5 Meals I've Made For Dinner Recently

Like many of you, I love searching the internet for weeknight dinner ideas. The dreaded "what's for dinner tonight" question can hit the moment we open our eyes, right? And if you have kids, they are definitely going to ask you that as soon as they get home from school. If I haven't figured out our dinner plan by then, I'm most likely going to grab a box of pancake mix and call it a day. 

Sometimes I do meal plan on Sundays and that makes a world of a difference for my week. But let's be real- I also kind of dread meal planning. Deciding what to eat in advance can feel like such a CHORE. I'm sure I'm not alone in this, so here are five meals that I've made recently that you can throw together fairly quickly on a weeknight. I've made each of these meals more than once in the last month. Hopefully one of them will be a guaranteed crowd pleaser in your home.

This baked ravioli from How Sweet Eats latest cookbook, Everyday Dinners, is SO good. It is an indulgent meal- not going to lie, but it is a meal that comes together SO fast. A bag of cheese ravioli, spinach, jarred pasta sauce, mozzarella (or burrata cheese) make up the components of this meal and I typically have all of those items on hand at all times. If you want to feel better about it, grab a bagged salad mix to serve alongside!

I love that you don't have to boil the pasta beforehand- it goes into the oven frozen. I've made this probably 3 times already and I've added ground italian sausage to it but I also like it as is, without any protein, which is how her recipe is originally written. I honestly could eat this once a week if I didn't care about the calories. 

See that one enchilada there without any cheese or sauce? That's for my son. :) Keep it plain please, mom. I've made many, many enchilada recipes and I love them all, but that's because I could eat Mexican food every day for the rest of my life and die happy.

For a weeknight, I like to reach for my Joanna Gaines cookbook, Magnolia Table, and make her Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas. I do customize her recipe to whatever I have on hand. On the night I took this photo I had a jar of salsa verde to use up, so I used that to pour over the enchiladas. I like her version better though. She mixes up a tub of sour cream, a can of cream of chicken soup, and green enchilada sauce. I also love how quick it is to throw together. Buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it up to use in the filling.      

This is another recipe from How Sweet Eats, Crispy Orange Chicken. I just love her. I've read her blog for years and she is so creative in the kitchen. It's also from her cookbook, Everyday Dinners, so I don't have a link for the recipe as it's not on her blog. This was really good- bite sized oven baked crispy chicken with a homemade orange sauce.  

Pot roast! I don't make pot roast often since I don't gravitate towards meals with red meat (unless I'm at a steakhouse, then I'm getting a steak). Sometimes the mood strikes and on this particular Sunday I had everything for it. I also love using my dutch oven and love that this recipe using ONE pot. One pot meals are amazing! I don't use my dutch oven enough and would like to use it more, so if you have any recipes for it please send them my way! 

A friend sent me a screenshot of this recipe from the book The Weekday Vegetarians. It's a white bean bake with tomatoes, cheese, oregano, and a panko topping. It's another one pot, or one pan meal, since I made it using my cast iron skillet. This was very easy and delicious!

I hope one of these meals will make it to your table this week. Tell me what you've made recently, I'd love to hear!

Chicken Noddle Soup

January. What a long month you are. A month that is usually very cold for much of the country and a month that is notorious for viruses. My kids finally went back to their brick and mortar school in January, which naturally meant they got sick after being back for only a week. :) 

Thankfully it was only a cold, but it sure was a nasty one. Especially for my son and my husband. I had not made chicken soup in such a long time and remembered this recipe I came across a few years ago. It's really good and the recipe is so easy to follow. I love that this soup can come together quickly and does not need a lot of time to sit and simmer to build up the flavor. I served it after just 30 minutes. Even my son, who is not a fan of soup, ate a few bites (it was mostly the chicken but I still call that a win).  

Egg noodles, veggies, and chicken pulled from a store bought rotisserie make this a breeze to whip together whenever you're starting to feel under the weather! 
 

Source: Food Network 

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs 
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 8 oz wide egg noodles
• 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 handful of fresh parsley 
• 1 lemon

Directions

Place a soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook and stir for a few minutes, until the veggies get soft but not browned. 

Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for about five minutes until tender. Then, fold in the shredded chicken and continue to simmer until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon if desired. 

Inside-Out Burrito

If you follow me on Instagram, then you've seen me share this a million times. I've had many questions as to what it is and how I make it, so today, I'm going to tell you all about it! I struggle with what to call this. I toyed with "burrito on a plate" or "burrito bowls" (I love to serve this in large bowls) and "inside-out burrito". I thought that was a good fit, hence the title of my post. Whatever you want to call it, this is one my favorite meals. I'm obsessed with it. I'll make it for lunch or dinner, at least once a week! It's my fall back to those nights I don't want to make anything on my menu or don't have much left in the house at the end of the week.

