Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes (#25)

Occasionally I come across a recipe that is super fast AND super delicious. Usually, the two do not co-exist but it does happen. This recipe is proof! These Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes were a breeze to assemble and gobbled down by the family. My toddler was excited to eat his "cupcake"(he's usually not very excited about dinner). I was excited to have these as leftovers the next day and happy to have found such a fun/delicious recipe.

Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes

(Adapted from this recipe at Tablespoon)

INGREDIENTS:
1 chicken breast, poached and diced (can sub. canned chicken)
1 (14.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup frozen mixed veggies
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic salt
2 (10 oz) cans large and flaky biscuits

Directions:
1 Preheat your oven to 400.
2 In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, frozen veggies, cheese, herbs and spices.
3 Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin and place the Pillsbury biscuits into each cup, pressing into the bottom and up the sides.
4 Evenly spoon the pot pie mixture into each biscuit cup. Slide into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Check at the 12 minute mark.
5 Let rest for about 3 minutes and dig in!

Easy Korean Beef (#24)

Wow! I can actually make Korean food?! Well, who knows how "authentic" this recipe is, but it sure was delicious. Ground beef is transformed into this simple and spicy, yet tasty main dish. This is the first recipe I have made from Six Sister's Stuff, and I loved it !

Korean Beef
(adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff)

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbls. sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. crushed red peppers
salt and pepper
1 bunch diced green onions
Rice, cooked

DIRECTIONS:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil. Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over rice and top with green onions.

Baked Lemon Pasta (#23)

If you haven't heard of The Pioneer Woman, shame on you! Not only does she write an entertaining blog, she has some pretty good recipes on there. I'm always on a quest for a good pasta salad, so when I came across her Baked Lemon Pasta recipe, I knew I had to try it.

Instead of baking it, I took her suggestion for a cold pasta salad and refrigerated it. I actually think loses most of it's flavor when it's cold. I would also recommend using a different pasta if you know you are serving it cold because spaghetti just gets messy cold.

Served cold, I probably wouldn't make it again, but the next day I microwaved it and it was way YUMMY! I imagine that's how it would taste if I baked it like the original recipe said. I'm sure it's not low in fat, but it was good and I'll save the recipe for sure.

Skillet Scramble(#19)

Maybe it's because I never get a good healthy breakfast, but I gobbled this Skillet Scramble up! Not only is it tasty, but it's beautiful with all the colors in it. This would make a wonderful breakfast or dinner for a hungry family!

Skillet Scramble (based off this recipe)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (13 oz) package turkey sausage, diced
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced
6 eggs, beaten

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet, drain off the excess fat, and set aside.
2. Place the potatoes, green peppers, yellow peppers, and red peppers into the skillet, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are browned and the peppers are softened, about 15 minutes. Return the sausage to the skillet, and pour the eggs over the top. Cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes until the eggs are set, and serve with salt and pepper.

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Crescent Braid (#17)

I've always wanted to try a food braid... they look awesome! Most people would call it comfort food but I never tried something like this growing up. However, I can see where they are coming from, fluffy pastry crust, chicken, and broccoli; all the basic ingredients for a successful dinner. It will certainly go my Perfect Dinner Project blog because we liked it!

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Crescent Braid

Ingredients:
2 cans Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls
2 cups chicken chunks, cooked
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 cups broccoli, frozen, steamed and chopped
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 egg yolk
fresh rosemary

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, spread both cans of crescents length wise to form a long rectangle.
Press each of the seams to form a single layer of dough.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, cheese, broccoli and mayonnaise
Spread mixture over the center of the croissant dough evenly to create a log.
Using a sharp knife, cut horizontal strips 1 inch apart down each side of the crescent dough.
Fold the dough strips over the top of the chicken mixture, alternating left and right to create a braid.
Brush the top of the braid with a beaten egg yolk and sprinkle fresh rosemary on top.
Bake for 28 – 30 minutes until golden brown.

