Chicken Rolls

Oh, Chicken Rolls, how we love thee!  This is one of those recipes that I know my children will all ask for when they grow up so that they can make it for their families.  Even my two picky little eaters inhale these babies.  I knew that I most definitely had to include it in my recipe book.  They are very simple and easy to make but taste amazing!  And just so you know, they have to be served with mashed potatoes so that you can accidentally cover your chicken rolls in the gravy as well.  And so to my children, friends, strangers and future generations of Chicken Roll eaters, I say, "Enjoy"!

1 block cream cheese. softened
4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 cans crescent roll dough
4 TBS butter, melted
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and shredded chicken.  Stir until creamy and thoroughly mixed.  Open cans of crescent roll dough.  Remove dough from can, carefully unroll and separate triangles of dough.  Place a scoop of cream cheese and chicken mixture in the middle of a triangle.  Fold the two corners over the cream cheese scoop and then pull the third corner up over it and wrap it around the outside of the roll.  Pinch the edges of the dough together to seal in the cream cheese mix.  Dip roll in melted butter then bread crumbs.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Repeat until all rolls are filled.  Bake in oven at 375 for 15 minutes.  Best if served with gravy drizzled on top.

{30 Minute} Beef and Broccoli

I love every recipe I post on here and this one is definitely at the top of my list!  Every time I make it it gets rave reviews.  My husband falls in love with it all over again, each and every time!  My recipe book just wouldn't be complete without it.  Thanks to my sister for yet another, family favorite!

2/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
1 head fresh broccoli, cut into florets
4 cups brown rice, cooked

In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together soy sauce, broth, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, ginger and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. In a small dish, whisk together the cornstarch and water and slowly pour into the sauce, whisking continually. Bring back to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until thickened. Meanwhile, add broccoli florets to a microwave safe bowl, add a few tablespoons of water, cover with plastic wrap and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until tender but not too soggy. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season the meat with salt and pepper then add to the pan. Cook the meat for 2-3 minutes then flip and cook the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes (don’t over cook it) Pour the sauce over the meat, add the broccoli then gently stir and cook a few minutes until heated through. Serve over cooked rice.

Source:  Whisked Away

French Bread Cheeseburger Melt

This is a quick and easy meal that's perfect for a busy night!  I remember having something like this when I was a kid and have recreated my own version of it.  My kids love it and I enjoy revisiting a blast from the past!

1 loaf of french bread
1 lb ground beef, cooked
1 cup sour cream
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
mushrooms, sliced
2 cups shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 425.  Slice the french in half, long ways.  In a mixing bowl combine cooked ground beef, sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, salt, garlic, onion, pepper and mushrooms.  Stir until combined.  Place sliced french bread on cookie sheet, cut side up.  Spread half of the meat mixture on each half of the french bread.  Top each with 1 cup of shredded cheese.  Bake at for 425, until cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes.  Cut into slices and enjoy!

Honey Glazed Salmon

Last year I made a goal to try cooking seafood a little more.  I love seafood but the idea of cooking it really intimidates me.  I'm not ready to cook a fresh lobster but I've tried a few new things and have found this fantastic salmon recipe that I'm over the moon in love with!  We've had it a few times now and the family totally loves it too.  The salmon is so tender and the honey glaze is spot on.  And the browned butter limes sauce is to die for!  This has got to be the easiest, most flavorful salmon recipe ever.  Definitely a keeper!

4 salmon fillets

salt and pepper, to taste

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

Zest of 1 lime

For the browned butter lime sauce

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tablespoon honey

Juice of 1 lime

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  To make the browned butter lime sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the foam subsides and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, honey and lime juice, salt and pepper, to taste; set aside.  Season salmon with salt and pepper, to taste. Coat each salmon filet with a think layer of flour and drizzle with 1 tablespoon honey.  Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, add salmon to the skillet and sear both sides until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side.  I like to add a little more honey to each side before flipping it over.  Place into oven and bake at 400 degrees until completely cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.  Serve immediately with browned butter lime sauce and lime zest, if desired.

Source:  Damn Delicious

Loaded Lasagna

Everybody's got to have a good lasagna recipe.  Years ago, when we first got married and I was trying to navigate my way around the kitchen and figure out how to cook a meal that didn't from a box, my aunt Felisha shared her lasagna recipe with me.  I was so proud of myself the first time I made it!  I think my brand new husband was grateful to eat a real meal again too.  It's been a family favorite every since and all six of our kids get excited when I tell them that we're having lasagna for dinner.  One reason this lasagna has stuck around for so many years is because it's got a lot more than your standard lasagna.  I love the creaminess of the sauce and the extra veggies are spot on.  Hope you enjoy a family favorite!

