Spaghetti with Broccoli and Lemon

From: Real Simple

Ingredients:
12 oz spaghetti
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1-lb package frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1 lemon, zest finely grated and juice squeezed
1 cup grated Parmesan

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve one cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broccoli, red pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the broccoli mixture, lemon juice, Parmesan, and the reserved pasta water to the pasta. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until combined and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and serve.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I made this one night when Stephen was out of town and I just needed something for me and the kids to eat that was quick and I knew would go over well. This definitely fit the bill! It was so delicious and incredibly simple, I highly recommend this for everyone!

Hamburger Soup

From: Crockery Cooking cookbook

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1 envelope onion soup mix
3 cups boiling water
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup macaroni, cooked and drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Crumble beef into slow-cooking pot. Add pepper, oregano, basil, seasoned salt, and dry soup mix. Stir in water, tomato sauce and soy sauce; then add celery and carrots. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Turn control to high. Add cooked macaroni and Parmesan cheese. Cover and cook on high for 10-15 minutes.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! A great, simple, delicious soup! Definitely one that I will make again!

NY Baked Ziti

From: My friend Lora

Ingredients:
1 lb ground chuck
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp dried leaf basil, crumbled
1/2 tsp dried leaf oregano, crumbled
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
8 oz ziti, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Saute ground beef, onion and green bell pepper in a large skillet until onion is tender and beef is lightly browned. Drain off excess fat; add tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir well, stir in ziti and 1 cup of the cheese; transfer to a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Verdict:
Neutral. I've got several other pasta recipes in my repertoire that I enjoy more than this one so I probably won't make it again. Not bad, just didn't seem to have a lot of flavor to me.

Easy Garlic-Cheese Biscuits

From: Betty Crocker cookbook

Ingredients:
2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup stick margarine or butter, melted
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix baking mix, milk and cheese to make a soft dough. Beat vigorously 30 seconds. Drop dough by 10-12 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Mix margarine and garlic powder; brush on warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Incredible. Absolutely delicious. I regret making only half a batch of these! I made only half a batch because my Bisquick recipes tend to turn out dry and crumbly. These were moist, soft, and addicting!! They tasted a lot like the cheddar biscuits from Red Lobster (I have that recipe somewhere, used to make them all the time!) I HIGHLY recommend you make these. They are simple, FAST, and absolutely perfect. A new staple for our dinners around here!

Oven Barbecued Chicken

From: Great American Brand Name Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 2 1/2-3-lb broiler-fryer chicken, cut up
1 cup unsifted flour
1 tsp salt
6 Tbsp margarine or butter, melted
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In paper or plastic bag, combine flour or salt. Add chicken a few pieces at a time; shake to coat. Place in greased 13x9 baking dish; drizzle with 1/4 cup margarine. Bake 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, cook onion and garlic in remaining 2 Tbsp margarine until tender. Add remaining ingredients; simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Pour over chicken; bake 30 minutes longer or until tender. Refrigerate leftovers.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! The only thing about this recipe that confused me was the part that says "refrigerate leftovers." We didn't get that far. Stephen doesn't love barbecue chicken recipes, but I do, so I'm always trying new ones out on him. He actually liked this one as much as I did! And the kids ate it like crazy too. Winner!

Bourbon Street Chicken

From: My friend Kelly

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cut into bite-size pieces
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 tsp ginger
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch (if you want thick sauce)

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned. Remove chicken.  Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium heat until well blended and dissolved. Add chicken and bring to a hard boil. Reduce and simmer for 20 minutes uncovered.  Serve over hot rice.

Verdict:
Thumbs up!! New favorite around here, especially considering the fact that every single person at my dinner table loved this! This will definitely be made again soon. Easy recipe and delicious, just the way I like it!