Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

via Brown Eyed Baker

INGREDIENTS:

5 egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar, divided
1¾ cups heavy cream
¾ cup whole milk
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1¼ cups chopped Oreo cookies (about 15 cookies)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Set a wire-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Whisk together the egg yolks and ¼ cup of the sugar in a large bowl; set aside.

2. Warm the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, cream, milk and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture begins to simmer, slowly drizzle it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

3. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir in the vanilla extract. Place the bowl in an ice bath and stir occasionally, until the mixture reaches room temperature. Cover the bowl and place the mixture in the refrigerator and chill at least 2 hours, or overnight.

4. Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the ice cream is ready, layer it into your freezer-safe container with alternating layers of the chopped cookies, beginning and ending with the ice cream.

(Recipe adapted from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones)

Olive Garden Copy Cat Chicken Scampi

via CopyKat.com

Because M wanted it. Sauce was a little bland; chicken was great.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil - divided use
• 1/2 green bell pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 red bell pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 orange bell pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 medium sized red onion sliced thin
• 1 clove garlic sliced thin
• 1 pound pasta cooked according to package directions
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasonings

Instructions

Place flour, salt, and pepper into a shallow dish and mix well with a fork. Place milk in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken first in flour, then dip into milk, and then dredge again in the flour. Place breaded chicken on a wrack and allow to rest 10 minutes before cooking. While the chicken is resting, cut peppers, onions, and garlic.

Saute peppers, onions, and garlic in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season peppers, onions, and garlic with a light spinkling of salt. Saute until peppers begin to brown. Remove from skillet.

Place remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in hot skillet. Place chicken in skillet. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until the chicken has browned on both sides. Remove chicken from pan. Deglaze the pan by adding white wine to the pan and add italian seasoning blend. Scrape the bottom with a spoon scrapping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add heavy cream and mix well. Return cooked vegetables to the pan and stir. Add cooked pasta to the skillet. Plate the pasta and sauce, placing a few pieces of cooked chicken with each plate.

Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad

via Heather's Dish

Tasty, easy to make, decently healthy.  Win.  I

CILANTRO LIME CHICKPEA SALAD

• 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 loosely packed cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 onion, chopped small
• juice from 4 limes
• 1 bunch of cilantro (about loosely packed cup)
• 3 Tbsp sugar [I reduced by half.]
• 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated on a microplane
• 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Chop the spinach very finely (feel free to use a food processor and pulse 3-4 times).  Add the chickpeas, onion, and spinach to a large bowl.  In the same food processor add the lime juice, cilantro, sugar, mustard, garlic, chili powder, and olive oil.  Process til it comes together into a dressing, about 30-45 seconds.  Pour over the chickpea mixture and stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Let sit for about 10 minutes on the counter or overnight in the fridge to let the flavors marry.  Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper

from the Recipe Critic

This was tasty.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 package dry italian dressing/seasoning mix
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste

1.  Prepare your chicken by rinsing it and trimming the fat.  Since the chicken breasts that I buy are always huge, I cut them in half making them more like tenders.

2. In a shallow dish, combine the flour and pepper.  Coat the chicken in the flour.

3.  Melt the butter in a saucepan on your stovetop over medium heat.  Once melted, brown each side of the chicken, but not cooking it throughout because you will be putting them in the crockpot.  You just want them to have a nice golden brown breading on each side.

4.  Spray crockpot with cooking spray and place the chicken into the crockpot.  Sprinkle the italian seasoning package top of the chicken.  

5.  Mix together the lemon juice and chicken broth.  Pour over the chicken and seasonings.

6.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours.  Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Life as a Lofthouse

Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/creamy-chicken-and-rice-casserole-with-no-cream-soups

Casserole without pre-made soup.  Tasty--lots of possibilities for variations.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

4 cups chicken broth (I avoid canned broth or bouillon because they are also loaded with MSG.  Here’s my easy homemade chicken broth recipe, which includes frighteningly ugly pictures of a chicken carcass.  Again, try not to scream.)
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups brown rice2-3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon (or more) garlic powder
Sea salt, to taste
1 1/2 cups cream (heavy whipping cream, or fresh cream which has risen to the top of whole, raw milk)

In a large pot, bring chicken broth, carrots and onion to a boil at high heat.  Add rice, stir, and place the lid on the pot.  Reduce heat to low and cook the rice and vegetables in the broth for 45 minutes.  (To avoid sticky rice, don’t stir the rice while it’s trying to cook – just walk away and ignore it for the entire 45 minutes.  You can do it.)

When the rice is done, stir in cooked chicken, garlic powder and cream.  Shake in liberal amounts of sea salt for best flavor.  (I use Redmonds Real Sea Salt, which is unbleached and full of natural minerals.)  Cook ingredients for about five more minutes to heat the chicken and cream.  Serve directly from pot, or pour into a 9×13 inch baking dish.  This meal can be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated and reheated in the oven at serving time.  Cover and heat in a 350° oven for 20-30 minutes or until hot through and through.  Serves eight.

(You can also freeze this meal.  To reheat, simply put the frozen, covered casserole into the oven, turn the oven onto 350° and cook for about 1 1/2 hours or until it is heated thoroughly.)

Spinach Penne Salad

from Taste of Home, Jun/Jul 2012

Easy and tasty, also. 



INGREDIENTS

Salad
1 pkg (16 oz) whole wheat pasta
1 pkg (6 oz) baby spinach
3 medium chopped tomatoes
3/4 crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup sliced Greek olives (I didn't have any, so I added avacado instead. Yum)
4 green onions, thinly sliced

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 T Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t dried oregano
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper

1.  Cook pasta.  Drain and rinse. Drain again.

2.  In a small bowl, whisk vinaigrette ingredients.  In a large bowl, combine pasta, spinach, tomatoes, feta, onions and olives.  Add vinaigrette; toss to coat.  Serve immediately. 

Parmesan/Greek Yogurt Baked Chicken

 via feedingmytemple.com

 Easy peasy.  Tasty.

 INGREDIENTS:

• 4  boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 5 ounce container 0% plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

 DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine yogurt, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings.
3. Spread over chicken breasts. Bake for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and topping is browned. Serve immediately.