The great thing about this is there isn't really a recipe for it, and you can customize it however you like it. Don't like red onions? Leave them out. A regular onion works just fine. Want it to be spicy? Add some jalapeno peppers, crank up the cumin, or add some red pepper flakes to the mix. You can even leave out the chicken and just have the beans, which I do ALL the time, for a meatless meal. Really, anything goes!

This particular night, I had a red onion, lettuce, black beans, cheddar cheese, and chopped chicken. You could also use:

Red/Green Peppers

Jalapeno Peppers

Yellow Onions

Tomatoes

Corn

Spinach

Shrimp

Here's how I make it:

Step 1. Start the rice first (we only eat brown rice in our house, but it would certainly be delicious with white rice).

Step 2. Season the chicken with cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. I spray a skillet with cooking spray and cook the chicken for five-seven minutes, on both sides. Once it's cool enough to handle I chop it up.

Step 3. Layer the rice in a bowl or on a plate, then add the chicken, and whatever veggies you're using. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Add a dollop of sour cream and salsa. Serve and enjoy!

Sweet & Sour Chicken

We don't order take-out very often. If we do it's because I'm sick, or had a really bad day and can't muster up the energy to cook. Typically we order Chinese food if we want take-out and my favorite things to order are monogolian beef, sesame chicken, and sweet and sour chicken.

I've tried making monogolian beef at home a long time ago. It failed miserably! I do make fried rice at home (I didn't this time around) but that still needs work too. I came across this recipe for sweet and sour chicken on Mel's Kitchen Cafe and was amazed at how many people love it. I kind of feel like the last blogger on Earth to make it!

This did not disappoint! It was true to and I'd even say better than most take-out places that I've ever had. I loooooved it. When my husband got home I gave him all that was left after the mini me and I attacked it (which was still a lot, this makes plenty of leftovers) and he devoured it. Needless to say, this will definitely be added to our dinner rotation. Don't you love it when that happens- a recipe that is a true winner.

Source: Mel's Kitchen

For the Chicken
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite-size pieces
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

For the Sauce
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. While the oil is heating, cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Season the pieces with salt and pepper. Place the cornstarch in a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Add

the chicken to the bag and seal, tossing to coat the chicken. Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg and place them carefully in a single layer in the hot skillet (it's best to do this with tongs). Cook for 1-2 minutes and then flip each piece over to cook the other side until nicely golden but not all the way cooked through. Do this in batches until all the chicken is golden, transferring to the baking dish, making sure the chicken is in a single layer. 

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and pour it over the chicken in the baking dish. Bake for one hour, turning the chicken pieces over at least once, so they're all coated in the sauce. Serve over hot, steamed rice.

Dinner Lately

Lightened Up Chicken Parmesan

I made this chicken parmesan from Cooking Light last week. It's a little better for you than traditional chicken parmesan- instead of using bread crumbs, you use panko, and the tomato sauce isn't weighed down by lots of salt and tastes like you've been slaving away on the stove all day. We both loved it, including the mini!

Rotisserie Chicken with Lemon Risotto 

& Bacon Brussel Sprouts 

Last Friday I wasn't in the mood to cook so Miss A and I made a last minute trip to the grocery store for a rotisserie chicken. As we were leaving I saw that arborio rice was on sale and picked some up, suddenly with a huge craving for some risotto! The only risotto I make is lemon risotto, a Rachael Ray recipe. Gah, it is SO good!! I could easily sit there and eat the whole pot.

I also grabbed some brussel sprouts while we were at the store to make a super easy and quick veggie side dish. I don't know why brussel sprouts get such a bad rep- they are delicious, if you make them correctly! I follow this recipe from Picky Palate, but I omit the extra toppings and I cook mine in bacon fat. ;) I fry up three slices of bacon in a skillet, remove the bacon, leave the drippings and add a tablespoon of olive oil, then I add the sprouts. Perfect every single time!

Classic Cheeseburgers 

My husband loves having burgers for dinner. Sometimes we have burgers once a week, especially if I'm looking for something easy to make. I make them pretty much the same every time- salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and spoonful of barbecue sauce go into the mix. I cook them on the stove top and top them with cheddar cheese, red onions, and lettuce. 

