Chicken Alfredo

(dinner for two, and you may have an extra plate to pack for your husband's lunch the next day)

1/2 box of pasta (any kind you like, I prefer tri-colored pasta)
4 chicken breast cutlets
1/2 cup of zesty Italian dressing
fresh ground pepper
mushrooms, washed and sliced (small box)
1/2 stick of butter
2 tablespoons flour
milk
salt
Parmesan cheese

-Marinade chicken in dressing and some pepper, keep it in the fridge for half an hour before cooking time.
-grill chicken on non-stick grill pan. After chicken is cooked through slice it into strips.
-saute chopped mushrooms in non-stick pan with a tiny bit of oil or butter and some salt. Toss cooked mushrooms with chicken when done.
-Boil pasta until cooked, drain, don't wash it. Then toss with chicken and mushrooms.
-When you're ready to eat -or about a half hour before your husband comes home :) ... start to make the alfredo sauce.
-Melt butter in sauce pan, add flour, mix with wire whisk. Add milk gradually and continue to whisk over medium heat. Keep adding milk until sauce is nice and creamy yet not too thick.
-Add some Parmesan cheese if you like and add salt to taste... sometimes I add 1 or 2 tablespoons of sour cream for more flavor...
-Mix sauce with the pasta mixture and serve.
-Add some chopped parsley for garnish or some chopped sundried tomatoes.

Enjoy! :)

Pancakes

I tried this recipe this morning, I made the banana pancakes, they were so easy to make and everyone loved them. Enjoy! :)

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
2 heaping teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

-Beat egg and vanilla with whisk
-add remaining ingredients, mix well.

Grease heated griddle if necessary (I just used an ungreased non-stick pan). To test griddle/pan, sprinle with few drops of water. If bubbles skitter around, heat is just right.

-Pour batter onto pan from large pitcher or half cup measure. Cook pancakes until puffed and dry around edges. Turn and cook other side until golden brown. (To keep pancakes hot, stack on hot plate with paper towels in between)
-Makes about 6 4-inch pancakes.

Banana Pancakes: beat into mixture, 1 medium banana, cut into 1/4 inch pieces.

Whole Wheat Pancakes: subtitute whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour and packed brown sugar for the granulated sugar. (I tried this but the whole wheat flour made my pancakes too dry, you might want to only substitute half a cup of flour with whole wheat and use white flour for the other half)

Yogurt Pancakes: substitute 1 1/4 cups plain yogurt for the milk. Decrease baking powder to 2 teaspoons and beat in 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.

Cornmeal Pancakes: Substitute 1/2 cup cornmeal for 1/2 cup of the flour. Subtitute dark molasses for the sugar if desired.

Nut Pancakes: Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped nuts.

Blueberry Pancakes: Stir in 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed and well drained).

Buttermilk Pancakes: Substitute 1 cup buttermilk for the milk. Decrease baking powder to 1 teaspoon and beat in 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.