Chicken Potato Bake

1 (3 pound) broiler or fryer chicken, cut up *
1 pound red potatoes, cut into chunks
1/2 to 3/4 cup prepared Italian dressing *
1 Tblsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 to 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Place chicken in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Arrange potatoes around chicken. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 to 30 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender and chicken juices run clear.

This was a very easy dinner to prepare. I remember making it for the first time back when Tyler & I were newlyweds, and how happy I was when Tyler commented on how good it was. *I've used chicken breasts and tenders with this recipe and they've all turned out very good as well. I've also used ranch dressing in place of the Italian. YUM!!

Peachy Strawberry Salad

1 (3 oz.) package strawberry jello
1 cup boiling water
1 (6 oz.) can lemonade concentrate
1 (8 oz.) carton Cool Whip
1 (16 oz.) can sliced or diced peaches, drained*

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add lemonade concentrate and chill until slightly thickened.* Fold in Cool Whip, then peaches. Pour mixture into 9x13 pan and chill until set. Cut into squares and serve.

*I've never used fresh peaches with this recipe, but I'm sure this recipe would be just as tasty. I also just set the lemonade on the counter until it's completely thawed before I add it into the jello. This is a VERY refreshing salad to have. I made it for a retirement party that my sister & I put on for our Mom last summer, and it was a big hit! :)

Island Chicken Salad

1 10-oz. can chicken, well-drained
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, well-drained
1-2 celery stalks, chopped
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tblsp. mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients together well and chill. Serve with croissants.

I found this recipe in one of my cookbooks from Gooseberry Patch (www.gooseberrypatch.com). I made it for the first time last night and our whole family loved it! It's always nice to have a meal that doesn't require heating up the oven or turning on the stove when it's hot weather. I also served this meal with a tossed salad, and it was great!

Pork Chop Casserole

4 pork chops, 1/2-inch thick
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 cups Minute Rice*
1 Tblsp. olive oil
1 cup pineapple juice

Brown chops on both sides in a large skillet; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Place rice in a greased, shallow 3-quart baking dish. Pour pineapple juice over rice. Top with pork chops. Pour soup over all; cover tightly with foil & bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until pork chops are done and rice is tender.

I found this recipe 5 1/2 years ago when Tyler & I were first married, in a "5 Ingredients or Less" cookbook that my Mom gave me as a bridal shower gift. We all love this meal! Tyler especially asks me to make it frequently.

German Pancakes

3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla (opt.)

Melt 1/3 cube of butter inside a pie plate in the oven. Blend all ingredients well in a blender. Pour into pie plate. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. *

I got this recipe from my mother in-law. She made this for us one when we were all together at their cabin in Star Valley. My whole family loves to have these for breakfast. I especially love how it's a lot faster than making regular pancakes. The baking time varies; it just depends on how hot your oven can get. The one I'm using right now here at my Mom's house get's really hot, so I always have to decrease the baking time. When ready to serve, you can either put regular syrup on top, or you can put just a small splash of lemon juice and sprinkle a pinch of powdered sugar over the top instead. Either way, these are great. We LOVE 'em!

Pepperoni Pasta Salad

1 pkg. garden blend pasta
1 small can sliced olives
turkey pepperoni
Italian salad dressing

Boil pasta according to package directions (whether you boil the entire package or just some of it, it all depends on how many servings you'll need). When pasta is ready, mix with remaining ingredients until the salad has enough dressing to taste. Refrigerate until chilled before serving.

A good friend of mine makes her pasta salad with Italian dressing, and I had never known to do it that way before. I do love to cook, but I still have a lot to learn! :) You can also add whatever other ingredients that you would like, such as grape tomatoes, fresh cucumber slices, chopped baby carrots, etc. I love to use turkey pepperoni, because I think that the taste is better, and it's not at all greasy like regular pepperoni. ENJOY!

Cobb Salad

shredded lettuce *
3 to 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
cooked, cubed chicken breast *
3 to 4 tomatoes, sliced & chopped
approx. 2-3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled *
shredded cheddar cheese, if desired

All of the measurements are approximate. I love tomatoes so much that I always add more of them than others might with their salads. I also use canned chicken (from Costco or Sam's Club) and pre-cooked, pre-packaged Oscar Meyer pieces of bacon to speed up the preparation process. And, Tyler loves quite a few things that have cheese on them, so it really is a matter of preference with this salad. With summer coming so fast now, I always try to think of meals that I can make that don't require using the stove or the oven too much. Tyler really likes this recipe. I'm sure that you can use any dressing that you would like with this salad. Personally, ranch is my only favorite, so I've never had this salad with any other kind.