Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

These were a hearty and easy main dish that everyone in my family really enjoyed.  We chose to use the sour cream as a topping, along with guacamole and salsa, instead of putting it inside the wraps.  

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

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

1/2 red or green pepper, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)

Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: on some of the wraps, I dotted the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center – it made the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange wraps, seam-side down, in pan or griddle and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Cooking them seam-side down first helps seal the long edge so they don’t fall apart. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve warm

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

I have a few new recipes that I would really like to get up here tonight!  This chicken marinade really hits the spot every single time.  It is a recipe I find myself making time and time again so I knew it was time to share it on my blog!  Give it a try!

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

                                  

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup ranch dressing

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice 

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to

taste

1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste

(optional)

5 skinless, boneless chicken breast

halves - cut into 1 inch cubes

In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  I like to let this marinate overnight to really let the chicken soak up the fantastic flavors of the marinade.

Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

Copycat Macaroni Grill's Penne Rustica

Copycat Macaroni Grill's Penne Rustica

Gratinata sauce ( use 4 1/2 cups )

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon chopped garlic 

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

1/2 teaspoon dill 

1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary 

1/2 cup marsala cooking wine 

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

4 cups heavy cream 

Penne Rustica

3 Strips Bacon or equal amount of Pancetta

12-16 oz.  raw shrimp, peeled and deveined; tails removed

6 oz. chicken (1 breast)

16 ounces penne pasta

1 small jar chopped pimiento

3 Tablespoons butter 

1 chopped shallot

pinch salt and pepper 

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 

1/4 teaspoon paprika 

3 sprigs fresh rosemary (for garnish)

For Gratinata Sauce:  Saute butter, garlic, and rosemary until garlic begins to brown.  Add Marsala wine and reduce by one-third.  Add remaining ingredients, reduce by half of the original volume.  Set aside.  {I just started this first and simmered the entire time everything else was cooking}.  

Bring water to boil in a large stock pot and cook Penne according to package directions.

For Penne Rustica:  Place pancetta or bacon in a large skillet that has been heated over medium/high heat and cook for 2 minutes.  Add chopped chicken over top of bacon.  Cook, turning occasionally until bacon and chicken have started to brown.  Add butter, shallots, and shrimp.  Cook until shrimp are evenly pink but still translucent.  Add salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.  Add gratinata sauce and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.  Simmer until sauce thickens.

In a large bowl, combine shrimp and chicken mixture with the cooked pasta.  Pour into a large casserole dish or roaster.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup more Parmesan cheese, pimientos and sprinkle with paprika.  Bake at 475 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove and garnish with fresh rosemary sprig.

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything {adapted slightly}

Chicken Cordon Bleu Florentine Casserole

Chicken Cordon Bleu Florentine Casserole

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2 1/2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Italian blend cheese

6 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1/2 pound Campanelle pasta (I used twists)

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

9 ounces deli ham, thinly sliced

1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well (I think I will go with a bag of fresh next time)

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add salt to taste and cook the pasta to al dente. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan on medium heat and add the flour. Stir until combined and bubbly, at least one minute. Slowly add in the milk, whisking the entire time. Stir constantly, until mixture is bubbly and thick. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper; combine. Add Italian and Gorgonzola cheeses and stir until cheese is melted and well-combined.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan and add the garlic. Stir for one minute until fragrant. Add the cooked, shredded chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for a few minutes.

Add pasta, chicken, sliced ham, and drained spinach to the cheese mixture. Stir until well-combined and place in a sprayed 2-quart casserole dish. Stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the pasta dish and bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Source: LDS Living

Sweet & Spicy Bacon Chicken

I have a thing for foods with a hint of sweetness.  I also have a weekness for spicy foods.  And bacon.  So you can bet that this one was a winner in my book.  All my kids liked it too.  My daughter has decided that she does not like bacon {what planet is this child from???} so she peeled hers off.  Thankfully, there were many kind individuals offering to eat it for her so it did not go to waste;)

As you can see below, the original recipe calls for this to be baked in the oven.  The advantage of that method is that you have some delicious flavorful juices to drizzle over the meat and mashed potatoes {if you choose to make them as a side}.  It was over 100 degrees the day I made this so there was NO FREAKING WAY that I was turning on the oven.  They were fabulous on the grill to, AND as I like to tell myself, MUCH healthier;)  

If you want to make this chicken teeming with deliciousness, here is all you will need!

Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken

4 chicken breasts cut in thirds (12 pieces)

Bacon slices

salt and pepper to taste

garlic powder

chili powder

brown sugar

Cut each breast into 3 pieces, season all the chicken with the spices, then wrap a bacon slice around each piece, roll in brown sugar and place into an oven proof dish....make sure you have some olive oil in the dish too, like 2 or 3 tablespoons is fine {I skipped this since I grilled them.  I honestly think you could coat your dish with nonstick cooking spray instead to save a few calories}.  

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and bacon is nice and brown and crispy.  Delicious served with mashed potatoes with some of the gravy from the chicken drizzled on top.

**Also great on the grill!  No juices to drizzle on anything, but still delicious!

Source: Full Bellies, Happy Kids

Chicken Lo Mein

My entire family adores Chinese food.  When my kids find out I am making 'Chinese' it seems that they instantly become more open-minded about what they are going to be eating.  It is SO SO rare that any of them don't care for a meal with Oriental flare.  Could it be that they know they get to eat with chop sticks?  Whatever it is, I'm not complaining.  It usually means a hearty meal packed with lean meats and vegetables.  What mom doesn't love their kids gobbling that up?  

This Lo Mein was a real winner that I know I will be making again soon.  I doubled the recipe for my family of 5 and hardly had enough to send with my hubby for lunch the next day.  Did I say that all of my children had seconds {or thirds}?  A total winner. 

Chicken Lo Mein

1 – 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, sliced very thinly

Marinade:

1 Tb soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Sauce:

2 Tb oyster sauce

2 tsp soy sauce

4 Tb beef broth

1 Tb granulated sugar

8 ounces linguine, prepared to al dente

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup canola oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup chopped cabbage, such as Napa

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1-2 cups bean sprouts

3 green onions, sliced in 1 inch segments, white and green parts

*note: I like to chop up the white parts small and leave the green parts in longer pieces

Combine marinade ingredients with the chicken and allow to sit for 20 minutes. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the remaining ingredients.

In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, beef broth, and sugar. Set aside.

Boil noodles as per package instructions. Drain the noodles and toss with the sesame oil.

Heat a wok (or large, deep frying pan) over medium-high heat. Add the 1/4 cup of oil. Add the chicken. Stir fry chicken until cooked – about 5 minutes. Remove from wok and set aside.

Add another 1 Tb of oil to the wok if needed. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry until garlic browns, then add the carrots. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, then add the shredded cabbage and mushrooms. Cook for 2 more minutes. Add the noodles, bean sprouts, and green onions and cook for about 2 more minutes.

Add the sauce to the wok. Return the chicken to the pan. Mix everything together and serve hot.

Source: The Sisters Cafe

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Does the above picture make your mouth water?  It should because it was A-MAZING.   It is also a great way to use up some of those fresh herbs from your herb garden!  If you don't have a herb garden, what are you waiting for!?  Grab a few pots, some seeds, and voilà!  I am going to start doing mine year round.  They do awesome just sitting near the window.  Who needs house plants?  Have indoor greenery that you can EAT!

Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta

serves 4-6

1 pound pasta (I used trumpets)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into chunks (I used 2 large)

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 1/2 cups milk

4 ounces grated monterey jack cheese (I used half a brick) + more for topping

1/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese + more for topping

1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce (Use Frank's, nothing else compares)

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

for garnish: 3/4 cup chopped green onions, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese, additional buffalo wing sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare water for pasta and cook according to directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, and once it’s melted and bubbly add the flour. Whisk together to create a roux and cook for 1-2 minutes until mixture gets a bit golden in color. Add milk, stir and turn down heat to low. Continue stirring until milk thickens. Add in grated cheeses and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in buffalo wing sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Spray a baking dish (9 x 13) with non-stick spray. Add pasta and chicken, then pour cheese sauce over and mix thoroughly until everything is coated. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately top with Gorgonzola, green onions and cilantro. Drizzle with buffalo wing sauce.

Source: How Sweet Eats

Chicken Pillows {A.K.A. Chicken Baseballs or Chicken Crescent Rolls}

I have been making something called Chicken Baseballs for years.  I have modified my recipe several times and shared it with many, many friends.  I think I originally got the recipe off of the Weight Watchers online recipe exchange after I had my 2nd child.  It is one of the few recipes that has stood the test of time, because they are quick, tasty, and kid-friendly!  

