Honey Mustard Chicken & Rice Pilaf

The complete title of this dish is "Honey Mustard Chicken & Rice Pilaf with Kale & Red Peppers." That seemed a little long. I've never used kale before, but I'm assuming it tastes similar to spinach. It looks a lot like spinach and I didn't have kale available, so I used spinach. Spinach was good. This meal was easy and yummy. It was so good that my sister (who is the world's pickiest eater) loved it!

Ingredients:
2 c brown rice
olive oil cookng spray
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1/4 c diced white onion
1 large bunch kale, stems removed and finely minced
1/2 diced red bell pepper
2 tbsp honey
1/4 c dijon mustard
1/8 c apple cider vinegar
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Cook rice according to package.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Reduce heat to med-high, mist pan with spray, and saute chicken for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Mist same pan with cooking spray. Add onion, kale and red pepper and saute for about 3 minutes. Add rice to veggies and saute until warm. Remove all from pan and keep warm.

In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, mustard, vinegar, oil, garlic, and 2 tbsp water. Season with salt and pepper. Reheat pan over med-high heat, add chicken and sauce to pan and saute for about 3 minutes.

Divide rice among four plates, top with chicken and sprinkle with parsley. Serve!

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Yes, I know we have a lot of chicken and broccoli casserole recipes on this blog. I can't help but share this one, though! It has a great, light flavor. It doesn't have any condensed soup in it (I've been minimizing my use of condensed soup lately). And it's just a bit different than any that I've tried before now. I very much enjoyed it. James even liked it (he loves pasta and broccoli :) )!

I found this recipe at Lillian's Food. It's the same blog where I found the recipe for Spaghetti alla Carbonara. The flavors of her recipes are sophisticated and light. I like them a lot.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

adapted from Lillian's Food

Ingredients:

1 lb. uncooked pasta (I used bowtie, but penne or rotini would work well, too)

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

2 broccoli heads, cut into small florets*

vegetable oil

1/2 red onion, diced (other types of onions work, too)

3 T. butter

3 T. flour

3 c. milk

pinch of nutmeg

1/4 c. panko (or other bread crumbs)

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 T. minced fresh flat leaf parsley

*Lillian said that this casserole can be made with almost any vegetable. She listed asparagus and zucchini as good options.

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to directions on package.

Steam broccoli for a couple minutes (longer if you like your broccoli very tender). This casserole doesn't cook in the oven for very long, so you want your broccoli to be almost the way you like it before putting it with everything else.

Heat a little bit of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned on all sides and fully cooked in the middle. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and saute for a few minutes. Add flour, stirring constantly, and cook for a minute or two. Slowly add milk, whisking continuously. Whisk frequently until sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Once pasta is finished cooking, drain and return to pot. Add chicken, broccoli, and white sauce to the pot and combine. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Turn oven on to broil.

In a small bowl or ziploc bag (I prefer ziploc bags since it's so easy to shake up all the ingredients), combine panko, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture. Place casserole under the broiler until bread crumbs are golden brown and casserole is bubbling around the edges. Check frequently so that it doesn't burn (it goes fast). Mine took about 5 minutes.

Like I said, I really enjoyed this casserole because it's slightly different from others out there. Be sure to season it with enough salt and pepper so that it isn't too bland. Here's a link to the original recipe: Chicken and Broccoli Casserole.

Chicken Milanese

I got this recipe from my friend, Claudia. I've tried several different breaded chicken recipes, but she said this one was really good, so I thought I would give it a try. I'm so glad I did! The mixture of the spices with the Parmesan cheese makes the breading just packed with flavor. And the breading seals in the juices of the chicken, so it's nice and tender. Paul and I both loved it. It will be making repeat appearances at our dinner table in the future for sure!

