Chicken Alfredo Rice Casserole

I think this is one of the recipes from my Better Homes & Gardens, and though I've only made it twice, it's been a hit both times.

alfredo sauce (homemade or 10-oz. jar)
1/2 c milk
2 1/2 c cooked rice
2 c cooked chicken, diced
1 c frozen broccoli (the original recipe calls for peas, but I had broccoli in my freezer)
1/3 c chopped roasted red peppers
1 tbsp fresh basil (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1 c bread or corn flake crumbs
1 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 c slivered almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl combine sauce and milk. Add rice, chicken, broccoli, peppers, nuts, and basil; stir. Transfer to baking dish.

Bake covered 30 minutes. Take out and stir. Add bread crumbs (coated in butter) over the top, then bake uncovered 20 minutes more.

Garlic and Oil Pasta Sauce

This is one of my favorites, and though my whiny husband always prefers a red sauce, he also likes this whenever I make it.

Start pasta cooking. Heat oil in a large frying pan--you'll have to eyeball it, but shoot for covering the bottom of the pan. Add a spoonful of minced garlic (and yes, I've cheated and used garlic powder instead; it's obviously not the same, but passable), about a teaspoon of salt, and a dash of ground red pepper.

Here's the part that took me ages to remember--don't drain the pasta yet!

Add some of the pasta water (about 1/4 c) to the frying pan and stir; add more water if needed. Then, drain pasta and toss in frying pan. Sprinkle parsley on top.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

1/2 c butter
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
2 tsp garlic powder
2 c milk
6 oz. grated parmesan
1/8 tsp black pepper
dash o' nutmeg (yes, that's how I have it written in my recipe book)

Melt butter in large frying pan--use the biggest skillet you have for this, so you can put the cooked pasta right in when you're done. Whisk in garlic powder and cream cheese until smooth (this usually takes a while). Stir in milk a little at a time. Stir in parmesan, nutmeg, and pepper. Remove from heat; sauce will thicken as it sits. Add pasta (fettucine, of course, or whatever you're using; I like linguine just a little better than fettucine) and toss.

Brie Cups

This is a recipe I found on Recipe Girl, and since her picture is so pretty and I could never get one that nice with my little crappy camera, I have just stolen it. I have to admit I kind of hate "brie kisses," the name of the original recipe, so we've just been calling them brie cups. And they have been absolutely devoured every time I've made them.

Ingredients:
mini phyllo dough shells (near frozen pie crusts)
brie (how much depends on how many you're making)
hot pepper jelly (on the bread aisle)

If the hot pepper jelly sounds weird to you, I understand, but just trust me--it will make sense when you eat one. The jelly isn't scorching, so don't worry if you don't have a high tolerance for spice.

Cut the brie into small pieces, place in the (still frozen) cups, and drop a dab of the jelly on top. Bake at 400 for 5 to 10 minutes, until they're browned to your liking. Give them a couple minutes to cool before eating, but they're best when the cheese is still melty and hot. (Not that you won't still eat them once they've gone cold... because you will.)