Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I have no idea how I would survive the summer without this recipe. I've had several different recipes for chicken salad but this beats all. To make it even healthier I sometimes make it into a lettuce wrap. Yum!

2 c chicken
1 c grapes
1/2 c celery
1/4 c dried onions
1/2 t celery salt
1/2 c sliced almonds
3/4 c mayonnaise
1/2 c lemon yogurt
chow mien noodles

Mix all ingredients together. Serve in bagels or croissants.

Healthier and yummier version:
1 can (Costco's Kirkland brand) chicken
1 1/2 c grapes
1/2 c celery
1/4 c dried onions
1/2 t celery salt
1/3 c sliced almonds
1/8 c mayonnaise
1 1/2 containers or 9 oz lemon yogurt (I use Yoplait light lemon cream pie yogurt)
small handful of chow mien noodles

Makes 14 1/4 c servings at 69 calories each.

Creamy Cheesecake with Strawberry Topping

Cheesecake:
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c lemon juice
1 t vanilla
graham cracker crust

Mix first 4 ingredients and pour into crust. Chill. Cover with strawberry topping.

Strawberry Topping (otherwise used as a pie filling):
3/4-1 c smashed strawberries
3 Tb cornstarch
1 c sugar
1 Tb lemon juice
1/2 c water
red food coloring

Cook until mixture thickens.
For a strawberry pie, pour over fresh strawberries sliced into a baked pie shell. Cool. Serve with whipped cream.

Creamy Chicken Lasagna

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
6 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 cube chicken bouillon
1/4 c hot water
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1 26oz jar spaghetti sauce

Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles for 8-10 minutes or until a-dent. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside. Dissolve bouillon cube in hot water. In large bowl, mix chicken with bouillon, cream cheese, and 1 c mozzarella cheese. Spread 1/3 spaghetti sauce in 9" square baking dish. (I used 9x13.) Cover with the chicken mixture and top with lasagna noodles;repeat. Top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
I would recommend doubling layers for a larger family.

Healthier version:
Use light cream cheese, and only 3/4 c mozzarella cheese. With substitutions, it makes 12 servings at 189 calories each. With regular cream cheese it's 215 calories per serving.

Hey All Viewers!

I've gotten behind in my posting and I apologize. Today I finally caught up, so I hope you enjoy the newest 8 posts. Bon appetite everyone!

Easter Story Cookies (or Savior Cookies)

Summary:
Object lesson that teaches the Easter story while making a treat.

You Need:
1 c whole pecans
1 tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 c sugar
zipper baggies
wooden spoon
tape
Bible
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. This is important! Don't wait until you're 1/2 done with the recipe.

Activity Description:
To make the evening before Easter.
Place pecans in zipper baggies and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3. Don't add nuts until the end.
Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 c sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know Him and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
Go to bed! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! (Even though it's hard to tell in the picture.) On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake

2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 c sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange extract (for a stronger orange flavor, I added the gratings of 1 orange peel to the extract)
2 drops yellow food coloring
1 drop red food coloring

1 9" graham cracker crust
whipped cream
orange segments, peeled

Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. Add sour cream and vanilla and beat well. Place 1 c of creamed mixture in small bowl and stir in the orange extract and food coloring (I at least tripled the food coloring.) Pour remaining cream cheese mixture into crust. Spoon orange cream mixture on top by tablespoons, then swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect. Bake 30-35 minutes or until firm around the edges. Allow to cool 1 hour then cover and chill for at least 8 hours before serving. Serve with orange segments and whipped cream.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

deli sliced beef, turkey, or other deli meat
2 lbs chicken breasts
deli sliced ham

sauce:
2 cans cream of chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
1/4 c milk
4 oz cream cheese (softened)

Layer bottom of 9x13 pan with beef, turkey, or other deli meat. Cut chicken into 8 tenders. Wrap chicken in ham. Spread sauce over top of chicken. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Healthier version:
For sauce use 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese and skim milk. I only use 1/2 the sauce recipe and it is plenty. I use 10 slices of lean thin deli sliced turkey on the bottom (10 calories per slice). I use 2 thin slices of ham per tender (about 24 calories per slice). With all substitutions, it makes 8 servings at 332 each. Without wrapping the chicken in ham, each serving is 284 calories.