Blue Ribbon Recipes

Grilled Chicken Breast Ciabatta with Pesto Mayo

4 chicken breast halves, skinless and boneless

salt, pepper, granulated garlic

extra virgin olive oil

Swiss cheese

8 slices bacon, cooked crispy

1 avocado, sliced

6 tomato slices

4 Ciabatta rolls, sliced

Basil pesto

2 tbsp. prepared basil pesto

½ cup mayonnaise

Pound chicken to a half-inch thick and season with salt, pepper and garlic. Coated a grill pan with olive oil and cook the chicken through; approximately 7-8 minutes per side.

While chicken is cooking, brush rolls with olive oil and place face up on baking sheet, broil until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and set top of rolls aside.

Place one chicken breast on each bottom half roll and top each with 1-2 slices of cheese. Return to oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Mix mayonnaise and basil pesto together.

Top chicken with bacon, tomato, avocado and pesto mayonnaise.

-- courtesy of Robynne Glenn

Mac Attack

Cheeseburger Casserole

1 lb. 80/20 ground beef

salt and pepper, to taste

1 can refrigerated 5-count, large biscuits

2 cups mild cheddar cheese, grated

Sauce

¾ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup ketchup

2 tbsp. onion, minced

4 tbsp. bread and butter pickles, minced

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. sugar

Garnish

1 cup shredded lettuce

dill pickle and onion slices, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.

In a medium skillet on medium heat, brown ground beef. Drain grease and add back to skillet. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pour drained beef into an 8x8 baking dish and sprinkle with cheese.

Slice each biscuit in half and top with nine biscuit halves. (The 10th will be extra.)

Place casserole in oven and bake until biscuits are done, about 30 minutes.

Serve casserole topped with shredded lettuce, pickles and onion slices. Spoon special sauce on top.

-- courtesy of Tammy Brownlow

Crockpot

Sweet Hot Wings

1 can cranberry sauce jellied

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

½ cup orange juice (not fresh)

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. honey

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 clove garlic, grated or chopped

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. dried onion

4-10 tbsp. (mild to medium heat) Texas Pete's buffalo sauce

jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional)

3-4 lb. chicken wings

Heat the crock pot to high heat. Turn on oven to high broil.

Cut the tips off of chicken wings and discard. Cut the joint in half. Set aside.

Put the cranberry sauce in the crock pot and mash. Add remaining ingredients to the crock pot, except for the chicken, and stir.

Foil line a baking sheet. Place chicken on baking sheet and broil for about 15-20 minutes until browned, turning after 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and place wings in crock pot. Stir and toss in sauce.

Cook on low for two hours or high for about an hour. Check and stir only once during cooking.

Remove chicken from crock pot to baking sheet again. Pour some of the sauce over the wings from pot. Place under broiler to brown and make the sauce stick. Discard sauce in pot. Keep warm in clean crock pot, uncovered.

-- courtesy of Noreen Mic D.

Honey Blueberry

Stuffed French Toast

3 cups Post Honey Nut Shredded Wheat

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

12 slices French toast bread

6 eggs

¾ cup buttermilk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup blueberries

8 oz. marscapone cheese

4 tbsp. honey

4 tbsp. butter

Place the shredded wheat in food processor and pulse until consistency of coarse crumbs.

Add cinnamon and nutmeg to the shredded wheat and mix together. Set aside in a small baking dish.

In mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add buttermilk and 1 tsp. vanilla. Pour into large baking dish.

In another mixing bowl, mix mascarpone cheese, 1 tsp. vanilla, honey and blueberries. Place into piping bag and cut off tip.

Cut slit at bottom of a piece of bread and pipe cheese mixture into bread slice.

Dip the slice of bread into beaten egg mixture and then into shredded wheat mixture.

Cook on buttered skillet for three minutes, then gently flip over and continue cooking for three minutes.

Repeat and serve with syrup.

-- courtesy of Kelly Gonnelly

Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake

1 devil's food or chocolate cake mix

1 pkg. (4 serving) chocolate instant pudding mix

1⅓ cups water

4 eggs

⅓ cup vegetable oil

1⅓ cups coconut

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Glaze

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, water, eggs and oil in a large bowl and beat on medium speed for four minutes.

Stir in coconut and chocolate chips.

Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray, or grease and flour, and pour batter into pan. Bake approximately 1 hour (check with a toothpick). Let cool in pan for 15 minutes, and then remove and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

To make glaze, combine sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips in a small saucepan. Over medium low heat, stir constantly until chocolate chips melt and mixture is smooth. Do not allow it to bubble. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Allow to cool slightly before glazing cake.

Sprinkle the cake with toasted coconut, nuts or just leave plain.

-- courtesy of Sue Lally