Chicken Tikka Masala

1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (If you no-likey spicy, cut it down to 1/2 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and refrigerate for one hour. Grill or cook chicken in frying pan. Discard marinade.

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped (again...leave out if you don't want it too spicy)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for one minute. Season with cumin, paprika and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over hot rice.

I first experienced this recipe when a friend made it for a few of us. I couldn't really appreciate it because all I could taste was my mouth lighting on fire because it was soooo spicy. I tasted a milder version of it at an Indian restaurant and fell in love with it. So here it is... when I make it I leave out the jalapeno peppers and cut back on the cayanne pepper. Also, the first time I made it I thought that it was a little too cuminy, so I cut it in half the second time I made it.

Southwest Barbeque Chicken Wraps

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs cooked chicken, shredded or diced
• 1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed, or canned corn, drained
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 4 leaves romaine lettuce
• 4 10-inch whole-wheat tortillas
• 2 limes, cut in wedges

PREPARATION

1. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 
2. Add chicken, barbecue sauce, beans, corn and sour cream;
3.  stir to combine. Cook until hot, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Assemble the wraps by placing a lettuce leaf in the center of each tortilla and topping with one-fourth of the chicken mixture; roll as you would a burrito. Slice in half diagonally and serve warm, with lime wedges.

This meal was ridiculously easy and good.  We put some shredded cheddar cheese on our wraps.  Next time I think I'll add some diced onions too, because we love onions and they would be good in this. 

Tomato Breads Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups soft bread cubes (2 to 3 slices)
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup cooked vegetables (peas, green beans, mixed, etc.)
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups cooked cubed chicken
• 1 large tomato, sliced

Directions:

Combine bread cubes with melted butter and cheese; arrange half of mixture in a buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole. Spread vegetables over the bread mixture.

Sauté chopped onion in remaining 3 tablespoons butter until tender. Blend in flour and seasonings; cook, stirring, until flour is blended into butter. Gradually add milk, stirring and cooking until thickened and bubbling. Stir in cooked cubed chicken. Pour chicken in sauce over the vegetables in casserole; arrange tomatoes slices over sauce then top with remaining bread mixture. Bake at 325° for 25 to 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly and lightly browned.


This was a pretty simple recipe that was really good.  The original name was "Chicken Casserole" but we re-named it to "Tomato Breads Casserole" because it just fit better.

Creamy Shrimp Alfredo with Tomato Basil

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1  rib celery, finely chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 clove(s) garlic, finely chopped
• 1 can(s) (13 3/4-ounce) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 jar(s) Bertolli® Tomato & Basil Sauce
• 1 jar(s) Bertolli® Creamy Alfredo Sauce
• 1 pound(s) uncooked fresh or frozen medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Hot pepper sauce to taste
• 1 box(es) (16-ounce) fettuccine, cooked and drained

---

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and cook onion, celery, red pepper, and garlic 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in sauces. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Stir in shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Stir in hot pepper sauce. Serve shrimp mixture over hot fettuccine.

I didn't make this recipe with the shrimp because I thought that Kyle doesn't like Shrimp.  I guess he does so next time we'll try it with the shrimp, or maybe chicken.  Kyle really liked this recipe.  He said we should definitely make it again. 

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup flour
• 7 cups milk
• 4 large baking potatoes, baked, cooled, peeled and cubed, about 4 cups
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 10 to 12 strips bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
• 1 1/4 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot over low heat, melt butter. Stir in flour; stir until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened. Add potatoes and onions. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until soup begins to bubble. Reduce heat; simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; stir until cheese is melted. Serve baked potato soup immediately.
This baked potato soup recipe serves 6 to 8.

Pumpkin Pie Icecream

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of salt

Directions:  Put the pumpkin, sugar, spices and salt in a blender.  Puree until smooth.  Slowly add the cream a little at a time, pulsing after each addition.  Chill for 15 mins.  Churn in ice cream machine for 20-25 min, or until it has an icecream like texture.

When I made this last year I also added bits of broken up graham crackers to represent the pie crust before i chilled it.

Country Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves
2/3 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 Tablespoons oil
4-5 cups mushrooms
2/3 cup half and half, cream, or milk

In a 2 quart pot, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in broth until smooth.  Add salt, pepper and bay leaves. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, in another saucepan, saute the celery and onion in the oil until tender.  Add the mushrooms and stir until tender.  Add to the broth mixture; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.  Add cream/milk and heat through.  Discard bay leaves.

The key to liking this recipe is liking mushrooms.  However, my mom isn't a big mushroom eater and she still likes this a lot.  The thing about this recipe is that it doesn't make very much it seems, so if your going to feed a lot of people with it, maybe double it. When my mom would make it growing up it would serve 4.