and pour it over 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips. Let sit for about 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth. So easy and SO delish!! 

Photo from Our Best Bites

Sweet Potato Rolls

I requested this recipe from my mother-in-law after she made these for us on one of our visits to Idaho. These rolls are so soft and dense and delicious. As usual, I've tweaked the recipe a bit, so that's what you see below. But I've included the original recipe in the photo, just in case you want the authentic version. :)

1 pkg. (2 1/4 tsp.) instant yeast*
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/3 c. sugar (67g)
1 1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 c. shortening (128g)

2 eggs

1 c. canned yams, drained and mashed 

       OR 1 c. canned pumpkin

6 1/2 to 7 c. flour

Softened butter (for spreading on dough before rolling up)

In a stand mixer, combine water, sugar, salt, shortening, eggs, sweet potatoes and half the flour - Sprinkle the yeast over the flour before mixing. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle. Either turn out onto a floured board and knead for about 5 minutes, OR knead in stand mixer for 5 minutes. Dough should be smooth and elastic, but not sticky.

Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 16" circle, about 1/4" thick. Spread with softened butter. Cut into 16 wedges. Roll up, beginning at rounded edge. Place point underneath on baking sheet. Let rise until light. (This sometimes takes a while, 2+ hours. Mine rise more when baking.) 

Bake at 375º for 12-15 minutes.

*the original recipe calls for active dry yeast with instructions on how to properly incorporate it, but I always use instant yeast and I add it when I add the flour. No need to dissolve first.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup - Easy Version

We LOVE gnocchi soup! It is definitely a favorite around here. But the recipe I originally used takes forever to make so we didn't eat it nearly as often as we would have liked. This version of the recipe is a game changer - it literally takes at least 30 minutes off the prep time - and is every bit as good! You really can't go wrong either way, but this one is my current go-to. Yum! (Originally found here.)

2-3 chicken breasts grilled using Perfect Chicken recipe*, diced

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 white onion, diced (yellow or red onion is fine, too)

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 cups chicken broth (4 bouillon cubes + 4 c. water works fine)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp thyme

1/4 cup flour

16 oz. potato gnocchi (I literally buy this at Dollar Tree)

2 cups half and half

1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery, onions, garlic, and carrots. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.

Add salt, pepper, thyme and flour. Stir to coat veggies. Add chicken broth and stir well. Add chicken. Bring to a boil, then gently stir in gnocchi. Boil for 3-4 minutes more, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes** to finish cooking gnocchi. (**Or cook the gnocchi in a separate pan according to package directions before adding to other ingredients. Then you can skip the last 10 minutes of cooking time.) 

Stir in half and half and spinach and cook another 1-2 minutes until spinach is tender. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve alone or with homemade bread, breadsticks or rolls.

*You can substitute a 12.5 oz. can of chicken breast if you don't have time to make Perfect Chicken. Or make it without the chicken. I did that once on accident and no one noticed! Or just cook the chicken however you like!

Cheesecake Squares

These were served at a Womens Conference at church several years ago and I was grateful they gave out the recipe. Yummy!

Crust:

2/3 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. brown sugar

2 c. flour

1 c. finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Filling:

½ c. sugar

2 pkgs. 8-oz. cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

¼ c. milk

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix butter, brown sugar, flour, and pecans together. Reserve 2 c. for topping.

Press remainder into a greased 9”x 13” pan. Bake at 350° for 12 min. until lightly browned.

          In a mixer, blend sugar with cream cheese until smooth. Add remaining

ingredients. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake at

350° for about 25 min. Refrigerate overnight before cutting and serving.

Cut into 1 ½” squares. Makes 48.

Peasant Bread (2 recipes)

I love how quickly I can throw together a quick batch of peasant bread for dinner. Below are the two tried and true recipes I use over and over again. My kids' favorite is the first one which is a pull-apart version with Italian seasoning. From start to finish, it only takes about an hour with 5-10 minutes of prep work. The second recipe is baked in Pyrex bowls and looks a lot prettier. I serve it sliced. It takes a good 2 hours with a longer rising time, but still only 5-10 minutes of prep. Honestly, when you look at both recipes closely, they are so similar that you could probably mix and match the style or flavor to get your perfect version.

