Grilled Asian Pork Kabobs

You know by now that we love Asian food around here, so it's no surprise that I'm posting another Asian inspired recipe. The weather here has been so nice the last two weeks, we have busted out our beloved grill. Nate had been wanting to grill some kabobs with his new skewers and so this is what we had for dinner last night. We both loved it and will definitely be making this again. I saw this idea over at Allrecipes and just tweaked a few things (like usual). The pork has a great Asian/teriyaki flavor without being too salty or too sweet, you could also add some red pepper flakes to add heat. This was so good, make it soon!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds pork, cut into 1" cubes (I just used some really thick pork loin chops and cut them up)
5 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
3 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. pepper

Basting Liquid-
2 cups beef broth
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground ginger


Preparation:
Prepare marinade by combining 5 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce, 3 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 clove minced garlic, chili powder, paprika, and pepper. Pour marinade into a gallon sized ziploc bag and add the cubed pork. Seal up the bag and place it in a mixing bowl or large tupperware container in case of leaks. Marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Prepare the basting liquid. Dissolve cornstarch in beef broth and add that and 2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, 2 cloves minced garlic, and ground ginger to a small pot. Heat over high heat and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Set aside. Get your marinated pork onto skewers. Remember if you use bamboo skewers you'll need to soak them in water for 30 minutes first. We used metal. Once your grill is hot cook your pork kabobs, basting every couple minutes. Cook until pork is at your desired doneness. Enjoy hot with your favorite Asian sides.

Spicy Sesame Asparagus

I love, love, love asparagus! Such an awesome vegetable. I look forward to it being in season each spring. I saw this asparagus variation over at My Name Is Snickerdoodle and it was a definite hit with last night's dinner. We'll definitely use this recipe again and again. It has just a subtle hint of heat, not too much that I can't handle it, but feel free to add more sriracha if you like lots of spice! Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 bundle fresh asparagus
1/2 purple onion, thinly sliced (I forgot to buy an onion, but I'll definitely include this next time)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce (I used Lawry's teriyaki marinade)
1/2 - 2 tsp. sriracha (an Asian hot sauce found in the ethnic aisle of most any grocery store, I used a heaping 1/2 tsp.)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds

Preparation:
In a small bowl prepare sauce. Combine teriyaki sauce, sriracha, garlic, ground ginger, and sesame seeds and set aside. Wash asparagus and cut off the woody end, about 1/4 off the bottom of the stalk. Heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Once hot add in asparagus and onions. You'll saute them for 4-5 minutes, or until they get just shy of your desired tenderness, stirring occasionally. Pour sauce over asparagus. Mix to coat all the asparagus, and make sure you scrape off any bits from the bottom of your pan. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened, garlic cooks, and your asparagus reaches your desired tenderness. Serve immediately.

Pizza Chicken

This was another winner recipe. It's been on my list to make for weeks now and I'm so glad we finally tried it. Nate and I both really enjoyed this dish.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup Italian dressing
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
1 (24 oz.) jar marinara sauce
12 slices pepperoni, cut into fourths (we love Hormel's turkey pepperoni)
1/2 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
hot cooked pasta

Preparation:
Marinate chicken in the Italian dressing for 2-3 hours. Once marinated, bake chicken at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through. While chicken is baking, dice veggies and cut up pepperoni slices. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot add diced veggies and saute until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. Return skillet to stove and turn heat to low, add marinara sauce and 1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning. Combine and heat through. Once chicken is finished baking, remove from oven and transfer to a clean baking sheet/dish. Spoon some sauteed onion and peppers over the top of each piece of chicken, then spoon on some sauce. Top that with pepperoni pieces and finally the mozzarella cheese. Broil smothered chicken on the top rack until cheese is melted through. Place some pasta on each plate, top with a little bit of marinara sauce and then the chicken. Enjoy your dinner!



I shared this over at Chef In Training and Mandy's Recipe Box.

Taco Cups

Such a great variation of tacos! We love Mexican food at our house (especially the man of the house) and so I always love a good Mexican recipe. I saw this idea over at my favorite food blog, Mel's Kitchen Cafe and knew we had to try it. We weren't disappointed, we loved this dinner. I served these with a green salad and some corn, yum!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 taco seasoning packet plus the water it requires (or your favorite homemade mix)
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
12 small fajita sized flour tortillas
toppings- shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, olives, salsa etc.

