Lemon Pepper Chicken

I know it has been a long time since I posted, but I promise I am going to try harder to keep this updated. I have lots and lots of recipes to get on here, so hopefully I can keep up on it.

We tried this recipe last night and it turned out so "Yummo!!!" Can you tell where i got the recipe from?? That's right.....Rachael Ray. I did tweak it a little bit to fit my personal taste.

1/2 cup vegetable oil
2-3 lemons, cut in half
3 tbsp. of minced garlic
3 tsp. lemon pepper
6 pieces of chicken breasts, about 3 to 4 pounds
fresh grated parmesan cheese (not the powder)

Squeeze two lemons into a large bowl. You can use a dash of zest if you want. Add the rest of the ingredients, besides cheese, and whisk together. Toss chicken into bowl and coat with sauce. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes but can do longer for more flavor.

Cook on the grill or roast in the oven. We prefer the grill during those hot summer months.

When ready to serve, squeeze a half of a lemon over chicken, and sprinkle with the cheese, lightly. Enjoy!!

You can always mix all ingredients in a freezer-safe bag, then thaw, and throw on the grill to save time.

Cheese Fondue

I have always enjoyed a good cheese fondue, but I have always felt like it is like a side at a party, not really meant for a usual meal. Thanks to Tiffany, I received this email from her telling about their awesome dinner with cheese fondue. The best part: you can add whatever you want to dip. I did chicken, red potatoes, steamed cauliflower, cubed pieces of french bread, and bell peppers. That covered all the food groups and gives the kids a chance to dip their food. Lots of fun!

Ingredients:

3 cups shredded cheese (parmesan and mozzarella or swiss or cheddar and Monterey jack)

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1 cup milk

1 cup chicken broth

1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese, cubed

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Toss cheese and cornstarch together. Combine milk and chicken broth in a saucepan over medium heat until warm. Add cream cheese and whisk until smooth, about 5 minutes. Bring to a simmer and add cheese mixture a handful at a time. Add salt and pepper and cook 5 more minutes. Serve immediately with chicken, sausage, bread, peppers, carrots, red potatoes, zucchini, etc.

To prepare chicken, I cut it up into small chunks, sprinkled garlic salt and seasoning salt, threw it on a cookie sheet with cooking spray, and put it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

For red potatoes, I cut them up into bite-size pieces, tossed in a bowl with olive oil and some chives, cooked them in the oven for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

This was a big hit with the family. Everyone loved it, except for the picky eating daughter. But she did eat the choices without the cheese sauce, so it didn't require any extra work for me.

Chicken Rolls

I love, love, love this recipe! This is from my mom and is a very old way back in the day recipe!! It is even a favorite for my husband. He would probably eat it every week if I made it enough. haha!

Ingredients:

2 lbs. chicken (four pieces) or two cans of chicken

8 oz. soft cream cheese

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4-1/2 cup green onions

crescent rolls

melted butter

crushed cornflakes

1 can of cream of chicken

Cook four pieces of chicken, let it cool and then shred.

Blend 6 oz. soft cream cheese and ¼ cup melted butter. Chop a batch of green onions from top to bottom and then mix all with the shredded chicken.

Take crescent rolls, fold one corner over and with your finger form into a circle and flatten. Then put a large spoonful of chicken mix into circle and close the circle around the mix. Then dip the ball of chicken stuffing into the melted butter and then cover with corn flake crumbs. Put onto a cookie sheet and cook for 25-30 minutes @ 325 degrees.

Make a chicken gravy or use cream of chicken soup with ½ can of water to pour over rolls before serving.

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

This is a classic from my mom. I have to tell you, however, I planned to make this on Sunday and couldn't find the recipe. My mom was still at church and had left her phone at home. So I guessed!! And I guessed wrong. It was terribly dry and just didn't quite taste right! Never fear! I went out the next day and bought the ingredients again and we made part two of this casserole. This time it worked!! Here's the recipe that turned out...

