TUSCAN GARLIC CHICKEN

I guess this is a copycat Olive Garden recipe?  I've never had their version, but I found this version over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe (Shocker, another yummy recipe from Mel's site).  This turned out sooooooo good.  The sauce is so creamy and flavorful, you would never know the cream was cut way back and low-fat milk was added in its place.  


I made the entire sauce recipe, but I used one extra-large chicken breast from Costco and cut it in half, horizontally.  I love tonz of sauce, but the full recipe gave me more than plenty for two people with some leftover.  Next time, I will probably cut the sauce in half if I am only making two servings.  This really does taste like it came from a fancy Italian Restaurant!   

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

adapted from: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

(Printable Recipe)

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 Tbl. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

5 Tbl. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 Tbl. finely minced garlic (4-5 cloves)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth

6 oz. fresh spinach, washed and chopped

1/2 c. heavy cream

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 c. low-fat milk

1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 Lb. fettuccine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a shallow pie plate or similar dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Dip each chicken piece in the flour mixture until both sides are well coated.

In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan, cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are golden and browned but not cooked all the way through (they’ll finish up in the oven). Don’t scoot the chicken around once you lay it in the hot oil! Let the oil work it’s magic to sear the crust on the chicken. If you get all antsy and try flipping too early and/or moving the chicken around the pan, the breading is likely to fall off. Gently remove the chicken to a foil-lined, lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside and tent with foil until ready to use.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until al dente. Also, wipe out the skillet with a couple paper towels and return it to medium heat, adding the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper, sauteing for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in one tablespoon flour and stir constantly while cooking for another minute. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring the mixture to a low simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small liquid measure, whisk together the cornstarch and cream. Add the spinach, milk and cream mixture to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and return it to the pot. Toss the pasta with half of the cheese sauce. Place some of the coated pasta on each plate. Top with a breaded chicken breast and spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken and pasta. Serve immediately.           

*Mel's Notes: if the chicken breasts you are using are overly thick, you can butterly them, cutting all the way through so you end up with two thinner cuts of chicken breast. Second note: I would say this recipe is right on the edge of just having enough sauce but not an overabundance, so if you like things on the saucier end of the spectrum, feel free to double that part of the recipe.

*Serves 4-6 (depending on if you are serving adults or kids)

Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats

Yesterday was such a nice day and it finally felt like Spring!  Did you know it was already officially Spring?  Here are some fun and delicious Spring-y rice krispies for you! Not much to say, you have all had these marshmallow treats before.  The only difference in these is that I used Strawberry Flavored Marshmallows and a little strawberry extract to give them a stronger strawberry flavor!  I love the addition of the extract and I highly recommend it, but if you don't think you would ever use it again, I probably would not buy it just for these. 

Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats

from: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

4 Tbl. unsalted butter

1 (10 oz.) bag Strawberry Marshmallows

1 tsp. strawberry extract, opt. 

6 c. Rice Krispies cereal

In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add marshmallows and stir until melted and smooth (sometimes I add an extra 1 cup of plain marshmallows if I feel like having them extra chewy).  Stir in the extract.  Remove from heat and add the cereal and stir until completely coated with marshmallows.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.  Using the back of a spoon that has been greased with butter, smooth out the top of the rice krispies.  Cut into squares and serve.  

Andes Mint Brownies

If you like Andes Mints then you will LOVE these brownies.  They are a chewy brownie with a layer of mints in the middle!  I have made them so many times and they come out perfect every time.  This time I tried them with the Andes Mint Baking Chips that come in a bag, because that is what I had, but usually I make them will full-size Andes Mints!  I think I prefer them with the full-size mints, because I love biting into the brownie and getting a snap from the mint and you don't get that with these chopped up ones, but the flavor is still rich and minty and very refreshing!  This was the first time I tried them with chocolate frosting and they were delicious, but if you are not a frosting person, you might think it is a little much.   So, it's totally up to you which way you make them.

Andes Mint Brownies

adapted from: Paula Deen

(Printable Recipe)

1 1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. cocoa powder
3 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3 boxes Andes Mints


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9x13 pan.  In a medium bowl, combine melted butter and cocoa, stirring well; set aside.  In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs at medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Slowly beat in butter mixture. Add flour, salt and vanilla beating just until combined.  Spread half of the batter in pan.  Unwrap each mint and place, side by side, covering batter completely.  Carefully spread remaining batter over mints, sealing to edges.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Let cool in pan completely.  

