Salsa Chicken & Cafe Rio Rice

This recipe comes from many different places. Someone gave me the recipe for Cafe Rio rice, chicken, and their cilantro ranch dressing, but I can't remember who it was! My step mom makes chicken like this all the time and I love it. But, I got this salsa recipe from Betty Crocker's Quick and Easy cookbook and I changed it a little. So...you tell me where I should say I got this recipe! :)

Chicken:

4 chicken breasts

1/2-1 cup flour

2 tsp taco seasoning mix

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix flour and taco seasoning mix together. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and place in frying pan. Cook 3-5 minutes, turning once until brown on every side. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook about 8 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink inside.

Salsa:

1 can Mexicorn (whole kernel corn with red and green peppers), drained

1 medium avacado, chopped

2 tbsp chopped cilantro (I always use more)

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp honey

2 tomatoes chopped

the remaining taco seasoning mix packet

While chicken is cooking, mix it all together. This is also an amazing chip dip. You can add a can or two of drained black beans if you'd like. And I don't usually measure any of this. I just eyeball it.

Rice:

1 cup rice

2 cups water

1/3 tbsp butter

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp chicken boullion

1/3 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tbsp chopped onion

Put rice, water and butter in a pan and bring to boil. Add rest of ingredients. Turn to low and cook 20 mintues, or until done.

Serve the salsa over the chicken. It's yummy!

Granola

6 cups quick oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup coconut
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 TBS water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins

In bowl, combine first seven ingredients. Combine honey, oil, water, and vanilla. Add to oat mixture. Stir well. Turn into 2 large shallow backing pans. Heat at 300 degrees for 25-35 minutes or lightly toasted. Stir twice during heating. Crumble into pieces. If desired add raisins. Store in tightly sealed container. May be frozen.

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law. It is healthy and yummy!!!

Teriyaki Chicken Alfredo

I know teriyaki and alfredo NEVER go in the same title together, but that is just what this is called and having tasted it, I can't think of another name for it. It's one of my all time favorite dishes!! It may sound a little strange, but it is SOooo yummy!

Ingredients:
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
2 chicken breast halves cut in 3/4" strips
1/2 c chopped green onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c milk (you can use cream to make the sauce thicker, but it may make you thicker too. ;)
1 pkg alfredo sauce mix
3/4 cup Very Very Teriyaki sauce (Yes, you need this brand. It is amazing!)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cup broccoli
1 sliced green pepper
1 sliced orange pepper
1/2 sliced red pepper
1/4 c chopped parsley
2 T chopped basil
1/2 c parmesean cheese
1 lb fettucini, cooked

Directions:
Melt butter and oil in a skillet and add chicken, onions, and garlic - stir fry until the chicken browns - it takes a little while. Add milk, alfredo mix, any veggies you may be adding, and teriyaki sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium for 3-5 minutes, or until thickened (I always let it thicken longer). Add parmesean, parsley and basil and remove from heat once cheese is melted. Toss with fettucini and serve.

I got this from my step mom. It's seriously my favorite dish, I think. And I also really love it because it's really an all-in-one dinner: veggies-check, protien-check, grain-check, milk-check. Today I served some fruit with it because that's really all it's lacking. I hope you like it as much as I do!

Just as good as it looks!

I saw fruit tarts at the farmers market and wanted one sooooo bad! So I decided to look it up and make it. This was pretty easy and so delicious! I got the recipe from cooks.com but I will post it all here! Enjoy!!

FRESH FRUIT TART WITH SHORTBREAD COOKIE PASTRY

TART SHELL: 1 stick butter, room temperature 1 1/2 tbsp. shortening 5 tbsp. confectioners' sugar 1 c. flour Dash salt 1 egg yolk TART FILLING: 1 c. granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. lemon juice Dash nutmeg Fresh fruit 1 oz. brandy (optional) 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 1 tbsp. confectioners' sugar Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream together butter, shortening, confectioners' sugar. Add egg yolk. Beat in flour and salt - a stiff dough will result. Pat dough into 10 inch springform pan - bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes in the meantime. Soften cream cheese and then beat in 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar. Set aside. Bring granulated sugar, lemon juice and nutmeg to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add brandy - add fresh fruit - poach for 5 minutes. Drain fruit and reserve sugar sauce. Allow tart shell to cool completely. Spread cream cheese mixture in tart shell - arrange fruit - brush with reserve sugar sauce - MMM!!!

I didn't use the brandy and I didn't have any nutmeg. But it was still delish! It made a litle more than 4- 4" tarts. Or one 9" . Love love love it!