Baked Potato Soup 

This is my favorite baked potato soup recipe. I made it two months ago while my parents were visiting. My dad loves to eat soup when it's cold out, which means he doesn't eat it very often, seeing as it rarely gets chilly in Miami. He requested soup one day for lunch and I had this recipe from Skinnytaste pinned that I really wanted to try. I love that the recipe calls for a head of cauliflower, so it's easy not to feel bad about eating this soup! Crispy bacon and cheddar cheese are a must for toppings!

Garlic Roast Chicken

Don't you love it when something turns out so right?

I've been doing a lot of cooking lately. I don't know what's got into me and how I've been able to manage it with Miss A running amok and all. Actually, dare I say, she's been pretty good these days. If Daddy isn't home when it's time to start cooking dinner, I let her watch a little TV (after about 10 minutes, she's cruising on the sofa). It's the only way I can get started and I watch her from the sink as I chop and peel vegetables.  When she starts losing interest I scoop her up and put her in her highchair with some books and a sippy cup. This doesn't lasts long either So the next thing to try is measuring cups and bowls! She also likes to play with the kitchen towels and will pull them down to play peek-a-boo. Whatever works, right? Dinner has to somehow make its way to the table!

So, with that said, I was really happy at how easy this was to put together. I butterflied the chicken breasts, arranged them on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt, pepper, a few crushed garlic cloves, rosemary, and lemon zest. This was a great compromise for cooking a whole chicken. Instead of having it cook for an hour and a half, this was done in 20 minutes! The end result was moist and tasty. The juices rest in the oven for about five minutes with the oven shut off, a great way to add even more flavor. I paired this with garlic rice pilaf and a cesar salad. I bet it would also go great with roasted asparagus and mashed potatoes!

Source: adapted from Classic Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals Cookbook
Servings: 4

2 large boneless chicken breasts, butterflied
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon rosemary
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juice and zest
1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Butterfly each chicken breast so that you have four thin pieces. Arrange chicken in a 13x9 baking dish and salt and pepper both sides. Add the crushed garlic cloves, rosemary, olive oil, and lemon zest. Toss and coat with the ingredients and roast in the oven fro 20 minutes. Add the chicken broth or wine and lemon juice to the pan and combine with the juices. Turn the oven off and allow to stand in the warm oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, serve the chicken with the pan juices.

Honey Chicken with Fried Rice

Life has definitely changed since having our baby. We have less time to ourselves, less sleep, and less date nights. That's why we stayed in for Valentine's Day this year. We were not at all eager to brave the crowds with a seven month old. Even though she does do pretty good on outings. I think she loves all the attention. :) We stayed in the previous year too, because I was pregnant and only wanted one thing. Take out Chinese food.

I thought I'd carry on the tradition but instead of ordering in I opted to make my own. A take-out fake-out. I've never made fried rice before and I have to say it was so much easier than I thought it was going to be. I've made the honey chicken many times before as it comes from one of my favorite blogs. It's a cinch to make and comes out pretty tasty.

We had brownie sundaes for dessert, after baby fell asleep. I wonder what will happen next year.

For the Honey Chicken
Source: How Sweet Eats
Servings: 2

Ingredients
1 pound thinly sliced, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 egg whites
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup broccoli florets
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup honey
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In 2 separate bowls, add the egg whites (lightly beaten) and the cornstarch. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken pieces in egg whites and then lightly dredge in cornstarch. Add to the skillet and let brown for 2-3 minutes, then flip. Continue with remaining chicken pieces, and do so in batches if needed. Add honey and toss to combine. Remove chicken from pan to make fried rice.

For the Fried Rice
Source:  Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients
2 cups cooked rice (preferably cold)
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg
3 teaspoons sesame or wok oil, divided
2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Directions
Heat (using same pan that you used to make the chicken) 1 teaspoon oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add frozen mixed vegetables and green onions. Stir fry until tender, about 2 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Push vegetables to the side of the wok then add egg and sesame oil mixture into the center and scramble. Add honey chicken, rice, and soy sauce to wok then toss well to combine. Taste and add additional honey or soy sauce if needed. 

Blackened Chicken Alfredo

It's that time again. Time to fire up those grills, drizzle on the olive oil, and sit outside on your patio. Summer has arrived, unofficially, and I've started to celebrate by doing everything previously mentioned and by making a batch of strawberry ice cream.

I love summer. Can't it stay forever? I love being able to throw on a dress, sandals, and walk right out of the house. No fuss. No sweaters, coats, or jackets to lug around. It's wonderful.