A few weeks ago I saw a very similar recipe on The Girl Who Ate Everything, one of my favorite foodie blogs.  Her version took the Chicken Baseballs that I knew and loved to the next level, something I would even be proud to serve up to company!  The secret is, they are still EASY!  It is a win-win!  Give them a try, I bet your whole family will love them too!

Ingredients Needed...plus chicken.  I guess I forgot to put the chicken in the shot.  Please note the beautiful chives!  These are from my herb garden!  My herbs are finally big enough to start using!

Chicken Pillows

Mix together with mixer (or by hand if your cream cheese is soft enough):

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup sour cream

Stir in:

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 ½ Tablespoons dried chives

1 ½ Tablespoons fresh onion minced

3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (around 3 cups)

Assemble Pillows:

2 (8 ounce) cans Pillsbury crescent rolls

1/4 cup melted butter

Italian bread crumbs (around 2 cups)

Gravy:

1 (14.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup

1 (0.87) package chicken gravy mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and sour cream until well combined. You can do this by hand if your cream cheese is soft enough. Stir in salt, pepper, onion, chives, and diced chicken.

Using Pillsbury crescent rolls, take 2 triangular rolls and push together at perforated seam to make into a square. Make sure you seal the perforations well so your filling doesn't come out. Put about 3 tablespoons of chicken mixture in the center of each square. Fold the dough corners to the center over the chicken mixture forming a pillow.

 Dip each pillow in melted butter on both sides. Roll in bread crumbs on both sides. Shake excess crumbs off.  {My pillows started to fall apart when I did it this way.  Here is what I did instead: Place pillows on a greased baking sheet.  Using a basting brush, coat the pillows with the melted butter.  Liberally sprinkle with bread crumbs.} Place chicken pillow on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Make gravy by mixing one package of chicken gravy mix, one can of cream of chicken soup and 3/4 can of water in a small pot. Mix together and heat until warm. Serve chicken pillows with gravy poured over top.

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Skillet Chicken Breast Aglio e Olio

This may sound fancy, but it is actually a pretty easy weeknight meal to pull together.  Another bonus is that is not only packed with flavor but a pretty healthful dish as well.  I find that everyone in my family enjoys this, I just do not serve my kids any of the peppers on their servings.  That is fine!  It leaves extra for my husband and I and we like things a little on the spicy side!

You should know, this was fantastic with the asparaugs pictured above.  Recipe for that coming soon!  It was a super easy and delicious side!

Skillet Chicken Breast Aglio e Olio

6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I like to lightly pound mine to an even thickness)

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)- (I put more on the plate to make it easier to dredge)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 to 3 tablespoons capers, drained

4 pickled hot cherry peppers, halved and seeded (I find the already sliced ones work nicely in this)

1 cup organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)-I use chicken broth since I always have it on hand.

1 tablespoon dry breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Dredge chicken in flour.

Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add capers and peppers; cook 30 seconds. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in breadcrumbs; cook until liquid thickens (about 1 minute). Taste sauce, and add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, if needed. Remove from heat; sprinkle with parsley

Source: Cooking Light

Linked Up to: Melt in Your Mouth Monday on Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms & Hunk of Meat Monday on Beyer Beware

Chicken and Black Bean Green Enchilada Rice Bake

Feliz  Cinco de Mayo!  In honor of the day, I have one last Mexican inspired recipe to share.  This one is a very easy weeknight casserole.  Casseroles are something that do not appear on my blog very often because the men & boys around here just do not typically like them.  Grace and I do, but they tend to make SO MUCH that her and I are stuck eating the leftovers for the entire week.  Surprisingly, everyone seemed to like this particular casserole recipe.  Probably because it was a combination of flavors and ingredients that everyone likes, plus the ingredients were layered, rather than mixed all together.  To jazz this up even more, several of us topped our individual servings with a few dashes of Tabasco Sauce.  Don't do this if you don't like spicy!  My 8 year old learned that the hard way after putting about 1 Tbsp. on his!

Chicken and Black Bean Green Enchilada Rice Bake

2 cups white long grain rice, uncooked

2 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast

One 15-ounce can mild green enchilada sauce

One 4-ounce can sliced black olives

One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Roasted Ground Cumin (regular Cumin is also fine. I was out of both, so I had to use a Fiesta Seasoning mix from Tastefully Simple.)

One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (best shredded yourself!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Cook rice according to package directions.