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Here is another recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  I have made so many recipes from her site lately.  This specific recipe was actually recommended by my friend, Natalie.  She had made these enchiladas for a family dinner and everyone enjoyed them.  I am always up for a new Mexican recipe - my fave!  I really enjoyed these enchiladas and I would only change one little thing next time.  I am not a fan of the super creamy enchiladas (you know the chicken one with the cream of chicken soup and sour cream) it's a little too mushy for me or something.  Anyway, this recipe mixed some green enchilada sauce with sour cream and topped the enchiladas and it tasted good, but a little too creamy for my taste (what a complainer - something was too creamy! Ha Ha!).  Next time, I would pour the green enchilada sauce right on top with no add-ins.  

Don't let the honey scare you.  I admit it scared me at first and I started out with only 3 Tbl. of honey, tasted it, liked it, added another Tbl., tasted it, liked it, added another Tbl and so on and so on until I ended up adding the full amount the recipe called for.  The marinade recipe is perfect as is. 

Make sure you plan ahead, because you add the marinade to already cooked chicken and let that sit for several hours.  I was a slacker and forgot to cook my chicken ahead of time, so I ended up cooking it after work and only marinating it for about a half an hour and it was still yummy, but I would like to try these after my chicken has marinated all day!  Enjoy!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

adapted from: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

6 Tbl. honey

5 Tbl. lime juice

1 Tbl. chili powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 Lb. chicken, cooked & shredded (3 sm. breasts)

8-10 flour tortillas (I used half corn and half flour)

l Lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

16 oz. green enchilada sauce

1 c. heavy cream or sour cream

Mix honey, lime juice, chili powder and garlic powder with cooked, shredded chicken.  Let marinate for at least 1/2 hour or up to all day long.  Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of 9x13 pan.  Fill tortillas with chicken and cheese, saving about 1 cup cheese for topping.  Place seam-side down in baking dish.  Mix remaining enchilada sauce with cream and leftover marinade (if any).  Pour sauce over top of enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until brown and crispy on top.  

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I never get sick of trying new chocolate chip cookie recipes.  When I saw this one had 4,817 reviews with an average of 4 1/2 stars out of 5 over at All Recipes, I decided they must be amazing, right?  I also saw these over at Sing For Your Supper and her pictures were enough to convince me to make them.  The only difference was All Recipes used 3/4 cup butter and Sing For Your Supper used 1 cup butter.  I went with the 3/4 cup butter and mine ended up very flat?  I even tried chilling the dough overnight and they still ended up flat, but it was okay because they tasted SO YUMMY.  I couldn't resist them and ate way too many.  They are chewy, extremely delicious and won't last long, so give them a try!   

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from: All Recipes and Sing For Your Supper

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1 Tbl. vanilla

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Sift together dry ingredients.  Cream melted butter and both sugars until blended.  Beat in the vanilla, egg and egg yolk until light and creamy.  Mix in dry ingredients just until blended.  Stir in chocolate chips by hand.  Chill dough a few hours or overnight.  Using a small ice cream scoop, drop dough onto cookie sheet.  Bake 10 minutes.  Cool on baking sheet a few minutes.  Yield: about 3 dozen.    

Chicken Alfredo, Spinach and Bacon Pizza

I realized I didn't have any pizza recipes on my blog?  Crazy, because I love pizza.  So, here is one of my favorites.  I have been searching for the perfect pizza dough recipe for a while now.  I have tried quite a few recipes and have never found the perfect one.  They either have a weird texture, take too long to make, taste too much like flour or don't have much flavor at all.  Well, I am excited to announce that I have finally created one that I LOVE!  It is so easy to make and it doesn't have any oil in it, which means less calories!  I love it when you can cut calories and still have amazing flavor!  What calories we take away in the crust, we can just make up for them in the cheese!!!  I topped my pizza  with yummy alfredo, spinach, bacon, chicken and cheese and cooked it on my pizza stone (you must invest in one of these if you don't have one) and it turned out so good and I can't wait until I can eat it again! 

