Anniversary Paprika Chicken and Anniversary Pasta

This post is from Alisa... I'm just posting it for her.  ;)

Someone else already posted an "Anniversary Chicken", but this is an "Anniversary Paprika Chicken" recipe we tried last night and really liked it!!

(Picture and recipe from here.)

Anniversary Paprika Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1 1/2 c. italian bread crumbs
1 1/2 cubes (3/4 cup) melted butter
Paprika (I forgot to put the paprika in, but we still really liked it!)

Combine parmesan cheese with breadcrumbs.  Dip chicken breast in melted butter.  Roll in crumb mixture until completely coated.  Place in baking dish and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes at 375 degrees.  Do NOT overcook!



And it tasted so good with Anniversary Pasta!! (recipe can be found here.)

Anniversary Pasta

1 pkg bow tie pasta
1/2 c. (1 cube) butter - the real stuff
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1-2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 pint heavy cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
10-15 spears asparagus, blanched
1/2 c. bacon, crumbled
1/4 c. toasted pinenuts (or to taste)
Parsley, to taste
Parmesan cheese, to taste

Boil bow tie pasta in salted water until al dente.  Do NOT overcook.

In wok or heavy skillet, melt butter.  Ad minced garlic and saute a minute or so.

Add parmesan cheese and bouillon cube(s).  When the bouillon cube is dissolved, slowly stir in heavy cream, salt and pepper.

Add cooked pasta to cream sauce and toss until pasta is well covered.

Add blanched asparagus.  Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, toasted pinenuts, parsley and parmesan cheese.  Toss together.  Serve immediately.

Kalua Pig

This recipe is my sister, Jodi's.
It is FABULOUS! (and super easy!) And it's my husband's favorite!
So tender and moist... you're gonna love it!

Kalua Pig

1 Boneless Pork Roast

Stab roast with large fork or knife, making holes all over the roast.

Rub:
1 1/2 t. liquid smoke
2 1/4 t. sea salt

Rub all over roast. Wrap roast in 3 layers of foil. Do NOT wrap the roasts tightly like you would a baked potato. DO wrap it more tented like you would a foil dinner. Make sure the foil is sealed tightly at the edges.

Place roast in a crock pot and cook on low for about 8 hours. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the eat is cooked all the way.

When the roast is done, empty the roast and all the drippings into the crock pot, removing the aluminum foil. Shred the meat and add 1/2 c. of water.

Leave the meat in the crock pot on a 'warm' setting until it is time to serve.

Serve over rice.

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

This is a Rachael Ray recipe. You can find it HERE.
It's yummy, easy and very Autumn.
I substituted the White Wine with Chicken Broth and 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
Next time I think I will use noodles with more texture... maybe Fusilli, Radiatore or Rotini.

Zucchini Turkey wraps

1 lb ground turkey (optional ground turkey)
salt and pepper
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
4 cups grated zucchini
salt and pepper
2/3 cup salsa
1 t. prepared yellow mustard
1/2 t. dried basil
1 c. cooked brown rice
1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese
tortilla chips, tortillas, lettuce leaves, etc.

Brown the meat and season it with some salt and pepper. Put the cooked meat aside and let any fat drain off.
Add oil into frying pan and let heat up on medium high heat. Add onions & garlic let cook for 1 minute. Add celery, & carrots and let these cook for a few minutes until they start to get tender. Add grated zucchini and season vegetables with some salt and pepper. Continue cooking the vegetables until they are soft and tender.
Add the salsa, mustard, and dried basil into the saucepan and mix together. Add the browned meat and brown rice and heat through. Top with cheese.

Can be made into tacos, nachos, or wrapped in lettuce leaves. Yummy and healthy too!

* The first time I made this I chopped the veggies really small with a hand chopper and put the salsa in the food processor so there was no chunks of food that the picky eaters in the family would see. It worked and everyone ate it!



** Another great idea for Fall is to put your dish inside a hollowed out pumpkin... Find a pumpkin with a flat side so it wont wobble around the table. Cut the pumpkin in half long ways above the stem and then I lined the inside of the pumpkin with waxed paper. I was trying to look for a tall oblong shaped pumpkin but this one had the perfect flat side to it.

Pumpkin Black Bean Chili

- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans (15 ounces *each*) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2-1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey
- 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- 2 teaspoons chili powder - 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions: In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through.

* Yield: *10 servings
Submitted by Wendy

Soups!

