Tag Archives: dinner

Skillet Macaroni and Cheese

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This was a test run for a demonstration I needed to do for a great group of ladies. I never would have thought that I would have the guts to cook and talk in front of people before, but I did and it was so much fun. I would do it again! They all loved this super simple and quick meal and couldn’t believe how easy it was. I chose this recipe to show them because I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like cheese or pasta. Plus, it’s so versatile you could use a different combination of cheeses, add any veg you’d like, make it an entrée by adding some protein or keep it as is for a side dish. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Skillet Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli – adapted from Pink Parsley 

  • 4 cups water, plus more as needed
  • 10-12 oz broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 Tbs unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
  • 12 oz pasta
  • 3/4 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/4 tsp hot sauce
  • 6 oz extra sharp white cheddar, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
Directions – 

Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the broccoli and a pinch of salt, cover, and cook until the broccoli is just tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain broccoli and set aside.

Wipe out the skillet and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter.  Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Stir in the remaining 3 1/2 cups of water, 1 cup of the milk, 1/2 tsp salt, and the pasta.  Bring to a fast simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has started to thicken, 9 to 12 minutes.

Whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of evaporated milk, cornstarch, mustard, and hotsauce.  Stir into the skillet, and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Off the heat, stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack, one handful at a time, until melted.  If the sauce seems too thick, add a few tablespoons of extra water.  Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, broccoli and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Allow to sit 5 to 10 minutes to thicken before serving.

Garlic Bread Pizza

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Quick Post: I found this on Pinterest the other day and knew that this would be on the menu this week! We finished the whole pizza 🙂 Next time I will have to double the recipe to make sure there are leftovers. I love the texture of the crust because the butter made it slightly toasty and pleasantly crisp. I will make this again, but I will plan ahead next time to let this dough age in the fridge for a few hours to give the dried herbs and garlic powder time to meld and flavor the dough. Thanks for reading, enjoy!


Garlic Bread Pizza Crust – adapted from How Sweet Eats

  • 1 1/8 cups warm water (100-105 degrees)
  • 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed or very finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour, salt, garlic powder and dried basil, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but it still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work the additional 1/2 cup flour (you don’t need to use all if it is not needed) in to the dough, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour.

Once the dough has finished rising, roll it out and finish with your favorite pizza toppings. I used pepperoni, fresh mozzarella, Pecorino Romano and parmesan cheese.  Spoon the garlic butter over the edges of the dough. I baked the pizza off in a 475 degree oven for 10 minutes on top of my pizza stone.

Orange Chicken

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I don’t like take-out orange chicken because it has that fake, candy orange flavor – ick! I did however love this homemade version. The sauce is easy to make and doesn’t require lots of exotic ingredients, it’s fresh and the orange flavor is far superior to typical take-out versions. My family really enjoyed this too – my husband who is a fan of take-out orange chicken may never go back to that again 😉 I ruin things for him in really good ways! Same with cinnamon rolls, because he’ll never want the canned stuff again.

I would recommend making another half batch (or double if you like lots of sauce) of the marinade/sauce mixture. It is perfect mixed into the white rice. Next time I will add veggies to this like sugar snap peas or steamed broccoli to make up for the lack of fiber in this dish. Also, I used a combination of peanut oil and vegetable oil (it’s all I had) because I didn’t have enough peanut oil – that stuff is expensive! I’m sure you could fry this all in canola or vegetable oil though. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Orange Chicken – adapted from Annie’s Eats

For the marinade and sauce:

  • ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • ¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1½ tsp. finely grated orange zest
  • 6 tbsp. white vinegar
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup brown sugar (dark or light)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
  • ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1½ lbs. boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp. cold water
  • 8 thin strips orange peel (optional)

For the coating and frying:

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 3 cups peanut or canola oil (I like a combination)

To make the marinade and sauce, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper in a large saucepan; whisk to blend well.  Measure out ¾ cup of the mixture and transfer it to a large zipper lock plastic bag.  Add the chicken pieces to the bag, pressing out the excess air and sealing well.  Refrigerate and let marinate 30-60 minutes, but no longer.  Place the saucepan with the remaining mixture on the stove and heat over medium-high heat.  Bring to a simmer.  In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth.  Add the mixture to the saucepan with the sauce.  Continue simmering until the sauce is thick and translucent, about 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and stir in the strips of orange peel, if using.

