Crunchy Baked Chicken

We loved this chicken. It's quick, simple, flavorful, and kid-friendly. Five stars from me!

This recipe comes from a neighbor. It's so simple to prepare; it would probably be great to make for a crowd.

Crunchy Baked Chicken
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into three pieces each
1 c sour cream
1/2 pkg Lipton onion soup mix
salt, pepper, paprika to taste
Pepperidge Farms stuffing (blue bag)
butter

Line casserole dish with foil. Place breasts in dish. Combine sour cream and soup mix. Sprinkle salt, pepper and paprika on breasts. Spoon sour cream mixture to coat the top side of chicken. Sprinkle each breast liberally with stuffing mix and put a dot of butter on each breast. Bake uncovered at 375 for one hour.

Sides
4 potatoes
baby carrots

Stab potatoes with a fork. Bake at 425 while you thaw and prep the chicken. Then turn down the oven to 375, add the chicken to the oven, and the potatoes will be done around the same time.

Steam carrots. Season with salt and pepper or with a maple glaze.

Curried Honey Mustard Chicken, Rice, Broccoli

I tried a delicious honey mustard chicken at a friend's house years ago, and this recipe with the curry powder sounded like a fun twist on the idea. I'm guessing you could use regular mustard if you prefer it over Dijon; let me know if you try it!

Curried Honey Mustard Chicken
adapted from AllRecipes.com
2 T butter, melted
1/3 c honey
1/4 c Dijon-style prepared mustard
4 t curry powder
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
3 chicken breasts, cut into half or thirds

In a medium bowl combine melted butter, honey, mustard, curry powder and cayenne. Mix well with a whisk. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish coated with cooking spray and pour honey mustard mixture over chicken. Cover and place in refrigerator. Marinate 4 hours our overnight. Preheat oven to 375. Remove dish from refrigerator and bake, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove cover and bake about 10 minutes more, until chicken is cooked through.


Sides
1 c rice
broccoli florets

Cook rice according to directions. Serve chicken on top of rice, and spoon sauce over as desired.

Steam broccoli. Season with salt and pepper.

Chili Pasta

Yet another Cooking Light recipe I've wanted to try for a long time. . .and now I'm finally doing it! Hooray for one-pan meals!


Chili Pasta
1 T canola oil
3/4 c chopped onion
3/4 lb ground sirloin (lean ground beef)
4 t chili powder
1 t ground cumin
1 t dried oregano
2 c water
3/4 t salt
6 oz uncooked pasta (such as wagon-wheel shaped pasta)
1 (15 oz) can no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
1 (8 oz) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
shredded cheddar cheese
sliced green onions

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and beef to pan; cook 4 minutes or until onion is tender and beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and oregano; cook 1 minute. Stir in 2 c water and next 5 ingredients (through tomato sauce); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 minutes or until pasta is done. Top with cheese and green onions as desired.

Cinna-Peach Pancakes, Hash Browns

I love love love these pancakes! I think the combination of flavors is amazing! I have been dying to post this all summer. You can find the full recipe here at the Creative Stirrings blog.

I usually make a big batch of toasted pecans and then keep them in the freezer for any old time the craving strikes. I also keep cinnamon chips in my food storage and freezer for this very recipe.

If you already have pancake mix on hand, then here are some slightly simplified directions.

Simplified Cinna-Peach Pancakes
from Creative Stirrings

Toppings
¼ cup HERSHEY®’S Cinnamon Chips
¼ cup maple syrup
½ cup pecans, chopped
1 large peach, sliced

Pancakes
about 1 1/2 cups pancake mix
¼ cup HERSHEY®’S Cinnamon Chips

In large griddle, toast pecans over medium heat (350˚ F) 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Remove from skillet; set aside. Keep skillet hot for pancakes.

Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, melt cinnamon chips in microwave stirring every 20 seconds. Stir in maple syrup; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix pancake mix according to package directions. Add 1/4 cup cinnamon chips. Cook 10 small pancakes according to package directions.

To serve, stack two pancakes, slightly overlapping, on each of 5 serving plates. Divide peach slices among the 5 plates placing them on top of the pancakes. Evenly sprinkle pancakes with pecans and drizzle with syrup mixture; serve immediately.

