Italian Chicken Vegetable Soup by Dawn Dixon

4 chicken breasts in 1" cubes
2 cans chicken broth
2 cans Italian tomatoes with garlic and onions
3 sliced carrots
1 chopped onion
2 zucchini, halved and sliced
10 oz frozen green beans

Saute chicken cubes in olive oil for 10 minutes, then add carrots and onion. Saute 3 minutes and then add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes and serve with parmesan.

**A very hearty soup from a good friend I met while student teaching in Monett. Very filling and great on a cold day!

Crock Pot Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
4 large eggs
3/4 c oil
1 c water
1 pt sour cream
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1 bag chocolate chips

Mix first 6 items on low until mixed well. Add chocolate chips by hand. Spray a large crock pot with non-stick spray. Cook on low 4 to 5 hours. DO NOT OPEN THE LID! Serve with vanilla ice cream and drizzle with chocolate syrup, if desired.

**I saw this recipe and had to try it. Makes a very moist, fudgy cake.

Crock Pot Round Steak

2# round steak
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg onion soup mix
1 c water

Mix soups and water together. Pour over meat. Slow cook all day until tender. Makes great gravy.

**I love to cook with the crock pot and this made some very tender meat with a delicious gravy. Serve with hot noodles or mashed potatoes.

Baked Italian-Style Meatballs

1 pkg. stuffing mix for chicken
2# ground beef
1 1/4 c water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cloves minced garlic
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Place all ingredients in a large bowl; mix until well blended. Shape into 24 meatballs, using about 1/4 cup of the meat mixture for each meatball. Place in a single layer on foil-lined baking pans. Bake 20 minutes or until cooked through.

**The stuffing mix makes these so moist. Would also work for a meatloaf recipe. Be sure to spray the foil so the meatballs don't stick.

Tasty Onion Chicken

1/2 c melted butter
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground mustard
1 can French fried onions, crushed
4 chicken breasts

In a shallow bowl, combine butter, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Place onions in another bowl. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then coat with onions. Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish; drizzle with remaining butter mixture. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is done.

**Another very easy recipe. Love the onions! They add just the right flavor and crunch.

Very Veggie Stir-Fry

2 T cornstarch
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 can vegetable broth
1 T soy sauce
3 T oil
1# chicken, cut into strips
5 c mixed vegetables (onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, etc.)
1 clove minced garlic

Stir the cornstarch, ginger, vegetable broth and soy sauce together until smooth. Set aside. Heat 2T of the oil in a wok or skillet and stir-fry the chicken until browned. Remove and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and stir fry the vegetables and garlic until tender-crisp. Reduce heat to medium. Add the cooked chicken and the broth mixture. Stir-fry constantly until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Serve hot.

**My first attempt at stir-fry and it was delicious and very easy. The vegetable broth was hard to find but I think any kind of broth would do.

Easy Parmesan Garlic Chicken by Jane Clifton

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
6 chicken breasts (about 2#)
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix cheese, garlic powder and salad dressing mix. Moisten chicken with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish and bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

**This recipe is from my sister. The Italian dressing really added a lot of flavor to the chicken.

Peanut Butter Pie

1/2 c creamy peanut butter
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c milk
1/2 c sugar
8 oz Cool Whip
9 inch graham cracker crust
Garnishes: additional Cool Whip, baking cocoa, chopped peanuts (optional)

Beat peanut butter and cream cheese in a bowl until creamy. Gradually add sugar and milk, beating until smooth. Fold in whipped topping; pour into pie crust. Freeze about 30 minutes. Garnish as desired. Store in the refrigerator. Serves 6-8.

**Very simple recipe. I think it is even better with 3/4 to 1 c of peanut better.

Cheese, Mushroom 'n Bacon Pie

3 garlic cloves
4 bacon strips, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1# sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 c finely chopped sweet onion
3 eggs
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 refrigerated pie crust
1/4 c shredded sharp cheddar
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp paprika

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels reserving 2 tsp. drippings in skillet. Saute mushrooms, onion and garlic in drippings until tender. In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Add softened cream cheese and beat well. Mix in salt, pepper and mushroom mixture. Unroll pie crust in 9" pie plate; trim and flute edge. Fill with cheddar cheese and bacon. Pour egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

**BEST quiche I have ever eaten! I used the pre-cooked bacon to save on the prep and cleanup. Absolutely delicious!

One-Skillet Pasta

2# ground turkey
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, finely chopped
28 oz. diced tomatoes
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 can beef broth
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp chili powder
8 oz spaghetti
1 c shredded cheddar

Brown turkey, onion and pepper in a large skillet. Add tomatoes, broth, mushrooms, brown sugar and chili powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add pasta; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.

**The fire-roasted tomatoes and brown sugar give this just the right sugar and spice. Using turkey makes it a leaner option.

Pizza Meat Loaf Cups

1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2# ground beef
1 1/2 c mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl, combine the beaten egg, pizza sauce, bread crumbs and Italian seasoning. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Divide between 12 greased muffin cups; press onto bottom and up the sides. Fill the center with cheese. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Serve immediately with additional pizza sauce if desired. Or cool, place in freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. To use frozen pizza cups, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Heat in microwave for 2-3 minutes.

**Could also be made into a meatloaf or meatballs. Very moist.

Tuna Mac and Cheese Bake

1 pkg macaroni and cheese dinner mix
1 can tuna, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/3 c milk
18 oz. frozen peas
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 can French-fried onions

Prepare mac and cheese according to package directions. Add the tuna, soup, milk, peas, mushrooms and half the fried onions. Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 325 for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining fried onions; bake 5 minutes longer.

**Super easy and ingredients are usually on the shelf. The fried onions really gave it a little extra something special. Any veggies would work, but the peas were great.