Place chicken, enchilada sauce, olives, tomatoes, sour cream, salt, pepper and cumin into a large bowl, mixing to combine. Pour cooked rice into prepared baking dish and layer beans on top of rice. Pour chicken mixture over rice and top evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until cheese is melted and rice is hot.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Source: Picky Palate

Oriental Fried Rice

I have been wanting to get this recipe for Fried Rice up for quite some time.  It is a total winner that will spoil you for even restaurant fried rice.  It is so easy and quick, not to mention everyone is always happy to see it on the table.  It tends to be one of those quick meals that I whip out on a busy night, so I have never gotten it photographed.  I had my crew around me, giggling at me taking my food pictures tonight (anxiously waiting to eat) so I didn't look closely at them.  Unfortunately, I see that they didn't turn out very good.  I will have to make it again and have a re-shoot!  I'm not waiting any longer to share though!  

As you will see, I have shrimp in the picture below, but not in the recipe.  I typically make this with chicken but tonight I only had one (very measly) breast so we had 1 chicken breast diced up and about 3/4 c. on small shrimp in the rice.  It was very good that way.  You can get creative and use leftover meat that you have on hand too!  Leftover pork tenderloin would be great!  

Oriental Fried Rice

 4 Whole Eggs, Slightly Beaten

4 Tablespoons Oil

2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Small Pieces

4-5 whole Green Onions, Sliced (use White And Green Parts)

6 cups Cooked Rice (This is 2 cups raw,white rice)

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

1 teaspoons Sugar

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a skillet over high heat.  Quickly fry the chicken until browned, reduce heat to medium-high.  Add the rest of the oil and fry beaten eggs in oil until firm. Chop up the eggs as you cook them. In the same pan after egg is cooked, add onion; cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add cooked rice. Mix soy sauce with sugar and drizzle over rice. Cook for about 4 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with extra soy sauce, if desired.

Note: An absolute MUST when making fried rice, is to make your rice ahead of time and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours, but preferably overnight.  The reason for this is that it will turn the grains firm and get rid of excess moisture.  If you use freshly cooked rice, you will end up with a lumpy, goopey mess.  Remember, Fried Rice was invented as a way to use up leftover rice!  

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Here is a delicious recipe for Chicken Tortilla soup from one of my very favorite people.  My Aunt Cyndee is a great cook.  She is especially adept at Mexican cooking, so when she gave me this recipe in a cookbook filled with some of her favorites, I knew I had to try it.  I already have this recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup on this blog (eerily posted almost one year ago to the day), but they are really so different that they can hardly be called the same soup.  This one is a little bit more work, but still easy enough for a weeknight meal.  Plus it was DELICIOUS!  I was going to skip on frying my own corn tortilla strips and I am SO glad I didn't.  The freshly-fried tortilla strips and the avocado really make this soup something special.  My middle son even had 3rds, so it is relatively kid-friendly!!!  I also doubled the tortilla strips and they ALL got eaten.

Oh, please excuse my blog.  I am in the process of changing it up a bit.  Please give me your opinion on the current background.  Is it too depressing?  I thought it was cool (but it does border on depressing I think- especially for those of us in bleak, cold ND right now).  Give me your thoughts!

Here is what you will need to get started.  Except for the crushed red peppers...pretend they are peppercorns in a pepper grinder, K?

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1 tsp. minced garlic (I LOVE garlic, so I added about 1/2 Tbsp)

2 Tbsp. butter

32 oz. low-sodium chicken broth

16 oz. Salsa (I use my own homemade)

2 c. cooked, shredded chicken breasts (I like to boil mine while I am chopping and sauteing vegetables)

1/2 c. chopped red bell pepper (I used 1 whole)

1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

2 bay leaves

1/2 c. Canola oil

6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1/2" pieces

Kosher Salt (to lightly sprinkle on hot, cooked tortillas, optional)

1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Sour Cream

In Dutch oven, cook onion and garlic in butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender.  Add chicken broth, salsa, shredded chicken, bell pepper, pepper, and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil.  Cover; reduce heat to low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.  Remove bay leaves.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot.  Fry tortilla strips in oil until light golden brown.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper-towel lined plate to soak up excess oil.  Sprinkle a bit of kosher salt on, if desired.  

Ladle soup into bowls and top with avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla strips.  

Enjoy!

