Skillet Chicken Pasta with Broccoli and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch squares
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 12 ounces ziti or penne pasta
• 3 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4-5 cups broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, drained and chopped coarse
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until it is rippling and very hot. Add the chicken pieces to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the pasta, water and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is very thick and syrupy and almost completely absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes. There should still be a little bit of liquid in the bottom of the skillet but the pasta should be tender.
4. Add the broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir lightly to incorporate them into the pasta mixture. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the broccoli turns bright green and is almost tender, 2-3 minutes. While the broccoli is cooking, whisk the cream and cornstarch together.
5. Uncover the skillet and stir in the cream, Parmesan, and reserved chicken with any accumulated juices and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, topped with extra Parmesan, if desired.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/skillet-chicken-with-broccoli-pasta-and-parmesan/

Skillet Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta with Broccoli

The brand of penne you use will define how much liquid to add total. When I use the Creamette (green package) brand of penne that cooks to al dente in 7 or so minutes, I use the amounts stated in the recipe. But I've also made this with Barilla penne which is slightly thicker and needs 10-11 minutes to cook until al dente. When using a pasta like that (thicker with more cooking time needed), keep your eye on the liquid amount. If the liquid is mostly absorbed but the pasta isn't close to being tender yet, add another 1/2 cup liquid to the skillet (and possibly another minute or so of cooking time).

If you want to give a burst of fresh lemon flavor, squeeze an additional 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice into the skillet pasta right before serving.

Also, if you don't have a large 12-inch skillet, you could totally make this in a large pot. Finally, if you like your sauce a bit thicker, use a little extra cornstarch (maybe another 1/2 tablespoon?) or cover the skillet off the heat and let the pasta sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cubed
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Zest of two lemons, about 1 tablespoons
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons, use the same ones you just zested)
• 12 ounces penne pasta (see note)
• 2-3 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Add the chicken and saute, stirring frequently, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate, keeping as much oil/liquid in the skillet as possible.
2. Keep the skillet on medium heat and add another teaspoon of oil if needed (I usually don't but you'll want to keep an especially close eye on the garlic). Add the garlic and basil and stir constantly for about 30 seconds. Add the water, broth, lemon juice and pasta. Stir to combine.
3. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally just to keep the pasta from sticking, for 10-12 minutes until the pasta is tender - it will cook for a few more minutes in the next step. There will be a bit of liquid left in the skillet; that's ok.
4. Add the broccoli and lemon zest. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and tender. While the broccoli is cooking, whisk together the milk and cornstarch.
5. Uncover the skillet and stir in the milk mixture along with the Parmesan cheese and reserved chicken. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 1-2 minutes.
6. Season with additional salt and pepper (this is really important - don't skip this step!) and serve.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/skillet-lemon-chicken-pasta-with-broccoli/

Pineapple Meatballs

(This is really quick and easy when you use frozen meatballs - we like the ones from Costco.  I've made it in a skillet too).

INGREDIENTS

Meatballs:
• 2 lbs lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Sauce:
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 ¾ cups pineapple juice (reserved from pineapple tidbits - use water to make up the difference if you don't have enough reserved juice)
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (14 oz) can pineapple tidbits

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Make the meatballs by combining all meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into about 1” meatballs.
2. Brown Meatballs in a non-stick frying pan and drain on paper towels (or if you want to save time brown in the oven on a cookie sheet while you’re making the sauce).
3. Make the sauce by combining cornstarch and brown sugar in a sauce pan. Then add 1 ¾ cup pineapple juice and blend until the mixture is smooth. Add vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and stir. Simmer uncovered on medium low until thickened (about 8 minutes - mine only took about 4 minutes to thicken).
4. In a casserole dish pour sauce over meatballs and add pineapple tidbits. Lightly mix meatballs until they are coated with the sauce. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until fully cooked.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/pineapple-meatballs/

Slow-Cooker Sweet Island Pork

This one is from Courtney - I made it with coconut rice (substitute half the water for coconut milk) and we liked pineapple on top of it, better then mango. You could also try adding a chopped green apple.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of pork tenderloin
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup brown sugar, not packed – just a loose 1 cup (or coconut palm sugar)
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

Instructions

1. Combine the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
2. Rub the spice mixture evenly over the pork tenderloins. Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add the pork and brown on all sides, 4-5 minutes per side.
3. Transfer the pork to the slow cooker. Add the water, brown sugar, garlic, and hot sauce. Combine and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
4. Shred the meat before serving and mix with the sauce. Enjoy!

http://blog.meaningfuleats.com/slow-cooker-sweet-island-pork/

We really like it with tacos!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Original Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients
1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese (low fat is fine, avoid fat free)
1/4 cup green salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoon sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!)
1 C grated pepperjack or plain jack cheese
small flour or corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray or olive oil

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.   You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

If using corn tortillas, work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towels until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If using flour tortillas straight from the fridge, it helps to warm them in the microwave so they’re easier to roll.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1 inch from the edges.  Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another.  Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.  Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.  Dip in sour cream, or our favorite: Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch.