Preparation:
First lightly grease a muffin tin. Cut out about 4" circles out of each of your tortillas, I just used one of those hospital mugs. I flipped it upside down and then cut around it with a paring knife. Place a tortilla into each muffin well and set aside. In a skillet start to brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Halfway through cooking add the diced pepper and onion. Once finished cooking add taco seasoning packet and water and cook according to packet instructions. Once that's done add the tomato sauce and cook over medium-low heat for a couple minutes. After the meat is done cooking, spoon some into each of the tortillas. Nate topped his with some queso and sriracha before baking. You can add your shredded cheese now or after baking. Bake at 375 degree F for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the tortilla cups are a nice light golden brown. Serve and top with your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!

Smoky Asian Barbecue Chicken

We really enjoyed this chicken. We are always on the look out for good chicken recipes and this is definitely a keeper. We'll definitely be making this again and again. I saw the idea over at Allrecipes, and just adapted for our tastes. The marinade makes enough for 8 chicken thighs or 4 medium chicken breasts. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
chicken thighs(we like to use boneless, skinless) or chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. black pepper (we love Lawry's seasoned pepper)
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preparation:
Whisk together all the ingredients except the chicken. Place chicken in gallon size ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Place marinade bag in a dish and let marinate in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours. Once finished marinating, cook on the grill over medium heat until chicken is cooked through. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting. Serve with your favorite Asian or barbecue side dishes.

Copy Cat Lo Mein

I loved this dish! It was so good. Asian is always a top favorite of mine. This is a great side dish for Asian meals, and bonus, it's quick and easy to prepare too. I saw this idea over at Favorite Family Recipes. It's a copy cat version of Panda Express' chow mein. This version tastes so much better than Panda Express! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (7 oz.) package refrigerated Yaki Soba noodles (found in the produce section of my grocery store)
1/3 cup celery, sliced diagonally (about 1 stalk)
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup napa cabbage, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. black pepper (we love Lawry's seasoned pepper)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Preparation:
Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper. Set aside. Open Yaki Soba noodles, throw out seasoning packet. Place noodles in a colander, rinse well and drain. Set aside. Over medium heat, heat oil in a wok. Once hot, add celery and onion and saute for a couple minutes until they start to soften, 2 - 3 minutes. Add cabbage and then saute another minute or so. Add in Yaki Soba noodles and sauce, toss well to combine. Cook for another few minutes until noodles are heated through and at your desired consistency. Taste and add any additional soy you like. Serve immediately.

Caramel Kiss Peanut Butter Cookies

These were such a hit! I'm so glad I tried them. Everyone who ate them loved them. This is definitely a keeper recipe. I saw the idea over at Lauren's Latest. The only change I made was to add a tiny bit more flour to get my cookies to the right consistency. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour (in my climate I usually have to add a tiny bit more flour to get to the right consistency)
1 1/3 cups chopped Hershey’s Caramel Kisses

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, whip butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and eggs. Scrape sides and mix again. Slowly incorporate all dry ingredients until combined. Stir in chopped Hershey’s caramel kisses. Scoop by the teaspoon full onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes (mine took 10 and were perfect) or until the edges are barely golden and the middle looks like it’s not quite done.{You may have the urge to keep them in longer–don’t! Unless you want crunchier cookies in which case you should then leave them in a minute or two longer… but I like mine chewy so I pull them out sooner.} Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Store in airtight containers.

Look at that cute Easter plate my mom gave me!

