calzones

these have been a favorite in our house, and they are so easy. Thought I would share how we do ours. I welcome any feedback on how you prep your calzones.

ingredients:

pizza dough (i buy the trader joes pizza dough, in the refrigerated section)

marinara sauce

fresh mozzarella (and please, don't do the pre-grated, yes it makes a difference)

pizza toppings of choice (I through in whatever I have on hand. pineapple/pepperoni, sausage/tomato/peppers)

olive oil

parmesan cheese

pizza/italian seasonings

let dough rise about 20 minutes. roll out dough and cut into sections. Chop toppings and cube mozzarella cheese. Add a few spoonfuls of marinara, toppings and cheese. Fold over dough and pinch it closed. Brush or spritz top with olive oil. Tope with parmesan cheese, and pizza or italian seasonings. Sometimes I also add a little garlic salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until dough is starting to brown. I serve with extra marinara on side for dipping.

sausage linguine

(with dollop of ricotta cheese prior to stirring it in)

so kelly - have you abandoned our cooking blog or do you not cook anymore?

this recipe was a hit with my whole family. I got it from my friend Anneli. I loved it because it called for all FRESH ingredients.

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound linguini orwhole wheat linguini (I used a basil linguini)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 pound Italian sausage, sweet or hot

1 red chili pepper, very thinly sliced (I used a red bell pepper because I had it, tasted great)
3 large cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
2 bundles arugula or1/3 pound baby arugula
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup cream (optional) (I substituted with less than a half cup of whole milk, which I had)
1 cup mascarpone or ricotta cheese (optional)

PREPARATION

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water and cook the pasta to al dente, reserving about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water just before draining.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with EVOO, one turn of the pan. To the hot pan, add the sausage and brown and crumble it for 5 minutes. Add the chili pepper and garlic and toss for 1-2 minutes.

Add the cherry tomatoes and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid to burst the tomatoes, 8-10 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally to move the tomatoes around a bit. When the skins start to burst, crack the softened tomatoes open with a cooking utensil.

Drain the pasta (remember to reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water) and toss it with the sausage, arugula and most of the starchy water, then season with salt and pepper, to taste. If you are using cream, toss the pasta for an additional minute to heat the cream through. If the sauce gets too tight, loosen it up with any remaining starchy water.If you are serving the pasta with mascarpone or ricotta, place a dollop on top of each serving for mixing in.

I used ricotta cheese because I thought since when is cheese optional? It did taste great with the cheese, but it tasted great without it too. So if you don't want the extra calories - or don't want to buy a tub of ricotta cheese (any ideas of what i can make with my extra ricotta?) this dish has plenty of flavor without it.

mexican salad

picture and recipe courtesy of shade clothing blog

I made this last week and it was delicious.

salad ingredients:

tortillas

romaine lettuce, chopped

3-4 green onions, chopped

½ bunch cilantro

1 (15 oz.) can black beans

¼ c. pitted black olives, chopped

sweet pork

shreddedCheddar cheese, grated

1 lg. tomato, diced

1-2 avocados, diced

spanish rice

Arrange as many oven-safe bowls that will comfortably fit on a cookie sheet. (My ceramic cereal worked perfect) Place one tortilla in each bowl, pressing down the bottom and forming the shell up the sides of the bowl. I sprayed mine with a little bit of olive oil. Bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes until shells are brown around the edges.

sweet pork:

1 lb pork roast (I used a pork tenderloin)

1 cup salsa

1 cup brown sugar

place pork in crock pot. mix salsa with brown sugar and pour over pork. cook on low 6-8 hours. shred and return to crock pot to soak up sauce.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

I intended on making this dressing, but when i got to the store I saw a cilantro dressing that looked really good, so I bought that. next time I want to try to make the dressing.

1 ½ c. prepared buttermilk Ranch dressing

2 tomatillos, peeled, seeded and cut in half

4 Serrano chili peppers, seeded

10 sprigs cilantro

1 lime, juiced
Combine ranch dressing, tomatillos, peppers, cilantro and limejuice in a blender or food processor and processing until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate dressing in airtight container up to two weeks. Liquid may separate, but simply stir dressing until well mixed.

Assemble salad in tortilla bowls. I layered rice, then beans, pork, and all salad toppings.

terriyaki bow tie pasta & spinach salad

about time we update! is it only me or do you just not feel like cooking in the summer? so this is actually a recipe that Kelly made for us while she was in town. But she is on another trip, and I snapped the picture, so thought I would put it up for her. And nothing is better in summer than a good salad. And this one is delicious.

