Barbecue Ranch Salad

1 (10 oz) bag Hearts of Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup diced hot house cucumber
1 small can whole kernel corn, drained
2 carrots, chopped
garnish with Texas toast croutons and Colby Jack cheese

Dressing
1 cup prepared Ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Rays Hickory & Brown Sugar)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Place salad ingredients in a large bowl.  In separate bowl combine all dressing ingredients and then toss with salad (refrigerate any leftover dressing in airtight container).  Top with croutons and shredded Colby Jack cheese.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

1 thin crust refrigerated pizza crust dough

2 split chicken breast (bone in and skin on)
1 red onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Rays Hickory & Brown Sugar)
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over chicken breasts and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.  Roast in oven for 45 minutes or until juices run clear.  Remove chicken from oven and let cool. Once cool, remove skin and pull chicken off bone.  Shred chicken in medium bowl and stir in barbecue sauce.  Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in medium pan and sauté pepper and onion for five minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Unroll pizza crust onto large cookie sheet and sprinkle with dried oregano.  Bake pizza crust according to package directions. 

Layer barbecue chicken on baked pizza crust and then top with peppers, onions and cheese.  Bake for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with cilantro.  Serve with Barbecue Ranch Salad.

Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (15oz) jar Bertolli Garlic Alfredo sauce
1 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage (about 1 pkg), cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 cup onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chicken broth, divided
dash of nutmeg
1/2 lb ziti pasta
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In large sauce pan melt butter in olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add sausage and cook for 8-10 minutes or until brown and cooked through.  Add onion and sauté 5 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté 3 minutes and then add 1/2 cup chicken broth to deglaze pan, scrapping bottom while stirring.  Add Alfredo sauce and stir.  Pour remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth into Alfredo sauce jar, replace lid and shake.  Pour broth/Alfredo sauce mixture into pan with sausage. Add nutmeg and stir well.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Prepare pasta according to package directions and then drain.  Add pasta to sausage mixture and mix well.  Pour sausage and pasta into a lightly greased 2-quart oval baking dish.  Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese and bake 10-12 minutes or until cheese is light brown and bubbly.  Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes.  Spoon onto serving dishes and top with fresh basil.

Cilantro-Lime Chicken Burgers

1 lb ground chicken breast
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup panko
juice and zest from one lime
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 red onion, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
5 slices muenster or Colby jack cheese
5 Kaiser hamburger buns

In large bowl combine all ingredients except onion, pepper and cheese until blended.  Make 5 patties and grill over medium-high heat 4-5 minutes on each side.   Grill the onion and pepper slices to serve on burgers along with cheese and cilantro-lime mayonnaise. 
          
Cilantro-Lime Mayonnaise

1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
juice and zest of one lime
1 garlic clove, minced

Mix well and serve with chicken burgers.

             

Cilantro-Lime Mayonnaise                

Toffee Crackers

40 Saltine crackers
2 sticks butter
1 cup light brown sugar
8 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a jelly-roll pan or cookie sheet with nonstick spray.  Arrange crackers salt side down in a single layer. 

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and boil until a caramel color.  Remove from heat and pour over crackers evenly. 

Bake for 3 to 5 minutes in hot oven.  Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top.  Once chips begin to melt spread them over the crackers with a spatula. 

Place in freezer for 15 minutes and then break into bite size pieces.  Store in an airtight container.

Mint and Melon Salad

1 ripe honeydew melon, peeled and diced
juice from 2 limes
1/4 cup fresh mint, julienned
1 bag of baby arugula
freshly ground pepper
extra virgin olive oil
agave

Place melon in a medium bowl and toss with lime juice and mint.  Cover and chill at least 2 hours or overnight. To plate, place 1 cup of arugula in the center of a plate.  Top with 1/2 cup of melon mixture and then sprinkle ground pepper on top.  Drizzle with olive oil and agave.  Serve immediately.

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

2 3/4 cups half and half

4 extra large eggs (5 large)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sugar (omit if using sweet bread like cinnamon rolls or Danish)

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 cups large diced, day-old or stale bread (brioche, cinnamon rolls, Danishes, challah, raisin cinnamon or breakfast bread)

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (toast in a pan first)

Hot water

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place bread and toasted nuts in a 9x13 baking dish. Whisk together half and half, eggs, vanilla, sugar and salt. Pour mixture over bread and press lightly.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar (unless using sweet bread) and place in larger baking or roasting pan.  Pour hot water around the baking dish (enough to come up to the sides of 9x13 dish) and bake until custard is set and top is golden brown, about an hour.  Remove from water bath and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

 

Top with caramel sauce and/or ice cream.