Tomato and Basil Bruschetta

Source: Me

Ingredients:

• Italian or French Bread
• Salt
• Pepper
• Basil
• Olive Oil
• Petite Diced Tomatoes
  

Directions: 

1. Slice bread to desired thickness. I sliced mine approximately 1/2" thick.
2. Brush olive oil on bread.
   
3. In a bowl mix tomatoes,  salt, pepper and basil.
   
4. Spoon tomato mixture onto bread.
   
5. Cook in an oven (I used a convection toaster oven) for approximately 15 minutes, or until slightly browned.
   
6. Serve as an appetizer, or side dish with pasta.
   

Review:

Delicious! Easy to make, and a welcome change from garlic bread or buttered bread with dinner.

Chicken and Egg Noodle Casserole

Source: GroupRecipes.com

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1/3 bag of Egg Noodles
• 4 tbsp. Unsalted Margarine (I use Fleischmann's)
  
• 2 Chicken Tenderloins/1 Chicken Breast
  
• 2 Carrots, shredded
  
• Assorted vegetables (beans, peas, etc.)
• 4 tbsp. Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Pepper
• 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup (approx.) Bread Crumbs (I use 4C Salt Free Seasoned Bread Crumbs. They have to be the Salt Free ones, as the regular 4C Bread Crumbs have cheese).
  

Directions: 

1. Cook noodles in lightly salted boiling water.  Drain and set aside.
2. Dice chicken into chunks, then fully cook.
   
3. Melt butter in a large skillet.
4. Add grated carrots and vegetable(s).
5. Cook until tender, and until the vegetables have soaked up most of the butter.
6. Stir in flour, salt and pepper.
7. Add chicken broth and stir until bubbly and thick.
8. Add chicken and noodles, and stir until they are coated.
9. Spoon into a baking dish.
10. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top.
11. Bake at 400° for about 20-25 minutes, or until the top has browned slightly and the casserole is bubbly.
    

Our Reviews:

Shelley: So good, and relatively easy to make. I'm glad I finally found a noodle casserole without cream of something soup in it!


Ryan: Really good and really filling.

Chocolate Cake Balls

Source: Beantown Baker

Ingredients: 

• 1 Box of Cake Mix (I used Chocolate Duncan Hines) **Most Duncan Hines cake mixes are dairy free**
• 1 Container of Frosting (I used Chocolate Duncan Hines) **Most Duncan Hines frosting is dairy free**
•  28 oz. Baker's Chocolate Baking Squares
• Vegetable Oil
  

Directions: 

1. Prepare cake according to directions on box, including baking the cake.
2. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, dump it in a power mixer bowl, along with the entire container of frosting.
3. Mix the cake and frosting until they are completely blended.
4. Form small balls (I used a melon baller), and place on wax paper in the freezer.
5. Melt Baker's chocolate.
6. Dip cake balls in chocolate and refrigerate until serving.
   

Review:

They were amazing! Perfect amount of chocolate! My only complaint was that they took a long time to make (just forming the balls took forever!), and I was a little messy with the melted chocolate. My husband thought they tasted similar to fudge.  He suggested adding peanut butter next time. I also think they'd be really good with different cake flavors such as lemon or strawberry.

Adding some vegetable oil to the chocolate as it is melting thins the chocolate, making it easier (and neater) to dip the cake balls in. The finished product has a slightly thinner chocolate coating, but they aren't messy, use less baker's chocolate, and are quicker!

Chicken and Summer Squash Skillet

Source: Suite 101

Ingredients: (amounts depend on amount of chicken... I just eyeballed the amounts myself)

• Chicken breasts or tenderloins
• Salt
• Pepper
• Paprika
• Olive Oil
• Chicken Broth
• Zucchini (I omitted)
• Yellow Summer Squash
•  Basil

Directions: 

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and paprika.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet until medium hot.
3. Cook chicken in oil until brown on both sides.
4. Reduce heat to low, add chicken broth, cover and let simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
5. While chicken is simmering, cut squash into small cubes (about 1/2").
6. Add squash to chicken pan.  Sprinkle with basil, then cover for approximately 5 minutes (or until squash is cooked to desired texture).
   

Review:

Chicken and summer squash are two of my favorite foods, so needless to say, this meal went over really well. I usually steam summer squash, but my steamer is no longer useable, so I needed to find a new way to prepare squash. I found this recipe, and it was so fast and easy.