Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks

salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup cornstarch

2 large eggs, beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Sweet and Sour Sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Lightly oil a 9×13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
3. In a large bowl, season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in cornstarch and gently toss to combine. Working one at a time, dip the chicken into the eggs.
4. Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; discard excess oil.
5. Add chicken to the prepared baking dish. 

6. Top with sweet and sour sauce. 

7. Place into oven and bake until the sauce has thickened, about 55 minutes, turning over every 15 minutes to evenly coat the chicken.
8. Serve immediately.

Thin Pizza Crust

Thin Pizza Crust
Makes two 10-inch pizzas

3/4 cups (6 ounces) lukewarm water
1 teaspoon active-dry or instant yeast
2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Set the oven to 500°F or as hot as it will go and let it heat for at least half an hour before making the pizza.

Combine the water and yeast in a mixing bowl, and stir to dissolve the yeast.Add the flour and salt to the bowl and mix until you've formed a shaggy dough.

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface along with any loose flour still in the bowl. Knead until all the flour is incorporated, and the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. The dough should still feel moist and slightly tacky. If it's sticking to your hands and countertop like bubble gum, work in more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it is smooth. (Or mix in a mixer with a dough hook)

Let sit for 10 or more minutes - or put in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.

Press dough out on greased pizza pan. For an extra-thin crust, roll it with a rolling pin. If the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for 5 minutes and then continue rolling.

Bake for about 3 - 5 minutes and then top with toppings and bake until bottom is lightly browned

Lasagna

Lasagna:

Ingredients

• 1 pound Ground Beef 
• 1 pound Hot Breakfast Sausage 
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced 
• 2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes 
• 2 cans (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste 
• 2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning 
• 1 teaspoon Salt 
• 3 cups Lowfat Cottage Cheese 
• 2 whole Beaten Eggs 
• 1/2 cup Grated (not Shredded) Parmesan Cheese 
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley or Italian Seasoning 
• 1 teaspoon Salt 
• 1 pound Sliced Mozzarella Cheese 
• 1 package (10 Ounce) Lasagna Noodles 
• (add 1/2 Teaspoon Salt And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil To Pasta Water) 

Preparation Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps.

In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna until “al dente” (not overly cooked).

To assemble:

Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top.

Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.

Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for about an hour, or until top is hot and bubbly.

Fire House Lasagna

Fire House Lasagna

1-48 oz. can tomato juice

1-28 oz. can tomatoes (crushed)

2-15 oz. cans tomato puree

1-4 oz. can mushrooms, pieces (optional)

1 large onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. oregano

1 ½ tsp. basil leaves

Parmesan cheese

Mix above and simmer 1 hour.  Add dash of vinegar and 1 ½ tsp. baking soda and let simmer.  Cook 4 lbs. Italian sausage (or half or all ground beef).  Mix together 1 lb. ricotta cheese, 3 eggs, 1 lb. cottage cheese, 1 tsp. garlic salt, ¾ c. parmesan cheese & 2 tsp. parsley leaves.  Grate 2 lbs. mozzarella cheese.  Make 3 layers (or 2?) in pan.  Begin with sauce, noodles, cheese mix, mozzarella cheese, sausage, sauce, parmesan cheese (or however).  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, covered & then 15 min. uncovered.  Let stand 10-15 minutes.

Makes: 2 pans (1-9x13 pan & 1-10x15 pan works)

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. Corn Starch
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 Clove of Minced Garlic
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt and Pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 Finely Chopped Jalapenos seeded

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 pan.
2. In a medium size bowl mix – chicken, 1 cup of cheese, garlic – roll mixture into tortillas and place into pan.
3. In a sauce pan – melt the butter and stir in corn starch and cook for one minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Keep over heat until it bubbles and becomes thick. Stir in sour cream, chopped Jalapenos, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder,salt and pepper. Do not let it boil.
4. Pour mixture over enchiladas and top with the last cup of cheese.
5. Bake for 25 min – You will want to make sure the cheese has browned.

Crunchy Baked Chimichangas

Crunchy Baked Chimichangas

1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken (Or ground beef)
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheese
2 green onions
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Six 8 " flour tortillas
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine chicken, salsa, cheese, green onions and spices in a medium size bowl.  Dived mixture evenly among tortillas.  Roll filling into tortillas and place seam side down onto a baking sheet.  Brush with melted butter.

Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.  Garnish with sour cream, additional shredded cheese, green onions and salsa.

Recipe from Family Feasts for $75 a Week by Mary Ostyn