Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 cup panko crumbs
• 1 cup pretzel crumbs
• ½ cup neutral tasting olive oil
• ½ cup Dijon mustard
• ⅓ cup honey (Iike clover or orange blossom)
• ¼ cup bottled water
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 1 + ½ pounds boneless chicken breasts
• ½ cup flour, plus more if needed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lightly grease with oil a large, non-stick baking sheet or roasting pan. If you don't have a non-stick pan line a regular pan with parchment and lightly grease with oil.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat toast the panko crumbs until lightly golden, stirring constantly. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
3. In a food processor pulse the pretzels until coarsely ground (small crumbs with some small pretzel pieces) then add them to a medium bowl and mix with the panko crumbs. Wipe the crumbs out of the food processor.
4. Add the oil, mustard, honey, water and vinegar to the food processor and pulse until smooth.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the flavor to suit your own tastes by adding more mustard or honey.
6. Pound the chicken breasts out to an even thickness using a mallet. Season well with salt and pepper.

Set up a dredging station:

1. Pour half of the dressing into a large shallow bowl or dish, put the flour on a large plate and add half the pretzel mixture to a large, shallow bowl or dish (add the remaining half pretzel crumbs to the dish as needed).
2. Working one at a time and using tongs dredge the chicken in the flour then into the dressing allowing excess to drip off then into the pretzel crumbs patting them on if needed. Place on greased baking sheet.
3. Bake 16 - 25 minutes depending on their thickness/size or until cooked through (internal temperature 165 - 174 degrees F.).
4. Let the chicken sit 5 minutes before serving with the remaining honey mustard dressing.

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken

GATHER:

• 3 chicken breasts
• 8 oz chopped frozen spinach, cooked according to package directions and squeezed dry.
• 3 oz feta, crumbled ( about ½ cup )
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• ¼ teaspoon salt, divided
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

MAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Mix the chopped frozen spinach, feta, cream cheese, garlic and half of the salt in a medium sized bowl.
3. Cut a pocket into each chicken breast. If you are unsure of how to cut a pocket into the chicken without also cutting a pocket into your hand, try this: One at a time, place the chicken flat on a cutting board, and press a large spatula ( or something else that cannot be stabbed, i.e. DO NOT USE YOUR HAND) flat on top of the breast. Make sure that you are pressing the spatula down hard enough to hold the chicken in place. You may need to actually dig the edge of the spatula into the meat just a little bit to accomplish this. Insert the knife ⅔ of the way into the side of the thickest part of the chicken, and slice down to the thinnest part, stopping before you cut through; you want a pocket not a flap.
4. Separate the spinach and cheese mixture into three parts, and roll into thick logs. Stuff each log into the pocket you made in the chicken breasts. Season with remaining salt and pepper.
5. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof pan set over medium high heat, then add the stuffed chicken, "top" side down. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip the chicken over.
6. Place the pan into the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. If your chicken breasts are extraordinarily thick, cook for 2 to 5 minutes longer, or until juices run clear when you poke the chicken with a fork.

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

2 onions, chopped
1 T. olive oil
6 c. chicken broth
6 15-1/2 oz. cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
3 5-oz. cans chicken, drained
2 4-oz. cans diced green chiles
2 t. ground cumin
1 t. garlic powder
1-1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. white pepper
12-oz. container sour cream
3 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

In a large stockpot over medium heat, sauté onions in oil until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients except sour cream and cheese. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until heated through. Shortly before serving, add sour cream and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Serves 16 to 20.

Parmesan Chicken Roll-Ups

Ingredients

8 pieces of uncooked chicken tenderloins

1 can of refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

1/4 +3 Tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese

4 slices of deli-style mozzarella cheese

3 Tablespoons butter

1 cup marinara sauce

salt and pepper

Directions

Heat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Season each side of chicken with salt and pepper and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium high heat on the stove. Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes until each side is nicely browned, and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. This will serve as a wonderful coating for the chicken to give it an extra kick of flavor.

Unroll each triangle of crescent rolls and place one piece of chicken at the wide end of each one. Spread a good layer of the mayonnaise mixture on top of each piece of chicken.

Divide the mozzarella slices in half to create 8 slices, and add to the top of each piece of chicken. 

Roll the crescent dough around each piece of chicken and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the microwave and brush over the tops of each crescent roll. Then sprinkle each roll-up with the remaining grated parmesan cheese.

Bake for 14-15 minutes or until the roll-ups are golden brown.

Serve with warmed marinara sauce. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups cheddar cheese
• 1 cup gruyere cheese (or you can use 4 cups cheddar cheese)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• ½ cup sour cream, regular or light
• ½ cup mayonnaise (I used Hellmann's Light)

Instructions

1. Boil macaroni noodles according to directions to make them al dente. (Mine boiled for 6 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 3 hours,stirring once or twice.
3. Serve hot.

Notes

Be sure that your macaroni is cooked al dente before you put it in the slow cooker so it doesn't become mushy. 

If you prefer or if you are short on time, you can bake this in the oven (and I have many many times!) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake 30 minutes covered and 30 minutes uncovered.

Buttermilk Syrup

I begged my son to try this syrup- I knew he would love it.  But he wouldn't because in his mind 'syrup' was dark brown and came in a ready to pour plastic container.  He finally gave in after a huge bribe and tried one bite- breakfast has never been the same since.  Now he won't eat pancakes unless I make the "special syrup" (as he calls it).  It is amazing.  If you've never had it, make it, and you'll wonder how you've eaten breakfast without it before :)   

RECIPE

1 stick butter

3/4 C. sugar

1/2 C. buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

*In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Whisk in the sugar, then add the buttermilk.  Keep stirring (slowly) until it comes to a boil.  Boil for one minute then remove from the heat.  Stir in vanilla and baking soda- the syrup will foam up.  Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, then pour over fresh waffles or pancakes.

Tips:

• One variation I've seen for this recipe is adding Corn Syrup to help thicken it.  Corn Syrup is horrible for you so I try to avoid using it if possible.
• Refrigerate leftovers.  When you reheat it, microwave it for 5 seconds, then stir- repeat until its the right temperature and consistency. 

Banana Bars

I haven't met anyone who doesn't love these.  Serious.  They get gobbled up wherever I take them.  What's comical is how people react when I tell them they're banana bars- they get this skeptical look on their faces.  To be polite, they try one and pretty soon they're licking their fingers clean- they take another one......and pretty soon they want the recipe!  You might have a hard time getting your kids to eat only one or two bars- good luck!

RECIPE

1 stick butter, softened

2 C. sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 C. mashed bananas (I use 5-6 "rotten" bananas)

1 tsp vanilla

2 C. flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 C. chopped pecans (optional)

* In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together.  Add the bananas and let it mix until they are well mashed.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  In another bowl, whisk flour, soda and salt (and nuts) together then add to the banana mixture.  Pour batter into a greased and floured cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 17-20 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean).  Let the bars cool completely before frosting. 

Frosting

1 stick butter, softened

6 oz cream cheese, softened

4 C. powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

*Cream the butter and cream cheese together- add vanilla, then add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.  Beat until everything is well combined and creamy.  Spread over the banana bars, cut and serve. (If you don't like nuts in the bars, sprinkle them on top).  Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon!

Tips:

• Your bars will have a better flavor the more 'rotten' your bananas are.  
  
• After the bars have cooled for about an hour, I cover them with Saran wrap and let them sit overnight.  I think they always taste better the next day.
• Eggs always mix better when they have sat on the counter for 30 minutes.  If you don't have time, let them sit in warm water for a few minutes, or whisk them a little before adding to the batter.