What else do I love about summer? Being able to sit outside with a book. Walk my dog around the neighborhood. Plant some flowers and hope they don't die (going on two weeks, yay potted plants!). Cute dresses. Cute shoes. The list can go on and on. And then there's the food.

I love grilling because:
1. No mess in the kitchen.
2. Almost everything comes out delicious.
3. Easy peasy meals.

While this recipe does require you to turn on the stove, it's well worth it. The chicken can easily be cooked inside, but grilling it is definitely the way to go. The first time we had this was in March, during that rare 80 degree week of glorious weather. It was devoured in minutes as we watched one of our 1213 DVR'd shows. It'll easily become a summer favorite.

Source: adapted from This Week for Dinner and Food.com

For the Chicken
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Pound the chicken thinly. Mix all of the spices together in a bowl. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in spice bowl and pat to coat both sides. Preheat grill to medium, or heat a non-stick skillet on medium and preheat oven to 350. If grilling, grill chicken for 5 minutes per side. If cooking indoors, place chicken in pan and brown both sides, 45-60 minutes per side. Transfer to oven and bake for 5-7 minutes. Slice chicken into strips.

For the Pasta Sauce
1 package of fettuccine or linguine
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 pints heavy cream
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup frozen spinach
Zest of lemon

Cook pasta according to package directions. Place 1 stick of butter and cream cheese in large saucepan on medium heat, let melt, stir in 1 pint of heavy cream. Let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Slowly stir in the parmesan cheese, about 1/4 cup at a time.Add salt and pepper if desired. Simmer for about 20 minutes on low heat, stirring frequently. The longer this simmer's the better. If sauce seems to be real thick then slowly stir in the rest of heavy cream. Toss pasta with sauce, cherry tomatoes, and spinach. Pile sliced chicken strips on top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and zest of lemon. 

Bacon Mushroom Honey Dijon Chicken

Bacon and I have recently become BFF's.

BLT's are a huge pregnancy craving of mine. So much so that I ran home during my break one day to make a one and ate it back at work for lunch. I'm throwing bacon into salads, or rather, huge cobb salads that I'm also having a fling with. Bacon is in pasta. Bacon is in any wrap or sandwich I make. I heart bacon!

What I'm sharing with you today is by far my favorite thing that I've made with bacon. It tastes like something you'd get at a steakhouse, all smothered with cheese, mushrooms, bacon...with a slight hint of bbq sauce (even though no bbq sauce is used in this recipe). I'm obsessed with it and could eat it regularly if I allowed myself. It's quick enough to have on a weeknight, as long as you've marinated your chicken that morning or the night before. Make this, you won't be disappointed! As it cooks you can slice your mushrooms and fry up your bacon. I did make one change- my chicken was fully cooked before I topped it with everything. I let it hang out in the covered skillet so that the cheese could melt, heat on low.

Source: Mommy I'm Hungry
Serving:  2-4

1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
4-1/2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dash paprika
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
8 bacon strips, cut and cooked
2 tbls sliced green onions

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, honey, 1-1/2 teaspoons oil and lemon juice. Pour into a large resealable plastic bag; add the chicken. Seal the bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 2 hours.

Drain and discard marinade from chicken. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown chicken in remaining oil on all sides. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Remove and set aside.

In the same skillet, saute mushrooms with cooked bacon until tender. Remove to set aside. Add chicken breasts to skillet, top with mushroom and bacon then cheeses and green onions.
Cook over low heat, covered for 15-20 minutes until juices run clear.

Crispy Baked "Fried" Chicken

Life could not get any better right now.

We just found out baby is a little girl (big fat YAY), food is tasting a-mazinggg to me, and I made the crispiest chicken ever.

Hubby and I are not football fans, but I made this on Superbowl Sunday to "celebrate." In an effort to sort through the junk and clutter living in the nooks and crannies of our home I've been purging through old cooking magazines and tearing out recipes long forgotten. They're on top of my kitchen counter right now in a pile, but at least I was able to get rid of a considerable mountain-sized stack. This crispy chicken awaited among that stack.

It is time-consuming, but I promise it's actually really easy to make. Crumbling up corn flakes and rolling chicken through a bowl is fairly simple, it's the prep time and cook time that eats up your time. Make this on a weekend when you do have the time or as a fun Sunday supper.

Source: Food Network Magazine
Serves: 4-6

8 chicken pieces (I used 6 pieces, 2 legs, 2 breast, 2 thighs)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups cornflakes
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground sage

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a rack in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet. 

