Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Tonight's Sunday dinner. YUM.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

4 large chicken breasts
8 slices of deli ham
4 square slices of swiss cheese
small can of cream of chicken soup
3/4 a cup of half and half (or milk if you are healthy like Katie)
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 a package of Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing

Cut each chicken breast in half so there are 8 pieces. Place in baking dish. Top each piece with a slice of ham. Halve the slices of cheese so there are 8 pieces. Top each piece of chicken with a slice of cheese. Mix soup and half and half and pour over all. Mix broth, butter and stuffing and dump it on top. Bake, covered, at 350 for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10 minutes more.

Mac-and-Cheese Soup

This easy dish was a hit at my house last week. Plus, it had simple ingredients and cooked up in a snap. A great meal for a busy weeknight!

1 pkg (32 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth (I just used three or so teaspoons of bouillon and 4 cups of water)
6 oz. small pasta shells
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot blend
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk (skim worked fine)
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1) In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Add pasta. Return to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add vegetables. Cook until pasta and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes more.
2) Whisk flour into the milk. Stir into pasta mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Gradually add the cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Makes 6 servings. Serve with bread or toast.

Caprese Sandwiches

So, this picture did not turn out so hot, but looks can be deceiving! These were DE-licious (and quick!) and I will be making them again very soon.

Caprese Sanwiches

1 loaf ciabatta bread
a few thick slices of mozzarella (fresh if you can find it)
2 heirloom tomatoes
1/4 C. basil pesto

Slice open ciabatta, slather on the pesto (both sides), layer tomatoes and cheese. Cook in skillet as you would a grilled cheese sandwich. I did mine in a couple tablespoons olive oil and used a heavy pot to press it down while it cooked. YUM.

Watermelon with Lime

Ok so this isn't so much of a recipe as it is a serving suggestion. When preparing watermelon, simply squeeze a couple of limes over the cut up fruit per your taste. It's a tasty way to add a little zing! to your watermelon.

Pasta With Cream Red Sauce

This is Annie Javadi's recipe from the blue UOP cookbook (with a couple of minor variations) and our current favorite fast fix. I love this meal because the ingredients are simple, and I pretty much always have them on hand, which is great for the times you haven't been able to get to the store (like me who hasn't shopped since I got back in town.) The easy cream sauce gives the dish a velvety texture and the fam just gobbles it up. Try it if you haven't already- it's delish!

1 bag of egg noodles (you can use any noodles)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (straight from the freezer works)
1 tsp minced garlic from the jar
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I use a three cheese type)
1/2 spaghetti sauce jar full of milk
1 C. sour cream (light is fine)
Parmesan cheese to taste (grated or fresh)

Boil chicken in water with the garlic until no longer pink. Cube and set aside. Meanwhile cook egg noodles and drain. In another pan combine spaghetti sauce and milk and bring to a boil. Add the sour cream and cook until creamy and fairly thick. Add chicken. Either add in the noodles and serve together or serve the chicken sauce on individual beds of noodles. Top with parmesan cheese. Yummy!