YUMMY Chicken Veggie Soup

I often come across recipes the day I use them. I'm pretty good at keeping fresh veggies and meat stocked (I tend to go to the grocery store once a week). So, I saw that I had some zucchini that needed to be used, and allrecipes provided me with this recipe. I tweeked it a bit, and here's what I ended up with:

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I used 10 baby carrots)
  
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used 2 small zucchini)
  
• 1 medium red or green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 4 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups chicken broth
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in chicken and cook about 1 minute. Mix in garlic and onion; cook until tender. Stir in carrot, potatoes, zucchini, and red bell pepper. Pour in tomatoes with juice. Season with red pepper flakes, basil, broth and bay leaf, and continue cooking until vegetables are tender and chicken juices run clear. Season with salt and pepper just before serving.

I let this simmer on my stove on low for quite awhile, but I would guess it could be done in a 1/2 hour or so. It's definitely one that could be done in a crock pot. I'll definitely be making it again.

Shayake N Bayake

And I helped....

In the Army world we move often, and when we do, we often offer to let friends and neighbors invade our pantry. When my neighbors moved a few months ago, one of the items I "inherited" was a box of generic Shake N Bake. So, last night I used it to make chicken tenders. The chicken stayed pretty juicy, and my 3 year old loved it. My 11 month old threw it to the floor after one taste- his trademark rejection. I served it with good old blue box mac n cheese and steamed broccoli with parmesan cheese. I was definitely the only one who enjoyed the broccoli.

As a side note on the broccoli. For awhile I have bought the steamer bags that Ziploc and Glad make, but honestly, they're overpriced. My friend microwaves her veggies in the grocery store's produce bags and swears by it. The past few times I've made broccoli, I've cut it into small florets and put it in a shallow bowl and covered it with a plate. I then microwave it for 2:40. It turns out perfect everytime, and I can't tell the difference from any other steaming method I've tried.

Tortellini with Chicken homemade Marinara Sauce

So...there's really not much to tell here! I used the whole wheat cheese filled Burtolli tortellini (a staple in my fridge for a quick meal), and topped it with my homemade marinara sauce. For the chicken, I had three large breasts. So, I double dipped them, first in egg, then in flour, egg again, and then italian bread crumbs. I then sorta-fried them in about 2 tbsp of olive oil. I only say sorta fried b/c I figure using that little oil that it shouldn't have the fat implied description of fried. I then thin sliced the chicken, and placed it on top of the tortellini and sauce. It was a really tasty meal- I think I served it with a salad- but it was last week, so who knows?!?!

BBQ Grilled Chicken, Grilled Asparagus and Couscous

So, this is not a dinner that I would brag about, but I did say that I was going to try to blog about ALL of my dinners, not just the good ones. Here's what I did....

Chicken: I had 3 medium sized chicken breasts that I filleted in two, making them thin sliced. I then put them in a large ziploc bag and added some Honey Mustard Dinosaur BBQ sauce that I had in my pantry (thanks Arlene!!) to them and let them sit in the fridge for a couple hours. My hubby grilled them on our grill. I think having them thin sliced, and marinating helps b/c they don't sit on the grill as long and get dried out. It takes some of the guess work out of using larger chicken breasts.

Aparagus: I the good old ziploc steamer bag for about 15 seconds less than the instructions on the side directed, and then Dan gave them a sear on the grill. I sprinkled them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder prior to steaming.

Couscous: My mother in law gave me some tomato couscous awhile back that is AWESOME, but it didn't come with directions. So...I'm pretty sure I've made it different each time. This time I sauteed 1/2 an onion and a clove of garlic, and then added 3 cups of vegetable broth (used Better than Bouillion) and brought it to a boil. When the broth was boiling, I added 2 cups of couscous, turned off the heat, and let it sit for 5 mins. Fluff with a fork and serve. 2 cups of dry couscous yields A LOT of couscous, so I'd suggest making half of this. I only made so much b/c my husband loves couscous.

So...apparently the consequence of me blogging about the boring meals means me blabbering on about them. I was happy b/c both of my kids ate all of the food. I think my 9 month old will eat just about anything I put on his tray. He chewed that chicken like a champ with his two teeth and gums!

