Grilled Sesame Chicken

This is a super easy recipe that you can prepare in advance and then quickly grill when you are ready to eat. I like this recipe because it's similar to teriyaki chicken but the ginger gives it its own unique flavor. It's also light and healthy which is always and added bonus!

Grilled Sesame Chicken

• 4 chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white grape juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 1/2 cup sesame seeds

mix all ingredients together except chicken. put chicken in a ziploc bag and pour marinade over. marinate in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours. remove chicken from marinade and grill.

6 Layer Bars

I made these bars for a baby shower about a month ago and they were so good! I was in charge of all of the desserts so I chose this recipe because it's so simple to make and I knew I would be short on time. Normally I'm not a big fan of nuts in my desserts but I love the flavor and the crunch that the pecans give to these sweet, yummy bars.

6 Layer Bars

• 1 1/2 cups crushed corn flakes
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

preheat oven to 350 degrees. in a medium bowl combine corn flakes, sugar and melted butter and mix well. press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. on top of the cornflake mixture, layer the chocolate and butterscotch chips, coconut and nuts. pour sweetened condensed milk over the whole thing. bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. cool before cutting.

Creamy Chicken and Artichoke Pasta

I have never been a big fan of artichokes but my mom absolutely loves this recipe and she told me that I had to try it. I made it last week for a dinner party and it really was so good! The recipe might look a little long and complicated but it's actually fairly simple to prepare. If you decide to make this, which you definitely should, I recommend getting the pasta and chicken going first and while those are cooking get all of the other ingredients chopped and ready to go. Once the chicken is done, all you have to do is add all of the ingredients into the pan and stir.

This recipe makes a lot so it's great for dinner parties. My mom had it at a ward party where it was served in chafing dishes. I made this recipe for seven people and we had leftovers so I would half it for smaller groups or double it for larger groups. Also, this dish is served warm so once you've made the sauce keep it warm. It doesn't taste as good once it's reheated.

Creamy Chicken and Artichoke Pasta

CLICK HERE FOR MY RECIPE

Lemon Bars

I've been looking for a really good lemon bar recipe and so when my friend Amber gave me this recipe, I knew I had to try it. I made them a few days ago and they are SO good! Normally when I make a whole pan of something, part of it will go to waste because my husband and I just can't ever finish it on our own. This is not the case with these bars. We definitely won't have a problem finishing off the entire pan ourselves!

Lemon Bars

*Crust:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar

preheat oven to 350 degrees. mix all ingredients together and pat into a 9x13 inch pan. bake 15 minutes.

*Lemon Topping:

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

combine all ingredients and pour over crust. bake for 20-25 minutes. sprinkle with powdered sugar and let cool.

Honey Salsa Chicken

I don't think you can ever have too many easy-to-make chicken dishes and this recipe definitely fits that category. I got this recipe from my aunt Amy and not only is it easy to prepare but it's also really good. It's got a great combination of sweet and spicy flavors. The recipe calls for whole chicken breasts but I actually used chicken breast halves and reduced the baking time to about 25-30 minutes and they turned out so good!

Honey Salsa Chicken

CLICK HERE FOR MY RECIPE

Mexican Casserole

I'm always on the look out for new, healthy dinner recipes so that as my family grows I'll have a nice variety of dinners to make for them. Lately however, I've been a little disappointed in the recipes I've found. It seems like almost every recipe calls for cream of chicken/mushroom soup or onion soup mix. I found this recipe the other day and it didn't call for any of those ingredients so I decided to give it a try. This dish is simple but it turned out very yummy. My husband really liked it and I think kids would really like it too!

Mexican Casserole

• 1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
• 2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 (15oz) can corn, drained
• 1 (14.5oz) can whole or diced tomatoes
• 1 small can sliced olives
• 3/4-1 cup grated cheese (I use the Mexican pre-grated cheese blend)

preheat oven to 350 degrees. brown the beef with the onion. meanwhile, cook macaroni according to package directions. combine everything except for cheese. pour into a 9x13 casserole dish and cover with foil. bake for 45 minutes. remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. cover and bake 15 minutes.

Sauteed Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Here is another easy-to-make and delicious chicken dish. I love using the chicken breast halves in this dish because they cook so quickly and are nice and light with the cream sauce. I also really like the flavor of the sauce. The combination of the dijon mustard and the tarragon creates a unique and tasty flavor that complements the chicken very nicely.

Sauteed Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce

• 4 chicken breast halves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon

heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. sprinkle each chicken breast with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper. saute chicken in oil for about 10-12 minutes or until cooked through, turning only once. transfer to a plate and keep warm.

pour chicken broth into the hot skillet and cook stirring until it is reduced by half, about 1 minute. whisk in the cream, mustard and tarragon and cook, whisking, for about 2 minutes until sauce has thickened. whisk in any accumulated chicken juices and then pour sauce over chicken right before serving.