Orange Chicken

1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 cup apricot preserves
1 cup Catalina salad dressing
6 chicken breasts

Combine onion soup mix, apricot preserves, and Catalina dressing. Pour into a 9x13 inch pan or baking dish. Add the chicken, making sure all sides are covered with the sauce.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, until chicken is cooked all the way through.

Serve with rice.

Curry & Rice

2 chicken breasts

2 Tbsp. oil

5 Tbsp. butter

¼ cup onions, minced

3 carrots, sliced

⅓ cup flour

¼ cup yellow curry powder

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. chicken bouillon

2 cups water

1 14-oz can coconut milk

1 tsp. lemon juice

Dice chicken and sauté with oil in a large sauce pan until golden brown and cooked through.  Remove from pan and set aside. 

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.  Suté onions and carrots until tender.  Whisk in flour, curry, sugar, ginger, salt and bouillon.  Add water and coconut milk and whisk until smooth and thickened.  Add more milk if needed.  Stir in cooked chicken and lemon juice.

Serve over rice with suggested toppings: raisins and coconut.

Hash Brown Sausage Bake

½ pkg. frozen hash browns, southern style, thawed

⅓ cup butter, melted

1 tsp. beef bouillon granules

1 lb. ground pork sausage

⅓ cup onion, diced

1 cup cottage cheese

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a deep round dish, combine hash browns, butter and granules. Cover and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown sausage and onion; drain.

In a large bowl combine browned sausage, cottage cheese, eggs and cheese. Pour on top of baked hash browns. Return to the oven and bake at 350° for an additional 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Penne Pasta Bake

1 1/2 cups penne pasta, uncooked
1 9-oz. pkg. fresh spinach
1 lb. chicken, uncooked & chunked
1 tsp. dried basil
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
2 oz. cream cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta adding spinach to boiling water for last minute; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook and stir chicken & basil in large skillet for 3 minutes. Add sauce and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Stir in cream cheese, half of mozzarella cheese and pasta mixture. Spoon into a 9x13 pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and bake for 5 more minutes.

Nutmeg Syrup

1 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

2 cups cold water

2 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. vanilla 

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.

Serve with waffles, pancakes or French toast.

Bath Tub Paint

2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup liquid dish soap
4-5 drops food coloring
3 Tbsp. water

In a muffin tin, add cornstarch (ingredient amounts listed are per muffin tin cup). Mix dish soap and food coloring; stir until smooth and color is fully incorporated. Add water and stir.

Give each child a paintbrush and let them paint the bathtub while bathing or just before bath time.

Kool-Aid Play Dough

1 cup flour
1 Tbsp. oil
1 pkg. Kool-Aid
1/4 cup salt
2 Tbsp. cream of tartar
1 cup water

Combine all ingredients.