Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

Ingredients

* 1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
* 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
* 1 cup shredded mozzarella
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup bread crumbs
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
* 1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Sweet & Savory Pork Chops

Ingredients:

graham cracker crumbs
Coffee Mates french vanilla
1.5 lbs. pork sirloin chops, thin
*2 flat dishes for dredging

Preheat oven to *400.

Coat chops in graham cracker crumbs, then dip into vanilla, then again into graham cracker crumbs. Place on greased pan. Cook for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Navajo Tacos

Ingredients:
1 pkg. Rhodes rolls
veggie oil
1 lbs. ground hamburger/turkey/chicken
1 pkg. taco seasoning

Toppings:
shredded cheese
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes
diced sweet onions
sliced olives
sour cream

Set your rolls out first thing in the morning. Make sure they are well covered!

In a medium skillet, brown meat. Add taco seasoning. In at least a 4 inch pan or dutch-oven, add veggie oil; about 1 inch deep. Turn stove to med-high. Flatten your rolls, then with tongs, lay them in the oil. They should immediately be covered with small bubbles (that's how you know your oil is ready). Flip over when golden brown. Place on paper towels.

I like to set my topping out in small bowls along the counter and let my kids do their own! There is no right or wrong way to layer; just enjoy!

Flank Steak

Ingredients:

1 flank steak
1 bottle marinade (pineapple teriyaki, sesame ginger, e.t.c.)
salt & pepper to taste
1 large gallon baggie

I like to marinade my steak for at least a full 24 hrs. if not a full 48 at all possible. Put the steak in the baggie and then add 1/2 the marinade. Let sit in refrigerator, turning every 4-6 hours. Set oven to broil; set steak on broiler pan. Add salt and pepper. Put in oven for 5-6 minutes on each side. Brush on extra marinade. Cut against grain.

Every Sunday Pot Roast

Ingredients

1 (3-4 lbs.) boneless chuck roast
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. veggie oil
1 T. beef bouillon granules
1 c. thinly sliced onion wedges
3 cloves garlic, crushed (or 3 T. minced garlic)
2 bay leaves
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c. red wine (optional)
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. cornstarch (optional)
1/4 c. cold water (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.
Rub roast with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet and brown roast, searing it on both sides. Place meat in a roaster pan. Sprinkle bouillon granules over meat, and cover it with onions, garlic, and bay leaves. Combine mushroom soup, wine, Worcestershire sauce, and half a soup can of water, and pour over roast. Cover and bake 2 - 2.5 hours, or until tender.
Remove and discard bay leaves. If gravy is not thick enough, remove meat from pan and pour gravy into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and thicken it by adding cornstarch mixed with cold water, stirring constantly!

ENJOY!

Chicken Popovers

4 cooked shredded chicken breasts (boil until cooked through and shred in food processor)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. softened cream cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 pkgs. Pillsbury croissant rolls

Mix chicken, 1 can of soup and cream cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread on rolls. Wrap. Preheat oven to 350. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Cook for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Make soup with 1/2 can of milk. Serve cream of chicken soup as gravy over popovers.

My Favorite Baked Spaghetti

2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans (15 & 8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 pkgs. (7 oz. each) uncooked spaghetti
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cups small-curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 T. minced chives
1/4 cup bread cumbs
1.5 tsp. butter, melted

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomato sauce, garlic powder and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 min., stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to pkg directions; drain.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream and chives; beat well. Place half of the spaghetti in a greased 4-qt. baking dish. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over top. Layer with remaining spaghetti and all of the beef mixture.
Toss bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over the top. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 min. Uncover; bake 5-10 min. longer until heated through.