SALAD:

2 cups cooked chicken (diced)

1 - 16oz. bow tie pasta, aka farfalle (cooked)

1 1/2 bag spinach

1 - 6oz. bag craisins

1 can mandarin oranges (drained)

water chestnuts, chopped

1 bunch green onions (chopped)

1/3 cup sesame seeds

6oz honey roasted peanuts

DRESSING:

1 cup oil

2/3 cup teriyaki sauce

2/3 cup vinegar

6 Tbs sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

DIRECTIONS:Cook the pasta. Set aside.Mix the ingredients for the dressing together.Pour the dressing over cooked, drained bow tie pasta and marinate.Put the rest of the salad ingredients in bowl (except peanuts because they will go soggy).Add pasta mix. Stir until all the salad is coated with the dressing.Add peanuts last, right before serving.

source: adapted from Just Cook Already

Chicken Cordon Bleu

I made chicken cordon bleu last night for the first time. Turned out pretty dang good. I know this one does not need much explanation, but thought I would share a trick.

Since rolling them is sometimes pretty tricky (and messy), not to mention I don't have a meat pounder, I instead sliced the chicken breast in the middle to make a little pocket, then rolled up a slice of ham and swiss cheese, and stuck it in the pocket. They turned out perfect.

ingredients:

chicken

swiss cheese

butter

bread crumbs

after stuffing chicken breast, roll it in melted butter and then roll in bread crumbs. bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.

I would love to hear any other variations/ideas for cordon bleu.

Aebleskivers

Is your mouth watering? I know mine is looking at this.

I must warn you, to make these, you will need this:

But believe me, it is well worth it. Mine comes from Williams Sonoma, but I am sure they are sold in other places as well.

I grew up having aebleskivers, so I was so thrilled to get this pan for Mother's Day. And so, I made some for Matt for breakfast for Father's day. And I tried something I have never tried before with aebleskivers...filling them with Nutella and jam(we always just served with strawberry jam on the side). Let's just say these were also my lunch when I got home from church.

I know there are many variations to an aebleskiver recipe (and a recipe came with the pan), but I decided to use the one I grew up on, which was my Grandmother's. This makes 4 batches.

ingredients:

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs - separated

2 cups buttermilk

mix dry ingredients. Add egg yolks and buttermilk and combine. Beat egg whites until white and fluffy. fold egg whites into batter. Put batter into something you can pour (I used a measuring cup). Spray pan or add butter. If adding filling, fill half full with batter, then scoop in filling of choice (I used Nutella - which was DELICIOUS! - and strawberry jam). Top with batter. Let cook a few minutes over a medium heat, then flip (I use a wooden skewer). And cook a few minutes on the other side. You will want to poke them to make sure it is cooked in the center.

Sprinkle with powder sugar and I serve with more strawberry jam on the side. But my kids and husband ate with syrup.

sweet and sour chicken

I have not made this in forever, and I forgot how much I love it. I got this from my Mom, who has been making it forever, so who knows where its from. And it is easy. I promise.

ingredients:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3 chicken breasts, cut in strips

1 bell pepper, cut in slices (I prefer red or orange)

1 onion, cut in slices (I prefer red onion)

sliced green onions (about 2 will do)

1 can of pineapple chunks (or obviously fresh pineapple is amazing)

1 cup pineapple juice (if I am buying the pineapple chunks, I get the kind in pineapple juice, which usually is exactly 1 cup)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons corn starch

Rice (I use brown rice, it tastes great with this meal)

directions:

cook chicken in skillet with olive oil, about 10 minutes or until cooked. Add sliced green peppers & onions, cook until barely cooked, about 5 minutes.

(can I add just a tip. This may seem obvious, but I know the dinner hour is always hectic, with crying and needy kids, so when I have any time earlier in the day..say while the baby is taking an afternoon nap, I always like to start dinner. In this case, I sliced up all the veggies and the chicken ahead of time and just put back in the fridge. That way this meal was very easy to prepare when the time came)

Meanwhile, combine pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, and corn starch. Add to skillet and bring to a boil (sauce will thicken). Before serving, add pineapple chunks. Serve over rice.

Succulent Steak and Hasselback Potatoes

Another recipe from My Kitchen Cafe that we made for dinner tonight. The steak marinade was SUPER yummy and I even forgot to marinade it overnight and with only marinading for 5 hours, it was still so good. The potatoes were good, but a little bit dry. I read later in the comments section that someone drizzled melted butter over them instead of putting pats of butter between the slices and I think that would make them so much better. Other than that, super easy and good. And of course, the picture is courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe too.

Brian’s Awesome Steak Marinade
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup pineapple juice
3 garlic cloves crushed or finely minced

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and use as marinade. If marinading steaks, I marinade the meat overnight (about 12-14 hours) before grilling.

