Lasagna Florentine in the Crock Pot

Caesar Salad

Ingredients:
Barilla square lasagna noodles, or lasagna noodles cut into pieces to fit crockpot
2 cooked and chopped chicken breasts
1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen spinach
1 chopped onion
1 cup grated Mozzarella
2 cans cream of chicken soup
8 oz. non fat sour cream
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Mix
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Cooking spray
1 heart of romaine, chopped
Garlic croutons
Caesar Salad Dressing homemade

Preparation:
Spray the crock pot with cooking spray.
Defrost the spinach and squeeze the liquid out using a colander.
Stir together the soup, the sour cream, the ranch mix, the onion, the spinach, and the chicken.
Lay two lasagna noodles on the bottom of the crock pot.
Spread 1/4 of the mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the Mozzarella.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the mixture and cheese are gone. You will have 4 layers.
Sprinkle the top with 1/2 the Parmesan cheese. Save the rest of the Parmesan to use at the dinner table.
Cover and cook on low 8 hours.

Just before dinner, toss the romaine lettuce with the croutons. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Toss with just enough Caesar dressing to coat the lettuce.

Cranberry Chicken Over Rice

Winter Squash

This was an experimental recipe, and it turned out to be one of my family’s favorites. The mix of the Catalina dressing and the cranberries makes a nice contrast. Once it's in the oven, you can put your feet up while it bakes.

Ingredients:
1 large winter squash or 2 small ones
Salt and pepper
4 bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed
1 can of whole cranberries
1 small bottle of Catalina dressing
1 packet of French Onion Soup mix
2 cups of brown rice
2 tsp olive oil

Preparation:
Cut the winter squash into pieces. Place fleshy side down in ¼ inch of water in a baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Put the chicken in a baking dish.
Stir together the cranberries, the dressing, and the soup mix.
Pour the mixture over the chicken.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Boil 4 cups of water.
Brown the rice in 2 tsp of olive oil.
Stir the rice into the water and reduce to a simmer.
Cook for 30 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork.
Scrape the squash out of the shell. Lightly mash with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the chicken over the rice with the squash as a side dish.

Hearty Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon

Chopped Salad



Ingredients:
1 lb elbow macaroni
½ lb cheddar cheese
½ lb cooked bacon, chopped (I buy the microwave bacon in a box)
4 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ cup half and half
½ head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 cup of spinach, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 hard boiled egg, chopped
1 avocado, diced
1 can of black olives, sliced
Italian dressing

Preparation:
Toss the chopped lettuce and spinach with 2 Tbsp Italian dressing.
Place the lettuce in a bowl and layer the chopped ingredients on top.
Boil water and cook the macaroni according to the package directions.
While the macaroni cooks, melt the butter in a pan.
Add the flour to the melted butter, then the salt and pepper. Gradually stir in the cream until the sauce becomes thin enough to stir easily. You may need to add a touch more cream.
Stir in the cheese until melted.
Drain the macaroni. Stir the macaroni, green onions, and bacon into the cheese sauce.
Serve immediately while hot.

Dinner Magic Menus September Week 4

Dinner Magic Menus September Week 4

Speedy Taco Dinner in a Dish

Crispy Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard
Parley Potato Fans
Green Beans
Orange Slices

Pork Chops in the Crock
Parley Carrots and New Potatoes
Baked Apple Wedges

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken
Caesar Salad

Easy Cioppino
Baked Bread
Wedge Salad

Polenta with Grilled Veggies and Sausage

Beef and Mushroom Risotto
Tossed Dinner Salad


Click here for the Dinner Magic Shopping List for September Week 4.

Mexican Spicy Wraps

Tossed Salad
Pineapple Yogurt Dessert

This is another satisfying dinner that can be ready in 15 minutes. The yogurt dessert is refreshing after the spicy main dish. It can be prepared even more quickly if one person makes the salad and dessert while another cooks the chicken. Togetherness is what it's all about!

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast tenderloins
1 red onion, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 lb raw spinach
½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Burrito size tortillas, whole wheat, spinach, or jalapeno
½ head of iceberg lettuce
¼ cup grated carrots
1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
Salad dressing of your choice
1 small can chopped pineapple
2 cups vanilla yogurt

Preparation:
Place the pineapple in the freezer to chill while dinner is cooking.
Toss the salad ingredients in a bowl.
Fry the chicken and onion in the olive oil and seasonings. Remove from the pan.
Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.
Put the chicken back into the pan with the spinach and sauté until the spinach is wilted.
Place some of the chicken and spinach in a tortilla, top with a sprinkling of cheese, and roll up into a burrito.
Stir the chilled pineapple into the yogurt.
Serve the Spicy Mexican Wraps with the salad.
Have the Pineapple Yogurt for dessert.

Shrimp Stir Fry with Pasta and Snow Peas

This quick and easy dinner cooks up in about 15 minutes. It’s perfect for a busy day. If you don't like spicy meals, delete the hot pepper oil and the pepper pods.

Ingredients:
1 lb whole wheat or enriched rotini pasta
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp hot pepper oil (optional)
1 clove of crushed garlic
6-8 dried red pepper pods
1 lb shrimp, deveined and cleaned
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ head of green cabbage, sliced into thin strips
1 lb of snow peas, fresh is best but frozen will do

Preparation:
Boil water for the pasta and cook according to directions.
Fry the shrimp, garlic, and dried pepper pods in the oil until the shrimp is cooked through. Season with cayenne.
Remove the shrimp from the pan and stir fry the cabbage and snow peas in the oil.
Add the shrimp to the vegetables.
Drain the rotini and toss the shrimp and vegetables with the pasta.