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Mmm... I love Italian food. Nate is not a big fan of pasta, but he really enjoys chicken parmesan. This dish is a good fit for both of us because it doesn't have pasta but it does have great Italian flavors and a great breadstick topping. It was really good, we both enjoyed it a lot. I'll warn you, it smells so good while baking that it's hard to wait for it to finish! This is definitely a keeper recipe for us. I saw the idea over at Betty Crocker and totally tweaked it to suit our tastes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Italian dressing (I always use fat free)
1 (12 oz.) tube Pillsbury pop 'n fresh plain breadsticks
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
12 slices pepperoni (I always use Hormel brand turkey pepperoni)
1 1/2 - 2 cups of your favorite marinara or pasta sauce (the amount of sauce is flexible, just add however much you like)
1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup + shredded mozzarella cheese (again, the amount is really up to your preference)
grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Marinate chicken in Italian dressing for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
Dice onion and pepper. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium heat, once hot add diced veggies and saute until tender, 4-5 minutes. Set aside. Cut pepperoni slices into fourths. Set aside.
Cut marinated chicken into 1" cubes. Heat olive oil in a skillet (just use the same one you used for veggies) over medium high heat. One hot add chicken pieces. You aren't cooking the chicken all the way, you just want to get a nice golden brown on the outside.
Once chicken is seared, add the chicken to an 8x8" glass baking dish that's been misted with non-stick spray. Add sauteed vegetables over the chicken. Stir in 1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning with your marinara/pasta sauce. Next pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies. Top that with the cut up pepperoni slices and then the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Melt remaining 3 Tbsp. butter. Pop open and lay out breadstick dough onto flat surface. Brush with some of the melted butter. Use a pizza cutter and cut the breadsticks into 1 inch pieces. You won't need all the breadsticks, only about 2/3 (use the remaining breadsticks to make cinna-sticks for dessert). Place breadstick pieces, butter side down, on top of the casserole. Once it's all covered, brush with some melted butter and then sprinkle remaining garlic bread seasoning over the top. Finally dust the top with some Parmesan cheese.
Bake loosely covered in a 375 degree F oven for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the breadstick topping is a nice golden brown. Serve hot with a nice green salad.





I shared this over at Chef In Training and High Heels and Grills.

Mini Cinnamon Monkey Breads

So yummy! These were such a good dessert tonight. I rarely make dessert and I'm so glad I did tonight, we loved these! Is there anything better than the smell of cinnamon and sugar baking?! I saw these today over at Life As A Lofthouse and knew we had to have them immediately. Nate's favorite treat is anything with cinnamon and sugar. We'll definitely be making these again and again! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
12 Rhodes Dinner rolls, thawed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon (I highly recommend McCormick's Saigon cinnamon)
Vanilla Icing- (we didn't ice ours)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2-3 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, melt butter. In a seperate bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Cut each thawed roll into 6 equal pieces. Dip each piece of roll into the butter and then into the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place all 6 coated pieces into a well greased cup of a 12-cup muffin tin. Repeat with all remaining rolls. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove rolls from oven and let cool for 20 minutes before removing rolls from tin. If you don't let them cool slightly they will fall apart. Nate and I agreed, they are so good warm we don't care if they fall apart! While rolls are slightly cooling, make vanilla icing. Stir all of the icing ingredients together in a medium bowl, using more or less milk to reach desired thickness. Spoon over rolls and enjoy.

Mashed Potato Topped Pork Chops

It's another installment of Comfort Food Wednesdays at our house. I had some red potatoes that needed to be used and some pork chops in the freezer and so this was an easy choice for dinner. It definitely fits the comfort food bill too. I adapted the idea from The Sisters Cafe and it's something we will make again. Very good!

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops (ours were not too big, and were about 1/2 inch thick)
8 red potatoes, diced into cubes
6 Tbsp. butter
3-4 Tbsp. milk
seasoning salt
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
steak seasoning

Preparation:
Boil red potatoes until soft. Drain water and mash with 4 Tbsp. butter, milk, and salt to taste. While the potatoes are boiling, sauté the onions, and Worcestershire sauce, in 1-2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat until onions are transparent, 5-8 minutes, add minced garlic during the last minute or two of cooking. Fold sautéed mixture into mashed potatoes and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 F. Season both sides of the pork chops with steak seasoning. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear pork chops on both sides. Place pork chops into a glass baking dish lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Spoon mashed potatoes over each pork chop (I had leftover potatoes). Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until pork chops are cooked through. Time will depend on thickness of the chops. Once cooked through, uncover and broil for just a minute or two to get a nice golden brown crust on the potatoes. Serve hot. I also made some gravy to serve with this dish. Makes 4 servings.

Nate's Spicy Roasted Red Potatoes

My husband loves spicy food. He seriously adds sriracha hot sauce to everything! We were making these garlic and butter roasted red potatoes the other night and he decided to make half of the potatoes spicy. He loved them and informed me they were nice and hot, so I didn't dare try them. :) Here's what he came up with.

