Roasted Poblano Pepper Casserole

We planted one poblano pepper plant this year in the garden and it has been producing like nobody's business. It's one of the peppers that Daniel is unwilling to share with his co-workers so I've been freezing them as we harvest them. We picked yet another fresh batch the other day so after Daniel being out of town for the past several days only to be heading out again in the morning, I thought now was the time to do something with them. I searched high and low for a recipe that tickled my fancy but none came close to what I was looking for. This meant I just needed to create my own and create my own is what I did.

They were DELICIOUS!! Daniel didn't really say much about them until after he had finished his third helping. He said that it was a pretty good dinner which in Daniel code means they were amazing.

I hope everyone who gives these a try enjoys them as much as we did.

Roasted Poblano Pepper Casserole

Ingredients:
8-12 poblano peppers, roasted with the skin peeled off
12 oz. Queso Fresco cheese
1 C. Mexican blend shredded cheese

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:
1 roasted red pepper
1 lg. shallot, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
2 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
 1/8 tsp. cumin powder

Chicken Filling:
 2 chicken breasts, salted and peppered to taste, browned and cooked through and then shredded.
1 C. frozen corn
1 C. black beans, drained and rinsed.
1 C. diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 C. diced green onions
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin powder

Directions:

1.) Halve and seed poblano peppers. Lightly toss them with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. Broil on high in oven until skin is browned and pulling away from pepper. Remove from oven and place them in a large ziploc bag until cooled. Once cooled peel skin off of peppers. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.) In a medium skillet over medium heat, add a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Lightly salt and pepper chicken breasts on each side and add to a covered skillet. Cook until browned on each side and cooked through. 

3.) In a small skillet add 2 tbsp. butter and heat over medium low heat. Add diced shallots and garlic. Cook until softened.

4.) In a small food processor add roasted red pepper and softened shallots and garlic. Process until smooth. Add back to small pan and season with salt, pepper, cumin, and slowly mix in heavy cream. Allow to simmer over low heat.

5.) In medium bowl added shredded chicken, frozen corn, black beans, green onions and diced tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, and cumin. Mix until thoroughly until fully incorporated.

6.) In a medium sized baking dish add a thin layer of the roasted pepper sauce on the bottom. Top with  8-10 poblano pepper halves. Top with chicken mixture and then top with 1/3 of the Queso Fresco cheese crumbled. Repeat layers. You'll have two regular layers plus an extra layer of the shredded chicken mixture. Top the last layer with remaining Queso Fresco cheese and the shredded Mexican cheese.

7.) Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes or until browned on top and bubbly on the side. Allow to stand for a few minutes and then serve.

I know a few vegetarians and I would suggest substituting the chicken for cooked quinoa. My guess would be about two cups and it would be tasty cooked in vegetable broth and then mixed with some fresh cilantro.

Also, I apologize in advance if something is missing in the instructions or if something doesn't make sense. I typed this up with two screaming toddlers around me so my mind kept scattering elsewhere.

Grilled Chicken and Veggie Quinoa

Daniel is on a wellness committee at work and for each meeting they all bring in healthy dishes to share with each other. He requested a quinoa salad of some sort so I found him a good one for his meeting which left me with an extra cup of quinoa that needed to be cooked. I came up with this dish tonight trying to use it up and come up with something different. All four of us really enjoyed this dish and surprisingly, it is very filling. I can't wait to experiment more with quinoa.

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Quinoa

Ingredients:
1 Cup uncooked quinoa
1 TBSP. chicken flavored broth and base seasoning
2 Cups of water
2 zuchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, peeled and sliced
2-4 red tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil
1 TBSP. minced garlic
2-3 medium chicken breasts
1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.) Slice zuchini and squash and coat evenly with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, and garlic. Grill until tender. Cut tomatoes in half and place on the grill until the skin starts to peel off.

2.) Salt and pepper chicken breasts and grill until cooked through.

3.) Bring two cups of water with chicken broth and base seasoning and quinoa to a boil. Then cover and reduce heat to medium low and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.

4.) Allow vegetables to cool and then dice them up along with the cooked chicken breasts. Gently fold quinoa into the chicken and veggie mixture and sprinkle with 1/3 of grated Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.

Katie's 3 Bean Whole Hog Chili

I'm going to ignore the simple fact that I haven't posted a new recipe here on the ol' blog since October and get straight to the point! I just hope someone is still out there willing to follow along with me...lol.

