Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breast

MmmmMmmmm GOOD! I found this weight watchers recipe last week and decided to try it out for our Sunday dinner. Let me tell you, this recipe will be a frequent visitor at our house! We LOVED it. Hope you do, too. If not, call us and we'll eat your leftovers! I served this along with what i could find in the fridge.....zucchini and brown rice.

POINTS® Value: 5

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking Time: 20 min

Level of Difficulty: Moderate

You can stuff chicken breasts with whatever's fresh in your pantry or fridge: herbs, veggies, flavorful cheeses, capers and spices.

Ingredients
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, without oil, minced
2 oz soft-type goat cheese
1 tsp thyme, chopped
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces

1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup(s) wine, dry, white---Substitute with white grape juice, apple cider, apple juice, vegetable stock, or water. (I used chicken broth)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup fat-free chicken broth
1 tbsp canned tomato paste
1 tbsp parsley, chopped

Instructions
In a small bowl, stir together sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese and thyme.
Using a sharp paring knife, cut a horizontal slit through the thickest part of each chicken breast, creating a pocket. Be careful not to cut all the way through.
Stuff each chicken breast with 1/4 of the cheese mixture.

Season with salt and pepper and dust with flour.
Spray a large nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and warm over high heat.

Add chicken and brown well.

Remove and set aside.
Add white wine (or substitute) to pan and boil until almost all evaporated.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons chicken broth until smooth.

Whisk cornstarch mixture, remaining chicken broth and tomato paste into white wine (or substitute).

Return chicken breasts to pan.

Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Baste occasionally with sauce.

ENJOY!

MELTING CAKE

I ate this dessert almost every night on our 2 cruises. It's to die for & was by far everyone's favorite!

WARM CHOCOLATE MELTING CAKE

8 oz. dark chocolate (I use 1 1/3 C. milk choc. chips)

8 oz. butter (2 sticks)

5 eggs (room temperature)

1/2 C. sugar

2/3 C. flour

Melt chocolate & butter over low heat. In mixing bowl, mix eggs and sugar, then add flour. Slowly whisk into the melted chocolate mixture. Pour into greased ramekins. (i tried 4 oz. & 7 oz. -- 7 oz. is just too big!) Bake at 400 F for 12-14 minutes. Yield: 36 oz. unbaked batter; 8 servings if you use a 4 oz. ramekin.

Adjust times according to the size ramekin you use, and the texture you prefer. In a 4 oz. ramekin for 13 min., the texture on the inside of the cake was a little heavier than pudding, kind of like a loose fudge. Regular oven, 7 oz. size, at 400F, smooth, heavy sauce-like texture resulted after 14 min.

Serve with vanilla ice cream on the side. It's pretty rich, so that added bit of vanilla helps!

Breakfast Cassaroleo!

The Best Breakfast {or anytime} Cassarole
From Kathy Merrill
This is so dang good and EASY - you'll want to make it for
dinner too! Enjoy...Love, Mimi

10 Eggs Whipped
1 lb Shredded Jack Cheese
1 lb Cottage Cheese
2 sm cans Diced Green Chilies
1/2 cup Soft Butter
1/2 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper

Pour into sprayed 9X13 pan.
Bake 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes

Baked Potato Soup

4 Large Potatoes
2/3 C. Butter
2/3 C. flour
1 ½ Quart Milk
4 Green Onions, chopped
1 C. Sour Cream
2 C. crumbled bacon
5 oz. Grated Cheddar Cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bake the potatoes at 350°F until fork tender.

Melt butter in a suitably sized saucepan & gradually blend in the flour until thoroughly combined. Slowly add the milk to the butter/flour mixture, frequently whisking. Add the salt and freshly ground black pepper; then simmer over low heat, stirring constantly. Cut the potatoes in half, scoop out the center and set aside. Chop half of the potato peels and discard the rest. When the milk mixture is hot, whisk in the potato. Add the chopped green onions and potato peel. Whisk thoroughly, then add the sour cream and crumbled bacon and heat thoroughly. Add the grated cheddar gradually until all has melted & serve.