3 good sized red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1/8 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 - 2 tsp. chili powder
1 - 2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 - 2 tsp. Cajun seasoning

Preparation:
Mix the diced potatoes, melted butter, and seasonings. Spread evenly into a glass baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 - 45 minutes or until soft. Serve hot.



I shared this over at High Heels and Grills.

Short Ribs in Tomato Sauce

I have had this recipe saved to try for nearly two years! I finally got around to making it. This is only the second time I've cooked short ribs and they were so good. This is definitely an indulgent meal, not one to make on a regular basis, but I definitely will be making it again. I saw the idea over at The Pioneer Woman. She always has winner recipes. I changed up just a couple things and both Nate and I really enjoyed this meal.

Ingredients:
6 beef short ribs (my store didn't have any out so I asked the butcher for some, he gave me some of the biggest short ribs I've ever seen! we would have had more than enough with 4 ribs)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 (28 oz.) can whole or diced tomatoes
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
salt and pepper
hot cooked pasta
Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
In a large dutch oven pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season short ribs with salt and pepper on both sides. Once the oil is hot, sear the short ribs on all sides. You want them to get a nice crust. Remove and set aside. Carefully pour out excess oil. Turn heat down medium and add diced onion. Cook for a minute or two and then add the minced garlic. Cook for another minute or so stirring often. Add beef broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those nice brown bits at the bottom of the pot. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, garlic bread seasoning, and any additional salt you like. Stir well to combine. Place the short ribs back in the pot, making sure to submerge them as much as possible. Cover and place dutch oven pot in the oven. Cook at 275 degrees F for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Your short ribs should be nice and tender and falling off the bone. I checked my sauce halfway through cooking to taste and adjust any seasoning. Serve short ribs and sauce over some hot cooked pasta topped with some Parmesan cheese.

*There will be a bit of a fat layer after cooking, be sure to spoon it off before serving, or The Pioneer Woman gives these optional instructions once ribs are done cooking. "Remove ribs from pot. Allow to cool, then wrap tightly and refrigerate. Allow pot of sauce to cool a bit, then place pot into the fridge for several hours or overnight. Remove hardened fat/grease from the top. Discard fat. Return ribs to pot, then return pot either to stove top or oven and warm it up."

Cowboy Style Salisbury Steaks

Salisbury steak holds such a tender spot in my heart. This creamy salisbury steak was the first "new" recipe I tried on my quest to become a better cook. It was such an instant hit with Nate and I, and it sparked my desire to learn about recipes and cooking and improve my skills. Since we love salisbury steak so much, I knew I had to try this recipe when I saw it over at One Lovely Life. Now, you'll have to picture this dish smothered in sauteed onions. I cut into my onion and it was not up to par so I had to omit it. This dish is a nice rich and hearty meal, great for cold winter nights. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1/2 packet Lipton's beef onion soup mix
1 egg
1/4 cup crushed saltines or breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. McCormick's hamburger seasoning (optional, anytime I make ground beef I add some of this)
1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups beef broth (I used low-sodium)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

Preparation:
To make the steaks, combine ground beef, soup mix, hamburger seasoning, a bit of salt and pepper, garlic powder, egg, saltines, and 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce in a medium sized mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix, but don't over-mix or it will become tough. Divide and shape the meat into 4 equal sized patties. In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tbsp. butter. Once hot sear the patties on both sides. Once browned, place the patties in a lightly greased 9x13" glass baking dish. Reduce the heat on the stove to medium and add the sliced onions and a bit of salt and pepper. Sautee for 3-4 minutes or so, until onion starts to soften. Spoon cooked onions over the salisbury steaks. Return pan to stove, keeping the heat on medium. Add remaining Tbsp. of butter and melt. Once melted, add minced garlic and sautee for a 30-60 seconds, stirring often so as not to burn the garlic. Add flour and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Add beef broth and remaining 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce to pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often until sauce reaches your desired consistency. Pour gravy mixture over beef patties and onions. Cover baking dish with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes, flipping patties halfway through. Serve hot with mashed potatoes.

