Italian Chicken and Tortellini

Easy dinner and almost no clean up since you cook it in a foil packet.  Great for summer. Cook it on the grill and keep your house cool. It's also great for fall or winter. Cook it in the oven and enjoy a great one dish dinner.

Ingredients:
2 sheets (12x18-inches each) aluminum Foil*
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1/2 to 3/4 lb.)
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 package (9 oz.) refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
1/2 can (from a 2 1/4 oz. can) sliced ripe olives, drained (optional)

Directions:
Preheat grill to medium-high or oven to 450°F.
Center one chicken breast half on each sheet of aluminum foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle each chicken breast with 1/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Arrange 1/2 of the tortellini around each piece of chicken. Spoon 1/2 of tomatoes and 1/2 of olives over each serving of tortellini.
Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Repeat to make two packets.

Cook:
Bake 30 to 40 minutes on a cookie sheet in the oven OR
Grill 14 to 18 minutes in a covered grill.

*I  use 4 pieces of foil and make two layers of aluminum foil to prevent the juices from leaking out.

Molten Chocolate Cookies

These are good at room temperature, but they are delectable warm. Eat fresh or just heat in the microwave for about 15 seconds. They will melt in your mouth.
Makes 16 cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups (12 oz package) semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 Tablespoons butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

Melt chocolate chips and butter in the top of a double boiler over low heat, stirring until smooth but thick.* Remove from heat; set aside to cool.
In the large bowl of your mixer beat eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla on high speed about 2 to 3 minutes until pale yellow and slightly thickened. Mix in chocolate on low speed. Scrape the bowl. Mix again.  Add flour and baking powder on low speed and mix just until incorporated, stop once to scrape the bowl. Don't mix too much.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Scoop 8-2 inch mounds onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet leaving 2 inches between cookies. I used my medium sized cookie scoop.

Bake one sheet at a time for 12 minutes or until crusty on the outside but soft in the center.
Cool on cookie sheet 3-5 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Best when served warm.
*Microwave Instructions:
Heat chips and butter in a microwave safe bowl at medium power for 1 minute. Stir, then heat for 10 seconds and stir again. Repeat until melted. The chocolate chips will not appear melted until you stir them.

Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

This is SERIOUS deliciousness!

Makes 20 servings (1 cup each)

Ingredients:
1 fudge brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size)
1 package (10 ounces) peanut butter chips
2 packages (13 ounces each) miniature peanut butter cups (I've also used Miniature Snickers Peanut Butter Bars.)
4 cups cold 2% milk
2 packages (5.1 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4 teaspoons vanilla extract (YES, that's 4 teaspoons.)
3 cartons (8 ounces each) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
Prepare brownie batter according to package directions; stir in peanut butter chips. Bake in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan at 350° F. for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake).
Cool on a wire rack; then cut into 3/4-in. pieces. (These don't have to be exact.)
Cut peanut butter cups in half; set aside 1/3 cup for garnish.
In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes(mixture will be thick). Add peanut butter and vanilla; mix well. Fold in 1-1/2 cartons whipped topping. (I'll admit I hesitated to add the peanut butter to the pudding, but WOW that stuff was good.)
Place a third of the brownies in a 5-qt. glass bowl; top with a third of the remaining peanut butter cups. Spoon a third of the pudding mixture over the top.
Repeat layers twice. (You'll have three layers of each ingredient.)
Cover with remaining whipped topping; garnish with reserved peanut butter cups.
Refrigerate until chilled.

I layered these in clear plastic cups and used as individual servings.  They were a big hit.  Try them for a  shower or other party.  If you like chocolate and you like peanut butter, you can't go wrong with these.