Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

*Ingredients*

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

1 package of stuffing mix

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite size pieces

3 cups small fresh broccoli florets

12 slices deli ham, chopped

6 extra thin slices of Swiss cheese

Pre-Heat oven to 375.

Prepare stuffing as directed on package.

Mix soup and mustard in a medium bowl; stir in chicken, broccoli and ham. Spoon into a 2-qt casserole dish, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray; top with cheese and stuffing.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until heated through.

*We served it over rice and it was pretty good! Super easy, the only thing I did different was I put it in a 3 qt dish not a 2 qt.*

Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting

*Ingredients*

Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting

Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

Frosting
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
Pinch of salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in pumpkin. In a medium bowl, sift together the baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, salt and flour. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.  Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
  
To make frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine butter, cream, and brown sugar over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture just begins to boil; remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool then stir in confectioner's sugar.  Spread frosting over cooled cookies. 

*They are awesome! Def make the frosting because the cookies themselves are not very sweet* But together... amazing!!

Week Night Bolognese

Week Night Bolognese

·         2 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra to cook the pasta

·         1 pound lean ground sirloin

·         4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)

·         1 tablespoon dried oregano

·         1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

·         1 1/4 cups dry red wine, divided

·         1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

·         2 tablespoons tomato paste

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         1 pound spaghetti, cooked

·         1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·         1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

·         1/4 cup heavy cream

·         1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground sirloin and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color and has started to brown. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes ,tomato paste, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt, a splash of oil, and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the box.

While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and the remaining 1/4 cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan and toss well. Serve hot with Parmesan on the side.

* I didn't take a picture because honestly, who hasn't seen a picture of spaghetti sauce before? Also, it made plenty for left-overs so I put them in air-tight containers and freeze for another night... easy huh?*

Spicy Chicken Tenders

*Ingredients*

Spicy Chicken Tenders

Honey-Mustard:

·         1/3 cup honey

·         1/3 cup Dijon or whole-grain mustard

Breading:

·         1 cup all-purpose flour

·         1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

·         3 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten

·         3 tablespoons hot sauce

·         1 cup cornmeal

·         2 tablespoons chili powder

·         1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

·         1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, halved lengthwise

·         Olive oil, for drizzling

·          salt

Directions

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a heavy baking sheet liberally with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.

Honey-Mustard: In a small serving bowl, mix together the honey and mustard until smooth. Set aside.

Breading: In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and 1 tablespoon salt. In a second medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and hot sauce. In a third medium bowl, mix together the cornmeal, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour and then into the egg mixture. Allow any excess egg mixture to drip off and coat the chicken in the cornmeal mixture. Arrange the breaded chicken in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, to taste. Bake until golden and cooked through, about 15 to 17 minutes.

Arrange the chicken on a platter and serve the honey-mustard alongside.

*These were super good! I normally make chicken tenders with bread crumbs not corn meal, but I must say I really liked the crunch that went along with the cornmeal. :) Also, I love honey mustard so I made it for myself, but my husband on the other hand does not so I made him spicy BBQ sauce (BBQ and hot sauce).* 

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

*Ingredients*

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

1 can (18.5 oz) Progresso® Traditional Chicken and Cheese Enchilada Soup

1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso® hot or mild enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)

10 corn tortillas (6 inches)

2 medium green onions, thinly sliced

·         Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, stir together soup and enchilada sauce. Spread 1 cup soup mixture in ungreased 11x7-inch baking dish.

·         In large bowl, mix 1 cup soup mixture with chicken and 1 cup of the cheese; reserve remaining soup mixture. On microwavable plate, stack tortillas and cover with paper towel; heat on High 1 minute to soften. Place 1/4 cup chicken mixture along middle of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam sides down in baking dish with sauce.

·         Pour remaining soup mixture over enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Sprinkle green onions on top. Bake about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly around edges.

*I totally forgot to take a picture LOL! BUT one thing I do as a short cut is use a rotisserie chicken instead of baking off my own. :) *

Heavenly Harvest Pork Roast in the Crock Pot

*Ingredients*

*In the crock pot*

Heavenly Harvest Pork Roast in the Crock Pot

¼ cup pomegranate juice (or cranberry)

¼ cup sugar

½ Tablespoon salt

1 Tablespoon garlic salt

1 Tablespoon steak seasoning

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 pork roast, any type 4-5 pounds

2 pears, cored, peeled and sliced thick (or a large green apple)

½ orange, with peel, sliced thick

Combine pomegranate juice (or cranberry) and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Pour into the bottom of the crock pot.