Again, picture the onions on top :)

Lite General Tso's Chicken

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday :). Nate and I stayed in tonight and cooked dinner together and have a great date planned for tomorrow evening. I always have so much fun cooking with Nate. Chinese is one of our favorite cuisines and this dish turned out to be really quite light. We really enjoyed this dish, it's quick and easy to make and tastes great. This dish is adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe that I saw here. We made this chicken with basmati rice and garlic soy broccoli. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup chicken broth (I used reduced-sodium)
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried onion flakes
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Preparation:
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together chicken broth, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic powder, and onion flakes. Set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium high heat. Once hot, add chicken and cook until browned all over, about 4-5 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken and simmer until chicken is finished cooking and sauce has thickened, another 3 or so minutes. Serve chicken over cooked white rice with your favorite Asian side dish.

This is Nate's plate. He loves topping almost any dish with sriracha hot sauce.

Cajun Pork Chops

This was such a nice change up for a weeknight pork chop dinner. It doesn't take long to prepare and tastes great. Nate was a huge fan, he even ate the vegetables, which is always a sign of a winner recipe. I saw the idea over at Betty Crocker and just made it my own. Nate is really excited to have leftovers for his lunch tomorrow.

Preparation:
4 boneless pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
1 small onion, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained (if you really like spicy things you could use a can of Rotel)
2 Tbsp. butter
Cajun seasoning
salt

Preparation:
Season both sides of pork chops with a bit of salt and some Cajun seasoning. My Cajun seasoning was salt-free, hence I added salt, if your seasoning has salt in it, you shouldn't need extra salt. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Once hot add the onion and bell peppers to the pan. Sprinkle a little bit of salt and Cajun seasoning over the veggies. Let saute for about 2 minutes. Push veggies to side of pan an then turn up heat to medium-high and add the pork chops. Brown the pork chops for 2-3 minutes, flipping half way through. Pour in diced tomatoes, stir to mix all the ingredients and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until pork is cooked through. Serve warm over some rice (I'd recommend Zatarain's yellow rice). Enjoy!

Parmesan Ranch Chicken

Nate gobbled this chicken right up! We both really enjoyed this chicken. It was nice and moist, with a great flavor and crust. It was great weeknight entree with these fancy dinner rolls and a green salad.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup crushed cornflakes
1 1/2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. ranch dressing mix
3 Tbsp. melted butter
salt and pepper

Preparation:
Mix together crush cornflakes, Parmesan cheese, and ranch dressing mix. Dip each chicken breast into melted butter. Then season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Finally dip into cornflake mixture, making sure it's evenly coated. Place chicken onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 32-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Let rest for a few minutes before eating. Enjoy!

I shared this over at Chef-In-Training, and Mandy's Recipe Box.

Fancy Dinner Rolls

First of all, congrats to Sarah and Mike on their newest addition! Now onto carbs, mmm... carbs. So good, yet so bad for my diabetes. I rarely make bread or rolls with our dinner. Tonight was a rarity. These rolls are so delicious, and so light and fluffy, and such a cinch to make! I saw the idea over at That's Some Good Cookin' and we will definitely be making these again. You start with a simple Rhode's roll and jazz it up a bit, and I'd say these are definitely nice enough for company. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
frozen rolls (I used Rhode's brand)
melted butter
salad seasoning (I used McCormick's Salad Supreme)

Preparation:
Thaw the rolls. After they've thawed, shape the rolls into knots. Roll each roll into a rope that's 8-10" long. Cross the ends and tuck one end up and through the loop and the other underneath. There are step-by-step photos and instructions here. Place the rolls on a baking sheet that's been sprayed with non-stick spray. Also lightly spray the tops of the rolls to prevent the plastic wrap from sticking. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and then stick the baking sheet in a warm place and allow the rolls to rise until they double in size. Once risen, brush the rolls with a little bit of melted butter and then sprinkle some salad seasoning over the tops. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until a light golden brown.

Beef Lo Mein

Mmm...Asian food definitely fits the bill for Comfort Food Wednesdays at our house. This is a simple weeknight dish that comes in under 400 calories a serving. It is definitely tasty and filling. This makes 4 main course servings.

