Recipes -

Baked Ranch Chicken

• 6 - 8 boneless chicken breasts

• 1 package dry ranch dip/dressing mix

• 1 cup fine unseasoned bread crumbs

• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

• 1/2 cup milk

Combine ranch dip mix, bread crumbs and cheese and toss. Dip chicken breasts in milk and then into bread crumb mixture. Place in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish that has been coated with non-stick spray and bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes.
   
The Skinny: Use skinless chicken breasts and low fat cheese. For those of you that might not know, Monterey Jack is a white American cheese with a creamy texture and smooth taste. If you cannot find Monterey Jack then use mozzarella or Swiss,
   
 

Tri-Color Pasta Salad

• 16 oz. tri-color rotini pasta

• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced

• 1 tomato, diced

• 1/2 cup black olives, sliced

• 1 green or red pepper, seeded, and diced

• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Cook pasta until "al dente" and allow to cool. Combine pasta, cucumber, tomato, black olives, pepper and green onion and toss. Combine mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar and mix well. Pour over salad and toss. Chill before serving. You may make more dressing if you prefer to have more on your salad.

Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

• 1 cup butter

• 2 tsp. flour

• 24 oz. evaporated milk

• 2 cups fresh grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 Tsp. chopped parsley

• 2/3 cup cooked bacon pieces (you can use the real bacon pieces in the jar, not fake bacon bits, or cook your own)

Melt butter in pan, add flour and cook for 5 minutes. Slowly add evaporated milk stirring constantly with slotted spoon or whisk. Add cheese and parsley while stirring. Add bacon and serve over cooked angel hair pasta or fettuccine.

Meatloaf

• 1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 cup crushed crackers (Ritz)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup catsup, divided
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine beef, cracker crumbs, onion, egg, milk, 1/4 cup catsup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper; mix thoroughly. In a shallow baking pan, shape into loaf. Spread remaining catsup over top.

2. Cover and bake at 350º for 30 minutes. Drain off fat and continue baking, uncovered, 30 minutes longer. Yield: 6 servings.

Rice Pudding

• 3 cups milk

• 1/2 cup uncooked rice

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1 Tbsp. butter

• 1 6-oz. package instant vanilla pudding

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of milk to a boil, stir in rice, raisins and butter. Cover and cook until milk is absorbed. Combine pudding and 2 cups of milk along with cinnamon and nutmeg and stir until mixture thickens. Add to rice and raisin mixture. Spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve warm or chilled.

Chocolate Cheesecake

• 1 - 9 inch deep dish chocolate pie crust

• 4 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened

• 4 eggs

• 1 and 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 1/2 tsp. almond extract

• 2 cups sour cream

• 12 oz. chocolate chips, melted

Beat cream cheese together with eggs, slowly add sugar and remaining 4 ingredients and mix well. Pour into piecrust and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. You may use a regular deep dish piecrust instead of the chocolate if you prefer. If you have some extra time and would like to make you own pie crust, take 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (regular or chocolate) crushed and combine with 4 Tbsp. melted butter and 4 Tbsp. sugar. Press into a 9 inch spring form pan to form the crust. Everybody loves cheesecake and this recipe tastes like the real thing....moist and creamy and rich.