The point is my three bean whole hog chili. Daniel had a sales guy from work give him probably three pounds of whole hog sausage. The sausage was extremely fresh, as in the pig had been slaughtered, butchered, and processed the day before Daniel got a hold of it. It's a very bland sausage that is very smokey in flavor. You could smell the smoke with the sausage still in the bag.

I decided to try to whip him up a chili to take for his lunches and this is the masterpiece that I came up with. It's smokey and delicious with a kick of heat in the back of your throat. It's not for the faint of heart and perfect for this dreary, cold weather that just doesn't seem to want to leave Ohio! I'm ready for spring for crying out loud!!

Katie's Three Bean Whole Hog Chili
Source: Katie's Korner

Ingredients:
1 lb. whole hog sausage, browned
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 md. onion, diced
1 tsp. garlic, finely chopped
1 7oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 29 oz. can tomato sauce
29 oz. water
1 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. kosher salt

Directions:
1.) In a large stock pot brown whole hog sausage with diced red peppers, diced onions, and garlic. Brown until no more red meat is showing.
2.) Add in chipotle peppers with the adobo sauce and mash in with the meat mixture.
3.) Add tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans. Stir until everything is evenly mixed.
4.) Add black pepper, chili powder, cumin, and kosher salt. Allow chili to boil for about ten minutes and then reduce heat to low and allow it to simmer for one to two hours to allow flavors to combine.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, and onion.

Creamy Roasted Garlic Pork Loin

Creamy roasted garlic pork loin, sounds fancy doesn't it? Guess what! It's as simple as throwing a few ingredients into a baking dish. This meal consisted of only four ingredients, salt and pepper being two of them, and I only have one item to thank. Progresso recipe starters. Have you tried these magical things yet? I received one free in the mail about two weeks ago and while I was hesitant at first to give it a shot, I finally gave in and gave it a try in my kitchen.

I lightly dusted the pork loin with salt and pepper and then poured the cooking sauce over top of it in a covered baking dish. I was excited at how moist the pork came out and the big kick was that Daniel liked it. The man's funny about his meats so when he says something is good, then I know it's good. If you're looking for another easy dinner then give this stuff a try. Next time I'm going to throw it all in my crockpot and see how magical it is that way.

Creamy Roasted Garlic Pork Loin
Source: Me

Ingredients:
3-4 lb. pork loin
1 can PROGRESSO creamy roasted garlic cooking sauce
salt
pepper

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.) In a 2 1/2 quart baking dish place pork loin and season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour cooking sauce over pork loin, cover and bake for two hours or until cooked through

3.) Serve over rice or with a side of mashed potatoes.

* I wasn't paid or given the free sample in order to blog about the cooking sauce. I'm blogging about it because it was that good!!

Cheesy Chicken and Corn Casserole

I had another one of those "what's for dinner" nights. I really hate it when I don't take the time to compose a weekly meal plan. It leaves me guessing every night what I'll be making for dinner and I hate stressing about it. I pulled together a couple of ingredients and hoped for the best.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well this turned out and the best part was that both girls went back for seconds. Daniel said it was just OK, but it didn't slow him up when he went back for seconds!

This made enough for all of us to have two servings a piece and we still have enough leftover that the girls and I will have lunch tomorrow. I can't wait to see how well it holds up reheated. If you're looking for something to comfort your soul on a chilly evening, this would be great!!

Cheesy Chicken and Corn Casserole
Source: Me

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
1 can cream of celery soup
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. parsley
1 sm. onion finely diced
1/2 tsp. onion powder
8 oz egg noodles, boiled and drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.) In a medium saucepan boil chicken breasts until cooked thoroughly. In a large pot bring water to a boil and add noodles and a couple of dashes of salt. Cook until al dente.

3.) In a large mixing bowl add cream of celery soup, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, frozen corn, and colby jack cheese. Gently mix together.

4.) Shred cooked chicken breasts and add to cream of celery mixture. Add cooked egg noodles and gently mix until evenly coated.

4.) Add to a prepared 2 1/2 quart baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese.  Bake uncovered for 25-28 minutes or until top is bubbly and golden.

Golden Fried Chicken Nuggets

You know that feeling of sheer panic when its time to start dinner and you have absolutely know idea what to make? I had one of those moments the other night and I hate it. I knew dinner would involve chicken because I had set some out earlier to thaw, but I truly didn't know what to do with it.

