Monterey Chicken

This week I made Monterey Chicken. I saw it on Pinterest and gave it a whirl.
It sure was good! I sure love cheese and tomatos.
The chicken was nice and tender and we had leftovers to take to work. Here's my
take because of course I changed it up a bit.


Monterey Chicken Pasta

• 3 cups swirly pasta uncooked
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 onion, chopped
  1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  Dash of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) chicken broth
• 1 pkg. (7 oz.) any kind of cheese
• 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan 
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatos 
  
  
  Heat oven to 350F 
  
  
  Cook pasta as directed on package.
  
  
  While pasta cooks melt butter in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add onions and Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and cook and stir 6 min. or until crisp-tender. Blend in flour; cook and stir 1 min. Gradually stir in broth; cook 5 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup shredded cheese; cook and stir 1 min. or until melted. Add pasta to ingredients in skillet along with the cooked chicken.
  
  
  Transfer to 13×9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
  Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover.
  
  
  Bake 40 min. Uncover and top with Parmesan for the last 10 min. Top with tomatoes.
  
  
  

  
  
  Here's the original recipe:
  
  
  http://what2cook.net/2013/12/03/monterey-chicken-pasta-bake/

Molasses Honey Granola

It’s a rainy day and my husband has been begging for granola.  So why not! And I had the ingredients.  I have tried a bunch of granola recipes and combined a few.  Here’s the one I use. I’m convinced molasses is they key to the best granola!!

 Molasses Honey Granola

8 cups rolled outs

1 ½ cups wheat germ

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cups slivered almonds

1 cup craisins

1 cup cup raisins

1 cup coconut

1 cup chopped up dried apricots/prunes/dried apples

1 ½ tsp salt

½ brown sugar (dark brown sugar is great too!)

¼ cup molasses

¼ cup honey

¾ cup canola oil

½ cup water

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

In a large bowl stir together oats, wheat germ, coconut, sunflower seeds, almonds, craisins, chopped up dried fruit.

In separate microwavable bowl mix together oil, salt, brown sugar, molasses, honey, water, vanilla and cinnamon.  Microwave for one minute stir and cook longer if needed.

Pour liquid over dry ingredients while mixing with spatula. Stir until liquid is evenly distributed. 

Spread thin layer of granola on greased cookie sheet.  Use two cookie sheets if needed, it will cook more evenly.

Bake for 60 to 90 minutes. Stir granola every 30 minutes. Its done once it’s toasted and crisp. Enjoy that sweet cinnamon smell!