Corn and Green Chile Rice

INGREDIENTS
1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
2 cups water
1 cup cottage cheese
1 (11-oz.) can Green Giant® Mexicorn® Whole Kernel Corn, Red and Green Peppers
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1 (4.5-oz.) can Old El Paso® Chopped Green Chiles
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Mexican cheese blend

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook rice in water as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2-quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine cooked rice and all remaining ingredients except Mexican cheese blend; mix well. Pour into sprayed casserole. Sprinkle with cheese.
3. Bake at 350°F. for 30 to 35 minutes or until casserole is thoroughly heated and cheese is melted.

PHILADELPHIA 3-STEP Lemon Cheesecake Bars

1-1/2 cups soft coconut macaroon cookie crumbs
2 Tbsp. margarine, melted
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. imitation vanilla
2 eggs

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix crumbs and margarine. Press firmly onto bottom of greased 8-inch square baking pan.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Pour over crust.

BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Cut into bars to serve. Store leftover bars in refrigerator.

Grilled Chicken and Eggplant Parm Stacks

I made these for Richard's birthday. We really liked them, but it was a lot of chicken. I would say go with really thin chicken or one slice of chicken for each sandwich. I saw it on Rachael Ray, so this is her recipe.

Ingredients

For Stacks:
2 vine ripe tomatoes, sliced
Salt and pepper
6 large cloves garlic
1/3 cup EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus 2 tablespoons
8 small pieces chicken cutlets
1 firm, medium eggplant
8 thin slices mozzarella or smoked mozzarella
A handful of basil leaves, torn or chopped
2 handfuls of baby arugula
1/2 lemon
A wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano, for shaving
Balsamic Drizzle, option for garnish

Yields: Serves 4

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Arrange tomatoes on a rack set on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes 30 minutes.
Place crushed garlic in a small pan with 1/3 cup EVOO. Heat oil to infuse it with garlic flavor then cool.
Meanwhile, preheat a large griddle or grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat broiler to high with rack on the second slot from top of oven.
Brush chicken with garlic oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush eggplant slices with garlic oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill cutlets and eggplant 3-4 minutes on each side. Chicken should be firm and marked; eggplant should be tender and marked.

To assemble, layer eggplant and chicken with mozzarella, roast tomato slices and shaved parm. Place stacks on platter and cover with foil so cheese melts slightly.
Meanwhile, dress basil and arugula with lemon juice and a drizzle of EVOO, salt and pepper, combine with lots of shaved Parm cheese. Serve stacks with basil-arugula salad.

Here is the link:
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/grilled-chicken-and-eggplant-parm-stacks-sesame-garlic-green-beans/

Fish Tacos

The kids weren't huge fans of these, they had cereal, but we liked them and I will make them again.


1 1/4 lbs frozen cod or haddock fillets, thawed
1 lime cut in half, divided (I got the lime juice and used that)
1 pkg (12 count) taco shells
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup mango or peach salsa (not the regular kid or it will not taste right)
1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced


Heat oven to 425 F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil, I sprayed it with Pam as well, and place fish on it. Season both sides of the fillets with salt, pepper, and the juice from 1/2 lime. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes; you will know the fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

Shortly after you put the fish in the oven, start heating up the taco shells- check the box for exact instructions. Fill the shells with fish, lettuce, salsa, and avocado. Squeeze the rest of the lime over tacos right before serving for a quick flavor boost.

Best Ever Banana Bread

3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 softened butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3-4 medium
1/2 cup buttermilk (I use the powered-mix according to directions)
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired
1 large jar stage 3 baby bananas

Heat oven to 350. Grease bottoms only of 2 8X4 loaf pans or 1 9X5.
In large bowl, mix sugar and butter. Add eggs, bananas, baby bananas, buttermilk and vanilla; beat with electric mixer until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda, and nuts just until moistened. Pour into pans.
Bake 8 inch loaves 1 hour, 9 inch loaf 1 1/4 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans to cooling rack.

Spaghetti pie

1 pound hamburger

Onion

Spaghetti noodles

2 eggs

Butter

Parmesan cheese

Cottage cheese

Spaghetti sauce

Mozzarella cheese


Cook hamburger and onion together, drain. Boil spaghetti noodles- drain and put into a 9x13 pan that had been sprayed with Pam. Stir 2 eggs, 2 Tbsp butter and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese together. Stir this mixture into noodles while the noodles are still hot. Put container of cottage cheese on top of noodles- spread. Top this with spaghetti sauce. Top this with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Bake uncover at 350 for 30 minutes.

Here we go

So I have been trying to decide if I was going to start thiis blog or not and I decided why not. I have been trying to get my recipes in order and trying to get back into my weekly planning. In the process of typing out my recipes to put into a book, I decided why not put one here a week. I know that we all run into what to make and I hope this helps you to find more things you will like to make. Now having said this I will only put recipes on here that I have made and will make again. If anyone else would like to be a part of this let me know and I will add you. I will try to post one recipe a week. Here's to cooking!