Chicken Noodle Soup

I watched my friend Julie make homemade chicken noodle soup a few months ago, and immediately started trying to recreate it- homemade noodles and all....here's my basic recipe, although I strayed a bit from it yesterday...

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken
1 c chopped carrots
1 c chopped celery
1 c chopped onion
2 tsp garlic powder
2 chicken builion cubes
egg noodles
salt and pepper, to taste

Boil the chicken, whole, in enough water to cover it, with garlic powder and boullion added. It's done when it starts to fall apart. Remove the chicken from the water and pull the meat off the bones (it should be falling off) and discard the bones. If you have more time, you can return the bones to the stock to add flavor. If you have time- cool the stock and skim the fat.

In a separate pot, saute veggies, until tender. Add them, and the chicken back to the broth. Simmer as long as you have time. Return to a boil, add egg noodles and cook until al dente. Salt and pepper to taste. You may also add some evaporated milk at the end to make it a bit creamier (use skim).

Here's what I did last night...I didn't have a whole chicken, so I used 2 large chicken breasts instead. I sauted onions, carrots and garlic (no celery this time) and then added 5 cups of broth and 2 cups of water. I used 3 c chicken broth, and 2 c veggie broth. The most important part of this soup is using home made egg noodles....here's the recipe for them, from allrecipes.com:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add the beaten egg, milk, and butter. Knead dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Let rest in a covered bowl for 10 minutes.
2. On a floured surface, roll out to 1/8 or 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired lengths and shapes.
3. Allow to air dry before cooking.
4. To cook fresh pasta, in a large pot with boiling salted water cook until al dente.

I half the noodle recipe for this soup, but you can make the full recipe and freeze half of the noodles to use later, which I have also done. I recommend rolling out the dough, and then rolling it up into a log, slicing it into 1/2 inch strips, rolling them out, and then cutting them into 1 inch noodles. It's VERY easy. I have never let the dough rest, and never had a problem.

The result...regardless of how I make it, this soup is always soooo good! I usually had sriracha sauce to my bowl, and so does my husband. Even my 9 month old and 3 year old enjoyed it! I think that making it with chicken breasts makes it soooo much easier, but I do like having some dark meat in the soup- maybe next time I'll buy some boneless/skinless thighs to use with the breasts!

EASY Chicken Pot Pie

I have my friend Lindsay to thank for this recipe. She never actually made it for me, but I watched her make it about 4 years ago, and have made it many times since. You can make it with two pie crusts, or one. This time I just had one. I use the Pillsbury ones that you roll out (they come in a red box). Since I just had one, I didn't make it in a pie pan this time, I just used a cookie cutter to cut out circles for the top crust, and did not use a bottom crust.

Ingredients:
1 or 2 pie crusts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 15 oz can mixed vegetables (I use Veg-all)
1 12.5 oz can chicken
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
1. Line pie pan with one pie crust, if desired.
2. Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon ingredients into bottom crust, or round casserole, if not using a bottom crust. Top with other crust, or cut crust into shapes for top.
3. Bake, uncovered for 40 mins, or until crust is well browned.

The result: you seriously can't mess this one up. My 3 year old AND my 8 month old both enjoyed it! My husband and I both added a little hot sauce to spice it up.

Baked Chicken with Dijon and Lime

I love that my sister in law, Jen, keeps sending me more recipes! This one she said she hasn't mad yet, but she found it in People magazine....I had no clue that People had recipes, but here goes...

Baked Chicken with Dijon and Lime

Ingredients:

0ne 3 and a half pound chicken (or precut chicken), 8 pieces
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
3/4 tsp. pepper
Salt
Chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Rinse the chicken and pat dry; place in a large
bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayo, garlic, lime zest
and juice and pepper. Season the chicken generously with salt. Pour the
mustard and mayo mixture over the chicken, tossing well to coat.

2. In a large baking pan, arrange chicken to fit in a single layer. Bake until
it is cooked through; breasts will take about 30 minutes, legs will need 5
to 10 minutes more.