We had our Family Girl's Night Out last night. Our numbers were few... but we had yummy soups to enjoy and lots of laughs.
(I apologize for the horrid pictures... we were more concerned about eating than taking good pictures)
Here are the recipes:

Tomato Tortellini Soup

1 can chicken broth
8 oz. tortellini
1 can tomato soup
1/2 tub of chive & onion cream cheese

Boil tortellini in chicken broth until tender. In a separate bowl, using about 1/4 cup of the hot chicken broth, combine with cream cheese. Whisk until melted. Add tomato soup to tortellini. Pour melted cream cheese and broth back into soup. Stir all together.
Makes about 4 servings
**I recommend doubling the recipe to use the whole tub of cream cheese.

White Chicken Chili (Weight Watchers)

3 chicken breasts

1 lg. onion

1 can chicken broth

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. red pepper (we used a seasoned pepper)

Cook in a crock pot 4-5 hours. Shred or dice up chicken. Then Add...

2 cans great northern beans (white)

1 can shoe peg corn, drained

3 T. lime juice

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Cover and cook on low for an additional 20 minutes. Makes 8 servings

- The lime juice is an important part of this recipe, do NOT leave it out.

Potato Soup

• 5 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups (2-inch) cubed peeled Yukon gold or red potato
• 3 cups (2-inch) chopped cauliflower florets
• 1 cup fat-free milk (1%)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 can corn (optional)
• 2 cups chicken (optional)
• 3 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (drained)

Combine broth, potato, and cauliflower in pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until potato is tender. Cool 10 minutes; stir in milk. Place one-third of potato mixture in a blender; process until smooth (or hand blender in pot). Pour pureed potato mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure twice with remaining potato mixture.

Return pureed potato mixture to pan; stir in chicken, pepper, salt, and corn. Cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon just before serving.

Anniversary Chicken

This is a popular dish that we serve at the church office building, very yummy!

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup teriyaki basting sauce
1/2 cup Ranch-style salad dressing
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 green onions, chopped (scallions)
1/2 (3 ounce) can bacon bits, or fresh crisp bacon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 º In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts, and saute 4 to 5 minutes each side, until lightly browned.
Place browned chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush with teriyaki sauce, then spoon on salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese, green onions and bacon bits.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Garnish with parsley and serve.
(I let the chicken cook for about 15 minutes before I add the cheese on)

Pulled pork and Broiled Broccoli

Easy dinner idea:
I take the boneless pork ribs and put them in the crock pot for about 1-2 hours on high with some olive oil and salt and pepper. Then drain the fat and add in Lawry's Garlic and Herb marinade and let sit on low for about 4 hours. Then take 2 forks and pull apart- serve over rice.
Broiled Broccoli
Clean and cut broccoli into spears, put on a cookie sheet pan and toss in olive oil and salt and pepper. Put under broiler for 7-10 minutes or until broccoli starts to get toasty. (this last time I made it and added lemon pepper, it was so tasty)

Corned Beef

Hi Ladies....

In case any of you are into having a "St. Patrick's Day meal" I thought I'd pass on this recipe for corned beef. I sampled it at the grocery store today and I thought it was quite tasty. They sold me on it!

Glazed Corned Beef:
1 corned beef brisket (3-4 lbs.), trimmed
1 med. onion, sliced
1/4 C. butter, cubed
2/3 C. ketchup
2 T. prepared mustard
1 celery rib, sliced
1 C. packed brown sugar
1/3 C. white vinegar
2 tsp. prepared horseradish

Place corned beef & seasoning packet (do all corned beefs come with a seasoning packet???? The one I bought did) in large oven roaster; cover with water. Add onion and celery; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Drain and discard liquid and vegetables. Place beef on a greased rack in a shallow roasting pan; set aside. Melt butter over medium heat, stir in remaining ingredients. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Brush over beef. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.


Anyway....thought I'd share in case you're interested.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This little packet has helped me create my kids "new" favorite meal.

I purchase a picnic pork roast from Macey's. Put the pork roast in the crock pot. Put the seasoning packet, ketchup, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar in a separate bowl and mix together (specific measurements are on the packet). Pour over the roast and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

When its done cooking, shred the meat and remix with sauce. Serve on a fresh roll or bun. It's very easy and super yummy!

