Gourmet recipes to make it through the toughest of school days


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Looking for some wholesome food to carry you through midterms and finals to the end of the school year? Try these recipes for an herbed chicken bake, berry cobbler and a ginger lime shrimp noodle dish. The recipes aren’t too difficult, so even a rookie chef should be able to produce great results. To top it off, the ingredients are inexpensive and easily accessible. A delicious meal that won’t break the bank and leaves your friends thinking you are a gourmet chef — what could be better?

HERBED CHICKEN BAKE
1 box long-grain and wild rice mix
3 chicken breasts, boned and halved lengthwise
3 tablespoon butter
1 can cream of chicken soup (condensed)
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup sliced celery
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 tablespoon chopped canned pimento
Prepare the rice according to the package directions. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown in a skillet with the butter. Pour the rice into a one and one-half quart casserole dish and place the chicken on top. Add the soup to the skillet; slowly add the wine, stirring until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
Pour over the chicken. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until tender.
BERRY COBBLER
From California Fresh, The Junior League of Oakland-East Bay
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup milk
1-1/2 cup sugar, split
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups berries or peeled/sliced peaches, apricots, etc
½ cup sugar for topping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour melted butter into a two-quart shallow casserole dish, coating the bottom. In a mixing bowl, combine milk, one cup sugar, flour and baking powder. Stir until just blended (batter will be lumpy). Pour over melted butter. Do not stir. Arrange fruit over top. Sprinkle with remaining half cup of sugar. Do not stir. Bake 30-35 minutes or until top is golden. Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold, with vanilla ice cream.
GINGER LIME SHRIMP AND NOODLES
1 pound raw or cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined. Can substitute chicken for shrimp.
For the marinade:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
For the pasta:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon peanuts, crushed
1/2 lb whole-wheat pasta of your choice
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine marinade ingredients in a dish and whisk. Add to a Ziploc bag, along with the shrimp and marinade for two to 24 hours. Once ready to cook, pour olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add peppers and mushrooms and sauté until soft, about six to eight minutes. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to directions on the package, drain and set aside. Add garlic to the peppers and mushrooms, stir for 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook on each side for two to three minutes. Add in the snap peas and pasta; thoroughly stir until all is mixed. Season with salt and pepper as desired.