Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

prep time : 20 minutes ...total time 1 hour  ... heat oven to 350 degrees

makes 6 serving

1-1/2 cups water

6  Tbsp. Kraft Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan  Dressing , divided

1 pkg . (10 oz) spinach leaves , stems removed , chopped

1 pkg. (6 oz) stuffing mix for chicken ( or make your own)

1/4 cup coarsely coarsely chopped roasted red peppers

6 small boneless skinless chicken  breast halves (1 - 1/2 lbs.) pounded to 1/4 inch thickness

1/2 cup  Kraft Shedded Low-Mositure Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese  (or your choice)

Bring water and 2 Tbsp. dressing to boil in large skittey on medium high heat . Stir in spinach , stuffing mix and peppers ; cover . Remove from  heat . Let stand about 5 minutes.

Spread on chicken breasts , roll  up each breast , starting at the short end ; place seam -side down  , in a 13x9 inch baking dish . Brush with remaining dressing .

Bake 35 minutes or until chicken is done (165 F). Top with cheese  ; Bake 5 minutes   or until cheese is melted .

Fast way to pound chicken breasts : Place 2 chicken breasts halves in large freezer-weight  resealable plastic bag . Pound chicken with a rolling pin or meat mallet yntil chicken is 1/4-inch thick . remove chicken from bag ; set aside , repeat with remaining chicken breasts .

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Italian Vegetable Salad

prep time ...15 minutes ...total time 2 hrs. 15 min.   

makes 6 serving ...1 cup each

1  pkg. Good  Seasons Italian  Dressing Mix ( or your favorite)

1/4 cup water plus 3 Tbsp. water

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 pkg (9 oz) refrigerated three cheese tortellini , cooked , rinsed and drained

1 small zucchini  , cut lenghtwise in half , sliced

1/2 cup chopped green bell  peppers

1/2 cup  chopped red bell peppers

1  cup  halved cherry tomatoes

2 green onions , diagonally sliced

Place dressing mix , water and vinegar in a container with a tight fitting lid , add oil ;cover , shake until well blended

Combine remaining ingrdients in large bowl . Add 1/2 cup of the dressing  ; toss lightly .cover.

Refrigate at least  1 hour . Stir before serving .

Add  a tray of bread and butter pickles and  watch your family dig in ...even the kids .

One of my family's favorite salads ...especially Dad's .



Barbeque Salmon Salad

Prep Time : 25 minutes ...Total time :4 hours

Ingredients

2  tablespoons chilli powder

1  tablespoon galic powder

1  tablespoons onion powder

3  tablespoons sugar  ( equal  sugar)

1/2  teaspoon ground  cumin

1/4  teaspoon white pepper ( black pepper)

1  tablespoon paprika

6  salmon fillets

5  tablespoons olive oil

1/2  cup v8 100 % Vegetable Juice

I  tablespoon cider vineger

1  tomato 1 pound mixed salad greens  ( lettuce)

Directions

Stir the chilli power , garlic , onion powder  , sugar , cumin , pepper  and paprika  in a small bowl . Reserve  1  1/2 tablespoons mixture for the dressing . Sprinkle the salmon with the remaining seasoning mixture . Cover the  salmon and  refrigerate for 4 hours .

Lightly oil the rack . Heat the grill on high . Brush the salmon with the 1 tablespoon oil . Grill for 8 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily when tested with a folk .

Beat the vegetable juice , vineger , tomato , remaning oil and reserved seasoning mixture in a large bowl with a folf or whisk until blended . Add the salad greens and toss to coat .

Divide the salad among 6 plates  . Top with the salmon.

When I can't grill outside , I use  the grill rack  and cook inside the oven , I put some liguid smoke in a pan of water inside the oven  350 degrees  for  15 minutes or until it flakes with a folk.