To prepare the coating, place the egg whites in a pie plate and whisk until frothy.  In a second pie plate combine the cornstarch, baking soda and cayenne pepper; whisk to blend.  Drain the chicken of the marinade in a colander or large strainer; pat dry with paper towels.  Place half of the chicken pieces in the egg whites and turn to coat.  Transfer the pieces to the cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly, shaking off the excess.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

To fry the chicken, heat the oil in a 11- or 12-inch round Dutch oven or straight-sided sauté pan until the oil reaches 350˚ F.  Carefully place half of the chicken pieces in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through cooking.  Remove from the oil with a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.  Return the oil to 350˚ F and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Reheat the sauce if necessary and toss with the cooked chicken pieces.  Serve over rice, if desired.

Meaty Meat Sauce (aka Man Pasta)

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I tweaked The Pioneer Woman’s recipe just a little to use what we had here and to enhance the flavor. I tried this once a couple of years ago and I remember that M really enjoyed it because he’s not much of a tomato sauce fan. He is a big meat fan of course, so this one made it to repeat status. I like the addition of Italian sausage and I get mine from a local specialty food store. They make their own sausages and these are so much better than any brand I have tried. Pair this simple sauce with a hearty pasta shape, serve with garlic bread and if you’re feeling a little guilty – a green salad. You can’t go wrong with this dinner, and the men in your life will thank you 🙂

Pasta alla Marlboro Man – adapted from The Pioneer Woman

  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1/2 whole Large Onion, Diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound Italian sausage (I used a combination of hot and mild)
  • Salt To Taste
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
  • 1 teaspoon (generous) Ground Thyme
  • 1 28 ounce can San Marzano whole, peeled tomatoes
  • 1 8 ounce can no salt tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 – 1 1/2 pounds Rigatoni

Directions –

Heat olive oil in large skillet or pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook a couple of minutes, until starting to turn translucent. Add garlic and stir, cooking 1 minute, making sure not to brown the garlic.

Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of excess fat. Add salt, pepper, and ground thyme. Stir to combine. Dump in canned tomatoes with their juice, and tomato sauce. Stir, reduce heat to low, and cover pot. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Uncover the pot and cook an additional 30 minutes.

Cook rigatoni according to package directions—don’t overcook! Drain and pour over top the meat sauce. Cook and combine over low heat.  Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan into the sauce. Check and adjust seasonings.

Penne and Shrimp with Vodka Cream Sauce

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Quick Post: This is quick, easy and it makes a lot of food, so it’s perfect for company.  I used this recipe, but I didn’t have white wine but I did have vodka. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Penne and Shrimp with Vodka Cream Sauce – adapted from The Pioneer Woman
  • 3/4 pounds Penne Pasta (I used a pound)
  • 1 pound Shrimp (I used 1.5 pounds, we love shrimp)
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 whole Onion (small)
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1/2 cup vodka (or white wine)
  • 1 can Tomato Sauce (8 Oz)
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • Salt To Taste
  • Pepper To Taste
  • lots of Parmesan cheese
  • fresh basil, if you have it

Preparation Instructions

Cook the penne pasta until tender-firm, also known as al dente.

Peel, devein and rinse (under cool water) 1 pound of extra large shrimp. Heat about 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Now, put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into bite –sized pieces and set aside.

Finely dice one small onion. Mince two cloves of garlic.
In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add your vodka or white wine. Let the vodka or wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If you would rather not use alcohol, you can use low-sodium chicken broth instead (about ½ cup).

Now add an 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer.

Now chop your herbs, about a tablespoon of chopped parsley and about the same amount of chopped basil, or if you’re feeling very proper, chiffonaded.

Now add your chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in your herbs and stir until combined. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir.

Citrus Chicken

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I had a few boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the fridge that were meant to be grilled. That is usually my go to method and they’re always marinated, but then I remembered that we’re out of propane – bummer! I came across this recipe at Tastespotting and was happy that I already had most of the ingredients required. I was worried about dry chicken, but this looked like a good recipe that would be full great Asian inspired flavor.

