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Looking for just the right peanut sauce to combine with stir-fry, I tried this recipe. I almost overlooked it because it was in Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious magazine, and sometimes "simple" means high-calorie convenience products. But this recipe is surprisingly light and also satisfying. My 10-year-old requests it. I like it as much for the taste as the nearest Thai restaurant is an hour away and not an expense we can afford all the time. This gives us the flavors we crave at a fraction of the cost and calories of dining out. It's also quick to prepare on a busy night. THAI CHICKEN STIR-FRY 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 16-ounce package frozen stir-fry vegetable blend, thawed 1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter  2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 teaspoons garlic powder (sometimes I use a clove or 2 of real garlic added with the vegetables) 1/4 teasp...

I like this recipe for General Tso's Chicken way better than anything I've ever had in a Chinese restaurant. It is easy to prepare at home with easy-to-find ingredients and it has half the calories and one-fifth the fat of the take-out version. America's Test Kitchen, the folks who deconstruct recipes and show us how to make them step-by-step in Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country, made over this recipe for General Tso's. They swapped white chicken breast for the dark meat and a crunchy breading of corn flakes for deep-frying. My husband does not like Chinese food but he loved this recipe when I made it for dinner. The option to omit red pepper makes it a winner with our 9-year-old as well. I hope to add photos, but in the interest of sharing this fabulous recipe, I'm posting without. GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN by America's Test Kitchen BEFORE: 910 calories, 45g fat, 5g sat fat AFTER: 490 calories, 8g fat, 1.5g sat fat   WHY THIS...

We're deep in winter and you're probably thinking "Man, she loves comfort food and her Crock-Pot." Yep. It's all that gets me through the week sometimes. I can't remember where I found this recipe, but I make it so much I want to preserve it on my blog so I can find it easily. I don't make the dumplings anymore because they seem to take forever to bake. Instead, I bake frozen or from-scratch biscuits and serve this stew atop them.   SLOW COOKER CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces   2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups) I get mine from Davis Bros. Farm. 2 cups whole baby carrots 2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup) 2 10 3/4 ounce can  Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)   1 cup water   1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed   1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 cups all-purpose baki...

I love when I find a recipe that makes healthful, hearty, quick meals for a busy weeknight. Tasty Kitchen had a recipe for Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos and a user of that site posted a recipe that uses leftover chicken from the original recipe to make a Tortilla Soup! Good thing because the original recipe serves about 12 people. And if you aren't feeding a crowd, using the leftovers in a new dish later in the week is a good way to not waste food or get tired of it. CROCK-POT CHICKEN TACOS 1 envelope taco seasoning (get reduced sodium; I use a healthier mix from an Amish store or make my own) 6 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 16-ounce jar salsa Dump everything into a Crock-Pot and give it a little stir to blend the seasoning with the salsa. You do not need to add any water to the taco seasoning. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. When done, the chicken should shred easily when stirred with a fork. For tacos, serve the chicken with soft ...

On Independence Day, I served a very nontraditional dinner. But, hey, it's a free country; I can do what I want! I made one of my favorite Indian dishes for the first time ... chicken tikka masala with cucumber-mint raita and naan. It was delicious and my family loved it! Even the 8-year-old ate it without complaining. Though I shouldn't have been surprised because we have fed her a wide variety of foods her entire life so she is growing quite a sophisticated little palate. In kindergarten she drew a picture of kale. I am always interested in becoming a more sophisticated cook by learning to cook new things. Food from other cultures always makes me nervous. I don't like to eat my mistakes, and sometimes exotic ingredients are too expensive to risk messing up the dish. For chicken tikka masala, I had training wheels. I spied a package of McCormick Recipe Inspirations for Chicken Tikka Masala at my local Wal-mart and I snapped it up. It cost $1. The packet has pr...