Lazy Cabbage Roll Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 Tbs rice
• 1 can tomato soup
• 3 cups chopped cabbage
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown ground beef with onion, salt and pepper. Stir frequently and drain grease. Add rice, soup and 1 soup can of water. Simmer for 10 minutes
2. Place cabbage in 2 quart greased casserole dish. Cover with meat mixture.
3. Bake at 325° for 1.5 hours.

* I add sour kraut on the bottom and on the top layer to make it a bit more sour. I also top it off with some sliced smoked sausage. You can add some on the bottom as well, for a smokey flavor. I also suggest adding some salt and pepper or even some chicken broth to kick it up a notch.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Tbs unsalted butter
• 3 Tbs all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 shallot (or onion), minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups grated parmesan cheese
• 3 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed
• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 cup cracker crumbs (I like Ritz, but use your favorite)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat and add the flour. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add the broth and shallot (or onion), and increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil. 
2. Reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes). Add the salt, pepper and lemon juice. Remove from heat, and stir in the sour cream and 1/4 cup of the parmesan.
3. Arrange the broccoli in a 2-quart gratin dish, and pour half the sauce over it. Arrange the chicken on top of the broccoli and pour on the remaining sauce. 
4. Top with cracker crumbs and remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Then put the dish under the broiler until the cracker crumbs are golden brown (about 1 minute).

Pasta e Fagioli

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 medium carrots
• 3 stalks celery
• 1/2 Tbs dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans
• 1 can (15 oz) white beans
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 2 tsp chicken base
• 3 cups water
• 6 oz dry pasta
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 5 oz shredded Italian cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Chop the garlic, onion, celery and carrots. Place them in a large pot with 2 Tbs of olive oil and cook over medium heat until the onions become transparent (3-5 minutes).
2. Add the herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, red pepper), the canned items (beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce) and the frozen green beans. Drain the beans but not the tomatoes before adding the pot. Stir everything together and bring it up to a simmer.
3. Add the chicken (or vegetable) bouillon and 3 cups of water. Stir it up a bit to dissolve the bouillon. Add the dry pasta and bring the pot up to a simmer. Add a lid and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is fully cooked. Stir the pot occasionally as it simmers to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
4. Give the dish a quick taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Ladle the Pasta e Fagioli into a bowl and top with shredded Italian cheese (parmesan, romano or asiago).

Stuffed Green Peppers

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 green peppers
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 (14.5 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 (10.75 oz) cans condensed tomato soup

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers, and remove the seeds. Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Sprinkle salt inside each pepper and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, saute beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, 1/2 cup water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°. Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture an place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Pour over the peppers.
4. Bake covered for 25-35 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Easy Cheesy Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup frozen (or fresh) broccoli
• Cheese of your choice (I use sharp cheddar for the extra kick)
• A little olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a skillet with a little olive oil, cook the chicken.
2. In a separate sauce pan, combine the can of cream of chicken with 1/2 can water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and add broccoli.
3. To serve, place one chicken breast on a plate. Top with some cheese, then a little of the sauce, then more cheese.
4. Serve with rice to make a little more filling.

Tuna Pasta Salad with Peas

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 oz bow tie pasta
• 5 oz can chunk light tuna in water
• 1 medium lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup diced onion (yellow, purple or green)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 2 cups frozen sweet peas

DIRECTIONS:

1. Take 2 cups of peas out of the freezer and let thaw on the counter. Cook the bow tie pasta according to the package directions (boil 5-7 minutes). Drain in a colander and let cool.
2. As the pasta is draining and cooling, combine the rest of the ingredients (peas, tuna, mayonnaise, lemon juice, onions, salt and pepper). Adjust the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
3. If your pasta is still hot when you are finished combining the rest of the ingredients, run cold water over it until it has cooled down. Make sure to drain the pasta well before combining it with the rest of the ingredients. Stir the pasta into the pea/mayonnaise mixture until it is well coated. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

*You can put the frozen peas directly into the salad without thawing them first as long as you do not plan on serving the salad right away.

*If you want your tuna to stay in chunks, add it last (after the pasta).