Pizza Dough

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. bread flour

1 Tbl. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 Tbl. active dry yeast

3/4 c. warm water

Dissolve yeast in the water; add the sugar and let set for 5 minutes.  Make sure it is frothy and bubbly or start over.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine both flours and salt.  Add yeast mixture and mix for 4 minutes using the dough hook.  Dough will pull away from the sides of the bowl and stay in a ball while kneading.  If it is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add a little flour at a time, until it no longer sticks.  Or, if it is too dry, add a little water.  Place in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled (about 45 minutes).  Roll out onto a lightly floured surface and place on a greased baking sheet (or pizza peel if using a pizza stone).  Top with desired toppings and bake until crust is crispy and cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes. 

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

1-2 cups Alfredo sauce (homemade or Classico® Brand) 

fresh spinach leaves, washed and chopped

1/2 Lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

4 chicken tenders, grilled and cut into strips (I marinate 

    mine in McCormick® Grill Mates Tomato, Garlic 

    and Basil marinade packet and then grill on 

    the George Foreman)

1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded Italian 5-cheese blend

Italian seasoning

olive oil or melted butter

garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (or preheat pizza stone in a 500 degree oven).  Roll out dough to desired size and thickness.  Place dough on lightly greased baking sheet (or a pizza peel coated with a little cornmeal if you are using a pizza stone).  Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and a little garlic powder.  Spread Alfredo sauce evenly over pizza dough.  Top with chopped spinach, chicken strips and crumbled bacon.  Sprinkle cheese over entire pizza.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crust is brown and crisp and cheese is melted and bubbly.  Broil for a few minutes if you want to brown your cheese.

America's Test Kitchen Smothered Pork Chops

This yummy recipe comes from another one of my new cookbooks!  I talk about America's Test Kitchen all of the time and you all know how I love their recipes.  These pork chops are no exception.  They were delicious.  It is so easy to overcook pork, which in turn, causes them to be dry.  This recipe cooks them perfectly and they came out moist and tender.  The sauce on top was very flavorful and it reminded me of Thanksgiving gravy.  Hey, it has bacon in it!!  You can't go wrong with bacon.  I only cooked two pork chops, but I made the whole sauce recipe, because I like lots of sauce.  This time I served them with my favorite Twice Baked Potatoes and they were delicious as always, however, next time I will serve them with mashed potatoes, so I can top them with more of that yummy gravy.         

Smothered Pork Chops

adapted from: America's Test Kitchen

(Printable Recipe)

3 oz. bacon (about 3 slices)

2 Tbl. flour

1 3/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

2 Tbl. vegetable oil plus more if needed

4 (1/2"-3/4" thick) pork chops, trimmed of excess fat

salt and pepper

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 Tbl. water

2 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp.)

1-2 tsp. dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 Tbl. minced parsley

Fry the bacon until crisp.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan (you should have 2 Tbl. bacon fat; if not, add oil to make this amount).  Whisk in the flour and cook over medium-low heat until golden, about 5 minutes.  Whisk in the broth and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat; cover and set aside off the heat.

  

Heat 1 Tbl. of the oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Pat the chops dry with paper towels.  Use a sharp knife to cut two slits, about 2 inches apart, through the outer layer of fat of each chop (do not cut into the meat).  Sprinkle each chop with pepper.  Brown chops in a single layer until browned on the first side, about 3 minutes.  Flip the chops and cook until the second side is browned, about 3 minutes longer.  Transfer the chops to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 Tbl. oil to the skillet and return to medium heat.  Add the onions and water, scraping up any browned bits and cook until lightly browned.  Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer.  Return the chops to the skillet and cover with the onions.  Add the reserved sauce, the bay leaves and any accumulated meat juices from the plate to the skillet.  Cover and simmer over low heat until the chops are tender and a paring knife inserted into the chops meets little resistance, about 30 minutes.  

Transfer the chops to a platter and cover loosely with foil.  Simmer the sauce over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Discard the bay leaves, stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Crumble the cooked bacon.  Cover the chops with the sauce, sprinkle with the reserved bacon and serve.  Yield: 4 servings.   