Grilled Cheese, Applesauce, Green Beans

My sister-in-law Amber is the queen of grilled cheese sandwiches. She taught me the secret of sprinkling a little garlic powder inside the sandwiches, and Mmmm it makes 'em good! Grandpa likes to add one slice of ham to his, but I think he's crazy.

Grilled Cheese
8 slices bread
1 1/2 T butter
4 (1 oz) slices cheese
garlic powder
sliced deli meat (optional)

Very lightly butter one side of each slice of bread. To form a sandwich, top one slice of bread, buttered side out, with one slice of cheese. Sprinkle lightly with garlic powder. Top with second slice of bread, buttered side out. Repeat to make 4 sandwiches total. Preheat a griddle or pan t0 medium heat. Place sandwiches in a single layer. As they cook, squish down slightly with a spatula. Once the first side is toasted golden brown, flip sandwiches over. Cook, occasionally pressing down with the spatula, until the second side is toasted golden brown and the cheese is melted.


Sides
applesauce
1 can green beans, salted, peppered, and microwaved

Shake 'n Bake Chicken Nuggets, Carrots, Celery

1 envelope Shake 'n Bake
1 1/2 lbs chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

dipping sauces:
ketchup
mustard
Ranch dressing
barbecue sauce
etc.

carrot sticks
celery sticks
any other good dipping vegetables you have on hand


Preheat oven to 400. Empty Shake 'n Bake into the shaker bag. Moisten chicken slightly with water. Shake in batches until all chicken is evenly coated. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Serve chicken nuggets with fresh veggies and a variety of dipping sauces.

Breakfast Burritos, Hashbrowns, Fruit

4 eggs
4 egg whites
2 T milk
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper

4 tortillas

toppings, such as:
cheese
salsa
tomatoes
green onions
etc.

frozen hashbrowns

fruit of your choice


In a medium bowl, beat eggs, eggwhites, milk, salt, and pepper. Heat a pan to medium-heat, coated with cooking spray. Add egg mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are set. Fill tortillas with eggs and any desired toppings. Wrap up burrito style.

Prepare hashbrowns according to package directions.

Melissa's Mexican Soup, Quesadillas, Green Salad

This soup recipe comes from my sister-in-law Melissa. It has such a bright, fresh taste that it seems like a good soup for summertime.

If you have any diced, cooked chicken on hand, you could add it just at the end of the cooking time for a heartier soup. I've mixed in cooked rice at the end, too. Play around with it, and see what you like!

Mexican Soup
1 (14 oz) can petite diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 (14 oz) cans of water
2 (15 oz) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 to 1/2 c salsa verde, to taste
1 1/2 c frozen corn
salt and pepper
1 t chicken bouillon
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t minced onion
1/2 bunch cilantro, minced fine

Combine all ingredients except cilantro in a large pot. Bring to a boil then lower heat. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add cilantro and cook a few minutes more.


Quesadillas
4 tortillas
1/2 c grated cheese

Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Place in one tortilla, cover with 1/4 c cheese, and top with a second tortilla. Heat until cheese melts slightly and first tortilla is lightly browned. Flip and brown the second tortilla. Remove to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining tortillas and cheese. Cut each quesadilla into eighths and serve with salsa or soup.


Green Salad
Prepare a green salad.

French Toast, Hash Browns, Fruit

8 slices bread
3-4 eggs
2 T milk
1 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon
peanut butter or maple syrup
1 banana, sliced (optional)

frozen hash browns

fruit of your choice


Spray a skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium high heat. In a shallow dish, lightly beat eggs and milk. Mix in vanilla and cinnamon. Dip bread in egg mixture and place on skillet. Cook, flipping halfway through, until both sides are cooked. Serve French toast with peanut butter or with maple syrup, and top with banana slices if desired.

Meanwhile, cook hash browns according to package directions.

Hot Dogs, Pasta Salad, Oranges

Are you ready for summer?

My pasta salad recipe is pretty typical, but I do have one secret: dry Italian dressing mix. I like my pasta salad to have maximum flavor without adding too much oily dressing. That's why I add a little dry dressing mix to my salad; it's like using super-flavorful dressing instead of regular!

