I love this meal. I make it for my family, for friends and even for big dinner parties. It is a perfect spring/summer dish. Pair it with a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay for a nice touch.

ARTICHOKE CHICKEN

2 (18 oz.) jars marinated artichoke hearts
6 chicken breast (for big groups I use tenders)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup white cooking wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped green onions
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, minced
8 oz Muenster cheese, sliced (optional)

Spread artichokes and marinade in a 9x13 baking dish. In a shallow dish, mix Parmesan and bread crumbs. Coat chicken in bread crumbs. Arrange over artichokes. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. While chicken is baking, combine olive oil, wine, parsley, green onions and garlic. Whisk until well blended. REDUCE OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 350 DEGREES. Pour dressing over the chicken. Bake for 20 minutes longer. Top with Muenster cheese. Let stand until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

I don't usually use the muenster because of added cost and fat. I serve this with angel hair pasta and a salad. To plate it, put the pasta on the plate first then the chicken on top and spoon the sauce and articoke hearts over it all. This recipe is great when cooking for a group that may have vegetarians. They can leave out the chicken.


Now a great dessert to go with this is Lemon Cake. This is SO EASY because the base is a box mix!


LEMON CAKE

1 box yellow cake mix
1 pkg (3.4 oz) instant lemon pudding mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup sprite or 7 up
1 cup powdered sugar
2 TBSP lemon juice

In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, oil and eggs. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Gradually beat in the soda. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center. While cake is baking, combine powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth; carefully spread over warm cake.

Tip: be sure to use only 1 cup of soda. I can't tell you how many times I have gotten over confident, not looked at the recipe and poured in the whole can.


I have made this for a baby shower. Really cute! Cut the cake into squares. Pile squares in a pyramid shape on a large plate and place heads of 5 daisies here and there.

This week I have come across so many recipes that I think, "Oh, I have to share this one next!" I am really excited about this and I hope you are too. I have had a couple of requests from sweet friends, so I will post those this time.


The first was requested by my friend Lynda back in Jackson, TN for Zucchini Squares. I actually got this recipe from Jackie who goes to our old church back in Jackson. It is a great recipe that I have used as an appetizer and at a brunch.


ZUCCHINI SQUARES


1 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 TBSP parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp season salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1 minced garlic clove
1/2 cup oil
4 eggs, beaten
3 cups thinly sliced zucchini

Combine all ingredents except zucchini. Blend well then fold in zucchini. Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cut into squares.

The other request was from my new friend here in Asheville, Debbie. It is for my homemade croutons. I used these with the French Onion Soup recipe so the bread is already bite size. They are VERY easy and a good use of old bread. The seasoning, called Essence, actually came from a different recipe from Emeril Lagasse.


HOMEMADE CROUTONS

Cut french or sourdough bread into 1 inch size chuncks. Spread on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Essence. Use your hands to toss the bread to get well coated with oil and seasoning. Spread out to a single layer. Bake at 375 degrees for around 5 - 8 minutes. Keep an eye on it. I'm just guessing on the time.

ESSENCE (Emeril's Creole Seasoning)

2 1/2 TBSP paprika
2 TBSP salt
2 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP black pepper
1 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP cayenne pepper
1 TBSP dried oregano
1 TBSP dried thyme


I keep this in an old spice container and use it on all kinds of things from green beans to fish to croutons.

Enjoy and have a great weekend! Next week I will do my favorite lemon cake. SO EASY!

I know, I know! I said I would leave a recipe a week and I have already gotten behind. Well, I will make it up now.


Having lived most of my life in Texas, I'm a HUGE fan of Tex-Mex. Last week we had some friends over for a Tex-Mex dinner. These are some of my tried and true recipes that friends have asked for many times.

ABBIE'S TEXAS SALSA (Abbie is a friend in Jackson, TN who is actually a Texan.)

1/2 an onion, coursely chopped
1 small can whole jalapenos
3 big "pinches" fresh cilantro
1 large can of diced tomatoes, do NOT drain
2 garlic cloves or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. water

Throw ingredients in this order in a blender or food processor and blend until desired chunkiness. I like it well chopped. Use less jalapenos if you can't take the heat.

The next recipe I actually got when I was in collage from one of my Elementary Ed. Professors. I've added a few of my own twists to add flavor. It is a little work, but so worth it. Usually, Fred heats the tortillas while I fill and roll them.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

3 - 4 chicken breasts
olive oil, salt & pepper
24 oz. sour cream
2 cans chopped green chilies
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
vegetable oil
1 pkg corn tortillas
12 oz. shredded Colby/Jack cheese

Drizzle chicken with olive oil, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Use your hands to rub oil and seasoning into chicken. Grill (this can even be done the day before). Finely chop chicken or put in food processor.

In a medium sauce pan, slowly heat sour cream, green chilies (can substitute jalapenos for more heat), soup and spices. This mixture just needs to be heated. Do not boil.

In a seperate bowl, place chopped chicken and HALF of the sour cream mixture and stir. This is the insides of the enchiladas.

Heat 1 - 2 TBSP veg. oil in a skillet over low heat. Place one tortilla at a time in the skillet to soften each side. Take out of pan and fill about 2 TBSP of chicken mixture and roll tortilla. Place in a greased 9x13 or larger pan. Repeat until all chicken mixture is used up. Enchiladas can be snug up against one another.

Pour the left over sour cream sauce over the whole pan of enchiladas and top with cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees until it gets bubbly. Serve immediately. If it sits awhile the tortillas start absorbing the sour cream sauce and it is not as creamy.

MARGARITAS

We use the frozen Margarita mix with a little extra Bicardi Rum that the can calls for. Our secret to a good margarita is a fresh lime. Grate about half of the rind into the mixture, then juice the lime. Blend.