TUSCAN CHICKEN WITH RED POTATO CRUST

3 garlic cloves
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups/plus thinly sliced red potatoes
Cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. herbs de province
4 tsp. cloves sliced garlic
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. salt plus 1 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste


In large ziplock bag combine potatoes, sliced garlic, about 3 T. olive oil, 2 T. salt, and 1/2 to 1 t. black pepper. Shake to coat and leave to marinate while doing the following.

In ovenproof stockpot with lid, brown the chicken in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add vinegar and stir pan to deglaze. Add broth, herbs, and garlic. Simmer 10 minutes. Layer potatoes on top of chicken. Pour liquid into pan. Place pot, covered, in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes. Uncover. Let brown for 15 more minutes.

Optional Add Ins: mushrooms or onions
Pairs great with Roasted Asparagus as a side dish.

CAULIFLOWER SALAD

This is a great salad to go along with meat, BBQ's, and holidays. We often use it as a filler when we do holiday parties because it does not take up room in the over and is something different than a green salad.

1 head of lettuce
1 head of diced cauliflower, stems included
1 lb. bacon
1 small green pepper
1 small onion
1 pkg. dry Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
Parmesan Cheese
2 cups of real mayo

Use a 9*13 dish. Layer lettuce on bottom of dish, then cauliflower, then bacon, followed by green pepper, and onion. Sprinkle Seasons Italian Dressing Mix over top of this. Then sprinkle salad with Parmesan cheese. Next spread mayo over the whole thing. Marinate over night. Stir well just before serving.

DALMATIAN CUPCAKES

I do not like cake, but these are soooo good and come with a surprise in the middle. I eat them by two's. Two in the morning, two for lunch, and two for an afternoon snack. Kids especially love them.

2 packages (3oz. each) Cream Cheese
1/3 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 1/2 cups Miniature Chocolate Chips
1 box of Betty Crocker Super Moist Devils Food Cake Mix
1 1/3 cups Water
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs
1 container Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Vanilla Frosting

Heat over to 350 (325 for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cups in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In medium bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, and one egg with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in one cup of chocolate chips; set aside.
In large bowl beat cake mix, water, oil, and three eggs on low speed for two minutes. Divide batter among muffin cups (about 1/4 cup in each). Top each with one heaping teaspoon on the cream cheese mixture.
Bake 17-22 minutes or until tops spring back when touched lightly. Cool for ten minutes in pan. Remove from pan, cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Frost with frosting. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips.

Salsa

You gotta try this salsa! Last week at our quarterly enrichment meeting at church we had a mystery dinner. We were served this salsa as an appetizer and it's pretty much all I ate! Everything else was good, but I just loved the taste of this salsa and I don't even like avocados. Saturday night I made a quick pit stop at the grocery store and made the salsa for Trent...he also loved it. In fact, the dinner I made went straight into the fridge for leftovers and our family had chips and salsa for dinner! My kids thought they died and went to heaven, who gets to eat snacks for dinner???? Kathy Bedke was kind enough to share her yummy recipe with me and now I'm sharing it with you! Enjoy!

1 can corn niblets, drained
1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 bunch green onions, chopped (i used my cuisinart)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
4-5 tomatoes, chopped
avocados, to taste

Mix together, put on dressing and then stir in avocados.

Dressing:
3 Tablespoons Vinegar
2 Tablespoons oil, not olive
2 teaspoons garlic salt
2 teaspoons tabasco sauce

Serve with tortilla chips!