Chicken Milanese

Ingredients:

1/3 c. flour

2 eggs

1 1/4 c. plain bread crumbs (I used panko, but any style will work)

2/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 t. dried basil

1 t. dried thyme

4 (6 to 8 oz) chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1/3 c. vegetable oil

Directions:

Prepare your assembly line by getting out three wide and shallow bowls (I use metal pie pans, and they work great). Place flour in the first one. Place eggs in the second one and beat them slightly with a fork. In a small bowl or ziploc bag (I like to use a bag because I can just shake it up to mix it), combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, and thyme. Pour mixture into your third pan.

Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to about 1/2 inch thick. I actually just sliced my fat chicken breasts in half to make them thinner instead of pounding them, but you'll get more for your money if you pound them. :)

Pat chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour first, then eggs, and then coat in breading mixture, pressing lightly to adhere as much of the topping to the chicken as possible.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once oil is hot, place breaded chicken pieces in the skillet and cook until chicken is done, about 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil. If you can't fit all your chicken in the pan at once, cook it in batches and keep finished pieces warm in the oven (heated to 150 degrees) on a baking sheet.

Serve with rice or pasta. You can top it with any kind of sauce if you like, but it really stands on it's own legs very well.

I highly recommend this chicken! It is SO flavorful and pretty easy. I also like that I usually have all the ingredients on hand. :)

Chicken Spaghetti

This recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman's cookbook. When I first looked through the cookbook, I knew I had to try this recipe because the pictures of it just made my mouth water for some reason. Then, I read through the ingredients, saw that it asked for a cut up fryer chicken, and got scared away for a couple months. I just kept coming back to it for some reason, though, so I finally bit the bullet one day and did it. And boy am I glad I did! It was so yummy!

Working with the fryer chicken was a little yucky (so much of it isn't edible!!), but I figured I'd give it a try. The result is very tasty since it's not just white meat.

Chicken Spaghetti

from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ingredients:

1 cut up fryer chicken

1 lb. spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces

1 jar (4 oz) diced pimientos, drained

1 small onion

1/4 c. finely diced green bell pepper

2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup

2 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

1 t. seasoned salt (Lawry's)

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place fryer chicken into a stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for about 25 minutes. Remove chicken from the pot with tongs or a slotted spoon, keeping the water in the pot. Set chicken aside to cool.

Remove 2 cups of the water (now broth) and set aside. Bring the rest of the water back to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain spaghetti and discard remaining water.

Remove chicken from the bones and shred or cut into bite sized pieces. I found this easiest to do with my fingers.

Drain the pimientos, finely dice the onion and the bell pepper. Place the spaghetti, cream of mushroom soup, and 2 cups of the cheese in a large bowl. Add the pimientos, onion, and bell pepper. Then, add the seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Last, add the chicken and the reserved broth. Stir together well and adjust spices if needed.

Pour into a large baking pan (it completely filled a 9x13 dish), and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 c. cheese. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until bubbly.

This really is a flavorful casserole. It's quite different from any others I have tried. I think next time I will experiment and use chicken breasts and then chicken broth instead of reserved water. It may not be as yummy, but it will be less hassle and probably cheaper (I was surprised at how much a cut up fryer chicken cost!). I'll let you know. :)

Chicken a la King Wrap

This is tasty! I probably wouldn't put the mushrooms in again (Eli would), but it is YUMMY!

Ingredients:

• cooking spray (I prefer olive oil)
• 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cubed
• 1/4 c white onion, diced
• 1 c white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c fresh carrots, diced
• 1/2 c frozen peas, thawed
• 2 tbsp whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 c low-sodium chicken stock
• 3/4 c skim milk
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 4 whole-wheat tortillas (medium)

Directions:
Heat nonstick skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Reduce heat to med-high, mist pan with cooking spray and saute chicken for about 5 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink. Remove from pan.

Mist same pan again with cooking spray. Add onion, mushrooms, and carrots and saute until cook through, about 5 minutes. Add peas and saute until cooked, about 3 minutes.

Add chicken back to panand stir in flour. Add stock and milk, 1/4 c at a time. Stir constantly until sauce is thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour chicken-veggie mix into tortilla and roll it up. Enjoy!

