Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Spinach Chicken Pasta

This is another winner of a recipe that I found on Pinterest. I made it for dinner last week and it was so good...I can't wait to make it again!

Here's what you need:
8 oz uncooked Rigatoni
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen spinach, thawed
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8 oz) container chive & onion cream cheese
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken breast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 and 1/2 cups shredded mozzerella

Prepare pasta according to box directions.
Spread oil in bottom of large baking dish. Add onion. Bake at 375* for 15 minutes. Transfer onions to a large bowl and set aside.
Drain spinach well. Stir pasta, chicken, spinach, tomatoes, cream cheese, salt & pepper into bowl with onions. Mix well.
Spoon mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes or until bubbly.
Serve hot.

Next time I make this I PROMISE to take pictures...we were so hungry the night I made it that we just dug right in!

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Chicken Pot Pie

I don't know about you, but I love me some comfort foods, especially once the weather starts to cool down. Fall weather has FINALLY come to Oklahoma after a crazy hot summer...the leaves are changing, there's a crispness in the air, and the temps are gloriously cooler. And this recipe is the perfect dinner for the cooler nights!

Here's what you need:

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat

1 pkg (15 oz) refrigerated pie crusts

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 Tbsp all purpose flour

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 bag (16-20 oz) frozen peas & carrots

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 egg yolk

1 Tbsp water

Preheat oven to 425*. Place chicken in lg saucepan and add enough cool water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until just cooked through (about 10 minutes). Drain the chicken; let cool. Shred the chicken.

Meanwhile, fit one piecrust into a 9" pie plate and set asize. Roll the remaining pie crust out on a lightly floured surface. Cut crust into 1/2 inch wide strips with a pastry wheel and set aside.

Melt the butter in a lg saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Whisk in the flour and the thyme and cook/stir for another 2 minutes. Add the brother and the cream and whisk until thickened (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in the shredded chicken, frozen veggies, salt & pepper.

Spoon filling into prepared pie plate. Arrange 6 of the piecrust strips inthe same direction on top of the pie, twisting the dough. Arrange the rest of the strips crosswise on top; fold edges under and pinch to seal.

Beat egg yolk and water. Brust the top of the pie with mixture. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden and filling is bubbly, about 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Chicken Pot Pie Bake

We tried this recipe one of the days last week that we were snowed in, because we needed some good, warm comfort food. The hubby and I loved it...the kids on the other hand weren't sure about the biscuits. But they enjoyed everything else!

Here's what you need:
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 and 1/3 cups milk
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 cups refrigerated new (red) potato wedges, each cut in half crosswise
3 cups cubed deli rotisserie chicken (without skin)
1 bag (1 lb) frozen mixed veggies, thawed
1 can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 375*. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix soup, milk and Italian seasoning. Stir in potatoes, chicken and thawed veggies.

Seperate dough into individual biscuits and cut each into quarters. Add to potato mixture and stir gently to mix. Spoon into baking dish.

Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes or until top is deep goldenbrown and biscuits are no longer doughy inside. Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 4-6 mintues until cheese is melted.

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Chicken Bog

Okay, okay, I know the name doesn't sound very appetizing. But believe you me...it is delicious! Even my boys ate every bite. And they're PICKY, those boys. It's another recipe that I got from the back of a novel written by a Southern author. I love when I stumble on great new food ideas that way!

Here's what you need:
6 cups water
1 Tbsp salt
1 3-4lb whole chicken
2 carrots quartered (I sliced mine)
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
1/2 lb smoked sausage, sliced & uncooked
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp poultry seasoning (I used Old Bay)
1 Tbsp dried parsely flakes (I didn't have any so I substituted Italian seasoning.)

Step 1: Place water, onion, salt, chicken, carrots & celery in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & cover; cook for 1 hour.
Step 2: Remove chicken & let cool, saving the liquid & veggies.
Step 3: Remove skin & bones from chicken and chop meat into bite-sized pieces. Skim fat from liquid and measure 3.5 cups of liquid into a large saucepan. Add chicken pieces, cooked veggies, sliced sausage, rice, butter & seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover & reduce heat. Cook for 30 minutes.

This is definitely a comfort food dish and is perfect for those chilly fall & winter evenings. It's going to be a staple in our house for sure.

While I was enjoying my bog, I thought to myself that it would taste great with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving instead of the chicken. Just change step 1 to only heat up some veggies (maybe stir fry or steam them) and then go straight to step 2 and add your leftover turkey pieces instead of the chicken. I think I may try it if we have any extra bird this weekend!