Ingredients:
0.75 lbs. steak, cut into thin strips
1 large carrot, sliced into thin rounds
2 heads broccoli, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 green pepper, julienned
1/2 small yellow onion, julienned
2 packages ramen noodles
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce

Preparation:
Dissolve the cornstarch in the water, whisk well. Add the sugar, ginger, chili powder, garlic powder, pepper, and soy sauce. Whisk well to combine everything and set aside. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once melted add broccoli, stir to coat the broccoli, then add a small bit of water to the pan, cover and let the broccoli steam for a few minutes. Then add the rest of the vegetables, add another small bit of water and cover and let steam for a few minutes. When vegetables are just shy of being done, remove from pan and set aside. Turn pan up to high and melt 1 Tbsp. butter and then quickly sear the steak strips. Once seared, remove from pan and set aside. Add sauce mixture to pan, bring to boil and then reduce heat and simmer until sauce reduces. I take out some of the sauce and set it aside for Nate. He likes more sauce than I do. While sauce is reducing, par-boil the ramen noodles without the sauce packets. You want to take them out while they still have some crunch to them. Add veggies to the sauce in the pan, mixing well to make sure everything is nicely coated. Cook for just a minute and then add steak strips. Cook for another minute and then add the par-boiled noodles. Make sure everything gets mixed well and the steak and noodles finish cooking. Then dish up and serve hot!

I shared this recipe over at High Heels and Grills.

Broccoli Wild Rice Soup

Cute Denise just emailed me this recipe. She said the soup is delicious. It sounds perfect on a cold wintry day like today. The recipe is from Taste of Home. So make this soup and try and stay warm!

Ingredients:
1 package (6 oz.) chicken and wild rice mix
5 cups water
3 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 medium carrot, shredded
2 tsp. dried minced onion
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup slivered almonds, optional

Preparation:
In a large saucepan, combine the rice, contents of seasoning packet and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once. Stir in the broccoli, carrot and onion. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in soup and cream cheese. Cook and stir until cheese is melted. Stir in almonds if desired. Yield: 8 servings (about 2 quarts).

This picture is from Taste of Home.

Ham 'n Egg Biscuit Bake

Breakfast for dinner is always comfort food in our house. I thought it was especially fitting last night since we got nearly a foot of snow yesterday! This was nice and hot and comforting. It was really nice for me because Nate cooked! I am 95% sure I broke my pinky toe yesterday, it is seriously so painful and all purple and gross looking. So being the nice husband he is, Nate stepped up and cooked (you know how I like to stick to the menu plan), love that man!! I saw this idea over at Pillsbury and we tweaked it a bit and really enjoyed it.

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
6 oz. Canadian bacon or ham
4 refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (we used Pillsbury)
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. dried chives
1/4 tsp. dehydrated onion flakes
shredded cheese, optional (we didn't use any)

Preparation:
Cut each biscuit into 8 pieces. Lightly spray the bottom of a glass 8x8" baking dish with non-stick spray. Place biscuit pieces into bottom of baking dish. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and seasonings. Slice Canadian bacon into bite sized pieces and stir into eggs (if you want cheese, add it now). Pour egg mixture over the top of the biscuits. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until biscuit pieces are golden brown and cooked through and eggs are set. Serve warm with a side of fresh fruit. Enjoy!

Asian Chicken Skewers

I am such a fan of Asian food. I could seriously have it a few times a week and not get tired of it. Nate and I always have chicken on hand and so I'm always open to new chicken recipes. I wanted something Asian with a little zip so this is what I came up with. Nate ate his chicken with a little sriracha hot sauce (like usual) and if you like kick, you could certainly add some of that to the marinade. I served our chicken skewers with some simple basmati rice and garlic soy broccoli.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1-2 Tbsp. Italian dressing
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. Lawry's seasoned pepper
metal or wooden skewers

Preparation:
Mix together marinade ingredients and whisk well. Slice chicken into long thin strips. Add chicken to marinade and marinate in the fridge for 3-4 hours. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes prior to use. Thread chicken onto skewers and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. Serve immediately with your favorite Asian side dishes. Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetable Bean Dip

Of course you know we love Mexican food at our house. I am always on the lookout for fun new Mexican recipes. Nate's a huge fan of bean dip and this recipe comes just in time for your Superbowl parties. I saw the idea over at Beth's Favorite Recipes. This is definitely a step up from your everyday refried beans. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 yellow onion
2 jalapenos
1 bulb garlic
olive oil
kosher salt
2 (16 oz.) cans refried beans
2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 - 1/2 cup water (depending on how thick/thin you like your beans)