Clean Eating Magazine March/April 2010

Black Bean, Avocado & Chicken Wrap

I planned this on a menu I forgot to post. This was tasty (although the avocados weren't quite ripe). One was enough for me, but Eli did have two. He loved 'em. And although the recipe didn't call for it, we seasoned the chicken with a little bit of salt-free Cajun seasoning. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/4 avocado, smashed with a fork (I used 1/2)

1/4 c. salsa

2 oz. roasted or baked chicken breast, chopped

1/4 c. low sodium canned black beans, rinsed and smashed slightly

2 6-inch whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

Mix salsa with avocados.

Spread avocado-salsa mix on tortillas. Layer with beans, then chicken.

Roll it up and eat it!

This recipe is from Clean Eating Magazine May/June 2009.

Creamy White Chili

I really enjoyed this chili! I keep accidentally calling it soup, though, because it's on the thin side for a chili. It was very flavorful, just spicy enough, and nice and filling.

Creamy White Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

1 medium onion, diced

1 1/2 t. garlic powder (it seemed like a lot to me, but I went with it, and it was delicious!)

1 T. oil

2 cans (about 15 oz each) Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (or about 1 3/4 c.) chicken broth

2 cans (4 oz. each) chopped green chilies

1 t. salt

1 t. cumin

1 t. oregano

1/2 t. pepper

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. cream

Directions:

In a large saucepan saute chicken, onions, and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and cream. Serve immediately.

Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired. Also, it tastes really good served with tortilla chips. We only had a tiny bit of chips in the bottom of a bag, and we were going for every last little crumb. ;)

Once again, it's a big hit from My Kitchen Cafe. Her site is really full of great ideas! Here's a link to the original recipe: Creamy White Chili.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

I thought these wraps were very tasty! The recipe made six wraps, so I had the leftovers for dinner while Paul was out of town. I heated them up in the oven so that they'd be crispy instead of soggy. I'll definitely make these again (though not as often as I'd like because for some reason Paul gets headaches from flour tortillas :( ). James even liked them...well, he opened them up and picked out the insides, but still!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Ingredients:

1 c. rice, cooked (I actually made 1 1/2 cups because we like rice ;) )

1 c. cooked, shredded chicken (just boil the chicken until it's done and then shred it with two forks)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 green onion, chopped (use whole onion, I actually used two)

1/2 red or green bell pepper, diced

1/4 c. fresh cilantro, finely chopped

juice of 1 lime

1/2 T. chili powder

1 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. garlic salt

2 c. shredded cheese (I probably used way more than this...oops)

sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together rice, chili powder, cumin, and garlic salt. Add chicken, beans, onion, bell pepper, cilantro and lime juice.

Preheat skillet or griddle (I actually used my griddle and it was perfect!) to medium heat. Assemble wraps by sprinkling cheese on a tortilla leaving a one-inch margin (it's important to spread the cheese out because as it melts, the cheese holds it all together). Place a generous amount of rice/chicken mixture in the middle. If desired (you'd be crazy not to ;) ), dot the mixture with sour cream. Tuck in edges and roll up tortilla.

Spray the outside of the tortilla with cooking spray, and place seam-side down on heated skillet or griddle. Cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side.

A couple notes: If you are pretty sure you're going to have leftovers, don't add sour cream to the extra ones. The sour cream kinda dries out and doesn't do very well for reheating. Then, after you reheat them, you can put sour cream on top. Also, it may be nice to have some salsa to dip them in or spread on top. They verge on a tad dry otherwise.

This is yet another great recipe from My Kitchen Cafe! Here's a link to the original recipe: Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps.

Smoky Chipotle-Chicken Corn Chowder with Salsa Salad

I enjoyed this Rachel Ray recipe a lot more than the last one I tried. It was flavorful and yummy. Be forewarned, though, the soup is on the spicy side! Those chipotle chilies in adobo sauce are mighty spicy!

