Spicy Cashew Chicken

Go this recipe out of the Lincoln Journal Star and finally tried it. It is REALLY yummy and SUPER easy! Those are my favorite kind of recipes!

Spicy Cashew Chicken

1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/4 in slices or bite-size pieces
Vegetable oil or olive oil
1 cup picante or salsa (from mild to medium-hot, depending on taste)
4 Tbs soy sauce
4 tsp sugar
4 Tbs white cooking wine (apple juice or chicken broth)
1 cup cashews, halves or pieces (I used unsalted)
2 cups Rice (brown or white)

Pour 2 cups rice in a saucepan and add 4 cups water. Turn on heat to high until rice and water start to bubble.
Turn down heat source to low and put the lid on the pan. Don't peek until time is up. For brown rice: set timer for 35 minutes. For white rice: set timer for 20 minutes
While rice is steaming pour some oil into a skillet and turn heat to medium-high.
Add onion and pepper and saute until the veggies are crisp tender. Remove the veggies from pan and set aside.
Add more oil to skillet and add chicken pieces. Stir occasionally until the chicken is cooked evenly through and starting to brown.
While chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce in a medium sized bowl. Stir together the salsa, soy sauce, white wine and sugar.
When the chicken is cooked through and starting to brown, add the vegetables. Continue to heat through at a medium-low heat until bubbly. ( I continued to simmer until a thicker consistency)
Stir in 1/2 cup cashews
Transfer chicken to a serving bowl or platter and scatter another 1/2 cup cashews over the top.
When the rice timer says it is done, fluff it a little with a fork and transfer to serving bowl.

Makes 4 servings.

Cheese Herb Bread

I usually make this bread to go with the baked ziti. It has a lot of flavor, so if you like herbs you will love this bread. I have never done it in a loaf, I always braid it and cook it then everyone just breaks off what they want.

Cheese Herb Bread

1 Tbs yeast
3 cups flour
2 Tbs sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs dry milk
3 Tbs grated Parmesan
1-1/2 tsp marjoram
1-1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1tsp oregano
2 Tbs butter
1-1/4 cups warm water

This is a bread machine recipe, so place ingredients in machine in this order. I have also made with my mixer. Just activate the yeast and then add remaining ingredients.
To Braid: divide dough into 3 equal balls. Roll into ropes. attach all 3 together at top and braid. Butter top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake 350 F for 20-25 min or until golden brown.

Baked Ziti

This is a super easy recipe and it taste's so yummy! I usually use Ramano and Parmesan cheese Ragu. Also, the only place I have found actual Ziti noodles is Walmart. You can also use Penne noodles. I hope you enjoy it!

Baked Ziti

1/2 lob (8 oz) ziti pasta
1/2 onion, chopped (I never put this in)
1/2 lb ground beef
1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
3 oz provolone cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
3 oz mozzarella cheese
1+ Tbs grated Parmesan

Cook noodles in large skillet. Brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce and summer 15 minutes. Butter 9x13 inch pan and later as followed:
1/2 ziti
provolone cheese
sour cream
1/2 sauce
remaining ziti
mozzarella cheese
remaining sauce
Top with Parmesan cheese and Bake 20 min at 350 F or until cheeses are melted.

Poppy Seed Chicken

2 lb chicken, cooked and cubed
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 sleeve of Ritz Crackers, crushed
2 T poppy seeds
1 stick melted butter

Layer chicken in bottom of 8 X 12 casserole dish. Mix soup and sour cream. Put on top of chicken. Stir cracker crumbs into melted butter and poppy seeds. Pour of soup mixture and spread evenly. Bake 30 minutes until hot and golden brown at 350.

Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 milk
1 tsp baking soda
3 mashed bananas (a fork works great)
2 1/2 cups flour

Mix together sugar and butter. Add eggs and beat. Then add salt, baking soda, and flour. Add milk and beat together. Add smashed bananas. Bake in greased loaf pan at 325 for 45-60 minutes. Poke with toothpick in different several places to make sure it is done.

Calzones

1 bag frozen Rhodes White Bread dough (3 loaves)
1 jar traditional spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce
Any toppings you would like inside the calzone: olives, onions, green peppers, pepperoni, any meat, mozarella cheese

1. Thaw Rhodes dough and let rise
2. Cut loaves in half (1 loaf= 2 big calzones)
3. Roll out dough into circle
4. Fill half of dough with cheese, spaghetti sauce and toppings of your choice
5. Fold over dough to cover toppings and pinch together to close
6. Spread a little olive oil on top of calzone and sprinkle parmesean cheese over oil.
7. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and place calzones on sheet.
8. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for approx 15 minutes, OR until the dough is done and top of calzone is golden brown or just follow baking instructions on back of rhodes dough bag.

We had these the other night, and they were DELICIOUS!