Crock pot chicken

The girls love Rotisserie chicken. (If only they made 3 legged chickens because all three of them love the legs). However, no rotisserie in our abode, so I had to find the next best thing. This recipe is a must-serve. It is cheap, healthy, filling, and best of all...cooks itself! Just grab a full chicken, wash it, add some salt and pepper into the cavity, put a few tbsp of butter on top, some celery, and a few dashes of basil, onion salt, and garlic powder. Let it cook for 8-10 hrs and you return home to a fabulous smelling kitchen and dinner waiting. We served it with Ramen noodles...just to keep it classy. :)

Pineapple Salsa Salmon

I LOVE Salmon. Though not all in  my family share my affection, this is a quick, healthy, meal that I will serve again and again. 

1 1/4 lb Salmon fillets

2 c. finely chopped fresh pineapple

1/2 c. finely chopped red onion

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 habanero pepper, minced

1 c. jicama

2 tsp. lime juice

Grill or broil salmon for 10 to 12 minutes on medium heat until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Turn halfway through cooking time. Combine all other ingredients and mix into a salsa. This is a great meal to make ahead of time and pop in the freezer, then on cooking day it only takes 10 minutes!

Corn Chowder

I love thick, hearty soups in the winter, and this Corn Chowder was a hit at our house. The girls wouldn't pick this as their favorite soup, but they did still eat it all and Mark and I really enjoyed it. 

3/4 c. chopped onion

2 tbsp butter

1 c. cooked, peeled and diced potatoes

1. c. diced fully cooked ham

2 c. fresh, frozen or drained canned sweet corn

1 c. cream-style corn

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 1/2 c. milk

salt and pepper to taste.

In saucepan, cook onion in butter until onion is tender. Add potatoes, ham, kernel corn, cream-style corn, cream of mushroom soup, milk, salt, pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Can be made ahead of time and frozen and popped in the crockpot as well. 

Stromboli

This weeks meals were a little more complicated and hit the critics hard. Taco Chicken and Rice, (meant to be served as a dish, ended up rolling it up in tortilla shells), Stromboli, and White Turkey Chili. Wednesday I had a visitation and went with friends to dinner and Friday was Halloween so we ate at a neighborhood potluck. The girls didn't love any of the meals this week, but Stromboli would have been our favorite had I followed my gut. I am always looking for a way to sneak in more vegetables...I should have known to leave out the green peppers and the black olives.

Stromboli
1 loaf frozen bread dough - whole wheat
1 tsp canola oil
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
7 oz pepperoni
2 c cheese, mozzarella, shredded
4 oz sliced mushrooms
6 oz diced green pepper
4 oz sliced black olives
15 oz jar of pizza sauce
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. On a greased baking sheet, roll out thawed dough into a 10x15in rectangle
3. In a small bowl, combine spices, olive oil, parmesan and 2 egg yolks (save the whites for later)
4. Spread the egg/spice mixture all over the dough rectangle
5. Top with pepperoni, black olives, green peppers, mushrooms and cheese.
6. Roll up, jelly-roll styles, starting with long side. Pinch seam to seal and tuck ends under.
7. Place seam side down and brush with beaten egg whites. Do not let rise.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Serve sliced loaf with warmed pizza sauce for dipping.

Thai Chicken with Sesame Noodles

Last week was crazy with conferences, so I'm a bit behind with posting our meal planning from the week. However, it was a delicious week of meals; Spicy Corn Chowder, White Chicken Lasagna, Thai Chicken with Sesame Noodles, Spaghetti, and Friday since my mother-in-law was in town watching the girls since they didn't have school, we took advantage of a few extra hours and snuck away for a date night. Quesadillas for the girls...dinner out for Mark and I.

The favorite of the week for me was the White Chicken Lasagna. However, the biggest hit with the rest of them was the Thai Chicken. It was fast, delicious, and made incredible leftovers the next day at lunch so it will definitely be making it back in to the monthly rotation.

Thai Chicken with Sesame Noodles.
1 Good seasons Asian Sesame Dressing Mix
2 tbsp soy sauce
4 chicken breast
2 tbsp peanut butter - crunchy
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp pepper, crushed red
1 lb pasta, spaghetti, thin
2 carrots, shredded
4 onion, green
8 tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped.

Prepare ahead (I always do mine on Sunday afternoon)
1. Mix dressing and soy sauce. Pour 1/3 cup over chicken, bag and freeze.
2. Add peanut butter, honey and pepper to remaining 2/3 c. of dressing mix, bag and freeze.
3. Bag remaining ingredients and freeze.

Cooking day
1. Thaw
2. Cook chicken on skillet, medium-high heat for 8 minutes or until cooked through.
3. Cook pasta.
4. Place chicken, mixture and remaining ingredients in bowl and mix lightly.

Kitchen Catastrophe

I have officially made it 5 weeks without repeating a recipe and feel like I have gotten out of the recipe rut that I was in. This past week we had Tacos, Calzones, Chicken Piccata, and a leftover night. Friday night, I headed out for a little Girls Night Out and left everyone to fend for themselves. It felt really good!
This weeks pick of recipes, the Chicken Piccata. I was really looking forward to preparing this as I had a lot of left over chicken broth I wanted to use up and I thought it wold be pretty easy to prepare. I may have overshot that one. I should know better than to put chicken in a skillet with oil...my oil was too hot and the smoke detectors got a work out. Mark came home to one smoky kitchen, and a few scared children! :)  The chicken itself turned out tasty. I substituted the capers with sweet peas. left out the parsley and paired it with some couscous and we had a yummy meal. I would definitely make it again, but instead bake the chicken instead!

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 

• 2 ounces all-purpose flour, divided (about 1/2 cup) 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
• 4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine 
• 3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons drained capers
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. 1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Place 1 teaspoon flour in a small bowl, and place remaining flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour in shallow dish; shake off excess.
2. 2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.
3. 3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots to pan; sauté 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add wine; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally. Add 1/4 cup broth to reserved 1 teaspoon flour; stir until smooth. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth to pan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half (about 5 minutes). Stir in flour mixture; cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, juice, and capers. Place 1 chicken breast half on each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 2 tablespoons sauce. Sprinkle each serving with about 2 teaspoons parsley.

Another week of meals....

This week the meal planning brought us; garlic butter chicken, honey bacon wrapped tenderloins, white chicken chili, buffalo chicken penne, and spaghetti. The garlic chicken was grilled to perfection and I was thankful that Mark beat me home on Monday so I didn't have to cook! The buffalo chicken was awesome since I left a batch of the noodles plain so the whole family could enjoy them how they wanted. My favorite this week, however, was the white chicken chili. With the ability to throw it in the crockpot and walk away, its simplicity and its taste made it the clear winner this week.

2 lbs chicken chopped
2 cans chicken broth
2 cans northern beans
1 can cream of chicken
Salsa

Crock pot on low 6-8 hrs (I left mine 10 hrs)...walk in to a delicious meal already cooked in your kitchen!

*Note, I added LOTS of salsa which completely took away the white appearance, but our "pink" chili was delicious none-the-less.

Bourbon Pork Tenderloin

Meal planning for week 4 consisted of Bourbon Pork Tenderloin, Pancakes and Eggs, Buffalo Chicken Wraps, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken and Fettucini,

The Bourbon Pork Tenderloin was great on Monday because it was a busy night. With a soccer game at 5:30 and Back-to-School night at 6:30, we had to eat about 4:30 to be able to sit down and eat as a family (dinner is kind of sacred time at our house). The tenderloin was perfect as I threw it in the crockpot before I left in the morning and came home at 4:30 to a meal waiting to be served. The girls didn't care for the sauce (it was strong) but the meat was incredible. Next time I'll throw a few red potatoes in around it so we have a side to go with it. Due to the time constraints, we served it with Ramen Noodles and everyone was happy. :) It's the perfect fall meal as it's easy to throw in the crockpot and walk away! So excited to get back into crockpot season again!