9 Lasagna Noodles
1 lb ground beef
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 tsp garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 small container of Ricotta Cheese
1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 jar of Pasta Sauce
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 can large olives, sliced
3 cups Colby Jack Cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375.  Boil noodles in a large pot until al dente.  Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Saute onions until translucent, add garlic cloves and saute one minute longer.  Add ground beef, Italian seasoning and salt.  Cook until meat is evenly browned.  Drain grease and set aside.  In a mixing bowl, combine Ricotta Cheese and Cream of Mushroom Soup.  Add in cooked ground beef mixture and stir until well mixed.  Grease a 9X13 baking dish.  Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of the dish, line with three lasagna noodles.  Evenly spread half of the beef mixture over the noodles, then a layer of pasta sauce, half the mushrooms, tomatoes and olives and then a cup of shredded cheese.  Repeat this layer once more.  Put the last three lasagna noodles on top of the second layer of meat, veggies and cheese.  Top noodles with sauce and one more cup of cheese.  Cover lasagna with foil and bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

Source:  Felisha Martin

Chicken Enchiladas

There are so many Chicken Enchilada recipes out there.  After trying many different ones, this has become our family favorite!  We aren't a real spicy family, so this is very mild but full of flavor!  You can use a rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken that you prep ahead of time.  Either way, this beautiful dish is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

1 1/2Tbs olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
2 1/2 lbs shredded chicken or 1 deli roasted rotisserie chicken, shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8-10 flour tortillas
8 oz Colby Jack cheese, shredded
2 cups salsa
Optional toppings: diced tomatoes, chopped lettuce, sliced olives and sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cumin then cook for an additional minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir while gradually whisking in the chicken stock. Continue whisking over a low simmer until smooth and thickened. Turn off the heat, add 1/2 cup salsa, fresh chopped cilantro then fold in the shredded chicken meat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Take a large baking dish and smear the bottom with salsa. Take the flour tortillas and briefly flash them over the stove-top flame (or put them briefly under the broiler for about a minute if using an electric stove). Put a scoop of the shredded chicken-enchilada mix down the middle of a tortilla, followed by a sprinkle of the shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and roll up. Place the tortillas in the baking dish, seam side down.  Drizzle with salsa and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top. Garnish with sour cream, shredded lettuce, olives and tomatoes.

Source:  Whisked Away

Coconut Crusted Chicken with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

For years I was not a coconut fan.  The thought of eating an Almond Joy candy bar made me feel the complete opposite of joy.  Coconut flavored things were okay, but the shredded coconut itself was a no go.  I think my taste buds have grown up a little and I recently realized that I'm kind of liking the shredded coconut thing.  When I came across this recipe it was screaming summer and I decided to give it a try.  I wasn't sure how well I'd like the chicken covered in shredded coconut but guess what, I LOVED it!  It's a little crispy and a little sweet and so delicious!  The Grilled Pineapple Salsa is fabulous and the perfect compliment to the chicken.  I don't think I'll ever be an Almond Joy fan but this chicken, I'm definitely a fan!

Dip the chicken in Flour, eggs and coconut flakes.  Place in a greased skillet over medium/high heat.  sed skillet over medium/high heat.  Cook chicken on each side until  golden brown . Be careful not to let the coconut burn.  Chicken will not be fully cooked yet.  

Place golden brown chicken in a greased casserole dish.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

While chicken is baking, prepare the Pineapple Salsa.  Grill pineapple rings, pepper and green onions until they have some beautiful grill marks.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with sea salt.  

Let it cool for a few minutes.  Chop veggies into large chunks (except lemon) and toss together in a bowl.  Add lime juice, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.  I think next time I will use a red bell pepper to add a little more color variety.

Serve Coconut Crusted Chicken with a generous scoop of pineapple salsa on top and a sprinkle of sliced almonds.  (I forgot to add the almonds until after I took pictures.  They are a great addition though!)