Hasselback Potatoes
as seen on Norah’s blog (adapted slightly)

5-6 medium baking potatoes
4 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic pressed or finely minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425. Put the potato on a cutting board, flat side down. Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, making thin slices.

Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet and sprinkle the garlic in between the slits. Scatter some butter on top of each potato (it doesn’t have to be exact – I just pinched off pieces of butter and put them on top of the potato and in random slices). Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some salt and freshly ground black pepper over the potoates.

Bake the potatoes for about one hour or until the potatoes turn crispy and the flesh is soft.

salmon tacos

I got this recipe for salmon tacos from Shade Clothing's "Your Life in Shade" blog (picture courtesy of their blog as well). I love salmon. I love tacos. I love fish tacos. And my kids like salmon, so I really wanted to make this. It was super easy, just a bit time consuming preparing all the extras. My kids ate salmon and cheese roll-ups (even Drew, AMAZING). Wade liked it, but said they were too "fishy," but he doesn't eat onions and peppers, so his were probably more on the fishy side. He really liked it with the rice vinegar drizzled on top. I also made some black beans as well. Here's the recipe:

Salmon filet

Whole garlic cloves

Olive Oil

Blackened seasoning

Corn or flour tortillas

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and chunked

1 onion, sliced lengthwise

1 green pepper, sliced lengthwise {i used a yellow and red}

1 tomato, chopped

Mozarella cheese, grated

Seasoned rice vinegar

Place salmon fillet on cookie sheet and top with whole garlic cloves. Season salmon with salt, pepper, and blackened seasoning. Drizzle olive oil over salmon and garlic. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until fish flakes when tested with a fork.

In a saucepan, sauté onion and green pepper in a little bit of olive oil until vegetables are soft enough to eat but not limp.

Layer salmon chunks, garlic, avocado, grilled onion and pepper, tomatoes and cheese into tortilla shell. Lightly sprinkle seasoned rice vinegar over taco and enjoy!

open-faced southwest sandwiches

sorry about the small picture. i stole the photo and recipe from my friend nancy's blog. i've made this bunches of times and it's super good. for my kids, i usually just do turkey and cheese and last night i just warmed theirs in the microwave because they often complain about "crunchiness."

1 large loaf french bread, sliced about 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup olives chopped (opt)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup chopped green onions
3/4 to 1 pound turkey , thinly sliced deli style
2 medium roma tomatoes, sliced
2 large avocados, sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, monterey jack, colby jack)

Place sliced bread on ungreased cookie sheet. (Line the sheet with foil to make melted cheese easier to clean up). In a bowl combine olives, spices, mayonnaise, sour cream and onions. Spread half of the mixture (about 1 tablespoon on each slice) on bread slices. Put turkey, then sliced tomatoes on bread. Top with rest of mayo mixture. Add a slice of avocado then shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until heated through.

{i've never used olives. wade would probably love it if i did. i just always forget. and the picture is before it's baked. super yummy.}

Spinach and Feta Pasta

(Recipe and Picture courtesy of Our Best Bites) I did take a picture, but was in a hurry and realized later that my picture looked terrible.

This was really quick and pretty good. My kids ate it ALL (and that is saying a lot)..although I had to pick out the spinach for them. Matt wasn't a huge fan, but he isn't a fan of tomatoes or spinach, so I wasn't surprised.

Ingredients:

8 oz. Penne pasta (that's 1/2 a 16 oz. box. Don't use ziti--you want the ridges on the penne to "grip" the sauce) I actually used a little bit more pasta because I wanted to get a higher pasta ratio.
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes (This seemed a little much. I used 1 and a half 14 oz cans)
3 c. fresh spinach (you don't even have to chop it! Could life get any better??)
1 onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

A handful of fresh mushrooms, chopped
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste

I also added in some shredded chicken that I had left over from my pitas, to give a bit more substance. Glad I did.

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add pasta. Cook according to package directions. In the meantime, heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and mushrooms and cook until tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add tomatoes, heat through, and then add drained pasta and crumbled feta (and shredded chicken). Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat through and serve.

chicken pitas

so I love chicken pitas. And while these ones continue to be my favorite to make for dinner, I make these for lunch quite often. Fast and easy and delicious. However, I did make these for dinner last night since I hadn't been to the grocery store yet. This isn't so much a recipe....just an idea. They are healthy and delicious.

Ingredients:

Shredded Chicken (I like to cook some chicken in the crockpot in the beginning of the week, cook with chicken broth so doesn't dry out, and shred and season with salt and pepper, so I can enjoy these pitas all week)

Any veggies - included but not limited to - bell peppers, greens, tomatoes

avocado (not pictured because I was out, but usually a staple)

feta cheese (although shredded monterrey jack tastes great too)

vinaigrette dressing - my personal fave (sorry Utah peeps) is Trader Joe's Cranberry Walnut Gorgonzola dressing. It really makes the pitas and it is surprisingly low on calories.