3. Serve the chicken with the pan juices drizzled over the top and garnish w/
chopped parsley. If desired, sprinkle a little more lime zest on chicken as
garnish.

The result: This one is definitely a keeper! I used chicken breasts that I cut into tenderloins, b/c it was what I had. I forgot about the parsley, so I didn't use that (even though I have it growing fresh in my back yard!). I served it over rice, with corn on the cob. I will definitely be making this again, without any changes!

Chicken Piccata and Pasta Salad with Arugula and Sundried Tomatoes

I'm running a little behind on here! I made this last week! The recipes are off of cooksillustrated.com.

Lighter Chicken Piccata

Serves 4.

One cutlet per person makes a skimpy serving, so we call for a total of eight cutlets for serve four people. We prefer the flavor of whole milk in the sauce; however, 2 percent milk or half-and-half will also work. Do not use 1 percent or skim milk. This recipe was published in our cookbook The Best Light Recipe.

Ingredients

Cutlets
1/2	cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4	boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat, tenderloins removed, and sliced into cutlets (see illustrations below)
	Table salt and ground black pepper
2	tablespoons vegetable oil
Piccata Sauce
1	medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
	Salt
2	medium garlic cloves , minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 1/2	cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2	lemon , ends trimmed, sliced thin
2	tablespoons whole milk
1	teaspoon cornstarch
2	tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2	tablespoons capers , rinsed and patted dry
1	tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
	Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. For the cutlets: Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Pat the cutlets dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour and shake off the excess; set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Lay half of the cutlets in the skillet and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Flip the cutlets over and continue to cook until the meat is no longer pink in the center and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 2 minutes. Transfer the cutlets to a plate and cover with foil; set aside. Repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets.

3. For the sauce: Add the shallot and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the oil left in the skillet, return to medium-low heat, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth and lemon slices (I DO NOT RECOMMEND ADDING THE LEMON SLICES!!!), scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture measures 1 cup, about 5 minutes.

4. Pour any accumulated chicken juices into the simmering sauce. Whisk the milk and cornstarch together, then whisk into the simmering sauce. Continue to simmer the sauce until it has thickened, about 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, capers, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken before serving.

Pasta Salad with Arugula and Sundried Tomatoes

Serves 6.

We like the sweet flavor and pliable texture of oil-cured sun-dried tomatoes. Rinse them well to remove any excess oil. This recipe was published in our cookbook The Best Light Recipe.

Ingredients

1/4	cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , rinsed, patted dry, and minced
2	tablespoons minced red onion
3	tablespoons red wine vinegar
	Salt
8	ounces penne pasta (about 2 1/2 cups)
2	cups arugula (lightly packed)
1	tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
2	tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2	teaspoons Dijon mustard
1	small garlic clove , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/8	teaspoon red pepper flakes
1	ounce grated provolone cheese (about 1/3 cup)
	Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Toss the sun-dried tomatoes, onion, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain the pasta well and transfer it to the bowl with the vegetables. Add the arugula and parsley; toss to combine.

2. Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, the oil, mustard, garlic, and pepper flakes together in a small bowl, then toss with pasta and vegetables until combined. Stir in the provolone and season with salt and pepper to taste.

The result: The chicken picatta was SOOO bitter from the lemons being cooked with the sauce. When I make this again- I will b/c it had so much potential, I will NOT cook the lemon slices in the sauce. Definitely the first recipe I've found on cooks illustrated that needs to be changed. The pasta salad was really light and tasty. I will definitely make this again, and not make any changes to it! Don't be afraid to add the pepper flakes- they added zing and flavor, but not too much heat.

Lighter Chicken Enchiladas

I've made chicken enchiladas many times, but this was my first time using this recipe. It's another one from Cooks Illustrated. I love their instructions b/c they are so detailed, it's hard to mess up (for most...I'm sure I'll figure out a way to botch something!).

Serves 6. Published July 15, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.

Make sure that the cooked chicken is finely shredded, or the edges of large pieces will tear through the tortillas. Serve these enchiladas with lime wedges, low-fat sour cream, diced avocado, shredded lettuce, and hot sauce.