For the chicken
6 chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly scrambled
1 cup coconut flakes
sliced almonds, to garnish

Preheat oven to 375.  Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Dip chicken in flour, eggs and coconut flakes.  Place in a greased skillet over medium/high heat.  Cook chicken on each side until  golden brown . Be careful not to let the coconut burn.  Chicken will not be fully cooked yet.  Place golden brown chicken in a greased casserole dish.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.  While chicken is baking, prepare the Pineapple Salsa below.

For the salsa
1 pineapple, cut into rings
1 green bell pepper (or jalapeno if you want to add a little spice)
4 green onions
juice from 1 lime
1 cup cilantro, chopped
sea salt and black pepper

Put pineapple rings, bell pepper and green onions on the grill.  Cook until grill marks are visible.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with sea salt.  Let it cool for a few minutes.  Chop veggies into large chunks (except lemon) and toss together in a bowl.  Add lime juice, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve a generous scoop of salsa on top of Coconut Crusted Chicken with a sprinkle of sliced almonds

Source:  Barefoot Girl In The Kitchen

Tuscan Chicken Sandwich

I come from a large family and my siblings are kind of scattered around.  I wish we could all live in the same area, or at least the same state!  But alas, those silly jobs just seem to pull us all to and fro.  I've been lucky enough to live within a few hours of one of my brothers, Tyler, twice now!  We were in Iowa for grad school and our last two years there, he attended a medical school in Iowa.  Then we moved to Texas and a few years later he got into a residency program that was, you guessed it, in Texas.  I loved having some family close enough that we could get together for holidays and occasional visits!  I adore him and his cute wife Margaret as well as their two sweet kids!  Not only did we enjoy the time we got to spend together but as a bonus benefit, Margaret is an awesome cook!  Whenever we'd get together, there was always sure to be yummy food involved.  She recently sent me the recipe for these Tuscan Chicken Sandwiches that she made for us one time.  I was so excited to have them again!  When she sent me the recipe I had just done my grocery shopping for the week.  I added it to the following week's menu though.  Then I realized that we had a big camping trip planned that weekend.  I couldn't stand to put this off any longer so I decided to make them ahead of time and took them with us on our camping trip.  Let me tell you, they were every bit of fabulous that I remembered them to be!  The chicken and peppers are flavored so perfectly and the mayo/pesto spread is to die for!  It was a far cry from a weenie roast, though there was some of that too.  I've been eager to post this recipe on my blog and share it with the world.  I hesitated a little though because the pictures I took were, well on our camp out.  Nothing amazing.  I feel that it would be selfish of me to keep this recipe from the world any longer though, so I've decided to post it anyway.  Paper plate and all!  Cook it in the crock pot ahead of time and take it camping or serve it with a fancy salad on glass plates.  Casual or fancy, it's a fantastic sandwich that you've got to try!

For the chicken:
1 1/4 lbs chicken breast
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced*
1/2 t salt

Combine all ingredients and place in crock pot.  Cook on low for 6-7 hours.  When cooked, remove from crock pot and shred chicken and red peppers.
*or you can use a jar of roasted red peppers

For the Mayo Spread:
1/4 c mayo
3 T pesto

In a small bowl, combine mayo and pesto.  Mix thoroughly.

For the Sandwiches:
shredded chicken and peppers (see above)
mayo spread (see above)
6 slices provolone cheese
6 tomato slices
6 ciabatta or other kind of rolls

Layer they bread, mayo, chicken, tomato, provolone cheese.  Make sure you add enough of the pesto sauce on the sandwich or it's just not as good!

Source:  Margaret Jolley

Quick and easy {freezer friendly} Breakfast Sandwiches

My kids think I'm kind of mean when it comes to breakfast on school days.  They would all love to take down a big bowl of sugary cereal and head off for the day but there's something about that that just doesn't sit right with me.  Between "feeding their brain" and giving them something that will keep them full until lunch time, a bowl of sugar just doesn't cut it.  If you feed your kids cereal for breakfast, I'm not judging.  I promise.  I'm not opposed to a big bowl of Fruity Pebbles and it's hard to beat PB Cap'n Crunch.  We just save that stuff for the weekends when they are at home and can grab a snack if they get hungry before lunch.  I used to do the cereal thing and when I changed that policy my kids were not happy campers.  To avoid a full on mutiny, we decided to compromise with "healthy cereal" on Fridays.  They don't do that much brainwork on Fridays, right?  School mornings are pretty hectic so I needed to come up with yummy healthy breakfast options that didn't require me waking up an hour before the kids to make it.  I'm not a big morning person.  We have things like oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, scrambled eggs, breakfast smoothie, muffins, PB toast, frozen pancakes and sausage.  It's all quick and easy and so much better than sugary cold cereal.  Another favorite is breakfast sandwiches.  They're pretty easy to make but most mornings there isn't enough extra time to make them.  Unless I were to wake up early.  And remember, I don't like to do that.  I prefer to make a big batch of these at the beginning of the week and throw them in the freezer to use throughout the week.  Sausage is our favorite but you can substitute it with bacon or ham or even make it meatless.  To make the fried eggs in large quantities, I didn't want to stand over the stove that long so I searched for a better way.  Guess what I found.  You can BAKE eggs!  Isn't that the coolest thing?!

