MEXICAN GRILLED CHICKEN WRAP

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled, chopped

1 1/2 cups coleslaw blend (cabbage slaw mix)

1 tsp chilli powder

1 Tbsp lime juice

1/4 cup Ranch dressing

1/2 cup Mexican style finely shredded four cheese

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

4 whole wheat tortillas (10")

1/2 cup salsa

1/4 cup sour cream

Heat grill to medium heat

Combine first 7 ingredients.

Spoon chicken mixture down centres of tortillas. Fold in sides of tortillas, then roll up burrito-sytle. Secure with toothpicks, if desired.

Grill, seam-sides down, 8-9 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides, turning occasionally. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Kraft Foods recipe.

ASIAN CHICKEN WRAPS

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 small red pepper, chopped

One 8 oz pkg (225 g) Philadelphia cream cheese, cubed

4 cups coleslaw blend (cabbage slaw mix)

1/2 cup Kraft Light Asian Toasted Sesame dressing

1/3 cup lightly salted peanuts - optional

4 flour tortillas (12") warmed

Cook and stir chicken and peppers in large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat 6-8 minutes or until chicken is done. Add cream cheese; cook 2 minutes or until melted, stirring frequently.

Toss coleslaw blend with dressing in large bowl. Add chicken mixture and nuts; mix lightly.

Spoon chicken mixture down centres of tortillas; roll up. Cut in half.

Serves 4

Kraft Foods recipe

ANCIENT CHINESE SECRET, HUH?

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1" cubes

1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

1 cup trimmed and halved snow peas

1 cup thinly sliced sweet red pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp grated ginger root

3 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain white rice

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp honey

2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine chicken and five-spiced powder in a large bowl. Toss or stir to coat chicken evenly with spice.

Spray a large saucepan with nonstick spray. Add chicken and cook over medium-high heat; stirring often, until no longer pink.

Add snow peas, red pepper, garlic, and ginger root. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, until liquid is absorbed by rice and chicken is very tender.

Makes 4 servings.

Looneyspoons by Janet & Greta Podleski.

TEX-MEX LASAGNA

3/4 cup bottled salsa

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

410 g can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

226 g can no-salt added tomato sauce

Cooking spray

6 precooked lasagna noodles

1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed

425 g can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups preshredded reduced-at 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Combine first 4 ingredients; spread 2/3 cup sauce in bottom of an 8" square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce, top with 1/2 cup corn and half of beans. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese; top with 2/3 cup sauce. Repeat layers once; top with remaining 2 noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Top with 1 cup cheese. Cover; bake at 450F for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings (one 4"square per serving).

Cooking Light's Easy Winter Recipes, Winter 2011

BAKED SHRIMP WITH FETA

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

500-750 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Cooking spray

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup prechopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tbsp bottled clam juice

1 Tbsp white wine

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

410 g can diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 450F.

Combine lemon juice and shrimp in a large bowl; toss well. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add onion to pan, saute 1 minute. Add garlic; saute for 1 minute. Add clam juice, wine, oregano, pepper, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp mixture. Place mixture in an 11x17-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cheese evenly over mixture. Bake at 450F for 12 minutes or until shrimp are done and cheese melts. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings (1 cup per serving).

Serve with Orzo (rice-shaped pasta).

Cook 1 cup orzo pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; toss orzo with 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Cooking Light's Easy Winter Recipes, Winter 2011

JAMBALAYA WITH SHRIMP AND SAUSAGE

Traditionally Jambalaya, a Creole dish, is made with rice, shrimp & sausage, but feel free to change this recipe to your tastes.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 Tbsp minced garlic

170 g sausage, sliced

1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1 bay leaf

2 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup water

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce

410 g can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

250 g peeled and deveined medium shrimp

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and sausage; saute 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add rice and next 7 ingredients (through bay leaf); cook 2 minutes. Add broth, water, tomato paste, pepper sauce, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Add shrimp, cook 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

Yield: 4 servings (1 1/2 cups per serving).

Cooking Light's Easy Winter Recipes, Winter 2011

RASPBERRY-CREAM CHEESE BROWNIES

Filling:

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup fat-free cream cheese, softened

2 tsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg white

Brownies:

Cooking spray

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 Tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 large egg whites

3 Tbsp raspberry preserves

Preheat oven to 350F.

To prepare filling, place the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Set aside.

To prepare brownies, coat the bottom of an 8" square metal baking pan with cooking spray (do not coat the sides of the pan).