Freezer Instructions: Prepare the taquitos through rolling them out and placing them on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 and place the taquitos on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Yields 12-16, when using 6″ tortillas, depending on how full you make them.

 http://ourbestbites.com/2014/07/baked-creamy-chicken-taquitos/

Hearty Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Note: This soup is thick and hearty. If you like a less thick soup, simply add more liquid (either milk or chicken broth). I'd suggest adding it at the end with the chicken and spinach, after the soup has thickened. Vacuum-sealed packages of gnocchi are usually in the pasta aisle of the grocery store. I've also seen frozen gnocchi, too, so check both places if you can't find it.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups fat free half-and-half
• 1 cup lowfat milk
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 16 ounce package gnocchi
• 1-2 cups cooked, shredded or diced chicken breasts
• 1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a 4- or 5-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot and rippling. Add the chopped onion, carrots and thyme. Cook until the onion is translucent and carrots are slightly tender, stirring often, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
2. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking or stirring constantly, until the flour is lightly golden, 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half. Whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Stir while bringing the mixture to a boil over medium to medium-high heat.
3. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is slightly thickened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the uncooked gnocchi and simmer over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup should thicken up quite a bit while the gnocchi is cooking. Stir in the chicken and spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/hearty-chicken-gnocchi-soup/

Southwest Egg Rolls and Avocado Dip

Filling:

2 ½ c. shredded cooked chicken

1 ½ c. shredded Mexican cheese blend

2/3 c. frozen corn, thawed

2/3 c. black beans rinsed and drained

5 green onions, chopped

¼ c. mined fresh cilantro

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. grated lime peel

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 pgk (16 oz) egg roll wrappers (in produce section)

Oil for deep frying

Dip:

1 cup ranch salad dressing

1 medium ripe avocado mashed

1 Tb. Minced fresh cilantro

1 tsp. grated lime peel

Combine filling ingredients. Place ¼ c. mixture in center of egg roll. Fold corners over and moisten to get egg roll to stick together sealed. Roll up tightly, repeat. Heat oil to 375 and fry egg rolls for 2 minutes on each side till golden brown. Be patient so they don't burn and stay doughy inside. Combine dip ingredients and serve with hot egg rolls.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 large limes)

2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon chili powder

2 large cloves of garlic, finely minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts), cooked and shredded

12 corn tortillas

2 cups of Mexican cheese blend, shredded (1 small bag usually is 2 cups)

1 14-oz can of green enchilada sauce (mild or medium, to your taste)

1/2 to 3/4 cup of heavy cream

Nonstick cooking spray

1 Tablespoon of chopped cilantro, to garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cooked and shredded chicken in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, place the honey, lime juice, chili powder and minced garlic or garlic powder. Whisk together thoroughly to combine. Pour this mixture over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate while you prepare the tortillas, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, in the refrigerator.

Heat a large griddle till a drop of water skitters across (about 350 degrees F). Spray the surface with non-stick cooking spray or a oil it with a little bit of canola oil in between each round of tortillas. Heat tortillas about 20 seconds on each side till warm and flexible and some golden brown spots have appeared. Remove the tortillas from the griddle and keep them between a couple of paper towels until ready to use.

Spray the sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl combine the enchilada sauce and the heavy cream. Spread about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the bottom of the oiled baking dish.
Add a large spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of the chicken mixture to the center of each tortilla in a line. Cover the chicken with a large tablespoon (or big pinch) of cheese, then roll the tortilla up from one side to make a rolled enchilada - it will be more of an over lap on the seam side that rolled tightly. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish starting at one end with the long edge parallel to the longest side of the pan so that you end up with two columns of six enchiladas each.

Repeat with the remaining chicken, cheese and tortillas. You will use about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese for the filling and set the remainder aside for topping the enchiladas in the pan. Add the remaining marinade mixture to the enchilada sauce and cream mixture, if desired. Pour this mixture over the top of all the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake the enchiladas for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown on top. Serve with sour cream, black beans, and rice or a green salad for a great meal.

French Bread Chicken Sandwiches

3-4 Chicken Breast

1 can chicken broth

2 Tb Montreal Steak Seasoning

Put those above in crock pot for 4 hours till cooked and shreds easy.

1 Loaf French Bread

Ranch Dressing

4 slices bacon

1 Avocado- sliced

1 Tomato- sliced

1 c. shredded cheese

Shred all chicken and drain all juice. Cut French bread loaf long ways and spread ranch dressing liberally all over cut loaf. Layer chicken, bacon, cheese, avocado, tomato. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes then broil for 2 more minutes to get nice and crisp outside. Slice and serve.

Lion House Rice Pudding

2 cups cooked rice

2 cups milk

1 large can evaporated milk

½ cup raisins

2 Tbsp.cornstarch

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

⅛ tsp. nutmeg

⅛ tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla 

 

In heavy 2 or 3-quart saucepan, combine cornstarch, salt, and sugar and blend well. Add milks, stirring constantly over medium heat until thick and smooth. Add rice; reheat to a full boil. Remove from heat. Pour a little of the hot mixture into beaten eggs while stirring rapidly. Return egg mixture to hot milk and rice and stir until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in raisins, spices, and vanilla. Chill. Makes eight ½-cup servings.

Crockpot Lasagna Soup

1 lb ground beef (or vegetarian crumble)
3 cups of beef broth (or vegetable broth to make vegetarian)
1 cup of water
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TB dried parsley
1 TB dried basil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1, 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
1, 6oz can of tomato paste
1 cup V8 (or any vegetable drink)
2 cups uncooked shell pasta
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Optional topping- shredded cheese

1. First mix together the can of tomatoes, and tomato paste in crockpot.

2. Next add broth, beef, garlic, parsley, basil, onion, V8 and salt/pepper.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.

4. When 30 minutes are left of cook time, add in the 1 cup of water and noodles. Stir to combine. Put lid back on and continue cooking for 30 minutes.

http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2012/11/slow-cooker-crockpot-lasagna-soup.html