Bourbon Spiced Pork Tenderloin
1	pound	Pork Tenderloin
1/4	cup	Bourbon
4	tablespoons	Soy Sauce
4	tablespoons	Mustard, Dijon
1/4	cup	sugar, brown
4	tablespoons	oil, olive
2	tablespoons	ginger, ground
2	teaspoons	Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2	teaspoons	garlic, minced
To Prepare for Group:
	1.  Combine all ingredients except bourbon into a gallon bag.
	2.  Put bourbon in a separate sandwich bag inside the gallon bag.*
Cooking Day:
	1.  Thaw.
	2.  Empty bourbon into gallon bag and allow to marinade
	3.  Put grill on high and sear tenderloin on all sides and reduce heat to medium.
	4.  Grill for 20 minutes or until cooked through, basting with the marinade frequently.
	5.  Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
	6.  Cut into 1/2 inch slices.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Week 3 of meal planning brought some of my favorite meals. The girls aren't crazy about all of them (they aren't huge fans of fish), but it keeps them trying new things and understanding the importance of not always getting what they want. This week we had Chicken Cordon Bleu, Meatball subs, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Parmesan Tilapia, and Friday...enough cooking already...out for dinner! My favorite this week was the Chicken Cordon Bleu. To keep it low-key during the middle of the crazy work-week, it takes a little prep work the weekend before, but once the prep is done, you can just throw it in the oven for 30 minutes and voila!

I put some fresh mushrooms on mine just for a little extra kick, and left the cheese off the top of Grace's since she doesn't like the cheesy part. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4	each	Chicken breast
1/4	teaspoon	Salt
1/8	teaspoon	Pepper, black
4 1/2	each	Cheese, Swiss, Slices
3	slices	Ham, precooked, sliced
1/2	cup	Bread Crumbs, seasoned
To Prepare ahead:
	1. Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness.
	2. Sprinkle each chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
	3. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on top of each chicken breast.
	4. Roll up each one and secure with string.
Cooking Day:
	1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
	2. Coat a 8x8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
	3. Place chicken in baking dish and sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs. (I use Panko bread crumbs - I don't make my own).
	4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.
	5. Remove from oven, and place 1/2 cheese slice on top of each breast.
	6. Return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
	7. Remove string, and serve immediately.

Cheesy Sausage Penne

For our second week back to school the meal planning was easy, but delicious. Chicken bacon ranch sandwiches, Cheesy sausage penne, Cheddar beef enchiladas, and a Leftover night. My favorite is the Cheesy penne because it makes 2 batches so one goes in the freezer for another meal later! Love getting 2 meals with only 1 mess!

Cheesy Sausage Penne
1 lb sausage
1 garlic clove, minced (I use a little garlic salt instead)
1 jar (26 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 package (16 ounces) penne pasta
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
4 green onions, sliced (I used minced onion instead)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, brown the sausage. Drain. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. (who has time for this?! I never do this).
Cook pasta; drain. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and onions.
In a greased baking dish, layer 1/4 of the pasta and sausage mixture. Dollop with 1/4 the cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with 1/4 of the cheddar cheese. Repeat. (I only use half of this recipe in a 9X13 dish and then make a separate dish with the other half and put it in the freezer. 2 meals and you only have to prepare and clean up once!)
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly. 

Bruchetta Chicken Bake

Part of being back to school again, means being more organized in meal planning. Tuesdays will be our rough night of the week, with gymnastics for Emma, Soccer for Grace, and Basketball for Mark...but if this year is like every other, every night of the week will be crazy come dinner time. I have planned out the next month and hope to prep what I can on Sunday to make the week run a little smoother. Last week went well:

Tacos, Bruchetta Chicken Bake, Meatloaf/Potatoes, Baked Ziti, and Burgers. (I lucked out on Friday because Mark had his company picnic so I didn't have to cook the burgers!)

Bruchetta Chicken Bake is one of my favorites and so easy to make. 

1 can  (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 pkg.  (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

½ cup  water

2 cloves  garlic, minced

1-1/2 lb.  boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tsp.  dried basil leaves

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

MIX tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened. PLACE chicken in 3-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; sprinkle with basil and cheese. TOP with stuffing. Bake 30 min. or until chicken is done.

