On the subject of food...

I've felt a little more like eating a "real" meal, not just "what's in the cupboard". So I thought I'd share some of our favorite recipes with you, too. I'm in love with simple foods that have lots of flavor. Afton's in love with peanut butter. Thomas likes to eat whatever's cookin'!

EAST INDIAN ORANGE CHICKEN (a one-skillet meal from Uncle Ben's)

1 cup rice
6 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 Tbsp. dry mustard
fresh parsley chopped
3/4 cup water
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. curry powder

Combine curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Sprinkle over chicken; rub seasonings onto top and bottom surfaces of each chicken piece and set aside. In 10-inch skillet, combine orange juice, rice, water, mustard and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt; mix well. Arrange chicken pieces over rice. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. -->

CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS (Rachel Ray 30-minute meals)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds thin-cut chicken cutlets, cut into thin, 2-inch-long strips
2 tablespoons grill seasoning, recommended brand Montreal Seasoning by McCormick
2 red bell peppers, cut into thin, 2-inch-long strips
1 onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/4 pound fresh bean sprouts
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 head iceberg lettuce

Place a large nonstick skillet over high heat with 3 turns of the pan of vegetable oil, about 3 tablespoons. Season the chicken with the grill seasoning and, once you see ripples in the oil, add the chicken pieces the hot skillet in an even layer. Stir while it cooks through, about 3 minutes. Add the red bell pepper, onion, garlic and continue to cook for 3-4 more minutes.

While the chicken and veggies are cooking, combine the hoisin sauce and the chicken stock in a small bowl. Add the liquid to the chicken along with the drained water chestnuts and stir to coat everything in the sauce. Cook for about another minute to heat up the water chestnuts, then add in the bean sprouts. Stir to combine and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the top with the toasted sesame seeds.

Remove the core of the iceberg lettuce by slamming the head, root end down, on the countertop -- really slam it! Once you turn the head over, you'll find that the root can be easily pulled out away from the leaves. Cut the head into 6 wedges and arrange the wedges around the bowl of chicken, making the leaves resemble the petals of a flower.

To assemble the wraps, grab a lettuce leaf and mound a spoonful of the chicken in the center. Wrap the leaf around the chicken and chomp away!

PEANUT BUTTER SESAME NOODLES (Rachel Ray 30-minute meals)

3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup tablespoons tamari (eyeball it)
4 teaspoons sesame oil (eyeball it)
4 teaspoons ground ginger or 1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 pound spaghetti, cooked and rinsed under cold water
1/4 cup light sesame seeds, toasted over medium-low heat for 3 minutes (optional)
Yields: 4 serving

In a medium microwaveable bowl, heat the peanut butter in the microwave oven until melted, about 15-20 seconds (or heat peanut butter over low heat on stove until mushy).
Whisk honey and tamari into the peanut butter, then whisk in the sesame oil and the ginger.
Toss the spaghetti with the sauce, and top with the sesame seeds, if you want to go really groovy with the noodles. If you want to bump up the crunch factor, add some shredded carrots, scallions, bean sprouts or other veggies.

TAPIOCA PUDDING IN THE CROCKPOT

2 qts. milk (skim)
1 c. sugar (or splenda measure)
1 c. small pearl tapioca (not the minute box kind)
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix in crockpot and cook on high for 3 hours. In a separate dish beat 4 eggs and add vanilla. Take a small amount of tapioca from crockpot and stir into the beaten eggs to temper them. Then blend slowly back into crockpot and mix well. Cover and cook on high for another 20 mins. You can serve warm or chilled. I use my powdered milk to make this and no one has ever been able to tell.