Super Easy Mac and Cheese

Mac and Cheese is one of my all time favorite dishes. This is a super easy one that I whip together all the time. My measurements are estimates in this one...

2/3rds box of pasta
1-2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (the more the creamier)
cheese- as much or little as you would like (I use Jack)
bread crumbs (optional)

1. Bring water to a boil and cook the pasta
2. Set oven to 350
3. When pasta is cooked, drain and add cheese and soup
4. Stir together and place in baking dish
5. Add bread crumbs
6. Bake for about 20 min
7. Invite your friends and enjoy!

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Hello Everyone! This is a Vegan pumpkin pie, it tastes like pumpkin pie and was quite yummy. I make my pumpkin pie from scratch and it is much easier than you would think. Give it a try!

This is the site I got the recipe from, if you would like to check out the original thing:
http://veganconnection.com/recipes/pumpkin_pie.htm


2 c. solid-pack canned pumpkin (I used a real pumpkin)
1 c. non-dairy milk (preferably a rich soymilk)
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 T. molasses
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. EACH ground ginger, nutmeg and salt
1/4 tsp. ground allspice or cloves

To start, we have to prepare the pumpkin!
1. Cut a sweet pie pumpkin in half
2. scoop out all the seeds and the stringy stuff
3. Steam the pumpkin halves, you can cut it into smaller pieces to make it fit better
4. When the pumpkin is soft take it out and scoop the insides into a bowl.
5. Smash and blend into a liquid

Now it is time to make the pie:
1. Take pumpkin goop and blend it with all the ingredients
2. Lay crust in a pie pan and pour in mixture
3. Bake at 350 for one hour, Remove and let cool

The pie does not need to be checked since there are no eggs that need to be cooked, if I knife is inserted into it, it will not come out clean as the pie will set as it cools.

Onion Orange Chicken

This recipe was quite tasty, but it was not very filling. It is fairly easy to make

4 boneless chicken breast halves
4 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 med onion, diced
1 cup orange juice
2 tsp butter
2 tbl packed brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Place chicken in a baking dish and spread mustard evenly over each piece. Sprinkle onion over chicken, pour juice over all, place 1/2 tsp butter next to each piece of chicken. Bake uncovered for 25 min.
3.Flip chicken and sprinkle brown sugar over each piece. Cook until done 10-20 min

Chinese Chicken Salad

This is a fairly easy one and very good!

Dressing:
2 tbl brown sugar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbl sesame oil
1/4 cup veggie oil
3 tbl rice vinegar

Salad:
1 head of lettuce
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
3 green onions
shredded carrots
1 can mandarin oranges

1. Mix dressing ingredients together. Set in fridge.
2. Mix salad ingredients together. Chill in fridge for 10 min.
3. Pour dressing over salad and serve.

Cheesy Bacon Chicken

Here is one of my favorite chicken recipes of ALL time :) There are a couple of different versions out there and so this is a combination of those. There are somethings that are a must and some things that are optional. This is a very loose recipe, I don't use exact measurements for everything, use what looks good and what you think you will like. ok, here goes...

The chicken:
Feta cheese
Your favorite cheese (I use jack and mozzarella)
3-4 slices of bacon (more is always better)
3-4 chicken breasts

Sauce:
8 Tbl olive oil
2 Tsp lemon juice
4 Cloves crushed garlic
1 Tbl dried oregano

1. Slice the chicken down the middle, but don't cut all the way through the other side. A butterfly cut.
2. Cook and crumble the bacon, divide amongst the chicken breasts and stuff
3. Stuff chicken with the feta cheese and the cheese of your choice. Any extra cheese can go on top of the chicken. Use a toothpick to close the open ends of the chicken. Place in a baking dish
4. Mix together the sauce ingredients and pour over the tops of the chicken. (The sauce is optional, the chicken will be very good with or without it)
5. Bake at 350F for 30 to 35 min or until chicken is all the way done

Chocolate Apricot Cheesecake

What is for dessert on this fine day? Nothing less than chocolate apricot cheesecake! This is my version of a couple of different recipes. I used Apricot jam but strawberry, raspberry, or any other will work. Enjoy!

Here is the recipe:
Crust
about a cup of crushed chocolate gram cracker
3 Tbl melted butter
3 Tbl sugar

1. Mix all together and press into the bottom of pie pan. Refrigerate.

Batter
2 packages or 16oz. cream cheese
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 Tsp vanilla
1/2 Cup jam/preserves

1. Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time. Blend well.
2. Pour all batter, except 1/2 cup, on top of the crust
3. Add jam/preserves to remaining 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour on top of of batter. Use a knife to marble the batter.
4. Bake at 350F for 40 min.
5. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top if desired

Curried Chicken with Apple over Vermicelli

Tonight for dinner I made Curried Chicken with Apple over Vermicelli. It was a fairly good dish, everyone enjoyed it very much. I used leftover chicken and bell pepper instead of a jalapeno pepper. I think a jalapeno would have given it much more flavor. I also used half and half instead of coconut milk or heavy cream as we did not have any. I hope you enjoy this one!

Here is the recipe from Food and Wine magazine's: Quick From Scratch Pasta Cookbook

2 Tbl Cooking Oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tbl chopped fresh ginger
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
1 tbl curry powder
3/4 Cup chicken broth
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 apple peeled and cored, diced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/4 Cup unsweetened coconut milk or heavy cream
1/2 Tsp. Salt
2 Tbl chopped cilantro (optional)
1/2 pound vermicelli

1. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften. Add the garlic, ginger, and jalapeno and cook. Stir in the curry powder and then the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and let simmer. Stir in cubed chicken, let it steam in the hot broth until done (I kept it on the heat and let it simmer) Add the apple, tomatoes, coconut milk, salt, and the cilantro. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.

2. In a large pot of boiling water cook the vermicelli. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce.