Category Archives: Definitely Making it Again

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 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 7, 2010 · 4:28 pm

Chicken Fiesta

This came from an article in Parents magazine called Out of the Box…not sure they have that section anymore, but I sure liked it while they did.

Ingredients:
1 package (6.75 oz) Spanish rice
10 oz. frozen mixed veggies
1 T olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 T taco seasoning
1 can (19 oz) black beans
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

Directions:
Cook Spanish rice according to directions on box. After 15 minutes stir in frozen mixed veggies, cover and cook 15-20 more minutes or until water is absorbed.

In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Stir in 1 T taco season and beans with their liquid. Cook five more minutes.

Remove bean mixture from heat.

In a separate skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook until done. Add the remaining 1 T of taco seasoning and stir.

Combine chicken with rice and bean mixture and serve.

What does the family think? Hubby and I both like this dish. The kids don’t like it when I mix everything together, but if I can keep, say, the chicken separated from the beans, then they can pick out the parts they like.

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again

May 5, 2010 · 11:12 pm

Mexican Chicken Salad with Black Beans and Corn

I have been making this salad for years. It is pretty quick and easy and is great on a hot night when you don’t want to turn on the oven.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, already cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Lettuce
Ranch Dressing
Salsa
Tortilla Chips

Directions:
Get out a bowl for each person that will be eating.

Place a few handfuls of lettuce in the bottom of each bowl.

Divide the chicken evenly among the bowls and place on top of the lettuce.

Place about 1/4 c. of corn into each salad bowl and place on top of chicken.

Place about 1/4 c. of black beans into each salad bowl and place on top of corn.

Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips on top of each salad.

Serve with salsa and ranch dressing. When you put them both on the salad and mix it all together it is super yummy!

What does the family think? Hubby and I really like this salad. The kids will eat the chicken and the lettuce and sometimes a stray bean or corn kernel. They insist on eating it with the salad dressing they always use though which can’t possibly be nearly as tasty as ranch dressing and salsa mixed together. 🙂

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Mexican, Super Easy to Make

May 1, 2010 · 2:04 am

Shepherd’s Pie

My mom used to make shepherd’s pie all the time and I loved it. This is Emeril Lagasse’s version.

Ingredients:
1/4 c. unsalted butter
1 lb. ground lamb, turkey, chicken or beef
1 c. yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
Salt and Pepper to season
1 bay leaf
2 T flour
1 T tomato paste
1 1/4 c. broth
1 tspn. Worcestershire sauce
1 lb. potatoes
1/8 tspn. ground nutmeg
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. grated cheddar

Directions:
Lightly grease 6-cup baking dish and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meat and cook until almost done. Add onions, carrots, bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook until onions are tender.

Stir in the tomato paste.

Stir in the flour and cook for one minute.

Slowly add the broth and the Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In the meantime, boil the potatoes in salted water for about 10 minutes or until tender.

Drain the potatoes and return to pot. Mash them with a potato masher. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix well.

Add the cream and mix again. Remove pot from heat.

Remove the bay leaf.

Spoon the meat mixture into the baking dish. Spoon the potatoes on top of that. Smooth out the potatoes so they cover the meat mixture.

Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Did I change anything? Yes, the original recipe called for mushrooms and I left those out. Also I used ground meat and the original recipe called for chopped lamb.

What did the family think? Hubby and I liked it. Our oldest was hesitant at first, but liked it once he finally tasted it. Our youngest wasn’t to keen on it, but he did eat some of it…as little as he could get away with.

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Not so Easy

April 30, 2010 · 5:44 am

BLT Rigatoni

This is a recipe from the lovely Rachel Ray. It is quick and easy and a nice twist on regular pasta.

Ingredients:
1/4 pancetta or bacon, cut into slivers
Olive Oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 c. dry white wine
4 ripe tomatoes, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 lb. penne, rigatoni or similar pasta
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
2 c. fresh spinach, chopped
3/4 c. fresh paremesan

Directions:
Cook pasta per the directions on the box.

In a medium skillet, cook pancetta for about six minutes. Put pancetta on paper towels to drain off oil.

In a medium saucepan, heat 3 tbspns. of olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened.

Add the wine and bring to a simmer.

Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and simmer over low heat, stirring, until sauce thickens a bit.

Divide cooked pasta into four bowls (or however many servings you need). Top each serving of pasta with the tomato mixture. Top each serving with the pancetta, basil and spinach, toss, drizzle with olive oil and top with parmesan.

Did I change anything? Yes, I took out the arugula and added spinach. I am not a big arugula fan.

What does the family think? They liked it! We are pasta eaters, so that’s not a huge surprise.

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian

April 29, 2010 · 5:21 am

Easy Mexican Casserole

I found out about this easy recipe from my friend and fellow foodie, Candy.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey, beef or chicken
2 c. salsa
1 packet of taco seasoning
16 oz. can of chili beans, drained
3 c. tortilla chips, crushed
2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. green onion
1/2 c. chopped tomato
2 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese
Guacamole

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, thoroughly cook meat. Stir in salsa and taco seasoning and let simmer for a few minutes. Stir in beans and heat through.

Spray 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

Spread crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of the dish and cover with cooked meat mixture.

Spread sour cream on top.

Sprinkle green onions and tomato on top.

Top with cheddar cheese.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Did I change anything? I did change a few things from the original recipe. I left out the olives since we don’t do olives here. I also added the taco seasoning, which I think was Candy’s idea. I have also added a small can of corn before, too.

What does the family think? My hubby likes it, but I love this dish when it is served with guacamole. The guacamole makes this dish… or maybe it’s just guacamole makes everything taste better. 🙂 The kids aren’t too keen on it, but they will eat their required bites.

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Mexican

April 27, 2010 · 5:40 am

Chicken Pastina Soup

This has pesto in it and as far as I am concerned anything with pesto in it is good. 🙂

Ingredients:
1/2 c. water
(2) 14 oz. cans of chicken broth
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces, precooked
2 1/4c. chopped carrot, celery and onion mix
Salt and pepper to season
1/4 c. uncooked pastina (tiny star-shaped pasta)
3T pesto (or more if you’d like)
2T lemon juice
1/4 c. shredded parmesan

Directions;
Bring water and chicken broth to a boil in a Dutch oven.

Stir in veggies and chicken and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Add pasta and cook 4 minutes.

Stir in pesto and juice and simmer for one minute.

Serve and top with parmesan cheese.

We usually have this with a yummy fresh baguette from the bakery.

Did I change anything? No! This recipe is perfect and simple as is. However, if you don’t have pastina, I am sure you could use some other little pasta. Also, sometimes I can’t find the celery, carrot, onion mix in the freezer section at the grocery, so I will either just make my own mix of veggies or use the Italian frozen veggie mix that has zucchini in it.

What did the family think? Hubby and I love this soup. The kids aren’t too keen on soup of any kind.

Adapted from a Cooking Light recipe

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Italian, Stew/Soup, Super Easy to Make