Satay Chicken Pasta

This recipe is from Pampered Chef and is actually supposed to be a pasta salad; but I prefer it warm. However, I'm sure it would be great either way; it is very delicious - and that is all thanks to the sauce!


Ingredients:
8 oz uncooked bow tie pasta
1 cup lite Asian vinaigrette salad dressing
2 tbsp Asian Seasoning Mix (or see substitute at the bottom)
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 medium carrots, peeled
1 medium red bell pepper
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts (we just used chopped peanuts from the cooking aisle and garnished at the end - I did enjoy the peanuts; MS didn't)
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil (again, we garnished at the end; and chopped maybe 1/4 cup)
3 cups diced cooked chicken (about 1 lb)
Additional chopped peanuts (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and wait till everything else is cooked before transferring to a mixing bowl to mix with all other ingredients.


2. For the dressing, combine vinaigrette, seasoning mix and peanut butter in a small bowl; mix well using a whisk and set aside.



3. Cut carrots into julienne strips; cut bell pepper lengthwise. I bought a pre-package of chopped veggies at the supermarket for $3.99 and it was perfect. It had red, yellow and green peppers; carrots already julienned; mushrooms; onions; broccoli; cauliflower and we added a handful of sweet peas - cause at that point, why not! We both love stir frys - and it was so great to have everything pre-chopped - it really helped to cut a corner and we both enjoyed all the veggies in this dish even though it would be fine without them as well - just use what you like!



4. Cook the chicken and then add the veggies to the mix until they are cooked - I like mine a little crunchy in a dish like this; but MS prefers them cooked well. Again, do this step however you like. I added a little salt and pepper as I was cooking the chicken and EVOO.



5. Next you are going to add the noodles to a mixing bowl then add the chicken/vegetables and dressing to mix well. As your mixing it is easy to judge how much dressing you should add; we didn't end up using it all but it was close. Then we garnished the tops of our serving with chopped peanuts and chopped basil.



Yield: 6 servings (8 cups)

Nutrients per serving: (about 1 1/2 cups): Calories 450, Total Fat 16 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 60 mg, Carbohydrate 45 g, Protein 31 g, Sodium 750 mg, Fiber 3 g

Cook's Tip: If desired, 2 garlic cloves, pressed (we finely chopped) and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper can be substituted for the Asian Seasoning Mix.

Greek Stuffed Pork Loin

I came up with this recipe on the fly. Pork loins were on sale at the grocery store and I was craving Greek food. I was pleasantly surprised with how well it turned out and how my family gobble it up. I would make it again for sure, it's simple enough for a dinner any day of the week and fancy enough for company! Using two pork loins for this recipe gives us enough for our family to have dinner (2 adults, 2 kids) and have enough left over for a man sized lunch the next day.

The Grocery List

• 2 pork loins
• salt and pepper
  
• 4 jarred roasted red pepper halves (cut into strips)
• 1 package of precooked bacon strips
  
• 1 1/2 cups grated feta cheese
• 6 tbsp Greek style salad dressing
• wooden or metal skewers (if you are using wood, soak them in water for 10 mins prior to use)

Cooking it all Up:

Pound the pork loins to 1/2 inch thickness using your kitchen hammer and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Layer bacon, roasted red peppers and feta onto the pork loins (spread the ingredients evenly between the two).
Fold the pork loin over and secure with skewers. Place in a greased baking dish.

Sprinkle the Greek salad dressing over top of the meat.
Bake uncovered at 350 for 40 minutes or until pork is fully cooked.

Oven BBQ Chicken

This is one of my husbands favorite recipes. I stole it from my mom! This recipe is easily doubled or tripled and freezes really well for a quick weeknight meal.

The Grocery List

• Family pack of chicken thighs (approx. 16-18 pieces)
• 2/3 cup of ketchup
• 1/2 cup chili sauce
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• 2 oz white vinegar
• 1/3 bottle of HP sauce
• 10-12 shakes of Worcestershire
  
• 2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 cup of brown sugar
  

Cooking it Up

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in the chicken thighs. Cook for 8-10 minutes. (this is a step that I have skipped but I find when I do the sauce gets watery instead of staying nice and thick, so although it's an extra step, I recommend you do it).

Mix all of the rest of the ingredients in a large casserole dish.
Drain the chicken and shake off excess water. Drop the chicken into the sauce.
Cook at 325 for 2 hours.