Tomato, Garlic & Basil Chicken Alfredo

Made this one up one night using leftover chicken...delightful!

• 4 chicken breasts
• Grill Mates Tomato, Garlic & Basil Marinade Package
• 2 TBS butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup milk
• Noodles (linguine, fettuccine, wide egg noodles...), cooked and drained

Place chicken in crock pot.  Mix marinade package according to directions. Pour over chicken and cook on low for 4 hours.  Dice up chicken.  Melt butter in a medium sauce pan.  Whisk in flour garlic and salt.  Gradually add milk.  Whisk in cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese.  Cook, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly.  Add diced chicken and juices. Cook over low for 5 minutes.  Serve over hot, cooked noodles. 

If you make the Tomato, Garlic & Basil Chicken before, just use the leftovers and add to the Alfredo sauce...from leftover to gourmet!

Rice & Ham Casserole

This is a wonderful meal my mom use to make us.  Great way to use leftover rice or ham!

• 1 cup regular rice
• 1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies
• 1/2 lb. Shredded cheese
• Diced Ham
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream (thin with 1/4 cup milk)
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice according to directions.  Combine all ingredients, leaving some cheese to sprinkle on top. Mix lightly.  Place in casserole dish.  Top with remaining cheese.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F. for about 30 minutes.

Twice Baked Potato

My husband doesn't like baked potatoes very well, but he loves these.

4 large baking potatoes

8 slices bacon

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

4 TBSP butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic

1/2 tsp pepper

2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Scrub potatoes, pat dry and wrap in foil.  Bake for an hour or so until soft when squeezed.  While potatoes are cooking, fry your bacon until crispy.  Drain and crumble.  Once potatoes are done, slice in half long ways.  Scoop out most of the inside.  It's okay to leave a little, you just don't want the skins to tear.  Mash and then add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, garlic, pepper and 1 1/2 cups cheese.  When pretty smooth, spoon back into potato skins.  Place in baking dish and pour chicken broth around and under potatoes.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon pieces.  Bake for another 5 min or until cheese is melted.

Easy Grilled Pizza

Fun family night idea...my children love when we do this!

• 4 small Boboli pizza crusts
• Olive oil
• Marinara Sauce
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Pizza Toppings (pepperoni, olives, ham, sausage, green chilies, onions...)

Brush both sides of pizza crust with olive oil.  Turn the grill on as low as it will go.  Grill the crust 2–4 minutes per side. Remove from grill. Add toppings, including any precooked meats and vegetables, and return to grill for 8–10 minutes checking often. Grill until the cheese is melted and/or the crust is golden. Remove from heat, let cool for 2 minutes, and enjoy! We let everyone make their own.

Tomato, Garlic & Basil Chicken

This is simply wonderful!

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 Grill Mates Tomato, Garlic & Basil Marinate packages

Place chicken in crock pot.  Mix Grill Mates package according to directions and pour over chicken.  Stir chicken around making sure evenly coated.  Cook on low for 4-5 hours. 

I added a few more chicken breasts and cut them up with all the extra juices and stored in the fridge for another great meal...from leftover to gourmet!

Creamy Steak Over Rice

We get a lot of round steak and so I'm always trying to make meals with it.  This one was a success!

• 1 lb. round steak
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 TBS paprika
• Steak Seasoning
• 1 (8 oz) container sour cream
• 2 cups Rice
• shredded cheese

Trim any fat off the round steak.  Rub generously with steak seasoning and put in crock pot.  In a skillet, saute onions, bell pepper, and paprika until onions are lightly brown.  Pour over steak.  Pour tomatoes over onions.  Add  broth to skillet and boil for a few minutes, then pour over everything.  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.  Take steak out and dice.  Mix sour cream in crock pot, then put meat back in; cover and cook 20-30 minutes.  Serve over cooked rice; sprinkle with cheese.

I double my rice so I can use it for another quick meal...from leftover to gourmet!

Fruit Leather

My husband convinced me to make fruit leather.  I didn't want to because I thought it would be so hard.  I was so wrong, it was pretty easy and so good.  We ate the first pan right up!

APPLE-PEAR:

• 4 cups apples
• 4 cups pears
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup raspberry jam

I cored and then boiled my apples until soft.   I used pears that I had canned last year, but if you use fresh, you need to slice in half and core.  Add everything to the blender and blend until smooth. 

APPLE-STRAWBERRY:

• 4 cups apples
• 4 cups strawberries
• 7 TBS honey

Saute apples and strawberries in a little butter until soft.  Add everything to a blender and blend until smooth.

Preheat oven to 160 degrees F. Cover baking sheets with plastic wrap.  Spread puree evenly, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.  Bake for about 10 hours.  I started checking it after 6 hours.  It is done when the surface is no longer tacky and you can tear it like leather.  Cool and then roll up.  Cut in pieces and seal securely in plastic wrap. Store in an airtight container.