Peasant Bread (or as my kids call it, “pheasant” bread)
Raisinglemons.com
2 ¼ tsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
4 c. flour
2 c. warm water
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
        Combine all ingredients and stir. Preheat oven to 425°. Spray hands with non-stick cooking spray. Divide dough into 2 balls and put on greased cookie sheet or use a silicone baking mat. Cover with towel and let raise 20-30 minutes. Pull in sides; brush top with melted butter. Sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt and Italian seasoning.
        Bake at 425° for 10 minutes; then reduce heat and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. The recipe suggests serving with olive oil and balsamic vinegar garnished with Parmesan cheese for dipping, but we like it straight out of the oven as is. 

“My Mother’s Peasant Bread”
Alexandracooks.com
(I use our nested set of 3 pyrex oven-proof bowls) 
4 c. (512 g) flour
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. sugar
2 ¼ tsp. instant yeast
2 c. warm water
        In 2.5 qt. pyrex bowl, combine dry ingredients then add water and mix until flour is absorbed. Cover bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 45 minutes to an hour.
        Preheat oven to 425°. Grease two smaller oven-safe bowls (1 qt. and 1.5 qt.) with butter. Using two forks, punch down dough and scrape it from sides of bowl, turning it over on itself. Divide the dough in half and put in the two prepared bowls.
        Let the dough rise for about 20-30 minutes, uncovered, until it has risen just above the rim of the smaller bowl. (You can place the bowls on top of the oven which should be warm enough for them to rise.)
        Bake for 15 minutes at 425°. Reduce heat to 375° and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes. Turn out onto a cooling rack.

Bagels

Our family loves these! They take a little while to make, but the process is easy and the results are well worth it. We usually have friends over when we make these so I always make a double batch. 

1 c. warm water

1 ½ tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. sugar

3 c. flour

2 ¼ tsp. active dry yeast

     In a Bosch or Kitchen Aid mixer, add ingredients and mix them with the bread hook implement on low until incorporated. Then turn to next speed (#2 or medium) and let it go for 5-8 minutes.

When the dough is done...

--Bring 3 quarts water to boil in a large pot. Stir in 3 Tbsp. of sugar.

--Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Let dough rest for 5 minutes.

--Cut dough into 9 equal pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball. Flatten balls and poke a hole in the middle of each with your thumb. Next twirl the dough to enlarge the hole and even out the dough around it. Cover bagels with a clean cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.

--With a large metal spatula, carefully transfer bagels to boiling water, three at a time. Let boil for 1 minute, turning bagels over midway. Remove bagels from water with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on a clean towel. Transfer drained bagels to baking sheets lined with a silicone baking mat. (Alternatively, sprinkle cookie sheet with cornmeal or use cooking spray. I put all 9 on the same cookie sheet.)

--Glaze tops of bagels with egg white and sprinkle with any of the following toppings:

Italian seasoning and garlic (we call them pizza bagels), cinnamon sugar (our favorite), coarse salt, dry onions, Cajun spice, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or everything bagel seasoning.  Bake bagels in 375° oven for 15-18 minutes, until light brown. Eat plain or with butter or cream cheese. So good!!

Lemon Bread

Tangy and moist, this bread is perfect for sharing or gifting or eating all by yourself... I'm grateful my friend, Diane, gifted me a loaf of this yummy stuff all those years ago. 

1 c. butter or margarine
2 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 eggs
3 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
1 c. milk
grated peel of 2 lemons
        Mix all ingredients. Pour into greased loaf pans. 

        Two 4"x8" loaves bake at 350° for 60-80 minutes. Check for doneness after 50 minutes.
        6 small loaves bake at 350° for about 30 minutes.

Glaze:
½ c. lemon juice
1 c. sugar
    Pour glaze over top while bread is warm.

Pumpkin Bread

My friend, Cleora, shared this recipe with me years ago. I've never had the need to look for another pumpkin bread recipe because this one has the perfect balance of flavors and it's deliciously moist. My favorite way to make this is as mini-muffins with a pretty swirl of cream cheese frosting on top. OhYum! 

