Mediterranean Chicken with Parmesan Couscous

I found this recipe online and it exceeded my expectations after a few changes by me of course!  It is a great, quick, and easy chicken dish.  It has a little kick to it, so beware if you aren't a fan of spicy.  It is also my first time having couscous and it went very well with this dish.

Mediterranean Chicken with Parmesan Couscous

1/3 c grated romano cheese
1/4 c panko bread crumbs
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp paprika
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 chicken breasts
1/4 c Greek nonfat yogurt
1 pkg parmesan couscous
Mix first 6 ingredients in medium sized bowl.  Place yogurt in another medium sized bowl.  Dip chicken in yogurt, turning to coat.  Then dip chicken in bread crumb mixture, turning to coat.  Place a small amount of olive oil in a skillet (enough to cover the bottom) and turn heat to medium.  Cook chicken in skillet until no longer pink inside, about 7-10 minutes on each side.  Meanwhile, cook couscous according to package instructions.  Serve over couscous with a vegetable of your choice.  Serves 4.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Rolls

These make a great sweet treat or breakfast pastry!  I've even cut them smaller and shaped them to look like little diapers before for a baby shower.  They are even delicious left-over out of the refrigerator.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Rolls

1 pkg crescent rolls
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 c blueberries
Preheat over to 375 degrees.  Unroll dough into 4 rectangles.  Combine cream cheese and sugar, spread onto rectangles.  Top with blueberries.  Fold over and press corners together to seal.  Place on ungreased baking sheet, bake 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned.  Serve warm then refrigerate left-overs.



Chocolate Pie

I made this Chocolate Pie for my sister-in-law's birthday.  It is rich, but so delicious!  It requires you to make your own whipped cream...but don't be frightened away by that.  It was a lot easier than I expected it to be, and it ended up being very good!

Chocolate Pie

5 Hershey's chocolate bars
8 squares caramel
5 marshmellows
2 c heavy whipping cream
1 prepared chocolate cookie pie crust
In microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate, caramel, marshmellows, and 1/3 c whipping cream.  Microwave on high about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth.  Allow chocolate mixture to cool.  In medium bowl, add 2/3 c whipping cream.  Place bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice water.  With cold mixer whisks, beat cream on low 30 seconds.  Increase speed to medium once you see bubbles, beat 30 seconds.  Increase speed to high until cream is whipped and peaks begin to form.  Keep whipped cream cold until ready to use.  Once chocolate mixture is cool, fold in whipped cream.  Mix until smooth, pour into crust.  Refrigerate overnight.  Whip remaining 1 c cream for topping, add sugar to taste.

Chicken Divan

This is another delicious recipe from my mother-in-law.  It's an easy weeknight meal!

Chicken Divan

3 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 10-oz package frozen chopped broccoli
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 c mayo
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
Boil chicken and cut into small pieces.  Steam broccoli, drain.  Place broccoli in bottom of 2 qt glass baking dish.  Add chicken on top.  Mix cream of chicken soup, mayo, lemon juice, and spices.  Spread over chicken.  Top with sharp cheddar cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This delicious pumpkin cake recipe is from my mother-in-law.  I always look forward to the fall so I can make this cake...it's so moist!

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 c oil
2 c sugar
2 c canned pumpkin
4 eggs
2 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 stick butter, softened
3 tbsp milk
1 3/4 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9x13 cake pan.  Mix first 9 ingredients with hand mixer until smooth.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick inserted into cake comes out almost clean.  Allow cake to cool completely before icing.  For icing, mix cream cheese, butter, milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla with hand mixer until smooth.  Ice cake and immediately refrigerate.  In the Nelson family, we top with sprinkles.  Keep cake refrigerated.

Crock Pot Swiss Steak

This is a great slow cooker recipe that you can make the night before and cook all day.  It's wonderful for a busy night of running around.  Serve with rice or pasta and broccoli.

Slow Cooker Swiss Steak

2 lb eye round chuck roast
1/4 cup A1 steak sauce
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained (I used basil, oregano, & garlic flavored)
1 small onion, chopped
Cut roast into 1 inch cubes.  Place in slow cooker, toss with A1 steak sauce.  Top with tomatoes and onion.  Cook on low 9 hours or on high 4-5 hours.  Serve over rice or pasta.  (You can put this together the night before and refrigerate.)

Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta

This is another great shrimp recipe that's really quick and pretty easy.  Brent and I had never had shrimp scampi before, so we weren't sure how it was supposed to look, but it was really good!  

Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 stick butter
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
8 oz whole grain angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
In a medium saucepan, melt butter with mustard, garlic, parsley, and lemon juice.  Place shrimp in shallow baking dish (I used a pie plate).  Once butter is melted, pour sauce over shrimp.  Bake at 450 degrees for 9-10 minutes or until shrimp is done.  Serve over angel hair pasta.  I served with sauteed squash as a side dish.