My Yummy Italian Chicken (not sure of real name)

1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 cup onion
2 garlic cloves
28 oz crushed or diced tomatoes
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup parmesean cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup mozzerella cheese (Logan likes it best when I use string cheese)

Heat 2 tbs. oil--cook onion & garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and cover.

Flatten chicken to 1/4 inch. Mix bread crumbs & cheese. Dip chicken breasts in egg, then bread crumb mixture.

Heat remaining oil over medium heat. Cook chicken in oil 10-15 minutes, turning once. Pour sauce around chicken. Put mozzerella cheese on top of chicken. Cover & heat till melted.

Amarillos (Fried Sweet Plantains)

Ok, another of my top 5.

2 to 3 ripe black plantains (they will go from green to yellow and then to black)
2 tbps unsalted butter, divided
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp natural vanilla extract
2 tbsp brown sugar

To peel the plantains, cut off ends and discard. With a paring knife, make 3 shallow slits lengthwise along the seams of the skin and peel away. Split the plantains lengthwise. Heat 4 tbsp butter in a large skillet and place over medium low heat (plantains have a high sugar content and will burn if the heat is too high.) Fry the plantains in a single layer, untill golden on the bottom, then turn over with a spatula. To serve as a side dish, you can stop here.

To take it to dessert status: Add the cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar and let cook for a few more seconds, just to begin caramelizing the sugar. Just before serving, melt remaining tablespoon of butter to finish the sauce. Serve immediately.

Quesitos (little cheese puffs)

This is also in my top 5. Just love them.

1 pkg. puff pastry
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
3 tbs. sugar or to tast
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Cut puff pastry into 3x2 inch squares. Place about 1 tsp cream cheese down middle lengthwise. Pinch sides to form a roll. Brush with egg whites or water and roll in sugar. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Its great for brunches and finger food type stuff.

Puerto Rican Beans and Rice

This is in my top 5 of Puerto Rican dishes. I just love the beans and rice here.

1 1/2 cup Sofrito-Red (I buy it in a jar here, but there is a recipe at the bottom)
1 pkg. polish sausage, cut up
1 cup shaved ham
3 cans pink beans (don't drain)
1 1/2 cup water
1 potato, peeled and diced
4 leaves recao (coriander)

Combine first three ingredients in saucepan. Cook and stir for 5 mintes. Put all ingredients in a big pot. Lay recao on top. Let cook on medium for 45 minutes. Serve with rice.

Basic Recaíto/Sofrito
For the Basic Recaíto:
Combine in blender or food processor:
1 medium onion, quartered
1 Italian frying pepper, seeded and rough chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, depending on size
3 sweet chili peppers
4 recao leaves (if recao leaves are unavailable, triple the amount of cilantro
1 sprig cilantro
Note: If using a blender add a little water, before mixing. Set aside.
For the Sofrito:
In a skillet over medium heat sauté,
4 oz. Fat back, diced until it starts to render, add:
4 oz. Smoked ham, sauté for about 5 minutes.
Add:
1-8 oz. Can tomato sauce, I like Goya® Spanish style.
½ Cup stuffed green olives, chopped
2 teaspoons capers
1-6 oz. Jar roasted red peppers, chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 envelope Sazón Goya con achiote
And, Basic Recaíto
Bring to a boil stirring often, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Mom's Chicken On Sunday (Bonnie)

1 cup rice
1 can celery soup
1 can mushroom soup
1 can milk
1 envelope dried onion soup
1 frying chicken (I normally use boneless skinless breasts)

Grease 8" x 13" baking pan. Sprinkle rice over bottom of pan.

Heat soups with can of milk.

Pour over ry rice.

Lay cut-up chicken over this.

Sprinkle onion soup mix over chicken.

Seal the pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 325 degrees 2 hours 15 minutes. Uncover last 1/2 hour.

I really love this because it makes the rice so creamy and the chicken so tender and yummy.