Ingredients

1	medium onion , chopped fine
1/2	teaspoon vegetable oil
	Salt
3	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
3	tablespoons chili powder
2	teaspoons ground cumin
2	teaspoons sugar
	2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1	cup water
1	pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts), trimmed of excess fat
	Ground black pepper
8	ounces 50 percent light cheddar cheese , shredded (2 cups)
	1 can (4 ounces) pickled jalapeños , drained and chopped
1/2	cup minced fresh cilantro
12	(6-inch) soft corn tortillas
	Vegetable cooking spray
1	lime , cut into wedges (for serving)

Instructions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the onion, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions have softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

2. Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the thickest part registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate; set aside to cool. Strain the sauce through a medium-mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing on the onions to extract as much liquid as possible. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces. Toss together the shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup of the cheddar, the jalapeños, and cilantro, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40 to 60 seconds. Spread the warm tortillas out over a clean work surface. Place 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla. Tightly roll each tortilla around the filling and lay them seam-side down in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

5. Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with vegetable oil spray. Pour 1 cup of the remaining sauce over the enchiladas to coat them thoroughly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheddar down the center of the enchiladas. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until the enchiladas are heated through, 20 to 25 minutes.

6. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese browns, about 5 minutes longer. Serve, passing the remaining 1 cup sauce and the lime wedges separately.

The result: These were great! I used colby/jack instead of the low fat cheddar b/c it was what I had. I think next time I'll skip the onion straining step b/c I don't think having them in the sauce would be a problem. I'm also not sure why spraying the enchiladas with Pam is necessary...but yet I still did it...

Baked Lemon Chicken

So, here's another modified allrecipes dish for you all. This one has great flavor, and is good for the kiddos too!

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless/skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup bread crumbs (I use Panko)

Directions:
1. In a gallon ziploc bag (or a tupperware dish) combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add chicken to bag, and refridgerate for 30 mins or more.
2. Remove chicken from bag, one breast at a time, and dip into bread crumbs until coated.
3. Pour the remaining marinade (there isn't much) over the breaded chicken- be sure to get the garlic pieces out of the bag too!
4. Bake at 350 for 25-30 mins, until juices run clear.

We're watching my friends' kiddos tonight, so we'll be having this with mac and cheese, and salad.

The result: YUM!!! My 3 year old even ate some!

Saag, Falafel and Tandoori Chicken

My husband and I love eating "ethnic" food. When we go out to eat, we often try to get something that we can't (or don't know how to) make at home. The only problem is that these are not necessarily things that a 3 year old likes to eat (indian, thai, japanese), so lately we've been making it at home. The only recipe I'll be providing here is the Saag. The falafel was from a mix, but we have made it from scratch before, and prefer it from scratch. The tandoori chicken was also from a mix that we bought at an Indian festival here in Fayetteville (I know right, CULTURE, here??!!) Anyway, here's the Saag recipe- I've made this several times now- this is a combination of 3 or 4 recipes I found online- with the final result based on things that were easier to find/ingredients I've heard of. You can also add chicken or tofu to this, but I never have. It's best served over rice, but we did not do this tonight.

Saag

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

8 oz. frozen spinach

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp powdered Ginger

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp dry mustard

dash cayenne pepper (to taste)

1/2 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp salt

6 oz plain yogurt

1/2 tsp garam masala (indian spice mix) Directions: Defrost Spinach In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat olive oil. Saute onion and garlic, until onion is softened. Add ginger and cumin and stir. Add spinach, tomato paste, coriander and dry mustard. Mix thoroughly and heat through. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 mins. Add yogurt and heat through. Just before serving, add garam masala and stir well. Serve over Jasmine rice and ENJOY!

Chicken Spaghetti

I've made this recipe a couple times now, and I LOVE IT! It's a little spicy, so make sure you buy the mild Rotel if you're serving it to kids. I only have the original today, so my 3 year old will be having something else. This recipe came from a cookbook that a friend of mine put together for her church. Oh, I'm also going to use fresh mushrooms, and cream of chicken soup tonight b/c that's what I have! One of my friends from college is stopping by with her mom for dinner, so I hope they like it!

Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
12 ounce package spaghetti
1 small can mushrooms, diced
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 tsp chili powder
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can evaporated milk
1 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1/2 lb shredded colby/jack cheese

Directions:
Boil chicken breasts and remove from water. Cook spaghetti in remaining water while shredding chicken. mix all remaining ingredients, except cheese. Add chicken and spaghetti to sauce and mix together in 11x14 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil and bake 30-40 mins at 350.

The result: I forgot to take a pic :o( But it was yummy! I think I'll stick to using c/o mushroom b/c I think it adds some more flavor to the dish. Also, my 3 year old was able to eat this, even using regular Rotel, so the spice must have diluted enough in the dish. I served it with steamed broccoli, and mixed berries for dessert.

Chicken, Sundried Tomato and Spinach Pizza

I haven't made a homemade pizza in a long time, and I usually use a Boboli crust. This time I'm using one of the Betty Crocker mixes. Here's my recipe for today- it's from my brain- we'll see how it tastes!

Ingredients:
2 package Betty Crocker pizza crust mix
1 cup pizza sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 marinated and grilled chicken breast, thinly sliced (or you could buy the strips)
1/2 cup marinated sundried tomatoes, rough chopped
6 oz fresh baby spinach
1/2 tbsp oil from sundried tomatoes
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
1. Mix crust mix according to instructions and press into pizza pan/stone.
2. Heat oil in saute pan. Add spinach and garlic powder and saute until just wilted.
3. Spread sauce over crust.
4. Sprinkle 1/2 c cheese over sauce.
5. Add sundried tomatoes, chicken and spinach over cheese.
6. Sprinkle remaining cheese over pizza.

My mom used to make a pizza like this with feta cheese, which I LOVE, but again...my 3 year old. Plus, I have mozzarella in my fridge, not feta.

I love my stone!

The Result:

Maybe I'm just having one of those weeks. Today I didn't even read my own directions! Well, in my defense, I did some "research" after I wrote them. I'd never used an unbaked crust before, but I knew that I needed to preheat my pizza stone...so, my research told me that I couldn't actually make the pizza on my stone, so I used a large wooden cutting board. This was my downfall. After assembling the very pretty pizza, I then went to put it in the oven. Despite the flouring of the board, it didn't budge. It was way to heavy, and the raw crust wasn't substantial enough to lift it. This probably wouldn't have been a problem if I had one of those cool pizza stick thingies. So....we had a calzone. I folded the pizza in half, and managed to use to spatulas to get it on the stone.

I was really sad to fold it in half!!

Right after it came out of the oven.

It was all probably pretty comical to watch. The calzone was good, and the ingredients tasted great. I'll definitely be making this again...on a ready-made crust.

The Lesson learned: BUY A DANG BOBOLI! I don't think I'll be making crust again, unless it's for a calzone.

OOPS...Chicken Zucchini Casserole

I think that part of cooking is making mistakes, and learning from them. My mistake this time was (hopefully) minor, but we'll see! What I did was add cubed RAW chicken to the casserole, when the recipe calls for COOKED chicken. I'm thinking that if I cook it longer, it will be fine. This is my first time cooking this recipe. I used reduced fat c/o chicken soup, and low fat sour cream. I also only used 1/4 cup of butter and subbed 1/2 cup of water instead. 3/4 cup of butter is just gross...well maybe good, but I'm trying to get smaller, not bigger!

Chicken Zucchini Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 (6 ounce) package stuffing mix (I used Stove Top)
  
• 3/4 cup butter, melted (again, I only used 1/4 cup, with 1/2 cup water- could try chick broth or milk instead also!)
  
• 3 cups diced zucchini
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast (again, my oops, I used raw)
  
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 medium carrot, shredded (I thinly sliced some baby carrots)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine stuffing mix and butter. Set aside 1/2 cup for topping. Add the zucchini, chicken, soup, carrot, onion and sour cream to the remaining stuffing mixture. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with reserved stuffing mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

I think the reason I forgot to cook the chicken ahead of time was b/c it doesn't specifically say to do it in the instructions. Obviously it does in the ingredients!

