Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Breakfast for dinner

We do Breakfast for dinner at least once every couple of weeks. It is so easy because the ingredients for most breakfast meals are already in your fridge or pantry. If you have eggs, milk and bread you can make a meal.
Tonight we are having bagel sandwiches with bacon, eggs, cheese and tomatoes slices with hash browns and fruit on the side.

Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta

Creamy Crockpot Italian Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (cut into pieces)
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1/3 cup of water
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (4 oz) mushrooms stems and pieces, drained
Hot cooked rice, noodles or mashed potatoes

Place the chicken breast pieces in a slow cooker. Combine salad dressing mix and water; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 3 hours. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together cream cheese and soup until blended. Stir in mushrooms. Pour cream cheese mixture over chicken. Cook 1-3 hours longer until chicken juices run clear. Serve over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.
I also plan to either make a salad or make what my kids call "Oriental Vegetables" which is cut up veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots with rice wine vinegar and soy sauce so they have a pickled effect. I usually cut the veggies up several hours before dinner and let them marinate in the soy sauce and vinegar in the refrigerator until dinner time.

I came across this recipe in a thread called "What's for supper tonight?" on one of my favorite coupons/deals websites called www.vickysdeals.com.

Greek Chicken Pizzas

Greek Pizzas

This dinner is a variation of our "make you own pizza" dinner night.
For these Greek Pizzas we use flatbread instead of pizza crust and hummus instead of pizza sauce.
You could have these as a vegetarian "pizza" or use chicken along with your vegetables. If using chicken, you can just saute chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper or use shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees; we bake these flatbread pizzas on a pizza stone in the oven.

Top each flatbread with hummus and then top with any of the following as desired.
  • spinach
  • cherry tomatoes
  • onion (red or white)
  • feta cheese
  • mozzarella cheese
  • olives
  • chicken
  • red pepper flakes if you like it spicy
Cook until cheese is melted and browned.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Chicken Taquitos

This recipe requires very few ingredients and is super yummy. We do not cook it very often though because it takes awhile to pan fry the taquitos so when we do cook them we cook a big batch. When you see the pictures, please don't think our family ate all of these at one meal. My husband took a ton of them to work to share for lunch and my boys and I were able to eat them the next day for lunch also.

Ingredients:
Grilled Chicken breast sliced
Bell pepper and onion sliced
Montery Jack or Monterey Jack cheese with peppers sliced
Corn tortillas
Vegetable oil for pan frying


My husband grilled the chicken breast with some taco seasoning and then broiled the veggies with seasonings also so they were already cooked before rolling in the tortillas.
Then, roll chicken, cheese, onion and bell pepper tightly in a corn tortilla. We find that heating the tortilla on a griddle to soften it before rolling and filling helps keep the tortilla from tearing. We actually do an assembly line system where I am rolling and then placing them in the pan and my husband fries them. They just need to be pan fried not deep fried until brown and crispy.















We like salsa, sour cream and guacamole for dipping.


Saturday, June 18, 2011

Lawry's Seasoning BzzCampaign


I recently received my latest BzzCampaign from Bzzagent, BzzAgent is the leading social marketing company. They help people find, try and share cool products, services and brands. It's like the recommendations you already share — just easier and more fun.
This latest BzzCampaign is for Lawry's Seasonings. I can't wait to try these products out. I received a full sized sample of Lawry's Seasoned Salt, Lawry's Balsamic Herb marinade and Lawry's Seasoned Salt marinade. I also received a recipe and ideas book, coupons to use and share and an apron to use when I cook with their products. After reading the book, I learned that there are at least 17 different flavors of Lawry's marinades!
I have not used these products before so I am excited to use them and report back here on my blog how my family used them in recipes.
I would like to share some of these coupons and recipes with my blog readers so see below the list of Lawry's marinade flavors and post in the comments section which flavor you would like to try with the coupons. I will pick 3 readers to receive coupons and more info. about Lawry's seasonings from Bzzagent. This giveaway will end Tuesday, June 21st. Also, you must be a follower to enter this giveaway. Thank you.




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Sweet-and-Sour Chicken


Ingredients:

  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup white rice
  • 1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks, drained, 1/2 cup juice reserved
  • 2 tbsp. white vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 4 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp. ketchup
  • 2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 1/4 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

Sweeten the Deal! Pineapple and a drop of ketchup lend a trademark sweetness— without extra sugar.

An Extra Buck Will Buy You...toasted sesame seeds. Sprinkle on top for rich, nutty flavor and extra crunch.

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil; stir in the rice. Cover, lower the heat and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, 2 tsp. cornstarch, the ketchup and ginger. In a bowl, toss the chicken with the remaining 2 tsp. cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

  3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pineapple chunks and reserved chicken.

  4. Whisk the pineapple juice mixture into the chicken mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve over the rice.

From: Everyday with Rachel Ray magazine; June/July 2011 Budget Cook article.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Make your own crab salads


Tonight for dinner we had "Make your own" crab salad.
Here is a list of the toppings I put out for everyone to make their own salads:
  • Imitation crab
  • Seashell pasta
  • Scallion
  • Bell pepper
  • chopped boiled egg
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Cucumber
  • Carrots
  • Shredded cheeses
  • Salt and pepper
  • Ranch dressing
I also made some crispy flat breads to go with it using some Flat out breads and mozzarella cheese and spices that I broiled in the oven and cut into triangles.

Fragrant Fried Rice Pilaf


This dish was so easy to prepare and was so colorful with all the different veggies. It tasted so light and healthy.


Click here to find out more!