Rinse the chicken in cold water; pat dry. In a wide bowl or on a plate, season the flour with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Dredge each chicken piece through the flour so it's fully coated, tap against the bowl to shake off excess flour and set aside. Discard the flour.

Crush the cornflakes by placing them in a big resealable plastic bag, carefully pressing the bag to push out the air. Seal up the bag (with as little air inside as possible) and run over the flakes with a rolling pin. Open the bag and pour the crushed flakes into a wide bowl or onto a plate.

In a large bowl (big enough to dredge the chicken pieces), mix the buttermilk, mustard, cayenne pepper, paprika and sage. Give each floured chicken piece a good buttermilk bath and then roll in the cornflake crumbs.

Arrange the chicken pieces on the rack and place in the hot oven. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, lower the heat to 375 degrees and cook for another 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through and crispy. The juices should run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife.

Whole Wheat Grilled Chicken Wrap with Bacon

I don't know about you, but sometimes figuring out what to have for lunch can be a daunting task. Around these parts we have sandwiches, salads, or leftovers. Lately I've been making lots of salads to reach my veggie quota, but I've also turned to whole wheat pita bread.

It's really hard to photograph a wrap. How do the great food bloggers do it?

I constantly have lettuce, chicken, and cheese in the house. Those are essentials in my kitchen. Without them I'd be lost, especially without cheese. This week I had bacon in the produce drawer too, a rare commodity. As much as I love bacon, I try not to buy it too often or I'll put it into everything we eat. Which is exactly what I did this week. Oops.

What I love about wraps is how customizable they are. You can change them up so often it's hard to get bored of them. In this wrap I've got grilled chicken strips, bacon, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and honey mustard dressing. This isn't really a recipe, more of an idea of something new to have for lunch, in cause you've been struggling. I'm thinking of trying shrimp next!

Grilled Chicken Pita

Whole wheat pita bread
2 slices of bacon, cooked
Grilled chicken strips, cooked (I buy a bag of them at Costco already prepared)
Head of romaine lettuce
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
Shredded mozzarella cheese

Honey Mustard Dressing

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey mustard
Squeeze of lemon juice

Heat up pita bread in the microwave for 20 seconds. Fry bacon in a skillet and drain. Using the same skillet reheat grilled chicken strips, flipping over when starting to turn brown. Layer lettuce, bacon, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and chicken. To make dressing, combine olive oil, honey mustard, and lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour over wrap contents and enjoy!

What do you like to have for lunch?

Chicken with Tomato-Herb Pan Sauce

I've been eating a lot of tomatoes lately. I'm not a huge tomato person, I like them in salads, sandwiches but I could eat brushetta all day long. But for some reason I've noticed myself buying batches of tomatoes at the store. It's not because of a pregnancy craving either; I'm not dying to stuff them in my face.

But somehow they are making their way into my cart.

My favorite tomatoes are cherry tomatoes. I like to halve them and throw them into a salad or mix into pasta. I also like to make small caprese salads with them, drizzled in lots and lots of olive oil. This was a perfect way to use up what I had left of my tomatoes last week.

It's a super easy meal, so easy I categorized it as a "weeknight meal." You can get this on the table in 15-20 minutes. I loved the homemade butter spread in the recipe, however, next time I think I'll double it. The sauce could have used a bit more!
 
Source: Bon Appetit
Serves: 2

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped marjoram or oregano (I had oregano)
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups mixed cherry tomatoes (My store didn't have mixed)
Flat-leaf parsley

Mash butter, garlic, marjoram (or oregano), and paprika in a small bowl to blend. Season butter with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet, cover, and cook until no longer pink in center, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. Tent chicken with foil to keep warm.

Increase heat to high. Add tomatoes to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to char and burst, about 5 minutes. Add remaining marjoram butter to skillet. Crush tomatoes slightly to release juices; stir 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon tomato sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Steph's Virtual Bridal Shower: Chicken Cordon Bleu

Today's post is a special one.

A fellow blogger is getting married!! Today is her Virtual Bridal Shower. If you don't know Steph from Steph's Bite by Bite, you should. Her blog is one of the first I started to read before I decided to create a blog of my own. She's funny, cute, quirky, beautiful, and honest. I can always count on her to share a new and creative recipe that I'll immediately want to make myself. 

I was contacted by Kita to participate in Steph's Virtual Bridal Shower. To say I was so excited is an understatement- I love weddings! And bridal showers? I loved mine so much, from the food, decor, generous gifts, and amazing family and friends. Throughout this post I thought I'd share some pictures from my own shower.