For the sandwiches, I use a jumbo muffin tin.  It makes the eggs just the right width and thickness. A regular sized muffin tin would work as well but the eggs would be a little thicker and a smaller circle.  Grease the pan and crack one egg into each tin.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes, or until egg is set.  After cooling for a few minutes, use a rubber spatula to gently separate egg from the pan and it will easily slide out of the pan.

To assemble the sandwiches, cut open english muffins.  If you're going to eat it right away, toast the english muffin and layer each one with a slice of cheese, one sausage patty and one baked egg.

Top with the other english muffin half and enjoy!  To reheat if frozen, microwave for 60-90 seconds.

Ingredients
6 eggs
salt and pepper
6 english muffins
6 slices of cheese
6 sausage patties, cooked
6 baked eggs

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a jumbo muffin tin.  Crack an egg into each tin.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 for 12 minutes, until egg is set.  Cut the english muffins in half and toast.  Layer each sandwich with an english muffin half on the bottom, a slice of cheese, a sausage patty and a baked egg.  Top with the other half of the english muffin and enjoy!

For the Freezer
Bake eggs as directed.  Cut the english muffins in half but do not toast.  Use a napkin or paper towel to soak as much grease out of the sausage patty.  Too much grease will make the english muffin kind of soggy when you reheat it.  Build each sandwich as directed.  Wrap each sandwich in foil or place in a sandwich sized ziploc bag.  Place them all in a gallon sized freezer ziploc bag.  To reheat, remove from bag and foil and microwave for 60-90 seconds until heated through.

Asian Chicken Pasta

I was surfing around pinterest for some new dinner ideas and found a really yummy looking asian pasta dish.  I added it to our weekly menu, put all the ingredients on my shopping list and was excited to give it a try.  On the night that I was planning to make it I couldn't find the recipe anywhere!  I thought I had pinned it but apparently I didn't and when I did a search on "Asian Pasta" a million different recipes came up.  I had ingredients for this specific recipe though and was determined to find that one.  I just happened to be talking on the phone with my sister Jamie in New Zealand (a rare treat!) as I was on my recipe quest.  I was on the brink of pinterest insanity when I finally told her about my dilemma.  She said that it sounded just like a recipe she has on her blog!  I know the recipe I had found earlier was on a different blog but she was right, her recipe had exactly the same ingredients I had bought.  Dinner was saved as well as my sanity.  Jamie is my hero for so many reasons and now I have one more reason to add to the list.  This beautiful Asian Chicken Pasta was everything I hoped it would be, and more.  I'm sure it will be saving dinner for many nights to come!

1-2 chicken breasts
1 Tbs vegetable oil
9 oz thin spaghetti pasta (whole grain, whole wheat or white)
3 green onions, chopped
1 c frozen peas
¾ c shredded carrots
¼ c fresh cilantro, chopped
½ cup salted peanuts
2 tsp minced fresh ginger, or 1 tsp powdered ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c light soy sauce
¼ c rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbs fresh lime juice, or 1 Tbs lime juice from bottle
½ tsp pepper

Add pasta to a pot of boiling water and cook until al dente, then drain and set aside. Cut chicken breasts into cubes the saute with 1 Tbs vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet until cooked through. Add ginger, garlic, peas carrots and peanuts and cook for an additional 1-2 min. Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice and pepper together in a separate bowl. Pour into skillet with the chicken then add the cooked pasta, green onions and cilantro, then stir fry until heated through and mixed evenly.