Source: Aunt Cyndee

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Yesterday, I was really on a roll.  I got the carpets and furniture shampooed and I cooked and baked up a storm.  I am so glad that I finally got some photos of these Chicken Taquitos.  We have had them before, and they are a hit with my entire family.  Back in college, I LOVED El Monterey Chicken & Cheese Taquitos and I think these taste SO much like them.  Except better, because I know they are much healthier:)

Here is what you will need to get rolling:)  I also did a little step-by-step in pictures this time.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 c. (3 oz) cream cheese (I use reduced-fat)

1/4 c. green salsa

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice 

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, or garlic powder

3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp. sliced green onions

2 c. shredded cooked chicken (I like to boil mine for this recipe)

1 c. Pepper jack cheese, shredded

12 Flour Tortillas (soft taco size)-you can make less or more depending on how much filling you like in yours. I like mine nice and thin.

Kosher Salt

Cooking Spray

Heat oven to 425*  Lightly coat baking sheet with nonstick spray.  

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so it is soft and easy to stir.  Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic.  Stir to combine, then add cilantro and green onions.  Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time, just store the mixture in the fridge.

Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave until warmed and soft enough to easily work with.  If I am doing all 12, I do 45-60 seconds.  

Lay all the tortillas out and equally distribute the chicken mixture amongst them on the lower 1/3 of the tortilla, about 1/2 in. from the edge.  Remember to work quickly so that your tortillas don't cool and start to crack.  If they do, you can repeat the microwave/wet paper towel technique.    

Roll it up as tightly as you can.  

Place seam side down on a baking dish.  Lay all the taquitos seam side down and make sure they are not touching each other.  Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister, and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.  

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

Dip them in salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.  

Enjoy!

Source: Our Best Bites

Smokehouse Chicken

This Smokehouse Chicken is always very well received at my house.  The biggest challenge I encounter is keeping everyone away from the bacon so that I have a slice to top each chicken breast half with.  Why is it that whenever I make bacon, everyone ends up in the kitchen trying to steal a slice?  I always make a little extra, but it never seems to be enough.  

Smokehouse Chicken

4 Chicken Breasts

Seasoning for Chicken Breasts (I used Durkee Grill Creations Chicken Seasoning)

1 Tbsp. Canola Oil

8 Tbsp. BBQ Sauce 

2 c. Sharp Cheddar, Shredded

8 slices bacon

1/3 c. Green Onions, sliced

Preheat oven to 450*.  Place bacon on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until done.  

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add oil.  While your skillet is heating prepare chicken.  Cut each chicken breast in half and place each chicken breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound out to an even thickness.  Sprinkle with seasoning.  Fry each chicken breast until done, turning to other side when the first side is browned. 

Once all of the chicken is done, place on a baking pan.  Place about 1 Tbsp. of BBQ sauce on each piece of chicken and spread to coat.  Sprinkle 1/4 c. of cheese on each chicken piece and top each with 1 slice of bacon.  Sprinkle with green onions.  

Place in oven at 450* for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.  

Enjoy!

    

Sausage & Pepper Calzones

Hello!  Yes, I am still alive!  I'm sure you were wondering!  The fact is, I am on a journey right now to lose some weight.  No, I haven't stopped cooking and I have been busy trying to balance recipes that taste delicious without being incredibly high in calories.  I have a family that needs to love what I am making too.  I am not a big fan on fat-free rubber tasting frankenfoods, so you aren't going to see me go in that direction, so don't be afraid. For me, if my family isn't satisfied with with what I make, it isn't going on here.  Please trust me when I say these Calzones fit EVERY requirement.  Diet or no diet, I would eat these again and again.  I made them for dinner 2 nights ago and had them for lunch yesterday and today.

If you don't have time to do make the dough and let it rise, just use the refrigerated pizza dough like I used in this calzone recipe .  The chicken apple sausage is SO yummy though, you must try it.  Even my picky 11 year old loved the flavor.  The only change I plan on making for next time is to use an egg wash on the calzones before putting them in the oven so that they brown up a little better.

Sausage & Pepper Calzones

DOUGH:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (about 12 1/3 ounces)
1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
Dash of sugar
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Cooking spray

FILLING:
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper (about 2)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound chicken apple sausage (such as Gerhard's or Sam's club Members Mark brand which is what I used), cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/4 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

To prepare dough, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 tablespoon oil, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; stir until a soft dough forms. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/2 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

To prepare filling, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, and sausage; sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Spoon mixture into a bowl; cool slightly. Add mozzarella and remaining ingredients to sausage mixture; stir well.

