Chicken Rigatoni

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, in pieces
olive oil
garlic
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 jar alfredo sauce, Five Brothers brand
1 chicken bouillon cube
6 hot cherry pepper slices
1 lb rigatoni, cooked
Romano cheese, grated

Saute the chicken in olive oil and garlic. Be generous with the garlic. When chicken is done, pour in the spaghetti sauce and alfredo sauce, chicken bouillon cube, chopped cherry pepper slices (or 1 1/2 to 2 whole hot cherry peppers, cut up, seeds removed). Simmer 1/2 hour. Add the sauce to cooked rigatoni, coating pasta well. Pour into a large baking pan and top with grated Romano cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Chicken Pandora

1/2 c red wine vinegar
1/2 c olive oil, plus 1 T
1/2 c fresh oregano
1 head fresh garlic, peeled and pureed
salt and pepper
3 bay leaves
1 c black olives, halved
5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
3/4 c brown sugar
1 c red wine
8 shallots
1 T butter
1 c sun-dried tomatoes, halved
1 can artichoke hearts, drained

In a 9×13 baking dish, mis the vinegar, 1/2 c olive oil, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and olives. Add the chicken breasts and marinate, covered with foil, in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, sprinkle the brown sugar and red wine over the top and bake, covered, for one hour in a 350 oven.

Cool. Remove the chicken breasts and cut into bite-sized chunks and return to the baking dish.

In a frying pan, saute the shallots in butter and remaining 1T of olive oil over med-high heat. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the artichoke hearts. Pour this mixture over the chicken and reheat in a 350 oven for 15-20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Serve with saffron rice (Carolina brand is great), a green salad, and a good bottle of red wine.

Cheesy Potatoes

1 lb hash browns, frozen
1 lb sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pkg shredded cheddar cheese
1 stick butter
1/2 onion–chopped
salt and pepper
Cornflakes

Combine all ingredients and top with a layer of crushed cornflakes in a 9×13 pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for an hour and a half. Continue to bake until nice and bubbly and top is browned slightly. It is better to overbake a bit to ensure that the flavors have mixed throughout the pan.

ALPO Dip

8 oz cream cheese
1 can turkey chili with beans, Hormel brand
1 large packet cheddar cheese, shredded, Mexican style

In a microwaveable pie pan, spread the entire tub of cream cheese evenly on the bottom. Pour can of chili over cream cheese and cover with cheese. Microwave on high for 4-7 minutes until cheese is melted and chili is steaming. Serve with tostada chips for dipping!

8 oz cream cheese

1 can turkey chili with beans, Hormel brand

1 large packet cheddar cheese, shredded, Mexican style

 

In a microwaveable pie pan, spread the entire tub of cream cheese evenly on the bottom. Pour can of chili over cream cheese and cover with cheese. Microwave on high for 4-7 minutes until cheese is melted and chili is steaming. Serve with tostada chips for dipping!

People Puppy Chow

1 package chocolate chips
1 ½ c creamy peanut butter
½ c margarine
9 c Crispex cereal
2 pounds powdered sugar

In saucepan, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter, and margarine. Pour over cereal in a large mixing bowl. Stir gently but thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Pour onto waxed paper and wait 15 minutes for it to dry a little. Place mixture into a plastic bag that contains  the powdered sugar. Close tightly and shake. Chow will break up into bite-size pieces.

Mini Crab Cakes

½ c butter, softened
1 ½ t mayonnaise
1 can crab meat, flaked and drained
1 jar processed American cheese spread, old English style
1 ½ t garlic powder
6 english muffins

Combine first five ingredients until creamy and spread on muffins. Freeze on cookie sheet until hard and then cut into fourths. Can keep them frozen in ziplocks until needed. Broil until golden brown.

Strawberry Chicken Salad

½ c strawberry jam
½ c mayonnaise
10 oz canned chicken, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
½ c walnuts, in pieces
4 c lettuce in bite-sized pieces
½ c fresh strawberries, hulled

In large mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise and jam. Mix well. Add chicken, celery, and walnuts. Stir gently. Place lettuce in individual salad bowls. Top with an equal amount of chicken mixture and garnish with the fresh berries.

Notes: The canned chicken was surprisingly good the one time that I tried it. Otherwise, I’ve used about 1 ½ c home-cooked chicken in place of it.

Pan-Fried Walleye with Capers

½ c flour
Salt and pepper
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
4 6-oz walleye pike fillets
¼ c capers, drained
1 lemon

Combine flour and salt and pepper to taste. Dredge fish. Heat butter and oil until sizzling, sauté fish three minutes. Turn fillets and top with capers. Cook 2-3 minutes longer, until firm. Remove from heat. Serve with lemon juice to taste.

Notes: The Plain Dealer published this as a favorite recipe of Mrs. Voinovich, wife of our former governor. Makes a great meal with home fries and slaw.

White Chili

1 jar white beans, rinsed
48 oz chicken broth
1 T minced garlic
1 t ground cumin
1 ½ t oregano
½ t cayenne
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small can chopped green chilis
4 c cooked and diced chicken breast

In a large pot, combine all ingredients. Start on med/high heat to bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for three hours. Lid can be off and on occasionally to get desired thickness. Can add more broth if needed. Serve with sour cream and/or grated cheese on top.

Vegetable Pizza

1 package crescent roll dough
8 oz cream cheese, softened
Dry ranch dressing mix
Chopped veggies

Spread dough on sheet, pressing seams closed. Bake approximately five minutes at 375, until light brown. Mix cream cheese with a little milk to soften it. Add ranch dressing mix and spread on the warm dough. Sprinkle with chopped veggies of your choice. Cut and serve.