Chicken and Cheese Burritos

Ingredients:
2 t. olive oil
1 c. onion, diced
1 T. garlic, minced
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (15oz)
2 c. cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 T. ground cumin
2 roma tomatoes, diced
2 jalapenos, diced
1 T. lime zest, minced
2 T. lime juice
2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. kosher salt
1.4 t. pepper
6 whole wheat tortillas (8 inch)
1 1/2 c. cheddar, shredded, divided

Directions:
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; saute until softened, 2 minutes. Stir in beans.
Toss chicken with cumin to coat; add to skillet. Stir in tomatoes, jalapenos, zest, lime juice, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook mixture until tomato and jalapenos soften slightly, 5-8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; (if packaging for later let filling cool completely.)
Place tortillas flat on counter. Divide filling evenly among tortillas, placing about 3/4 c. filling on each tortilla. Top each tortilla with 1/4 c. cheddar. Fold in sides of one tortilla; bring the front of the tortilla (the side closest to you) over the filling. Continue rolling and tucking in the filling until it's completely enclosed. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Wrap each burrito in two layers of plastic wrap. Tightly seal wrapped tortillas inside freezer bags. Freeze burritos as long as 8 weeks.
To reheat: unwrap burrito; discard plastic wrap. Place burrito on a microwave safe plate. Heat frozen burrito in the microwave for 3-4 minutes.

Makes 6 burritos. Total time 40 minutes.

Verdict:
When ever a recipe calls for already cooked chicken I use a rotisserie chicken from Costco. It makes life so easy. We ate these for dinner and then froze the leftovers. Blake ate the leftovers at work and said that they were good.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup With Rice Stick Noodles

Ingredients:
2 t. olive oil
1 T. red chile pepper, minced plus sliced for garnish
2 t. garlic, minced
1 bunch bok choy, chopped, leaves and stems separated (1 1/2 c. each)
4 c. chicken broth, divided
1 can light coconut milk (14 oz)
2 t. curry powder
4 oz. wide rice stick noodles
10 oz. chicken breast, boneless skinless, thinly sliced, seasoned with salt and pepper.
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, minced
2 T. lime juice
1/4 t. each kosher salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over med-high heat. Add 1 T. chile pepper, garlic, and bok choy stems; saute until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 c. broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in remaining 3 1/2 c. broth, coconut milk, and curry powder. Bring soup to a simmer.
Stir in noodles; cook until they're softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in bok choy leaves, chicken and cilantro; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Remove soup from heat; stir in lime juice. Season soup with salt and pepper; garnish with chile pepper slices.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 35-40 minutes.

Verdict:
This tasted light. I made rice to go with it and Blake put the soup on top of the rice. He said it reminded him of Hawaiian haystacks.

Country Fried Steak With Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients:
3 T. skim milk
2 egg whites
5 T. flour, divided
2 cube steaks (4oz each)
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
2 T. canola oil, divided
1 c. button mushrooms, quartered
1 T. ketchup
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 c. beef broth
1/8 t. each kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:
Whisk together milk and egg whites in a shallow dish. Place 4 T. flour in a separate dish. Season both sides of steak with Cajun seasoning.
Dip steaks into milk mixture, then dredge both sides in flour.
Heat 1 T. oil in a nonstick skillet coated with nonstick spray. Add steaks; saute to desired doneness, 3-5 min. per side for medium-rare. Remove steaks from skillet; tent with foil to keep them warm.
Add remaining 1 T. oil to the skillet. Add mushrooms; saute until they begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1 T. flour over mushrooms; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
Stir in ketchup and Worcestershire. Add broth; bring mixture to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes or until sauce with salt and pepper. Serve sauce over steaks.

Makes 2 servings. Total time 25 minutes.

Verdict:
I have decided that cube steaks freak me out. There is something about steak that is almost the consistency of hamburger and being able to eat it rare. Eeww. The flavor was OK I just couldn't get over the consistency of the meat.

