Recipes

My friend Sheena is in a recipe rut, so I decided to share a few.

Chicken Azteca: (My awesome friend Sarah told me about this one)
In a crock-pot combine 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained, 2 cups of frozen corn kernels, 1 clove of minced garlic, around 1/2 tsp. of cumin (depending on what you like) and 1/2 cup of chunky salsa. Put 3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves on top. cover with another 1/2 a cup of chunky salsa. Cook on low 4-6 hours or on high 2-3 hours. Serve over cooked rice, top with shredded cheese, sour cream and taco sauce for an added zing!

Chicken Haystacks:
2-3 cooked chicken breast halves
1 can pineapple
1 chopped red pepper
1 chopped tomato
shredded cheese
1 small can olives, chopped
1 can of cream of chicken soup reconstituted
crunchy chow mein noodles
sweetned shredded coconut

I love this meal because everyone can take what they like. You put some rice on your plate and top it with any combination of the items listed. It's yummy!

Broiled Salmon:
We've recently enjoyed buying some fresh salmon and cooking it for 15-25 minutes (depending on how thick the salmon is). Salmon is definitely better if it is cooked the day it is bought. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place some aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Place the salmon on top. Rub with a tiny bit of olive or canola oil. Sprinkle with a little salt, garlic powder and squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on top. We love this with homemade baking powder biscuits and a vegetable.

Alfredo Sauce:
There is a restuarant in St. George and Salt Lake City called the Pasta Factory. It has the yummiest alfredo sauce ever. In high school my brother worked there, and he gave us the recipe! Just don't even think about the fat content, or your arteries will start to clog, but it's super delicious.
Melt 1/4 C. butter and 1/4 C. cream cheese in a sauce pan. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Add 1/2 C. flour and stir with a whisk over medium heat for a minute or so to get the floury taste out. Add 1 C. of milk (it's even better with whole milk, half and half or whipping cream, but it does add more fat) (you can add more later to get it the consistency you like) and cook over medium-high heat stirring constantly. When sauce starts to thicken add 1/2 c. shredded parmesean cheese. Stir until combined. Serve over fettucine (or any noodles), with chicken, mushrooms, mixed vegetables, shrimp or whatever combination of things sound good to you.