MONROE - Chicken breast, a nice salad and a slice of raspberry cheesecake - sounds like a delicious feast, but one that means a lot of time in the kitchen.
It doesn't have to be. Here's a trio of recipes that can be put together quickly but yield terrific results.
Dinner, anyone?
• • •
News editor Jim Winter offers a recipe for making chicken breast with brown sugar and cheese. You can make a much or as little as you'd like, depending on who's showing up around the table.
JIM'S SWEET CHEESY CHICKEN
Take one to four large chicken breasts, cut each in half length-wise, but not all the way through.
Sprinkle one to two tablespoons of brown sugar inside the breast, depending on its size. Sprinkle top of chicken breast with Mrs. Dash or Italian seasonings.
Cook breasts covered in a skillet over medium heat, turning over once, until they are cooked through. Brown sugar should caramelize into a sticky sauce inside the breast. Allow excess sauce to run into the skillet.
Remove from heat. Push finely shredded mild cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese into the middle of the breast as desired.
Reduce heat to low. Allow cheese to melt and serve. Goes well with broccoli and brown rice.
• • •
There's dozens of variations on the recipe for Seven Layer Salad, so you really can't go wrong with this all-time favorite. Almost everyone likes it, no matter what the ingredients or proportions are. The key is to only toss the amount of salad you will consume - leave the rest untouched so it won't get soggy and it's good for another day.
I admit I don't actually measure the ingredients, but here's some guidelines for amounts. Use more or less of your favorite ingredients.
SEVEN LAYER SALAD
1 head lettuce, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, uncooked
1 cup Miracle Whip (Lite is fine)
6 slices crumbled bacon
1-2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Put lettuce in bottom of large glass bowl or Tupperware container. Layer green pepper, celery and peas. Spread Miracle Whip over all, covering to edges. Top with crumbled bacon and shredded cheese. Cover with plastic wrap or lid and refrigerate overnight before serving.
Variations: Add chopped onion or green onion, cucumber and tomatoes. Some recipes also call for adding 2 teaspoons of sugar to Miracle Whip before spreading on salad.
• • •
This recipe came from the backside of the label on a Keebler Ready Crust chocolate graham cracker pie crust. It is similar to the popular no-bake cheesecake-style pies. The addition of the egg and baking this pie gives makes it surprisingly similar to traditional cheesecake in both taste and texture. It's become a favorite in our house.
RASPBERRY SWIRL CHEESECAKE PIE
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice, divided
1 egg
1 chocolate or regular graham cracker pie crust
1/2 cup seedless red raspberry preserves
In small mixing bowl beat cream cheese on medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk and 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice.
Add egg, beating until just combined.
Pour half of cream cheese mixture into crust. In small bowl combine preserves and remaining lemon juice. Spoon half of preserves mixture over cream cheese mixture in crust.
Top with remaining cream cheese mixture and remaining preserves mixture. Use butter knife or spatula to swirl preserves into cream cheese mixture.
Bake at 300 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.
Store in refrigerator. Makes eight servings.
• • •
TO MAKE A LARGER PIE: Larger pie crusts are also available. To make a larger pie with two extra servings follow use these directions:
2 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice, divided
2 eggs
1 graham cracker pie crust marked "2 extra servings"
2/3 cup seedless red raspberry preserves
Prepare pie as directed above, mixing1/4 cup lemon juice with sweetened condensed milk. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition.
Continue as directed. Bake for 55 minutes at 300 degrees.
It doesn't have to be. Here's a trio of recipes that can be put together quickly but yield terrific results.
Dinner, anyone?
• • •
News editor Jim Winter offers a recipe for making chicken breast with brown sugar and cheese. You can make a much or as little as you'd like, depending on who's showing up around the table.
JIM'S SWEET CHEESY CHICKEN
Take one to four large chicken breasts, cut each in half length-wise, but not all the way through.
Sprinkle one to two tablespoons of brown sugar inside the breast, depending on its size. Sprinkle top of chicken breast with Mrs. Dash or Italian seasonings.
Cook breasts covered in a skillet over medium heat, turning over once, until they are cooked through. Brown sugar should caramelize into a sticky sauce inside the breast. Allow excess sauce to run into the skillet.
Remove from heat. Push finely shredded mild cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese into the middle of the breast as desired.
Reduce heat to low. Allow cheese to melt and serve. Goes well with broccoli and brown rice.
• • •
There's dozens of variations on the recipe for Seven Layer Salad, so you really can't go wrong with this all-time favorite. Almost everyone likes it, no matter what the ingredients or proportions are. The key is to only toss the amount of salad you will consume - leave the rest untouched so it won't get soggy and it's good for another day.
I admit I don't actually measure the ingredients, but here's some guidelines for amounts. Use more or less of your favorite ingredients.
SEVEN LAYER SALAD
1 head lettuce, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, uncooked
1 cup Miracle Whip (Lite is fine)
6 slices crumbled bacon
1-2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Put lettuce in bottom of large glass bowl or Tupperware container. Layer green pepper, celery and peas. Spread Miracle Whip over all, covering to edges. Top with crumbled bacon and shredded cheese. Cover with plastic wrap or lid and refrigerate overnight before serving.
Variations: Add chopped onion or green onion, cucumber and tomatoes. Some recipes also call for adding 2 teaspoons of sugar to Miracle Whip before spreading on salad.
• • •
This recipe came from the backside of the label on a Keebler Ready Crust chocolate graham cracker pie crust. It is similar to the popular no-bake cheesecake-style pies. The addition of the egg and baking this pie gives makes it surprisingly similar to traditional cheesecake in both taste and texture. It's become a favorite in our house.
RASPBERRY SWIRL CHEESECAKE PIE
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice, divided
1 egg
1 chocolate or regular graham cracker pie crust
1/2 cup seedless red raspberry preserves
In small mixing bowl beat cream cheese on medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk and 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice.
Add egg, beating until just combined.
Pour half of cream cheese mixture into crust. In small bowl combine preserves and remaining lemon juice. Spoon half of preserves mixture over cream cheese mixture in crust.
Top with remaining cream cheese mixture and remaining preserves mixture. Use butter knife or spatula to swirl preserves into cream cheese mixture.
Bake at 300 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.
Store in refrigerator. Makes eight servings.
• • •
TO MAKE A LARGER PIE: Larger pie crusts are also available. To make a larger pie with two extra servings follow use these directions:
2 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice, divided
2 eggs
1 graham cracker pie crust marked "2 extra servings"
2/3 cup seedless red raspberry preserves
Prepare pie as directed above, mixing1/4 cup lemon juice with sweetened condensed milk. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition.
Continue as directed. Bake for 55 minutes at 300 degrees.