Typically I start dinner around 5 o'clock and on this particular day 4:50 rolled around and I was stumped. After standing in the middle of the kitchen for a minute or so and then carefully examining everything that was in the fridge, freezer, and cabinets I settled on homemade chicken nuggets, mock chipotle rice, and green beans. I didn't have high hopes for this meal, I just knew that it needed to be edible and fulfilling and surprisingly, this fit the bill. I always know when something is good when Daniel either compliments me on it, or says that it's good and he said that these nuggets were good after questioning me what was in the batter.

These will were great dipped in my favorite honey mustard, Daniel dipped his in spicy mustard, and the girls used a bit of ketchup and BBQ sauce. They were easy to make and went over well which means that they will be made again sometime in the future.

Golden Fried Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 heaping tsp. garlic powder
1 heaping tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 cup vegetable shortening
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 lg. chicken breast, cubed and cut into sm. pieces

Directions:
1.) In a small mixing bowl add and evenly mix all of your dried ingredients; flour, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and paprika. In a second small bowl mix together your eggs and milk.

2.) In a dutch oven, melt vegetable shortening over medium/high heat.

3.) Coat cubed chicken in egg mixture, drain any excess egg mixture and then dip into flour mixture. Shake off excess flour and gently place in melted shortening. If first piece of chicken starts to bubble around the edges that means your shortening is ready to go. Place an even layer of chicken in vegetable shortening and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a dash or two of salt. Repeat process until all chicken is fried. 

4.) Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and your favorite side dishes and enjoy!

Crockpot Chili

Growing up I wasn't fond of chili. My mom would make it and I would pick the majority of the beans out of it. As I have matured my taste buds have matured as well. I eat things now that I wouldn't have touched with a ten foot pole back during my childhood, chili being one of them.

I was in chili mode this past weekend and I'm pretty sure this recipe is now my favorite. I got lots of compliments over it and I can't wait to make it again. I top mine with LOTS of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream when I have it on hand. This is a must serve dish during fall.

Quick Chili
Source: allrecipes.com
I made a few slight changes!

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water ( I omitted and used a large container of veggie juice instead)
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans (I used a 40 oz. can)
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans (I used two, 15 oz. cans)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (I omitted)
diced onion
shredded cheese
sour cream

Directions: 
1.) In a large stock pot lightly brown ground beef, and drain if needed. 
2.) Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent. 
3.) Add tomatoes, diced tomatoes with chili peppers, tomato sauce, vegetable juice, kidney beans, pinto beans, chili powder, cumin, sugar, salt, pepper and hot sauce if so desired. Simmer for 30 minutes and then serve. 

* I browned my meat, onion, and garlic in a skillet and then added it with all of the other ingredients to my crockpot and cooked it for about three hours on high heat.

Turkey Bacon Crescents

I've been a real cooking slump these past couple of weeks. I just don't have the motivation to find new recipes, write grocery lists, and then spend time cooking elaborate meals in the evenings. I'm not sure what the problem is but I hope I get out of this slump soon.

Not only am I in a cooking slump but I'm having some complications with my ileostomy. One of the complications pretty much keeps me from lifting or bending over so the easier the meal the better for me. When I saw this one I just knew I had to give it a try. It was delicious and we all loved it. It's most definitely another keeper here in our house!

Turkey Bacon Crescents
Source: Plain Chicken

Ingredients:
1 can refrigerated crescent rolls
2 Tbsp honey mustard dressing
8 oz thinly sliced cooked turkey (from deli)
4 slices provolone cheese
8 slices precooked bacon

Directions:

1.) Heat oven to 375.

2.) Separate dough into triangles.  Spread each triangle with 3/4 teaspoon honey mustard. Top each with turkey, 1/2 slice of cheese and 1 piece of bacon. Roll up loosely.

3.) Place on cookie sheet.  Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is melted.

Yes my friends, it was that simple! If you have young children this is a must try recipe.

Italian Layer Bake

This meal was so good I can't even begin to properly describe it. It was easy to throw together and Daniel took one bite and proclaimed, "this is good!" I was afraid that it would be to bland so I threw in half a chopped onion with the roasted red pepper and I think it helped tie it all together. This is definitely going into monthly rotation here at our house!

Italian Layer Bake:
Source: mrfood.com

Ingredients: 
1 (8-ounce) container refrigerated crescent rolls 
8 slices (1/2 pound) deli turkey 
8 slices (1/2 pound) deli ham 
12 slices (1/2 pound) deli hard salami 
8 slices (1/2 pound) Swiss cheese 
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted peppers, drained 
4 eggs, beaten (I only used 3)
1/2 a small onion, finely diced

Ingredients:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll crescent roll dough without separating triangles. Separate dough into 2 squares along center cut line.