I like to drizzle the dressing on the shredded chicken, top with veggies, drizzle more dressing, and top with avocado slices and cheese.

Tender Pork Chops with Caramelized Apples and Onions

so i'm finally getting back to cooking. actually i made the feta chicken last week and it was sooo yummy. but last night i made these pork chops with caramalized apples and onions. they were so easy and so good. i even got a raving review from wade, which is kind of rare. i made these after church, which is a good option since it takes three hours to bake in the oven. otherwise it was actually a super easy and simple recipe. and obviously, i stole the recipe and photo from my kitchen cafe.

4 bone-in pork loin chops (at least 1/2-inch thick) {i used 6 pork chops}
2-3 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced about 1/4-inch thick
1-2 yellow onions, sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

{with 6 pork chops, i used 2 1/2 apples and almost an entire large onion. i used a pampered chef 9x13 pan since it's a little bigger and then filled it up as much as i wanted with apples and onions. i probably also used closer to 1/2 cup of brown sugar.}

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place the onion slices in an even layer over the bottom of the dish. Top the onion slices with the apples. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the apples and onions. Season the pork chops generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange the pork chops in a single layer on top of the apples and onions. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for three hours. Do not open the oven and lift the foil – the pork chops, apples and onions need to be tightly covered the whole time to work their magic (and not dry out).

{seriously, this was so easy and so good}

Serve each pork chop with Parmesan smashed potatoes and topped with the apples and onions.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Melanie, a reader of MKC

Parmesan and Garlic Smashed Potatoes

5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, rinsed and diced
2 teaspoons salt

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons butter
¾ cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
4-5 cloves roasted garlic (trim the pointy end off a head of garlic, place sprout-side down on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil, fold sides of foil up to enclose the garlic completely and cook in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the garlic is tender; the cloves squeeze right out of their skins when they are ready)

In a large pot, place the potatoes and cover with water (by at least two inches). Add the salt. Bring to a boil, and cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot. Begin mashing the potatoes. Add the butter and mash in to the potatoes. Add the milk, cheese, roasted garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Mash until the potatoes are smooth. Serve immediately.

{i used regular russet potatoes and didn't have any fresh garlic cloves, so i just added minced garlic, but i'm guessing that the roasted garlic would've made the potatoes super yummy.}

Feta Chicken Bake and Mediterranean Salad

This was fast, easy, light and healthy.

Feta Chicken Bake

Ingredients:
5 chicken tenders (I just cut up 3 chicken breasts)
1 Lemon
Feta Cheese (we use reduced fat)
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Oregano leaves, to taste

Directions:
Place chicken in square baking dish. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 the lemon over chicken. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Top with Feta Cheese. Squeeze the rest of the lemon juice on top
Place in 450 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.

Mediterranean Salad

I have made this LOTS. I love just having it in the fridge to eat with lunch or as a snack. I don't really even do any measurements anymore, just toss in ingredients as I see fit, but here you go:

combine:
1 cucumber sliced {lots more if you're me.}
1 tomato sliced (I like to cut in half grape tomatoes, but thats what i usually have on hand)
1/4 c feta cheese {again, lots more if you're me.}
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 c GOOD olive oil {there is a difference.}
1 T lemon pepper seasoning
pepper & kosher (or sea) salt {um LOTS & LOTS if you're me} to taste.

source: Just Cook Already

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I love this recipe of baked taquitos, so when I saw this one, I just had to try it. And it did not disappoint. I think Matt's words were "these are a hit". And I love that you can do most of the prep ahead of time - because if your house is anything like mine, 5pm is always the worst time of the day, and I want dinner ready FAST.

ingredients:
1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (I cooked in my trusty crockpot and shredded it up)
1 C grated pepperjack cheese
small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

directions:
Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. About 30 seconds. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Roll as tight as you can and place on baking sheet seam side down. Spray tops lightly with cooking spray or oil mister and sprinkle with sea salt.

Place in oven and bake 15 - 20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

source: our best bites

So I will be on a cooking hiatus for about a week - and likely so will Kelly since she is in the process of moving. I did update this post with a picture, since I made this tonight.

Chicken Tostada Upside Down Bake

This was VERY good, and easy. see a common theme to my cooking?