German Chocolate Cookies with Coconut Pecan Frosting

My Mom's Birthday is coming up on St. Patrick's Day and I asked her what kind of cake she would like and she said German Chocolate or these Chocolate Malt Cupcakes.  I have never made a German Chocolate Cake.  I have made German Chocolate Cupcakes, but not a full-size cake and last time I made my frosting, I cooked it too long and it was kind of hard.  So, I decided I better try my frosting again to see if I could get it right, but I didn't want to make a whole cake, since I would be doing that next week, so, I decided to try this cake mix cookie recipe.  

Both turned out super yummy.  The cookies were soft, yet chewy and my frosting/topping was so good that I literally could eat it by the spoonful!  I was worried about overcooking it, but this time I decided to follow the method used for making pudding.  When your mixture is slightly thickened, stick a knife or back of a wooden spoon into the mixture, then, run your finger straight through it, making a line down the center.  If the line remains and the remaining mixture doesn't run together, then it is ready.  If the line gets filled back in, then you need to cook it a little longer.  Remember, it will thicken up when you add your coconut and pecans and when it cools to room temperature.  

I took these cookies into work to share with my co-workers and get their opinion on my frosting/topping and to make sure it was good and it wasn't too sweet and I got lots of great compliments and I even had several requests for the recipe.  When people ask you for a recipe, then you know it must be good.  So, I think I will attempt a German Chocolate Cake for my Mom's Birthday.  Now, I just need a great cake recipe to go with my frosting/topping recipe.  Does anybody have a yummy recipe they have made before or any decorating ideas?  

Cake Mix Cookies

adapted from: Clutzy Cooking

1 box German Chocolate cake mix

1 large egg

1/2 cup vegetable oil

a tiny bit of water

Combine cake mix, egg and vegetable oil until well blended.  If mixture is still dry and crumbly, add a tiny bit of water just until it comes together.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls and bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes (mine took 10 minutes).  Cool completely.  Yield: around 30 cookies.    

Coconut Pecan Frosting

from: Jenn@eatcakefordinner

4 egg yolks

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped

Spread out pecans onto a cookie sheet in a single layer and put in a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted.  Watch closely so they don't burn.  Cool slightly and roughly chop.  Beat egg yolks, evaporated milk and vanilla in a large saucepan with a wire whisk until well blended.  Add butter and sugar and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, around 10-12 minutes.  Remove from heat and add coconut and chopped pecans.  Cool to room temperature.  Spoon onto cooled cookies.  Yield: enough to top 30 cookies with 1 cup leftover. 

MY NEW FAVORITE SALAD - BBQ CHICKEN SALAD WITH CREAMY CILANTRO LIME DRESSING

Have you ever finished eating a salad and wondered why you even bothered eating it, because you are still hungry?  I have.  I can assure you, that will not be the case with this one.  I was actually full after I ate this.  Not just "satisfied" or "no longer hungry", I was "flat out - full".  That rarely ever happens to me with salads (unless I'm eating a Cafe Rio salad).  


I loved this salad and I have craved it every single day since I first ate it.  This is definitely going to become a regular item on my dinner menu.  I adjusted the original recipe slightly.  I cooked my chicken in a little chicken broth and barbeque sauce with some seasonings and I did not add barbeque sauce to my salad or to my salad dressing, I only used iceberg lettuce and I added less garlic and way more cilantro to the dressing than called for, because I love cilantro.  I served my chicken, beans and corn warm on top of the salad, because that is what I prefer.  I even forgot to add the cheese and I still loved this salad!  I thought crunchy tortilla strips would be really good on top of this salad, but I didn't get a chance to make any, but next time, I will definitely try it.  I will post my adaptation of Mel's Recipe, but be sure to check out both and do what you prefer. 

BBQ Chkn Salad w/ Creamy Cilantro Dressing

(Printable Recipe)

Salad:

3 c. cooked, shredded chicken (cook in the crockpot 

   with chicken broth, barbeque sauce and desired 

   seasonings.  When done, shred chicken and add 

   some of the leftover juice)

1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and chopped

1 can corn, drained & warmed

1 can black beans, rinsed, drained & warmed

tomato, diced

olives, chopped, opt.

cilantro, chopped

shredded Cheddar cheese

shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

1 c. Mayonnaise

1/3 c. milk

1/3 c. buttermilk

6 Tbl. fresh cilantro, chopped, or to taste

1 Tbl. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 garlic clove, finely minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. cumin, or to taste