2. Place 1 square of dough into an 8-inch square baking dish; using your fingertips, press dough to fit bottom of dish.

3.Layer with half of each of turkey, ham, salami, Swiss cheese, roasted peppers, and onions. Pour half of beaten eggs over peppers and repeat with remaining meat, cheese, and peppers.

4. Place remaining square of dough over peppers. Pour remaining beaten eggs over dough and cover lightly with foil.

5. Bake 20 minutes, remove foil, and bake an additional 20 to 22 minutes, or until golden and heated through. Let cool 15 to 20 minutes then cut and serve.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Every now and then I come across a recipe that looks really good but then I compare it to other similar recipes and I end up getting nervous about making it.

This recipe is one of those that looked delicious but because I am used to making regular broccoli casserole with a jar of processed cheese, I automatically start comparing the two and wondering if they will taste the same.

I am here to say that I had no reason to be nervous. This dinner knocked our socks off and the best part was how simple it was to make. We all had multiple servings and the girls and I ate the leftovers for lunch the next couple of days.

Further proof at how delicious it was is the fact I didn't snap a picture of it. I was starving by the time I had gotten it prepared and that first bite was so tasty that I couldn't stop long enough to grab my camera. I highly suggest going to the recipes source to view a great picture of the dish. I used the same exact baking dish so my picture could have been twins with hers.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Source: Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of mayo
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of shredded Colby and Monterrey cheese
1 bag of frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1/2 a small onion, finely diced*
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste*

*= my little additions

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.) Mix all ingredients together. Add to a lightly greased, 2 quart baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is a light golden color and bubbly around the edges.

3.) Serve over rice or your favorite pasta.

We served ours over rice and it was awesome. It was so awesome that I'm putting it back on our two week menu for the second time in a row. I'm going to try adding the cooked rice to the mixture and then baking and someday I'll make it again using spaghetti noodles added and baked in with the mixture.

Fiesta Taco Rice

I keep making these pretty delicious meals that aren't knocking Daniel's socks off so I've given up. He keeps telling me to keep it simple. Well, I don't know how much simpler I can get as this meal was beyond simple. I on occasion go to the grocery with my mother in law since Daniel has our vehicle during the day for work. She suggested making something like this when she has the girls with her so tonight I finally decided to give it a shot.

There are so many things you can add to this dish that would push it over the top. I added a fresh out of the garden, banana pepper and I would have added a small can of black beans and a can of diced tomatoes had I have had either one. This would also be good with a cooked, shredded chicken breast as well.

I topped mine with some cheese and I served it with lettuce, fresh tomato, and sour cream on the side. I ate mine without a tortilla shell, but Addison made herself a fiesta taco rice burrito. Daniel said it was okay, but once again I could tell it didn't knock his socks off. One of these nights that boy is going to be making dinner for me since apparently my breakfast of scrambled eggs, maple sausage links, and fried green tomatoes are the only things I can get compliments on around here.

Fiesta Taco Rice
Inspired by: My mother in law, Sue.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 pkg. Knorr's fiesta rice taco version
2 cups of water
1 cup of finely shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

*Possible additions, small can of drained and rinsed black beans, diced onion, small can of diced tomato, and or your favorite peppers.

Directions:
1.) In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Drain excess grease.
2.)  Add package of rice to ground beef. Slowly incorporate two cups of water. Gently stir together and cover. Lower heat to around medium. Cook for five to seven minutes or until rice has absorbed liquid.
3.) Un-cover, gently stir once again, turn heat off. Add shredded cheeses to top and allow to melt.
4.) Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Chicken Teriyaki

I'm trying so hard to try new recipes to help liven things up a bit. I feel like I'm always making the same things and not only does that get boring for those of us eating what I make, but it gets boring for this little blog. Personally, I liked this dish. It was different, and while its not something I will make a lot, it will get made again.

I used four chicken breasts that I cut up into cubes and used a few dashes of dried ginger instead of fresh in the sauce. I baked the chicken in the sauce at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for thirty minutes or so. This made a ton and since my chicken was still slightly frozen, it made the sauce a little thinner which made more. Daniel and I both had one helping, as did the girls, and I was able to freeze two more helpings for future meals.

It was quick, easy, and fairly cheap. And by the way, it calls for 1 tsp. of black pepper, not 1 tbsp. like I put in. I really am going to start wearing my glasses when I'm cooking. This is getting ridiculous.

Chicken Teriyaki
Source: allrecipes.com
*= my changes to the original dish

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups soy sauce
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained, juice reserved
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 to 4 dashes of dried ginger, original recipe called for fresh ginger
* 4 chicken breasts, cubed
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups of white rice, cooked according to package

Directions: 
1.) Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

2.) Stir the soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, cornstarch, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pineapple juice together in a saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved; add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. 

3.) Arrange the chicken cubes in a baking dish; season with salt and pepper. 

4.) Pour sauce over cubed chicken and then sprinkle the top with pineapple chunks. 


5.) Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly. 


6.) Serve over rice.

Quick, easy, and cheap dinner ideas!

I know we're not the only family who have been hit hard in this economy. As much as I would like to go back to work full time for the monetary benefit, its just not possible with my health. Between a tight budget, and two little girls that make dedicating a lot of time to preparing a meal impossible, I am always on the lookout for quick, easy, and most importantly, cheap dinner ideas.

Join me as I share with you a few of my favorite dinner ideas that meet the above criteria. Don't hesitate to link up with me by posting some of your own favorites.

1.) Chicken alfredo casserole- This is a favorite of mine and it's always a hit. I've gotten feedback from others telling me that they have added veggies such as broccoli to it. It goes great with garlic bread and a salad and what kid doesn't like chicken alfredo with cheese on top?



2.) Easy tuna casserole- This is a recipe that I first learned to cook from my step-mom, Rhonda. It fed me many times during my days as a single gal out on her own. I always ate mine with a slice of buttered sandwhich bread.



3.) Sausage and crescent roll bake- My sister, Nikki made this for me a few years ago during a night of wedding planning for her upcoming nuptials. I've been making it ever since and I'm sure I'll be making it for years to come. It's great for breakfast and an easy dinner with a side of scrambled eggs. It has cream cheese in it for goodness sake, that's enough said.



4.) Southwest chicken- I just made this for the first time this past Sunday and I am salivating at the idea of making it again. We love Mexican food and this was right up our alley. My aunt Robin made it for her and my uncle Dan's 35th wedding anniversary this week and they loved it.

5.) Chicken noodle soup- I love this dish! Its so comforting and filling and what is great is that it makes enough for leftovers the next day. Ladle on top of a pile of creamy mashed potatoes and be prepared to be taken back to your grandmother's kitchen.

6.) Chicken taco ring-  I whipped this baby up after having something similiar to it this past Christmas. My mother-in-law made a ground beef version for us Christmas day. We branched out this year and did a Mexican theme instead of the tradional ham or turkey.



7.) Holiday crunch- Once again I can't believe I am posting this recipe. My mom made this for us growing up and I loathed it back then. Apparently I have turned over a new leaf because I actually enjoy it now. We always serve ours with a side of corn.



8.) Salsa ranch burgers- I first discovered this recipe over at Cassie Craves. The hard part about this recipe is frying up the burgers in a pan, but you are reminded that its worth the mess and hassle after each bite you take. We love this burger!



9.) White chicken enchiladas with green chile sour cream sauce- There are no words in my vocabulary that would adequately describe just how delictable these are! I love them that much and they are another dish that I discovered over at Cassie Craves.



10.) Broiled tilapia parmesan- I'm not a seafood person by any means. Sadly Daniel loves the stuff so on occassion I do the good wife routine and make him something like this. Don't tell anybody, but this is actually pretty good. I don't even use fresh lemon juice, just squeeze in some of the stuff out of the little yellow container...lol.

11.) Veggie pizza- If you're looking for a refreshing and light dinner or even lunch, this is right up your alley. It's a great way to get lots of vegetables into your kids and it doesn't hurt that its smothered in a ranch sauce.

12.) Chicken ranch spaghetti- The girls and I adore this meal. I usually make it when Daniel is out of town on business since he isn't the biggest fan. It has three of our favorite things in it...pasta, broccoli, and ranch. They gobble it up and we usually eat the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Now link up and share some of  your favorite quick, easy, and cheap dinner ideas!

Southwest Chicken

I've been trying really hard lately trying to come up with new meal ideas for us. Meal ideas that also correspond with the local sales at the grocery store. I did my major shopping trip today and Addison and I hit up two different grocery stores trying to save money.

I love finding new recipes on Pinterest and this recipe I'm about to share with you comes from there. When I do big grocery trips I normally don't feel like doing long and complicated meals afterwards. This recipe fit perfectly tonight for dinner since it was so easy to pull together. I had it done and ready to plate within ten minutes which is right up my alley.

Daniel and I both liked it, however it was a bit to spicy for the girls. If you don't do spicy then I suggest using just a regular can of diced tomatoes instead of the diced tomatoes with chilies.

Southwest Chicken
Source: pinterest.com

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken tenders, cut into cubes
*2 tbsp. butter or margarine
*black pepper
*garlic salt
1 can of diced tomatoes with chilies
1 package of taco seasoning
2 cups of rice
1 1/2 cups of water
1 1/2 cups of shredded mild cheddar.

* = my additions

Directions:
1.) In a large skillet, brown cubed chicken in two tablespoons of butter or margarine. Season with black pepper and garlic salt.
2.) Add un-drained can of diced tomatoes and chilies. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and stir until mixed thoroughly.
3.) Add water, bring to a boil. Add rice and stir. Take off of heat and cover. Allow to sit for five minutes.
4.) Add shredded cheese and stir until combined and melted.

Since the girls didn't care to much for this meal I made them some broccoli and cheese along with some cottage cheese. I could feed them this at every meal and I can't go wrong. Apparently their fingers are the only utensils they need and Addison enjoyed helping herself to Cadence's.

Excuse the bangs in their eyes. We're trying to let a portion of their bangs grow out and they would prefer to not have hair pretties in. The hair in the eyes drives me insane!!!

Juicy Lucy on an english muffin bun.

I know that there is one meal that I can cook my husband that I will get no complaints from. It doesn't matter how I cook it, he'll eat it without a second glance. He fits into the Murphy family so well. My dads favorite meal is also a hamburger. We're those people that grill outside in the middle of winter, we're serious about our grilled meats...lol.

The bad thing about hamburgers is you tend to find yourself in a rut when it comes to serving it. You can only eat a hamburger, on a bun, with your typical hamburger condiments so many times before you get burnt out. Thank heavens for wonderful recipe sites and food bloggers that have allowed me to increase my hamburger recipes.

I came up with this one after hearing about the "juicy lucy" which is pretty much two hamburger patties formed around a slice of American cheese. I hope you enjoy, I know I sure did.

Katie's Juicy Lucy
Adapted from: chow.com

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. ground beef
1 egg
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3-4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
4 slices of american cheese
2 md. onion, cut in half and then thinly sliced
olive oil
butter
mayonnaise/miracle whip
sliced pickles
4 English muffins, lightly toasted

Directions:
1.) In a small sauce pan on medium heat, add a teaspoon of olive oil and a two tablespoons of butter. After butter has melted add your sliced onions. Cook until caramelized.
2.) In a medium sized mixing bowl add your ground beef, egg, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix by hand until ingredients are equally distributed.
3.) Using meat mixture, form into one to one in a half inch balls and then flatten into thin patties.
4.) Taking one piece of cheese, fold into half, then fold again to form a small cube. Place cheese onto the middle of one patty. Place a second patty on top and pinch edges together. Repeat to make four hamburgers.
5.) Cook hamburgers in a large skillet, drizzled with about a teaspoon of olive oil, over medium heat until cooked thoroughly. Probably four to five minutes depending on how thick your patties were.
6.) On bottom half of toasted English muffin, spread a thin layer of mayo. Top with sliced pickles, hamburger, caramelized onions, and then lastly, top half of the English muffin with another thin layer of mayo.

These burgers were awesome and the addition of the egg helped keep them really moist. I was hesitant about the English muffin as a bun, however its all we had on hand and I had seen them used before so I figured, what the heck. I was surprised to how good the burger was on the muffin. I'll definitely be making these again.

Katie's Pesto Pasta

You know what happens when your unemployment runs out and your husband only gets paid twice a month?

You run out of groceries in the days before your husbands next pay day that's what happens!

Well, you don't run completely out of food, you just become limited on what you can actually make.

There are a few items that you can always count on me being stocked up on. Pasta and chicken just happen to be two of those items. I threw this recipe together after seeing a similar recipe on allrecipes.com. It was surprisingly good, both Daniel and I had seconds. I've never used pesto before and after a mis-communication between Daniel and I last fall, he brought me home three jars of the stuff. I requested three jars of brushcetta, still not sure why he then brought home pesto but all is good. I contemplated adding some cream cheese to the pesto sauce, but I was afraid it wouldn't turn out so I left it out. If someone is brave enough to add the cream cheese please let me know how it turns out!