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
3-4 chicken breasts, shredded and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper (I cooked in crockpot, obviously)
1 can diced tomatoes (I used petite diced)
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can black olives, chopped (I omitted just because Matt does not like olives)
1 packet ranch dressing seasoning packet

1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cumin
Pinch of kosher salt and pepper
1/2 Cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, in the sheet form if possible
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Lawry’s Garlic Salt
1 Cup shredded cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions for 5 minutes then add in garlic; cook for an additional 1 minute. Add chicken, tomatoes, corn, black beans, olives, ranch seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 5 minutes, until heated through, then stir in cilantro. Pour into a 9×13 inch baking dish that’s been sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Place Crescent Roll sheet over top of chicken mixture, brush lightly with olive oil and season with garlic salt. (If you are using the regular crescent rolls, unroll then and press perforations together with fingers then place over chicken). Bake for 20 minutes, until just starting to brown. Top with cheese and bake for an additional 15-18 minutes or until cheese is melted and crescent dough is cooked through. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
2. Serve with shredded lettuce and sour cream if desired (I did not do this, but I am sure it would be delicious)

source: the Picky Palate

Indian chicken and curry

So this isn't so much a recipe, but more a dinner idea. and it is easy and delicious. Ever since we went out for Indian food for Matt's birthday, I have been craving it. So I went to my local Trader Joes, and they had all the necessary supplies to re-create the chicken and curry I had been craving.

Ingredients:

Chicken - I used 2 chicken breasts - diced into bite sized pieces

Naan bread (they sell this at Trader Joes, and it is pretty delicious)

Indian rice (purchased at Trader Joes)

Curry simmer sauce (purchased at Trader Joes - they had a good variety of different types of sauces. This one was a little spicy, so I gave my kids the chicken plain)

Directions:

I cooked the rice in my rice cooker, cut the Naan bread in half and either warm in the oven, wrapped in tin foil, or in the toaster. Pour simmer sauce in skillet - as instructed - add chicken (which I seasoned first with curry powder), cover and cook 20 minutes.

This will be a regular at our house. I am just surprised it took me so long to try.

Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pitas

Since I love me some chicken pitas, I thought I would give this a try. I have another Chicken Pita that I like a little better, which I will share later, but I thought this tasted great too.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil (I didn't get this, but if you omit as well, I would suggest increasing amount of sun dried tomatoes and adding a little bit of olive oil.)

1 tablespoon chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (I added more)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (2-3 chicken breasts) (just throw a couple frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot with chicken broth - my preferred way of cooking chicken)

1 cup chopped tomato (about 1 medium)

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil (I just used some dried basil)

6 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half

3 cups mixed baby greens

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in chicken, tomato, cheese, and basil.
Line each pita half with 1/4 cup greens. Divide chicken mixture evenly among pita halves.

courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe

chicken cordon bleu casserole

i made this recipe over a week ago and just have been super lazy/busy and haven't gotten it up. and of course, i forgot to take a picture. i really liked this recipe and wade loved it and ella ate it for lunch like two days in a row.

Topping:
4 slices white sandwich bread, torn into quarters (I used a long forgotten bread bowl tucked in the back of the freezer – thawed it in the microwave before using)
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
3 pounds russet potatoes (about 4-5 medium), peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream or milk
6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded, about 2 cups
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (I only had spicy brown mustard, which was alright, but you could definitely taste the spicy brown taste)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat and sliced thinly
9 ounces deli ham, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

For the topping, process the bread and butter in a food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside.

(I actually had an old bread bowl in my freezer too and I just pulled it into pieces and poured the butter on it. However, I don't know if it was because my bread bowl was too old or what, but the bread just was soggy. Next time I think I would just do bread crumbs on top of the casserole.)

For the filling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, making sure the oven rack is in the middle. Place the potatoes, 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are partially cooked, about 2 minutes (don’t overcook because they will continue to cook in the oven!). Carefully drain potatoes, or remove them with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onions are softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute (this helps cook out the flour taste in the roux). Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and the cream or milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking often, until slightly thickened (if using milk instead of cream, you may have to cook longer for it to thicken up a bit). Off the heat, whisk in the Swiss cheese, Dijon, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside until ready to use.

Toss the potatoes with half of the sauce and spread into the bottom of a lightly greased 9X13-inch baking pan. Layer alternating pieces of the chicken and ham over the potatoes, overlapping as needed. This is not a scientific procedure, just make sure that the chicken is in a single layer (not on top of each other) so that it cooks thoroughly. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the chicken and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the casserole is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes (add about 5-7 additional minutes onto the baking time if baking it after it has chilled in the refrigerator for more than a couple of hours). Cool for 10 minutes before serving.'

Source: My Kitchen Cafe

zucchini crescent pie

i got this recipe from my friend nancy's blog a couple of years ago and have made it lots of times. my kids don't love it, but i figure the more i make it the more they'll eventually like it too. but i like it and that's what's important. i made it last week and actually doubled the recipe and made one for a friend.