Bacon Cheese Log & Baklava



                                    Bacon Cheese Log

Prep Time : 15 minutes , plus freezing time   Serves : 12

8 -10 slices bacon

2 (8 oz) reduced -fat cream cheese

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles or 1 cup cheese

4   Tbs  green onions ,  chopped

2 cloves garlic , minced

In a skillet , cook bacon until it is crisp . Once bacon has cooled , crumble . In a medium bowl , combine cream cheese  , blue cheese , green onions and garlic . Place cream cheese mixture onto wax paper  . Roll cream cheese  to make a log and then roll log into bacon crumbles . Place wax paper and log into freezer  for one hour or until firm.

                     Baklava

Prep  Time : 45 minutes  ,  cook time : 30 minutes  : serves 14

1 (1 pound) box frozen phylio sheets

1/2  cup butter , melted

2 cups walnuts or blanched  almonds , finely chopped

1/2 cup powered sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar  ( or substitute equal)

3/4 cup honey

1 cup water

1 Tbs  lemon juice

Thaw phylio  pastry and separate sheets according to package directions . Keep pastry not being used covered with clean, damp dish towel  to keep it from drying out . Place half of pastry sheets on a greased 15x10x1 baking pan , one by one , brushing each sheet quickly  and all over with the melted butter .  Combine nuts , powered sugar  and cinnamon ; sprinkle over butter pastry . Place remaining sheets on top , brushing each with melted butter . Cut baklava pastry into 2-inch diamonds . Baked at 350*F  until brown and crisp , about 30 to 35 minutes . In a  sauce pan , combine sugar , honey , water and lemon juice ; bring to a boil .  Boil baklava syrup for about 20 minutes , stirring occasionally , until thick . Cool and pour over baklava.

It's the season to be jolly ...  PIC and I will  bring you some Holiday treats that quick and easy . We also wants to share some of our  holiday dinner recipes  ,meats , vegetables , etc ; stay tune there are a lot more to come.

Frozen Chocolate-Covered Bananas

4  ripe  medium bananas

8 wooden sticks

1 cup low-fat granola cereal without raisians

1 cup hot fudge sauce , at room temperature

1) Line baking sheet or 15  x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with wax paper ; set aside

2) Peel  bananas  ; cut each in half crosswise , insert wooden stick into center of cut end of each banana about 1- 1/2 inches  into the banana halves  , place on prepared baking sheet ; freeze until firm , at least 2 hours .

3) Place granola in large plastic food bag ; crush slightly using a rolling pin or meat mallet . Tranfer granola to shallow plate , place fudge sauce in a shallow dish .

4) working with  1 banana at a time  , place frozen banana  in fudge sauce  ; turn banana  and spread  fudge sauce evenly onto banana with a small rubber scraper . Immediately place banana on the plate with granola  ; turn to coat lightly . Return to baking sheet in freezer . repeat  with remaining bananas .

5) Freeze until fudge sauce is very firm , at least 2 hours . Place on small plates ; let stand 5 minutes before serving .

I make the treats ahead so I will always have some on hand ... my kids love sweets ,  the chocolate covered bananas are very tasty , the grown-ups likes them also .  It's a great and easy treat  for busy mothers and grandmothers.

Stay tuned ... My PIC  and I will bring you different recipes weekly , they will be healthy for your family.

Toasted Pesto Rounds

1/4  cup thinly  sliced fresh basil or frash dill

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated parmesan cheese

1 medium clove garlic , minced

3 tablespoons reduced-calorie mayonnaise

12  French bread slices , about 1/4 inch thick

4 tablespoons chopped tomato

1 green onion with top , sliced

Black pepper  to taste

1) Preheat broiler

2) Combine basil , cheese , garlic  and mayonnaise in small bowl: mix well

3) Arrange  bread slices in single layer on large nonstick baking sheet or broiler pan . Broil , 6 to 8 inches from heat , 30 to 45 seconds or until bread slices are lightly toasted

4) Turn bread slices over ; spread evenly with basil mixture ,  broil 1  minute or until lightly browned . Season to taste with pepper . Transfer to serving plate.

Pestos are easy and fast   and you can make  as many as needed  to fit the occasion  , whether it's a snack for the kids or your husbands poker party .