Beef Fajitas

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb beef (flank steak or thin strips)
• 5 Tbs vegetable oil, divided
• 2 Tbs lime juice (or 1 lime)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1/2 Tbs chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 medium green bell peppers
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1 yellow onion
• 6 (6 inch) tortillas
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1 medium avocado (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. The night before: Combine 3 tbs of vegetable oil with the lime juice, chili powder, garlic (minced), a handful of cilantro (chopped) and about 1/8 tsp of salt. Mix it up - add the beef and stir to coat the meat. Cover and keep in fridge until you are ready to cook the next day.
2. Clean and thinly slice the bell peppers and onion. Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet with 2 tbs of vegetable oil over very high heat (as high as it will go without the oil smoking). Toss in the sliced vegetables, season with salt and pepper and cook them until the edges get brown and carmelized. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
3. Toss the meat, marinade and all, into the same hot skillet. Stir and cook until the meat is fully cooked.
4. Prepare a fajita assembly line with the tortillas, meat, vegetables, sour cream, fresh cilantro and sliced avocados.

Crunchy Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3-4 inch pieces
• Seasoned bread crumbs
• Butter
• Any seasoning to add to the seasoned breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter. Dip chicken pieces in butter. Then dip into seasoned breadcrumbs. Dip back into the melted butter, and back into the breadcrumbs.
2. Place chicken onto a baking sheet. 
3. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes, until golden brown.

*For a twist, add Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumb mixture

Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 cup (or more) of Marzetti slaw dressing
• 3/4 cup of grapes, cut in fourths
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1/4 cup of pecans
• 2 Tbs onion, minced
• 1 tsp celery seed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook chicken in crockpot for 6-8 hours. Pull apart when finished cooking.
2. Mix all the ingredients and add the pulled apart chicken.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz linguine pasta
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 2 Tbs butter
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain.
2. Place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the chicken in butter or margarine until almost tender (5-7 minutes).
3. Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion. Saute and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat.
4. Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, toss and heat through. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Pinwheels

INGREDIENTS:

• Ground beef
• Onions
• Can of mushrooms
• 1 can of Pillsbury croissants
• Can of mushroom soup

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook hamburger, chopped onions and can of mushrooms together. 
2. Once cooked, lay the croissant dough out flat (into one large rectangle - do not separate the triangles). Pour the meat mixture onto the dough and roll it up.
3. Once rolled up, cut slices (like you would cut cinnamon rolls) and put on a pan. Bake in the oven according to the directions on the croissant package.
4. Warm up the can of mushroom soup. Once the rolls are done, take them out and pour the mushroom soup on top.

(Another) Chicken Tortilla Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 Tbs minced garlic
• 2 jalepenos, finely diced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 2 limes, juiced, plus wedges for garnish
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 (8 inch) flour tortilla, grilled, cut into thin strips
• 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
• 1 cup shredded Monterrey cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Once the onions have softened, add the garlic and jalepenos - cook for another minute.
3. Pour the chicken broth, tomatoes and beans into the pot and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, lower heat to simmer and add your chicken breasts.
4. Cook the chicken for 20-25 minutes. Once chicken is cooked, remove from pot.
5. When cool enough to handle, shred it and set aside.
6. Add lime juice and fresh cilantro to the pot. 
7. In a serving bowl, add a mound of shredded chicken. Ladle soup over chicken and top with a lime wedge. Add grilled tortilla strips, avocado slices and cheese.

Spiced Orange Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/3 cup honey
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 Tbs coriander
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1 bag frozen broccoli florets
• Whole wheat orzo

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in the crockpot and mix together.
2. Add chicken breasts and coat with mixture. Add broccoli.
3. Cook on high for 3 hours. Serve with whole wheat orzo.

Chicken Curry

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 Tbs ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground fennel
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 lb chicken breasts

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix together the first 11 ingredients (ginger thru tomatoes) in the bottom of a slow cooker
2. Add chicken and coat with mixture. Cook on low for 4 hours.
3. Shred chicken and mix in the remaining ingredients.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 chicken breast halves
• 2 (15 oz) cans Mexican stewed tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes (I buy Rotel tomatoes and green chilies in the can together)
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 (14 oz) can chopped green chilies
• 1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce
• Grated cheese
• Tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients, except chips and cheese, and place into the crockpot
2. Cook on low for 8 hours (I make it at lunchtime and cook for 5 hours and it is great)
3. Put chips in bowl and ladle soup on top. 
4. Top with cheese.