Chicken Divan

    This has been a family favorite for awhile now, but due to the fact that I have to make homemade cream of mushroom soup, it doesn't get made very often. Six large servings, all major food groups, and a creamy sauce make this dish a winner all around.

Original recipe credit: www.passionatehomemaking.com

yield: 6 servings

a bunch of broccoli (4 cups chopped?)

3 cups cooked brown rice

3 cups shredded chicken

2 10-oz. cans cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbsp curry powder

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup grated cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Lightly steam broccoli, 5-7 minutes or until a fork just goes through when poked.

3. In a large bowl combine soup, mayonnaise, curry powder, and lemon juice, stirring well to combine.

4. Coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Layer rice, then broccoli, then chicken, then soup mixture, spreading evenly. Sprinkle the top with cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until it starts to bubble.

Spiced Chicken

This is one of my favorite quick chicken recipes. It's super simple, super quick, and super delicious.

yield: 4 servings

2 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tsp olive oil

1. Combine paprika through red pepper in a shallow dish.
2. Pound chicken to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle paprika mixture on both sides of chicken.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done.

Enchiladas

After tweaking a friend's enchilada recipe to our own tastes and to what's available here, I present you with the recipe that has overtaken my husband's 38-year-long love affair with spaghetti. This is now his favorite meal.

yield: 6 servings

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp oregano

12 taco-sized tortillas

3 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

4 oz. can diced green chiles

1 cup shredded cheddar

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. In a large bowl combine chicken, cream cheese, cumin, chili powder, and oregano. Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture, roll up, and place seam side down in a 9 x 13-inch pan.

3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking together until smooth. Cook 2-3 minutes or until it begins to thicken and becomes bubbly. Stir in the sour cream or plain yogurt and chiles.

4. Pour sauce evenly over prepared tortillas. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until sauce bubbles.

Chocolate Peanut-Butter Banana Popsicles

Oh yum. I've been perfecting some popsicle recipes over the summer, so here's our first winner!

yield: 6 pops

1 cup whole milk

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 ripe bananas

2 Tbsp cocoa

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

dash of salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender; pour into popsicle molds. Freeze.

Vanilla-Butter Cookies

These cookies are so yummy...they're perfectly sweet, light, and have a touch of almond flavoring in them. They're a great choice for someone who's not a chocolate-lover!

yield: 3 dozen cookies
Original recipe credit: Cooking Light

2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 Tbsp light-colored corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 egg
1 cup white flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add corn syrup, vanilla and almond extracts, and egg; beat well. In a small bowl, combine flours, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed until well blended.
3. Drop dough by tablespoon-fulls 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Flatten the cookies with a fork in a criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375° for 8 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Remove cookies from pan and cool completely.

Soaked Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Original recipe credit: How Sweet It Is

1 cup oats

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Combine oats and buttermilk in a medium bowl, stirring well to coat all oats. Let sit overnight, 12-24 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 350°.

3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add in egg, vanilla, and buttermilk mixture, stirring well to combine. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir well; add into buttermilk mixture, mixing well. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean (minus chocolate chip smears). Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool at least 20 more minutes before serving.

Honey Sauced Chicken (Crockpot Recipe)

Mmm. I found this recipe on Pinterest and thought it sounded good (and easy). Now we have a new addition into the Scarbrough dinner rotation. A little sweet, a little tangy, this dish is extremely easy and fast to prepare.

Yield: 4 servings

Original recipe credit: mmm...cafe

4 chicken breasts

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp ketchup

1 Tbsp onion flakes

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of chicken; put into crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces; return to crockpot. Toss chicken well in sauce. Serve over rice.

Baked Oatmeal

I originally found this recipe floating around on Pinterest and have made it a few times, modifying it each time (because the original calls for 3/4 cup sugar and it's only like 4 servings!). I've finally gotten it to a place where we still think it's great, and it's plenty sweet. Try your oatmeal this way...it's a bit hit around here!

Yield: 4 servings

Original recipe credit: On The Eastern Journey

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 cups oats

2 cups chopped fruit of your choice (we like either apples or pears)

1/2 cup of raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and next 6 ingredients (through cinnamon). Stir in oats, fruit, and raisins or cranberries. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.