Tuscan Chicken and Wild Rice

Have you ever had this rice? I recommend it. It's so hearty, flavorful and delicious. I use it for MANY of my dishes and it just completes it. Pick it up at your local Costco:) Now to the recipe. This is so incredibly delicious and simple that you must make it! It's hearty, yet light. Love it.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup wild rice
10 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, diced

2 cups water

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken in the crock pot. Add rice, garlic, red peppers. Mix water, lemon juice and oil in a mixing bowl. Pour mixture over rice and chicken. Stir once to coat chicken. Cover and cook on medium low for 4-6 hours.

Cake Batter Cheesecake Cupcakes

Yeah, yeah...I know the 4th of July is over, but why can't we celebrate it longer than the actual day? Especially when I was gone on vaca during the holiday? 4th of July or not, these can be made for any occasion. Funfetti cake has to be THE funnest and best cake out there. My family LOVES it. Now when you add a cheesecake center and a cakebatter-cheesecake frosting...NOW you're talkin!! Such a fun, different cupcake that everyone is sure to love!

For the Cake:
Funfetti cake batter (Use your favorite homemade or box version - fully made batter)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 24 muffin tin with festive liners.

Spoon cake batter into each tin until it is half full. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth. Spoon one spoonful over top of each cupcake. Bake for about 15 minutes or until set.

Cake Batter, Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 stick butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 t vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup white cake mix (MIX - NOT BATTER)

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Add powdered sugar and cake mix and beat on low until just combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes. If frosting is too thick, mix a bit of heavy cream or milk until desired consistency is reached.

Once cupcakes are cooled, frost generously. Enjoy!!

* From Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Pesto Stuffed Chicken

I was in the mood for something different. You know, not the same old-same old chicken. I get tired of that every now and again. So I came up with this. What a new and refreshing way to eat chicken! I love how moist and flavorful it is and just how purely delicious it is. Eat your pesto in a new way and you won't be disappointed!

4 large chicken breasts

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1/4 cup honey mustard

1 small jar pesto sauce (or your favorite homemade)

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

bread crumbs (I use Texas Toast croutons finely crushed)

1/4-1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Place chicken breasts in a ziploc bag with the 2 mustards and marinate overnight or at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix the pesto with the ricotta cheese. Take a chicken breast and cut a "pocket" into it making sure to not cut all the way through the bottom or sides. Fill with pesto mixture until stuffed full. Mix bread crumbs with parmesan cheese. In a large skillet heat 2 T olive oil on medium-high. Coat stuffed chicken in bread crumbs and place in skillet to brown and crisp the outside making sure to only turn the chicken once. Once the outside is good and crispy place on a cookie sheet and place in the oven to finish cooking for about 20-30 minutes (depending on how thick your chicken breast was to start.) Enjoy!