8 oz rotini pasta
3 c chopped veggies (onion, carrot, bell pepper, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, etc)
optional: 3 oz mozzarellla, cubed
1/3 to 2/3 cup Italian dressing
1 to 2 t dry Italian dressing mix

1 pkg. hot dogs
1 pkg. buns

oranges, separated into sections



Early in the day, cook pasta according to directions; drain. Place in the fridge to cool. About 1 hour before dinner, mix together pasta, veggies, and cheese, if using. Then mix in Italian dressing to desired taste. Sprinkle on a little dry Italian dressing mix, also to taste. Place pasta salad back into the fridge to chill.

Cook hot dogs according to your preference (grill, boil, pan fry, microwave (with a slit for ventilation)). Serve on buns with your preferred condiments.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Corn on the Cob, Green Salad

Here's to me and my pulled pork obsession! I love doing pulled pork two ways in one week. If you already shredded a big roast and kept half in the fridge for this meal, simply place the shredded meat and barbecue sauce in a crock pot on low for an hour or two before dinner.

Easy Pulled Pork Sandwiches
2 lbs pork roast
2 c barbecue sauce
4-6 buns

optional toppings for the adventurous crowd:
4-6 slices Provolone
6 small dill pickles, sliced thin
Dijon mustard

Place pork in a greased crock pot. Cook on high 6 hours or on low all day. Pour off liquid. Shred pork, discarding fat. Place pork back in crock pot. Mix in barbecue sauce, varying the amount depending on your taste. Cook on low for at least a half hour (up to an hour and a half) until sauce is heated through. Toast buns and fill with pulled pork. If desired, top with mustard, pickles, and cheese.



Sides:
4 ears corn
green salad

Boil a large pot of water. Add corn to boiling water and boil for about 5 minutes.

Prepare green salad.

Cheesy Egg Pie, Toast, Fruit

This cheesy egg pie recipe is from my good friend's mom, Susie. It is not the healthiest egg recipe I've ever shared, but all the cheese makes it soooooo delicious! (At least it doesn't have a crust like quiche?)

I feel like you can swap out the cheese for whatever you have on hand.

1 c (about 4 oz) grated cheddar cheese
1 c (about 4 oz) grated Swiss cheese
1 c (about 4 oz) grated mozzarella cheese
2 T flour
1 1/2 T minced onion
4 eggs
1 c milk
1/2 t salt
1/2 t Worchester sauce (optional)
1/2 t dry mustard (optional)

packaged hashbrowns

fruit of your choice


In a greased pie pan, mix together all three cheeses, flour, and minced onion. Beat egg, milk, salt, Worchester sauce, and dry mustard in a large bowl. Pour egg mixture over cheese. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes, or until eggs are set.

Prepare hashbrowns according to package directions.

Prepare fruit.

Tacos, Corn, Green Salad

1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can Ranch style beans, not rinsed
or 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
taco shells or tortillas
shredded lettuce
grated cheese
salsa
sour cream
any other taco toppings

green salad

frozen corn


Brown ground beef. Pour off fat. Add taco seasoning according to package directions. Add beans and heat through.

Prepare green salad. Microwave corn; season with salt and pepper.

Allow individuals at the table to fill their tortillas or taco shells with meat filling and top with cheese, lettuce, salsa, and sour cream as desired.

Mexican Haystacks, Broccoli, Corn

We LOVE this meal. It's the same concept as Hawaiian haystacks, but made with Mexican ingredients instead. We got the idea from some friends in college. I love how the base of the meal (rice and sauce) is so easy and made with ingredients from my pantry. You can always adjust the toppings according to what's on sale and what you already have on hand.

Mexican Haystacks
1 c white rice
1/2 lb ground beef
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 pkg taco seasoning
dash garlic powder
dash cumin
dash chili powder

toppings, as desired:
sliced green onions
chopped bell peppers
shredded cheese
salsa
tortilla chips
chopped tomatoes
avocado
microwaved frozen corn
etc.


Cook rice according to package directions. In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, and seasonings. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare all the desired toppings.

Serve tomato sauce over rice and top with desired toppings.

Parmesan Italian Chicken, Rolls, Green Salad, Carrots

I got this chicken recipe from Good Seasons Italian dressing mix.

1/2 c Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Italian dressing mix
1/2 t garlic powder
2 lbs chicken breasts (about 3 chicken breasts)

4 rolls

green salad

1/3 lb baby carrots


Preheat oven to 400. Mix cheese, dressing and garlic. Cut chicken breasts in half or thirds. Moisten chicken with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in a greased baking dish. Bake 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Turn oven to broil and broil chicken 2-4 minutes, 6 inches from the heat, until golden brown.