Greek Chicken Roulades With White Wine Reduction

Ingredients:
12 pitted kalamata olives, divided
3 T. fresh bread crumbs
3 T. oil-packed sundried tomatoes, miced
1 T. lemon zest, minced
2 cloves garlic
1 t. dried oregano
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved thickness wise and pounded thin
2 t. olive oil
1/4 c. onion, diced
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 t. cornstarch

Directions:
Dice 6 olives; set aside. Process remaining 6 olives, bread crumbs, tomatoes, zest, garlic, and oregano in a food processor until minced.
Using a meat mallet, pound chicken between plastic wrap to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Spread olive-tomato filling on chicken. Roll chicken; secure with toothpicks.
Saute roulades in oil in a large nonstick skillet until browned, 4 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate. Add onion to the skillet; saute 2 minutes. Add wine; cook until liquid is reduced by half, 1-2 minutes. Add broth. Bring mixture to a boil; add diced olives and chicken rolls.
Cover skillet; reduce heat. Simmer chicken rolls 10 minutes; remove chicken to a plate. Whisk together lemon juice and cornstarch; stir into sauce in skillet. Simmer for 1 minute. Slice rolls; serve with sauce.

Makes 2 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
Yum. We really liked these.

Thai Noodle Salad

For the dressing:
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. peanut butter
1 T. water
1 T. honey
1 T. fresh gingerroot, minced
1 t. garlic, minced
1 t. chili garlic sauce

For the salad:
1 pkg. refrigerated yakisoba noodles (7.7 oz)
2 c. romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
2 c. cabbage, shredded
1 c. sweet potato, shredded
1 c. bell peppers, sliced into rings
1 c. bean sprouts
1/4 c. green onion, chopped
fresh basil, cilantro, and/or mint leaves

Directions:
Whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, peanut butter, water, honey, gingerroot, garlic, and chili garlic sauce in bowl; set aside.
Remove and discard the seasoning packet from yakisoba noodles. Loosen noodles; heat according to package directions.
Divide romaine, cabbage, sweet potato, bell pepper, and sprouts between two plates; top each salad with half of the warmed noodles. Drizzle salads with dressing; sprinkle with green onions and herbs.

Makes 2 servings. Total time 20 minutes.

Verdict:
When I was making the dressing it would not mix together so I put it in the blender. That worked like a charm. It tasted fresh and is a good meal without meat. If you can't find yakisoba noodles or are just lazy like me you can use ramen noodles, cooked without seasoning packet.

Menu

Mon: Thai Noodle Salad

Tue: Greek Chicken Roulades

Wed: Country Fried Steak With Mushroom Gravy

Thur: Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Fri: Chicken and Cheese Burritos

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Ingredients:

2 3/4 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. heavy cream

1 medium russet potato

2 c. kale, chopped

1/2 lb. ground spicy Italian sausage

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

Combine the stock and cream in a saucepan over med. heat.

Slice the unpeeled potato into 1/4 inch slices, then quarter the slices and add them to the soup.

Add the kale.

Saute the sausage until cooked through. Add the sausage to the soup.

Add the spices and let the soup simmer for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally.

Makes 2 servings. Total time 2 hour 15 minutes.

Verdict:

I am a big fan. If you want your soup to not be so spicy you can trade the spicy sausage for regular. I don't normally cook it as long as it says to. I normally do it until the potatoes are done.

Pork Loin French Dip Sandwiches With Jus

For the jus:
1 T. olive oil
1/2 c. celery, chopped
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1/2 c. carrot, chopped
1 T. tomato paste
2 c. chicken broth
2 c. beef broth
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

For the pork:
1 T. kosher salt
2 t. ground black pepper
2 t. garlic powder
2 1/2 lb. boneless pork loin roast, trimmed, halved lengthwise
4 hoagie rolls, split

Directions:
Preheat grill to med-high.
Saute in olive oil, onion, celery and carrots for the jus in a saucepan. Cook until slightly softened, 3-4 minutes, then stir in tomato paste. Saute 1 minute, add broth and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Strain jus, season, and keep warm.
Combine seasoning for the pork, then rub them onto the roast. Grill pork, covered with a foil pan to help speed cooking. Turn roast every 10 minutes, cooking until it has browned and reached and internal temperature of 150, about 20 minutes. Remove roast from grill, and tent with foil, and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.
Toast rolls on grill while the pork rests; transfer jus to a shallow dish.
Serve by staking pork slices on each sandwich with jus on the side for dipping.

Makes 4 sandwiches. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
I love these sandwiches. We had them when Laney was blessed for our luncheon meal. I like that the jus doesn't taste processed. When I make these now I normally use the already seasoned pork loin from Costco and just cook it in the oven.

