Chicken and Spinach Pasta

Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
6 ounces uncooked egg noodles
1 T olive oil
¼ Cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
1 pkg. (10oz) frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (3/4 lb.), cooked and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can ( 4 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 C. (8 oz) shredded Swiss cheese
1 container (8 oz) sour cream
¾ C. half and half
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ t. salt
Red onion and fresh spinach for garnish

Preheat to 350. Prep noodles according to pkg directions. Spray 13x9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook and stir 2 minutes or until onion is tender. Add spinach, chicken, mushrooms and cooked noodles; stir to combine.
Combine cheese, sour cream, half & half, eggs, salt in medium bowl; blend well.
Add cheese mixture to chicken mixture; stir to combine. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake, covered, 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with red onion and fresh spinach, if desired.

Garlic Buttered Sliced Steak with Peppers & Onions

Servings: 4

Prep/Cook time: 20 minutes

I cut this recipe in half and it is plenty for just the two of us, even for Clinton :) Once you get the hang of this recipe, you'll be able to make it very quickly. It's one of our favorites!

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large yellow skinned onionsm thinly sliced
2 roasted red peppers, drained well and thinly sliced
Salt and pepper (I substituted this for steak seasoning)
A generous handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
4 (1-inch) thick slices from a round loaf of bread, from the center of the loaf
4 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 (12 ounce) NY strip steaks


Preheat broiler. Heat a large skillet or a cast iron griddle to high.

Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, then add onions and roasted peppers, season with salt and pepper and cook gently until soft but not caramelized, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in parsley.

Toast the bread under broiler and reserve.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat, add garlic. Remove pan from the heat and set aside until the steaks are cooked.

Season 1 side of the steaks with salt and pepper and place seasoned side down in the hot skillet or griddle.. Cook 3 minutes until the meat can be moved easily. Season the reverse side of meat. Flip steaks, reduce heat to medium and cook 6 to 7 minutes for medium rare, 8 to 10 for just pink. Remove meat and let rest a few minutes.

Slice steaks 1/4-inch thick against the grain. Pile onions over toast, top with sliced steak, and spoon garlic butter down over the top of each portion.

Asian Beef & Broccoli Noodles

Servings: 4

Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes

8 oz. lingiune, uncooked

3 cups broccoli florets

3 carrots peeled, sliced (about 2 cups)

2 tsp. oil

1 lb. beef sirloin steak, cut into strips

1/4 cup Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing (I added a little more to taste)

1 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce (I added a little more to taste)

Cook pasta as directed, adding vegetables to the boiling water for the last 2 minutes of the pasta cooking time.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet. Add meat and cook until browned (about 4 minutes). Stir in dressing and teriyaki sauce. Cook 2 more minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta. Add all together and toss to coat.

*Recipe from Kraft Food & Family magazine.

Grape Salad

This dish is so delicious, it could be a dessert!

Grape Salad Ingredients:
2 lbs green seedless grapes
2 lbs red seedless grapes
8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, to taste

Topping Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar, packed, to taste
1 cup crushed pecan, to taste

Wash and stem grapes. Set aside.
Mix sour cream, cream cheese, white sugar and vanilla by hand until blended.
Stir grapes into mixture, and pour in large serving bowl.
For topping: Combine brown sugar, and crushed pecans.
Sprinkle over top of grapes to cover completely. Chill overnight.

Corn and Cucumber Salad

Servings: 4
Prep/Cook Time: 5 minutes

This cold salad is a Cordell family classic.

2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 cucumbers, diced
1/2 cup onions, diced
½ c. sugar
½ c. vinegar
½ c. Italian dressing

Mix sugar, vinegar, Italian dressing, cucumbers, and onions well and add to corn. Refrigerate.

Raspberry Sweet Tea

2 tea bags

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup raspberry juice (or any juice you like)

Boil tea bags in water. Remove tea bags. Melt sugar in tea. Pour into pitcher. Add juice, and fill rest with water.

Chicken Salad

Serves 4

Prep/Cook Time: 10 minutes

Chicken Salad

2 cups pre-cooked chicken, diced

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

1\2 cup seedless grapes, sliced

2 green onions, thinly sliced (include some of the green part)

1 rib celery, thinly sliced

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. honey (I added a little more)

Salt and pepper to taste. (Can substitue seasoned salt for salt)

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, mayonnaise, sour cream, grapes, green onions, and walnuts. Drizzle the honey and lemon juice over the chicken, and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste until thoroughly blended. Can be served on lettuce leaves, or in croissant or sandwich rolls.

Mexican-style Pork Chops

Serves 4

Prep/Cook time: 20 min.

Don't let all the ingredients fool you...this recipe is super easy!

Pork Chops:

2 lb. pork tenderloin

- cut to approx. 1 inch thickness (or buy thin cut)

In a shallow bowl pour:

- 1 1/2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Combine the following in a separate shallow bowl:

- 1 c. finely crushed tortilla chips (either blue, yellow, or both)

- 1 Tbsp. pepper

- 1/2 tsp. chili powder

- 1/2 tsp. salt

- 1/4 tsp. ground cumin

- Cilantro to taste

Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil in large skillet on medium heat.

Dredge pork chops in oil and then in chip mixture covering pork chop thoroughly. Cook pork chops on medium heat 6 minutes on each side or until done. Serve/Top with Pico de Gallo.

Pico de Gallo

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 meium ripe avocado, diced

1/4 c. diced white onion

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (I omitted this)

2 Tbsp. lime juice

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

Toss together first 6 ingredients in a medium bow. Cover and chill 1 hour. Season with salt to taste.

*recipe from Southernliving.com