Preparation:
First you'll need to roast your vegetable. Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Peel and cut your onion into thick wedges. Slice off the top of your garlic so that you expose the cloves, but don't peel. Place the onion, garlic, and jalapenos on the baking sheet and drizzle a little olive oil over them and then sprinkle with some salt. I rolled the veggies around in the olive oil to make sure they were evenly coated. Place a slice of onion over the top of the exposed garlic so that it's covered. Broil your veggies about 4-5" from the top of your oven. You want the veggies to get a nice char to them. I rotated them halfway through. Mine took about 8-10 minutes to roast.
Once roasted, remove veggies from baking sheet and allow to cool.
Once vegetables are cool, remove skin from the jalapeno along with the seeds and ribs. Pull out 2-3 big cloves of garlic from the bulb. Add the veggies, water, seasoning, and refried beans to food processor and blend until your desired consistency. I did it in two batches so not to over-fill my food processor. Heat bean dip on the stove over medium heat and then serve hot with your favorite chips or Mexican dish.

Orange Lime Lemonade

I needed something fun and tropical while we are in the state of permafrost! When was the last time it was above freezing here? I made this drink with dinner tonight and it was nice and citrus-y and reminded me of summer. I saw the idea over at Recipe Shoebox and it was a fun treat.

Ingredients:
3 limes
3 lemons
3 oranges
3 - 4 cups water
1 - 1 1/2 cups sugar

Preparation:
Juice all the fruit. Add sugar and water and stir well to dissolve sugar. I like my lemonade nice and tart, Nate prefers a bit more sugar so just add however much you like. Enjoy!

Crunchy Onion Mashed Potato Bake

Nate decided today that he wants to have Comfort Food Wednesdays from now on. I aim to please so here we go! In honor of our inaugural CFW I made this mashed potato dish. Nate loves those French's fried onions so I figured he'd really enjoy this. I had all the other ingredients on hand so it was a super easy dish to prepare. Nate totally loved these potatoes and is so glad to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I saw the idea at Betty Crocker and just tweaked a couple things. I also think this would be good with green beans added instead of corn, kinda like a meatless shepherd's pie. Or if veggies aren't really your thing, leave them out all together. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
4-5ish cups leftover mashed potatoes (I simply made 2 packages of Idahoan's butter and herb instant potatoes)
2/3 cup frozen corn
French's french fried onions
shredded cheese
paprika

Preparation:
Prepare mashed potatoes if using instant, or reheat leftover potatoes. Once hot, mix in frozen corn. Spread potatoes/corn into an 8x8" glass baking dish that's been sprayed with a light layer of non-stick spray. Top with a sprinkle of paprika, then add shredded cheese, and finally the french fried onions. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F for 10 or so minutes or until the cheese is nice and melted and everything is piping hot. Serve hot.

-I baked it at 400 F because I had chicken baking at that temperature. You can really cook these at any temp, just adjust the bake time. The potatoes are already going in warm and you just want to get the cheese melted and everything nice and hot. So if you've got meat in the oven, just go with that temp and make it easy on yourself!

Pizza Fondue

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday season and that you all rang in the new year in style! Nate and I had a great time last night with lots of fun, friends, and laughs. We are so blessed to have such amazing people in our lives. This pizza fondue is one of the things I made to eat last night. I also made Nate's favorite holiday treat, dipped cinnamon sugar pretzels. Everyone seemed to really enjoy both. I got this fondue recipe from the Crock Pot Recipe Collection Cookbook. As usual, I tweaked just a couple things to suit our tastes. Nate gave it to me for Christmas and it is chock full of recipes I can't wait to try. This is a fun alternative to pizza night.

Ingredients:
2 jars (about 25 oz. each) of marinara or meatless pasta sauce
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1/2 lb. Italian sausage (mild or hot, your preference)
3 oz. sliced pepperoni, finely chopped (we love Hormel's turkey pepperoni)
3 oz. Canadian bacon, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
dipping items, I made some cheesy breadsticks to dip but the recipe book mentioned using some French bread cubes or mozzarella cheese cubes

Preparation:
Cook and crumble the Italian sausage and add 1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning. Halfway through cooking add the diced green pepper and onion. Once cooked, drain the excess fat. Add the sauce to the crock pot and then stir in the sausage and veggies, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, 1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning, and red pepper flakes. They recommend using a 4 1/2 qt. crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours stirring occasionally. Serve hot with warm breadsticks or your choice of dipping item. Enjoy!