Monthly Archives: May 2010

May 21, 2010 · 10:42 pm

Caribbean Chicken Salad with Pina Colada Dressing

This is the perfect salad for a light summer dinner and it’s super easy.

Ingredients:
Dressing-
6 oz. pina colada yogurt
1 1/2 T. lime juice
1 tspn. Caribbean jerk seasoning

Salad-
4 cups lettuce (whichever variety you prefer)
6 oz. cooked chicken, cooked, cooled and chopped
15 oz. black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 c. mangoes, fresh, from a jar or frozen and thawed
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 c. cashews (optional)

Directions:
Whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside.

Toss salad ingredients together.

Pour dressing over salad and serve.

Did I change anything? I didn’t put in as many onions. That was just too much onion for us. I also left out the cashews, but will definitely add them in next time.

What did the family think? It was a little too fruity for my hubby. I liked it though and the kids liked it, too. They just picked their way around the beans.

Recipe from www.recipezaar.com

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Filed under Chicken, Easy, Everybody Ate It

May 20, 2010 · 11:45 pm

Mexican-Style Chicken Sandwiches

I broke out a cookbook I hadn’t used in years and found this yummy recipe.

Ingredients:
2/3 c. mayo
2 T fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
15 oz. can black beans, drained
1 1/2 tspn. ground cumin
4 French rolls, split horizontally, lightly toasted
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
3/4 tspn. cayenne pepper
1 T olive oil
4 slices hot pepper Monterey Jack cheese

2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

Directions:
Whisk together mayo and lime juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir beans and cumin in a small skillet over medium heat until heated through. Using fork, mash beans in skillet to a coarse paste. Arrange toasted rolls on plates and spread bean mixture on 1/2 of each roll.

Heat olive oil in a skillet and add chicken. Sprinkle cayenne pepper over chicken as it cooks. When chicken is cooked through, top chicken with cheese slices, cover skillet, reduce heat and cook on low until cheese melts.

Place chicken on bean mixture. Top with tomato and avocado. Spread lime mayo on 1/2 of rolls that don’t have the beans on them, assemble and serve.

Did I change anything? The only think I changed was that I melted the cheese on the rolls while they were toasting in the oven instead of melting the cheese on the chicken in the skillet.

What did the family think? Hubby and I really liked these sandwiches. Our oldest wasn’t feeling well and went to bed so he didn’t eat dinner and SURPRISINGLY our youngest did eat it without much fuss. Once I removed the avocado and the tomatoes he ate it. I was so proud of him and it sure made dinnertime MUCH more enjoyable.

Recipe from Bon Appetit

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Mexican, Sandwich

May 19, 2010 · 11:13 pm

Chile Salsa Verde Bake

Tonight was the first time I ever made this and it was G.O.O.D.

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
16 oz. jar chile verde sauce
15 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 onion, diced
1 c. sour cream
3 c. crushed tortilla chips
8 oz. shredded Mexican-style cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine chicken, verde sauce, kidney beans, onion and sour cream in a large bowl.

Grease a 9-by-13 inch casserole dish. Scatter half of the chips on the bottom of the casserole dish and top with half of chicken mixture. Top with half of cheese.

Repeat the layers.

Bake until cheese is bubbly…about 15 minutes.

Did I change anything? The recipe above is exactly how I made it. The original recipe called for twice as much chicken and twice as much verde sauce…that just seemed like a whole lotta food. I am glad I changed it. The amount I made was perfect for us.

What did the family think? Hubby and I loved this dish. Hubby is a huge verde fan so I knew he would like it. Our oldest thought it was good and our youngest is trying to not like anything I cook for dinner so his opinion will be the same unless I make pasta or pizza which is very frustrating…he used to eat just about anything. Stinker!

Original recipe from Tarah’s Food Reviews

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Mexican

· 12:16 am

Cajun Salmon Cakes with Lemon-Garlic Aioli

This was a yummy recipe I made during Lent. The salmon cakes were really good and the aioli was a very nice complement.

Ingredients:
AIOLI:
2 T mayonnaise
2 tspn. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tspn. minced garlic

SALMON CAKES:
3 (6 oz) cans boneless, skinless pink salmon in water, drained
1/4 c. green onions, sliced
1/4 c. fat-free mayo
2 T. dry breadcrumbs
1 tsspn. Cajun seasoning blend
2 tsspn. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. dry breadcrumbs
1 tbspn. canola oil

Preparation:
AIOLI:
Combine all ingredients for aioli in a small bowl and set aside.

SALMON CAKES:
Combine salmon, green onions, mayo, 2 T. breadcrumbs, Cajun seasoning and mustard in a medium bowl.

Shape salmon mixture into eight patties. Dredge patties through 1/2 c. breadcrumbs.

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet. Cook patties, three minutes on each side or until browned on both sides and heated through.

Serve aioli over salmon.

What did the family think? These turned out very nicely. A few of the patties kind of fell apart while I was cooking them, so they didn’t come out looking very pretty, but they still tasted great. Hubby thought they were great and the boys ate fish sticks. We had some broccoli and a baguette with our fish.

Recipe from Cooking Light

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May 17, 2010 · 10:30 pm

Singapore Slaw

This is the perfect meal for a hot summer day. I think it would be a nice addition to a picnic lunch, too.

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
8 oz. bag of shredded cabbage with carrots
1 small can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped
2 T fresh cilantro
2 T peanut oil
4 tspn. rice vinegar
1 T sugar
1 tspn. sesame oil
1 tspn. soy sauce
1/4 tspn. dry mustard

Directions:
Combine chicken, cabbage, water chestnuts, oranges, bell pepper, red onion and cilantro in a large bowl.