1 pkg (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
2 medium zucchini, sliced and quartered
1/2 c chopped onion
1/4 c butter, cubed
2 t. minced fresh parsley
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 t. dried basil
1/4 t. dried oregano
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 c (8 oz) shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 c. cubed fully cooked ham
1 medium Roma tomato, thinly sliced

Separate crescent roll dough into eight triangles; place in a greased 9 inch pie plate with points toward the center. Press onto the bottom and up the sides to form a crust; seal seams and perforations. Bake at 375 for 5-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute zucchini and onion in butter until tender; stir in seasonings. Spoon into crust. Combine eggs, cheese and ham; pour over zucchini mixture. Top with tomato slices. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Since Wade doesn't love tomatoes, I usually only put the tomatoes on part of the pie.

Recipe tips: I usually bake the crust alone closer to 5 minutes because it will continue to brown when put back in the oven. Also, saute zucchini and onion until butter is pretty well absorbed. Spoon into the crust as pouring it in may cause to much liquid.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This was easy. And DEEEE-licious.

Ingredients:

3 lb. boneless pork shoulder (I used 1.5 lb pork tenderloin, tasted great)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Smoked paprika or liquid smoke
BBQ Sauce (for any locals, I used the Bear Pit BBQ sauce)

About 12 high-quality rolls
Coleslaw (I am not a fan of coleslaw, so I omitted, but if you are a fan, there is a recipe link on Our Best Bites)
Thick-cut dill pickle slices

Directions:

Sprinkle roast with seasonings and place in your slow cooker. Add about 1/2 inch of water and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
When the roast has cooked, drain liquid and then return to the slow cooker and shred. Pour enough sauce over the meat so it's well-incorporated but not soupy. Return the lid to the crockpot and heat through.
When ready to serve, slice rolls and add meat. Top with coleslaw and a few slices of dill pickle.

Source: Our Best Bites

Meatballs with Cream Sauce

so I still prefer my crockpot meatball recipe, but this one was also good, and fairly easy. and you likely have most of these ingredients on hand.

MEATBALLS:

1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
2 T. ketchup
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup quick oats
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (I used dry, tasted fine)
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
3 T. flour

CREAM SAUCE:
2 T. butter
3 1/2 T. flour
1/4 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
14 oz. can chicken broth (If you want your sauce thicker, cut down the chicken broth to 1 cup)
2/3 cup milk
2 T. minced fresh parsley

In a bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients EXCEPT the beef and flour. Add beef and mix well. Shape into balls. Roll in flour, shaking off excess. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet and bake, uncovered, at 400 for 10 minutes. Turn meatballs, bake 8-10 minutes longer or until no longer pink. Meanwhile, for the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, thyme, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add broth and milk; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, until slightly thickened. If using the full can of chicken broth, the sauce doesn’t thicken overly much, but it is delicious that way. If you want it slightly thicker, cut down the chicken broth to 1 cup. Drain meatballs on paper towels; transfer to a serving dish. Top with sauce and parsley. Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Source: My Kitchen Cafe

salsa chicken

this is just another variation for chicken tacos. but it is possibly the easiest thing to make, ever. and good.

ingredients:

chicken - 2-3 chicken breasts

salsa

black beans (rinsed and drained)

corn (I use frozen, but I am sure canned would suffice)

directions:

you can actually just make this with salsa only, but I like to add beans and corn. put chicken in crock pot. Cover with salsa (I usually add whole jar). Add black beans and corn (about 1 cup each). Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-5. Shred. Enjoy in soft tacos with your pick of fixings.

Cream of Tomato and Artichoke Soup

we went to lunch at old grist mill on saturday afternoon and wade got their creamy tomato soup. it was really good. he had drew taste it and drew said it tasted like spaghetti sauce and even ella liked it. so i said i would try to find a recipe for creamy tomato soup. i found this one from just cook already. i found several others from allrecipes.com but thought wade would like this one since it also had artichokes in it. that said, he didn't love this one. i think he didn't like the artichokes. and ella didn't like this as much as the one from the grist mill. but still, it was pretty good and real easy. i think i'll try and find another one to try as well.

