Dinner's 6-8 and Valentine's Day!

 Dinner #6-Mandarin Chicken Stir Fry

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin orange segments, drained and 2 tablespoons syrup reserved

1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon finely chopped gingerroot

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 package (6 ounces) frozen snow (Chinese) pea pods, thawed and drained

2 medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons)

Mix vinegar, soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, red pepper, reserved orange syrup and pineapple juice in small bowl; set aside.
  
Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, gingerroot and garlic; stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Stir in soy sauce mixture. Heat to boiling. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Stir in pea pods, onions and pineapple; heat through. Fold in orange segments. Serve over rice.  

Everyone except me was luke warm to this recipe.  We served it with chow mien and the kids liked that. 

 Happy Love Day!  It's not Valentine's Day without sugar cookies....

 or heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast.

#7  Ravioli Bake (it's not a very pretty dish, but it tasted really good)

1 jar (26 to 28 ounces) tomato pasta sauce (any variety)

1 package (25 to 27 1/2 ounces) frozen cheese-filled ravioli

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of rectangular baking dish 13x9x2-inches, with cooking spray.

 Spread 3/4 cup of the pasta sauce in baking dish. Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in single layer over sauce; top with half of the remaining pasta sauce and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once, starting with ravioli. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

 Cover with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes longer or until bubbly and hot in center. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. 

I used more sauce and also added garlic and ricotta cheese.  You could also add in extra veggies into the sauce like spinach or broccoli, or if you like meat in your dish add that into the sauce as well.  We loved this dish.  I also made this earlier in the day and then threw it in the oven when it was getting close to dinner time.  We served it with homemade rolls and veggies.

#8 Mexican Chicken and Beans

1 lb uncooked chicken breast strips for stir-fry

1 package  taco seasoning mix

1 can (15 oz)  black beans, drained, rinsed

1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, undrained

1/4 cup water

Flour tortillas, if desired

Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray. Add chicken to skillet; cook over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center.

 Stir in seasoning mix, beans, corn and water. Cook over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve with tortillas and tortilla chips.

We really liked this dish.  We thought throwing in some tomatoes, either fresh or canned (fresh would be better) would be a nice addition.  I also just used normal corn and added in my own fresh red and green bell peppers.