I feel very honored to be a part of Steph's celebration. I decided to take the theme, Date Night, to heart. Last Saturday the hubby was home and I said, "Hey, go put on something nice and come cook with me in the kitchen."

"I have to cook?" hubby exclaimed.

"If you call putting a salad together and buttering some dinner rolls cooking, yes." 

Giving him any other task would be too stressful. At least he was a good sport!

I handled the main dish while we chatted about how annoying it is to shred romaine leaves. Once the chicken was in the oven, the rest was a piece of cake. He lit the candles so we could eat by candlelight. Our wedding china was pulled out. I set the table with our formal dinnerware. Soft music played in the background. Date night at home.

Our menu consisted of chicken cordon bleu, roasted broccoli, a side cesar salad, buttery dinner rolls, and apple crumble for dessert. It was the perfect evening. I encourage you to do the same. But dress up! It's so much more fun.

Source: slightly adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything
Servings: 4

For the Cordon Bleu:
2 large, thick boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise (to make two thinner chicken breast cutlets)
4 slices good quality deli ham
1 cup panko
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 slices Swiss cheese

For the Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and melted butter. Set aside.

Lay the cut chicken breasts in a single layer in the 9X13-inch dish. Layer each chicken breast with a slice of ham and top with a slice of Swiss cheese, layering across the chicken breast to make sure the entire chicken breast is covered with ham and cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the chicken.

Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through completely, the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden.

When the chicken is almost done, in a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, whisking constantly. Cook the flour/butter mixture for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking quickly. Stir in the chicken bouillon granules and salt. Whisk mixture constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes.

Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking. If your sauce is too thick, whisk in some more milk. If it's too thin, simmer longer.

Serve each chicken cordon bleu portion with warm sauce. 

Congratulations once again Steph! I hope you enjoy your Virtual Bridal Shower and have a gorgeous wedding!!

Spanish Chicken with Potatoes and Chorizo

The simplicity of this can't be beat.

Go get one of your best oven-safe porcelain baking dishes (so that you can transfer from the oven to the table), make a side salad (if you wish) and maybe some dinner rolls. Throw on a 1950's housewife dress, dust the furniture, and make a cocktail for your hubby before he gets home.

Not that I did any of that.

No, really. I didn't. I may be a good wife, but I'm not that good. It might be fun though?

Anyway.

Here's what I did do and what I'm getting at: this is so incredibly easy that I might make this once a week. I went to Trader Joe's and bought a chicken already cut up for me, i.e. the lazy route. I scrubbed some baby potatoes, sliced my chorizo, chopped an onion, zested an orange, and gathered up my spices: oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour some olive oil in that pretty baking dish and arrange your chicken pieces. Nestle the potatoes and slices of chorizo wherever you wish and sprinkle the onion, orange zest, and seasonings over everything. Slide that into the oven. Dance. Sing. Shower. Run 3 miles. Pat yourself on the back because dinner is done!

Source: adapted from Life is Great
Servings: 4

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 assorted pieces of chicken (breasts, legs, or thighs)
2 chorizos, sliced
5 baby potatoes, halved
1 shallot, sliced
2 teaspoons oregano
1 orange, zested
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425. Put the oil in the bottom of a roasting pan. Rub the skin of the chicken in the oil, season with salt accordingly, then turn them skin-side up. Nestle the chorizo sausages and the new potatoes. 

Sprinkle the onion and the oregano over, then grate the orange zest over the entire pan. Cook for 30 minutes, then baste the contents with the orange-colored juices. Continue cooking for about 30 minutes or till chicken is done. Note: Mine was done in 50 minutes, check regularly. 

Would you share some of your best one-pan/one-pot dishes?

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

The love affair with my crock pot continues.

This is one of those dinners that I think can please everyone. Got cranky kids? Serve them this. A busy mom? Stick this in the crock pot by noon and you'll have dinner by 6:00. And really- who doesn't like cheese, salsa, or sour cream? Sorry to the vegetarians though- there is chicken in this dish. :/

I believe many of us have some salsa, sour cream, taco seasoning, a can of cream of chicken soup, and some cheese hanging out in the kitchen (although it wasn't in the original recipe, I deemed it necessary). I also had some scallions to use up so I added it for garnish. Take two chicken breasts and set them in your crock pot. Pour everything except the cheese and sour cream inside and let it get to work. When it's done you can shred the chicken or leave it as it- it'll be super soft anyway so it'll fall a part on it's own.