Preheat oven to 450°.

Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 6-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Spoon about 1/2 cup sausage mixture onto half of each circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold dough over filling; crimp edges of dough with fingers to seal. Place calzones on a large baking sheet lined with foil and coated with cooking spray. Pierce the tops of the dough once with a fork. Lightly coat the calzones with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 14 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Coat a sheet of foil with cooking spray. Place 1 calzone on coated side of foil; seal. Repeat procedure with remaining calzones and cooking spray. Place calzones in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; freeze.

Preheat oven to 450°.

To reheat, place foil-wrapped, frozen calzones on a large baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated.


Source: Lightly Adapted from Cooking Light

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 8
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 369.1

• Total Fat: 12.5 g
• Cholesterol: 47.1 mg
• Sodium: 977.0 mg
• Total Carbs: 44.5 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.5 g
• Protein: 18.8 g

Simple Sesame Chicken Noodle Bowl

So sorry I haven't been around much lately!  I have been trying to step up my exercising along with healthier eating and I seem to have let it cut into my blogging time.  Well, no more!  I will try to be better!  I think one of the most important ways to eat healthy is to cook your food yourself!  I have always been proud of the fact that I try hard to stay away from boxed and overly processed foods.

Now, when I say this is a healthy recipe, that doesn't mean it is fat-free and uses all non-fat fake ingredients (can you sense my bias??).  For me, healthy cooking means using GOOD stuff, in moderation.  I am not going to fill myself and my family full of chemicals instead of butter.  When I use bacon, I will use REAL pork bacon.  None of that turkey bacon (does anyone actually think that is a suitable replacement?).  In other words, I would rather eat a smaller portion of tasty food than fat-free cardboard or mystery food.

Without further ado, here is what you will need to get started:    

Simple Sesame Chicken Noodle Bowl

Serves 8

16 oz. Spaghetti Noodles

16 oz. Stir-Fry Vegetables, frozen

1 lb. Chicken Breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/4 c. Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp. Sugar

4 cloves Garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar

3 Tbsp. Pure Sesame Oil

1/2 tsp. Hot Chili Oil

4 Tbsp. Canola Oil, divided

2 Tbsp. Hot Pasta Water

4 Green Onions, thinly sliced

Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions.  During the last 3 minutes of cooking time, add the frozen vegetables.  Drain.

Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. Canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Quickly saute the chicken until browned and cooked through.  

Combine the remaining ingredients, minus the green onions, to make the sauce (soy sauce, sugar, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, canola oil, & hot pasta water).

Combine the chicken with the noodles/veggie mixture in a large serving bowl.  Pour sauce over it and toss to coat.  Sprinkle with green onions and toss again.  

Serve in a bowl with chopsticks!

Nutritional Info Per Serving:

	Fat: 10.3g Carbohydrates: 50.4g Calories:387.5 Protein: 21.1g

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

Don't you just love it when you try something very much outside of your "box" (or your whole families perhaps) and everyone ends up loving it?  That is EXACTLY what happened with this recipe.  I was kind of expecting everyone to turn their noses up at this lemony pasta, but everyone from my husband to my 4 year old absolutely loved it!  OK, maybe not my 11 year old, he didn't even try it.  Want to know what he was doing during dinner that night?

Yes, he was completely passed out.  He had a "sleep" over the night before and was a little tired.  He never even got to try the lemony pasta.  This made a huge amount and it was gone in a flash.  I didn't even get any leftovers, I think my husband and 4 year old ate them all;P

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

4 whole grilled chicken breasts, sliced (I only used 3 which was plenty)- Great marinated in mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, honey, & salt for 6-24 hrs.

1 lb.  Penne pasta cooked until al dente

4 Tbsp. butter

3 whole lemons, juiced

3/4 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. half and half

1 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

20 whole basil leaves, chopped

Cook pasta, reserving 1 c. of hot pasta water when you drain.  Set pasta aside in a colander.  

In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat.  Squeeze in the juice of 3-4 lemons.  Whisk together.  Pour in cream and half and half.  Whisk until hot.  Pour in cheese and whisk until melted.  Add salt and pepper.  Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.  Add about 1/2 of the basil and mix in.  

Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl.  Sprinkle remaining basil all over top, the add the sliced chicken breasts.  Serve immediately! 

Source: PW