Wraps (#15)

I decided I needed something quick and easy to make tonight since my husband hadn't eaten dinner and was getting home late. I saw a bag of italian flatbread and decided I could base a meal around them.

Here are my ingredients I used for the wraps:

Italian Flatwraps

Smoked Deli Turkey

Arugala

Sprouts

Sliced Mild Cheddar Cheese

Sliced Roma Tomatoes

Sour Cream and Salsa Mixed



It was very filling and very scrumptious! SUCCESS!

Salmon with Browned Butter and Mashed Broccoli Potatoes (#14)

Seriously, does this not look delicious? Because it was. I'm always on the hunt for a good salmon recipe and when I saw it was paired with Broccoli Potatoes? Heaven! Here's the recipe from Rachael Ray Magazine:

Salmon with Browned Butter and Mashed Broccoli Potatoes

Ingredient:
2 yellow-fleshed potatoes (about 1 pound), such as yukon gold, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, cut into small pieces
Salt and pepper
4 6 ounces skin-on salmon fillets
1/2 bunch scallions (3 to 4), green and white portions thinly sliced separately
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees . In a medium saucepan, combine the potatoes and enough salted water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until just tender, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the broccoli and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain, then mash the broccoli and potatoes with 2 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper; cover to keep warm.
2. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper, then arrange skin side up, in a single layer, in a greased, foil-lined large baking dish. Roast until cooked through, about 10 minutes for medium. Discard the skin.
3. In a small skillet, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and cook, swirling the pan, until the butter is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallion greens and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve with the mashed broccoli potatoes.

Turkey Burger Drumsticks (#12)

I admit, I'm obsessed with turkey. It always seems like I'm making things with ground turkey. I saw this recipe in a Rachael Ray magazine and knew I would love it! Ground turkey stuffed with cheese and coated with crusty cornflakes? Yes, Please. The only thing I did differently is to cook the nuggets first and THEN put them on a skewer. I don't know HOW in the heck you would be able to maneuver them in the pan with the stick??? Sooooo good!

Turkey Burger Drumsticks

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 5 ounce can  evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups crushed cornflakes
• 2 ounces medium-hard cheese

Directions

• In a bowl, mix the turkey, 1/4 cup evaporated milk, the onion and 2/3 cup cornflakes; season with salt and pepper. Divide into 12 portions. Cut the cheese into 12 small sticks and thread onto each of 12 skewers. Wet your hands with evaporated milk, then mold some meat around each cheese piece, shaping into 3-inch ovals. Pour the remaining milk into a bowl. Add the remaining cornflakes to a plate. Dip each "drumstick" into the milk, then coat with the cornflakes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry each drumstick until browned, about 12 minutes.

Kraft's Chicken Lo Mein #11

My family loved to order Chinese food growing up! We occasionally made it too, but the time and effort into making it took too long for my liking. When I ran across this recipe for Kraft's Easy Chicken Lo Mein recipe, I knew I had to try it.  My husband didn't grow up with my family's passion for Chinese food, so he's OK with it once in a while. He raved about this recipe! I liked it a lot as well, even though it's nothing like take-out. Way easy and totally yummy!

Kraft's Chicken Lo Mein

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. spaghetti, uncooked
• 1/4 cup Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen bell pepper and onion strips, thawed, drained (I couldn't find these so I just used a stir-fry mix and LOVED it)
• 1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 1/4 cup lite soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. chopped Planters Cocktail Peanuts

directions

• 1 Cook spaghetti in large saucepan as directed on package.
• 2 Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and garlic; stir-fry 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add peppers, onions, broth and peanut butter; stir-fry an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• 3 Drain spaghetti; return to pan. Add chicken mixture and soy sauce; mix well. Spoon onto serving platter; sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts

Mushroom Barley Soup (#7)