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Honey-garlic Chicken

Here's another ripped-from-a-waiting-room-magazine recipe. I made this on Friday night with the Buttery Dill Carrots as a side and ALL THREE of my kids devoured it. They requested that I make it again soon. This is no small feat my friends...Sophia has been quite picky lately when it comes to food. More often than not she announces that she "will not be eating wiss you tonight". She's a diva, that one.


Anyway, here's the recipe in all it's tasty glory. Make it yourself this week...you won't be disappointed!


Here's what you need:

1/3 cup honey
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp thyme, finely chopped
1 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
2.5 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed of fat (about 6 pieces)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper


Heat oven to 400*. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
In a small bowl, stir together honey, garlic, thyme and rosemary.
Place chicken thighs on prepared sheet and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Brush with honey mixture and bake for 40 minutes, brushing with remaning mixture every 10 minutes (or until internal meat temperature reaches 160*).


It's that easy!!

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Tex Mex Chicken

This is a recipe I got from a friend of mine. I altered it just a bit to allow for more servings ( I had 7 people to feed the other night!) and it turned out GREAT. So much so that our dinner guest requested the recipe to pass along to his wife when he got back home!

Here's what you need:

Boneless chicken breasts (I used 5 of them)
8 oz fat-free sour cream (or just about half of a 16 oz container)
1 jar of salsa

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low about 5 hours. Shred chicken and put back into crockpot for another 20-30 minutes to soak up the salsa & sour cream.

Serve on burrito size tortillas with yellow rice, black beans, lettuce, and all your favorite taco toppings.

It's super easy and such a great twist on tacos. You and your family will love it!

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Easy Chicken Parmigiana

This is another go-to recipe for my house...and it's from the same church cookbook as last week's pot roast recipe. Heaven help me if I ever loose this book!!

Here's what you need:
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 lb chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Spaghetti

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Dip each chicken breast in beaten egg, then roll in bread crumb mixture to evenly coat. Place chicken on a cookie sheet and back at 375* for 10 minutes. Turn chicken over and bake another 10-12 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Spoon a little spaghetti sauce over chicken breasts and sprinkle mozzerella cheese on top and bake another 3 minutes. Serve chicken and remaining sauce over cooked spaghetti noodles.

Enjoy!!

Mmmm Mmmm Monday-on-Tuesday: PW's Fried Chicken

This recipe is from the great Pioneer Woman and her superbly amazing cookbook.

I recieved this wonderful book for Christmas from a very dear friend (Thanks Nat!!) and it is by far one of my favorites. If you don't have this book in your cookbook library, you need to get it NOW. I made this fried chicken recipe when we had friends over and their son said that it was the best fried chicken he'd ever had. How's that for a compliment?

Here's what you need:
2 cut up fryer chickens (we just buy the bags of drumsticks from Walmart or Sams...they work just as well!)
1 quart plus 1/4 cup buttermilk
5 cups all purpose flour
3 Tbsp season-all salt (like Lawry's)
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup milk
Canola or vegetable oil for frying

1. Thoroughly rinse chicken and then cover all the pieces with the quart of buttermilk and soak overnight, or up to 24 hours. Remove from the fridge and let set for 30 minutes prior to frying to take off the chill.
2. Preheat oven to 350* and mix up the breading: place flour, season-all salt, pepper, thyme, paprika & cayenne in a large bowl and stir together.
3. In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup buttermilk and milk. Pour the milk mixture into the flour and, with a pastry cutter or fork, gradually mix until there are little lumps throughout. If needed, add a littlemore flour or milk to make it lumpy.
4. Heat 1.5" of oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over med-hi head until a thermometer reads 365*.
5. Working in batches, thoroughly coat each buttermilk-soaked chicken piece with breading, pressing extra breading onto chicken if necessary. Place breaded chicken on a plate.
6. Add the chicken to the oil 3 or 4 pieces at a time. Make sure they aren't sticking to ether then tover the pan and fry for 5-7 minutes, checking to make sure chicken doesn't get too brown. Turn the pieces over and cook another 3-5 minutes more. Continue to moniter the temp of the oil so the chicken doesn't burn.
7. Place chicken on a baking sheet and continue frying the rest of the chicken in 3-4 piece batches. When all of the chicken has been fried, bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cut into the thickest part of a large piece and if any pink is visible (meat or juice) continue in cooking in the oven until no pink shows.

Serve with your choice of side. I promise you this will be a big hit!

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Cream Cheese Chicken & Broccoli

This crockpot recipe was passed to me by my cousin and we finally tried it last week and LOVED it. It says to put the chicken mixture over spaghetti (which we did) but I also ate it on it's own for lunch during the week and it was just as good without the noodles.