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knifew. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Combine 1 cup sugar and the next 6 ingredients (through egg whites), stirring well with a whisk. Add to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Spread 2/3 of batter in bottom of prepared pan. Pour filling over batter, spreading evenly. Carefully drop the remaining batter and raspberry preserves by spoonfuls over filling, and swirl together using the tip of a knife to marble.

Bake at 350F for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centre comes out almost clean.

Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 16 servings.

Cooking Light's Easy Winter Recipes, Winter 2011

Green-eyed Monster Finger Cookies

This recipe won FIRST PRIZE at www.easy-kids-recipes.com during Halloween Baking Contest 2010

Serve up a sweet treat for Halloween. The kids will love these "bloody" green monster fingers.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter or margarine (room temperature)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
green food coloring
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
shredded coconut
whole raw almonds
dark red jam (strawberry or raspberry)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C) degrees.

2. Cream butter and sugar together for about 35 to 40 seconds. Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, chopped nuts, and green food coloring and mix well.

3. In separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt.

4. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and stir to blend well.

5. Shape dough into 3 - 4 inch rolls, with one side tapered.

6. Place whole almond at pointed tip of roll for fingernail.

7. Use knife to put 3 small slits in finger underneath the fingernail.

8. Press a small indent with your thumb into center of roll for a knuckle. Add shredded coconut into indented knuckle area.

9. Place fingers on ungreased baking sheet 1 - 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes or until coconut is toasted and cookie is slightly browned.

10. Let cool.

11. Prepare jam. For best results, use a dark red "thinner" jam. If thick, warm jam slightly until it liquefies. Spoon jam over cookie for "blood" effect.

FOIL PACKED CHICKEN DINNER

4 small boneless chicken breasts

2 tsp taco seasoning

2 cups potatoes, peeled & sliced

1/2 cup salsa

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 400F. Sprinkle chicken with seasoning mix. Place 1/2 cup potatoes on centre of each of 4 large sheets of heavy foil (sprayed). Top with chicken, salsa and cheese.

Bring up foil sides, double fold top & ends.

Place on 15 x 10 baking pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until chicken is cooked; remove from oven. Let stand for a few minutes.

Optional: serve with sour cream.

Kraft Canada recipe.

RUBY RED BELLINI PUNCH

2 cups raspberries

4 cups grapefruit juice

1.5 litres gingerale or club soda

1 can raspberry concentrate cocktail

Mix. Serve.

Serves 16

Optional: add grapes, blueberries or watermelon

BANANA BREAD

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 large eggs

2 cups mashed overripe bananas

1 1/2 cups flour

1/3 tsp baking soda

2/3 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cream together the butter and the sugar until well-mixed. Add the honey and beat until light and smooth.

Add eggs, one at a time, until mixed. Add the mashed bananas, then mix thoroughly.

Sift together the remaining dry ingredients and combine into the mashed banana mixture.

Butter a 12x5-inch loaf tin and pour in the batter. Bake for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

(I added a sprinkle each of cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves to the mixture before baking.)

Recipe found in West Jet's airline magazine, December 2010.

PULLED PORK (OR BEEF)

Round of pork or beef (for 4-6 servings)

1 can Dr. Pepper or rootbeer

Barbeque sauce: equivalent measurement to can of rootbeer or Dr. Pepper

Place in crock pot, put on low for 8 hours.

Pull apart the meat with 2 forks.

Simmer meat for 1 hour.

Serve alone, as a side dish or on a sandwich.

I got this recipe from one of the gals from work but I haven't tried it yet. (I wrote her recipe on a paper napkin so I had to add it to the blog before I lost the napkin.)

Apple & Potato Soup

Ingredients

Soup:4 Tablespoons butter 2 Leeks (white part only) , cleaned and sliced 5 cups tart Apples, peeled, cored, and chopped 6 cups Chicken Stock 2 cups Potatoes, peeled and chopped 1 cup heavy Cream 2 teaspoons apple brandy 1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon Salt, to taste White Pepper, to taste

Garnish:2 tart Apples, peeled, cored, and diced 2 Tablespoons Butter

Method 

Soup:

Saute the leeks in the butter over medium heat, covered, for 3-4 minutes. Add the apples and cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, coating them well with the butter. Pour in the stock, add the potatoes, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

When the apples and potato are soft, carefully puree in a blender, solids first, until smooth. Return to the saucepan and stir in the heavy cream, brandy, and cinnamon. Stir well, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Refrigerate until cold. Adjust salt, pepper and cinnamon to taste. (If serving warm, skip this step.)

When ready to serve, (warm or cold) ladle into soup bowls and top with the apple garnish.

Garnish

Saute the diced apples in the butter for 4 or 5 minutes, then let drain on paper towels until you are ready to serve.