Rosemary Bread (Macaroni Grill)

I LOVE this stuff... It's easy to make, tastes fabulous, goes great with the black bean soup, and makes a smashing grilled cheese sandwich the next day.  

1 Tbsp. yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 c. warm water

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. rosemary (fresh chopped is best)

1 Tbsp. butter

Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl and let stand, allowing mixtures to grow big and bubbly.  Mix in butter, salt, and two cups of flour.  Add 1 Tbsp. rosemary.  Knead for about 10 minutes by hand, or 5 minutes in a food processor (I use my kitchenaid) until dough is smooth and elastic.  Add more flour if necessary.  Oil a bowl, place dough inside, cover and let rise for one hour until doubled.  Punch down dough and divide in half.  Let dough rest for 5 minutes.  Spray pan with cooking stray and shape the dough into 2 small round oval loaves.  Sprinke remaining Tbsp. rosemary over the loaves and press into surface.  Let loaves rise again until doubled (about 45 min.).  Preheat oven to 375 degrees, bake for 15-20 minute. Brush with extra butter if desired. 

Chrissy Parkinson

Panera Bread's Black Bean Soup

I will give you the doubled recipe, but feel free to half it if you only have two or three people and don't like leftovers.... we on the other hand LIVE for leftovers...

2 onions chopped

4 cloves of garlic (pressed or minced)

4 celery ribs chopped

1/2 red bell pepper chopped (When I don't have this I have used a dash or red pepper spice and a pinch of sugar)

3 chicken bullion cubes

3 c. boiling hot water

5-6 cans black beans (or 1 1/2 bags of dried beans, soaked and cooked)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

2 Tbsp. Lemon juice

Combine onions, garlic, celery, red bell pepper, bullion cubes, and hot water (if you want to make it totally vegetarian, use 3 c. vegetable broth instead of chicken bullion and water). Let simmer 10 minutes. Add salt, cumin, and 2 cans of black beans (or 1/3 of your cooked beans). Simmer for 5 minutes, then puree together. Add rest of black beans, and lemon juice. Heat through, and enjoy! I frequently serve this with cheese and tortilla chips.

This also could easily go inside a tortilla with rice, salsa, and cheese the next day to make black bean burritos!

Chrissy Parkinson

Mexican Sushi

This is a fun appetizer for a Mexican meal.

4 ounces softened cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 can (2.25 ounces) chopped ripe olives

4 taco size flour tortillas

Combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, chilies, peppers and olives in medium bowl.  Spread 1/2 cup cheese mixture on each tortilla, roll up.  Wrap each roll in plastic wrap; chill for one hour.  Remove plastic wrap, slice each roll into six 3/4 inch pieces.  Can serve with salsa for dipping.

Shauni Frost

Chicken & Cashews in Lettuce Cups

3 tblsp. low sodium soy sauce (I use reg. sometimes to).
3 tblsp. honey
2 tblsp. canola oil
1 1/2 pds. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
Pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tblsp. grated ginger (I use powder)
1 bunch scallions, trimmed & sliced (I usually never add this)
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/4 cup cashews ( I add more)
1 small head Boston or Bibb lettuce (I use whatever I have or can find)

Combine: the soy sauce & honey in a small bowl, set aside
Heat: the oil in a large skillet over med-high heat
Season: the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until it browns (about 3 min)
Lower: heat to medium and stir in the garlic and ginger. Add the scallions and cook for 1 min. Stir in the water chestnuts and half the soy sauce mixture and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 mins. Remove from heat and sprinkle with the cashews.

Put your mixture into your individual lettuce cups, serve with the remaining soy sauce mixture for drizzling.

This isn't PF Chang's or Cheesecake Factory, but we like it. Even the hubby will eat it with me. The ginger gives it some spice and I love the cashews in it. Hope you like it. Got the recipe from Real Simple magazine.

Becca Fluhman

Tortilla Soup

4-6 ck. breasts
1 garlic clove, minced
2 TBSP margarine
2 14 1/2 oz. cans chicken broth
2 14 1/2 oz. cans chopped stewed tomatoes
1 cup salsa (mild, medium, hot...whichever you prefer)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 TBSP ground cumin

Toppings:
Monterey Jack Cheese
Sour Cream
Tortilla Chips

1. Cook Chicken (I just cook it in the oven for 30 min on 350)
2. Add all other ingredients into slow cooker along with cooked & cubed, chicken (except for toppings)
3. Cover. Cook in crock pot on high 4-6 hours.
4. Serve and add toppings .
5. Enjoy

Rebecca Fluhman (recipe taken from the book, Fix-It & Forget-It Cookbook.

Key Lime Pie

1 medium sized whipped cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 limes
1 graham cracker pie crust

mix the cream and condensed milk together, grate lime peels into the mixture, juice the limes and add to mixture, stir. pour into graham cracker crust and freeze.

Enjoy!
Amanda