Pesto Pasta~

Source: Me

Ingredients:

1 lb. rigatoni pasta, cooked and drained

2 md. chicken breast, cubed and cooked

2 tbsp. butter

1 roasted red pepper, finely chopped

1 roma tomato, finely chopped

1- 8.1 oz jar of Classico pesto sauce

salt

pepper

Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1.) In a large pot, fill 3/4 way full of water. Bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.

2.) In a small skillet, add pesto sauce, roasted red pepper, and roma tomato. Cook on medium heat and allow to simmer. Stirring occasionally.

3.) In a large skillet, add butter and cubed chicken. Sprinkle chicken with a few pinches of salt and a pinch or so of black pepper. Cook on medium-high heat until cooked thoroughly and lightly browned on each side.

4.) Drain pasta and return to stove. Add cooked pesto sauce mixture and cooked chicken. Mix until pasta and chicken is coated with pesto sauce mixture.

5.) Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!!

Sorry about the quality of my photo. I was a couple of bites into my meal before I realized I needed to take a picture. Instead of getting up, getting my camera, and then stopping long enough to get a good picture...I decided to make things easier on myself and just take the photo with my phone.

Once again this meal surprised me. I didn't know what to expect with the pesto sauce but it was really good. Even Daniel said it was good. I would also like to mention for those that may have missed it. The dijon marsala pork tenderloin that I made a couple of weeks ago that Daniel said was delicious, must have been. He actually brought it up at our lunch yesterday with his mom and brother. Looks like I'll be adding it to my menu for one day in the next two weeks. 

Chicken Noodle Soup

I'm trying to come up with dinners that are not only easy to throw together, but are budget friendly for us right now. I have no income coming in and plus having just had surgery, even though I feel amazing for the most part, I'm still trying to take it as easy as possible. I thought homemade chicken noodle soup would be just what the doctor ordered for this recovering Momma and her people. It did not disappoint, even though I just winged all of the ingredients, and both myself and my cousin Heather went back for seconds. She's staying with me this week while Daniel is away on business so she gets to pleasure in all of my home cooked meals.

Katie's Chicken Noodle Soup~

Ingredients:
2 lg. chicken breasts, cut in half
1 sm. onion, quartered
2 stalks of celery, cut into large pieces
2 carrots, cut into large pieces
2 whole garlic cloves
water

Ingredients for the soup:
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 lg. celery stalks, cut in half horizontally and then diced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
shredded chicken breasts
1 49 oz. container chicken broth
1 tbsp. sea salt
1/2 tbsp. black pepper
garlic powder
1 tbsp. parsley flakes

Directions:
1.) In a large stock pot, fill 3/4 of the way full of water. Add chicken breast, quartered onion, celery pieces, carrot pieces, and whole garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for about two hours.
2.) Remove chicken from stock and allow to cool. Also remove all vegetables and dispose of.
3.) To the pot with your homemade stock, add diced celery, diced carrots, minced garlic clove, and shredded chicken. Add canned chicken broth and bring to a boil.
4.) Add 1 tbsp. sea salt, 1/2 tbsp. black pepper, 1 tbsp. parsley flakes, and a few sprinkles around the pot of garlic powder.
5.) Add one large bag of egg noodles along with about 1/4 a can of water. I use the chicken broth can and stir it around and add to my soup. Cook until noodles are done.

I served ours with homemade mashed potatoes, which score one for Mommy, were pretty darn good. I used 5 medium sized russet potatoes, boiled until soft. I threw them in my kitchen aid mixer, added probably a good cup or so of heavy cream, two tablespoons of butter, and a generous amount of sea salt. They were delicious and for once, the consistency was really good. I was kinda proud of myself since making mashed potatoes has always been a challenge for me. If you are looking for a good comfort food, this is another good one.

Chicken Riggies

Three posts in one week? I must be feeling better!! I love tomato sauces with heavy cream in them. I consider it a lovely comfort food and this one was no exception. I omitted most of the peppers since the girls and I aren't into spicy foods, and I may or may not have added an extra half a cup of cream to the sauce, but overall I was really impressed with the meal.

Chicken Riggies~
Source: allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in bite-sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cubanelle pepper, seeded and thinly sliced ( I omitted)
3 roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
2 hot cherry peppers, seeded and minced ( I omitted)
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (I added an extra half a cup)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
 1.) Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rigatoni pasta, and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain and keep warm. 

2.) Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and cook in the hot oil until lightly browned on all sides, and no longer pink in the center, about 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, and keep warm. 