Source:  Whisked Away

Throw Back Thursday: Slow Cooker {or not} Tamale Pie

I've had this recipe in our dinner rotations for about two years now.  When I made it earlier this week and was still getting an earful of "This is SO good!" comments, I knew it was the perfect candidate for our Throw Back Thursday spot.  It seems simple and unassuming but it is just so. darn. good.  It definitely deserves another turn in the lime light.  I've made a few modifications to the original post.  I think these directions are a little clearer and I noted a few changes that I've made over the past couple of years. Okay, enough small talk, let's get to the good stuff.  Let start with the meat mixture.  It is so flavorful and look at all of these beautiful colors!

I have to admit though that the crowning jewel of this dish has got to be the cornmeal crust on top.  I originally suggested you use two boxes of cornmeal mix but I've changed that suggestion to a mandatory requirement.  Trust me, you'll want as much of this cornbread magic as you can get!

Combine the beautiful meat mixture with the golden cornbread crust and you have got some amazing comfort food at its finest!  If there are ever any leftovers, they are usually eaten the next morning for breakfast.  I'm not even kidding.  That's how much we love this stuff.  This meal can be cooked in a few different ways to accommodate your schedule for that day.  You can cook this dish in the crock pot or oven and it's a great freezer meal if you're looking for a prep ahead meal.  Separate directions for all of those are below.  Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs cooked ground beef
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained
1 can corn, drained
1 can red enchilada sauce
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
2 packages (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix (I used Jiffy brand)
4 eggs
sour cream and additional cilantro to garnish

Slow Cooker Directions:
Stir together cooked ground beef, cumin, salt, chili powder and pepper.  Transfer to a slow cooker; stir in the beans, tomatoes, corn, enchilada sauce, onions, cilantro and cheese. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until heated through.  In a small bowl, combine muffin mix and eggs; spoon over meat mixture. Cover and cook 1 hour longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Serve with sour cream and additional cilantro if desired.

Oven Baked Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brown hamburger in a large skillet.  Drain excess grease.  Add in all remaining ingredients except for the muffin mix, eggs and sour cream.  Stir until combined then pour into a 9x13 pan.  In a separate bowl, mix the cornbread mix and eggs together until well mixed.  Spread over the top of the meat mixture.  Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until cornbread is golden brown.  Top with a dollop of sour cream and cilantro.

Freezer Meal Directions:

Prepare everything as directed in the oven baked directions, except for the cornbread topping.  When the meat mixture is cooled, put it in a foil pan (if you know you plan to cook it in the oven) or in a gallon sized freezer ziploc bag.  If you put it in a pan, securely cover with two pieces of plastic wrap and tin foil.  Place pan or ziploc bag in freezer.  When ready to use, thaw and cook in oven or crock pot as directed, adding cornbread crust on top before baking. 

Source:  Taste of Home

{Country Style} Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie

It's that time of year when I'm mostly like, "Salads, BBQ's, watermelon and all things summer!", but every now and then I just need a yummy, indulge in that comfort food dish, kind of night.  And when that night creeps up, this right here fits the bill.  We are kind of a divided house when it comes to Chicken Pot Pie.  Well, we were before we found this recipe for it, but I'll get to that in a minute.  About half of my kids love the stuff.  Actually, love is probably an understatement.  I think my 15 year old son would eat it three meals a day, seven days a week.  For all of forever.  In fact, for April Fool's Day this year we had a little contest.  I told my kids that whoever won the Best Pranker title this year, I would make them their favorite treat.  He won and guess what he requested.  You guessed it, Chicken Pot Pie.  Because that's his favorite "treat".  On the other hand, we have some (including my husband) that aren't so thrilled about Chicken Pot Pie night.  They silently endure it, eating just enough to get by until everybody's in bed and they can sneak down to the kitchen for a bowl of cold cereal.  That's what one too many cheap frozen chicken pot pies in your youth can drive you to.  That is how things used to be.  I'm telling you, this recipe right here was a game changer.  They were choking down the homemade stuff but it was the cheaters version.  Canned mixed veggies, cream of chicken soup, the whole nine yards.  This recipe takes a little longer, but not much.  The end result is well worth the extra effort.  The first time I tried this version, I didn't tell anybody it was a different recipe than I usually use.  The haters had that, "here we go", look in their eyes as they geared up for the obligatory, peacekeeping bite.  After one bite their eyes lit up and they were all about the Chicken Pot Pie love!  "What is this?"  "This is so good!" "I love this!"  "Team Chicken Pot Pie forever!"  Okay, maybe I made that last one up but all the other comments are legit.  And of course the original Team Chicken Pot Pie was on cloud nine.  We'd like to thank my sister for this recipe and for bringing our family happily together on Chicken Pot Pie night.