Verdict: Yum! This had great flavor, but next time I will make sure to reduce the citrus sauce down much more. The chicken was tender and juicy and I’m glad I made one and a half portions of the sauce to spoon over rice. Next time I will serve this with sugar snap peas or some other vegetable to round out the meal. I’m always happy when a new recipe turns out well and I’m not the only one who thinks so. I will make this again! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Kay’s Citrus Chicken – adapted from Kayotic Kitchen

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • thumb size piece of ginger
  • 2/3 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp orange zest
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 1/2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • pinch dried chili flakes
  • 2 orange slices
  • 1 medium red onion
  • pepper
  • salt

Directions –

Squeeze out the oranges, sieve the juice and pour it into a sauce pan. Add the grated garlic, grated orange zest and grated fresh ginger. Pour in the honey and chicken broth. Add a few drops of tabasco, a good pinch of salt, pepper, and I squeezed in some lemon juice, about 2 tbsp. Add a pinch of chili flakes.

Mix the corn starch with a little water and whisk until it’s a lump-free liquid and pour it into the orange sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a little oil and butter and cook the chicken over medium heat until nice and brown on all sides.

Transfer them to a casserole. Top the chicken breasts with the onion slices and place half an orange slice on top of each breast. Place the casserole in the oven and bake at 350Fº for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how thick your chicken is.

Chicken Noodle Soup

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It’s officially Fall which means I get to make pot roast, chicken pot pie and other belly warming dinners again. It hasn’t exactly started cooling down here yet, but I was craving a rich chicken noodle soup. This wasn’t quick by any means, but the flavor that the three hour simmering  created was well worth it. I also have three quarts of flavorful chicken stock stashed in the freezer! Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Cooking the Chicken – 
  • 1  4 – 5 pound whole chicken (rinsed and dried)
  • 1 box of chicken stock
  • 2 – 4 carrots cut in half
  • 2 – 4 stalk celery, roughly chopped *make sure you put lots of leafy tops in too*
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 5 – 6 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 TBSP peppercorns
  • 3 -4 bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp dried sage
  • 1 TBSP dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 3 sprigs lemon thyme
  • kosher salt and pepper
  • enough cold water to cover the chicken
Directions:
1. Place all the ingredients in a large stock pot, bring to a boil then lower to a simmer for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Carefully pull the chicken out of the pot and set it aside to cool – about 40 minutes. Once it’s cooled, shred – place pulled chicken in a container and place the carcass back into the stock pot.
Chicken Stock –
  • two chicken carcasses (* I had one in the freezer from this)
  • reserved cooking water
Directions:
1. Simmer the contents of the stock pot for at least three hours. Carefully strain the finished stock over a fine mesh strainer into a large container. Discard the bones and vegetables. Set the stock aside to cool. Skim as much fat off the top or place in the refrigerator for the fat to solidify. Store in air tight containers and place in the freezer.
Chicken Noodle Soup –
  • 2 quarts chicken stock (*more or less depending on how “soupy” you like it)
  • 2 cups shredded chicken
  • 4 cups total of chopped carrots, celery and onion
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 2 cups egg noodles (*I used No Yolks)
  • lemon thyme
  • lemon zest
  • kosher salt and pepper
Directions –
1. Heat a large soup pot to medium and add olive oil. Once the oil is warmed, add all your diced veggies to the pan. Saute for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, place a soup pot with the chicken stock to simmer and add the cooked vegetables and shredded chicken to the soup pot. Bring to boil, season to taste and add the egg noodles and peas. Cook until the egg noodles are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Taste again, season if needed – enjoy the soup with a crusty loaf of bread…yum!

Tuscan Chicken Sandwich

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This sandwich was amazing – and I’m not ashamed to admit that! 😉 I was inspired by a sandwich that I love to order – something I have never done before. I like the idea of recreating and improving on a favorite meal and this was a successful first attempt. Thankfully the menu listed all ingredients that this sandwich requires so there was no guessing involved. I changed up some of the ingredients to accommodate what I had in my fridge. I didn’t make the ciabatta rolls at home, but these are bakery fresh and full of ingredients I can pronounce. I also didn’t make the cream cheese spread, but I bought it at my favorite specialty food market where they make so much on site. It’s a garlic and herb cheese spread that has cream cheese, basil, parsley and garlic – so it’s easy enough to make if you chose to. It’s basically a Boursin cheese spread, but I checked the ingredients on that and it’s not made with fresh herbs or garlic – pass! It’s not worth 5 plus dollars in my opinion…The basil pesto mayonnaise was super easy to make especially because I had about a cup of this pesto in my freezer.

