[french toast]

4-6 slices bread, (sourdough, white, artisan, wheat)
2 eggs
1/2 Cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
Butter or Smart Balance

Break the eggs into a pie tin, add the milk and cinnamon, then beat with a fork.

Set skillet over medium heat. Drop Tbsp of butter or smart balance on skillet.

Dip bread, one at a time, into the egg batter and turn them over. Don't try to soak them, just get them good and wet.

As the bread slices come out of the batter, put them onto the skillet immediately and cook both sides until golden brown. Re-butter the pan as needed in between slices.

Serve with maple syrup.

[parmesan brussels sprouts]

I know a lot of people hate brussels sprouts - but I thought I did too, until I made them them this way.

Serves 2

About 18 frozen brussels sprouts (half of the frozen package)
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp butter/smart balance
Garlic Powder
1/2 cup Fresh Parmesan (the stuff in the plastic container in the cold section - not the Kraft crap)

In a skillet over medium heat, add water, sprouts, salt. Combine and wait for boil. Cover with lid and simmer on medium for 8-10 minutes, (until you can pierce them easily with a pointy knife). Give the pan a shake a couple times. Drain Sprouts and return to pan, (keep heat at low). Add butter and garlic powder (depending on how much garlic you like - either 1/4 tsp to 1 Tbsp - I just eyeball it). Add Parmesan cheese and let sit for 1 minute. Season with pepper if desired.

[chicken parmesan w/ pasta]

Good with Garlic Bread and Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

3 chicken breasts
1 Cup bread crumbs (or more, doesn't need to be exact)
1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp. Paprika
1 Tbsp. Italian Herbs, (dried)
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
Shallot, minced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 container of Prego traditional sauce
3 slices of cheese thick sliced - about 1/4" thick, (mozzarella, farmers basil)
Pasta, (fettuccine is best)
 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
 
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Mix bread crumbs, garlic powder, paprika, and Italian herbs. Mix chicken with bread crumb mixture, coating each piece. Set aside.
In saute pan/skillet: Heat 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, add shallots. Heat until opaque. Add dash of salt and pepper. Add garlic and stir (about 3o seconds). Remove from pan (in bowl), set aside.
 
Add additional 1 Tbsp olive oil to pan with any extra oil (from shallots and garlic.) Heat to medium heat. Add chicken, saute on each side until golden on both sides.
Remove chicken from pan - set aside (on a cutting board or plate).
 
Add Prego to skillet (the traditional blend), mix in shallot/garlic mix. Add chicken on top of sauce. Top chicken with sliced cheese. (Favorite is Farmers w/ Basil).
 
Put entire skillet in 400 degree oven for 40 minutes.
 
Meanwhile: boil pasta according to directions. Add additional Prego from container to drained pasta.
 
To serve: Top Pasta with additional pasta sauce from skillet. Serve with chicken.

[pasta salad]

It's so easy to make it's ridiculous...

Prep time: 10 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 cups of dry pasta (we like multicolored rotini)
3 carrots
3 celery stalks
dried Italian herbs
salt
Italian Salad Dressing (we like Kraft’s Zesty Italian)

Instructions:

Cook the pasta until al dente. When you add the pasta to the boiling water, add 2 tbsp of dry Italian herbs and a bit of salt. Let it boil in this – but don’t wash the pasta with water when you drain it. When pasta is done, let is side aside as it drains. Clean the celery and carrots. Shave the carrots with the carrot peeler and cut the celery into thin little pieces. Put these into a bowl and add the pasta. (It's ok if it's still warm.) Coat it all with the dressing. Add as much or as little as you like, just make sure it's all coated! Mix it together, and stick it in the fridge. It should last up to a week!

[caramel bars]

Melt together and set aside:
14 oz. caramels
1/3 cup milk

Mix together:
1 1/3 cup flour
1 1/3 cup oatmeal
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1/4 tablespoon salt
Add 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Pour 3/4 of mixture into a 9 x 13 pan (spray it first with Pam or Butter).  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.  Pour caramel mixture over crust.  Sprinkle remainder of bag of chocolate chips over the caramel and then sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over the top.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Let cool and cut into squares.