Prepare green salad.

Place carrots in a microwave safe bowl. Cover halfway with water. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes more. Test for doneness with a fork. Continue microwaving at 1 minute intervals until tender. Drain water. Toss carrots with salt, pepper, 1 t butter, and a pinch of sugar.

Super Easy Bean Burritos, Chips and Salsa, Corn

Burrito recipe adapted from AllRecipes. Don't be fooled by the simplicity; all the spices give these burritos a nice flavor. I also love these cold for lunch!

1 can black beans

1 c salsa

1 T cumin

1 T chili powder

6-8 small flour tortillas

1 c shredded cheese

chips

salsa

frozen corn

Drain and rinse beans. Combine beans, 1 cup salsa, cumin, and chili powder in a pot. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and semi-mashing the beans as you stir. The bean mixture should become thick and pasty. Divide bean mixture and cheese among tortillas and wrap them up. Serve warm or cold.

Frittata with Bruschetta Topping, Toast, Peas

Frittatas are an easy and versatile way to use eggs. I think of them as the savory Italian cousin to omelets. You can easily throw in extra vegetables before you add your eggs, so frittatas are a great way to use up those few extra vegetables you have on hand. I got this frittata recipe from Cooking Light magazine.

1 1/2 c chopped tomato (I use 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped)
2 t dried basil
2 t vinegar
1 t oil
1/8 t crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t salt, divided
1/4 t black pepper
4 eggs
4 egg whites
1 c chopped onion
3 c spinach leaves, torn

4 slices bread

frozen peas


Preheat oven to 350. Combine first 6 ingredients (tomato through garlic) and 1/4 t salt in a bowl; set aside. Combine the remaining 1/4 t salt, pepper, eggs, egg whites in a bowl; beat. Coat an oven-proof skillet* with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Saute onions 4 minutes. Add spinach and saute 1 minute. Pour on egg mixture. Place in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through in the center. Top with tomato mixture. Bake an additional 5 minutes.

Toast bread. Spread with a small amount of butter and sprinkle with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese.

Microwave frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper.

*If you don't have an oven-proof skillet, you can cover the handle of a normal skillet with a few layers of tin foil.

Hot Dogs, Green Salad, Peas

This Saturday we will need something quick, easy, and fun to fix for dinner. Since hot dogs were on sale, I decided that's what we would do. We'll probably get out a box of crackers or a bag of chips from the pantry, just so it really feels like a party!

1 pkg hot dogs
1 pkg hot dog buns

green salad

frozen peas


Cook hot dogs according to your preference (grill, boil, pan fry, microwave (with a slit for ventilation)). Serve on buns with your preferred condiments.

Prepare green salad.

Microwave frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper.

Egg McMuffins, Hashbrowns, Fruit

8 English muffins
8 eggs
8 slices cheese
8 slices ham
mayo, ketchup, mustard (optional)

hashbrowns

fruit of your choice


Lightly toast English muffins. Fry eggs according to your preference, topping each egg with a slice of cheese just as it finishes cooking. Make sandwiches starting with half an English muffin, and adding a slice of ham, then one egg with cheese. Spread condiments, if desired, on the second half of the English muffin and place on top of sandwich.

Prepare hashbrowns according to package directions.

Ramen Veggie Stirfry with Chicken, Salad

This stirfry recipe is modified from a recipe I found in a magazine in college, most likely Square magazine (though I don't know for sure).

2 chicken breasts
1 to 2 T soy sauce
1 T oil
3 c mixed veggies, diced (onion, carrots, broccoli, snow peas, peas, corn, peppers, asparagus, zucchini, etc.)
1 pkg Ramen, chicken flavor
1/2 c water

green salad


Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Coat a pan with cooking spray and saute chicken on medium-high heat until done. When chicken is cooked through, sprinkle with soy sauce and cook 1 minute more. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add veggies and cook until tender. Add the noodles, seasoning packet, and water. Cook until noodles are done, stirring frequently to cover the noodles with water. Add the chicken to the stirfry and serve with additional soy sauce at the table.

Prepare green salad.