Parfait

If you give a Mom parfait glasses...she has to figure out what to put in them. First question is what is 'parfait'? Wikipedia said: Parfait (pronounced IPA: [paʁfɛ]) is a French word literally meaning "perfect" that began referring to a kind of frozen dessert in 1894.

My first effort was very good; Orange Parfait-found at all-recipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges
• 1 (20 ounce) can unsweetened crushed pineapple, un-drained
• 1 (8 ounce) container reduced-fat frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1/2 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs, divided

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine gelatin and orange juice; let stand for 5 minutes. Heat milk until boiling; add to gelatin. Cool slightly. Transfer to a blender; cover and process for 30 seconds or until blended. Add the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and orange peel; process until blended.
2. Drain oranges, reserving juice; set oranges aside. Add pineapple and reserved juice to gelatin mixture; process until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
3. Place half of the oranges in eight parfait glasses. Layer with half of the gelatin mixture and 3 tablespoons of cracker crumbs. Repeat layers of gelatin and crumbs; top with remaining oranges. Chill for 4 hours. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs.

Note that folding in un-thawed whipped topping does not work.

I served this to the missionaries when they came to dinner last week. It was very good but my boys did not care for it, so I got to eat some for breakfast the next day.

I also fixed this recipe; which everyone loved.
Florentine chicken

• 1 (16 ounce) package miniature bowtie pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds boneless chicken, cubed
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons pesto, either fresh or the refrigerator at the grocery store (not canned.)
  
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 15 ounces tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons crushed Italian seasoning
  
• 10 ounces fresh spinach, washed and chopped

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and reserve.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute, add chicken and cook until through and no longer pink inside. Add 5 cloves of garlic to skillet; saute until golden. Add cream, pesto and spaghetti sauce to skillet; cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce thickens.Add salt and pepper to taste.
   
3. Add spinach and cook until spinach reduces. Then add bowties; toss and serve.

I added parmesan cheese at the table and it could have really used some mushrooms. The next day I added some sour cream and water (since it was very dry then) and some mozzerella cheese. NOT a diet recipe but soooo good.

Honestly I didn't follow this exactly, I double the recipe and had tons, then I had part of a can of sauce in fridge that I used for 1 can and I didn't measure the cream...it could have used more sauce but I didn't want to walk to the garage...Really it is great as written.