Dinner For Two: 5 Choices

Spicy Skillet Chicken

Need a 30-minute dinner with tasty boneless chicken breasts and rice? Grab a skillet, some sassy salsa and a few extras. A great dinner for two for 2 nights, or entertain friends with this delicious easy dinner for four. Preparation time: 25 minutes. Start to finish: 25 minutes.

1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

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

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

1/3 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa

2 cups hot cooked rice

1. Mix chili powder, salt and pepper. Sprinkle evenly over both sides of chicken. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F).

2. Stir in beans, corn and salsa. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are hot. Serve with rice.

Variation: Make a quick chicken tortilla sandwich by cooking just the chicken breasts as directed. Spread 4 tortillas each with 2 tablespoons salsa and sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese to within 1 inch of edge. Place chicken breast in center, and fold sides of tortilla over chicken. Microwave briefly to melt cheese.

Baked Italian Rotini Cheese Casserole

Who can resist rotini pasta, fresh tomatoes and creamy Alfredo sauce baked with loads of shredded cheese? Prep time: 20 minutes - Start To Finish: 55 minutes.

2 cups uncooked rotini pasta
1 cup milk
1 container (10 ounces) refrigerated Alfredo sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 cups shredded provolone cheese (8 ounces)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon Progresso® Italian-style dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

1 . Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 2-quart casserole. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
2 . Stir milk into Alfredo sauce; stir in 2 tablespoons basil, the cheese and 1 cup of the tomatoes. Pour mixture into casserole. Sprinkle with remaining tomatoes.
3 . Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Mix bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon basil; sprinkle over top.

Teriyaki Beef and Noodle Bowls

A 20-minute teriyaki-style bowl dinner for 2 twogether. Teriyaki Beef and Noodle Bowls rivals any take-out meal for time and flavor! Makes: 2 (1 3/4-cup) servings. (Double recipe for larger servings.)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 (9-oz.) pkg. Green Giant® Frozen Vegetables Teriyaki
• 1 1/2 cups water 1 (3-oz.) pkg. oriental-flavor ramen noodle soup mix
• 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts, if desired DIRECTIONS

1. Brown ground beef in medium skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.

2. Add frozen vegetables and water; mix well. Bring to a boil. Break noodles into 4 pieces; add noodles and 1 teaspoon of the seasoning from soup mix to beef mixture. (Discard remaining seasoning mix or reserve for a later use.)

3. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 5 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally to separate noodles.

4. To serve, spoon mixture into individual bowls. Sprinkle with peanuts. If desired, serve with soy sauce.

1 3/4 Cups: Calories 575 (Calories from Fat 315); Total Fat 35g (Saturated Fat 10g); Cholesterol 65mg; Sodium 1410mg; Total Carbohydrate 35g (Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 5g); Protein 30g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 64%; Vitamin C 22%; Calcium 2%; Iron 18% Exchanges: 2 Starch; 1 Vegetable; 3 Medium-Fat Meat; 4 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Crispy Garlic Oven Baked Chicken

Add a little comfort to your dinner with this home-style chicken recipe. Garlic mashed potatoes create the crispy garlic chicken coating that anyone would love. Prep Time: 10 min. Start To Finish: 1 hr -5 min.

1/2 package (7.2-ounce size) Betty Crocker® roasted garlic mashed potatoes (1 pouch)

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1 egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

3- to 3 1/2-pound cut-up broiler-fryer chicken

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 . Heat oven to 425°F. Spray rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, with cooking spray.
2 . In shallow dish, stir together potatoes (dry) and red pepper. In another shallow dish, beat egg with fork or wire whisk until foamy; stir in buttermilk.
3 . Dip chicken pieces into egg mixture, then roll in potato mixture to coat. Place in pan. Drizzle with butter.
4 . Bake uncovered 30 minutes. Turn chicken; bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until coating is golden brown and juice of chicken is clear when thickest piece is cut to bone (170°F for breasts; 180°F for thighs and legs).

Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp and Basil

"If you like the ingredients in the name, you'll love the dish. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese makes it complete." Prep Time: 10 Minutes; Cook Time: 25 Minutes; Ready In: 35 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 pound large shrimp - peeled and deveined

2 (28 ounce) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup chopped parsley

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add 1 tablespoon oil. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Place pasta in a colander, and give it a quick rinse with cold water. Heat remaining olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring constantly, until the garlic is tender, about 1 minute. Do not let the garlic burn. Add shrimp, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove shrimp from the skillet, and set aside. Stir tomatoes, wine, parsley, and basil into the skillet. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half, 8 to 12 minutes. Add shrimp, and continue cooking until the shrimp are heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the shrimp mixture over the pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Barbecue Taco Chicken

This delicious taco-barbecue chicken can be cooked on a contact grill or baked. Grilled chicken is ready in about the same time you use to heat the barbecue sauce, or choose to bake this main course. Prep time:10 min. Start to Finish Grilled - 10 min. or Oven Baked - 40 min.

• 2 tablespoons Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix (from 1.25-oz envelope)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)
• 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 . Heat closed medium-size contact grill for 5 minutes. In shallow bowl, mix taco seasoning mix and oregano. Brush chicken with oil; coat with taco seasoning mixture. Place chicken on grill. Close grill. Grill 4 to 6 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F).

2 . Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat barbecue sauce, chili sauce and cumin to boiling over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Serve sauce with chicken.

Oven Directions: Heat oven to 375°F. Line shallow baking pan with foil or spray with cooking spray. Place coated chicken in pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F).