Crust (you can use a refrigerated crust or this homemade one)
1 egg
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup cold water
2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter flavored shortening

Beat egg, lemon juice and water together in a small bowl and set aside.  Sift flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.  Cut shortening into the flour mixture until mixture is crumbly and shortening is evenly distributed.  Combine the egg, lemon juice and water mixture with the flour mixture, until  mixed well.  I think it's easier to use my hands to mix it up.  Divide into two balls.  Roll each out into a circle, about ten inches wide.  Place one crust in the bottom of a greased 9 inch pie pan.

Filling
1 rotisserie chicken*, meat removed and shredded
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 potatoes, diced
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried parsley
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 egg

*Rotisserie chicken is definitely the best but I've used regular chicken breast if I don't have a rotisserie chicken on hand and it turned out good as well.

Preheat oven to 375. In a saucepan, combine carrots, peas, potatoes and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, thyme, parsley and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and add shredded chicken and veggies. Mix together then pour into pie crust. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Whisk egg then brush on top of crust. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving

Source: Whisked Away

Pepperoni Pizza Poppers

When I first came across this recipe, I knew it was going to be a keeper.  They are so quick and easy to make and totally a hit with the kids!  I wondered if the canned biscuits flavor would bother me (not a big fan them).  But between the butter, seasonings, cheese and pepperoni the canned biscuit taste was not an issue.  They totally get an adult thumbs up too.  They are a perfect appetizer, after school snack or fun way to mix up family pizza night.  You'll want to have some marinara sauce on hand to dip them in.  Here is my favorite recipe for homemade marinara sauce or you can go the store bought route.

Open a can of dough and flatten one biscuit with your hand.  Place a slice of pepperoni, square of cheese and another slice of pepperoni on the dough.

Fold the dough up around the cheese and pepperoni.

Press dough tightly around pepperoni.  Place on greased cookie sheet, seam side down.  Repeat until all biscuits are used.  Brush with garlic butter and bake.

Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.

Ingredients
3 cans Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits (10 biscuits per can)
pepperoni slices
Block of cheese
4 TBS butter, melted
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp dried parsley
2 TBS dried or 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
Marinara sauce, for dipping

Directions
Preheat oven to 425.  Cut the block of cheese into 30 thick squares.  Open a can of dough and flatten one biscuit with your hand.  Place a slice of pepperoni, square of cheese and another slice of pepperoni on the dough.  Fold the dough up around the cheese and pepperoni.  Press dough tightly around pepperoni.  Place on greased cookie sheet, seam side down.  Repeat until all biscuits are used.  In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, garlic salt and parsley.  Brush with garlic butter on rolls then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake at 425 for 18-20 minutes.Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.

Source:  The Gunny Sack

Garden Fresh BBQ Chicken Wrap

Salad season is in full swing!  A few weeks ago I came across this recipe for Smoked Turkey Cobb Wrap.  After wiping the drool off my computer screen, I had a light bulb moment.  Turn your favorite salad into a wrap!  My mind immediately raced to this beloved BBQ Chicken Salad recipe.  I knew it would be the perfect candidate for the transformation.  It's filling, full of flavor and packed with garden fresh goodness.  Perfect for a quick lunch or light summer dinner.  This one will definitely be put on repeat along with the Smoked Turkey Cobb Wrap!

For the chicken:
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp salt
dash of cayenne pepper
1 cup barbecue sauce

Mix olive oil and seasonings in a large ziploc bag. Add raw chicken and coat evenly. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in skillet and cook for 7 minutes. Turn chicken and cook an additional 7 minutes, or until cooked through. Pour half of BBQ sauce over chicken. Turn chicken over, and pour remaining sauce over the other side. Cook 2-3 minutes more while flipping the chicken and basting with additional sauce if necessary. Remove chicken to cutting board and shred into large chunks then set aside to cool.

