Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Casserole

This is a tasty chicken and pasta casserole that you will sure to love. It incorporates vegetables and creamy cheese to make a delicious meal. From grandmotherskitchen.org.

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Casserole
Serves 4 – 6


Ingredients:

16 oz pasta, cooked & drained (without problem ingredients)
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
4 cups cooked chicken, cut into small cubes
4 Tablespoons butter, melted, divided
2 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups parmesan cheese (if tolerated)
1 cup breadcrumbs (without problem ingredients)
Salt & Pepper to taste (if tolerated)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Cook the pasta al dente and drain the water.

3. Place broccoli into a saucepan and just cover with water.

4. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain the water.

5. In a large bowl, toss the pasta, broccoli, red peppers and chicken cubes.

6. In a small bowl, mix the milk, cream, 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and 1 cup of the parmesan cheese.

7. Stir the milk mixture into the pasta mixture.

8. Combine thoroughly and season with salt and pepper to taste.

9. Place into a 2.5 quart (or larger) casserole dish.

10. In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the rest of the parmesan cheese and the remaining melted butter and sprinkle on top of the casserole.

11. Bake for 25-30 minutes just until the topping is golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle on the grated cheddar cheese. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, to melt the cheese.

12. Serve and enjoy.

GolferGirl123 Salad

GolferGirl123 sent in this delish salad and it’s one of her new favorites that is a must to try! She says the bacon is what makes it. She buys a very thick sliced uncured bacon from Whole Foods which comes with four slices per pack. It is also great as sandwich meat. When she serves the salad she doesn’t chop the bacon first. She just lays it on top of the salad, and you need a steak knife to cut it.

GolferGirl123 Salad


Ingredients:

Spring mix salad
fresh blueberries
chopped avocado chunks
3 pieces of bacon (if tolerated)
IC friendly granola or slivered almonds
fresh grated Parmesan (if tolerated)
Sea salt
Olive oil


Directions:

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Place salad into plate and top with blueberries, avocado, granola or slivered almonds, grated Parmesan, bacon, sea salt, and olive oil. Enjoy!

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

The best and easiest chicken ever, baked to crisp-tender perfection along with the most amazing sweet garlic sauce! From damndelicous.net.

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken


Ingredients:

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (if tolerated)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (as garnish if tolerated)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side; set aside.

4. Melt remaining tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Stir in brown sugar, honey, oregano, thyme and basil until well combined. Return chicken to the skillet.

6. Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 175 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes.

7. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Green Smoothie

Most smoothies have fruits in them which are high in acid. Here is a smoothie that hits the spot that is IC friendly. Do be aware that bananas are a caution on the IC-Diet list because of the high potassium content. However, many people can tolerate them just fine assuming that your diet is good, and you don't go overboard. From niceats.blogspot.com.

Green Smoothie


Ingredients:

1 banana (if tolerated)
1 pear
1 avocado
1 cup spinach, packed
1 cup water
1/2 cup ice


Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth!

Best French Vanilla Cake

This homemade vanilla cake recipe from scratch is the one. Incredibly moist and tender, the taste is perfect - pure vanilla.

Here's a tip for this cake recipe: If the butter is not completely soft, you will have to beat it for several minutes to get the light and fluffy texture. From misshomemade.com.

Best Homemade French Vanilla Cake


Ingredients:

Cake
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2-3/4 cups all purpose flour, sifted
2-1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 TBS pure vanilla extract

Buttercream Frosting
1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups high ratio solid vegetable shortening
5-6 cups sifted powdered sugar, depending on how sweet you want it
5-6 TBS evaporated milk or cream
1 tsp butter extract
1 TBS pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt


Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9 inch cake pans and dust the inside with flour and tap out excess. Line the bottom of the pans with wax or parchment paper. Put the cake pans on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat for easy clean up.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together; set aside.

Beat the butter for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat another 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat thoroughly after each addition.

Start adding the flour mixture one cup at a time, and alternate with the milk; ending with the flour mixture. Add the vanilla, mix well and pour into prepared cake pans.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or when a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up. (These cooled cakes may be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months.)


FROSTING:
Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl and beat with the high ratio vegetable shortening for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and add the salt and mix. Add the powdered sugar and start out on low until combined. Beat on high for 3 minutes. Add the butter and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy; another 5 minutes.