Chicken in Lemon Butter Sauce

Apparently I am on the once a month blogging plan. :)

I still cook. Often. And I even try new recipes occasionally. I just rarely have time to sit down and write.

However, this is a recipe I want to remember. I have made it a couple times now.  It is fairly easy to make and is quite tasty.

Chicken in Lemon Butter Sauce.  Yum.

Ingredients:
8 bone-in chicken thighs (I have also used boneless chicken breast or tenders, depending on what I have on hand)

1 Tbsp smoked paprika (optional...we don' use this)

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided (I have used salted without issue)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup chicken broth


1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup grated Parmesan (fresh is best)

juice of 1 lemon (or a splash of lemon juice if you don't have any lemons on hand)

1 tsp dried thyme

2 cups baby spinach, chopped (optional...I leave out. We will eat spinach in a salad, not cooked)


Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400.

Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in an oven-proof skillet (I highly recommend cast iron) on medium high heat.  Brown chicken on both sides for a few minutes.  Set chicken aside.

Add remaining Tbsp butter and garlic. Cook for a minute or two, browning garlic.  Then add heavy cream, chicken broth, Parmesan, lemon juice, and thyme.  Bring to a boil.

At this point, you may add spinach if you are using it.  Cook a few minutes until it is wilted and the sauce has thickened.

Add chicken back to skillet.

Bake in oven for about 25 minutes.

We ate ours with rice, bread, and salad.

It was delicious.

Enjoy!

Reba

Glazed Pork Chops

I know, I know. I am behind. It isn't that I am not cooking. I am just not posting.  (Ironically, I do have about five posts started, just not completed)

But this is a recipe I do want to remember. I found it here.  I have made it twice now and have loved it both times. Plus it is easy and fairly quick. My favorite combination.

Ingredients:

• Pork Chops (originally recipe called for 4 thick cut; we typically get 6 thinner chops due to family size)
• 1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar (depending on how many pork chops you use)
• 1/2 tsp of the following:  garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:   

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix brown sugar and spices/seasonings.  Rub the sugar mixture into the pork chops. I just put the mixture into a bowl then kind of "dredge" the chops in it.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet at medium/high heat.  I use a cast iron skillet because it can go into the oven.
• Once the oil is hot add the pork chops to the skillet. Cook about 5 minutes on each side until they are browned.
• Place in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes (if you are NOT using a cast iron skillet, transfer to something oven safe) to thoroughly cook the pork chops.
• Enjoy!

Note:  I don't do paprika or cayenne due to food issues for one of my kiddos. So I just add a little of my own choices like a little onion powder and white pepper).

We ate this meal with half baked potatoes (completely baked but halved :) ) and French bread.  It is quite simple, quite good!

More soon.  Really. :)

Reba

Parmesan Baked Pork Chops

One day my dear friend Carol mentioned a favorite pork chop recipe she had found on Pinterest. She told me how easy it was and how good it was. That was all I needed to hear.  So a few days later I perused her Pinterest page and found the link.  I could not wait to make them. And the verdict is?  Yes, definitely a keeper. We will be having this again.  Soon!

(I would encourage you to visit the original link; the picture is much more appetizing there)

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless pork chops
Olive oil
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 cup Italian bread crumbs (I used plain Panko and added a few herbs to give it an Italian flavor)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, black pepper, and garlic powder on a plate or in a shallow bowl.

Spray/rub olive oil onto the pork chops.

Dip into the cheese mixture, covering the pork chops completely.

Place on a cookie sheet (I just covered one with Parchment paper).

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pork Chops and Potatoes

This picture doesn't do this dish justice. Oh, it showcases the pork chops perfectly (thanks to the Hubs for taking it). But what you can't see is the pile of tender potatoes underneath the broth/sauce.

Yum.

The one and only negative about this meal was that it needed to cook for an hour and a half. By the time you throw in prep time, it takes about 2 hours total. That isn't a big deal on a Saturday.  On a Monday, it meant a late dinner for us. 

But it was worth it. 

I found the original recipe here. 

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp flour
28 oz. chicken broth (I used 32 because that is what I had on hand)
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 pork chops (I used boneless because that is what I had...)
sage (to taste)
4-6 red potatoes (depends on size of potato), thinly sliced (HIGHLY recommend using a mandolin)
1 small sliced onion
paprika and parsley to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour over medium heat.  Add the chicken broth, stirring often until it begins to thicken and bubble.  (I used a whisk to remove lumps)  Then cook one minute longer.  Add salt/pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet.  Brown the pork chops (each side), sprinkling the sage, salt, and pepper over the meat as it cooks. 