Tuscan Chicken Sandwich – inspired by Common Grounds Cafe

For the marinade:

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded to an even thickness
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
  • Italian seasoning
  • kosher salt
For the Sandwich:
  • basil mayo
  • garlic and herb cheese spread
  • sun dried tomatoes
  • salad greens or baby spinach
  • baby swiss
  • 4 ciabatta rolls, brushed lightly with olive oil for toasting on the grill
Directions:
1. Place your pounded chicken in a zip top bag. Mix all the marinade ingredients together and pour over top the chicken. Mush the bag to disperse the marinade, place the bag in a container and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
2. Preheat your grill to 350 – 400 degrees. Grill the chicken for 7 to 8 minutes a side and at about 5 minutes before the chicken is cooked through, toast your ciabatta rolls if desired. Take the rolls and the chicken off the grill and place a piece of baby swiss on each chicken breast (my slices are super thin so they melt quickly).
3. On one half of the roll, slather on a good amount of the garlic and herb cheese spread and place a piece of chicken on top. On top of the chicken, top with salad greens and sun dried tomatoes. Spread the pesto mayo on the top bun and place it on top of the sandwich – enjoy!

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

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Yum! Frying is something I don’t do very often so it’s definitely a treat for us. Everyone enjoyed it – even my pickiest eater. I love panko breadcrumbs because the texture creates the perfect, crunchy crust on whatever you stick it too. I have used it to top macaroni (twice), chicken parm, and mahi-mahi. I don’t even buy regular breadcrumbs anymore. Another great thing about this recipe is that it is easily modified if your family prefers more or less spice. Next time I might try more cayenne pepper or maybe I’ll add my homemade blackening seasoning to the panko. Oh, and if you don’t want to bother with pounding the chicken, you could use cutlets or chicken tenders and adjust the cooking time. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Crispy Chicken Sandwiches – Mom Makes…

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (I had 3 large)
  • 1 cup AP flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups panko
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • kosher salt and ground pepper
To finish the Sandwich:
  • sandwich rolls
  • pepper jack or your favorite cheese
  • Plum tomatoes, sliced
  • Romaine leaf lettuce
  • barbecue sauce, honey, ketchup or your preferred condiment
  • pickles
Directions –
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees and place a wire rack on top of a half sheet pan. Place chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag. Pound with the flat side of meat mallet until flattened to 1/2  inch thick. Once your chicken is pounded, cut each breast in half ( I ended up with 6 pieces). I did this so the chicken would fit better on the bun and also for easier cooking.
2. In a small bowl or shallow dish, season the flour with salt and black pepper, and lightly beat the eggs in another shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, combine panko breadcrumbs with oregano, garlic, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
3. Dredge pieces in the flour to coat, shaking off any excess flour. Dip the floured chicken into the egg and then coat with the panko mixture. Place on a plate to rest. Repeat with remaining pieces.
4.  Heat 1/ 2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, sprinkle a little flour over it. If it sizzles its ready. Fry chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
5. Once the chicken is done, place on the rack lined baking sheet and lightly salt while still hot then place the sheet in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Assemble your sandwich and enjoy!

Spaghetti Shrimp Scampi

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This was a quick and easy dinner that the whole family enjoyed. I didn’t change a thing about it either, but next time I may add a little more butter and lemon juice. If you like really saucy pasta dishes, you might find this too dry for you but that is easily remedied. Overall this was a light and flavorful dish that I will make again. Simple ingredients, simple steps equaled a new family favorite – you can’t beat that! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Spaghetti with Shrimp Scampi – adapted from Food Network

  • Kosher salt
  • 3/4 pound spaghetti
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/2 lemon, zest grated
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
  • 1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
  • 1/3 cup frozen peas (optional)
  • 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Directions
In a large pot of boiling water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.