1 1/2 to 2 lbs of chicken or 4 pieces of chicken
2 boxes stove top stuffing
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 cup of celery, cut into small pieces

Cook chicken however you prefer. Shred or cut-up into small pieces. Follow directions on box to cook stuffing. Pour two-thirds of the stuffing into casserole dish and press to the bottom. Mix chicken, soup, sour cream and celery together til all chicken is completely coated. Pour over stuffing mixture. Sprinkle the remaining stuffing evenly on top. Cook at 350 degrees for twenty-five to thirty minutes.


My husband actually likes this recipe. He isn't a big fan of celery, but the pieces were big enough that he could pick it out. Always a bonus for him. My daughter wouldn't touch it and when I tried to force her to eat one bite, she gagged and threw up! I know gross image, but frankly I get so tired of her pickiness. But this is definitely an easy recipe and super yummy!! Let me know how it goes.

Catalina Chicken

I am so excited for this post because this is from one of my favorite readers!! Well, it's from my cousin, Lichelle, so maybe I am a little biased, but I love to know that someone is reading my blog and giving me recipes to try.

6-8 pieces of boneless, skinless chicken
1 cup of catalina salad dressing
1 can of cranberry sauce or 2/3 cup Apricot Jam
1 packet of onion soup mix

Place chicken in a 9x13 casserole dish. Mix the rest of the ingredients together. Pour over the chicken. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees until chicken is cooked through.


When I read my email yesterday, and saw her recipe, I went to the store and bought the ingredients I needed right then and there!! I know kind of silly, but I could not contain my excitement. I doubled the recipe to make enough for four adults and enough for leftovers! My favorite type of recipe! I also, couldn't find apricot jam at our grocery store, so I used cranberry sauce instead.

I know easy right?? When I saw this recipe, I was really worried that the husband wouldn't like this and honestly, I am not sure he was totally honest with me either. Since we live with my parents right now, I get very mixed reviews about the new recipes I try. This is how our evening played out...

John: Wow, this is good. This is delicious. Wow, I can't get enough!
LuAnn: Laura, you have outdone yourself! This is amazing!!
John: What is in this?? It is so good!!
Laura: Josh, what do you think?
Josh: It's okay!

So much for making me feel good!! I guess, I can please the regular people in the world. On a scale of picky-eaters 1-10, and the least picky being a 1!! My dad would be a 0, my mother would be a 4 or 5, and Josh would be a 9! This gives you an idea of how to compare the responses I received!


Coming up later this week: Whole Wheat pancakes that you can make in bulk and store in the freezer until you want it! Yeah! Thanks Lichelle!!

Mexican Lasagna

I was watching food network one day and enjoying Rachel Ray's "thirty-minute meals" show. Now for someone who is an experienced cook, who can handle more than one or two things cooking at a time, and has knives that cut through a penny like butter, her show is perfect for them. For me, there are too many ingredients and too many steps, plus, she has mad chopping skills! However, one day while I was watching her show, I found a recipe of hers that actually worked. I converted it to fit the ingredients I prefer, but it is delicious.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case or 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, cooked and shreddedor cut up into small cubes
  
• 2-3 tablespoons taco seasoning
  
• 1/2 red onion or 1/2 cup green onions, chopped (your preference is what matters, I prefer green and the picky eaters don't mind)
  
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 cup medium or mild heat taco sauce
  
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack
• 2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Spray pan with PAM or two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Add chicken and season with taco seasoning and your choice of onions. Let cook together until hot for about 5-10 minutes, depending on your time frame. Add taco sauce. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil or spray with PAM (my preference). Cut the tortillas in half to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve, as is. You can also top with sour cream, lettuce, or tomatoes.

This is so yummy or as Rachel Ray says "Yummo!" You can use whatever meat you like, ground beef or turkey, or letfover shredded pork or beef. It's your choice. Yeah for that, right? Try it out and let me know what you think.

