1/2 pound chicken breast halves (about 2)
1 tbsp olive oil
Thai seasoning, to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
2 tbsp pineapple juice
1 tsp Thai-style chili paste
2 large flour tortillas
1/2 cup carrot, shredded
1/2 cup scallions, thin sliced
1 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 cup bell pepper slices (green, red, or yellow)1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 ounces mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut chicken breasts into thin slices, about 1 1/2 inches.
Sprinkle Thai seasoning over the chicken and let stand for five minutes.
Heat olive oil over medium heat, then add chicken and cook until lightly browned with no pink in center.
Put peanut butter, oyster sauce, pineapple juice, and chili paste in a small bowl and stir together until smooth.
Place tortillas on one or more baking sheets and spread the peanut butter mixture over them.
Spread the carrot, scallions, pepper slices and cilantro evenly between each tortilla. Sprinkle each tortilla with mozzarella cheese.
Bake tortillas until crisp and the cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).
Cut into slices and serve immediately.
Serves 4.

Spray a heavy skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat.
Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink.
Stir in the onion and bell pepper and continue cooking until the meat begins to brown and the vegetables are tender but slightly crisp.
Stir in the salsa and heat through; set aside.
In another heavy skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, lay a 6 inch tortilla.
Add 1 tablespoon Cheddar cheese evenly over tortilla, then top with 1/3 cup of the cooked turkey mixture, then sprinkle with another 1 tablespoon of Cheddar cheese.
Place another 6 inch tortilla on top and press down slightly (spray top lightly with cooking spray.)
Put skillet over medium heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
Carefully slide out onto a plate and let cool for 1 minute before cutting into wedges.
Repeat process for the remaining ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Beat vanilla, cream cheese, and sugar with electric mixer in large bowl until smooth and well blended (medium speed).
Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add salt, spices, and continue beating until well blended.
Spread out approximately 3/4 cup pumpkin mixture evenly into crust.
Pour 1/3 cup cranberry sauce over the pumpkin mixture.
Top with remaining pumpkin mixture and cranberry sauce.
Take a knife and swirl the cranberry sauce into the pumpkin mixture without scraping the crust.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes.
Cool completely on a wire rack.
Refrigerate 2 hours or more before serving.
Serves 8.

Asian pesto sauce:
3/4 cup peanut oil
3 cups fresh basil
3 cups fresh cilantro
3 cups fresh mint
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 to 3 tbsp lime juice
3 garlic cloves, grated
1 fresh serrano pepper, chopped very fine (*see note)

Prepare pesto: Mix all the Asian pesto sauce ingredients together in a glass bowl with a whisk.

In a glass bowl, put the cleaned shrimp and cover with 3/4 cup prepared pesto sauce, mixing lightly; set aside.
Cook noodles according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
Preheat broiler or grill.
Either string marinated shrimp on metal skewers, put in grilling basket, or on broiler pan.
Broil or grill shrimp until they turn pink, turning or stirring. This will take about 4 to 6 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp.
In a large serving bowl, put the cooked soba noodles, add the remaining Asian pesto sauce, and toss together, then top with hot cooked shrimp.

*Note – always wear rubber gloves when handling serrano peppers and don’t touch your eyes; wash hands immediately after handling.

8 small tortillas (your choice)
1 lb. sliced roast turkey
2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup sprouts (alfalfa works well)
2 firm cucumbers, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 green onions, cut lengthwise into thin strips
1/4 cup mild chunky tomato salsa, most of liquid drained off
1/4 cup pesto
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Lay the tortillas out on a work surface.
In the center of each tortilla, making sure you leave room at one end to form a ‘bottom’ and around the edges of the tortilla, arrange the veggies, evenly distributing each one between the 8 tortillas. The thin strips should all be laid the same direction.
Spoon even dollops of salsa and pesto over each, making sure you have enough to go around.
Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on each.
Create a ‘bottom’ by folding the tortilla up over the end of the veggie strips, then rolling up like a burrito.
Seal each in foil to transport to a picnic.
Bring extra salsa and pesto to dipping if desired.

