What's for supper? Recipes for busy school nights

School is back in full swing for our children, and that brings a whole set of challenges with supper. I looked for some new main dish recipes for our family suppers that would be fairly quick and easy for busy days. I found several, and I will be trying these over the coming weeks. I suppose other busy families are in this same situation, so I hope these recipes will come in handy.

BBQ Ranchero Chicken Salad

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, about 1 1/2 pounds

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1 (10-ounce) packages mixed salad greens, torn ( 6 cups packed)

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) jalapeno pepper cheese, your favorite

1 small red bell pepper, cut into short, thin strips

1 (11-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1/2 cup canned black beans, well rinsed and drained

1 (2 1/2-ounce) cans ripe olives, sliced, drained

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup fat free ranch dressing

1 teaspoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon cumin, ground

Brush both sides of chicken with barbecue sauce; grill or broil about 5-inches from heat source 6 minutes per side, or until juices are clear.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, pepper, corn, black beans, olives and green onions; mix well. Combine dressing, chili powder and cumin; mix well.

To serve, divide lettuce mixture onto 6 serving plates. Cut chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices; arrange over lettuce. Drizzle salads with dressing and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Chicken may be cooked, cooled, covered and refrigerated up to 1 day before serving.

Reheat chicken or served chilled. Lettuce mixture and dressing may be prepared separately, covered and refrigerated up to 4 hours before serving. Makes 6 servings.

BBQ Chicken Crescents

1 cup shredded cooked chicken

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 egg, beaten

Separate dough into 8 triangles. In bowl, mix chicken and barbecue sauce. Spoon chicken mixture onto short end of each triangle; sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of the cheese. Roll up loosely as directed on can. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with egg; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 375 degrees 12 to 15 minutes.

Crockpot Creamy Italian Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins, thawed

1 package dry Italian seasoning

1 can reduced fat cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup water

1 (8-ounce) package fat free cream cheese, cubed

Place chicken tenders in bottom of crockpot Mix together dressing mix, soup and water and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 4-5 hours and then add the cream cheese. Let cook until cream cheese is melted. Serve as is, or over hot cooked and drained penne pasta.

Crockpot Honey Parmesan Pork Roast

1 (4 pounds) boneless whole pork loin roast

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup honey

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons dried basil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

Cut roast in half. Transfer to a 3-quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the cheese, honey, soy sauce, basil, garlic, oil and salt; pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 5 1/2 to 6 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Remove meat to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Bring liquid to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice roast; serve with gravy. Yield: 10 servings.

Lemon Butter Shrimp

1 stick unsalted butter

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lemon

Dry Italian seasoning, to taste, about 2 tablespoons

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a baking pan. Slice lemon and lay on top of butter. Lay shrimp on top and sprinkle dry seasoning. Bake 15 minutes or until done.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons margarine, melted

2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup milk

3 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 1/2 cups cooked macaroni or wide egg noodles

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup Ritz cracker crumbs

In a large skillet over med-high heat, sauté onions in butter until tender. Add in soup and 1 1/2 cups cheese; gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat until cheese melts; stir in chicken and macaroni; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a greased 2 1/2 quart casserole; sprinkle with cracker crumbs.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake 5 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Wings

3 pounds chicken wings or wing drumettes

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

Rinse and drain chicken wings. Combine remaining ingredients to make glaze. Add chicken and stir gently to coat. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and arrange wings on pan.

Bake for 25 minutes, turn wings and bake for another 25 minutes until golden brown.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at news@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO 63702. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.