Meditteranean Pasta

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com.

1 (8 oz.) package linguine pasta

3 slices bacon

1 lb. boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and diced

salt to taste

1 (14.5 oz.) can peeled and diced tomatoes with juice

1/4 tsp. dried rosemary

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

2/3 cup pitted black olives

1 (6 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown, drain, crumble and set aside. (You may also use already cooked bacon if you want)

Season chicken with salt. Stir chicken with bacon in a large skillet or saucepan. Add tomatoes and rosemary, and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in feta cheese, olives and artichoke hearts and cook until heated through. Toss with fresh cooked pasta and serve warm. Garnish with extra feta if desired.

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

I got this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, it is SO good!

1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained well

1 can mandarin oranges, drained well

2 - 3 ripe kiwi, peeled, and cut into thick half moons

1 cup green or purple grapes, halved

1 cup strawberries, quartered

zest from 1 lime, about 1 Tblsp.

2 Tblsp. honey

1 tsp. poppyseeds (optional)

Combine the fruit in a medium-large serving bowl. Add the lime zest, and poppyseeds, if using, and gently toss. Drizzle the honey over the fruit, and again, gently mix until fruit is evenly coated with the honey. Serve.

If not serving this salad immediately, don't put the strawberries in. They will stain all the other fruit red. The salad can be made ahead of time, just don't add the strawberries until right before serving.

Personal Pizzas

The kids had so much fun making their pizzas...the trick was to keep little hands from eating it all before we cooked them!

This is yet another picky eater recipe, my kids had so much fun doing this, and, in my opinion, these are much better than the kind you make with biscuits!

Rhodes frozen dinner rolls

cornmeal

Pizza sauce (I used tomato sauce seasoned with Italian seasoning)

toppings of your choice, which might include:

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Shredded cheddar cheese

Canadian bacon

Pineapple tidbits

Pepperoni slices

Chopped olives

Sliced mushrooms

Cooked Italian sausage

Diced green peppers

Shredded chicken

BBQ sauce

Onions

Set out the rolls a couple hours ahead of time to begin thawing (You can also quick thaw

them in the microwave, just be careful not to cook them). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. The dough should be pliable but still cold. Smash the dough flat on a plate and then let the children stretch each piece out into a wide circle or whatever shapes they like.

Set out all the toppings so the children can put the sauce on, then the cheese, then whatever else they want. Place 1/2 cup of cornmeal on a baking stone or cookie sheet. Spread to cover pan. Place pizzas atop the cornmeal on the stone or the cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until dough is lightly browned on edges. Serve, then start all over again until everyone is full.

Enchilada Casserole

This is another recipe from the 52 weeks of recipes for picky kids...our whole family really likes this!! I make the entire recipe, but I freeze half of the meat mixture and half of the sour cream mixture and only make 6 enchiladas, because they are huge! Even with only half the recipe, we can usually eat it for two meals.

1 cup sour cream

2 (10.75 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup

1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped green chilies

1 can olives, sliced

1 lb. ground beef

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 large yellow or sweet onion, chopped

1 (16 oz.) can refried beans

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1 Tblsp. cumin

1/2 cup fresh, chopped cilantro leaves

1 (10 oz.) can enchilada sauce

12 10" flour tortillas

1 pound mild cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sour cream, soup, green chilies, and olives in a large bowl; set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion, beans, garlic, oregano, basil, cumin, and fresh cilantro. Pour 1/2 of the enchilada sauce in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish; set aside. Fill the tortillas with 1 large tablespoon sour cream mixture, 1 large tablespoon meat mixture, and a handful of cheese. Fill all 12 tortillas and fold in sides. Roll up and place, seam side down, in casserole dish. Put remaining sour cream mixture on top of filled tortillas and the rest of the enchilada sauce. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 35 minutes.

Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup

This is supposed to be a copycat recipe...I've never had Panera's soup, so I have no idea if it tastes the same, but it is good.

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

1/4 cup minced onion

1/2 tsp. seasoning salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper (original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp.)

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp.)

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, cut into small chunks

Combine broth, potatoes, onions, and spices.

Boil on medium heat until potatoes are tender.

Smash a few of the potatoes to release their starch for thickening.

Reduce to low heat and add cream cheese.

Heat, stirring frequently, until cheese melts. Serve.

Potato Logs

3 large (or 5 small) russet potatoes

1 Tblsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1 tsp. parsley flakes

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scrub, but don't peel, potatoes. Cut into thin wedges. Pour vegetable oil in 1 Ziploc bag. In a second Ziploc bag, combine seasoned salt, parsley flakes, garlic salt, and Parmesan cheese. Put a handful of potatoes into the sack with oil and shake to coat lightly. Transfer potatoes to the spice mixture and shake well. Place on a cookie sheet that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 45 minutes, until softened, browned, and crispy. Serve with sour cream or ketchup.

Finger-Lickin' Good

I got this recipe out of this recipe book called 52 weeks of recipes for picky kids ($4.99 at Seagull Book), and my kids LOVED it.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 (10-12 oz.) bag plain, BBQ, or sour cream and onion potato chips (I used BBQ)

1 egg

2 Tblsp. milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the chicken into finger-sized pieces. Fill a large Ziploc bag with the potato chips. Seal the bag and crush the chips very small with the back of a wooden spoon.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg and then add to the Ziploc bag and shake to coat. Remove chicken from the bag and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time. Serve with BBQ sauce, salsa, or honey mustard.