Chicken and Summer Vegetable Pasta with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce

Ingredients
2 Zuccini's Quartered and sliced
2 Yellow squash Quartered and Sliced
1/4 Onion, chopped
2 Boneless skinless Chicken breasts-cut into bite sized pieces
1 Bag Pasta
1/2 Stick Butter
3 Tbsp+ 2 Tbsp Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
1/2-3/4 Cup Milk
1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese
2 Cloves Garlic- Minced
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste

MMMMMMmmmmmm this turned out wonderfully. It was just something I threw together after seeing The Pioneer Woman 's baked Lemon pasta dish. Mine isn't much like her's but I feel like I should say that seeing that inspired me to make my own.

Hubby absolutely loved this, he gave it the highest rating of anything so far. He couldn't stop commenting on how good it was. It makes a wife feel good for sure, I'm glad God paired the two of us together.

So first things first. Chop up your chicken into bite sized pieces. While you are doing that warm up a big skillet over medium high heat and put your 3 Tbsp canola oil in there.
Transfer your chicken pieces and salt and pepper generously. Cook for about 3-5 minutes each side or until cooked through and then remove and put in a bowl for later.

While your chicken is cooking cut up your zucc's and squash, I sliced and quartered them because I wanted them to be small-ish. I had some leftover onion chopped up from the other night so I used that too (but it was only about 1/4 cup).

Take your pan that is now over medium heat add your butter and 2 Tbsp canola oil. Once combined add everything you have chopped. Toss around so that it is coated and cook for 10 minutes or until they are tender.

Mince 2 cloves garlic and zest 1 lemon. Add this in at the end of the cooking of the zucchini and squash and cook together while you make the sauce.

In a pot combine sour cream, milk, parmesan cheese and the juice of one lemon. Add the chicken back in and cook over medium heat to warm.

Once it is warm combine the pan of veggies to the sauce.

Ladel over cooked pasta and enjoy! Yum!

Have a great Monday and God Bless!

Go To Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients
2 Chicken Breasts (boiled and cubed)
2.5 Quarts Water

1/2 Stick Butter
2 Tbsp Canola Oil
1 Onion Diced
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp Black Pepper
2 Carrots Sliced
4 Cups Water
1/2 Package Farfalle Pasta

Hubby wasn't feeling well, he's got a Sinus infection :( so I asked him what he wanted for dinner and he said Chicken noodle soup, so that's what I made him ;)


In a 3 Quart Pot boil 2.5 Quarts of Water and add your Chicken breasts whole. Cook them all the way through. Remove the Chicken Breasts and cut them into cubes.

In the mean time in your BIG soup pot put 1/2 Stick butter and 2 Tbsp canola oil in and heat on medium. Again this keeps your butter from browning too much.
Then add your onion and cook for 5-7 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Add your Garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add your sliced carrots ( I don't like to add these too early because I hate them soggy, gross!).

Take your simple chicken stock that you just made by boiling your chicken and pour it into the onion, garlic and carrot mixture.

Add your chicken, water, pasta and all your seasonings.

Cook for 15-25 minutes or until pasta is at your desired tenderness.

Enjoy with some bread and butter or a biscuit.

Have a great day and God bless!

Two Times the Spice Chicken

Ingredients
1.5 lbs Chicken Pieces ( I used thighs)
1/3 cup Canola Oil
1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1/4 Tbsp Onion Powder
1/4 Tbsp Season Salt
Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce

Heat grill pan (or normal pan) to medium high heat.

Cut chicken up into bite sized pieces.

In a large bowl combine oil, chili powder, onion powder and season salt (this is your first spicy layer). Toss chicken to coat.

Transfer chicken to the grill pan and cook through.

When the chicken is done cooking toss it in the Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce (second spicy layer).

Enjoy with some Homemade Bleu Cheese Dressing here .

Have a great night and God Bless!

Healthy Chicken Parmesan BBQ Style

Ingredients
6 - Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Egg , beaten
1/4 cup Milk
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 1/2 Cup Flaxseed Meal
Barbecue Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese

Ok so many of you have asked for a healthier chicken parm recipe, so here it is. By using Flaxseed Meal you are giving yourselves good fat and taking out a bunch of carbs. By cooking it in the oven and using the broiler at the beginning you take out the frying aspect of normal Chicken Parmesan.

In a small bowl combine your egg, milk, pepper and garlic and beat well. Put your flaxseed meal in a larger seperate bowl.

Start by taking a fork (this will keep your fingers clean!) Take one piece of chicken and dredge it in your egg mixture. Then transfer to the second bowl and cover in flaxseed meal. Place in a 9 x 13 Glass Dish covered in aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Continue until you have finished all pieces. Then spray pieces with cooking spray.

Turn the oven to a High Broil and then place in the oven (middle/bottom), don't put it too close to the top or you WILL set off the WAY TO SENSITIVE fire alarm multiple times. So don't do that, ok?

Allow them to broil for 3-5 minutes then flip and broil again for 3-5 minutes.

Turn the oven to Bake at 350 and cook for 10-15 minutes more. Check your thickest piece to make sure that it is cooked through.

Remove them from the oven and place 1 Tbsp of BBQ sauce on top and top with Mozzarella Cheese.

Now just remember, flaxseed is NOT going to taste like breadcrumbs. It tastes good, it's just not bread so it's going to taste different. But we really liked it!

Have a great Saturday and God Bless!

Chicken with Peppers, Olives and Onions

Ingredients
2 Chicken Breasts, sliced into strips
1 Green Bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 Medium Onion, sliced into strips
1/2 Can Black Olives, slivered
1 clove Garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
Oil

Serves 2

Heat a Grill Pan or Sautee Pan on Medium High Heat. Salt and Pepper Chicken and toss with oil.
Add to pan and cook for 6-8 minutes each side until cooked through.

In another pan over medium heat, add 3 Tbsp oil, then add peppers and onions. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until onions become translucent. Add garlic and olives and cook for another 2 minutes until garlic becomes pungent and sweet smelling.

Spoon vegetables over chicken and enjoy.

We really liked how the vegetables turned out, they were sweet and garlicky but the garlic was pungent and really went well with the black olives. The pepper was a nice balance.

God Bless!

Chicken and Mashed Potato Bake

So as I was racking my brain for something to make tonight, I just kinda threw this together. It reminded hubby and I a wee bit of shepherd's pie.

Ingredients
3 Chicken Breasts - Cut into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 cups Broccoli
2 Cups Spinach
2 Large Russet Potatoes
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese
1 Egg- Beaten
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375*

In a medium pot, boil water, add potatoes and cook until fork tender.

In a grill pan or skillet over medium high heat cook your chicken until it is no longer pink, add season salt and pepper to taste.

You are almost done. Yup, already. I know. It's fabulous!

Take your potatoes, add about a 1/4 cup of milk and beat until they are mashed potatoes.

Now take a 13 x 9 baking dish. Place your chicken on the bottom, then add a layer of raw broccoli, a layer of raw spinach and a layer of cheese.

Now evenly spread dollops of mashed potatoes on top and using the back of a wooden spoon or a spatula smooth so it covers the top of the entire dish.

Take your beaten egg and spread over the top of the mashed potatoes, this will cause it to brown while you cook.

Put into your preheated oven set to 375* (alright, I'm now adding that to the top, but just so you know, I forgot to put it in before...yeesh)

Cook for 20-25 minutes until potatoes are starting to lightly brown.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

We liked this but I think it needed something, I'm thinking it was garlic, but I'm not positive, it just didn't have that oomph. hmmm....

Serve and relax, there is just something about comfort food that makes the day better!

God Bless!

Spicy Chicken and Potato Soup

Crockpot Thursday(yes I know I'm publishing it sunday!)

mmm this soup turned out amazingly well and with a nice firm kick as well!

Ingredients
2 Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless) cut into bite sized pieces
4 stalks Broccoli (just the stalks)
1 Bell Pepper (I used Green)
1 Medium Onion (chopped)
2 Medium/Large Red Potatoes (chopped)
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Can Original Rotel (Tomatoes and Green Chilies)
Salt and Pepper to taste ( about 1 T each)
1 Tbsp Chicken Bouillon
4 Cups Water

In a Medium pot bring water to boil. Take your Chicken pieces and boil them until they are cooked through. Take Chicken pieces out of the water with a slotted spoon. Turn the water down on low and let simmer for 40 minutes. This becomes your base for the soup.

Chop up all of your vegetables. Here's how to do the broccoli stalks. I bet you looked at the ingredients and thought this lady is nuts. Well I'm not. The inside of the stalks are very good you just have to take off the outsides. So take a knife and remove all of the darker fibrous outside until you get to a lighter, non-fibrous inside. Do this on all 4 stalks and then chop the insides up and add to the crock pot. This will make you feel good because you won't be throwing them away like you usually do ;) more for your money!


Toss everything into the crockpot, including the broth that has been simmering. Add 4 more cups of water and 1 T of chicken bouillon and your can of Rotel. Stir, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4.

Now be careful. This has a big kick. If you don't like things that make your mouth burn you might want to try mild rotel, or just switch out for regular tomatoes. If you like things that make smoke come out your ears you could get the hot Rotel. This was about as hot as I could go and hubby thought it was perfect!

God Bless!

Easy Chicken Stirfry

ok, ok, I know I've been a terrible blogger over the last week. It's been super busy, so I just haven't had time to upload some meals, but I have been cooking.

Ingredients
2 Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless)
4 cups fresh spinach
2 heads of broccoli (cut into florets)
1 Medium Onion- sliced
3 Cloves garlic- minced
1/2 Tsp Ginger
Canola Oil
Salt and Pepper

To start cut your chicken breast into bite size pieces (at this point you can leave them a little larger and as they cook you can break them up more if you like), toss in a medium size bowl with a few tablespoons of canola oil and some salt and pepper. Add the chicken to a large preheated (to medium high) skillet. Cook for about 3-4 minutes each side until cooked through. Then turn down to low until your veggies are finished. At then end toss some teriyaki/soy sauce in with the chicken for the last few minutes.


