Chicken Quesadillas with Pineapple Salsa

1 package soft tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese
Scallions chopped
1 1/2 lbs baked chicken breast shredded
1 jar pineapple salsa

*Newman's Own makes a great pineapple salsa. Or you can take a regular jar of salsa and mix in some crushed pineapple.

On tortilla, layer chicken, salsa, cheddar cheese and scallions. Place tortilla on top and press down lightly. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool for five minutes. Cut with a pizza cutter. Serve with remaining salsa, sour cream, guacamole and tortilla chips. 

Grilled Chicken Salad

1 1/2 lbs grilled chicken breast sliced
1 small package of spring mix lettuce
Chopped walnuts
Craisins
Raspberry vinaigrette dressing

Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 sticks butter softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups of chocolate chips

Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Beat butter, vanilla and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Gradually add flour until well combined, scraping sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes, switch trays from top to bottom, bake another five minutes. Let cool.

Orange Marmalade Cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 8 oz package of cream cheese softened
1 box white cake mix
1 cup + 2 tablespoons orange juice for brushing
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1 1/2 tsp orange zest

Directions: Combine cake mix and above ingredients on a low speed until well combined. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, making the 2/3 of the way full. Bake 18 to 22 minutes at 350 degrees. After taken out of the oven, brush with additional 2 tablespoons of orange juice. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.

Frosting
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
1 stick butter softened
2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 8 oz package of cream cheese softened

Mix above ingredients on a low setting until well combined.

*Because this recipe uses cream cheese, cupcakes should be refrigerated until served.

Chicken Francaise

Ingredients:

•  4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds)
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, with rind, cut in thin rounds
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 lemons

                                                                         Directions:

Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrapover them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, beat the eggs with 3 tablespoons of water to make an egg wash. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet.

Dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden, turning once. Remove the chicken cutlets to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.

Toss the lemon slices into the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add thewine, broth, and lemon juice, simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly. Roll the butter in some flour and add it to the skillet, this will thicken the sauce. Stir to incorporate and dissolve the flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the chicken to the pan; place the lemon slices on top of the cutlets. Simmer gently for 2 minutes to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Capers and Parmesan Cous Cous

Ingredients:

1 lb of raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

olive oil

3 shallots chopped

1/2 cup of butter

1/2 of capers

3 chopped garlic cloves

3 lemons, juiced and zest needed

sea salt and pepper to taste

1/2-1 cup of dry white wine

1 box of instant parmasean cous cous

Directions:

 Put olive oil and butter in pan on medium heat. Place chopped shallots, capers salt and pepper. Saute until shallots soften. Add garlic, but do not let it brown.  Add in shrimp and when shrimp is almost pink and opaque, add in more butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and white wine.  Let everything simmer together. In a separate pot, cook couscous as directed.  When couscous is finished, plate and put shrimp and juices from pan on top

Aunt Joanne's Eggplant Parmesan

2 eggplants, skinned and sliced thin
3 eggs
2 cups bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese
4 Cups mozzarella cheese
Olive oil
Marinara sauce

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Create a breading station, dipping eggplant in egg, bread crumbs, then place in skillet. Brown eggplant on both sides.

In large glass baking dish, layer sauce, eggplant, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Repeat until you have layered all of the eggplant. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.