For the Wrap:
6 tortilla wraps
mixed salad greens
cilantro, chopped
corn
black beans
Tomatoes, sliced
Avocado, sliced
Cooked BBQ chicken (see above), sliced
BBQ sauce
Ranch dressing

Lay out wrap.  Put 1-2 large handfuls of salad greens on the wrap.  Top each serving with corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, BBQ chicken, cheese and tortilla strips.  Drizzle with ranch dressing and BBQ sauce.  Roll up and secure with a toothpick.  Repeat for each wrap.

Cilantro Lime Fish Tacos with Roasted Corn Slaw

Did you get enough Mexican food at your Cinco de Mayo fiesta?  I was going to post this recipe for the event but we were out of town the week before and then I got sick when we got home and it didn't get posted.  For anyone having fiesta withdrawals, here you go.  For years I was pretty plain and simple when it came to tacos.  In my mind it was, as my sister says, strictly a beef and bean zone.  There's an awesome little taco place in Fort Worth called Fuzzy's Tacos.  Could they have picked a grosser name?!  It's kind of an iconic place though and has a band of loyal followers.  You'll see fans around town with bumper stickers and t-shirts.  They have the BEST queso ever.  Anyway, it was there that I was first introduced to the idea of a fish taco.  After hearing rave reviews from my husband, I decided to give the fish taco a try.  I was pretty skeptical but after one bite, I was hooked like a fish and there was no turning back.  Now if I see fish tacos on a menu, I usually go for it.  They are one of my favorites!  And because it's always super awesome to find a great homemade version of your favorite take out, this recipe right here is a gem.  It's not necessarily like the Fuzzy's Tacos version but it's a dang good fish taco that keeps me coming back for more.  Now if I could just figure out their queso!

Roasted Corn Slaw
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups finely shredded cabbage

Directions:
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat.  Add frozen corn, spread to a single layer.  Cook without stirring for 3 minutes, stir.  Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occassionaly.  Transfer to a bowl to cool completely.  While corn is cooking, in a separate bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, cilantro and cabbage.  Add cooled corn and gently stir in.  Place slaw in refrigerator and prepare the fish tacos.

Cilantro Lime Fish Tacos
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small white or yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced (optional)
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 pound tilapia
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 5-inch white corn tortillas
1-2 ripe avocados, sliced
Lime wedges and cilantro for garnish

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onions. Saute, stirring often, until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add jalapenos, tomatoes and lime juice. Cook until heated through, 1-2 minutes. Add the fish and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, gently breaking up the fish into bite-sized pieces, until the fish is cooked through and the liquid in the skillet is somewhat reduced. Be careful not to stir too much or the fish will break into mushy bits. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the cilantro.  Heat the tortillas.  Scoop the fish mixture into the corn tortillas and top with the Roasted Corn Slaw and avocado slices.

Source:  Tacos - Mel's Kitchen Cafe; Slaw - Lady Behind the Curtain

Skinny Orange Chicken

 

I love a good homemade Chinese dinner.  It always tastes better than takeout and can be made with a lot less calories.  One of our favorite family dinners is Sweet and Sour Chicken and I've been excited to try this new Skinny Orange Chicken.  It's full of flavor, quick and easy to make and will definitely be revisited often.

Ingredients
For the Chicken:
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken, cut into small chunks
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
orange chicken sauce (see below)
toppings: thinly-sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, orange zest

For the Orange Chicken Sauce:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. white pepper
zest of one orange
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Directions
For the Chicken:
Season chicken generously with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute for about 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and nearly cooked through.  Pour in the orange chicken sauce, and stir to combine. Let the sauce come to a boil, then boil for an additional minute or two until thickened. Remove from heat and serve immediately over quinoa or rice. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds and additional orange zest.

For the Orange Chicken Sauce:
Whisk all ingredients together until combined. If you would like the sauce to be even sweeter, add an extra 2-4 tablespoons of honey.

Source:  Gimme Some Oven 

Oriental Grilled Chicken Salad

I love this time of year!  The weather is getting warm, flowers are blooming and all the brown is turning to green.  It's the perfect time of year to start breaking out the salad recipes for a delicious, light dinner.  We recently had a women's activity at church and they had all these amazing salads for dinner.  This was one of my favorites.  I got the recipe and made it for dinner tonight and everyone loved it!  Well, everyone that normally loves salad.  My two non-salad eaters enjoyed a PBJ sandwich, as usual.  They have no idea what they are missing out on.  The rest of us didn't mind though because that meant more for us.

