Pineapple Meatballs

This was a huge hit in our house!

1 tsp. oil

1 large red pepper, chopped (I used red and orange peppers from the freezer)

1 onion, chopped (I omitted the onion because the meatballs I used had onion in them)

1/4 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 cans (8 oz. each) pineapple chunks, drained, liquid reserved (I used 1 large can of pineapple)

12 oz. (3/4 of 1-lb. pkg.) frozen cooked meatballs (I used my basic meatball recipe but made the meatballs about half the size I normally do. Then I sauteed them until they were cooked through. I did this earlier in the day so when I cooked the rest of the meal, the meatballs were ready.)

2 cups instant white rice, uncooked (I cooked brown rice)

HEAT oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions; cook 5 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently.

STIR in barbecue sauce, ginger, garlic powder and reserved pineapple liquid. Add meatballs; mix lightly until evenly coated. Cook 10 min. or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook rice as directed on package.

STIR pineapple into meatball mixture. Serve over rice.

Chicken, Broccoli and Cashews

This recipe was in a calendar I got from Eat Better America (part of General Mills).

2	teaspoons canola oil
1	lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1	teaspoon finely chopped gingerroot (I used ground ginger)
2	cups fresh broccoli florets
1	cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/8	teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I used a bit of cayenne pepper)
2	cups frozen sugar snap peas (I didn't have peas; I used mushrooms instead)
3	tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (I used regular)
2	teaspoons rice vinegar (I used regular vinegar)
1	tablespoon cornstarch
1	teaspoon sugar
2	medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons) (I did not use green onions)
3	cups hot cooked brown rice
1/4	cup salted roasted cashew halves and pieces

	In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and gingerroot; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until chicken begins to brown.
	Add broccoli, 1/2 cup of the broth and the pepper flakes. Cover; cook over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring once. Add peas; cook 2 to 4 minutes longer, stirring once, until vegetables are crisp-tender.
	In small bowl, mix remaining 1/2 cup broth, the soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch and sugar; stir into chicken mixture. Add onions; cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Serve over rice; sprinkle with cashews.

Foil-Baked Asian Chicken

This recipe came from All You magazine (April 17, 2009).

8 tsp. olive oil
4 cups baby spinach
4-4 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
4 tsp. teriyaki sauce
Salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Tear off 4 10-inch squares of aluminum foil. Brush each square with 2 tsp. olive oil. Place 1 cup spinach on each square, slightly off center. Top with a chicken breast half and some mushrooms. Drizzle 1 tsp. teriyaki sauce over each portion; sprinkle with salt.

Fold each piece of foil over to cover chicken and vegetables. Crimp edges together tightly to seal. Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot. We had brown rice with this.

Stir Fry

The original recipe for Stir Fry Chicken and Broccoli came from my Calvinette (now Gems) cookbook. I've made some adjustments over time.

1 lb. chicken breast strips (I've also used pork and shrimp)
2 T. oil
4 cups veggies (broccoli, pepper strips, water chestnuts) (I've also used carrots in this, or occassionally a frozen stir fry veggie mix)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 T. soy sauce
2 T. cornstarch
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 to 2 cups Minute Rice (I never use Minute Rice, just cook some brown rice to go with it.)

Stir fry chicken in hot oil in large skillet until browned. Add vegetables. Stir fry until crisp tender.

I love the colorful veggies!

Mix broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, garlic powder and ginger. Add to skillet. Bring to boil. Boil for 1 minute or until thickened.

Liquid added, needs to thicken.

Meanwhile, prepare rice as directed on package. Serve chicken and vegetables over rice.