Layer in a 9 x 13 inch pan:
Potatoes (thinly sliced)
Onion Slices
Broth/Gravy
Pork Chops

Cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Bake for 1 hour.  After an hour, remove the aluminum foil and continue to cook for another 30 minutes.

Enjoy.

It is two hours after dinner here, and my house still smells amazing. 

Reba

Chicken Stuffing Bake

Tonight one of my kiddos asked me why I always take pictures of our food. Another one responded, "She is a foodie photographer."  I had to laugh. I told them that I don't have enough time or patience to be a food photographer. Once it is out of the oven, we are ready to eat.  So this is the best I can do under such circumstances.

I have still been cooking. Just lax about blogging lately. :)

This recipe is an old family favorite.

Tonight I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner, which is rare for me. I usually have my menu planned by Sunday.

I knew I had chicken, that I wanted to avoid pasta, and that we had no potatoes.

What to do, what to do.

It just so happened I had some stuffing and some Swiss cheese on hand.

Perfect.

Chicken stuffing bake.

It is a simple recipe (my favorite kind) and easy.

Just what I needed.

Ingredients:
Chicken breasts or tenderloins (skinless, boneless)

Swiss Cheese, sliced

1 container of cream of mushroom soup

1 package stuffing

1/4 cup white wine OR chicken broth

1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:
Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray.  Okay, I totally didn't do that, and it worked just fine.

Spread the Swiss cheese slice on top of the chicken. 

Mix together the cream of mushroom soup, the stuffing, the white wine OR chicken broth, and the melted butter.

Spread over the top of the chicken/cheese.

Cover with foil.

Bake at 350 for 55 minutes.

I served this with green beans and rolls.

Enjoy!

Reba

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

I really need to make this again and take a better picture. I will just say it was a really hectic day when I made this and I was just happy we were finally sitting down to eat.  I didn't have time to do much photography...

So the other night I wanted to try a recipe I had pinned for chicken Alfredo roll ups.  I mean, it had Alfredo sauce, cheese, and pasta. How could I go wrong?

Except like I said, it was a bit of a hectic day.

And I started thinking, "Why do I have to roll up anything? That is more time than I have..."  So I decided to go for more of a lasagna instead.  And thought it wasn't beautiful (as noted above), it was well-received.  And almost all of it was gone before the night ended.

Best of all, it really was easy (especially since I didn't roll anything).

Ingredients:
9-12 lasagna noodles (I did 12)
2 1/2 cups Alfredo sauce (I make a homemade version...YUM)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
oregano
garlic salt
2-3 cups shredded Mozzarella

Directions:
Boil lasagna noodles according to directions on package.

Spray a 9 x 12 inch pan with cooking spray or olive oil.

Heat oven to 350.

Spread a small amount of the Alfredo sauce on the bottom of the pan.

Lay 4 lasagna noodles down on top of the sauce.

Mix the chicken and the Alfredo sauce together.

Spread 1/2 of the chicken/Alfredo sauce over the noodles.

Lay down 4 more lasagna noodles.

Again, spread 1/2 the chicken/Alfredo sauce on top of the noodles.

Place the remaining four noodles on top.

Sprinkle the shredded Mozzarella on top.

Sprinkle the oregano and garlic salt over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

We ate ours with breadsticks.  I would have thrown in some corn or a salad but once again, it was a bit of a crazy night. So we just ate a simple meal.  And loved every bite!

More later,
Reba

Fried Pork Chops

I feel like I have neglected this blog.  Not on purpose.  Just been busy.

But I am still cooking.  Well, mostly.  I haven't cooked dinner for the last two nights but that is because I have some other food projects going on.

However, the other night hubby was out of town, and I still cooked a real meal.

I think that should count for something...a gold star or a pat on the back at least.

Fried pork chops and roasted potatoes, rolls...

Yum.

I fry chicken on occasion but haven't fried pork much.

This week that changed.

I am pretty sure I went up like five notches in my oldest child's eyes...fried pork.  He was smiling from ear to ear.

This is the recipe I followed...

Note that the original author is cooking like 14 pork chops.

I cut that about in half.

Unfortunately I forgot to cut the rest of the recipe in half.

Not a big deal but I wasted some ingredients.

Oops.

So here is my recipe for 6 or 7 pork chops...

Ingredients:
6 or 7 thin boneless pork chops

2 eggs

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I used a homemade version)

3/4 to 1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 Tbsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp pepper (I used freshly ground peppercorns)

About 1 cup oil

Directions:

 Heat oil over medium high heat in a skillet.

Prepare egg wash by stirring eggs and Worcestershire sauce in a shallow bowl.

In another bowl, mix the flour and seasonings.