Fettucini with Creamy Zucchini Sauce

· 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
· 2 large zucchini (or 1 zucchini and 1 yellow summer squash), scrubbed, cut lengthwise, and then cut into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons
· 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 1 pound fettuccine
· 1 cup ricotta
· 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
· Freshly ground Parmesan, for serving
(again for variety I added yellow squash, red peppers and some onions)

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and zucchini. During the last minute of cooking the second batch of zucchini, stir in the garlic. Add to the bowl of zucchini. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the fettuccine and cook according to the package instructions just until tender. Scoop out and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the warm pot.
3. Add the zucchini and any juices and the ricotta to the pot. Mix, adding enough of the reserved cooking water to make a creamy sauce. Stir in the basil, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer to individual bowls and serve immediately, with a bowl of Parmesan passed at the table.

This was a suprise to even me how creamy and yummy it was, the kids were a little hesitant, this is one of the first "HEALTHY" meals, with all the veggies, veggies for us is usually a can of corn, green beans or hash browns and the occasional carrot, so this is new!

Apple Braised Chicken

WWpicture looks so much more appealing, it really tatses good though... I think it must be the lighting? And Carter ate all my apples so I used pears as a substitute and allspice as a substitue for ginger and it turned out great, again rice as a supplement, my children needs carbs... don't they for growing? · 2 tsp vegetable oil
· 1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces
· 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
· 1 large onion(s), sliced
· 2 medium apple(s), firm, cored and sliced
· 1 cup apple cider
· 1 cup fat-free chicken broth
· 1/2 tsp table salt
· 1/2 tsp ground ginger
· 2 tsp cornstarch

In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, warm oil over high heat. Toss chicken with flour in a medium bowl, patting off excess. Place chicken in skillet and brown well on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
· Reduce stove temperature to low and add onion to skillet. Sauté, stirring often, until onion is tender and lightly browned.
· Stir in apples, cider, chicken broth, salt, ginger and chicken. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken, onions and apples to a serving dish.
· In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 2 to 3 tablespoons of pan juices. Combine cornstarch mixture with remaining pan juices, whisking constantly. Simmer for one minute. Pour sauce over chicken and serve. Yields 1 chicken breast and about 3/4 cup of apple-onion mixture per serving.

5 points, 1 one chicken breast and 3/4 apple (pear)/onion mixture

Baked Potato Pizza

You may recognize this picture from my blog. When Ryan and I were in Duluth, MN we ate at a pizza place and were introduced to Baked Potato Pizza. It was SO good! Last night I decided to recreate it, and honestly, I like it even better! Anyone up for something new, I definitely suggest trying it. Ryan and my brother, who came over to eat it with us, devoured it as well!

Pizza Crust (this is SUPER easy):
Combine:
1 T yeast
1 C warm water
1 tsp. sugar

Add:
1 tsp. salt
2 T vegetable oil
2 1/2 C flour

Mix together, knead with hands, let rise 10 mins. Roll out onto pizza pan. Poke holes in it with a fork. (The recipe says to now let it pre-cook for 5 mins, but I actually let mine cook for about 20 mins--until it was just starting to be golden) @ 375.

When the crust is ready, put a layer of mashed potatoes (I made my own red mashed patatoes,which I would suggest, but I suppose you could just use boxed mashed potatoes). On top of that, put whatever baked potatoe toppings you like--I suggest broccoli, tomato, bacon, and lots of cheese! With all the toppings on bake it again for another 15-20 mins (or until you feel like the crust is ready/the topping are warm).

Serve with sour cream.

It's SO good you guys! So much so, that I almost want to make it for dinner again tonight!

Zuppa Toscana

This recipe is from my collection of 'ward cookbooks'.
This soup is yummy and flavorful. It is similar to the Olive Garden's version.

(not that great of a picture, I apologize)

Zuppa Toscana

1 lb. Italian sausage
2 lg. russet baking potatoes - sliced in half, then in 1/4 inch slices and then quartered
1 lg. onion, chopped
6 slices cooked bacon crumbled (or bacon bits)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. kale, chopped well
1 qt. water
1 c. heavy whipping cream

Cook sausage in a 300 degree oven. Bake appox 30 minutes, drain on paper towels and cut into slices. Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water and garlic in pot. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are done. Add sausage, bacon, salt and pepper (to taste) and simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn to low heat. Add kale and cream. Heat through and serve.
Makes 8 servings.

**If I were to make this again, I would add less kale. I would also cook the kale longer, to soften it more.

Perfect for a chilly fall day! Enjoy!

