Cheesecake Pudding

1 sm. box white chocolate pudding mix
1 8-oz. cream cheese, softened
2 c. milk, divided

Combine cream cheese with 1/4 c. milk until smooth.  With a wire whisk, beat in remaining milk.  Add pudding mix and beat 1 minute, until smooth.  Spoon into serving dishes; serve after 5 minutes.

Any pudding may be used.  Cream cheese makes it richer and also firmer.

Super Quick Dinner Muffins

1 c. flour (can use all or half whole-wheat flour)
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 T. mayonnaise
1 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Grease a regular-sized 6-cup muffin tin.  In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients; add mayonnaise and milk.  Spoon into muffin cups.  Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until nicely puffed and browned.

Chicken Rice Soup

This is a nice alternative to chicken noodle soup, when one is restricted to a bland diet.

2 boneless, skinless chicken thigh pieces
3-4 celery stalks, diced
3-4 carrots, peeled and diced
parsley, to taste
rosemary, to taste
black pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
onion flakes, to taste
8 c. water
1 c. brown rice, rinsed
Olive oil

Place chicken pieces in a large, heavy soup pot.  Add celery, carrots, parsley, rosemary, pepper, garlic, and onion.  Add water.  Cover.  Bring to a rapid boil; reduce to simmering and cook about 2 hours, until chicken is thoroughly cooked.  Reduce heat to very low, enough only to keep warm.

Carefully remove 1 1/2 to 2 c. broth from soup pot.  Place in a saucepan with rice.  Cover; bring to rapid boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 45 minutes.  Stir in approximately 1 T. olive oil.

Place one small scoop of rice in each serving bowl; ladle soup over rice.  Serve immediately.  Serves 8-10

Store rice separately from soup.  If added to soup for storage, it absorbs too much liquid from the soup and begins to resemble oatmeal in appearance.