Chicken Broccoli Shells

INGREDIENTS
1 jar Alfredo sauce
2 cups frozen chopped broccoli (thawed)
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
21 jumbo pasta shells (cooked)

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine Alfredo sauce, broccoli, chicken and cheeses.
2. Spoon into pasta shells
3. Place in greased baking dish (I used wax paper)
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until heated through (hasn't ever taken this long for me... more like 20 minutes)

I have let Caleb dip his shell in spaghetti sauce too (since he loves to dip!)/ just use the sauce as a topping for penne pasta
I'm also planning to add spinach to the sauce.

Apple Cranberry Crisp

INGREDIENTS

2/3 c. oatmeal (not instant)
3 Tbsp flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp margarine
3 Tbsp cornstarch
4 c. apples (peeled and sliced)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/5 Tbsp lemon juice (have used orange too)
1 c. fresh/frozen cranberries

DIRECTIONS
1. Set over to 375 degrees
2. Mix oats, flour, 1/3 c. brown sugar and melted butter
3. In separate bowl, mix the rest of sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon
4. Add apples, lemon juice and cranberries to step 3
5. Place fruit mixture in 2 quart dish
6. Sprinkle with oat topping
7. Bake 35-45 minutes

Serve warm with ice cream

Avocado Black Bean Salsa

INGREDIENTS

1 avocado
1/2 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1/2 tomato (diced)
cilantro to taste
salt to taste
lime to taste

DIRECTIONS

Basically mix all ingredients together until you get the flavor you like.
Eat as a dip with chips, with pita bread, inside a tortilla,...

Good for a lunch/snack.

Grilled Cheese Pizza

This is a good quick toddler lunch and they can help prepare it too!

Mozarella/Provolone Cheese
Bread
Pepperoni (I use the mini's for my toddler)
Butter
Pizza Sauce (I have used spaghetti sauce)

Butter one side of bread. On the opposite side of the bread, add cheese, pepperoni, and pizza sauce. Grill the sandwich as you would grilled cheese (with butter side out). Dip with pizza sauce if wanted.

Oatmeal Cranberry Drops

1 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp orange zest
3 c. quick oats
1 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Beat butter and both sugars in separate large bowl until creamy.
4. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and orange zest.
5. Beat in flour mistrue.
6. Stir in oatmeal one cup at a time.
7. Add chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
8. Drop heaping teaspoonfulls on cookie sheet, 1 inch apart and bake for 10 minutes

** I got this recipe from Parenting magazine (Dec/Jan 08)