Dip pork chops in egg wash then coat both sides with flour mixture.

Place in skillet (do not crowd) and cook for 3-5 minutes on one side until it begins to brown.  Flip over and cook for another 3-5 minutes until gold brown.  You don't want to mess with them much; you will lose the coating.  And of course, the coating is the good stuff.

Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. 

Obviously, this is not something you want to eat frequently nor is it healthy.

But once in a while, it is a treat...

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas in White Sauce

My family loves Bubble Up Enchiladas. And I love easy chicken enchiladas. 

However, about a year ago, we realized that one of our kiddos has some food sensitivities.  And unfortunately, one of those sensitivities includes tomatoes.  He/she can handle them in small doses but we really just steer clear for the most part. I have even learned how to make an "untomato" spaghetti/pizza sauce using pomegranate juice and carrots.

The other day I was cruising on Facebook and happened upon a recipe for chicken enchiladas in a white sauce. The recipe wasn't quite what I wanted (or had on hand) but it inspired me to do a little Googling to find others.

And finally I found one that worked for us.

So last night I made them.

And today they are gone.

They were a hit.

Actually, probably more than the easy chicken enchiladas I usually make...

I had one leftover enchilada for lunch today. I was actually counting down until lunch to eat it. And then I was sad when it was gone.

Ingredients:
10 tortillas (I used flour)
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I browned my chicken tenderloins in a skillet with just a little oil)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend; Monterrey Jack would be good too)
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
4 oz can green chilies (my food sensitive kiddo doesn't eat chilies, so I just added a little cumin instead)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350.

Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

I did not do this but I would start the sauce NOW.  It takes a little time to thicken.  You can thicken the sauce as you assemble the enchiladas.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Add the flour.  Stir.  Cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken broth.  Whisk until smooth.  Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly.  Once it is thick and bubbly, remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream.

As the sauce thickens (before adding the sour cream), assemble the enchiladas.  Mix together the shredded chicken and half of the shredded cheese.  Put a couple spoonfuls in the middle of each tortilla and roll up.  Place in the baking dish.  (Mine were in there pretty tight)

Pour the sauce over the top and then add the remaining shredded cheese.

Bake for about 20 minutes.  Place under broiler for just a few minutes to brown the cheese a bit.

Enjoy!

We at ours with chips (and I added guacamole for me :).

Good stuff.

Reba

Taco Pie

 

The other night, I needed a quick and easy recipe.  I was kind of craving Mexican food but didn't have the time or energy to make tacos or tostadas.  And though my kids LOVE Taco Pasta Bake, they had had it not that long ago.  Then I remembered a dish that we had when I was a child.  Taco Pie.  I rummaged through my family cookbook and found the recipe.  Easy.  Quick.  Perfect for us.

One little note:  This is very similar to Easy Cheesy Beefy Crescent Squares but with a Mexican twist.  One of the kids noticed that right away.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, browned

1 packet taco seasoning prepared according to directions on package (I just use a homemade version and 1/4 cup of water)

8 oz sour cream

1-2 cups cheddar cheese (I actually used a Mexican blend)

1 cup crushed corn chips

1 tube crescent rolls

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.

Roll the crescent rolls out (and up the sides of) into a pie dish.  (I sprayed cooking spray so it wouldn't stick)  Honestly, next time, I think I will roll this out into a bigger dish like a 11x7.  My crescent rolls puffed up a LOT, leaving little room for the meat. The crescent rolls wouldn't necessarily go up the sides of the dish like it does the pie dish but that is okay with me...

Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the taco seasoning/water to the ground beef.  Simmer for a few minutes.  Remove from heat and add in the sour cream.

Once the "pie crust" is baked, layer with 1/2 of the crushed chips, 1/2 of the cheese, the ground beef mixture, the remaining chips, and the remaining cheese on top. 

Bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy.

Like I said, very simple, very quick.

I think we had 1/2 of a serving left at the end of dinner; I ate it the next day for lunch. :)

Reba

Bacon, Chicken, and Rice Casserole

Oh wow, how did a whole week go by without any posting? I am usually much better with this.  I will blame it on a road trip and finishing up our summer vacation.

Meanwhile, I have been cooking.  I didn't cook while on the road trip but I did some cooking before I left so the kids would have some food. Just in case it sounds like I have become a "lazy bones".

Last night, I decided to try a new recipe.  It was fairly simple which is always a "plus" in my mind.   Plus, it involved three of my favorite ingredients...chicken, bacon, and rice.

And the verdict is?  It was a hit.  I will be making it again (though I will change a couple things up...).