The result:

Sorry that the pic just shows the top of the casserole- it really doesn't show you how colorful it is. We really enjoyed this- even my 3 year old. If you don't like Stove Top, it's probably not for you, but it was really good! To make up for my "mistake" of not cooking the chicken, I cooked it at 350 for 1/2 hour covered, 1/2 hour uncovered, and then 15 mins at 400. That seemed to do the trick. I really don't think I'll bother to cook the chicken ahead of time next time either- unless I use canned chicken (the ultimate time saver for casseroles). There was nothing that I didn't like about this casserole. I'll definitely be making it again.

Pasta with Chicken and Asparagus

This is a jazzed up version of a recipe I found on Allrecipes. It's become a staple meal in our house, and I love it!!! I love that it's the entire meal in one dish. I\
Ingredients:

• 8-16 oz any dry pasta (elbows, rotini, penne, whatever) I give the range, depending on how noodley you want it to be.
  
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided (you can easily use less to reduce the fat)
  
• 2-3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
• salt and pepper to taste
• garlic powder to taste
• 3/4cup low-sodium chicken broth (increase broth if you use 16 oz of noodles)
  
• 1 bunch slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, and divided (2 for the chicken, 1 for asparagus)
• 1/2 cup diced onion
  
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain, and set aside.
2. Warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in chicken, 2 cloves of garlic, and onion and season with salt, pepperr. Cook until chicken is cooked through and browned, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and cover.
3. Pour chicken broth into the skillet. Then stir in asparagus, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover, and steam until the asparagus is just tender, about 7 mins. Return chicken to the skillet, and warm through.
4. Stir chicken mixture into pasta, and mix well. Let sit about 5 minutes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, stir again, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

So, I'm notorious for experimenting on guests. I know it's not something you should do, but I love trying new things, and they usually make more than what my small family will eat. When the boys are bigger, I'm sure that will be a different story. This is a significantly altered recipe that I found on allrecipes. I made the alterations after reading a lot of reviews- that's why I love allrecipes!

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup orange juice
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 2-3 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1/2 inch strips
• 1/3 cup flour (I used whole wheat flour)
  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Mix together brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, orange juice, ginger, garlic and hot sauce in a small bowl.
2. Dredge the chicken strips in the flour.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken strips and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.

I mixed steamed broccoli into the chicken at the end, and served it over steamed white rice. It was truly delish. I will definitely make this one again, and HIGHLY recommend it!

As a side note, I did NOT serve this to my kiddos, nor would I recommend it for kids. It's spicy. However, I think you could leave out the hot sauce, and add sesame seeds, it would be a great sesame chicken dish. I just set aside some of the floured chicken and cooked it in butter for Noah and he gobbled it up. I bet this would be good with cashews too! So many possibilities :o)

The BEST and EASIEST Chicken Noodle Casserole

1 large can chicken breast chunks (I think it's 12 oz)
2 cans cream of chicken soup (I use the reduced fat)
1 small can of mushrooms
2 cups milk
2 cups UNCOOKED elbow or spiral pasta
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or whatever you have on hand)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
pepper to taste

2/3 cup durkee onions or broken up Ritz for topping

Mix all ingredients (except topping) together in the 9x13 pan you plan to bake it in. Cover and put in fridge for 2-24 hours before you plan to cook it. I THINK you could go ahead and bake it straight away, but this will ensure that your noodles are softened (I've given it 2 hours, and also 24, that's why I gave that range).

Bake, covered with foil, for 1 hour at 325. Remove foil, increase heat to 400, stir casserole, and add topping. Bake until brown on top (about 15 mins). ENJOY!

I think you could easily substitute different cream soups in the recipe, or use peas instead of mushrooms to get some veggies in there. And, you could always use canned tuna instead of chicken, or use fresh chicken breasts, cut up....but that takes some of the simplicity out of it. I just had to share b/c this is SO easy...one dish, and that's it!