The food didn't photograph very well (with my limited skills and basic camera anyway), but it was definitely tasty. My favorite was the soup, but to my surprise, James really loved the salad! Well, he ate a bunch of avocado from it anyway. ;)

Here are the two recipes:

Smoky Chipotle-Chicken Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 chipotle chili in adobo, chopped (these come in a can in the Mexican food section of the store)

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

1 t. ground coriander

1/2 t. cumin (wow, I totally left this out last night...I was having a very clumsy pregnant-brain night)

salt and pepper

tortilla chips (enough for 1 c. finely crushed crumbs and some more for serving)

1 quart chicken broth (or stock)

3 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

20 oz. frozen corn

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

Preheat a large soup pot over medium-high heat with olive oil. Add the onions, celery, garlic, chipotle chili, celery, coriander, cumin, and a little salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions start to become tender.

Meanwhile, crush enough tortilla chips to make 1 c. crumbs. You can do this either in a food processor or by hand in a ziploc bag. Add the chips and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Add chicken and corn and continue to cook until chicken is done (about 5 minutes). At this point, simmer on medium-low heat until you are ready to serve. If the soup is too thick add more broth, and if it's too thin, keep simmering until it reduces to your liking. Stir in parsley before serving. Serve with Salsa salad and tortilla chips.

Salsa Salad

Ingredients:

juice of 2 limes

1 T. dijon mustard

3 T. olive oil

2 ripe avocados

1 pint grape tomatoes

2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped

1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine lime juice and mustard with a wire whisk. Gently whisk in the olive oil. Set dressing aside. Slice the avocados and cut the grape tomatoes in half. Place them in a large bowl. Add the lettuce, cilantro, and red onions. Toss salad with dressing and serve.

I think I may top the soup with a dollop of sour cream in the future to offset the spiciness. It was a little too much for me otherwise. Like I said, though, the soup was very tasty. Also, the salad dressing is rather strong, so you may want to taste it before pouring it all on the salad. I probably would have used a little less of it if I had tasted it first.

Enjoy!

Lemon Chicken Linguine

This dinner was so yummy! I've really enjoyed the recipes I've tried from My Kitchen Cafe. I think I'll keep trying them out.

This was very flavorful, definitely lemon-y, and the chicken was nice and juicy.

It was a tad on the oily side for me, so I may decrease the amount of olive oil next time. Also, she mentioned that Cajun seasoning can be very spicy and said that you could put in less if you didn't want it to be too spicy. Being pregnant, I thought that would be a good idea; however, it ended up being not spicy at all. Next time I'm definitely going to try it with the whole tablespoon! :)

Lemon Chicken Linguine

Ingredients:

Marinade:

1/2 c. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed with the back of a knife

1 T. Cajun seasoning (you can reduce this to 1 1/2 t. if you're worried about it being too spicy)

juice of one lemon

2 T. fresh parsley, minced

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. soy sauce

2 chicken breasts, sliced*

1 lb. linguine (we used Whole Grain)

2 T. olive oil

zest from one lemon

juice from one lemon

3 green onions, diced (whole thing, green and white)

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper

*I used three because ours were very small, and even then Paul said it could have used more chicken.

Directions:

Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together lightly. Slice chicken (I chose to slice mine very thin so that the pieces wouldn't be too big). Pour chicken and marinade into a ziploc bag and refrigerate for 3-12 hours. (I ended up marinating it for about 7 and a half, and it was nice and flavored.

Boil water and prepare linguine as directed on package. Meanwhile, combine remaining olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, onions, and parsley in a small bowl. Set aside. When pasta is finished cooking, drain it and return it to the warm pot. Add juice/oil mixture and toss to coat.

Pour chicken and marinade into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute until chicken is done. For me, this only took about 7-8 minutes because I had sliced the chicken so thin. Pour hot chicken and sauce over the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper as needed, toss and serve.

Miscellaneous notes:

I need a zester. Seriously. My cheap-o grater just didn't do the job!

Next time, when I reduce the oil, I'll probably use only 1/4 c. in the marinade and 1 T. at the end.

The pasta was VERY lemony. It was delicious, but very strong. I think increasing the amount of Cajun seasoning next time will help to balance it out.