3.) Stir the onion, garlic, and cubanelle peppers. Cook and stir until the onion has softened, about 4 minutes. Add the roasted red peppers, hot cherry peppers, and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the heavy cream and cooked chicken. 

4.) Simmer 2 or 3 minutes, then stir in the pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to serve.

Now doesn't that look downright comforting? I'm making homemade chicken and noodle soup tonight. It's all about comfort food in our house this week.

Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Marsala Sauce

I can't believe I haven't posted a single thing on this here blog since January. We all know I've been sick the last few years with my Crohns disease but this past year has been the worst yet. Everything finally came to a head two weeks ago though. My illness was getting worse even with all the new medications they had me try. I can't even begin to describe just how worn down my body was both physically and mentally. I finally had my resection surgery on April 18th. If you would like all of the gruesome details stroll on over to our family blog.

Anyway, even though I'm not even two weeks out post surgery, I feel like a whole new woman. It's an amazing feeling and I can't wait until I am fully healed from my surgery. I have so much energy right now I can barely sit still, even though technically, I should still be sitting still for the most part. I cooked an awesome dinner for us tonight with some of my new found energy and Daniel thoroughly enjoyed it. I looked over at him at one point after he made a comment about it being good, the man had a huge grin on his face and told me it really was delicious. For such an elegant looking and sounding meal, it was really simple to make which is right up my alley right now. If you are looking to impress anyone, this is the recipe to try!

Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Marsala Sauce~
Source: allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
2 pork tenderloins (I used a whole pork tenderloin and baked it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 3 or so hours after browning each side in the skillet.)
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, minced
1 cup Marsala wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
  
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat pork tenderloins generously with mustard. Oil a 9x13 inch baking dish. 
2.) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange tenderloins in pan, and brown the meat. Turn to brown evenly. Transfer meat to prepared baking dish. 
3.) Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Turn, and continue cooking for 20 minutes, or until desired doneness. 
4.) Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in the same pan used to cook the pork. Cook shallots in butter until soft. Stir in Marsala, mustard, and cream, and cook until volume of liquid is reduced by half. 
5.) Slice pork, and place on a serving dish. Spoon sauce over meat, and serve.

As I mentioned above, I used a whole pork tenderloin for our meal tonight. It was probably a good five pounds or so. I salt and peppered each side, browned it in the skillet on all sides, and then put it in the oven covered, for about three or four hours. I turned the meat half way through the cooking process. I didn't add the mustard to the meat before browning it, but I generously coated it once I added it to the baking dish. 

This meal was so good, I served ours with asparagus, which I will be sharing with you later in the week, as well as mashed potatoes. Don't tell anyone, but I used Bob Evans already made mashed potatoes. They are really good and so much easier to make then to stand and peel potatoes and try to get the right consistency. I'm not good with making mashed potatoes so I will gladly accept ol' Bob's help.

Chicken Taco Ring

I've seen recipes for these taco rings floating around blog land for awhile now and after having my MIL fix a ground beef ring for our Christmas dinner I figured why not give one a shot. I created this recipe on my own because I did my grocery shopping without a recipe and much to my surprise it turned out really well. The chicken mixture smells so good!! Not only am I excited to share the recipe with you but I'm also excited to share this tip with you.

We all know my love for pinterest here lately and I saw this technique there. Anyone dislike having to shred chicken as much as a I do? I have shredded chicken with my hands and with forks and I hate both ways. This time I threw the warm chicken in my kitchen aid mixer with the paddle attachment and set it on low speed. I'll be darned if that mixer didn't shred my chicken perfectly, it even mixed in all of the added ingredients! I will never shred chicken by hand again, never I say!!

Chicken Taco Ring~

Ingredients:

2-3 lg. chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 8oz. block of cream cheese, softened

1 14.5 oz. can of Red Gold petite diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained

1/2 sm. onion, finely diced

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

2 cans crescent rolls

1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.) Preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl combine shredded chicken, cream cheese, drained tomatoes and chilies, onion, and seasonings. Set aside.

2.) On a round pizza pan lay out your crescent rolls. You will lay the wider portion of the roll in the middle of the pan, with the narrow section pointing outward. You will end up with what will look like a sun. Make sure the wider portions overlap each other a little bit and press them together.

3.) Spread chicken mixture on wider section of crescent rolls. Sprinkle the top of chicken with your shredded cheese.

4.) Taking the narrow portion of your crescent roll, lay over the top of your chicken and cheese.

5.) Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until your crescent roll is golden brown.