Here's what you need:
4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2" peices
1 tbsp olive oil
1 package (1 oz) Italian dressing mix **This I could not find, so I just used Italian seasoning instead**
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 bag (10 oz) frozen broccoli, thawed
1 package low-fat cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup dry sherry (didn't have any of this so I omitted it)
Hot cooked pasta (we used spaghetti)

*Toss chicken with olive oil and Italian dressing mix to coat chicken. Place in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.
*Coat large skillet w/nonstick cooking spray. Add mushrooms & onion, cook 5 minutes over Medium heat or until onions are tender. Stir occasionally.
*Add soup, broccoli, cream cheese and sherry to skillet; cook & stir until hot. Add to chicken in crockpot. Cover, cook on low one more hour. Serve over pasta.

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Easy Fajitas

I hunted for some Fajita kits when I was grocery shopping on Friday and couldn't find what I needed. (Okay...so I didn't hunt...I went to one store. ) Anyway, after poking around online I got the jist of what I needed and then sort of flew by the seat of my pants. The result was pleasant...everyone in the house scarfed down at least two!

Here's what you need:
8 inch tortillas
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1-2 bell peppers, sliced
1 onion, sliced
EVOO or vegetable oil
1 tomato, chopped
1 packet Mexican or Taco seasoning
salsa, cheese and lettuce for toppings

First, heat up about a tablespoon of oil in a skillet on the stove, at about medium-hi heat. Coat the onions and pepper in some of the seasoning (be sure to leave enough for the chicken). Add the veggies to the oil and stir-fry until the onions are transluscent and the peppers are crisp-tender. Remove from pan and cover to keep warm.

Without rinsing the pan, add another Tbsp of oil. Coat the chicken pieces with the remaining seasoning and add to pan, cooking until white inside and out.

Then all you do is build your fajita how you like it! We layered ours like this: chicken & veggies on the bottom, then lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and salsa. Enjoy!!

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Rosemary-Orange Chicken

Ok, so I know that I said I'd post my favorite Christmas-y recipes this month, and that this doesn't necessarily scream "Happy Holidays". But let me explain.

I grew up in South Florida, and we had orange trees in our backyard. The type of oranges we had were at their peak in the winter. I remember when I was a kid, our church would give stockings to all the children in the congregation, and we always had an orange in it along with the candy. So to me, oranges are a winter-time fruit. Crazy, huh?

Anyway, I found this recipe in my trusty Rachael Ray cookbook last week and thought I'd give it a whirl. It was so tasty!! The hubby didn't give me any suggestions on making it "different" (read: better) the next time, so I took that as him saying it was perfect. Good old R. R. didn't disappoint!

Rosemary-Orange Chicken
3 tbsp EVOO
4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
salt & pepper
1 lg yellow onion, sliced
2 lg carrots, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp flour
zest and juice of 1 orange
2.5 cups chicken stock/broth
10 pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped (I omitted these)
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat broiler.

Preheat a large skillet over med-hi heat w/2 tbsp EVOO. Add the chicken, rosemary, salt & pepper. Cook and stir for 3-4 min, or until lightly browned. Then add the onions, carrots & garlic. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes.

Dust the chicken and veggies with the flour and cook for one minute more. Stir in the orange juice and chicken stock. Bring up to a simmer and cook until the liquid has been reduced by half, then add the olives.

While the liquid is reducing, combine thebread crumbs, orange zest, parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano in a small bowl.

Transfer the chicken and veggies into a baking dish and top with the bread crumb mixture. Place under broiler until the topping is brown and crispy (about 2-3 minutes).

Serve immediately after removing from oven, and enjoy!

Day-late Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Oven Ranch Chicken

Made this one for the first time last night and it was a hit with the whole family. Usually the hubby suggests that "next time" I add this spice, or that dressing, but there was no corrective criticism this time. He loved it how it was. It's super simple, and very tasty.

Oven Ranch Chicken
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1 pkg (.4 oz) ranch dressing mix *I used a 1oz package becuase that's what I had*
1/3 cup reduced fat sour cream
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts *I used 5 becuase of five family members. The amounts of other ingredients yielded enough without having to increase*

Heat oven to 375*. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. In a shallow dish (or pie pan), mix bread crumbs and ranch dressing mix. Place sour cream in a seperate dish (pie pan).

Dip chicken into sour cream, turning to coat. Roll in bread crumb mixture and coat both sides evenly. Place chicken on cookie sheet. (Discard any leftover sour cream and bread crumbs)

Bake uncovered 30-35 minutes or until internal temperature is 170*.

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Creamy Chicken Alfredo

I tried this one out on my family and my parents yesterday and it was well recieved! It's pretty easy to make and the creamy sauce is deeee-lish!