Tandoori Chicken With Peach-Ginger Chutney and Cucumber Raita

For the chicken:
1/4 c. plain low-fat yogurt
2 t. lemon juice
1 t. each brown sugar, ground cumin, garam masala, paprika, and ground turmeric
1 t. each minced garlic and minced fresh gingerroot
1/4 t. each kosher salt and cayenne pepper
2 chicken breast, boneless, skinless

For the chutney:
1 ripe peach, pitted and diced (about 1 c.)
1 T. scallions, sliced
1 T. peach preserves
1 T. rice vinegar
1 t. fresh gingerroot, minced

For the raita:
1 c. cucumber, seeded, and sliced into half moon slices
2 T. plain low fat yogurt
1 T. fresh mint leaves, minced
1/2 t. honey

Directions:
Combine 1/4 c. yogurt, lemon juice, brown sugar, cumin, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, 1 t. garlic, 1 t. gingerroot, salt and cayenne in a bowl. Add chicken; stir to coat. Cover; refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Combine peach, green onions, preserves, vinegar, and 1 t. gingerroot for the chutney; transfer to a small saucepan. Simmer chutney until liquid is nearly evaporated, 5 minutes; chill.
Combine cucumber, 2 T. yogurt, mint and honey for the raita; chill.
Preheat grill to high; when it is hot, oil grill well. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. Grill chicken, covered, over direct heat for 5 minutes; brush with reserved marinade. Turn chicken; grill 5 minutes more or until the chicken is cooked through.
Serve chicken with chutney and raita.

Makes 2 servings. Total time 1 hour.

Verdict:
It was a little dry for my liking. The chutney was good and that is mostly what the kids wanted to eat. I used peaches that I had sliced and frozen so the chutney was a little more saucy than it is suppose to be. The raita was OK.

Macaroni and Cheese With Basil and Bread Crumb Topping

Ingredients:
8 oz. whole wheat pasta
1/3 c. fresh bread crumbs
1/2 t. pepper
1 c. 2% cottage cheese
2 t. prepared yellow mustard
1 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
2 c. skim milk, divided
1/4 c. onion, diced
1 t. garlic, minced
pinch of ground nutmeg
3 T. flour
2 c. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (8oz)
1 T. fresh basil, minced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450.
Coat a 2-qt. oven proof baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Toss together bread crumbs and black pepper in a small bowl; set mixture aside.
Process cottage cheese, mustard, salt and cayenne in a food processor until smooth; set aside.
Heat 1 1/2 c. milk, onion, garlic, and nutmeg in a saucepan over med. heat until milk steams. Whisk flour into remaining 1/2 c. milk in a small bowl. Stir into warm milk; cook until mixture thickens, 5-8 minutes. Whisk in cottage cheese mixture until smooth.
Stir in Cheddar by the handful, adding more only after the previous addition has melted. Once all cheese is melted, stir in pasta and 1 T. basil. Transfer pasta to the prepared baking dish; top with bread crumb mixture.
Bake mac and cheese until bread crumbs are golden, 20-25 minutes. Remove pasta from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 cups. Total time 55 minutes.

Verdict:
I am on the hunt for the best mac and cheese. After the last one that I made, I was even more determined. This one might be my favorite so far. It wasn't grainy at all and had a good flavor. The sauce prior to adding it to the noodles seemed a little thin but don't fret it all works out. Oh, and just in case you are interested...this one is low cal. Only 354 calories per cup. Nice.

Pretzel Pancakes With Caramel Sauce

For the pancakes:
1/2 c. crushed pretzels, divided (1 heaping cup or 25 tiny twist pretzels)
3/4 c. flour
1 T. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 egg, separated
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. buttermilk
vegetable oil

For the caramel sauce:
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 T. water
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 T. butter

For the pancakes:
Whisk together 1/4 c. crushed pretzels, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
Using a hand mixer on med. speed, whip egg white in a bowl to soft peaks; set aside.
Whisk together egg yolk, milk, and buttermilk in a bowl until frothy. Stir into dry ingredients only until ingredients are moistened. (Small lumps are OK.) Let batter stand for 10 min. Fold in whipped egg white, stopping when thin, white streaks still remain in the batter.
Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over med. heat. Brush griddle with a thin layer of oil.
For each pancake, pour a scant 1/3-1/2 c. batter onto the griddle; sprinkle each pancake with some of the remaining crushed pretzels.
Cook until bubbles form on surface of pancakes, about 2 minutes. Flip pancakes; cook until golden, about 2 minutes more.