Ingredients:
Bacon (not thick cut)

Chicken legs/thighs or breasts, preferably bone-in.  That being said, I used bone-in chicken leg quarters for ours.  Next time I will be trying it with boneless chicken breasts.  The original recipe said to NOT use boneless but we found it really difficult to eat with bones.

2 cans/containers of Cream of Chicken soup

1 cup water

Paprika/Cajun seasoning to taste (I omitted due to food issues at our house)

1 cup long grain uncooked rice (I think next time I will try minute rice and I may even cook it first...my rice didn't cook all the way through)

salt and pepper to taste

garlic salt to taste

nutmeg to taste

1 tsp oregano

dried parsley (a sprinkle or two)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Lay bacon (around 8 slices) in the bottom of a 9 x 13 dish. I think I will pre-cook this next time, at least partially.

Mix 1 can of cream of chicken soup with the rice and pour over the top of the bacon.

Lay chicken on top of the rice.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add paprika and/or Cajun spices if desired.

Mix garlic salt, nutmeg, oregano, and parsley in the remaining cream of chicken soup and add water.  Pour over the top of the chicken. 

Bake for 2 hours.

Like I said, the flavor was delicious. We just had a hard time eating the chicken on the bone.  I will definitely make again, just changing a couple things along the way...

Oh, and we had ours with carrots/Ranch and skillet rolls.

Happy cooking!

Reba

Burrito Casserole

I almost didn't put a picture on because this sure does not do the dish justice.

I will direct you to the original recipe which has a MUCH nicer picture...just click here.

I saw this on Pinterest one day and thought, "We might have to try this..."

It is similar to another recipe I have made but I like trying new things.

SO glad I did.

Yum.

I wanted to eat the whole thing myself.

At least until I calculated calories.

One serving (more or less) was plenty for my waistline.

Even though my taste buds asked me to go back for more.

What doesn't help at all is that I served it with chips (and for me, guacamole).

Major calories.

But, oh, so good.

By the way, hubby used chips to scoop up the casserole...he really liked the added crunch.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or turkey (except in our case, we use 1.5 lbs since that is how our meat comes)

1/2 onion, diced

1 package taco seasoning (I actually make my own...will try to post that soon)

6 flour tortillas, torn into pieces

1 can refried beans

2-3 cups sharp cheddar cheese (I used Colby Jack; I think Mexican cheese would be good too)

4 ounces sour cream (I confess, I used 6-8 ounces)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350.

Brown the ground beef with the onion in a skillet over medium/medium high heat.

Drain (if needed).

Add the refried beans and the taco seasoning and continue to heat over low/medium heat.

Meanwhile, mix the sour cream and the cream of mushroom soup together in a separate bowl.

Layer in a large casserole dish:
half of the sour cream/soup mixture
half of the torn tortillas
the meat/beans mixture
half of the shredded cheese

Then repeat.

Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes.

Like I said, it was good stuff.

We WILL be having this again.

(I had just enough for one bowl of leftovers which are now gone because I ate them up)

Happy cooking!
Reba

Amish Chicken

I can't honestly tell you what makes this chicken dish Amish. Or if it is in fact a real Amish dish.

I just know that it has been a hot recipe on Pinterest.  It looked good and easy, and I decided to give it a try.

And the verdict was...

it is a keeper.

It really took all of 5 minutes to put it together. It does take an hour and a half to bake but I don't have to be IN the kitchen for more than 5 of those minutes.

And for that, I give it five stars...

Ingredients:
4-6 chicken breasts or pieces cleaned (I used 6 boneless/skinless breasts)

1 cup flour

2 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp paprika (due to our food issues here, I left that out and just added a little white pepper instead)

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (I actually only used 1 cup in a slight effort to be healthier :)

1 1/2 cups water (I increased it to 2 to make up for the less whipping cream...next time I won't do that. I had way too much sauce/liquid)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Mix together the flour, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika in a ziplock bag or a bowl.  Coat chicken in it.  (I find it easier to put it all in a ziplock and shake away :)

Place in a large baking dish.

Combine the whipping cream with the water and pour over the chicken.

Bake for an hour and a half.

I will say that after an hour mine was getting a little brown in parts so I just covered it with foil for the remaining cooking time.

We ate ours over bowtie pasta (YUM).  We also had carrots/Ranch and the butter dip biscuits I mentioned yesterday.


Worth every bite.  And calorie. :)

Reba

Sesame Beef Wraps

We have become quite a fan of "Asian inspired" foods.  Toasted Sesame Oil is one of my new favorite ingredients forever. I LOVE the way it smells and tastes...worth every cent.

So when I saw this recipe (I think on Pinterest but I am not totally positive), I knew I had to try it.