Blend salt, garlic salt, steak seasoning and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Rub mixture over roast on all sides. Place roast into the crock pot and turn to coat in the pomegranate juice.

Top roast with the pear (or apple) and orange slices. Cover; cook on low for 6 hours or until tender. Serve with juice and fruit slices.

*yummy! served with risotto and green beans*

Ritz Parmesan Chicken

*Ingredients*

Ritz Parmesan Chicken

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

25 Ritz crackers, finely crushed

¼ cup parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons dried basil

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast

EVOO

Salt and pepper

Pre heat oven to 400. Mix together mayonnaise and lemon juice and place in a shallow dish. Combine crushed Ritz cracker, parmesan cheese and dried basil, and place in another shallow dish. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in the mayonnaise first then into the Ritz cracker mixture. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with EVOO. Bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken breast).

*Good, the recipe didn't call for salt, pepper or EVOO, but it def needed it!*

Sunset Orzo with Spanish Shrimp

*Ingredients*

Sunset Orzo With Spanish Shrimp

½ pound orzo pasta

1 cup chicken broth

3 Tablespoons EVOO

1/3 pound Spanish Chorizo, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/3 cup green peas

1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Juice of ½ of a lemon

Bring a large pot of water to boil, salt it and cook orzo until just al dente. Drain and cover.

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of EVOO, over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook until browned. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the peas.

In another medium skillet, heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons of EVOO, over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until just pink 2-3 minutes. Stir in the parsley, paprika and lemon juice, season with salt. Remove from the heat.

Pour the chicken broth over the chorizo and vegetables. Add the orzo and toss for 2 minutes. When ready to serve, top the orzo mixture with the shrimp.

*The flavors of this dish are awesome! My son kept saying mmmm mmmm the whole time while eating it. My husband is a big fan as well!*

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

*Ingredients*

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups white
4 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons pumpkin purée
Directions:
-In a small pot over medium heat, dissolve sugar in water.
-Once sugar is dissolved, add remaining ingredients.  Allow to cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently.  Do not boil.
-Strain mixture using cheesecloth or a tea towel.
-Pour into a small (8-10 ounce) bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Add caption

*The finished product!! I made myself a pumpkin chai latte, and it was ahhhh maaaa zzzing!!*

Lime Honey Glazed Chicken

*Ingredients*

Lime- Honey Glazed Chicken

3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 chicken breast

Mix honey, soy sauce, lime zest, lime juice and crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Roast in the oven at 350 for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and boil until reduced by about half and thickened to a glaze, 8 to 10 minutes.

Baste chicken every now and then. Enjoy

Pasta and Broccoli Rabe with Sausage

*Ingredients*

Pasta and Broccoli Rabe With Sausage

·         1 bunche broccoli rabe, stems trimmed

·         1 pound pasta, I use elbow macaroni or ziti

·         3 tablespoons olive oil

·         1 pound Italian-style sausage, casings removed

·         2 garlic cloves, minced

·         Pinch dried crushed red pepper flakes

·         1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Cook the broccoli rabe in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 1 minute. Transfer the broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water to cool, saving the cooking water. Bring the reserved cooking water back to a boil.

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into pieces with a spoon, until browned and juices form, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, when the reserved cooking water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally.

Strain the broccoli rabe and add it to the pan with the sausage mixture and toss to coat with the juices. Add the pasta to the skillet. Stir in the Parmesan and serve immediately.

*All done :)*

Bacon Tomato Patsa

*Ingredients*

Bacon Tomato Pasta

2 teaspoons salt

16 ounces of pasta, cooked (I use rigatoni)

1 pound of bacon, diced

1 cup red onion, chopped

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 Tablespoons garlic, minced

2 cups of tomatoes, diced

¼ cup of red wine

4 Tablespoons fresh basil chopped

¼ cup parmesan cheese

Cook pasta. In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon only. Add red onions and red pepper flakes. Cook until onions are clear, add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and sauté for 5 minutes. Deglaze with wine for a few minutes. Add the cooked pasta, basil, bacon and parmesan cheese!

*This is one of my husband's favorite meals (he is a bacon freak lol) so he requested this one this week*

Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice

*Ingredients*

Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice

·                     1 cup extra long grain rice or basmati rice

·                     1/2 lime, juice of

·                     2 cups water

·                     1 tsp salt

·                     3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

·                     3 tsp vegetable oil

In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes. Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.

*it was really good! We served it with my ginger teriyaki pork tenderloin and green beans*