1 1/4 lbs. frozen halibut steaks, thawed
1/2 C of chunky salsa
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp Dijon mustard

How to Make It:

Set the oven to 450 degrees and preheat.
Place the fish in a shallow 2 qt. baking dish.
Bake for 6 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Remove and drain any liquid from the baking dish and leave the oven on.
In a bowl whisk together the salsa and honey.
Carefully spread the mustard over the fish.
Top each fish steak with the honey salsa mixture.
Bake 4 minutes longer.

Makes 4 servings

If your family likes fish they are sure to love this recipe. Kids enjoy anything honey mustard and they will like this recipe just as much. Add a salad and wild rice pilaf for the perfect stress free meal.

Preparation Time: approximately 10 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 20 minutes

Set it and forget it

One of the best reasons to keep a crockpot on your kitchen counter, is the fact that you can set it and forget it. Basically, you can fix a hearty dinner for your entire family while you are getting everything else done. Imagine being able to make a killer barbeque while cleaning the house, running errands and getting the kids to school and sports practices.

The ability to set it and forget it should be reason enough to almost super glue a crockpot to the center of your kitchen counter. Not only can you fully cook meals, but you can reheat them too. Crockpots are useful for reheating food because the do not dry them out like microwaves do. Sure, it takes a little foresight to get the food in there with enough time before dinner is served, but your chicken will be more tender and juicy than if you nuke it for a couple minutes.

Types of recipes

Another reason to become buddy-buddy with your crockpot is the number of great recipes that it can be tasked with. Everything from roast to barbeque and soup to cobbler, the walls of your crockpot can do it all. There are tons of books, filled to the brim, with crockpot recipes from the beginner to the advanced.

Since there are practically hundreds, if not thousands of recipes, you don’t have to stress over having the same things each week. The versatility of a crockpot is well worth the money you will spend on one. If you can think of a recipe you would like to try, chances are there is a crockpot recipe designed strictly for it.

Easy cleanup

Just like one pot meals, crockpots are incredibly easy to clean up, especially the ones made of ceramic or porcelain. Many of the crockpots today are even dishwasher safe, to save even more time and reduce stress. While crockpots can go in the dishwasher, it is usually best to wash them by hand so they do not chip if something hits the basin. As for the rest of the crockpot, there really isn’t much to do other than the occasional wipe down with a warm, soapy cloth.

Crockpots are incredibly efficient at reducing stress. With simple controls, a variety of recipes and clean-up that would make your mother proud, crockpots should really regain their rightful place on the kitchen counter. Grab out your crockpot, throw in some ingredients, set it, forget it and come back when it is done. How is that for stress free cooking?

14 oz.  chicken broth
1 1/2 C of elbow macaroni
3/4 C of cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese, grated

How to Make It:

Pour the chicken broth into a saucepan and place the pan over medium high heat.
When the broth just begins to boil, stir in the macaroni.
Bring the broth back to a boil and cook for 10 minutes or until the macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally.
Remove the saucepan from the stove but do not drain.
Stir in the cheddar cheese.
Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top just before serving.

Makes 2 servings

Kids love mac and cheese and this one they can make all by themselves. It’s much healthier than the boxed macaroni and cheese and tastes a lot better too. Trying to get your children to eat more vegetables? Have them add in a 10 oz. pouch of frozen broccoli and cheese sauce. Cook the broccoli as directed on the package. Stir the cooked broccoli into the macaroni before adding the cheddar cheese.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 25 minutes

Ingredients:
4 flour tortillas
1 lb free-range chicken breasts (boneless and skinless), cut in thin strips
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
¾ cup, creamy salad dressing of your choice (such as this homemade creamy salad dressing)
Oil for frying

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in oven until warm.

In a large skillet, heat oil. Add chicken strips and onion and fry for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Mix in sweet chilli sauce, salt and pepper.

Divide the chicken on each tortilla, top with tomato slices and lettuce, add some salad dressing, roll up and enjoy.

(for the lunchbox)

Ingredients:

2 – 3 medium flour tortillas
2 cooked chicken breasts, diced
¼ cup red and yellow bell peppers, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp plain yogurt
¼ cup cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Add chicken, cheese, mayonnaise, yogurt, bell peppers and celery into a bowl and mix well. Add salt and pepper.

Warm tortilla slightly to make it easier to fill. Place ½ – 1 cup of chicken filling on top of the tortilla and wrap.

Enjoy tortilla in your lunchbox instead of a sandwich.