For the Dressing: Combine all ingredients together and whisk vigorously to combine.  You could also run this through a blender to make it even more smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To Assemble: Layer chopped lettuce, beans, corn, shredded chicken, shredded cheese, diced tomato and olives and drizzle with cilantro lime dressing.  Garnish with chopped cilantro.  Serves: 4

Chocolate Malt Cupcakes with Chocolate Malt Frosting

The picture I saw of these cupcakes was enough to convince me to make them.  I could care less what they were made out of (ha ha) as long as they looked like that!  Luckily, they were made of yummy ingredients.  Chocolate and malt is such a delicious combination.  I even had malt powder in my pantry.  I know what you are thinking . . . who in the world has malt powder in their pantry?  Well, I do!  Have you ever made homemade chocolate malts?  They are soooooo yummy.  I use fat free vanilla ice cream, chocolate or regular malt powder (I like the Carnation® kind), chocolate syrup and a little milk!  

These cupcakes were really yummy!  The cake was moist and chocolatey and the frosting was thick, creamy and chocolatey.  I can't decide if I couldn't taste a lot of malt flavoring or if it just tasted different than I was imagining?  Either way, I enjoyed these cupcakes and I got great comments from my co-workers too. 

Chocolate Malt Cupcakes

adapted from: here

(Printable Recipe)

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa

1/2 c. sugar

3/4  c. packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. whole milk (I used 2%)

1 1/2 c. malted milk powder (original)

1 c. vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 c. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Whisk together flour, cocoa, both sugars, baking soda and salt.  In another bowl, whisk together milk and malted milk powder until powder is dissolved.  With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat flour mixture, milk mixture and oil until combined.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down bowl as needed.  Add sour cream and vanilla and beat just until combined.  Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each halfway.  Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.  Cool completely.  Yield: 30 cupcakes.

Chocolate Malt Buttercream

1 c. unsalted butter, room temp.

1 c. vegetable shortening

1/2 c. malted milk powder (original) or to taste

4 Tbl. cocoa or to taste

5-6 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

milk, only if needed

In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter and shortening for several minutes, until very light & fluffy.  Sprinkle in malted milk powder, cocoa powder and vanilla and whip for 1 minute.  Slowly add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.  Beat until thoroughly combined.  If it is too thick, add a little bit of milk until reaches desired piping/spreading consistency.  Garnish with malted milk balls and straws, if desired.  (I made about 1 1/2 batches of frosting, because I love tonz of frosting, so if you want to pipe a big mound like I did, you will want to make a little extra frosting). 

SMOTHERED CHICKEN

It is already March, can you believe it?  This is the first recipe I tried out of my new cookbook.  This cookbook is by Johnnie Gabriel (Paula Deen's Cousin).  I admit it, I have an obsession with cookbooks, but I can't help it.  You know a girl has "gone mad" when she would rather get a new cookbook then a new pair of shoes!  I love to just sit and look through cookbooks, but the bad thing is, I'll usually make one or two things out of the book, then move onto the next one.  I'll have to figure out some kind of rotation schedule to work my way through all of them.   


This chicken turned out good.  If you like chicken and rice dishes, then I think you will like this.  I love the flavor of chicken noodle soup and next time I would add extra. I cooked two chicken breasts that I had cut in half, because they were huge, but I made the entire sauce recipe, because I like lots of sauce.  The recipe suggested serving over rice pilaf, but I ended up serving over plain rice.   

Smothered Chicken

adapted from: This Cookbook

1/3 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter

1 (2.75 oz.) pkg. dry chicken noodle soup mix

1/2 c. water

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

In a large plastic zip-top bag, mix the flour, salt and pepper.  Add the chicken and shake to coat with the flour mixture.  In a 10-inch skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the chicken.  Brown the chicken on both sides.  Sprinkle the dry soup mix on and around the chicken pieces.  Add the water and the chopped onion.  Cook, covered, 30-35 minutes on low heat.  Check the skillet periodically and add water if needed.  Remove the chicken from the skillet and place in a deep serving dish.  Pour the evaporated milk into the skillet, stirring and cooking until your mixture is thick and hot but not boiling.  Pour the sauce around the chicken, not over the top, to leave crisp noodles on the chicken pieces.  Serve with rice pilaf.  Makes 4 servings.