As you can see, I served it a top a bed of rice and called it a day. Next time I think I'll add black beans and cilantro. If you're into spicy food, you could definitely amp it up by using a hot salsa and adding peppers. Win for everyone!  

Source: adapted from Chef Mommy
Servings: 3-4

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
1 cup salsa
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons cheddar cheese
scallions (optional)

Put chicken, soup, and salsa in slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over everything. Cook on low for 6 hours. If shredding the chicken, pull the breasts out and shred; return back to slow cooker. Stir in sour cream and heat just until everything is combined. Garnish with cheese and scallions if desired.

Who would you serve this to?

Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ever have one of those weeks where you feel so behind no matter how much you try to catch up? Yeah, I'm having one of those weeks. I feel behind with my blogging, with my TV shows (you all know I'm a TV junkie), with reading (I haven't read a new book since school started), with my family, and with my hubby. It doesn't help that he has a new crazy schedule- working every day all day, with only one day off, if he's lucky. The life of a medical student. Sucks.

Moving on!

It's all good. Really. As long as I keep eating pasta, things will come together on their own. Right? Right. I thought so.

If there's one thing you can count on on my blog, it's pasta. I hope you never get sick of it. If you do, go check out these cookies, I guarantee you won't get sick of those. I can't get enough of them.

I found this pasta dish on another fellow blog. Her pictures were fabulous so I knew I had to make it. I'll be honest though; I wasn't all that impressed- at first. It was good, pretty tasty (it is pasta with lots of cheese, duh), but I wasn't blown away until I had the leftovers for lunch the next day. I don't know what happened in my fridge overnight but it was so good. Make it, save it, and devour it. I heard it freezes well too, so make extra for a night when you don't feel like cooking!

Source: adapted from Short Stop
Servings: 3-4

3 tablespoons butter
1/2 box of penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt
pepper
2 heaping tablespoons flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup whole milk
5 ounces baby bella mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup white wine (more to taste)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 13X9 baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta, and return to pot. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.

In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Turn off heat, gradually stir in Monterey Jack cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper. Stir in white wine. Pour into baking dish and sprinkle with leftover Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Are you a TV junkie? What are you watching?

Hungarian Paprika Chicken

Recently, I picked up Eva Longoria's new cookbook. I bought it during the second wave of Borders closing sales for a great price. I love Eva's character on Desperate Housewives and found it ironic that in real life Eva actually loves to cook. 

Her cookbook is beautifully done with pictures of her food jumping off the pages. Most of her book is devoted to Spanish food, but there are many simple dishes too, like ants on a log, a cannellini bean dip, crock-pot ropa vieja, and garlic mashed potatoes.

At this point you must be wondering if I'm getting paid for this post. Ha! Nope. I just like buying and reviewing cookbooks- with you. Who else am I going to share this stuff with? Besides the hubby. But he just wants to eat the dish, not talk about it!

There are still a ton of recipes I want to try from her book. This was one of the first I tried, after reading her description- it's even better after a day or two, and the recipe card was given to her from a friend, written in Hungarian. How cool is that?

I apologize for the crappy pictures- this was taken during the week of no sun early September. And it doesn't actually look all that pretty...but it is really good. I would suggest adding some more spices, maybe some cumin, chili powder, or thyme. It was a little bland when I first tasted it, but with the addition of some spices it's a great warm-you-up meal. 

Source: Eva's Kitchen by Eva Longoria
Serves: 8 to 10

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size cubes
3 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 bell peppers, preferable 1 each. green, red, yellow and orange, cored and chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 pound egg noodles
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 ounces sour cream
¼ cup all-purpose flour, or as needed

In a Dutch oven or other large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken. Cook until slightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the paprika, salt, and pepper and stir to coat the meat. Stir in the peppers and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes; the vegetables and chicken will have exuded their liquid to create a fragrant, bubbling stew.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the egg noddles and cook according to package directions. Drain thoroughly, return to the pot or a bowl, and toss with the butter. Put aside and keep warm.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream and flour until smooth (for a thicker stew, add more flour). Stir this mixture into the simmering stew, one large spoonful at a time. Bring it all just to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot over the buttered noddles.

Have you purchased any cookbooks lately?

What are some of your favorite cookbooks?

Dijon Honey Chicken Tenders

I'm a big believer in anything fresh. Fresh ingredients, fresh produce, fresh bread, fresh cookies, fresh air... I've come to tell myself if I've made it at home, that must make it better. No processed ingredients, right? So it's okay if I eat more than the usual 2 cookies I'd allow myself from a processed package. That also means it's okay if I eat more than 2 chicken tenders.