*Top with additional sour cream, cheese, bacon, and gr. onions as desired.

**I personally would probably omit the potato peel portion myself. Too much of a weird texture for me. But, that's just me!**

YUMMY Tomato, Corn, and Basil Soup

Tomato, Corn, and Basil Soup
Description Normally, this is a soup for summer, when you can get wonderful fresh corn and tomatoes. But the quality of the new frozen supersweet corn, both yellow and white, is very good, and canned, organic tomatoes (the Muir Glen brand especially) are very flavorful and convenient. So as long as you can get fresh basil, you can make this satisfying soup any time of year. It is very easy to do.

Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
28 ounces canned, crushed tomatoes, preferably organic (or tomatoes from my garden!)
1 cup purified water
3 cups fresh corn kernels cut from the cob, or 1 pound frozen sweet corn, preferably organic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup finely chopped fresh basil

Instructions
1. Sauté the onions in the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat until they just begin to brown. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute, stirring constantly.

2. Pour in the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they give up their juice. Cover and continue cooking about 5 minutes more.

3. Add the water and corn to the soup and cook until the corn is soft and the kernels lose their raw taste, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the basil, mix well, remove from heat, and serve immediately.

Yummy Clam Chowder for you tummy!

THis isn't exactly my favorite chowder recipe...but it's close! So good this time of year, don't you think!

Clam Chowder

Description
The two types of clam chowder are Manhattan clam chowder (with tomatoes) and New England (with milk and cream). It is simply a matter of taste as to which one you choose to make. Ideally, clam chowder should be made with fresh clams, but you also can make it with canned clams.


Ingredients
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon clarified butter or extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
3 cups purified water
1 1/2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
2 cups half-and-half or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
2 pounds fresh clams or mussels or one 16-ounce can minced clams
1 1/2 cups white wine (what can we use instead of this? I drank all mine!)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

GARNISH
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
1. Put the onions, garlic and clarified butter or olive oil in a big, heavy pot.

2. Sauté on low heat for 2 minutes. Add the celery and thyme and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle the flour on top of the vegetables.


3. Pour the water in slowly and use a whisk to break up the clumps of flour. Add the potatoes and then turn up the heat to medium-high until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat.

4. Add the half-and-half or tomatoes, depending on which style chowder you are making. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked completely.

6. Meanwhile, if you are using fresh shellfish, soak the clams or mussels in a large pot full of cold water for 5 minutes. Scrub the shells with a vegetable scrubber or the abrasive side of a clean sponge to remove any seaweed or mud.

7. Put the clams or mussels and the wine in a large, lidded pot with enough space to hold them without them being cramped.

8. Steam until the shellfish open up, about 10 minutes. Discard any shellfish that remain closed. Take the shellfish out of the pot and reserve the cooking liquid.

9. Remove the clams from their shells, setting aside a few to garnish each bowl, if you wish and add the clam meat and the reserved liquid to the rest of the soup. Cook the soup for an additional 5 minutes.

10. Season with the Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and black pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley and (optional) clams in their shells.

Tips from Rosie's Kitchen
In almost every fishing town, local restaurants serve a fish stew special. It usually is a chowder-based soup with a fresh, white fish, such as halibut, cooked in. The addition of fresh fish to clam chowder is optional, though it adds a mild, yet richer, fish taste. With or without the fresh fish, this is a full-bodied soup.

TIGER BARK

YUMMY STUFF!!! In case you don't already have this one - here you go...

1 pkg. of white chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter

Slowly melt white chocolate chips & peanut butter together. Once melted pour onto was paper that's placed on a cookie sheet. Then, slowly melt milk chocolate chips. Once melted drizzle over white chocolate mixture. Use a butter knife to swirl around to make the "tiger" effect. Place if the fridge to set. Once it's set break apart into bite-size chunks. ENJOY!!