For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine peanut oil, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce and dry mustard. Cover and shake well.

Pour dressing over salad and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

Did I change anything? The original recipe called for jicama. The only jicama they had at the grocery store was huge, so I opted for water chestnuts instead. I also left out the peanuts and the sesame seeds that the original recipe called for. I added the chicken so it was more of a meal instead of just a salad. Also, in the recipe above I listed the quantities that were listed in the original recipe for the dressing, but I actually doubled it.

What did the family think? Hubby and I loved it. It is really great and there are so many flavors all mixed together in there. Our oldest liked it and our youngest liked it a lot more than he thought he would. They both had water chestnuts for the first time tonight and they liked them.

original recipe from Tarah’s Food Reviews

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Salad

· 12:45 am

Sausage and Cheese Muffins

These taste FANTASTIC and are great if you are having breakfast for dinner!

Ingredients:
1 (1lb.) package ground breakfast sausage
3 cups all-purpose baking mix
1 1/2 cups (6oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 (10 3/4oz) can condensed cheese soup
3/4 cup water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain and cool.

Combine sausage, baking mix, and shredded cheese in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.

Stir together soup and 3/4 cup water, add to sausage mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Spoon into lightly greased muffin pans, filling to top of cups.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

What did the family think? These are SO good. Hubby and I loved them. Our oldest liked them until he realized they had sausage in them. Our youngest loved them.

Original Source: Southern Living

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Six Ingredients or Less

May 16, 2010 · 12:18 am

Bruschetta Chicken

This is great with some pasta, a nice salad, come great bread and a glass of vino.

Ingredients:
1/2 c. flour
2 eggs, beaten
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c. grated parmesan
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1 T. butter, melted
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 T fresh, minced basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbspn. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in flour, then eggs and then place in greased 9×13-inch baking dish.

In a small bowl combine parmesan, breadcrumbs and butter. Sprinkle over chicken.

Loosely cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes or until chicken is done.

While chicken is cooking, combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Spoon over chicken and return dish to oven for an additional 5 minutes.

Did I change anything? I have made this dish like it is written above. I have also made a faster version in the skillet. I cut up the chicken in small pieces and cook in a pan and then add the parmesan through the salt and pepper to the skillet after the chicken is cooked. It’s good either way.

What does the family think? Hubby and I love this dish. Anything that has the word “bruschetta” in it and we are all over it. The boys like this dish without the tomatoes on top.

from Taste of Home

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Italian

May 14, 2010 · 10:35 pm

Asian Chicken and Orzo Salad

I think people either really like Paula Dean or they don’t…I am not her biggest fan. This recipe isn’t typical of her recipes and I think that’s why I like it so much.

Ingredients:
9 oz. package frozen sugar snap peas
16 oz. package orzo, cooked and drained
3 c. diced, cooked chicken
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 T rice wine vinegar
2 T soy sauce
2 tspn. hoisin sauce
2 oz. package slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:
Cook sugar snap peas according to the directions on the package. Drain well.

In a large bowl combine sugar snap peas, orzo, chicken and green onions.

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, hoisin sauce and soy sauce. Pour over orzo mixture tossing gently to coat.

Stir in toasted almonds.

Did I change anything? This recipe called for a can of drained and chopped water chestnuts and a diced red bell pepper which I left out. It also says to serve this salad cold which I haven’t done either.

What does the family think? I really like it. It is different, but good. It is not hubby’s favorite and the boys will eat the chicken out of it.

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Filed under Chicken, Salad

May 13, 2010 · 11:19 pm

Pork Machaca

Several years ago there was a place I would go to with friends where you could preassemble meals, freeze them and then when you needed them you could pull them out of the freezer and….voila…dinner! Well, as good as it was, it went out of business, but not before I made a super yummy pork dish there that I immediately tried to duplicate.

Ingredients:
4-5 lb. pork butt
Enough water to almost cover the meat
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
5 cloves of garlic
2 small cans diced green chiles
1 T chicken bouillon powder
2 tspn. dry leaf oregano

Directions:
Put all ingredients in a Crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

When done, shred or pull apart meat with a fork.

Serve with tortillas, fresh cilantro, salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese.

What does the family think? This is one of our favorite meals. It is SOOOO good.

adapted from a recipe on www.recipezaar.com

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Pork, Super Easy to Make

May 12, 2010 · 11:31 pm

CrockPot BBQ Chicken and Cornbread Casserole

This not only tastes great, but makes your house smell fantastic too!

Ingredients:
1 lb. cooked chicken
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes (optional)
1 red onion, diced (optional)
1 cup of fresh, frozen or canned corn
18 oz. BBQ sauce
1/4 c. hot water
your favorite cornbread mix, follow the directions on the box (minus the oil or butter)

Directions:
Spray the inside of your CrockPot with cooking spray.

Cut up the chicken and sweet potato and add to the CrockPot.

Add the corn and all of the BBQ sauce.

Add 1/4 c. hot water and stir everything together.

In a separate bowl, mix together the cornbread topping and spread over the top of the chicken mixture.

Cover and cook on low for six hours.

Did I change anything? When I made this I left out the sweet potato and the red onion. I bought a sweet potato but forgot to add it. I left out the red onion on purpose. I will add both next time.

What did the family think? Hubby and I both loved how the chicken turned out, but we weren’t so sure about the cornbread topping. I didn’t follow directions though and made my own cornbread. Next time I will buy a mix and see if that is any better. The boys aren’t big BBQ fans.

Recipe from A Year of Slowcooking

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Filed under Chicken