Growing up, one of my favorite things to eat was chicken nuggets/tenders. Those light, airy chicken nuggets from McDonald's? I hang my head in shame, but yes, I'll confess- I was a Mickey D's chicken nuggeter. Grandma used to take my brother and I for a happy meal once a week. Once a week! Oh the horror.

I'll tell you though, I had an awesome collection of those plastic Barbie dolls they used to hand out. Do you remember those?

One of the very first blogs I started reading was The Comfort of Cooking. Georgia, the author, has many beautiful, simple recipes on her blog. Every time she posts I rush over to read what she has to say about her latest creation. These chicken tenders were no exception. They're definitely tastier, better, healthier than anything you can get at a fast food restaurant or out of a red Tyson bag. Very easy to make too- slice chicken breasts into strips, roll them into panko bread crumbs seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Then you get to make a nice little dipping sauce! Who wouldn't like that?


Source: The Comfort of Cooking
Serves 4

1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
3 tbsp. butter, melted
heaping 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. honey
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced vertically into strips


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a large baking sheet and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, Dijon mustard and honey; whisk until well combined.

Place the chicken strips into the mustard-butter mixture, then into the breadcrumbs. Coat evenly. Place onto the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!

We've all got one...share your favorite processed/fast food?

One-Pot Southwestern Chicken and Rice

Wanna know one thing I don't like about summer?

Mosquitoes.

Before sitting down to write this post I slathered my legs with hydrocortisone. The hubbs thinks it's hilarious. Apparently they don't like his blood. I haven't even been outside much. They've taken residence inside our house! Those little buggers hang out on our porch and every time I take our dog out one of them manages to fly in despite my awesome ninja moves to slam the door shut. Fast flying suckers.

Anyhow. I digress.

Let's talk about the food! You might have seen this on a recent week wrap up. I will make anything deemed as "southwestern". I love all the components of this dish. It's an easy one to make your own. Want more heat? Spice it up with cayenne pepper, jalapenos...and um... what else adds more heat? I'm a wimp. I know nothing. I know this had plenty of cheese, black beans, corn, salsa, and sour cream. I was a happy camper. The hubbs was too!

Oh, and cilantro! Are you a lover or a hater? I love it, as long as there's not too much. I like the flavor hanging out in the background among the cheese. Cheesy rice = happy life.


Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Serves 4-6

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used two and butterflied them)

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice (I used one cup)

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used two cups)

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn

4 ounces cheese (I used cheddar)

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Salsa and sour cream for serving

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. The chicken will cook more in a subsequent step. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

To the pot, add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook until the edges are just slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring the mixture to a simmer.

Return the chicken to the pot. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter or plate. Stir the black beans and corn into the pot. Add the cheese and cilantro. Season the rice mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the rice with the chicken, adding salsa and sour cream, if desired.

*This left us with plenty of leftovers; a perfect weeknight meal to package up for lunch the next day. 

What do you like to take for lunch?

Bacon, Ranch, and Chicken Mac and Cheese

There is something to be said about gooey, cheesy pasta.

 Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

It is my favorite guilty pleasure.

 Grilled Chicken, Bacon Mac and Cheese

Or, at least, one of them...

 Mushroom Mac and Cheese

I'm not ashamed to admit it- I'm obsessed with that show Switched at Birth on ABC Family. 
 

I also used to be obsessed with Passions. Best soap opera ever. I loved Theresa.

Shrimp, Feta Mac and Cheese

And then of course there's Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girls (although this past season was disappointing) Dawson's Creek, The Vampire Diaries...the CW never fails to disappoint. I'm a TV junkie.

Today I'm sharing a new gooey ooey cheesy pasta with you to guiltily indulge yourself in. There is also bacon involved. Chicken for protein (that you fry in bacon grease..oops), and if you use whole wheat pasta, it's not so bad.

Everything in moderation, right?

Right. 

But I'm not gonna stop watching my shows. <3

Source: Cooking Light
 

8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
1 slice applewood-smoked bacon
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk (I used reduced fat)
1/3 cup condensed 45% reduced-sodium 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded six-cheese Italian blend (I used cheddar)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder (I didn't have any on hand so I chopped up a small shallot)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill (omitted)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded colby-Jack cheese (I used cheddar) 

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. 

 

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Finely chop bacon; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken to drippings in pan; sauté 6 minutes or until done.

 

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155°. Add Italian cheese blend, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, and salt, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in pasta and chicken.

 

Preheat broiler. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and colby-Jack cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts.