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Showing posts with label Main Course. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Main Course. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

One Pot Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken, and Rice

I had a lot to do yesterday morning and afternoon. I wasn't sure how much time I'd have to make dinner. Once I was finished I knew that I needed an easy dinner. This recipe totally fit the bill. I sent Nate a link to the recipe and he agreed to try it. And bonus, I only had buy broccoli and a yellow onion, I had everything else on hand. Gotta love that! The recipe comes from Number 2 Pencil. Both Nate and I really enjoyed this dinner and it will be made again and again at our house. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 1/2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bit sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and Lawry's seasoned pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I always make broth using Better Than Bullion chicken base)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (use more if you like it super cheesy)

Preparation:
Use a large, deep skillet with a good fitting lid. In the skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, saute the diced onion. Season your chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Once the onions have softened, turn the heat up to medium-high and add the chicken to the skillet. Brown the chicken on all sides. Turn heat back down to medium, add the minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Push the chicken, onions, and garlic to one side of the skillet. On the empty side of the skillet add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Add the uncooked rice in the olive oil and stir to coat. Toast the rice for a few minutes. Next, add the chicken broth to the skillet and stir to mix everything. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cover with lid. Let simmer for 12 minutes. Add the broccoli to the mixture and stir to combine. Recover and cook mixture for another 8 minutes, or until both the broccoli and rice are tender. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese (or more if you'd like) over the top. Cover with lid and let it sit for 1-2 minutes or until cheese has melted. Serve immediately and devour!


We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Crock Pot Spare Ribs

I was a little skeptical about cooking ribs in the crock pot. I had tried them once before and the results were not so great. But these ribs were excellent! Both Nate and I really enjoyed them and we'll definitely be making them again and again. I saw the idea over at Funny Is Family and like I said, they were a hit. I served these ribs with some rolls and a green salad. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3-4 lbs. pork spare ribs
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper (we love Lawry's seasoned pepper)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. chili powder

Preparation:
Combine all the dry rub ingredients. Pat ribs dry and trim any silver skin. Cut ribs into sections that will fit into your crock pot. Rub the spice mixture over all the ribs. Put the ribs in your crock pot, meat side down. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. I rotated my ribs halfway through the cooking time. That's it, super simple and super delicious! Serve with barbecue sauce for dipping if desired.


We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Monday, September 28, 2015

Barbecue, Bacon, and Onion Wrapped Meatloaves

Talk about comfort food! This dinner was really yummy and will be making repeat appearances on our table this fall and winter. I saw this idea over at Hugs and Cookies. The original recipe calls to make 3 meatloaves, but next time I'm going to do 4, just to make it a bit more manageable. We served this with a simple green salad and some red grapes. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 yellow onions
steak seasoning to taste
salt and pepper to taste
dash of Worcestershire sauce
bacon
barbecue sauce

Preparation:
Gently combine meat, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, steak seasoning, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Don't over mix or your meatloaves will be tough. Next, cut the top and bottom off of each onion. Then cut in half, peel off the skin, and separate the onion's outer layers. Evenly divide your meatloaf mixture into 4 portions. Take one portion and ball it in between 2 onion halves. Wrap a slice or two of bacon around each meatloaf and secure with a toothpick. Bake in an oven safe dish with sides (to catch grease) at 425 degrees F or 40-50 minutes or until internal temperature is 160 F. Brush a good coating of barbecue sauce around each meatloaf and bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove toothpicks before serving.


We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Cajun Chicken and Rice

Nate and I both enjoyed this dinner. I love chicken and rice together and Nate loves spice so I thought this would appeal to both of us. We both decided that this was a keeper recipe, definitely one to make again! I saw the idea over at Kevin and Amanda and I altered a few things to fit our preferences. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (plus the water and salt to cook it)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
Cajun seasoning
seasoned salt

Preparation:
Cook rice. I always use basmati rice and this is how I prepare it.
While your rice is cooking, cut the chicken breasts into bite size pieces. Season well with Cajun seasoning. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken. Brown on one side, then flip and continue cooking til chicken is done. Once done, remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
Turn your heat down to medium, add 1 Tbsp. butter and the bell pepper and onion. Season with a little Cajun seasoning and cook, stirring often until the veggies are softened, 4-5 minutes.
Next, turn heat down to medium-low. Add diced tomatoes to the cooked veggies and heat through. Then add back in the cooked chicken and cooked rice, stirring to combine. Season with any seasoned salt that you require. Make sure the mixture is well combined and hot, then serve.


We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Reminder: We are throwing an adoption fundraiser bake sale on Saturday, September 19th at Evergreen Park in American Fork, Utah. If you're a local, come check us out!

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Pepperoni Pasta

This dinner was so good! I feel bad that the picture is so awful. You'll just have to excuse the photo and try this pasta. It is delicious. I have a husband who is not a big fan of pasta at all and he had two helpings and said he could eat this meal every week! Now that is a glowing recommendation! It's also a quick and easy dinner to throw together. Like I said, we really enjoyed this dinner. I got the idea over at Kevin and Amanda and just made a few tweaks. Try this soon!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pepperoni slices (we used Hormel brand turkey pepperoni)
1 (14.5 oz.) can basil, garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
2 cups campanelle shaped pasta
2 cups water
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation:
In a large skillet with a lid add the pepperoni slices, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic bread seasoning, pasta, and water. Stir to mix everything together. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 13-15 minutes until the pasta is al dente and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Top with shredded cheese and let melt. Serve hot with a crisp green salad and enjoy!


We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Baked Pork Chops

Yum! We really enjoy pork chops in our house. Our all time favorite pork chop recipe is this steak house pork chop recipe on the grill. This recipe is right up there though. It's seasoned just right and has a nice crispy coating. The best part is that they're done in 30 minutes start to finish, can't beat that! I saw this recipe over at Skinny Taste. We ate them with a simple green salad and it was a great dinner. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
6 center cut boneless pork chops, trimmed (about 1/2" - 3/4" thick)
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup Cornflake crumbs
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
kosher salt
1 1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper (we love Lawry's seasoned pepper)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Get a baking sheet and line it with tin foil then lay a cookie rack over the top of it and spray it with non-stick spray. Mix together panko, cornflake crumbs, parmesan cheese, 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Beat the egg and pour it into a second shallow dish. Season pork chops lightly on both sides with a bit of kosher salt. One by one, dip the pork chops into the beaten egg and then into the crumb mixture, making sure to coat both sides. Place dipped pork chops onto cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot!


We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Monday, April 27, 2015

Grilled Chicken Parmesan

We really enjoyed this dinner. I served the chicken with Mini Garlic Monkey Breads and some broccoli and it was just a perfect dinner. I love when Nate grills and this is definitely going to be a repeat grilling recipe for us. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
2/3 cup Italian dressing (I used fat free Kraft)

Preparation:
Marinate the chicken in the Italian dressing for one hour. Grill chicken. After the chicken has been flipped and is about 4-5 minutes away from being done, spoon marinara sauce evenly over both pieces of chicken, then top with shredded cheese. Close the lid on the grill and finish cooking chicken. The chicken is done when the juices run clear and the center reaches 165 degrees F. Your sauce should be nice and hot and your cheese all melty and gooey. Enjoy hot!


We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Friday, March 27, 2015

Porcupine Meatballs

My cute grandma has told me about porcupine meatballs and that they are so good. I didn't have her exact recipe so I turned to this recipe at Jamie Cooks It Up for help. It's a ridiculously simple recipe and it was tasty too. I'll definitely make it again.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (6.8 oz) box beef rice-a-roni
salt
pepper
steak seasoning
1 egg
2 1/4 cups water

Preparation:
In a mixing bowl combine ground beef, a little salt, a little pepper, a little steak seasoning, the egg, and the rice and pasta from the rice-a-roni box. Save the seasoning packet separately. Gently combine the meat mixture and shape into golf ball sized meatballs. Spray a large, deep skillet with non-stick spray and heat over medium high heat. Once hot add all your meatballs and brown/sear them on one side, then flip and do the same thing on the other. Combine your water and rice-a-roni seasoning packet and whisk to combine. Pour mixture over the meatballs and reduce heat to medium low. Bring to a simmer then cover and let cook for 30-40 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and the meatballs are cooked through and the pasta/rice is tender. Mine took the full 40 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!



We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Montreal Chicken Marinade

So good! We first tried this marinade on some drumsticks we grilled and we knew we had a winner recipe. This is the third time we've made it and it's been great every time. I saw this idea over at The Diary of Dave's Wife, and the only change I made was to reduce the brown sugar. We love it and I hope you do too!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
1 1/2 Tbsp. McCormick's Montreal Chicken seasoning
1 1/2 lbs. chicken (we like boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can use whatever you like)

Preparation:
Mix together all the marinade ingredients. Add marinade and chicken to a gallon sized ziploc bag. Squish out all the air and seal up. Place bag in a tupperware dish in case of leaks and then place into the fridge. Let marinate in the fridge for 1-3 hours. Cook as desired, but we totally recommend grilling.



We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

3 Packet Crock Pot Country Style Pork Ribs

Such a simple recipe, yet full of flavor. This really couldn't be easier. I used my tried and true 3 packet mixture and the crock pot did the rest. Our ribs were fall apart tender and oh so good! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 lbs. country style pork ribs
1 packet pork gravy mix
1 packet Italian dressing mix (I always use Good Seasons brand zesty Italian mix)
1 packet ranch dressing mix (I always use Hidden Valley Ranch brand)
1 cup water

Preparation:
Mix together the water and all three packets. Add ribs to crock pot and then pour seasoning mixture over the top, stir to make sure all the ribs get evenly coated. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, stirring at the half way point. Serve hot with your favorite sides, you can also use the liquid in the crock pot like gravy.


Saturday, March 7, 2015

Skillet Beef Enchiladas

This was a "wingin' it" recipe and it turned out really well. We really enjoyed it, Nate had three servings. I'd say that's a keeper recipe!

Ingredients:
0.75 lbs. lean ground beef
6 medium flour tortillas
1 (16 oz.) can fat free refried beans
1 cup mild taco sauce or red enchilada sauce
1 packet + 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
shredded cheddar cheese
pico de gallo
sliced black olives
shredded lettuce

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small pot heat refried beans with 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning. Keep warm. Cook and crumble ground beef in a medium sized, oven safe skillet, add in taco seasoning packet plus water it requires and finish according to packet directions. Once finished cooking remove beef from skillet. Turn heat off and assemble enchilada stack in skillet. Start by pouring some sauce into the bottom of skillet. Top with 2 flour tortillas. Spread half the refried beans over the tortillas. Top that with half the meat mixture and then some shredded cheese. Repeat again with 2 flour tortillas, beans, meat, and then cheese. Finally add the last two remaining tortillas, top with remaining sauce and lastly some shredded cheese. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree F oven for about 10-15 minutes or until cheesy is all melted and sauce is bubbly. Serve pieces topped with shredded lettuce, sliced black olives, and some pico de gallo. Enjoy!


Saturday, February 28, 2015

Navajo Tacos

We've been wanting to try these tacos for a while now. I finally got around to making them. There are a lot of versions floating around on the web, but this is how I made ours. We sure enjoyed them and hopefully you do too!


Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (16 oz.) can fat free refried beans
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 envelope + 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning (Nate likes the Taco Bell brand)
1/2 cup water
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
thawed Rhodes dinner rolls (2 per Navajo taco)
vegetable or canola oil for frying
shredded cheese
toppings of your choice, salsa, shredded lettuce, sour cream, etc.


Preparation:
In a large skillet brown and crumble ground beef, halfway through cooking add the diced pepper and onion. Once beef is cooked add the envelope of taco seasoning and water. Reduce heat to medium and allow water to and seasoning to be absorbed. Then add the beans, tomato sauce, and 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning. Mix thoroughly and cook 'til hot. Reduce heat to low and keep mixture hot while you cook the rolls. Heat oil in a skillet to 375 degrees F. Take the thawed rolls and combine two together into a large ball, then roll out flat into a circle. Repeat with remaining rolls. Fry each dough circle in the oil until golden brown on both sides, flipping once. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate. To serve, place fried dough on a plate and top with desired amount of the hot meat mixture and garnish with shredded cheese and toppings of your choice. Enjoy!