DISH night

Mmm...already prepped and ready 

I have always put a lot of stock into, "if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." I have noticed that my outlook and attitude on things definitely shapes my children's attitudes and behaviors towards things so I try to keep a cheery disposition to help keep the peace. Some days it's easier than others, and some days, well...ain't nobody happy. As with most families, the witching hour is 5-6pm. I have 3 hungry, exhausted children, Mark isn't home from work yet, and though I am ready to finally enjoy a few minutes of quiet (or finally sneak in a bathroom break), everyone seems to need something from me. Questions with homework, drama from the day, a dog that needs out, a dinner that needs prepared.... I despise 5pm. After shuffling through 150+ students in the day, plus my own 3 kiddos, by 5:00 I am spent. I have far surpassed my daily quota for the amount of questions I can answer or the amount of decisions I can make in a given day, so the last question I want to hear is the dreaded, "what's for dinner?" I try to prepare meals and a menu in advance to help lessen the chaos during the week, but it leaves my Sunday filled with prep work, when I would rather be enjoying my family or catching up on grading papers. When my friend Kindel asked if we should do a DISH night, (Dinner Is Solved at Hy-Vee) I was PUMPED! I spent Wednesday night drinking wine with 7 amazing women, chatting about life, and preparing some delicious new recipes. A few weeks in advance the 7 of us picked out a meal that we wanted to prepare, and then we showed up to a Hy-Vee kitchen all prepped and ready for us. The groceries had been purchased, the meat had been prepared, and the ingredients were all sorted and ready. I spent 2 hours making 9 batches of Chicken Cordon Bleu and stocking my friends' coolers. In return I left the evening with...Enchiladas, Baked Salmon, Chicken Pot Pie, Mongolian Beef, Chicken Parmesan, Calzones, Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken, and Chicken Cordon Bleu (x2). In 2 hours time, I left with 9 meals and only had to prep one of them. Not to mention I got a night to catch up with friends over a few bottles of wine. That's my idea of cooking. At the end of the night you take the grocery bill, divide it by the number of meals prepared (in our case 64) and pay for the amount of meals that you take home. So far the meals have been delicious, so we signed up to do it again in May and June!

Garlic Chicken & Spinach Gnocchi

I have had a few people ask lately how I serve my gnocchi or what my "go-to" meals are. Well...here you go. Gnocchi is a busy-girls comfort food and a carb lovers dream. It cooks up in about 2 minutes so it's a perfect after-work meal and it tastes great with just about any kind of veggie so it's a great way to get my kiddos to eat more greens. It makes a delicious gnocci soup too. Because I have extra spinach from my green monster smoothie try-outs I went with chicken and spinach gnocchi for tonights dinner.

Garlic Chicken & Spinach Gnocchi

2-3 chicken breasts, diced
1 pkg gnocchi
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 teaspoon salt & pepper
3/4 cup chopped spinach

Cook the gnocchi according to directions. Meanwhile, heat ~1 tsp of olive oil and add diced chicken in a large skillet over medium heat, until lightly browned. Add minced garlic and cook until softened 2-3 minutes. Add remaining olive oil (~2 tsp), butter, drained gnocchi, salt & pepper. Cook until gnocchi are golden brown on the bottoms. Use a spatula to flip the gnocchi. Add the spinach, tossing frequently, until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Enjoy!

Orange-Soy Salmon

I like the idea of cooking with more fish and I try to meal plan so that each week we have a beef, pork, chicken, fish or pasta, and soup. The soup is always cut out during the summer and the fish many times gets reduced to fish sticks or filets (not exactly healthy) .if not completely replaced by a pasta of some sort. So, I was really excited to try out IGE's orange-soy salmon. It was nothing short of amazing! I can't believe how much flavor salmon can soak up with just a short 15 min. marinade. I changed her recipe up a bit and replaced fresh squeezed orange juice with frozen and I didn't have any soy sauce on hand so I used stir fry sauce instead. It was so delicious...the perfect blend of tang and salt. I figured I would introduce the girls to her roasted brussel sprouts as well. Mark and I thought they were great, the girls on the other hand, were not convinced that these "brussel fries" were as good as french fries. A girl can try, right!? They choked them down and I promised them better veggies tomorrow night. They did like their colorful plates though.

In addition to the salmon and sprouts, I decided to try some cheddar garlic biscuits with dinner since we love our carbs! They were quick to whip up, but the recipe definitely needs a few changes. They tasted like regular-ole-biscuits. Tasty, but a let-down for those of us who were anticipating something similar to Red Lobster's cheddar bay biscuits.  They definitely need more cheese and garlic.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Servings: 14 • Serving Size: 1 biscuit •
Calories: 97.3 • Fat: 3.9 g • Protein: 3.7 g • Carb: 13.0 g • Fiber: 0.0 g

2 tbsp butter, melted

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

2 cups Heart Smart Bisquick

3.5 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (Cabot 50% reduced fat)

2/3 cup fat free milk

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Melt butter in a small frying pan, add half the garlic and saute on low heat about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add parsley.