I really like Parmesan cheese, and when I tossed it with the hot pasta it got a bit lost. I recommend topping each bowl with a little additional Parmesan cheese.

Paul and I both agreed that this is a recipe I will make again and again! :)

Here's a link to the original recipe on My Kitchen Cafe: Beach Street Lemon Chicken Linguine.

I labeled this as 20 minutes because that's how long the actual cooking lasted. I obviously am not including marinating time.

Secret Sesame Chicken

I don't know why it's called Secret Sesame Chicken Maybe because it taste so good or that it is spicy!? I guess you'll have to try it out and taste for yourself.

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law, Jan. Where she found it I don't know, but it is yummy.

I would cook rice with this recipe.

Orange Puree- makes about 2 cups

1 med. sweet potato or yam, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 med. to large carrots peeled and sliced into thick chunks.

2 to 3 TBL water

Boil for 20 mins until soft

Blend in food processor with two TBL of wter

Sweet and Sour sauce - makes about 1 cup of sauce

3 TBL low-sodium soy sauce

3 TBL brown sugar

1/2 cup orange puree

1/4 cup pomegranate juice or apple juice

4 tsp cider vinegar

1/2 to 3/4 cayenne pepper - I thought it was really spicy so I would use less if you don't like food burning in your mouth

2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 cup pineapple chunks

Secret Sesame Chicken

1 1/2 cup sweet and sour sauce

1/2 cup sesame seeds - these seeds are really expensive and I didn't buy them, but as I was cooking it I remembered to look on my spice rack and I had some, but honestly if you don't have any it's okay without it.

1/8 tsp salt and pepper

1 lb boneless chicken into strips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 x9 inch glass baking dish with oil. Spread half the sweet and sour sauce on bottom. Pour sesame seeds on a plate, along with salt and pepper. Press chicken pieces on the plate of seeds. Cover remaining sauce. Bake 25-30 min.

Key Lime- Grilled Chicken

I really enjoyed this recipe. It's was full of flavor and we just had it on top of rice. Hope you enjoy it like we did.

Key lime Sauce:

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

1/4 cup key lime juice

1/4 cup chili sauce

2 tsp all-purpose poultry seasoning mix

Ingredients:

4 lbs chicken pieces (breasts or thighs)

1 Tbl all purpose-poultry seasoning mix

Set up grill for direct cooking over med. heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking.

To prepare Key lime sauce, melt butter in a small sacuepan over med. heat. Stir in lime juice, chili sacue and 2 tsp poultry seasoning mix. Cook for 1 min. Remove from the heat; set aside.

Season chicken with 1 Tbl poultry seasoning mix. Place chicken on the hot, oiled grill and cook for 18-22 min perside, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear, basting with Key lime Sauce every few min until the last 2 min of cooking. Discard any remaining sauce.

Makes 4 servings

Tip: To cook indoors, preheat broiler. Prepare chicken and Key lime sacue as directed. Place chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet or broiler pan. Broil chicken 6-8 inches form the heat source for about 15-20 min per side, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear, basting with Key lime Sauce every few min until the last 2 min of cooking. Discard any remaining sauce.

I used the George Foreman Grill.

Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad

I really, really enjoyed this recipe. I got it at an enrichment activity cooking class. I'm not sure if I've ever had the salad it was named after at Applebee's, but if it's anything like this salad, I'm sure I'd love it! The dressing is my favorite part. :) If you're not a Dijon mustard person, don't worry, I couldn't taste the mustard in the dressing.

Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

Dressing

6 T. honey

3 T. rice wine vinegar

1/2 c. mayonnaise

2 t. Dijon mustard

1/2 t. sesame oil

Salad

1-2 frozen, breaded chicken tenderloin(s) per person (or more, if you are Paul ;) )

2 c. green cabbage, sliced thin

2 c. red cabbage, sliced thin

6 c. romaine lettuce, chopped (I just bought a bag of it, pre-chopped.)

