Garbanzo Tomato Pasta Soup

This was very easy, and very good. I used 4 cups of chicken broth to cook the noodles in, and used a little over 1 cup of sea shell pasta. I didn't have a 28 oz can of tomatoes, so I used one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, and one 14.5 oz can of Italian stewed tomatoes. I also cooked the onions and garlic in a 4 qt pot while the pasta was cooking, then added the remaining ingredients to the onions instead of to the pasta. When the pasta was done I drained about 1 cup of liquid off and then added the rest to the larger pot. It made it a little thicker. I really liked it and the kids did too. Again, not my picture they added cheese to their soup.

Garbanzo Tomato Pasta Soup

• 3 (14.5 ounce) cans vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup small seashell pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, juice reserved
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until translucent. Stir into pasta and add garbanzo beans, tomatoes, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Heat through and serve.

Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic

I made this last night. It was very easy and delicious. I just used 4 chicken tenders, and I only had 8 oz of mushrooms. Since the boys didn't want the mushroom sauce there was plenty. Sadly I also ran out of balsamic vinegar, but it was fine even with a little less. I really did use 6 cloves, and it wasn't too much. This isn't my picture, but it might as well be, we also had potato wedges and broccoli.

Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon butter
  

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Rinse the mushrooms and pat dry. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat and saute the chicken until it is nicely browned on one side (about 3 minutes).
   
2. Add the garlic. Turn the chicken breasts and scatter the mushrooms over them. Continue frying, shaking the skillet and stirring the mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the vinegar, broth, bay leaf and thyme. Cover tightly and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Set aside. Continue simmering the sauce, uncovered, over medium high heat for about 7 minutes. Swirl in the butter or margarine and discard the bay leaf. Pour this mushroom sauce mixture over the chicken and serve.

Easy Chicken with basil cream sauce

This was a very fast and tasty dish. It came from my Wymount ward cookbook. Submitted by MaryAnne U* I used two chicken breasts and a little less than 1/2 c. of Parmesan. I also used more garlic salt.

1 pkg (12 oz) bow tie pasta
1Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 c. milk
1 pkg(3 oz) cream cheese, cubed
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to pkg directions. Meanwhile, in large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt; cook 2 minutes on each side or until it is no longer pink. Add milk and heat just to boiling; stir in cream cheese and basil. Reduce heat, stirring constantly until cream cheese is completely melted and chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese. Toss hot pasta and sauce; serve immediately.

Chinese Chicken

I could have sworn I'd posted this one too. But I guess not. I am making this tonight. This is from our HP ward cookbook, submitted by Tara B. You can use a whole chicken cut up, or boneless skinless chicken breasts.

1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. margarine
1/4 c. water
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Whole fryer chicken

In a small sauce pan, combine ingredients, mix well. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Let cool for 3-4 minutes. Pour into 9x13 baking dish. Place skinned chicken, breast side down in sauce. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 F.

So easy, so good. It goes great with streamed rice or fried rice.

Cheddar biscuits

This is supposed to be similar to the one biscuits at Red Lobster. My MIL found it in the newspaper. They are very yummy, and very fattening.

2 1/2 c Bisquik
4 Tbsp cold butter
1 heaping cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 c. cold whole milk (we just used skim)
1/4 tsp garlic powder

To brush on top. Mix together:
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 400 F
Cut butter into bisquick. There should still be little clumps of butter about the size of peas. Add remaining ingredients. Mix by hand. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet - about 1/4 c. of dough per biscuit - an ice cream scoop works well. Bake 15-17 minutes until the tops are light brown, but not too dark. Brush the butter mixture over the tops.

Cream puffs

This recipe comes from my MIL's ward cookbook. It is so easy. You can fill it with pudding, for a dessert, or for a lunch or dinner- tuna or chicken salad.

1/2 c. butter
1 c. boiling water
1 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs

Add butter to boiling water; stir until butter is melted. Add flour, salt and mix together. Cook stirring vigorously, until smooth and forms a soft ball. Cool mixture slightly (2-3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time. Beat vigorously after each egg. Beat until smooth. Drop onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 F for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 325 F for 25 minutes. Cool, clean out and fill.

I tried to make mine small, but they turned out bigger than I had planned. I made 17. Random I know. I probably makes 12 huge ones, or 18 smaller ones. I filled mine with cookies and cream pudding and banana cream pudding.

Fruity swirl coffee cake

Aaron made this to take to work, but there was plenty enough for us too. It was pretty yummy. He used cherry pie filling. He made it on a 12 inch pizza pan and my 10 inch spring form pan. They were a little thick, but turned out fine. We don't have any Bisquick, but we got a recipe for that from my MIL. I'll have to post that when I find it again.

Fruity Swirl Coffee Cake

4 c. Bisquick baking mix
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
3 eggs
1 (21 oz.) can cherry, apricot, or blueberry pie filling
Glaze (below)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease jelly roll pan, 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch or 2 square pans (9 x 9 x 2 inch). Mix all ingredients, except pie filling and Glaze; beat vigorously 30 seconds. Spread 2/3 of the batter (about 2 1/2 cups) in jelly roll pan or 1/3 of the batter (about 1 1/4 cups) in each square pan. Spread pie filling over batter (filling may not cover batter completely). Drop remaining batter by tablespoons onto pie filling.

Bake until light brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Drizzle with glaze, while warm. Serve warm or cool. 18 servings.

Glaze: Beat 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk until smooth and of desired consistency.