BBQ Ranch Chicken Pizza

Have you ever tried BBQ a pizza on the grill? If not I highly recommend it! I've seen it done on the Food Network and then my sister went to a friends house where they did it, so I thought I would give it a try.

I just defrosted some frozen rolls and rolled out 2 pizzas coated them with some olive oil and put them straight on the grill. Let them cook for a few minutes on each side (don't overcook) Brought them inside and added some ranch and BBQ sauce, then diced up chicken (that I sauteed with fresh garlic, italian seasoning, salt and pepper) then some cheese to top it off.

I added the pizzas back on the top rack of the BBQ just long enough to let the cheese melt.

You can add whatever toppings sound good to you that day, but this was an awesome combination

Foil Dinners

This is such an easy meal, that Jason and I love to make. Add whatever meat and veggies you want and season to your own liking, throw it on the BBQ, and with in 20-30 minutes you've got dinner.

The best part was it used it my leftover veggies that were in my fridge.

Summer Squash Casserole

This recipe is out of our Grandma's collection. I make it every summer. It is a yummy, light casserole. (you do have to turn on the oven... which is no fun to do in the summer time)

Summer Squash Casserole

Cook until tender, then drain:
3 or 4 cups squash (any kind, but different colored ones look better)
2 medium carrots sliced
1 medium onion

Mix together, then add to squash mixture:
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 cup sour cream

Place 1/2 of package (7 oz. pkg) Seasoned Croutons in bottom of pan. (I used a 9x9 pan) Then add the mixture. Top with other half of croutons. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

*** I usually add salt and garlic powder to my casserole. Also, fair warning... husband's do not like this dish. It must have something to do with the abundance of vegetables. But if you serve it along side marinated chicken... they'll humor you. :) Enjoy!

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

I found this recipe as it fell out of one of my magazines, and I had all the ingredients in my kitchen already so I decided to try it and it sure was tasty and easy! It's a Campbell's recipe so how could it be bad.

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

1/2 of a 16 ounce package linguine

1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets

2 tbsp. butter

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Prepare the linguine according to the package directions in a 3-quart saucepan.

Add the broccoli during the last 4 minutes of the cooking time. Drain the linguine and broccoli well in a colander. Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it's well browned, stirring often.
Stir the soup, milk, cheese, black pepper and linguine mixture into the skillet. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 servings

(I used cream of chicken- that's what I had on hand)

Tortellini with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce

I am so in love with this recipe find! It was very easy to make and tastes wonderful!!
The recipe calls for ravioli, however I only had tortellini... it still tasted amazing.

Original recipe can be found HERE.

Ravioli with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce

"This one also came from a ward cookbook. I altered it a bit (the changes have an * by them)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 garlic clove, minced (more if you want)
1 c. chicken stock or broth
1/2 c. dry packed sun-dried tomatoes (I used from the jar with oil and they were fine)
1 c. whipping cream or 1/2 & 1/2 (*I used 2 c.)
*I also used 2 tsp. cornstarch (not in the original recipe)
8-12 oz. fresh or frozen ravioli, agnolotti or tortellini (I used 4 cheese ravioli- there wasn't a meat brand available- next time I will try the meat kind; but this was still super good)

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried
2 T. chopped fresh parsley (only if using dried basil)
salt & fresh ground pepper

Melt butter in med. saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and cook 30 secs. Add stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered over medium heat about 10 mins. or until tomatoes are tender. Remove tomatoes with slotted spoon. Cut into smaller pieces. Return tomatoes to saucepan. Add cream/half & half and bring to boil, stirring. Simmer over medium heat until sauce is thick enough (about 5 mins). ***At this point, it wasn't thick enough for me- I added another 1 c. of cream and about 2 tsp. of cornstarch to thicken it up. It was a better, thicker consistency. I stirred it until it was how I wanted it.
Cook ravioli according to directions. Drain well. Add basil and/or parsley to sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix sauce with ravioli. And you're ready to go."

**I also added the extra cream - I like more sauce with my pasta. It was heavenly!

Easy Baked Italian Chicken

1/3 c Ranch dressing
¼ c Shredded parmesan cheese
4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 T Italian bread crumbs

In a small bowl, combine the ranch and Parmesan cheese. Place the chicken in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Spread with the ranch mixture over chicken. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until juices run clear. (4 servings.)

*This dish is really easy and has lots of flavor, although this last time I made it the bottom ended up really soggy, so I suggest adding some more bread crumbs to the bottom of the dish