FREE: A Cup of Cozy--Short Mysteries from the Authors of Cozy Mystery Magazine

A Cup of Cozy is available for free on Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/377046

Recipe Review: Chicken & Bacon Roll Ups

8 lasagna pasta, cooked and drained.

1 pound bacon, diced, cooked and drained, reserve 1/3 cup for topping

1 small red or yellow onion

6 cloves of garlic, crushed (I used pre-packaged minced garlic)

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

2 cups (16 ou.) Alfredo cream sauce

Filling

1 cup ricotta cheese

½ cup sour cream

6 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup parmesan

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

salt and pepper (to taste, your preference)

Topping

Reserved Bacon

1/2 cup parmesan

1/2 cup mozarella (I was out, so I peeled a single string cheese to cut cals)

Add 8 pieces of lasagna pasta to a large pot of boiling water. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than the directions on the package. It will finish cooking in the oven. Drain pasta in strainer and lay pasta onto paper towels to dry off excess water.

Shred chicken breasts. Set aside.

Cut and fry bacon. Add diced onions and crushed garlic 3 minutes prior to baking being finished. Drain bacon mixture onto a plate with paper towels. (It will catch the excess fat.)

In a medium size bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan and seasonings. Divide and spread the filling onto the cooked pasta evenly--a generous 4 tablespoons or so seemed enough. Add the shredded chicken onto each pasta. Sprinkle the bacon mixture on top of the chicken and cheese mixture. 

Assembly

Spread ½ cup of cream sauce on the bottom of a medium baking dish. Roll the pasta and put seam side facing down into the sauce that is in the baking dish. Cover the roll ups with the rest of the cream sauce. Top with reserved bacon, mozzarella and parmesan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes. Let it rest after taken out of oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

Original recipe here, with great step-by-step pictures! http://www.lovewithrecipe.com/recipe/479.html

Slow Cooker Tropical Chicken

Review: I used one pound of chicken and had leftover red onion mixture. I used this to spread on top of a london broil to marinate overnight (no pineapple, no coconut, just the red onion mixture). This steak was DEE-licious! If you reserve some of the red onion mix to top the steak in the last few minutes of grilling, it makes for great fajitas!

1 Red Onion, Chopped Roughly

1 bunch Fresh Cilantro, Leaves Only

½ cups Lime Juice

2 cloves Garlic

1 teaspoon Chili Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Pepper

1 teaspoon Paprika

½ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

Thai Kitchen Light Coconut Milk, about half the can, more is fine.

1 can (about 20 Oz. Size) Crushed Pineapple In 100% Juice

6 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

Combine all ingredients except the pineapple, coconut milk, and chicken in a food processor and process until chunky. Pour half of the mixture into a crockpot (I really like to use the crockpot liners—cleanup is so simple), nestle the chicken breasts into it in one layer, and pour the remainder on top. Top with the pineapple with the juice and coconut milk.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours. When it’s done, you should be able to just stir the pot and the chicken will shred automatically. Serve hot over rice, a baked sweet potato, or riced cauliflower!

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/slow-cooker-cilantro-lime-pineapple-chicken/

SkinnyTaste Light Coconut Cupcakes

I tried this recipe from Skinnytaste.com yesterday. Gina’s recipes have never failed me and this one is no exception. These were not overly sweet (except those Cadbury eggs!) and are delicious even without the candy on top. 

White cake mix is notoriously dry, so yellow would work nicely as a replacement, though these cupcakes weren’t dry, neither were they overly moist, probably my one very minor negative. Update: I froze half this batch to thaw right before serving at Easter dinner. They thawed inside a zip-loc gallon bag and were very moist, moister than those we ate as soon as they were cool enough to frost and eat Friday night.

2 egg whites

1 cup canned light coconut milk

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tsp coconut extract

18.25 ou. White Duncan Hines Cake Mix

Extra ingredients for decoration:

1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Cadbury Mini Easter Eggs or Jellybeans

Combine first four ingredients and mix well. Mix in cake mix until smooth. Pour batter into prepared cupcake tins, filling about 1/2 way up. Bake at 350 for 22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Don’t over bake! Yields 24 cupcakes.

For frosting:

8 ou. cream cheese

3/4 c. powdered sugar (10X)

2 tsp coconut extract

When cupcakes are cool, frost them. On a plate, spread out the coconut and dip/roll the frosted cupcake until it is covered. Decorate with the eggs or jellybeans and sprinkle a little more coconut on top for effect.

For original recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/03/skinny-coconut-cupcakes.html

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Just got back from a biz trip, so we'll pick up with our series on the dreaded rules of writing next week. 

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken is an easy dish overall. Prep requires a little more work than usual because you need to prepare the chicken breasts by pounding them flat and toast the panko crumbs ahead of time.

2 tsp. taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup panko

2 tsp. canola oil

Add oil to skillet. Saute panko crumbs until toasted and golden. Remove from heat and toss with taco seasoning.

Preheat oven to 375.

1 egg
2 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (we used 2%)
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed, minced (for more heat, leave in a few seeds)
2 chicken breasts

Combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and jalapeños. In separate bowl, crack egg and whisk lightly

Pound chicken breast flat until they are a consistent thickness (this helps them to cook more evenly). Divide cream cheese mixture between breasts (see pic) and roll the chicken around the mixture. Use toothpicks to secure.

Dunk each breast into egg, then panko crumbs, covering completely, and place on shallow dish covered with aluminum foil sprayed lightly with oil. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until juices of chicken run clear when pierced with fork. Don't overcook or chicken will be dry.

Enjoy!