I would really appreciate feedback. If you don't feel like this recipe is for you, or you are in desperate need of a certain type of recipe, send me a comment and I will find it!

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

This is a favorite recipe of mine and it is quick and easy!! Just what I love!!

6-8 pieces of skinless, boneless chicken
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
hamburger buns

Place chicken in the crockpot. Pour bbq sauce over the top. Place the lid on, and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for at least 4 hours. The longer this cooks the more tender the chicken will become. Just before serving shred and mix until the shredded chicken is covered in sauce. Place on hamburger buns or serve as the main dish with potatoes.

This makes a lot so, of course, you can freeze half of it and save for a rainy day. Just my kind of recipe!!

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

2 pounds chicken breasts or 2 cans of canned chicken
¼ cup butter
½ cup green onions, finely chopped
3 tbsp. flour
½ tsp. dried oregano or thyme
1 ½ cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
1 bag frozen peas and carrots (16-20 ounces)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 ready-made piecrusts
1 egg yolk, beaten or 1/4 cup butter, melted

Cook chicken and shred. Melt butter in pot. Add onions, and cook, stirring, for three minutes. Whisk in flour and thyme or oregano, cook for 2 minutes. Add broth and cream; whisk until thickened, about three or four minutes longer. Remove from heat; stir in shredded chicken, frozen vegetables, and salt and pepper.
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Fit 1 crust into a 9-inch pie pan. Spoon in the prepared filling.
With a fluted pastry wheel, cut the remaining crust into twelve ½-inch-wide strips. Arrange 6 strips in the same direction on top of pie, twisting dough. Arrange the remaining strips crosswise on the top. Fold the edges under.
Brush the pastry with the beaten egg yolk or melted butter; place the pie on a baking sheet. Bake the pie until crust is golden, about thirty minutes. Let stand for ten minutes before serving.


I have a picky husband and a picky daughter. They both love this and gobble it up! It is definitely more time consuming and it's not an easy fix, but totally worth a little bit of time.
This recipe came from the mail as well! It's funny how good some of those recipes can taste!

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

6 chicken breasts
1 pint sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 1/2 cup red seedless grapes, cut into fourths
1 cup celery, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 bag slivered almonds
Romaine lettuce
Croissants

Cook chicken @ 400 degrees for 40 minutes, season garlic powder, pepper, and seasoning salt. Cut up into cubes and chill. Bake slivered almonds 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes. Crush with cup.
Mix sour cream, mayo, celery, and grapes. Add almonds. Mix chicken in with mix.
Possible serving idea: Lay lettuce on platter, layer chicken salad on top. Spread grapes around for garnish.


My sister-in-law made this recipe for my daughter's blessing day. Everyone raved and raved about how great it tasted! I have since used it several times and it is always been a hit! It does take a lot of time to prep, but it can all be done the day before and mixed together right before you are ready to serve.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 chicken breasts
1 bag of shake and bake mix
swiss cheese
ham
cream of chicken soup

This dish is different in that the chicken is not pounded or rolled up. Skinless, boneless chicken breasts are recommended. However many you want or need. Use any type of Shake 'n Bake: Barbecue Glaze, Original, Extra Crispy, or Hot 'n Spicy (recommended).

Heat the oven to 400F°.

Coat the breasts with the Shake 'n Bake, and put them in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool somewhat.

Slice them in half, and add a slice or two of thin ham and a slice of Swiss cheese. Put the other half back on top. Return them to the oven for another 5-10 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked!

We used the soup as a gravy over top. Just heat on the stove with a 1/2 cup of water. You can also use barbecue sauce or ketchup.

I got this recipe from cooks.com. I changed it to how I like it. When I made it I used six chicken breasts and there was not enough shake n' bake, so make sure you add more shake n' bake if you want more pieces.

Level of Difficulty: Easy