~1 lb boneless chicken, cut into pieces
a bit of oil
2 c. water
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 pkgs. Ramen noodles (we use Oriental)
1 pkg. (16 oz.) mixed veggies, or whatever veggies you have on hand
1 red pepper, diced (or whatever color pepper you like...I usually end up with a mixture)
3 T. soy sauce

Stir fry the chicken in oil. Add the water and garlic. Bring to a boil. Add the remaining ingredients, including the seasoning packets. Cover and simmer for 7-9 minutes or until done.

Holly’s Note:
This literally takes 15 minutes from beginning to end and is really good with whole wheat bread rolls. We love it. It's also great for using up those last bits of frozen vegetables. If you're like me, you end up with a 1/4 bag of mixed, a 1/4 bag of corn and a 1/4 bag of broccoli. Just throw it all in there together.

Brown 1 lb. of ground beef, drain fat and add:
some onion, either dried or chopped (about 1/2 a cup chopped or sprinkle on a bunch of dried!)
salt & pepper
1 t. cumin powder
¼ t. oregano
Sprinkle 2 T. flour over meat

Dissolve 3 T. chili powder in 1 cup hot water. Add to meat mixture. Simmer.

Add:
1 can kidney beans, drained.
1 can corn, drained
1 small can tomato sauce

Simmer til you’re ready to eat. Add some shredded cheddar cheese (about 1/2-1 cup), stir 'til melted. Serve with chili-cheese flavored corn chips.

Holly’s Note:
I have no idea why this is called Chili Kenos. It was in a church cookbook that my mom's ward did years ago and it came from an old family friend. The original recipe called for the corn chips to be added to the meat mixture. I serve the corn chips on the side. It’s better for re-heating that way. No soggy corn chips. This is one of those childhood meals that is very comforting.

In our house, this is called "Spice and Chips" courtesy of my son!

3 T. oil
1 c. uncooked rice
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
¼ c. chopped onion
1 can beef broth
1 small can green chiles
½ cup tomato sauce or 1 5 oz can of spicy V8 juice

Saute rice in oil for several minutes. Add onions and saute some more. Stir in spices, tomato sauce/V8, broth and green chiles. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is done. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Holly's Note:
This is actually a very mild rice dish. It goes really well with Beef Enchiladas, Chicken and Bean Burritos and Enchilada Pie.

4-5 leaves of fresh basil, diced
2 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound of pasta, cooked and drained (linguini works well, as does mini penne, which we prefer)
1 bunch green onions, sliced
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces

Warm the olive oil. Sauté the garlic, but don’t let it brown. Add the tomatoes and sauté about one more minute. Add the wine, broth and cream. Bring it to a simmer. Cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 12-15 minutes), stirring often. Add onions, basil, and chicken. Stir together and cook another 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce over the pasta, toss to coat, add grated parmesan cheese if desired and serve.

Holly's Note:
This is even better second day. It is fabulous when paired with green salad and Herbed Bread Rolls.