Good for You Greek Salad

3 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1 t red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
6 black Greek olives, pitted and sliced


In shallow salad bowl, or on serving platter, combine tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Sprinkle with oil, lemon juice, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle feta cheese and olives over salad. Serve.

Power Granola

Great granola recipe from Cooking Light.

Banana Muffins

This is a great basic banana muffin recipe, with ingredients I always have on hand. I like to add 1/4 c plain or vanilla yogurt to make them more moist, but they would be fine without.

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 large bananas, mashed
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1 egg
* 1/3 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven. Bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped.

Krispie Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a little different chocolate chip cookie recipe. Really good!

1-1/2 C flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 C butter
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 C chocolate chips
1 C Rice Krispies
1 C coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a mixer or large bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla, scraping side occasionally. Beat in flour mixture until blended. Stir in chocolate chips, rice krispies, coconut and oats. On a baking sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoon. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden and edges look crisp. cool on a wire rack.

Potato Soup

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 large onion, finely chopped

6 medium potatoes, (about 3 pounds), peeled and roughly chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

5 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup half and half

about 1 teaspoon lemon juice

a few drops of tabasco

In a large stock pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add onion and cook until softened about five minutes. Add potatoes, carrots and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Using potato masher, roughly mash vegetables in pot, not into a puree, but into small pieces. In a small bowl, combine remaining 3 tablespoons butter and flour into a smooth paste. Stir into soup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and cook for about three minutes, or until soup thickens. Stir in half and half; reduce heat and do not return soup to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, lemon juice and a bit of tabasco. Garnish soup with chives.

Macaroni and Cheese

1 pound elbow pasta

4 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup all purpose flour

4 cups milk

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1 1/4 cups (5 oz.)shredded yellow Cheddar cheese

1 1/4 cups (5 oz.)shredded white Cheddar cheese

course salt and ground pepper

8 oz. ham diced into 1/2 inch pieces

2 slices white sandwich bread (I used wheat)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook the pasta according to package instructions; drain and reserve. Meanwhile, in a 5 quart heavy pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3-5 minutes. Whisk in the flour to coat the onion. Ina slow, steady stream, whisk in the milk until there are no lumps.

2. Cook, whisking often, until the mixture is thick and bubbly and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 6-8 minutes. Stir in the cayenne, if using, and 1 cup each of the yellow and white Cheddar cheese. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

3. Toss the pasta with the cheese mixture; fold in the ham. Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish or individual dishes (see below). Set aside.

4. In a food processor, pulse the bread until large crumbs form. Toss together with the remaining 1/4 cup each white and yellow Cheddar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. top the pasta with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake until the top is golden, about 30 minutes.

Coconut Chicken Curry

from My Kitchen Cafe


2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks or strips
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika (substitute cayenne pepper if you like the heat)
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
Jasmine rice (cooked)

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil, curry powder, and paprika in a large skillet over medium-low heat for two minutes, until fragrant (but don't let it burn). Turn the heat up to medium and stir in onions and garlic and cook ten minutes more or until onions are very clear. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and is cooked through. Add potatoes, then add coconut milk, tomatoes (I lightly crushed the stewed tomatoes with my fingers before adding), tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30-40 minutes or until sauce thickens. The sauce thickens upon standing, but is great served piping hot (and a bit thinner), too. Serve with Jasmine rice (or your favorite rice) and garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Ranch Chicken Crescent Pizza

See Stephanie's Kitchen.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

1 1/2 cups penne pasta, uncooked
1 pkg (9 oz) fresh spinach leaves
1 lb chicken cut into pieces
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 jar (14 1/2 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 can (14 1/2 oz)diced tomatoes, drained
2 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 cup mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp parmesan cheese

heat oven to 375. Cook pasta, adding spinach to boiling water for last 1 min.
cook and stir chicken and basil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 3 min. Add sauce and tomatoes, bring to boil. Simmer 3 min or until chicken is done. Stir in cream cheese.
Drain pasta mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Spoon into 2-qt baking dish.
Bake 20 min. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake 3 min.