Murgh Makhani (aka Butter Chicken)

2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. garam masala (you can buy this at any ethnic grocery store)
1 1/2 tsp. minced ginger
2 TBS. minced garlic
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 6oz. container plain yogurt
Add above ingredients and saute together. Add 4 chicken breasts cut into small cubes to the mix. Set in fridge and let marinate for 30-60 minutes. Meanwhile, in large pan, melt 1 stick butter, add onions (and peppers if desired) and saute until translucent. Add chicken mixture. Cook 5-7 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Add whipping cream and cilantro, mix well. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat, and serve immediately over basmati rice.
1/4 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. butter
1 large onion thinly sliced
2 TBS. chopped fresh cilantro

Healthy Chicken Garlic Pizza

Crust:

2 T. active dry yeast

2 1/4 C. warm water

2 T. sugar

2 T. shortening

1 T. sugar

4 C. wheat flour

2 C. white flour

Mix yeast and warm water until dissolved. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well, knead, and press into large cookie sheet. Let rise for 30 min - 1 hour.

Sauce:

3 TBS. butter or margarine

1/8 c. flour

1 c. skim milk

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves minced

Mix flour and butter in sauce pan on medium-high heat to create paste. Add milk and remaining ingredients. Stir well to create an alfredo-type sauce. If needed, add more milk to create desired consistency. Spread over risen pizza crust.

Toppings:

Shredded Chicken

Fresh cut tomatoes

mushrooms (optional)

green onions

3 c. part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. DELICIOUS!

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

7/8 Cup butter (1 3/4 stick), softened
3/4 Cup white sugar
3/4 Cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg 1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour, bleached preferred
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 Cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Add soda and salt; mix well. Add flour; mix well by hand or use a dough hook. Add chocolate chips and combine until evenly distributed. Make dough into small balls (approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter). Bake at 375 degrees (conventional oven temperature) until golden brown and no longer wet on top. Approximately 7-11 minutes.

Shrimp & Avocado Fettucine

***I've had LOTS of requests for this easy and better-than-restaurant quality pasta dish***
½ pound dried fettuccine (boiled until al dente)

In large sauce pan stir until mixed, and shrimp is warmed:
3 Tbls olive oil

1 lb. Shrimp peeled and de-veined (I use frozen cocktail shrimp)

3 Tbls chopped fresh parsley

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ red or green jalapeno chili pepper, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves)

¼ cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 avocados, halved pitted and diced

1 cup grated parmesan cheese (fresh)

4 Tbls. fresh cilantro chopped

1to 2 tsp. fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Mix sauce with pasta and serve warm with garlic bread.

Hot Brown Sandwich

1 stick butter

3 Tablespoons flour (regular)

2 cups milk

1 cup Colby cheese (grated)

1/2 box Parmesan cheese (grated)

Chicken or turkey

Country ham or baked ham

Bacon, fried to a crisp

Tomato slices

Paprika

Tabasco hot pepper sauce (5 dashes or more to taste)

2 egg yolks

Bread (soft french bread works best)

In a 4-quart, heavy sauce pan, melt butter. Mix in flour until mixture is smooth. Add milk in small amounts at a time; cook until sauce is thick. Add Tabasco sauce and Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat. Take out 1/2 cup sauce and add the two beaten egg yolks. Mix well and return to the remainder, stirring constantly. Add Colby and American cheeses. Remove from heat.Toast six slices of bread on both sides. Slice each piece in half and place on a heat-resistant plate. Layer with chicken or turkey, ham of your choice, sauce, tomato, and 2 slices of bacon. Top with paprika. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes

Kentucky Cheesy Garlic Grits

1 cup Quick grits

4 cups Water, boiling

1 tsp Salt

4 oz Butter

12 oz Cheddar cheese, sharp

1 Egg

1 Tbl Garlic powder

3/4 cup Milk

dash Frank's Red Hot Sauce

Cook grits in boiling water until thick. Remove from heat. Stir in butter & 1/2 the cheese. Beat egg with garlic powder, milk & hot sauce. Add to grits. Pour into buttered 2 Qt casserole. Top with rest of cheese. Bake 1 hour at 350.

Witches Brew (Homemade Rootbeer)

Use a large insulated drink cooler to brew it in, and everyone can help themselves using the spigot, or I will put it in my very largest plastic tub inside of my witch cauldron so the dry ice can create the steamy effect!

Dry ice can be dangerous. Be sure to use gloves when handling.

INGREDIENTS
6 cups white sugar
3 1/3 gallons cold water
1 (2 ounce) bottle root beer extract (read instructions, sometimes this differs with the brand you buy and you don’t use the whole bottle, but most brands you do)
4 pounds dry ice
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large cooler, mix together the sugar and water, stirring to dissolve sugar completely. Stir in the root beer extract. Carefully place the dry ice into the cooler, and cover loosely with the lid. Do not secure the lid, as pressure may build up.
2. Let the mixture brew for about an hour before serving. Leftover root beer can be stored in one gallon milk jugs.

Blackberry Pie

1 recipe for Double-Crust Pie shell (if you don't have one, let me know), homemade is better than store bought.
5 cups blackberries
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Roll out pie crust and place half in 9 inch pie plate. In large bowl mix berries and sugar and flour. Pour into pie crust. Cover with top half of crust, seal edges, slit top, sprinle with milk and sugar. Cover edge with foil. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes (50 minutes if frozen berries are used). Remove foil. Bake additional 25 minutes or until filling is bubble and pastry pie is golden. Cool or wire rack. YUM!

Apple-Pear Crumble Pie

If any of you get the seasonal Kraft Food & Family magazine, you've got to try this recipe (p.45), it's fabulous, and easy and hard to stop at just one slice!

3/4 cup crushed NILLA Wafers (about 24 wafers)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust (1/2 of 15-oz. pkg.)
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 large baking apples, peeled, sliced
1 large fresh pear, peeled, sliced
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup flour, divided
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1-1/4 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping


PREHEAT oven to 375ºF. Mix wafer crumbs, brown sugar and butter until well blended; set aside.
PLACE pie crust in greased 9-inch pie plate. Spread cream cheese carefully onto bottom of crust; sprinkle with half of the crumb mixture. Set aside. Combine fruit in large bowl. Add granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon; toss to coat. Spoon over crumb layer in pie crust; sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.
BAKE 35 min. or until fruit is tender and crust is lightly browned, covering loosely with foil after 25 min. if necessary to prevent crust from overbrowning. Cool on wire rack. Serve topped with the whipped topping. Store any leftover pie in refrigerator.

Melt in Your Mouth Pork Chops

4 pork chops
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can water

Preheat oven to 300. Brown pork chops in frying pan until just barely browned, sprinkle wiwth garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix soup and water. Spray square glass pan with cooking spray. Pour soup mixture over browned pork chops. Bake in oven for 2.5 hours.

These pork chops fall apart, and are delicious. Serve with green beans and wild rice.