For the caramel:
Boil brown sugar and water in a small saucepan 5 minutes, gently swirling occasionally to prevent scorching. Whisk in cream. (Mixture will bubble furiously and begin to harden into candy-like pieces; keep whisking and it will melt again.)
Boil mixture 2 minutes more, then whisk in butter until melted. Set caramel sauce aside; keep it warm.

Makes 4-6 pancakes. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
Oh these were so yummy. I only made one batch and I should have made two. Our kids ate 2 or 3 pancakes each. They just kept eating. The caramel sauce was good and tastes great on ice cream (I tried it.) I will warn you that the batter is a strange consistency but they turn out good so don't fret. Make a double batch. Seriously.

Menu

I needed a week off. With my birthday, Blake's birthday and our anniversary all within 2 weeks of each other, I just needed a week. So here is this weeks menu:

Mon: Pretzel Pancakes with Caramel Sauce

Tue: Mac and Cheese With Basil & Bread Crumb Topping

Wed: Tandoori Chicken Tenderloin

Thur: Pork French Dip Sandwich

Fri: Zuppa Toscana

Dutch Babies

Ingredients:
3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. milk
3 eggs
1/4 t. salt
1/2 cube butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.
Melt butter in oven in a 9x13 pan.
Mix together flour, milk, and eggs in a blender until combined.
When butter is melted, and starting to bubble and turn slightly golden, pour batter into center of pan.
Cook until dutch babies are risen and starting to brown at edges.
Serve with powdered sugar and butter.

Makes 4 servings. Total time about 20 minutes.

Verdict:
I love dutch babies. We ate these growing up. This may be the only food that our kids eat with out complaining.

Crockpot Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

For the chicken or turkey:
1 T. sesame oil
2 lb. ground chicken or turkey
1 T. minced gingerroot
1/4 c. dry sherry
1/2 c. hoisin sauce
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. chili garlic sauce
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped (8oz)
2 T. rice vinegar
kosher salt to taste

For the wraps:
1/2 c. red bell pepper, diced
1/4 c. green onions, minced
2 T. toasted sesame seeds
12 Bibb small lettuce leaves

Directions:
Heat oil in a skillet. Add chicken; cook for 10 minutes, breaking up chunks. Add gingerroot; cook 2 minutes. Deglaze skillet with sherry, cooking until liquid is evaporated. Transfer mixture to a 2 1/2 to 3 qt. slow cooker.
Combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce in a measuring cup with a pour spout; stir into meat mixture. Cover; cook on high heat setting for 2-3 hours or on low heat for 3-4 hours. Stir in water chestnuts, vinegar, and salt.
Combine red bell pepper, green onion, and sesame seeds for the garnish.
To serve, spoon 1/2 c. portions of the chicken mixture into each lettuce leaf; top with some of the garnish mixture.

Makes 6 servings. Total time 2-3 hours on high.

Verdict:
Not bad. I used turkey and more seasame oil than they called for but that is only because I like it. I took these as dinner for someone else too. We most likely will eat these again. They were just so easy.

Chicken Bistro Cakes

Ingredients:
3 T. butter,
1 c. onion, diced
1/2 c. celery, diced
2 c. cooked chicken, chopped
1 1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1 T. fresh sage
1 T. fresh thyme
1 1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. black pepper
4 eggs, beaten
4 T. olive oil, divided

Directions:
Preheat oven to 200.
Saute onion and celery in butter in a medium saute pan to soften. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
Add chicken, bread crumbs, and seasonings; stir in the eggs. Form cakes using a packed 1/3 c. measuring cup, lightly pressing to make a 3" cake. Transfer to a parchment lined and floured baking sheet; chill 15 minutes. Dust cakes with flour.
Fry cakes in a nonstick pan over medium high heat in 2 batches, using 2 T. oil per batch. Cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes; flip and fry 1-2 more minutes. Keep warm in oven. Serve cakes with pasta sauce.

Makes 10 cakes. Total time 45 minutes with chilling.

Verdict:
This is one of my "go to" recipes. They are so easy to make. When ever a recipe calls for cooked chicken, I always use rotisserie chicken. It makes life so easy. I also don't use fresh thyme or sage in this recipe, although I am sure it tastes good fresh, I just use the dried instead.

Menu

Mon: Chicken Bistro Cakes

Tue: Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Wed: Dutch Babies

Thur: Enchiladas

Fri: Homemade Pizza