Mozzarella Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Italian or wheat bread slices
ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
tomato, sliced thin
pesto
butter

On each slice of bread, spread a thin layer of pesto. Lay mozzarella and tomato slices. Sandwich another slice of bread of top. Butter both sides and brown in skillet. Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

3 cartons cherry tomatoes
3 T olive oil
salt and pepper
2 T butter
1 small onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
4 c. chicken broth
1/2 tsp thyme
1 bunch torn basil leaves
1/2 c. heavy cream

On a roasting pan, coat cherry tomatoes with 2 T olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 minutes at 400 degrees, turning every so often. In pot, melt butter and 1 T olive oil. Saute onion for a few minutes until tender, then add garlic for another minute. Add can of tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, broth, thyme, and basil. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for about 45 minutes partially covered, stirring every now and then. With an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. Stir in heavy cream. Serve with croutons, crackers, or my favorite- a simple grilled cheese sandwich!

TexMex Dip

2 cans TexMex corn, drained
1 can chopped green chilis
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1/2 red bell pepper, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 c. shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. sour cream
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together in bowl. Chill until serving time. Serve with Frito's.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

4 baking potatoes
1 T salt
1 1/2 c. half and half
5 cloves garlic
1 c. shredded Parmesan Cheese
salt and pepper

Scrub potatoes in water. Peel and cut into same-sized cubes. In large pot, put potatoes and salt in then cover with water. Bring to a boil until potatoes are fork tender. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, bring half and half to a simmer and grate in garlic cloves. Drain water out of pot, mash potatoes and stir in half and half/garlic mixture until creamy. Use a little at a time until it is to desired consistency. Stir in cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Chicken Marsala

4 chicken breasts
olive oil

Spice Rub for Chicken:
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp each of pepper, thyme, oregano
1/2 tsp each of garlic powder and onion powder

Sauce:
1/3 c. butter
4 oz. diced pancetta
1 shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. canned mushrooms, drained
1/4 c. dry marsala wine
1 c. chicken broth
1 T corn starch
2 T water
1/4 c. heavy cream

Butterfly chicken breasts with sharp knife then pound thin with mallet. In skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Mix all spices together in small bowl. Coat spice rub evenly over tops and bottoms of chicken. Brown chicken in skillet until browned on both sides. It does not have to get done all the way through. Take chicken out of skillet.

Lower heat for skillet and melt butter. Cook pancetta for a few minutes in butter then add shallot, garlic, and mushrooms in and let cook for about 2-3 minutes. Pour in marsala wine and let it cook for a little bit- about 5 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and let cook for about 10 more minutes. In small bowl, mix corn starch and water together. Pour into sauce to thicken it up a little. Stir while pouring it in so sauce will not stick to bottom. Stir in heavy cream. Put chicken back into skillet and cover with sauce. Let it cook for a little longer until chicken is done in middle. (If you won't be eating for a little while and you need to keep it warm in the oven at about 275 degrees, just put the chicken into a pan and pour sauce over.) Serve over garlic mashed potatoes.