3 c. sugar
2/3 c. shortening
4 eggs
One 15 oz. can pumpkin
3 ½ c. flour
2/3 c. water
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. ground cloves
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
½ c. nuts, optional
        Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, pumpkin and water; mix well. Add dry ingredients. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans, or 6 small ones. Bake at 350° for one hour. Baked loaves can be frozen. For cupcakes, bake about 22-26 minutes; bake mini cupcakes for ~17 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cube butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
2-3 c. powdered sugar
        Combine butter and cream cheese until creamy. Stir in vanilla and salt. Add 2 cups powdered sugar and mix well. Add additional powdered sugar, up to 1 cup more, to attain a fluffy frosting consistency. (Make a make-shift "piping bag" by placing frosting in a quart-size ziplock bag. Cut a smallish hole in one corner.)

Cinnamon Rolls

My friend, Jennifer, taught me how to make these delicious things. Apparently this is a copycat Cinnabon recipe. I've never eaten at Cinnabon, but these are amazing so I can only imagine what the real thing must be like.  

Dough:
1 Tbsp. instant yeast
1 c. lukewarm milk
½ c. sugar
½ c. melted butter
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
4 c. flour
        Combine all ingredients and mix well, adding more flour a little at a time if necessary, to make a soft dough. (I usually need to add about ½ c. additional flour.) Let mixer run on medium for 5-7 minutes. Turn dough out on non-stick mat and roll out in a large rectangle, about ¼” thick.

        Smear dough with a layer of soft butter (1/3 c.). Generously sprinkle about 1 c. brown sugar mixed with ~2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon over the top. Roll jellyroll style. Cut generous 1” slices with string or unflavored dental floss. Lay slices on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet, up to 24 on a jelly roll pan or 12 each in two 9x13 pans. Rise until double in size. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until barely browning on top. Allow to cool slightly then frost with cream cheese frosting (see recipe below).

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cube butter, softened 
4 oz. cream cheese, softened 
1 tsp. vanilla 
1/8 tsp. salt 
2-3 c. powdered sugar 
        Combine butter and cream cheese until creamy. Stir in vanilla and salt. Add 2 cups powdered sugar and mix well. Add additional powdered sugar, up to 1 cup more, to attain a fluffy frosting consistency. (Make a make-shift "piping bag" by placing frosting in a quart-size ziplock bag. Cut a smallish hole in one corner.)

  

Potato salad

This is my friend, Dana's recipe. It's really good, but you might need to wait for a large gathering to make it. It makes a LOT!

12 large potatoes
12 hard boiled eggs, chilled
1 cup mayo & mustard mixture (maybe more)
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 large red onion, finely chopped
5 pickles, cubed
        Peel potatoes and cut in half. Boil until tender. Cool and cube. Shell hard boiled eggs and cut into cubes. Cut pickles, onions and celery and add to eggs and potatoes. Mix the mayo/mustard with about ¼ c. pickle juice and salt to taste. Mix into potato mixture. Pour into a clean bowl and sprinkle with paprika. If desired, garnish with egg slices. Adjust amounts as needed.

Strawberry Crunch Salad

I got this recipe from my mom. The pretzel crust in combination with the cheesecake-like center and the fruit on top is the perfect salty/sweet combination. 

Bottom crust:
2 2/3 c. chopped pretzel sticks
1 Tbsp. sugar
¾ c. melted butter
        Mix and press into a 9x13 pan. Bake 7-10 minutes at 400° (375° for glass pan).

Main layer:
one 8-ounce package cream cheese
one 12-ounce tub cool whip
1 c. sugar (powdered or granulated)
        Mix and spread over cooled pretzel crust. Refrigerate.

Top layer:
1 large package strawberry Jell-o
2 c. boiling water
16-oz. frozen strawberries, thawed and smashed with juices
1 ¼ c. water
        Dissolve Jell-o in the boiling water. Add strawberries and water. Mix & chill until thick and syrupy, but not totally set. Pour over cream mixture. Refrigerate for several hours. Can be made the day before. Serves 12-15.

Broccoli Bacon Salad

Hands down, this is the all-time best salad ever. I could eat this everyday. (Do I say that too much? I need to stop posting recipes when I'm hungry...) My friend, Marcia, gave me this recipe and I went for years thinking it was hard to make so, naturally, I never made it. Then one day I did. You know what? It's not hard. It's actually really easy and so delicious that I was mad at myself for waiting so long. Don't make the same mistake. 