Fragrant Fried Rice Pilaf

Anna Williams

By: Leah Holzel and Vivian Jao
From: Sides

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 1 can (15.5 oz.) white beans, rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen peas and carrots mix, thawed
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, cover the rice with water and stir until the water becomes cloudy; drain and repeat twice. Return the rice to the saucepan, add 1 cup cold water, cover and cook over medium-low heat until the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked, about 25 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

  2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggs, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until set and just dry, about 1 minute. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool; coarsely chop.

  3. In the same skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add the scallion whites and bell pepper and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper. Add the beans and peas-carrots mix and cook until heated through; transfer to a large bowl.

  4. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tbsp. oil and the cumin over medium-high heat. Stir in the cooked rice. Spread into a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until the rice forms a crust, about 3 minutes. Break up the rice and sprinkle with the soy sauce. Stir in the scallion greens, cilantro, bean mixture and eggs and cook until heated through.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Dessert egg rolls


Last night when I was finished wrapping up our egg rolls for dinner, I realized I had several leftover egg roll wrappers. I came up with making dessert egg rolls.
I diced up a banana and mixed it up in a bowl with some cinnamon, sugar and some diced up pieces of butter. I rolled this mixture up in an egg roll wrapper and then fried them.
We topped them with chocolate and caramel sauce and whipped cream. I can think of lots of other fillings that would be yummy that I might try next time.

Homemade eggrolls

I have been making homemade eggrolls for a long time and I don't really have a recipe anymore. They are pretty easy; just time consuming because it takes a while to fry them all.
I use browned ground turkey, cole slaw mix and lots of different spices and sauces for my filling.





I place the browned turkey meat in a large bowl with the bagged cole slaw mix and added any of the following spices and sauces to taste.
  • Lite soy sauce
  • Ginger
  • Sriracha
  • Hoisin sauce
  • Any type of stir fry sauce (I like House of Tsang Szechauan Spicy Stir Fry Sauce)
  • Ponzu sauce
I find that after frying the eggrolls the flavor seem to blanch out a little so don't worry if you taste your mixture and think it seems a little spicy.
I use the eggroll wrappers that you can find in the produce section. I find that less is more when filling the wrappers because if you try to add too much and make them "fat" that the wrapper tends to tear and then the filling leaks out when fried.



I roll the eggrolls on a floured surface like a cutting board or baking sheet so they won't stick. Place a small amount of the mixture on the wrapper and fold up the bottom point and then tuck each end in and roll up and toward the opposite side. I keep a small bowl of water by the floured pan to moisten the flap as I seal the eggroll; making sure to have a good seal so none of the filling comes out in the fryer.











Fry the eggrolls in vegetable oil until golden brown and crispy. Serve with duck sauce and hot mustard. Here are some pics of the finished product.




Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Clean out the freezer night

Have you ever had a freezer full of 1/2 or 1/4 used boxes of frozen food? So have a clean out the freezer night.
Tonight my boys had popcorn shrimp, breaded clams, mozzarella sticks, fish sticks and there was one corn dog left that I sliced into circles along with sliced strawberries. They ate it up.
When my husband got home, he and I finished up 2 other boxes of food. He ate a black bean burger and I ate a chicken sandwich. We also had chips and salsa and fruit.

Clam Chowder

I am still experimenting with clam chowder and each time I make it I use a different recipe. Below is the recipe I used last night; it turned out very tasty but a little thin to be called a chowder. My husband and kids enjoyed it though. I served crusty garlic bread and fruit to go with the soup.

A clam chowder recipe made with milk and half-and-half and clam juice.

Ingredients:

  • 3 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 3 cups diced potatoes
  • 1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cans (approximately 7 ounces each) minced clams
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 1 cup milk

Preparation:

Cook bacon until crisp in a Dutch oven or large, heavy saucpan. Remove bacon to paper towels with slotted spoon; drain. Add onion to bacon drippings; sauté until softened. Add potatoes and clam juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat. Add minced clams with their liquid. Whisk flour into milk; add to chowder with half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until clam chowder thickens and bubbles, or about 3 minutes.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Swiss Cheese Chicken

This recipe is from my friend Olivia and it is very yummy!


CREAMY BAKED CHICKEN BREASTS

4 whole breast, split, baked & skinned
8 slices (4" square) Swiss cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup (10 3/4 oz. undiluted)
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 c. herb seasoned stuffing mix, crushed
1/4 c. butter, melted

Arrange chicken in greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish.
Top with cheese slices. Combine soup and wine, stirring well. Spoon sauce evenly over chicken, sprinkle with stuffing mix. Drizzle butter over crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Should serve 8 people. Thighs can also be used.
She also adds 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder after you drizzle the butter over the stuffing mix.


Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken breasts

1 15-oz can black beans, drained
1½ c. corn
1 ½ c. salsa
1 c. Cheddar cheese, grated
Hot cooked rice


Directions:


Combine ingredients in slow cooker, except rice and cheese. Cover; cook on Low 6-8 hours or High 4-6 hours. Serve over rice and top with cheese or serve with warm flour tortillas, cheese and sour cream.


My family is not huge on canned corn so we did not add the corn and it turned out great. The boys loved it wrapped in a warm flour tortilla.

Source: "What's for dinner" thread on www.vickysdeals.com

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Hole in ones



This is so easy and fun. You can use any kind of cookie cutter design or just cut a round hole out of a piece of buttered bread. Place the buttered bread on a hot griddle pan and crack an egg inside the hole. I break the yolk, but if you like your eggs over easy you can leave the yolk intact. Flip it over until cooked on both sides. Also, "toast" the buttered cut out design on the griddle.