Southwestern Chicken Spaghetti

1 teaspoon olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
2 cups bottled spaghetti sauce
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
12 ounces spaghetti

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook about 5 minutes. Stir in sauce, beans, corn, chilies, cilantro, cumin and crushed red pepper. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Spoon sauce over spaghetti and serve.

Easy school night meal!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
6 slices swiss cheese
4 slices cooked ham
½ cup bread crumbs, seasoned

Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness. Spoon equal amounts of soup onto each piece of chicken. Place one slice of cheese and one slice of ham on top of each chicken breast. Roll up each breast and secure with a toothpick. Place in coated baking dish, and sprinkle bread crumbs over chicken. Bake about 50 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove toothpicks and serve immediately.

Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings

2 (8 count) cans crescent rolls
4 tart apples
1 cups sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter, melted
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 (12 oz) can mountain dew soda

Spray a 13X9 baking dish with cooking spray. Peel and slice apples into 16 pieces. Separate the roll dough. Roll each apple slice in 1 section of the crescent roll dough. Place rolled slices in pan. Melt butter, add sugar and pour over apples. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the top of each roll. Pour can of Mountain Dew over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

This is perfect in a #12 Dutch Oven. Put 6 coals on the bottom and 18 on the top. Cook for about 50 minutes. You can also half the recipe and cook in a #10 Dutch Oven or a 9x9 pan.

Slow Cooker Peach Crisp

3 large fresh (or frozen) peaches
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup quick oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
¼ cup butter

1. Place sliced peaches in bottom of slow cooker.
2. In a medium bowl combine the flour, oatmeal, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender or a fork. Mixture should be crumbly. Sprinkle over the peaches.
3. Cover the slow cooker with a paper towel. Then put the lid over the paper towel and seal the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
4. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Makes 4 servings

Easy Chocolate Cream Pie

2 pkgs. instant chocolate pudding
2 cups cold milk
whip cream
chocolate chips
chocolate or graham cracker shell

Mix milk and pudding mixture with mixer on #2 speed for 15 seconds.

Scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Mix on #4 speed for 2 minutes or until mouse or pudding is thick. Let stand for 5 minutes. Pour into pie shell  and decorate with whip topping and cover with chips.

The REAL BLT!

2 slices french bread, lightly toasted (or any kind of bread)
¼ cup mayonnaise (see recipe below)
3 slices tomato
4 slices bacon, cooked to crispy
3 butter-leaf or romaine lettuce leaves
salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Mayonnaise
2 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1½ Tbsp. chopped chives
1½ Tbsp. chopped parsley
1½ Tbsp. chopped tarragon

Blend in food processor or magic bullet. Keeps in fridge for months.

Spread plenty of mayonnaise on both pieces of bread. Layer the bacon tomato and lettuce between the two slices of bread. Cut diagonally for ease in eating

Strawberry Spinach Salad

1 lbs baby spinach cleaned
12 strawberries sliced
½ c toasted almonds
8 oz soft goat cheese
½ c panko bread crumbs (found in Asian section)

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:
2 c balsamic vinegar
4 c canola oil
½ c honey
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Combine balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon, garlic and salt and pepper in blender. Blend on high for 2 minutes, slow add oil while blending on high until emulsified (about 5 minutes.)
Prepare goat cheese using a piece of plastic wrap, create a log from the soft goat cheese. Remove from plastic wrap and roll in panko bread crumbs until coated. Cut into 1/2 slices.
Toss baby spinach with balsamic vinaigrette. Top with almonds, sliced strawberries, and goat cheese slices. Serves 4.