2 cans chopped tomatoes

2 cups half and half (they have fat-free)

1 cup artichoke hearts (marinated and packed in oil. drain, but do not rinse)

2 cloves of garlic (2 tsp. chopped garlic)

1 tsp. onion

1 tsp. terragon (i didn't have terragon)

2 tsp. dill weed

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup water

in food processor (or blender) add tomatoes (juice included), artichokes, and blend until smooth. saute the garlic and onion in a small amount of olive oil and butter. add the blended tomato mixture to the sauteed garlic and onions. pour 1 cup of water into the blender and rinse and add to the pot of tomato mixture. add cream and simmer 20 minutes. add terragon, dill weed, salt and pepper. serve with sour cream on top.

i also served with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

These were easy and delicious. And it make A LOT.

ingredients:

1 cup cooked rice (I did brown rice in my rice cooker)

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (I cooked 2 chicken breasts in the crockpot earlier in the day)

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained

1 green onion, finely sliced (white & green parts)

1/2 red or green pepper, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime

1/2 Tbs chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

2 cups shredded cheese

sour cream (optional)

6 burrito sized tortillas (If you have the costco ones, those would be great, I used the burrito sized truly homemade tortillas from trader joes, which were also great)

directions:

Mix cooked rice with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except cheese and sour cream.

Spray tortilla with cooking spray or spread with butter, and lay on skillet/pan. Sprinkle with cheese, leaving 1/2 inch border around edges. let cheese melt slightly and add sour cream dotted along center, then add mixture down center of tortilla (I didn't add as much as was shown in original recipe, but feel free to make as fat as you want). Roll tortilla, leaving edges open, and place seam side down. Heat about 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crisp.

from My Kitchen Cafe

dressed up sloppy joes

So I am not a big fan of sloppy joes, but I thought I would try these, and they were pretty good. And of course, I served with our favorite sweet potato fries. This comes from Our Best Bites.

ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef
Seasoning salt to taste
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 green pepper, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3/4 c. ketchup
1 tsp. mustard
3 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
3/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/3-1/2 c. water to reach desired consistency
Freshly ground black pepper to taste6 hamburger buns

stovetop directions:
Brown ground beef with onion, green pepper, and garlic. Season to taste with seasoning salt. Add in mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Combine tomato paste and water and add to hamburger mixture. Add more water if desired. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve on hamburger buns.

Crockpot Instructions:
Brown ground beef with onion, green pepper, and garlic. Season to taste with seasoning salt. Transfer to slow cooker. Add in remaining ingredients and combine well. Cook on low for 3-4 hours and serve on hamburger buns

asian lettuce wraps

i love lettuce wraps, especially the ones at p.f. changs. i've tried a couple of lettuce wraps recipes and really like the simplicity of these. i got this recipe from allrecipes.com and usually serve with some asian-type noodles on the side. just ones from the box, like simply asia or thai kitchen. these are thai kitchen.

16 boston bibb or butter lettuce leaves (i can NEVER find these in the grocery store and so i usually use iceberg and just pull as much as i want. any advice on where to find the real deals would be appreciated.

1 lb. ground beef (i always use ground turkey)

1 T. cookin oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced (i am so proud to say that i actually used fresh garlic and bought a garlic press. i used the tutorial from my kitchen cafe. sad but true that i'd never done it before and needed a tutorial)

1 T soy sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 tsp. minced pickle ginger (i've never used this, but i'm thinking next time i ought to just use some fresh ginger)

1 T. rice wine vengar

Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)

1 can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped (i usually dice the water chestnuts and green onions and then add as much as i feel like)

2 tsp. asian sesame oil

Rinse lettuce leaves and pat dry. Set aside.

In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef (or turkey) in 1 T. of oil (i usually just use non-stick cooking spray, not oil), stirring often. Cook the onion in the same pan stirring frequently. (The original recipe states to remove the meat and then cook the onion. I just cook it all together and usually use minced onion.) Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in the chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.

To serve, spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito.

Super yummy. Not quite pf changs, but oh well.

crock pot brown sugar chicken

i got this recipe from laura like a year or so ago and it's easy, good, and the ingredients are stuff you usually have around. and since it's been crock-pot sunday this year, this is what we made.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (i think i used 4)

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup lemon-lime soda

2/3 cup vinegar

3 cloves garlic

2 T soy sauce

1 tsp pepper

Put the chicken in the crockpot. Cover with the brown sugar, pepper, chopped garlic and soy sauce. Add the vinegar and soda.

Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours or on high for 4-5.

Serve over a bowl of white rice with a ladle full of broth.

As I'm reading this recipe, I'm thinking she got it off of A Year of Slow Cooking. I just checked and I am right.

Enchiladas

I usually do an easy enchilada casserole when I want to make enchiladas, but I stumbled upon this recipe in a Parents magazine and it sounded healthy and fresh, so I thought I would give it a try. The theme was healthy eating, so they did not use enchilada sauce, which is high in sodium (not that I am usually particular). Well, Matt loved these and told me to definitely make them again.

ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 Tbs garlic, minced

1 14 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes

1/2 tsp. coriander (I omitted because I did not have and didn't want to buy)

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano

pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 lb lean ground beef

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

8 corn tortillas

1 1/4 cups shredded cheese (I am pretty sure I used a little more, I did not measure, just added to my liking)

directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. add onion and cook 5 minutes. add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. add tomatoes and spices. cook a few minutes longer. Stir in cilantro.

