Man-Pleasing Chicken

Preheat oven to 425ºF.  

Mix together 1/2 cup of Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of maple syrup (not pancake syrup), and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar. 


Put chicken tenderloins or breasts in oven-proof baking dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Pour maple mustard mixture over them, turning the chicken in the mixture so they are fully coated.

Bake in oven until a meat thermometer reads 165ºF.  Approx. 25-30 for tenderloins.  Baste the tops of the chicken with more sauce half way through baking. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon extra sauce over chicken, and sprinkle fresh rosemary on top.


Frozen Mamas:
Thaw chicken and sauce.  Follow above instructions 

Crockpot potatoes and sausage

In a crockpot add the box of scalloped potatoes and seasoning, cream of mushroom soup, sausage and 1 soup can of water and 1 soup can if milk. Stir together and cook on low for 2-3 hours. 5 minutes before serving add the frozen peas and heat until they are warm.

You can cook peas separately if your family prefers or add more milk for a soup like consistency.

Minestrone soup

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-oz) can kidney beans
1 (15-oz) can garbanzo beans
2 carrots, peeled & chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
2t-1T italian seasoning
1 tsp minced garlic
2 bay leaves
salt & ground pepper
1 medium zucchini
1 cup macaroni

Combine all ingredients EXCEPT the pasta in a slow cooker & simmer on low for 8-10 hours or on high 3-4 hours.  Add pasta for final 30 minutes.

Frozen mamas: same as above.  Adjust seasoning to your tastes. 

Additions we like: browned italian sausage, red pepper flakes, kale, extra garlic, parmesan ... just about anything!

Spicy BBQ Meatballs

Meatballs
Sweet baby rays BBQ sauce
Crushed red peppers

Put meatballs and BBQ sauce and sprinkle with crushed red peppers amount your family desires. Cook on low for expended time in crockpot or you can cook in oven too!

Chicken/Salsa Dip

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (I used 3 from a Costco pack because some are so large!)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 jar any salsa
8oz. Cream cheese

Directions:

Add the first four ingredients to a crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  A half hour before serving add the cream cheese.  Stir mixture and shred chicken before serving with chips, rice, or as a filling in tortillas.

Frozen Mamas:

Put bag one in crockpot, cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Add bag two (cream cheese) a half hour before serving.  Stir mixture and shred chicken before serving with provided chips, as a filling for tortillas or over rice.

Recipe from Karen Nicholson

Cheese Tortellini with Lemon Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1  pound  fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
• 1/2 zuchini sliced
• 4  tablespoons  (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 sliced mushrooms
• • 1 beefsteak tomato coarsely chopped
  1  lemon's worth of zest and juice
• salt and black pepper
• 
  
• Directions
• Cook the tortellini according to the package directions.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vegetables and cook, tossing occasionally, until they begin to soften, 5 to 8 minutes more.
• Add the tortellini, lemon zest and juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to the skillet and toss to combine.
• 
  
• Frozen Mamas
• Defrost the vegetables/butter/lemon packet. They are all together in one ziploc bag. Keep tortellini frozen.
• • Cook the tortellini according to the package directions.
  • Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vegetables and cook, tossing occasionally, until they begin to soften, 5 to 8 minutes more.
  • Add the drained tortellini and lemon packet to the vegetables and toss to combine.