Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Source: Rachael Ray Magazine

Makes 4 Sandwiches
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 40 min

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper
1 onion finely chopped (i omitted)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/3 cups barbecue sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Hot pepper sauce
4 kaiser rolls, split
6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese (i used sharp cheddar)

Directions
1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in a heavy pot with the onion, garlic and just enough water to cover (about 1 1/2 cups). Add the barbecue sauce, vinegar and a few drops hot sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the sauce and shred with two forks.
2. Boil the sauce, skimming occasionally, until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the shredded chicken and heat through. Spoon the mixture onto the rolls and top with the cheese.

Mac & Cheese with Bacon

My husband LOVES bacon, so this was a winner!

Source: Amber of http://amberskitchen.blogspot.com/

Ingredients
8 ounces Cavatappi pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup swiss cheese, divided
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
6 slices bacon, cooked and diced

Directions
1. Cook macaroni using package directions.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and salt and stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in dry mustard. Add milk gradually, stirring continually.
4. Cook over low heat, stirring continually, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in 1/4 cup each cheddar, mozzarella and swiss. Mix cheese sauce, macaroni, and bacon in a large bowl. Spoon into a 9x7 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar, mozzarella and swiss.
6. Melt remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Combine breadcrumbs and melted butter; mix well. Sprinkle on top of cheese.
7. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

BLTs with Avocado and Spicy Mayo

Simple, yet delicious!

Source: Rachael Ray

Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

1 large garlic clove, crushed
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
One package center-cut bacon

8 slices of hearty, white farmhouse bread
1 large or 2 small ripe avocados
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
8 lettuce leaves, torn into pieces

Directions

1. Chop the crushed garlic with the salt and press it with the side of the knife until mashed. Scrape the garlic into a small bowl and stir in the chili powder, 2 tablespoons of lime juice and the mayonnaise.

2. In a large skillet, cook the bacon in 2 batches until crisp. Pour off the fat between each batch. Drain the bacon on paper towels.

3. While the bacon cooks, toast the bread. Slice the avocado and sprinkle the slices with a few drops of the lime juice.

4. Spread 1 side of each piece of toast with the spicy mayo. Arrange the avocado slices on 4 of the toasts, pressing them firmly against the mayo. Arrange the bacon, tomatoes and lettuce on the avocado slices. Top the sandwiches with the remaining toast. Cut the sandwiches in half on the diagonal.

Chicken with Lime Sauce

This sauce is really delish!
The original recipe had any asked to cook the chicken 5 min. on each side in a pan. Obviously that is not long enough to cook chicken through. So I threw it in the oven for 20 minutes before adding to the sauce and voila!

Source: Cooking Light (tweaked by me)

Ingredients
2 thick, skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
Cooking spray
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons lime juice, divided
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter

Directions
Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
Pre-heat oven to 375.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan and place in a baking dish.
Finish cooking in oven for about 15-20 minutes (until no longer pink).
While chicken is in the oven,
Put chicken broth, sugar, 2 tablespoons juice, and mustard in (same) skillet; cook over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to pan; stir well with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens slightly. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice and butter, stirring until butter melts. Return cooked chicken to pan; simmer 2 minutes.