6 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces

Half of a red onion, minced

16 oz. bacon, cut in small pieces and cooked crisp

1 pkg. craisins

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup salted sunflower seeds (wait and stir these in with the dressing to keep them crunchy.)

Mix altogether and refrigerate. About ½ hour before serving, wisk together dressing (recipe below) and pour over broccoli mixture. Stir together then serve.

Dressing:

1 ½ cups mayonnaise

¾ cup sugar

3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

White Chili

Hands down, this is the recipe I've had the most requests for over the years. I got the recipe years ago when Jeff and I were the judges for a Chili Cook-off at church. The flavor was so unique and amazingly delicious that it was our #1 choice. The "chef" was kind enough to give out copies of the recipe to anyone who wanted it. The original recipe is from a restaurant in St. Louis called Lewis and Clark's. I've tweaked and simplified it over the years to the version below. This can easily be doubled or tripled and it makes great leftovers!

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 med. onion, chopped (or a handful of dried minced onion)

4 garlic cloves, minced

one 4 oz. can chopped mild green chilies

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. ground cloves (don't leave this out. Super yummy!)

1-2 c. cooked and cubed chicken (or one 12.5 oz. can cooked chicken breast)

3 cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed

4 c. chicken broth

8 oz. cream cheese - see suggestion below*

Sour cream (optional)

     Heat oil over medium heat. If using fresh onion, add onions and stir until translucent. Stir in garlic, chilies, cumin, oregano, cayenne and cloves. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken, beans, and broth. Stir in cream cheese. (*To eliminate lumps when adding the cream cheese, warm the cream cheese to soften, stir it up until creamy smooth and add some hot broth a little at a time - stirring well after each addition - until it's runny, then stir it into the soup as the final ingredient.)

     Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Ladle into large bowls. Top with sour cream and serve with tortilla chips, if desired. 

5-hour Stew

When Jeff and I were first married, we sometimes drove the four hours to his grandparents house in Idaho. His grandma, Helen Stowell, would always have this stew in the oven, ready whenever we were. Served with rolls or homemade bread, it's the perfect comfort food on a cold day. The amounts are not specific so put in as much as you like. If I'm making a large batch, I'll sometimes add 2 cans of tomato soup instead of one.

Stew meat – trim the fat and cut into large bite-sized pieces

potatoes, cut into large bite-sized chunks

carrots, cut into large bite-sized chunks

1/2 of an onion, chopped (can also use a small handful of dried minced onion)

Tomato soup + 1/2 can water

Salt and pepper, to taste

     Combine all in oven safe container and bake at 300° for 5+ hours or until ready to eat. Can also be cooked in a crock pot on low for 5-6 hours. Serve with homemade bread or rolls.

 

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This is our current favorite soup. The only problem is that it takes FOREVER to prep so make sure you double the recipe to make it worth your time. If you don't, you won't have any leftovers and then you'll be sad. I could eat this for lunch every day! (Update: check out this easier version! Still delish and takes way less time to make :)

¼ c. olive oil

1 c. onion, finely chopped

1 ½ c. matchstick carrots (or baby carrots cut into bite-sized pieces)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 c. celery, chopped

1-3 c. fresh broccoli, finely cut

4 green onions, chopped

¼ c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

½ tsp. marjoram

½ tsp. basil

4 c. chicken broth

1 package potato gnocchi (I cut each piece in half or thirds)

4 chicken breasts cooked with the perfect chicken recipe, cut in small pieces

1 c. fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

2 c. half and half

     Prep all vegetables before starting. You’ll be glad you did. Saute the onions, carrots, and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for three minutes. Add the celery, broccoli and green onions and continue cooking until the onions are translucent and the carrots are tender. Combine the flour and spices. Add to veggies and stir to coat. Let the mixture cook for about a minute before adding a cup or two of the chicken broth. Stir until smooth and add the rest of the broth. Cook until the mixture thickens. Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Add the cooked gnocchi, chicken and spinach to the soup. Stir in half and half. Cook until the spinach is soft.

      (Gnocchi can usually be found near the pasta section of larger stores.)

Perfect Chicken

This is the yummiest chicken ever. We always make more than we need (we at least double the recipe every time) and then cut it up and use it in different recipes. Our whole family loves this!

