Pizza Sauce

This is a great recipe. Use it any time you need pizza sauce, with pizza, calzones, pizza dip, whatever you need sauce for.

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce or use 2 (8 ounce) cans
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese (you can also use grated Parmesan cheese)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sweet basil (optional)
3/4 teaspoon crushed oregano
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Mix in jar or similar container (Not aluminum). Shake or stir well. Let marinate in refrigerator at least six to eight hours. Remove bay leaf before using.

Most often I make just half the recipe, except for the pizza dip (You need the whole recipe for that.). It makes enough for a good sized pizza or calzone.

Island Teriyaki Chicken

Who knew that it is so easy to make your own Teriyaki sauce?!  This stuff is delicious.  You'll be amazed at how quick and easy it is. 

 Tastes so great and

only 5 ingredients

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine soy sauce, sugar, water, garlic, and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.** 

Boil for 1 minute.  Remove 1/2 cup of sauce and reserve for later.

Tenderize the chicken with a meat mallet.  (I just put the chicken in a zipper bag and pound it with my rolling pin until it's an even thickness.)  Combine the sauce and chicken in a zip top bag or airtight container.  

Let chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes up to overnight.  (The longer you let it marinate the more flavorful it will be.)

Remove from the bag and arrange the chicken breasts and marinade in a 9 X 13 inch pan.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  (Or you can grill the chicken on medium-high heat until cooked through.)  You can cook it in a slow cooker by placing the chicken and marinade in a slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours.

This is beef in the crockpot, not chicken.

It will have lots more Teriyaki flavor.

Serve with white or brown rice and reserved marinade.

**For Hawaiian Chicken that’s a bit spicier add the following to the marinade before boiling (I usually add the spices below):

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, less for Teriyaki that's less spicy

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, less for Teriyaki that's less spicy

This sauce also works great with beef.

Teriyaki Sauce will keep in your refrigerator for up to two weeks in a sealed container.

If you want a thicker sauce boil for 2 to 5 minutes.

Lemon Apricot Chicken

This is so delicious! The glaze is just the right touch. I love using egg whites and heart smart Bisquick to add flavor and crunch without all the fat and calories.

Makes: 3 servings
Chicken
2 tablespoons fat-free egg product or 1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup Bisquick Heart Smart® mix
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
3 small chicken breasts (4 ounces each)
Cooking spray
Lemon slices, if desired
Lemon-Apricot Sauce
1/3 cup sugar free apricot preserves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
In shallow dish, beat egg product and water slightly. In another shallow dish, stir together Bisquick® mix, lemon peel and garlic powder.
Flatten chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper to 1/2-inch thickness.
2. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then coat with Bisquick mixture. Place in pan. Spray chicken with cooking spray.
3. Bake uncovered 20 minutes. Turn; bake 10 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in center.
4. In small microwavable bowl, stir together all Lemon-Apricot Sauce ingredients. Microwave on High 1 minute; stir.
Cut chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Pour sauce over chicken. Garnish with lemon slices.
Weight Watchers 5 points per serving.

Fudge Frosting

This is the fudge frosting I used to frost the cupcakes last week. Very easy...no powdered sugar. Tastes like a nice, soft fudge. Delicious.

2 Cups granulated sugar
1/2 Cup baking cocoa
1/2 Cup butter, cut into chunks
1/2 Cup milk
2 Teaspoons vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Stir until smooth. Frost cake or cookies as desired.

Chicken with Clementine Glaze

This is so yummy...light and tender. It is also quick and easy. I added some brown rice and green salad. Very delectable dinner.

Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
6 clementines
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 chicken cutlets, pounded thin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions
1. Cut the clementines in half and juice them.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then cook the cutlets in the skillet, turning over once, until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
3. Pour off the excess oil from the skillet, then add the sugar and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 15 seconds. Add the clementine juice (be careful; it will steam up at first) and cook until thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butter and swirl with a spoon until it's evenly melted into the liquid, about 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice and swirl. Return the chicken to the skillet and turn to coat with sauce. If necessary, reduce heat to low and cook the chicken, covered, until cooked through. Serve with sauce.

I don't use the oil, I just spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray.
I only use about 2 teaspoons of butter, just enough for a touch of flavor and to make the glaze a little more creamy.
I'm going to try it with oranges when clementines are no longer in season.
About 4 points per serving.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

One of my friends was bemoaning the fact that they can't buy this dressing in the grocery store. So I decided I needed to figure out how to make it. Here's my version. It's great on salad. We also enjoyed it on chips as a dip, although it's not quite thick enough for dip.

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 pkg Dry (unmixed) Ranch Dressing Mix (I used Hidden Valley)
3 fresh, chopped Tomatillos
1 cup fresh, chopped cilantro
6 stalks fresh green onions, white and green, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
3 teaspoons sugar
1 small jalapeno pepper, chopped
Juice from 1 lime
Mix buttermilk, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Stir in Ranch Dressing Mix. Add the tomatillos, cilantro, green onions, garlic, sugar, and jalapeno. Mix well. Stir in sugar and lime juice. Mix well. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
Serve on burritos, salad, or with chips.

Southwest Seasoning Mix

This is a great rub or marinade for chicken or pork. Use it instead of Taco seasoning in the Southwestern Chicken Salad. It's quite spicy. Don't put too much.


1 Tablespoon Paprika
1 Tablespoon Oregano
1 Tablespoon Garlic (fresh)
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Mix all together and sprinkle or rub on meat and foods as desired.
Will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

This dressing is wonderful. It's especially scrumptious on the Southwestern Chicken Salad. It's also good on Taco Salad.

1 pkg of Buttermilk Ranch Dressing dry mix
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
1-2 tomatillos, peeled
1 clove garlic minced
1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp lime juice
1/2 small jalapeno, seeds removed

Blend ingredients together in a blender. Add additional mayonnaise if dressing is too thin. Keep refrigerated.

Delicioso Pasta

This pasta is yummy - one of my favorites. It can be done in half and hour or less. It tastes great left over and heated up. Be sure not to put too much allspice. You want just a hint. It's a family favorite.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1/4 pound pancetta, thick cut, chopped into small bits (Italian cured pork, ask at deli counter)
½ pound bulk hot Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup good quality dry red wine (or substitute apple or peach juice)
1 cup prepared beef stock, paper container or canned
2 (32 ounce) cans chunky style crushed tomatoes
A handful chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon (a couple of pinches) allspice or cinnamon
Coarse salt and black pepper
2 pounds penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Grated Pecorino Romano, as an accompaniment
Fresh, crusty bread, for mopping

Heat a deep pot over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, bay leaf, and pancetta bits and brown for 1 minute. Add meats and brown and crumble them for 5 minutes.
Chop carrot, celery, and onions near the stove and add to the pot as you work. Cook vegetables with meat 5 minutes and add wine. Cook for 1 minute; add stock and tomatoes to the pot.
Stir in parsley, allspice, or cinnamon and season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook 10 to 15 minutes minimum before serving. Reheated sauce only improves.
Toss pasta with a couple of ladles of sauce to coat, then top bowl with extra sauce. Top pasta with lots of cheese and pass bread at the table.