In a large bowl, combine biscuit mix, cheddar cheese, and remaining garlic. Stir in milk and mix (do not over mix). Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls (1.5 oz each) onto prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes. Brush or drizzle biscuits with melted butter. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom.

*On a side note...Emma had more success in the kitchen than I did today. Here was our tasty snack this afternoon...apple sandwiches. Sliced apples with peanut butter and chocolate chip filling. A fruit, a protein, and a dessert all in one!

Green Monster Smoothie

So I decided today was the day to check out the Green Monster Smoothie. Here is what I discovered...

1. Just because I was up to the challenge, didn't mean my blender was. Nothing like drinking down a whole spinach leaf. "Liquefy" didn't exactly liquefy it all.
2. My stomach tells me it should take the place of a meal. My head tells me, I am way too young to be drinking my meals pureed.
3. I love peanut butter, however, I don't like smelling it while I'm drinking. The color, the smell, and the texture of this smoothie are enough to confuse any food connoisseur into thinking this thing would be disgusting.
4. Emma, bless her heart, has a love for cooking even when it isn't something that she has an interest in eating herself. I thought for sure she only loved to be in the kitchen because of the taste test at the end. Though she did nibble some spinach while our smoothie blended, she wasn't brave enough to actually taste our finished product.

The verdict...It really does taste great. It was filling, refreshing, and healthy. Now if only my blender will keep up, I would like to experiment with some new green monster concoctions.

As for the end of week 2 of my resolutions...running...6 miles. Still a mile behind where I was aiming (and further behind for making up my 3 missed miles from last week), but I did yoga one night this week and at least I'm moving in the right direction. As for the menu this week...orange-soy salmon with brussel sprouts -courtesy of IGE (tell you tomorrow how this tasty dish turns out), fettuccini, pizza burgers, chicken cordon bleu, and grilled cheese/tomato soup. Plus, I completed my "one thing a month to improve our marriage" this week. No details on this one as I'm sure Mark prefers staying off the blog, but it makes me feel good knowing I'm paying more attention to our marriage.

Recipes

So here are a few of this weeks recipes since some of you have been asking. Just click on the link and you are one step away from heavenly smells filling your kitchen. The parmesan crusted tilapia from Kellie's blog is one of our favorites and I can't wait to try her Green Monster Smoothies. Also, I'll keep you posted on how the crock pot orange chicken turns out, but until then, enjoy the recipes.

Week one of resolutions

If this week is any indication of how 2012 will go than this will be the year for productivity. Though my resolutions are slow in getting started, this was definitely a week to get things accomplished. I started the first of my 12 books for 2012, "Friday Night Knitting Club" and in the process signed the girls up for the winter reading program, so everyone has been logging lots of reading time around our house. As for my 365 miles, I'm down to 361. Though I only got 4 miles in this week, (oopsies, 3 behind already) it's a good start considering that Sunday and Monday I spent the day painting and didn't have time to run, and Tuesday I opted to go with a friend to her gym for a yoga class and missed running again. I have, however, had more than enough of an upper body workout by painting ceilings in the basement.
The theme of this week has been...sand, fill, prime...repeat. We have put some major hours into the basement this week and things are starting to take shape. The late nights are starting to take a toll, but I can almost taste the end of this huge project. (Perhaps it's just all the paint in my mouth). As for filling my happy bucket, when I wasn't painting, I spent time this week calling for donations for our church's annual fundraiser and the people in the community have been so kind...and giving. It has been fun to see the community from a different perspective.
In the kitchen, nothing too special, but no repeated recipes. This week...parmesan tilapia, orange chicken, spaghetti, bbq roasted chicken, and chili. I'm trying the orange chicken recipe for the first time as it's a crock pot recipe. I'm skeptical on it's deliciousness to say the least.
All-in-all, week one of the resolutions was nothing stellar, but it's a process. If nothing else, I'm learning patience.