Basic Rice Krispies Treats

3T butter
1 package (10 oz) marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies

In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat.  Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.  Remove from heat and stir in Rice Krispies until well coated.  Pour into a 9x13 pan and press down with wax paper until flat.   Cool.  Cut into squares. 

Spinach and Feta Quesadillas

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup packed spinach, steamed and squeezed to drain
• 1 tablespoon herbs (a combination of mint, dill and parsley), chopped
• 1 green onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons feta, crumbled
• 2 (8 inch) tortillas
• 1 cup (handful) kasseri or mozzarella, shredded
• Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Mix the spinach, herbs, green onions and feta in a bowl.
2. Melt a touch of butter in a pan.
3. Place a tortilla into the pan, swirl it around in the butter and repeat with the second tortilla.
4. Sprinkle half of the cheese on the tortilla followed by the filling, the remaining cheese and finally the other tortilla.
5. Cook until the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 2-4 minutes per side. (Tip: To easily flip the quesadilla place a plate onto the quesadilla in the pan and flip it from the pan to the plate and then slide it back into the pan.)
6. Serve with Greek yogurt as a dipping sauce.

Chicken Spaghetti

1 rotisserie chicken torn into chunks
8-10 oz of thin spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 large onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
sliced mushrooms
1 lb Velveeta, cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1-2 cups chicken broth, divided
salt and pepper
shredded cheese, if desired

Saute onion, bell pepper and mushrooms in a small amount of chicken broth in a large pan until fragrant.  Reduce the heat before adding Velveeta and cream of chicken soup; stir until smooth.  Add the chicken, stir to coat, then add the cooked noodles.  Add a cup or so of chicken broth to moisten spaghetti if needed, stir to incorporate, then pour into a 9x13 casserole dish.  Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly.  Stir the spaghetti 20-30 minutes into baking adding more chicken broth if needed before topping with cheese then continue baking until hot and bubbly.  

 

Poppy Seed/Ritz Cracker Chicken

1 rotisserie chicken, cubed

1/2 cup sour cream

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 1/2 rolls of crackers)

1/2 cup melted butter

1 T poppy seeds

1 tsp Worchestire sauce

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp minced garlic

1 T lemon juice

1/4 tsp pepper

Place cubed chicken in a 9X13 casserole dish. Stir together the condensed soup and sour cream. If you wish to add the additional flavorings stir in the Worcestershire, celery salt, garlic, lemon juice, and pepper to the soup and sour cream mixture. Pour over the chicken.

In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken and sauce. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree preheated oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly.

Macaroni and Cheese

16 oz macaroni pasta (any shape shape you like)
1/2 C butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 C flour
3 1/2 C milk, warmed
1/4 C white wine (or sub w/chicken broth)
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/2 lb cheddar, cubed
1/2 C panko bread crumbs
1 T parsley
2 T butter, melted

Heat 350' oven. Grease 9x13 glass dish (8x8 or round casserole, if making half the recipe).
Cook pasta for about 2-3 minutes less than called for, drain, set aside.

In a saucepan, melt 1/2 C butter, salt pepper, once melted add flour, stir until smooth. Let cook for 1 minute. Add milk, wine, bring to a boil, whisking. Add cheeses and stir until melted. Pour over cooked pasta and add to greased dish. Combine the panko, parsley and melted butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle macaroni with panko topping, bake uncovered 30 minutes.

Taco Pasta Bake

Ingredients:
1/2 – 3/4 of a bag of large noodle pasta
approx. 1lb of ground beef
1 pkg/envelope of taco seasoning
1C water
1/2 pkg of cream cheese
1 1/2C shredded cheese

Directions:
1. Boil pasta until just cooked, drain, run cold water over it
2. Brown ground beef; drain
3. Mix together taco seasoning and 1C of water, pour over cooked beef and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced
4. Add the 1/2 pkg of cream cheese to the beef mixture, stir until melted and combined, then remove from heat
5. Put pasta in your casserole dish or pot, mix in 1C of the shredded cheese
6. Top pasta and cheese with beef mixture, gently mix until the pasta is coated
7. Top with remaining 1/2C of shredded cheese
8. Bake at 350 uncovered for approx 30 minutes