1 carrot, shredded

2 green onions, chopped (including the green part)

1/4 c. toasted sliced almonds (I left this out because I don't care for nuts in salads.)

2/3 c. chow mein noodles

Directions:

Cook the chicken according to the directions on the package (you can also cook your own if you're feeling ambitious, or use grilled chicken to make it more healthy). Mix all the dressing ingredients together. I recommend using an airtight container and shaking it to thoroughly mix the ingredients. Toss the ingredients for the salad. You can either toss the salad with the dressing, or pour the dressing on top of each serving.* Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and put it on top of each salad.

*I knew that Paul and I could never finish this much salad in one sitting, so I didn't toss the whole salad with the dressing. Instead, I saved the dressing and salad in different containers and was able to enjoy the leftovers for lunch over the next couple days! :) I don't think it would save very well with the dressing already on it (it would become soggy).

Chicken Tikka Masala

Wow, it has been way too long since I posted a recipe! I'm going to try and do a bit of catch-up over the next week. Maybe we can revive this blog!

A couple months ago I decided to be brave and try making something I've never made before: Chicken Tikka Masala. I had eaten it at an Indian restaurant once before, and I knew I liked it, but I never would have thought to make it myself until I read Pastor Ryan's recipe for it over at The Pioneer Woman. It didn't seem too hard! So I went out and got the ingredients and gave it a try.

Despite the bad lighting in my picture, it turned out a lot like it looked in the pictures on PW. I was secretly very impressed with myself. ;) A couple words of warning, though:

First, this is a PUNGEANT dish. It smelled up our little apartment and sort of leaked out all over the place. You could smell it walking up to our front door. And the smell lingered. And lingered. I did all the dishes, sent the leftovers with Paul to work, lit candles, and sprayed Febreze. And I could STILL smell it! It took about two days for the smell to be completely gone.

Second, turmeric is the spice that makes the rice turn bright yellow. It is strong stuff! If you use it in a rice cooker, be sure to wash it immediately afterwards to keep it from staining. Also, you shouldn't use your cute little white rice scooper to serve it up. Ours is still slightly yellow. Stick with something that won't stain quite so easily.

Third, it is a spicy dish. I think I must be a bit of a wimp when it comes to spicy foods, but I didn't even add in the optional chili peppers and it was almost too spicy for me!

Overall though, it had a great flavor, and I was glad I tried it. I'll probably even make it again sometime as long as no one is coming over for a little while afterwards. ;)

It's a long recipe, so I'm not going to type it all out this time. Here's the link again, though: Pastor Ryan's Chicken Tikka Masala.

Oh, and incidentally, I use this blog basically every week when I plan my menus. I really do! It sure is handy! I don't want it to fall into inactivity. :)

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

My sister-in-law posted this recipe on her blog and I was way curious about it.  I really like the broccoli casserole that my family makes, but I was fascinated enough that I tried this recipe.  It was really good!  I will be making it again! 

Directions:
Layer the following top (1) to bottom (5):
1. 1" buttered cubes of French bread (about 1/2 loaf)
2. 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3. sauce (see below)
4. 2 cups cooked cubed chicken breast
5. 2 cups steamed broccoli
Sauce:
2 cans cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
-Mix sauce ingredients together before adding to casserole layer.
-Layer ingredients in a greased 9X13 glass dish. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes.  Bread will be toasted and cheese will be bubbly.

Lemon Chicken

This is a recipe I found on a food blog of someone from my old ward.  It's really easy and quite good.  It only requires a few ingredients.  I recommend to serve it with a vegetable and biscuit/rice/roll side.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 package (9 oz) hollandaise sauce mix
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter, divided

Directions:

1. In a large resealable bag, combine flour and lemon-pepper. Flatten chicken to 1/2-inch thickness. Add chicken one piece at a time, and shake to coat.

2. Prepare sauce according to package directions. Stir in lemon juice. Meanwhile in a skillet, saute chicken in 2 tablespoons butter for 4-6 minutes on each side.

