Recipe(tried): Our menu tonight includes a recent culinary discovery - Chicken and Spinach, Carrot Halwa, Green Beans, Blueberry Salad, Man in the Moon Pie

Recently I mixed up almost all the ingredients for a Junkyard Salad and realized I had no strawberry pie filling. What I did have was a can of blueberry pie filling I had forgotten about. I used it in place of the strawberry and we have decided it is even better that way! So, here's what's on our menu tonight:

Chicken and Spinach
Steve Sheppard's Unusually Moist Cornbread
Carrot Halwa
Green Beans
Blueberry Salad
Man in the Moon Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

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CHICKEN AND SPINACH

4 (4 oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tbsp oil
3/4 chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cans (14 oz each) diced tomatoes, drained
4 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 tbsp fresh basil, torn
1 tbsp butter
4 cups hot cooked ziti (or other pasta)

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in oil with onion and garlic 5 minutes.

Stir in broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook 5 minutes.

Add spinach, basil and butter and cook 2 minutes. (I usually cook mine a little longer, until the spinach is wilted.)

Toss with pasta.

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CARROT HALWA

1 lb carrots (2 cups grated carrots)
3 to 4 tablespoons ghee/butter
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
cashew nuts, raisins, almonds and pista (if desired)

Peel the carrots. Grate the carrots preferably using a hand-held grater, if not use a blender.

Pour 3 teaspoons of ghee in a heavy saucepan. Put the grated carrots into the pan and cook it for 3-4 minutes.

Add the milk and boil till it gets thick, stirring occasionally. Once it starts thickening, stir continuously. Add sugar and cook further till it thickens. Stir on low heat till the mixture becomes soft or the ghee oozes out. Please note that it is better to use low heat to cook the recipe.

Once it has reached the required level of consistency, fry some raisins and cashews in ghee, in a separate skillet.

Spread the halwa in a plate and decorate the raisins and cashews on the top.

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BLUEBERRY SALAD

1 can fat free sweetened condensed milk
juice from 1 lemon
1 can blueberry pie filling
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 containers (16 oz each) lite Cool Whip, thawed
2 cups mini marshmallows

Mix sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Add blueberry pie filling. Add coconut and nuts. Fold in Cool whip and Marshmallows. Keep refrigerated.

TO FREEZE:
This also freezes well. Spread into a layer in a 13x9x2-inch pan and freeze. Cut into squares and place in a ziploc bag and return to freezer. Makes a great treat on the go!

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GREEN BEANS

2 cans French style green beans
1 green bean can water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp butter

Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook 5 minutes.

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MAN IN THE MOON PIE

1 (6 oz) pkg semi sweet chocolate chips
2 cups walnuts
1 (9 inch) pie crust
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
GARNISH IF DESIRED:
cool whip and 1/4 cup melted chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Sprinkle chocolate chips and walnuts over pie crust.

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs and vanilla and beat well. Pour into crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool and serve with garnish if desired. Keep in refrigerator.

*Note: I do not usually do the garnish as we enjoy it with ice cream!