Tortellini Soup

This is a recipe from Parenting Magazine a few years back... we all like it, and I feel like it has some much needed nutritional value to it.

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
½ large sweet red pepper, chopped
½ cup diced baby carrots (about 8)
4 cups chicken broth
¼ tsp. garlic powder
9 oz package cheese tortellini, fresh or frozen
3 cups baby spinach (about half a 5 oz bag), stems removed

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven coated with cooking spray, sauté chopped pepper and carrots over medium high heat for 5 minutes, or until tender.
2. Add broth and garlic powder; raise heat and boil about 5 minutes; add tortellini. Reduce heat to low; simmer about 7 minutes (9 or 10 if using frozen pasta), or until tender. Add spinach, stir until wilted, and serve.

Kid Friendly Chicken Pizzas

These are so easy and my kids actually eat them, which is miraculous.

Breaded chicken patties
Favorite Spaghetti Sauce
Fresh, Gourmet Mozzarella, sliced in small chunks

Cook according to package, remove halfway, flip, then add sauce and cheese. (You can substitute with shredded mozz. cheese).

For kids cut into four "pizza slices." For adults serve alongside a salad.

Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs

2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c. dark brown sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. salad oil
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16 oz.) can pineapple chunks
Fresh Green Pepper, sliced into 1 inch pieces
Grape tomatoes (optional)

Cut chicken into 1 inch chunks. Prepare marinade: Combine brown sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, oil, ginger and garlic. Stir in chicken. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or more, stirring often.

30 minutes before serving: Thread meat, pineapple chunks, and green peppers alternately on 12 inch skewer. Broil or grill for 15 minutes or longer, depending on taste and doneness. Basting occasionally, turning once.

****(If you want to simplify, I use the Teriyaki breasts from Costco... It tastes great and they are precooked.)

Strawberry Spinach Salad

The wonderful taste of strawberries, poppy seeds, and spinach all come together in this lovely salad dressed with a sweet, poppy seed dressing.

Prep Time:	15m
Ready in:	15m

Ingredients
	1 bunch spinach, rinsed 10 large strawberries, sliced 1/2 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup white wine vinegar 1 cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix the spinach and strawberries.
2. In a blender, place the sugar, salt, vinegar, and oil, and blend until smooth. Stir in the poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

Chicken Nuggets

This is from Jessica Seinfield's cookbook "Deceptively Delicious". A good way to sneak some veggies in!

Ingredients:
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
- 1 Tbsp grated parmesan
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 cup pureed broccoli OR spinach OR sweet potato OR beets
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or tenders, rinsed, dried, and cut into small chunks
- 1/2 tsp salt
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl, mix well
2. In a shallow bowl, mix the vegetable puree and egg with a fork and set the bowl next to the breadcrumb mixture
3. Sprinkle the chicken chunks with the salt. Dip into egg mixture and then toss them into the bread crumbs until completely coated
4. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil. Place the chicken nuggets in the skillet in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan, and cook until crisp and golden on one side, 3-4 minutes. Then turn and cook until the chicken is cooked through, golden brown, and crisp all over (4-5 minutes longer). Serve warm.

Baked Ziti

Your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 box ziti pasta, cooked
1 lb. Ground sausage, or beef
1 Can diced tomatoes
8 oz. ricotta cheese
8 oz. sliced mozzarella cheese
Season to taste with basil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, Rosemary

Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Brown meat, and then add onion to sauté. Mix pasta, meat, onions, tomatoes, spices and ricotta cheese in a medium bowl. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 8 x 12 baking dish, prepare bottom with a thin layer of spaghetti sauce. Dump contents of bowl over sauce. Lay mozzarella cheese on top, drizzle with 2 T. spaghetti sauce to keep cheese from burning. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, remove foil and bake 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Poppy Seed Chicken

3 or 4 pre-cooked chicken breasts, sliced into small chunks, you can you the canned kind, but fresh is better
-Lay on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan

2 cans Cream of chicken soup
-layer on top of chicken

1 package crushed ritz crackers
-sprinkle on top of soup layer

Poppy Seeds
-Sprinkle desired amount evenly on top of crackers

3/4 cube of butter
-melt and pour on top

Bake 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes. This recipe halves easily.

Penne with 5 Cheeses

Kosher salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup crushed tomatoes in thick tomato puree
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
(1 1/2 ounces) 1/2 cup shredded imported Italian fontina
(1 1/2 ounces) 1/4 cup crumbled Italian Gorgonzola
(1 1/2 ounces) 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 pound imported penne rigate pasta
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil in a stockpot. Combine all the ingredients except the penne and butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Drop the penne into the boiling water and parboil for 4 minutes. Drain well in a colander and add to the ingredients in the mixing bowl, tossing to combine. Divide the pasta mixture among 6 shallow ceramic gratin dishes (1 1/2 to 2 cup capacity). Dot with the butter and bake until bubbly and brown on top, 7 to 10 minutes.

This isn't a light dish but oh so yummy on one of those comfort food kind of days!