2-4 boneless chicken breasts, with or without rib meat
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. paprika
2-3 T. olive oil

Method 1 (recipe as it was given to me):
Mix spices in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning into the chicken breasts. Pour olive oil into the bottom of a Dutch oven and heat to medium high. When nice and hot, add chicken to the pan (in batches if necessary). Cook 2-3 minutes per side. Add all chicken back to the dutch oven and place, uncovered, in a 350º oven for 25 minutes or until juices run clear. Let sit on a plate 5-10 minutes before cutting, shredding or eating.

Method 2 (What we do):
Mix spices and olive oil in a gallon ziplock bag. Cut fat off chicken and use a meat tenderizer to hammer it flat. Cut each breast in half, if desired. (Chicken tenderloins work great, too!) Place chicken in the prepared ziplock and coat with the spices. Grill on medium low about 8-10 minutes each side or until no longer pink in the middle. YUM!!!! Cut leftovers into chunks and use in chicken divan, chicken gnocchi soup, white chili, etc. 

Spinach Lasagna

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law many years ago and it is the ONLY lasagna I'll make. It is so delicious and is always a hit. I love the spinach in it, but my favorite part might be that you don't have to boil the noodles first.

1 lb. bulk sausage

1 jar spaghetti sauce (28 oz.)

½ c. water

15 oz. ricotta cheese

1 c. shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese

1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed

lasagne noodles, uncooked

In a frying pan, cook sausage until browned. Drain well. Combine spaghetti sauce and water. In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, ½ c. of shredded cheese and spinach. Grease bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Place small amount of sauce on bottom of baking dish. Place 3 uncooked noodles over sauce. Layer with 1/3 of the sauce, ½ of the cheese/spinach  and ½ of the sausage. Repeat same layers – noodles, sauce, cheese/spinach, sausage. Final layer is 3 noodles, remainder of sauce and ½ c. shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 375º for one hour. Let stand about 10 minutes after removing from oven.

Baked Ham With Pineapple

I got this recipe out of Taste of Home magazine forever ago. This makes a pretty ham that would be nice for an Easter meal or Christmas.

1 fully cooked bone-in ham, 6-8 lbs. (I’ve used a ½ or whole boneless ham before with success)

Whole cloves

½ c. packed brown sugar

¼ c. pineapple juice

1 can (8 oz.) sliced pineapple, drained (use for above juice)

5 maraschino cherries

Place ham in a roasting pan. Score the surface with shallow diagonal cuts, making diamond shapes. Insert cloves into diamonds. Cover and bake at 325º for 1 ½ hours. Combine brown sugar and pineapple juice; pour over ham. Arrange pineapple and cherries on ham. Bake, uncovered, 30-45 minutes longer or until meat thermometer reads 140º and the ham is heated through. Yield 16-20 servings.

Hawaiian Haystacks

These are always a favorite! They are not hard to throw together and they please even the picky eaters because they can top with whatever they like.

Chicken Sauce:

6 Tbsp. butter

6 Tbsp. flour

2 cans chicken broth (3 cups)

1 c. heavy whipping cream

Melt butter, remove from heat. Add flour and broth. Stir in whipping cream. Stir constantly over medium heat until it thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add some cooked chicken.

Serve over rice and top with your choice of toppings.

Topping suggestions:

grated cheese, pineapple chunks, sliced olives, sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned), sweetened flaked coconut, green onions, chopped fresh tomatoes, chow mein noodles, green peppers, hard boiled eggs, and slivered almonds.

(The sauce is definitely worth the effort, but if you don’t have time to make it, you can warm up a can of cream of chicken soup thinned with a little milk.)

Parmesan Chicken

If there was ever a recipe that's made the rounds, this is it. My entire extended family loves this. Funny enough, I got the recipe when a guy I dated (Craig) made this for me many years ago. The relationship didn't work out, but I got a great recipe out of it! Ha! :) The chicken is so tender and the flavor is delicious. I usually serve it with mashed potatoes and corn.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or strips

Small carton plain yogurt (can substitute sour cream in a pinch)

1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

2-3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. season salt

Combine crushed crackers, parmesan, garlic salt and season salt. Dip chicken in yogurt then roll in cracker mixture. Place in a foil lined pan. Before baking, drizzle melted butter or margarine over the top – about 1 cube for 6+ chicken breasts or 12+ strips. Bake at 325º for 45 minutes.