Friday, December 12, 2014

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

Nate said he was in the mood for pasta last night which never happens! So we changed the menu plan to accommodate. I saw this idea over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe, my favorite recipe blog. I hardly changed her recipe at all. We really enjoyed dinner and definitely think this recipe is a keeper.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to make 4 thinner chicken cutlets
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Hot spaghetti noodles for serving

Preparation:
In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
In a large 12-inch skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat until rippling and hot. Thoroughly dry the chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the flour in a shallow dish and dredge the seasoned chicken pieces in the flour, coating both sides. Gently place 3-4 of the chicken pieces in the hot oil and cook for 3 minutes and then flip and cook 3 minutes longer until a nice golden crust has formed on the chicken (they’ll continue to cook in a later step). Remove the chicken to a plate and continue with the remaining pieces, removing them to the plate when they have been browned.
Wipe the skillet of excess oil and pour the sauce contents in the bowl into the skillet, taking care of splatters if the skillet is still piping hot. Turn the heat to medium and gently nestle the pieces of browned chicken into the sauce, making room for all six chicken breast cutlets. The chicken should be mostly covered with the sauce. Cover the skillet and simmer the sauce and chicken on medium or medium low for 15 minutes, checking every few minutes to make sure the chicken isn’t sticking to the bottom of the skillet. If so, turn the heat down a bit.
Uncover the skillet, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the chicken and sauce. Cover and cook for five more minutes, or until cheese is nicely melted.
Serve over hot spaghetti noodles, if desired.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Rio Grande Quesadillas

We love Mexican food at our house. It makes an appearance at least weekly on our dinner table. Nate would have it multiple times a week if I let him! I have had this little recipe saved forever and we finally tried it last night. It's a cinch to make, and they are super yummy and filling. I saw the idea over at Taste and Tell. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, seasoned with our favorite Mexican rub*, cooked and shredded
6 flour tortillas
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
green onions
shredded cheese
chopped cilantro, optional

Preparation:
In a medium sauce pot heat the refried beans over medium heat. Stir in 1 Tbsp. of taco seasoning. Once heated through, add the shredded chicken and cook until nice and hot. Spread the chicken/bean mixture over half of a tortilla, sprinkle cheese over the top, then top that with green onions and cilantro if you want. Fold the tortilla in half. Repeat with remaining tortillas. To cook, place a quesadilla in a skillet prepared with non-stick spray over medium heat. Cook until golden brown and then flip and repeat on the remaining side. Quesadilla is done when golden brown and the cheese is nice and gooey. Serve immediately with sour cream and salsa.

*Rub Recipe:
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Mix all of those really well. Store in an airtight container.


Friday, December 5, 2014

Baked Fajita Sliders

I threw out my back last week and haven't been doing my cooking. My cute husband has stepped up and been cooking for us. Last night he made these fajita sliders from Picky Palate and we really enjoyed them. Definitely a keeper recipe.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 packet of taco or fajita seasoning
1 onion, julienned
1 green or red pepper, julienned
small rolls
shredded cheese
salsa/taco sauce

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray an 8x8 inch baking dish lightly with non stick cooking spray. Place ground beef and seasoning into a large mixing bowl, stirring to combine. Transfer beef to prepared baking dish and press down evenly into dish. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until baked through. Remove and drain grease if necessary. While burgers are baking, heat a little olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and bell peppers, stirring until softened. Takes about 5-7 minutes, stirring often.
Split rolls and layer with a burger, onions and peppers, then shredded cheese, and salsa or taco sauce. Serve warm.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Copy Cat Costa Vida Nachos

Nate is a big fan of the nachos from a local restaurant Costa Vida. It's what he orders every time we go there. Since he enjoys them so much, I figured I could make our own version at home. They turned out really really well. We both loved them and they taste just like the restaurant version, but I think even better. Costa Vida serves them in metal tins and I did the same. I just used disposable round cake tins and it worked perfectly. Make these soon, I know you'll like them.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
our favorite Mexican rub*
olive oil
tortilla chips
pico de gallo
shredded cheese
black beans (optional)
sour cream (optional)
guacamole (optional)

Preparation:
Rub a little olive oil over the chicken breasts and then season with the Mexican rub. Bake chicken at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes and then shred. To assemble the nachos put a layer of tortilla chips in the bottom of a disposable round cake tin, then spread a layer of chicken (and black beans if you want) on top of the chips and finally some cheese. Repeat chips, chicken, and cheese. Place nachos in a 400 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese is thoroughly melted. Immediately top with pico de gallo and any other desired toppings and serve hot. Enjoy!