2. meanwhile, cook beef, drain fat, and stir in beans.

3. warm tortillas in oven for 5 minutes or microwave for 45 seconds. spread 1/2 cup sauce into baking dish. divide beef mixture and cheese among tortillas. roll tortillas and place seam side down. top with remaining sauce.

4. bake for 15 minutes. sprinkle on remaining cheese and bake another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Romano Ranch Chicken and Rice Skillet

This meal was easy, healthy, and flavorful. This comes from The Picky Palate.

ingredients:

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 packet Ranch Dressing dry mix, divided
1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
6 Cups fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
1 small can diced carrots and peas, drained (I could not bring myself to use canned carrots and peas. I just used frozen peas and omitted carrots. I would have added cooked carrots if I wasn't so lazy)
2 Cups steamed long grain brown rice (I cooked mine in a rice cooker)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (I used sea salt)
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Lawry’s garlic salt with parsley (I used garlic salt and just added dry parsley)
1/2 Cup shredded Romano Cheese (upon discovering at the store that Romano cheese looks just like parmesan cheese, I used parmesan since I already had some at home)

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place chicken breasts into small baking dish and sprinkle half of the ranch packet over each breast. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes.
2. Heat oil in large skillet with high rimmed edges over medium heat. Saute onion, bell pepper, garlic and spinach until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in carrots and peas then stir in cooked rice, season with salt, pepper and garlic salt.
3. With a knife dice each chicken breast into small cubes and add into rice mixture. Sprinkle remaining ranch seasoning mix and romano cheese into rice. Reduce heat to low; taste and season as needed. Now you are ready to serve.

tgi friday's bruschetta chicken pasta

i was planning on making laura's balsamic chicken noodle bowl, but as i was describing it to wade, he remarked at how much he likes tgi friday's bruschetta chicken pasta since it's pretty similar, but with bruschetta instead of the peppers. so he ran to the computer and within minutes printed this recipe off for me. i was impressed at how speedy he was retrieving recipes off the internet. so i finally got around making it today and it was pretty good although wade commented that he liked friday's version better because they have huge chunks of garlic and since i used refrigerated minced garlic, mine was missing the garlic. i do have a resolution to use real garlic soon. i've never done it. i think i would have liked the recipe better if it wasn't cold and i wasn't cranky from dealing with cranky kate (thus why it was cold since i was dealing with cranky kate). oh and i would've been in a happier mood too if seth hadn't been crying, seriously crying, about how bad the house smelled and why would i make this dinner since it smelled so bad. he hated the smell of the balsamic vinegar. oh well. nevertheless, here's the recipe. oh, and wade found it from recipe zaar. and sorry about no picture. remember the crankiness.

• 4 (4 ounce) chicken breasts (i just used 2)

• salt and black pepper (To Taste)
• 1 lb angel hair pasta
• 6-8 medium size roma tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 10 fresh basil leaves (i used dried basil)
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced into thin coins (i used minced garlic, obviously)
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Directions

1. 1

   Chicken Breasts: Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt and black pepper. Grill 3-4 minutes per side for grill marks or until the chicken breasts reach 165 degrees F. Grill right before serving.

(Since it was snowy and freezing today, I just baked my chicken breasts in the oven.)

1. 2

   Pasta: Boil pasta as per directions on box until al dente. Drain and transfer to bowl.

2. 3

   Tomato Salad (Step 1): Wash, core and dice tomatoes to 1/4" pieces, save juices and place in small bowl. Wash, dry and cut basil leaves into thin strips. Combine tomatoes, basil, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, and minced garlic and hold for 2 hours before use.

(I did it about an hour before.)

1. 4

   Tomato Salad (Step 2): Heat heavy bottom saucepan under medium-low flame. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, heat oil for 20 seconds. Saute cloves of garlic, that are sliced into thin coins, in oil (if small use 3) for 45 seconds on each side until soft and tender - do not brown garlic (if brown DISCARD and start over). Increase heat and add tomato salad and stir.

2. 5

   Tomato Salad (Step 3): Add plain tomato sauce to pan and bring to a boil. Add pasta to sauce pan and toss with fresh sauce (sauce should just coat pasta). Transfer to a service platter or plate individually. Garnish with balsamic glaze.

3. 6

   Balsamic Glaze: Bring to a boil vinegar and sugar in small pan and turn down flame to a simmer Reduce by 75% until sauce turns to a thick syrup, hold at room temperature

4. 7

   To serve: Slice chicken breast into strips on a bias (45 degree angle) and place on top of pasta.Enjoy!