Dressing:
½ cup white vinegar
1 cup white sugar
1 TBS sesame oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 cup olive oil

Put sugar and vinegar in blender. Blend at low speed. While blending, add salt, pepper, and sesame oil. Turn the blender to high and gradually add the olive oil.

Salad:
2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and cut into bite size pieces
1-2 chicken breasts, grilled and cut into thin strips
½ red pepper, cut into strips
½ small red onion, cut into thin strips
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
2 or 3 handfuls of fried wonton strips
1 handful of caramelized almonds*

Put lettuce in salad bowl. Top with chicken pieces, red pepper, onion, and mandarin oranges. Just before serving, add the wonton strips and almonds. Pour dressing on top and serve. Do not toss!

* You can buy caramelized almonds, but I prefer to make them.  I think they taste better, are cheaper and super easy to make.  To make your own caramelized almonds, put 1 cup almond sliver and 1/2 cup white sugar in a small frying pan.  Heat over high heat, stirring constantly.  It won't look like anything is happening, but keep stirring.  After about two minutes, the sugar will suddenly turn caramel like.  Stir until almonds are evenly coated then remove from heat.  Pour out onto a greased sheet of parchment paper.  Spread out so that it is a thin single layer and let it cool while you make the salad.  When cooled, crumble over salad.  If you haven't eaten them all before then :)

Source:  Seidi Bennett

Biscuits n' Gravy Breakfast Pizza

I created this recipe several years ago.  We had a lazy Saturday morning ahead of us and I was going to make our favorite Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole.  When I pulled out what I thought was a can of crescent rolls, I was disappointed to discover that it was actually a can of biscuits.  The crowds were hungry so I started digging around to see what I could pull together to make this work.  After mixing in a dash of creativity, a little of this and that, 20 minutes later, breakfast was ready.  It was most definitely a hit!  It's been requested many times since then and has become a family favorite.  Necessity is the mother of invention.  Enjoy!

Preheat oven to 425.  Open the can of biscuits and lay them out on a piece of parchment paper in a flower shape.

Use a rolling pin to flatten out the biscuits.  Make sure there are no open gaps between the dough.

Spoon the gravy on over the dough, spread evenly.  Top with cooked sausage and bell pepper.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Slide the parchment paper onto a pizza stone and bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Ingredients
1 can of refrigerated biscuit dough
1 package of white country style gravy, prepared according to package directions
1 lb ground sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 425.  Lay the biscuits out on a piece of parchment paper in a flower shape.  Use a rolling pin to flatten out the biscuits.  Make sure there are no open gaps between the dough.  Spoon the gravy on over the dough, spread evenly.  Top with cooked sausage and bell pepper.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Creamy Spinach Tomato Tortellini

If you're looking for a quick and easy meal or side dish, that's full of flavor, you've got to try this!  This dish is sure to please everyone from kids to adults.  It's creamy, cheesy and is sure to leave a smile on your face.

1 (20 oz) pkg three cheese tortellini (preferably the refrigerated kind)
2 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can diced tomatoes undrained
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp dry oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 Tbsp finely shredded parmesan, plus more for serving
Red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)

Directions
Cook tortellini according to directions listed on package.  Meanwhile, in a large and deep skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds, then add flour and onion powder and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. While whisking, slowly pour in milk and cream, then whisk until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to simmer, then add tomatoes, spinach, basil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook several minutes longer until sauce has thickened and spinach has wilted. Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat.  Toss prepared and drained tortellini into sauce mixture.  Serve warm, sprinkled with additional parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes, if desired.

Source:  Cooking Classy

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

I've shared some recipes on here that were a product of a Cook Off we've hosted.  Well, here's another one.  Cook Off recipes are the best because everybody brings their A game.  The theme for this Cook Off was Mexican food and I think I ate my weight in food that night.  It was heavenly.  I've had many enchiladas in my day but this one knocked my socks off.  The honey brings a hint of sweet to the dish and then the lime comes in and knocks it out of the park!  I went back for seconds and possibly thirds.

Ingredients
6 T Honey
5 T Lime Juice
1 T Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 lbs chicken, cooked and shredded
10-12 Flour Tortillas
3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
16 Oz Green Enchilada Sauce
1 Cup Heavy Cream
optional toppings - avocado, tomato, olives, sour cream, shredded lettuce

Directions
Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken.  Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour.  Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.  Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top.  Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade.  Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.  Serve with any optional toppings you'd like.


Source:  Candice Nielson