* As you can tell I cut my chicken breasts in strips.  You can use whatever cut you want but I think it works best if the chicken is in smaller pieces.
* I am generous with the amount of lemon pepper I use.  Two teaspoons didn't seem like enough.

The best Quesadilla Triangles EVER!!

These are the best quesadilla's I have ever had. Even the sauce for it is amazing. (sauce is to the left of picture)

This recipe is made to serve 8 people - 16 flour tortillas but I've cut it down to 4 people (8 tortillas) and 2 people (4 tortillas) so it's possible. And they are so filling I am only able to eat one, if I eat two I am stuffed. I got this recipe from "In the Kitchen - The Costco way". Jeff and I went to Costco one weekend and they were handing out free cookbooks which have fantastic recipes using Costco products and this was one of them. I improvised the recipe a little bit because I don't buy everything at Costco so I will give you both recipes.

6 MorningStar Farms* Chipotle Black Bean Burger, Garden Veggie Patties or Gardenburger The Original, thawed (I just cooked enough chicken for the amount of people eating, shredded it and sprinkled poultry seasoning on top- very simple).
1 each red, yellow, and green bell peppers, cut in 1/8 inch dice
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese (this I do buy at Costco- it's cheap compared to grocery stores)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (also buy at Costco) ( I add 1 cup if I don't have Montery jack cheese)
1/2 cup shredded Montery jack cheese ( I have never added this because I don't buy this cheese on a regular basis, but I am sure it will taste very if you were to add it)
1 cup roasted tomato salsa ( I just use 1 cup of the brand Pace salsa - I actually buy a huge container of this at Costco, but you can also buy a smaller jar at any grocery store and I am sure any brand of your favorite salsa would work too)
16 10-inch flour tortillas
Melted Butter

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degress F
2. Cut thawed burgers into 1/4 inch diced ( like I said above I just shred chicken and add a little poultry seasoning)
3. In a large bowl, combine burger (chicken), peppers, cheese and salsa. Mix thoroughly and set aside
4. Cut each tortilla into a 7-inch triangle - ( I don't like to waste tortilla even if it may be a little bit easier to handle- you could try both ways - their way or I like to fold in what i would have cut off then wrap the rest of the tortilla around the filling to make a triangle. I hope that makes sense, if not I can try and explain again in the comments.
5. Place about a little less than half a cup of filling in each triangle; fold each corner into the center, overlapping one another.
6. Brush quesadillas with melted butter and cook in a nonstick pan over medium heat until browned, about 1 min per side. Place in the oven for 5 min (I leave it in till the cheese is melted, which takes about 10-15 min) or until heated through

Cilantro lime sour cream Dipping sauce
4 oz sour cream
1 1/2 Tbls freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 tsp. each: ground cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and mix well
( When I had 4 people over for dinner this was not enough so I would make double if you have more people)Here's a little bit of closer look on how I wrapped it. If you have any questions please comment.

Fiery Chicken with Vegetables

This was the first recipe I tried from my new cookbook, Cheap. Fast. Good! And I'm pleased to say, it was delicious! It was easy to make, and the recipes are written in such a way that makes you maximize your cooking time. I like it already. :)

Note: The recipes in the cookbook all seem to call for long grain rice. Of course, that's not what we eat in our house. :) I just skipped the instructions for preparing rice that were given in the recipe and prepared my own in our well-loved rice cooker. I'll include the instructions from the book, in case you would like to prepare the rice that way (or if you don't have a rice cooker).

Fiery Chicken with Vegetables
Ingredients:
1 can fat-free chicken broth (1 c. for the rice and 3/4 c. for the vegetable sauce)
1 c. long-grain rice (I actually made 2 cups of Japanese style short grain rice)
1 lb. chicken breasts
1 T. vegetable oil
1 bag frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable mixture (without sauce)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. soy sauce
2 t. minced ginger (either fresh or bottled...I bought a jar of it)
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
2 T. cornstarch


Directions:
Prepare rice by combining 1 c. chicken broth and 1 c. water in a covered medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the rice, stir, and reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer until rice is done, about 20 minutes. (Or, like I said, prepare rice in a rice cooker...you can even substitute part of the water with chicken broth for flavor.)