In another pan (over medium heat) add 1-2 T of Canola oil and add your chopped onion and broccoli florets, add your ginger on top. Cover the pan and cook on medium for about 6-8 minutes stirring occasionally until the broccoli and onions are cooked through but still slightly firm. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute before adding in all of the spinach.


Now if you haven't cooked with spinach before it goes from looking like a whole bunch to looking like very little. So when you add your 4 cups of spinach it WILL overtake the pan. But keep pushing it around and let it get down to the heat and it will start to cook and wilt very quickly.

Once the spinach is wilted. Spoon some vegetables and chicken over white rice add some more teryaki and enjoy!

God bless!

Spicy Chicken Fingers

look I never said it was gonna look pretty, but it tastes good!

Ok ok I know, I'm a few days behind, but I HAVE been cooking, so look for 3 recipes tonight!
Ingredients
3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 egg- beaten well
1 Cup Flour (with salt and pepper to taste)
1 Cup Bread Crumbs
Tapatio or other hot sauce to taste

Sauce
1 part Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce (I used Fry's brand)
1 part BBQ Sauce
1 Part Ketchup

mmm I love buffalo wings ( I grew up in Upstate NY and I went to school in Buffalo) and chicken fingers, but I also like having semi-clean arteries. So it's best for me to find a way to bake these. Which I do ;)

Also, let me say that my very helpful hubby was doing the picture taking tonight, so you will actually see some of me and some of his *personality* in these pictures ;) he's awesome.

Pre-heat oven to 400* and Spray a large cookie sheet with a good amount of Pam. Set near where you will be working.

Take your Chicken Breast and cut them into 1/2 in slices about 2 inches in length (or so). Once that is done take your Tapatio (or hot sauce of your choice) and put it on your raw chicken, rub it in and then if you are weird like me wash you hands ( I do this ALOT while cooking, which seems counter productive since I am just going to touch raw chicken again, but whatever).

Get out 3 bowls, 2 shallow-ish and one medium mixing bowl.
In the first bowl place your flour. This is your first of your assembly line. In the second bowl place your well beaten egg. In the medium mixing bowl place your bread crumbs.

Now here's the fun/messy part. I usually try to use my left hand to put raw chicken in the flour and then drop in the egg. Then my right hand to move around in the egg and then put in the breadcrumbs. But that doesn't usually work that way. So you can try that, perhaps you will have more success than I *sigh*

So take a strip or 3 at a time and place in flour, coat on both sides, remove and place in egg, coat on both sides then place in bread crumbs. Shake bowl around until they are well covered. Remove and place on baking sheet.

Repeat this mundane process 85 more times (ok maybe it just seems like that many) until you are done with your strips. And remember if your hands don't look like this, you're not doing it right! ;) at least that is what I tell myself.

Spray the top of them with pam and then slide the baking sheet into the middle of your 400* oven. Cook for 8-10 min on one side, flip and cook for another 5-8 (depending on thickness) you can always cut one open to see.

In a large mixing bowl create your sauce of 1 part of each of these three ingredients: Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce, BBQ Sauce and Ketchup. Mix together well. Then add chicken fingers to the bowl and toss till they are all covered in yummy spicy goodness.

We made some baked potatoes with blue chese crumbles on top and a salad. Hubby thought they were great (yes, I got them spicy enough I think) and I thought they were hot, but not so bad that my eyes watered. So try them out!

*now that's a spicy personality*

Have a great night and God Bless!

Chicken Fajita Burrito's

Ingredients

3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts- sliced thin
1/2 bag frozen Peppers/Onions (or 1 full pepper and 1/2 an onion)
Salt and Pepper
Mexican Rice and black beans (leftover from last nights dinner)
Tortillas
1/3 cup Mexican Cheese (shredded)

Thursday nights are usually our Bible study, so I usually do Crockpot Thursday's, but I didn't get it done this am *shame on me* so we did this instead since it was quick. Although as I write this we are not going to home group because hubby is sick :(

After you have sliced your Chicken Breasts, heat a large skillet on Medium High heat, add oil to lightly coat pan and add your sliced chicken to the pan. Salt and Pepper to your liking and cook through.

In a smaller pan, heat to medium, add oil and cook peppers and onions for about 5 minutes. In the mean time reheat your rice (my rice was too too spicy so I put it in a colander, rinsed 3/4 of it and then mixed it back in with the spicy stuff, voila! Less spicy rice!) in the microwave.

Lay your Tortilla's on your plate. Add a generous spoonful of rice, followed by chicken, then veggies, top with shredded cheese and roll up!

A quick, easy, pretty healthy dinner. Serve with salsa or sour cream and guacamole. Whatever your favorite sides are. We also had some green beans (gotta get those veggies!).
Have a great night and God Bless.