*Rub Recipe:
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Mix all of those really well. Store in an airtight container.



Saturday, October 25, 2014

Loaded Nacho Dip

Yum! This was perfect. We both really enjoyed this dip. I have this recipe saved for at least two years. I wish I hadn't waited so long to make it! This is definitely a keeper dish and one we'll make again and again. This is hearty enough to serve as a meal, which is what how we ate it, but fun enough to be a filling appetizer too. I saw the idea over at Eclectic Recipes and just adapted it to our preferences.

Ingredients:
1/2 - 3/4 lb. taco seasoned ground beef, cooked and crumbled (just depends on how beefy you want it)
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans (we used fat free)
3 Tbsp. taco sauce
1 (15 oz.) jar Tostito's brand salsa con queso
pico de gallo
shredded lettuce
sliced olives

Preparation:
Heat refried beans and taco sauce in a sauce pot over medium heat. While they're warming, also heat up your ground beef and queso. You want all three things to be piping hot. Once hot, get an 8x8" dish and spread hot refried beans over the bottom. Top that with queso. We didn't use the whole jar of queso, maybe 2/3 of the jar. Top the cheese sauce with your ground beef mixture. Shredded lettuce goes next, then the pico de gallo, and finally sliced olives. Serve immediately, and enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips! It's as easy as that!


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

All Purpose Marinade

You know how we love our marinades. This is another great one from Plain Chicken. We grilled chicken kabobs that had been marinated, but I think that pork chops would also be great in the marinade.

Ingredients:
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or you could use pork chops)
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Preparation:
Whisk together all the ingredients minus the meat. Combine well. Place meat in gallon size ziploc bag and pour marinade over it. Place in a dish in case of leaks, and marinate in the refrigerator 4-6 hours. Cook meat as desired, I recommend grilling.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Chicken Fajita Casserole

Nate loved this dinner and requested it make repeat appearances on the dinner table. It really does taste just like chicken fajitas. I saw the idea over at Poofy Cheeks. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
green pepper, diced
small yellow onion, diced
1 Tbsp. butter
3 8" flour tortillas
shredded cheddar cheese
your favorite salsa


Season and bake your chicken breasts. I use this rub when I make Mexican chicken:

2 tsp. chile powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Mix all of those really well. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on chicken breasts and then add some of the seasoning and bake your chicken at 400 degrees F for about 30-35 minutes or until cooked through. Once your chicken is cooked, let it rest for 10 minutes and then shred it.

In a skillet, melt the tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the diced pepper and onion and sautee until vegetables have softened, about 3-5 minutes. Once finished, set aside. Lightly grease an 8x8" glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Layer a flour tortilla into the bottom of the dish. Top the tortilla with the shredded chicken and some shredded cheese. Place a flour tortilla on top. Now spoon the sauteed vegetables over the top of tortilla. Then add some salsa over top of the vegetables. Place a tortilla on top and then sprinkle cheese over the top of the tortilla. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is nice and melted. Serve hot with any desired toppings like sour cream or hot sauce and enjoy!

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Grilled Sriracha Ranch Chicken Skewers

My husband is such a fan of sriracha. He loves the stuff and puts it on everything. He even keeps a bottle of it at my mom's house and his parents' house. When I saw this idea over at Plain Chicken, I knew it would be a big hit with him. We both really enjoyed this chicken. I'm not a huge fan of spice and they had just the right amount of heat for me, if you love spice I would up the amount of sriracha a bit. These will definitely be made again and again at our house. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup prepared ranch dressing
1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. sriracha hot sauce (you can find it in the Asian aisle of your local grocery store)
1/2 tsp. Lawry's seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp. white sugar

Preparation:
Whisk together all the ingredients except the chicken, combine well. In a gallon size ziploc bag add the chicken and marinade mixture. Squish all the air out and seal bag. Place bag in a large tupperware dish in case of leaks. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for 8 hours. After marinating cut chicken into 1" cubes and thread onto metal skewers or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water at least 30 minutes. Grill skewers over medium-high heat until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through. Serve hot!