Soup is always on our menu lately. Why? Because it's cheap and easy to make. We've been trying to watch our food budget lately and I've been trying to step out of my comfort zone and use things I never have used before. I actually had all the ingredients on hand for this soup except mushrooms and pearl barley. I was pleasantly surprised by this hearty soup. It was bursting with flavor, yet was light and filling at the same time. I found the recipe here at $5 Dinners

Mushroom Barley Soup
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 carrot stalks, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
About 8 oz. of mushrooms, chopped and sliced
 2 cups water
4 cups homemade chicken broth
1 cup pearled barley
2 tsp dried dill
2 tsp fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Add butter or margarine to large saucepan and let it melt.  Saute the chopped onions, diced carrots and garlic.  Once onions become opaque, add in the sliced and/or chopped mushrooms.  Saute for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add water and broth and bring to a boil.  Add the pearled barley, dill, parsley, salt and pepper. (Add cooked chicken or turkey here if you wish!). Reduce heat so the soup cooks at a rolling boil.  Cook for 45 minutes, or until barley has cooked through.  (Note: I used pearled barley, not quick cooking barley.  Follow time directions on package if using quick cook barley!)
3. Serve Mushroom Barley Soup with Rolls and Jam.

White Bean Tuna Salad (#3)

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. My husband got laid off from his job three weeks ago and I kind of was in a tail-spin. Blogging has been the last thing on my mind. I am so grateful for family members and my church to give us reassurance and knowing they are there if we need anything. We have been doing good, but have a very limited budget for food so........... I've been trying out some food storage meals lately and it's been going great!

I know I post a lot of recipes from Mel's Kichen Cafe, but she's so awesome! I love her and when I found this simple recipe for a light tuna salad, AND I had all the ingredients on hand, I had to try it. Boy, am I glad I did! Such a delicate, light salad that mixes so well with crunch, crisp lettuce. I gobbled it all up.

White Bean Tuna Salad
by Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
½ cup chopped red onions
The zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 (5 or 6-ounce each) cans of tuna (I prefer albacore tuna packed in water)
2 (15-ounce each) cans of Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
A few splashes of Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt and olive oil to taste

Directions:
In a small bowl, sprinkle some of the lemon juice over the chopped onions while you prepare the other ingredients. This will take some of the oniony edge off the onions.
Drain the tuna and put it into a large bowl. Add the beans to the tuna and gently stir to combine. Add the onions, parsley, black pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix to combine. Add Tabasco or hot sauce to taste. If the salad needs more acid, add a little more lemon juice. If the salad seems a little dry, add a little bit of olive oil. Add salt to taste.
Serve chilled or at room temperature. The salad develops great flavor if tightly covered and refrigerated for a couple hours, or up to a day, before serving. Serve with crackers, lightly toasted bread, lettuce cups/leaves, fresh vegetables, etc.

Here are my results:

Swiss Chicken Casserole (#2)

This cheesy chicken entree screams comfort food! Moist chicken topped with tangy Swiss cheese, creamy soup mixture and divine savory herb stuffing. This main dish satisfies everybody.

My in-laws are hysterical. I serve up anything gourmet and they thank me politely. I serve up something baked in good ole' cream-of-chicken and they sing my praises and ask for the recipe. This recipe wowed them. Hubby and I are the ones who ultimately decide what the rating is though and even we were impressed at this comfort food recipe. We give this 4★.


Swiss Chicken Casserole (adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

6 slices Swiss cheese

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup milk

1 package Stove Top Stuffing (savory herb flavor strongly suggested)

(You will need some extra butter and water for the stuffing preparation according to package directions)

2 Tbs melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

2. Prepare Stove Top Stuffing according to package directions using the microwave.

2.While stuffing is being microwaved, arrange chicken breasts in the baking dish. Place one slice of Swiss cheese on top of each chicken breast. Combine cream of chicken soup and milk in a medium bowl, and pour over chicken breasts. Sprinkle with prepared stuffing. Pour melted butter over top, and cover with foil.

3. Bake 35 minutes covered, uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.