Creamy Chicken Alfredo
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil (diveded into 2tbsp and 1tbsp)
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp minced onion
1 and 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375*. Place flour in a shallow dish or pie plate. Sprinkle chicken with salt, coat with flour. Heat 2 tbsp oil in large skillet over med-high heat until hot. Add chicken; cook, turning once, until golden (2-4 min per side). Remove chicken from skillet and place in a 9x13 baking dish.

Heat remaning oil in same skillet over med heat until hot. Add garlic & onion, cook until garlic is fragrant and onion is tender (approx 1-2 minutes). Increase heat to medium-high and add whippnig cream, Parmesan and pepper. Cook until sauce is bubbly and slightly thickened (about 2-3 minutes). Spoon sauce over chicken in dish.

Bake chicken until an instant-read thermometer reads 180*...8-12 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Chicken Broccoli Parmesan Bake

This is another goodie that I got off the back of a pasta package. I tweaked just a bit and added some seasoning and more cheese, (and doubled the noodles for a larger family). Here's the recipe as it was written down (without my additions).

Chicken Broccoli Parmesan Bake (serves 3-4)
8 oz egg noodles
1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh garlic OR 2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 lb small broccli florets
4 and 1/2 cups chicken gravy
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb cooked chicken (shredded or diced)
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain, cover & set aside.
Preheat oven to 350*
Heat oil in a large skillet on med-high heat. Add garlic, onion & broccoli; saute' until tender. Add chicken gravy and milk, and bring to a slow simmer. Stir in cheese, chicken, and cooked noodles.
Pour mixture into a non-stick casserole dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Herb Penne with Chicken & Tomatoes

This is a recipe that I got off the back of a pasta box, and I tweaked it a little bit. It was really tasty and so simple!

Herb Penne with Chicken & Tomatoes
1lb box Penne Rigate
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 tsp fresh chopped garlic
2 cans diced tomatoes
1/3 cup fresh chopped basil
12 oz cooked chicken breast strips (I used two 6 oz pkgs of Tyson pre-cooked chicken strips)
1 cup shredded Mozzarella
salt, pepper, and oregano to taste

Cook & drain penne according to package directions.
Heat olive oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes & basil, cook 2 more minutes. Add chicken, simmer for 5 minutes.
Toss with pasta. Season to taste with salt, pepper and oregano. Top with Mozzerella and serve immediately.

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Sweet Pepper Chicken

It's been a long time since I've posted a recipe. But honestly, we haven't tried anything new too much this summer. But I used a new crockpot recipe last night that was a big hit so I decided to resurrect the Mmmm Mmmm Monday posts and share it with y'all!

Sweet Pepper Chicken

6 bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, halved and sliced

1 medium green pepper, julienned

1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned

1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

Hot cooked rice

In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil on both sides. Transfer to a 5 qt slow cooker/crockpot. Top with mushrooms, onion and peppers. Combine the soups; pour over vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until chicken juices run clear. Serve with rice.

Makes 6 servings.

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Bruschetta Grilled Chicken

This is a super tasty recipe that I got from a recipe exchange with a Mommy Group I attended a few times. (It's also on Kraft.com) We tweaked it just a bit and loved it so much and I just had to pass it along!

Bruschetta Grilled Chicken

6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Kraft Sun-dried Tomato Vinegarette Dressing
1 tomato finely chopped
1/2 shredded mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Marinade chicken in some of the vinegarette for at least 30 minutes. I used about 1/4 of the bottle and marinated it all afternoon to really soak up the juices.

Heat grill to medium heat and cook chicken as desired.

While chicken is grilling, combine about 1/4 cup vinegarette with the tomatoes, basil and cheese. Once chicken is ready to eat, top each peice with some of the tomato mixture. Serve immediately.

It's an extremely easy recipe and is perfect for the summer!

Mmmm Mmmm Monday (A day late-sorry!): Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is a super easy recipe that is really yummy! There's not really a set amount of ingredients-it all depends on how many you're feeding. You can use any type of cheese you like...I lean towards provolone. But American cheese works too!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken breasts
Ham Slices
Cheese slices
Olive oil, or butter
Bread crumbs

Pound and flatten chicken breasts. Place a ham slice and a cheese slice on top. Roll up. Roll in olive oil and crumbs and base for 35 minutes at 350*.

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Salsa Chicken & Rice

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Stand Time: 5 Minutes Makes 4 servings

2 cups cooked white or brown rice, kept warm
1 tablespoon vegtable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup bottled chunky salsa
1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded Medican-blend cheese
Sour cream (optional)
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Heat oil in large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, onion, and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasinally, for 10-12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Stir in salsa; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve over rice. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro if desired.