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. While the oil heats, defrost your chicken if needed. Once oil is hot, add the frozen vegetables and stir occasionally. While the vegetables start to cook, cut the chicken into small cubes, adding them to the skillet as you go. Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 5-6 minutes.

Add garlic to the pan and stir. Next, add soy sauce, ginger, sugar, and red pepper flakes*. Stir well and cook for about two minutes to blend the flavors. In the meantime, combine cornstarch and 3/4 c. chicken broth in a small container with a lid. Cover and shake to combine until there are no more lumps.

Drizzle mixture over the chicken and vegetables. Stir continuously until sauce thickens, about 1 minute (it really does thicken up pretty quick). Serve over a bed of rice.

*The red pepper flakes are the reason this recipe is called "Fiery". If you like things a little less spicy you can reduce the amount of red pepper flakes. If you don't want it to be spicy at all, you can leave them out. Paul and I enjoyed the kick, and it wasn't too spicy for us. :)

Chicken Enchilada Soup

This is actually a recipe that my sister got from someone on her mission. It is definitely the easiest soup I've ever made and it's way yummy! It also makes a ton (serves about 8-10 people).

Ingredients:
1 can (29.2 oz) enchilada sauce
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
2 cans chicken broth
2 uncooked chicken breasts*

Spanish rice (Lipton works well but you can use another brand)
1 can black beans
2 cups corn (I just did one can of corn last time)

Directions:
Put the first 4 ingredients in your crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove chicken, shred/cut and return to pot. Prepare spanish rice. Add beans, corn, and as much rice as you want.

Garnish with all kinds of yummy things like: olives, green onions, tortilla chips, cheese, avocado, and sour cream.

*Avocado tastes amazing on this! I don't really like avocado when I'm pregnant and I really like it on this.
*The recipe says to put as much of the rice as you want. I ended up putting most of it in last time I made it because it was for a lot of people.
* If your chicken breasts are small you can do three. I did two large chicken breasts both times I made it and it turned out great! The chicken goes a long way.
*I bought mild enchilada sauce both times I made this because that's all they had in the big can so I added a little cayenne pepper with the sauce and it just gave it a little kick. That's definitely not necessary though.

Thanks Jamie, for such a great recipe!

Lime Chicken Tacos

(This is Jennie's post, but there was a bug or something so I re-posted it for her)

This is it, folks! After this one, I'm all caught up with posting recipes! I hope I can stay on top of it from now on, because it's overwhelming when I get all backed up like that. Phew!

We had these tacos for dinner last night, and I really enjoyed them! (It may have something to do with the fact that I have been a big slacker lately with dinners and we've been eating a lot of fast food, leftovers, and throw-together meals. It was nice to have a real dinner again! I should do that more often. ;) Ha ha.)

Anyway, I found this recipe at Favorite Family Recipes, and I think it may be my favorite of the recipes I've tried from that site. The chicken had a great flavor. It wasn't overwhelmingly lime flavored, and the cilantro wasn't too much either. It was delicious and had a bit of a kick. :) A nice change from regular old tacos.

Lime Chicken Tacos
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. chicken, cubed
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
juice of 1 lime
2 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
4-5 green onions, chopped (I didn't have green onions, so I used 1/4 of a white onion, chopped)
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 T. fresh cilantro, chopped (or to taste)
flour tortillas
toppings

Directions:
Saute chicken in a skillet for a few minutes (until white on all sides). Meanwhile, mix together the other ingredients (vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, onions, garlic, and cilantro) in a small bowl. Pour over chicken and cook for 10-20 minutes, or until chicken is done. For me, this was when the liquid had almost all evaporated (about 17 minutes).


Serve on tortillas (or shells--Paul doesn't like soft flour tortillas) with toppings of your choice. We used cheese, tomatoes, avocado, and sour cream. And they were REALLY good. :)


Here's a link to the original recipe: Lime Chicken Tacos.