Mediterranean Chicken 2

This has great flavor but is on the mild side.  We added some Cayenne after we plated it and it was the perfect addition.

 

Mediterranean Chicken

Serves 4

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced onion

3 cups tomatoes, chopped, or 28oz canned diced tomatoes

3/4 cup white wine

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 cup kalamata olives

1 teaspoon parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Cayenne pepper to taste

 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat

Add chicken and sauté about 4 to 6 minutes, until golden

Remove chicken from skillet and set aside

Sauté onion in pan for 3 minutes, then add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds

Add tomatoes and bring to a boil

Lower heat, add white wine, thyme, basil, oregano and simmer for 5 minutes

Return chicken to skillet and cover

Cook over low heat until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside

Add olives and parsley to the skillet and cook for 1 minute

Season with cayenne, salt and pepper to taste

Serve over pasta or rice of your choice

Tomato Vodka Sauce

I made this sauce recently and served it over Gnocchi.  It was really good and I will be making it again.

 

Tomato Vodka Sauce

 

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup onion, chopped

3 cloves minced garlic

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup vodka

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon oregano

2 teaspoons sugar

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 pound pasta cooked to al dente

Parmesan cheese

 

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt better with oil

Add onion and sauté for 5-8 minutes or until transparent

Add garlic and tomatoes, cook for 25 minutes or until almost no liquid remains in skillet; stir frequently

Increase heat and add cream, basil, oregano, sugar and red pepper flakes

Boil for 2 minutes or until thickened to sauce consistency

Season to taste with vodka, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper

Bring sauce to a simmer and pour over pasta; toss to coat

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; serve

Lemon-Broccoli Chicken and Rice Bowl

I made this for lunch a couple days ago.  It had lots of flavor and I already had everything in the house to make it!

 

Lemon-Broccoli Chicken and Rice Bowl

Serves 4

 

1 cup rice, cooked according to package directions

2 cups broccoli florets

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper

1 cup diced onion

2 garlic clove, minced

1 lemon, zested and juiced about (4 tablespoons juice and 1 tablespoon zest)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

Place broccoli into a large pot and cover with water; bring to a boil

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 4-5 minutes

Drain and season broccoli with salt and pepper

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken to hot oil, season with garlic powder, onion powder and lemon pepper

Sauté chicken and onion until chicken is completely browned, 5 to 7 minutes

Spoon garlic and rice into the skillet; cook until lightly browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes

Stir broccoli into the rice mixture; sprinkle lemon zest and lemon juice over the mixture and stir

Top with Parmesan cheese

BBQ Chicken Cheese Fries

This is a great snack to eat during your favorite TV show or to hold you over until dinner.

 

BBQ Chicken Cheese Fries

 

French Fries

Chicken Nuggets

BBQ Sauce

Cheddar Blend Cheese

 

Bake French Fries and Chicken Nuggets according to package directions

Place baked French Fries on a Broiler Proof pan

Top with Chicken Nuggets

Drizzle BBQ sauce over French Fries and Chicken Nuggets

Top with cheese

Place under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly

Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce

 

You can also use Popcorn Chicken or Chicken Tenders for this recipe

 

 

Oven Roasted Potatoes 2

These came out really good.  You have to keep an eye on them and stir often, but they are worth it.

 

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Makes about 4 Servings

 

28oz chunk potatoes, about 4 medium or 3 1/2 cups

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 tablespoon thyme

1/2 tablespoon lemon pepper

1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

In a bowl large enough to toss potatoes, add melted butter, thyme, lemon pepper, salt and pepper

Toss until well coated

Spread a single layer in greased 2 quart casserole pan

Place in preheated oven

Bake for 12 minutes

Using a flat spatula, scrape and flip potatoes

Bake another 12 minutes

Scrape and flip potatoes, mix in minced garlic

Bake another 12 minutes

 

Enjoy!

Hard Boiled Eggs

I finally found an easy, no fail way to make hard boiled eggs!  They come out perfect every time!

 

Hard Boiled Eggs

 

Place eggs in a pan of cold water

Bring to a hard boil

Cover and remove from heat

Set sit for 15 minutes

Place eggs in an ice bath

Remove each egg and crack shell all around

Place back in ice bath for 10 minutes

Gently peel each egg and rinse with cold water

 

I have found that older, not expired, eggs work best when making hard boiled eggs.  They are easier to peel.

 

Eggs are now ready to enjoy in your favorite dish.

Creamed Eggs

Egg Salad

Cobb Salad

Deviled Eggs

Little Chicks

Jarred Cranberry BBQ Sauce

Cranberry BBQ Sauce

1 Tablespoon olive oil (for sautéing onions)
2 cups diced onion
2 cups tomato sauce, OR 1 qt drained whole tomatoes, pureed.
1 cup orange juice
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup white vinegar
8 cups cranberry sauce

 

In a pot, sauté the onions in olive oil

Add tomato sauce or tomato puree, brown sugar, orange juice, mustard powder, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar.

Simmer 3-5 minutes

Stir in the cranberry sauce to the onion and tomato mixture

Pour sauce into Vitamix, blender or using a hand blender; puree the sauce to desired consistency

Return to pot and bring to a boil

Reduce heat and simmer a few minutes before adding to jars

 

Ladle hot sauce into pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace

Remove excess air in jar and fill again to maintain headspace

Wipe rim, apply lid and ring

Process in boiling water canner for 20 minutes

After 24 hours have passed, remove rings and wash jars

Label jars with date and store. Do not stack jars

Crescent Cheese Dogs

Korbyn made lunch for his sister and she loved it!

 

Crescent Cheese Dogs

 

8 hot dogs

4 slices of cheese

1 can crescents

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Separate dough into triangles

Fold cheese slice in half making 2 triangles

Lay out a crescent, you may need to pat it out to make it a bit wider

Lay one cheese triangle on crescent, top with hot dog

Starting at widest end, roll up hot dog and cheese

Place wrapped hot dog on prepared baking sheet

Repeat with remaining crescents, cheese and hot dogs

Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown

Enjoy!

Au Gratin Potatoes

I had never made Au Gratin Potatoes before and they came out pretty good!  Korbyn even had a second helping.

 

Au Gratin Potatoes

Serves 4

 

5 cups of potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices

1/2 teaspoon each of Garlic powder, Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Grease a 1 quart casserole dish

In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat

Mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute

Stir in milk

Cook until mixture has thickened

Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds

 

Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into bottom of the prepared casserole dish

Pour a layer of cheese over potatoes, add the remaining potatoes

Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper

Pour remainder of cheese over the potatoes, and cover the dish with greased foil

Greased foil will keep the cheese and potatoes from sticking to it

Bake 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven

Spinach Chicken Parmesan

I had some fresh broccoli to use up and worked it into this recipe.  This was very good warm or cold as leftovers the next day.

 

Spinach Chicken Parmesan

 

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded flat to a uniform thickness

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Salt and Pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups fresh spinach

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons chopped pimento peppers, or 1/3 cup roasted red peppers

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a small bowl combine cheese, bread crumbs and seasoning

Lightly coat chicken pieces in cheese mixture

Set remaining cheese mixture aside

Arrange coated chicken pieces in an 8x8x2 inch baking dish

In a small saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in butter until tender

Add spinach and sauté for a couple minutes

Stir in flour, and then add milk all at once

Simmer, stirring, until bubbly

Stir in pimiento or roasted red peppers and mix together

Spoon spinach mixture over chicken and sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture

Bake lightly covered with foil for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender and chicken juices run clear