I happened to have some flank steak in the freezer, not enough to make a steak dinner but enough for a meal like this. So I pulled it out for this recipe.

And it was good stuff.

We will have this again (though not too often; I can't afford flank steak very often).

Ingredients:
2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp sugar

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp sesame oil (YUM!)

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Freshly ground black peppercorns

1 lb flank steak cut thinly against the grain

oil

Butter lettuce leaves (I had a hard tine finding them...I had to buy a LIVE lettuce plant from the grocery store, roots intact. That being said, these are great leaves for wraps!)

Optional toppings:  Shredded carrots, brown rice (cooked), green onions, etc.

Sauce ingredients:

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp sugar

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 tsp sriracha chile sauce (I omitted due to food issues here)

1 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp green onion, chopped

1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 Tbsp water

Note:  Since many of the marinade ingredients AND the sauce ingredients are the same or similar, I would make them both at the same time. I didn't pay attention to that part when I made it. :)

Directions:
Mix together the garlic, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and peppercorn.  Pour into a large ziplock bag and add the flank steak. Refrigerate 1-3 hours (or longer if needed).  Like I said above, it would make sense to go ahead and mix the sauce ingredients and refrigerate until needed.

 When ready to cook, heat about 1/2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet.  Put about half the meat in the skillet and brown. 

Once it cooked through, place that meat in a serving dish.

Add about 1/2 Tbsp more oil to the skillet and cook the remaining meat.

I just put all of the foods on the table and let the family build their own. Some don't like lettuce, so they just put the meat on top of rice. I put some rice on lettuce then added the meat and carrots and dipped in the sauce. 

Very quick, very good!

Reba

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

I saw this on Pinterest not long ago and thought it looked like a good (and quick) meal to make.  Then last night was the perfect opportunity.  We had been hiking all day.  I needed something quick. I had corn in the crockpot (I have decided that IS the way to cook it) and rolls rising.  And I had chicken in the fridge, needing to be cooked. Perfect.

So when I got home, I started the rice, then turned my attention to the chicken.

And in 30 minutes or so, I had a complete meal.

And a good one.

This will be going into our rotation...

I loved my son's perspective on it.

He said it was "Masian" food.  He said it was like Mexican and Asian food combined in one.

And in a way he is correct, though I don't think the original recipe had that intention.  But I changed out one of the ingredients which did indeed give it a Mexican flair. :)

Lots of flavor, a short cooking time, the perfect combination for me.

Ingredients:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (the original recipe called for 2, I used five.  And this recipe will be based upon that; I doubled the recipe.  I actually cut mine into smaller pieces like tenderloins...next time I will just BUY tenderloins which will cook even a little faster!)

2 tsp Kosher salt

2 tsp paprika (we can't/don't do paprika right now due to a child's food sensitivities, so I did cumin instead which is probably where the Mexican taste came from :)

2 Tbsp sugar (granulated) 

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp dried parsley

4 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

(I doubled the butter and olive oil, but I think next time, I would stick with 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil...we had MORE than enough for the skillet)

the juice of one lemon

Directions:
Flatten the chicken with mallet for even sizes.  I put mine in a large ziplock bag to do this.

Combine all of the spices/herbs (salt, paprika/cumin, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley).  Coat chicken with mixture.  (I dumped the spices/herbs into the ziplock bag with the chicken and just gave it a few shakes...it was covered :)

Heat the butter/oil in a large skillet on medium heat.

Once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the skillet.  The original recipe calls for letting it cook about 6 minutes per side.  I just eye it and always check the inside of a chicken piece to make sure. I think mine took a little longer because it was still fairly thick even after using the mallet on it.

Partway through cooking, squirt the juice from the lemon over the chicken.

Cook until done.

We ate ours with basmati rice, Rhodes rolls, and corn on the cob.  (I also had a salad that was wonderful :)

It was good stuff.  Easy and good.

Happy cooking!

Reba

Fried Chicken and Gravy

Last night, other than the green beans, we had a meal of Pinterest recipes.  I have plenty to share this week, just from one meal!  (When I have time, that is...my school year is wrapping up and it is a bit crazy busy around here)

Anyway,  I have made fried chicken before but when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I was eager to try it.  I mean, gravy too?  That is just icing on the cake.  Or gravy on the chicken.

I followed the recipe fairly closely but next time I make this (and there WILL be a next time), I will make some minor changes.

Chicken Ingredients:
Chicken breasts or tenderloins (I used a couple pounds of tenderloins)

3 cups of flour

salt and pepper to taste

1 sleeve of saltine crackers, crushed into little tiny pieces

1 Tbsp bacon fat (I have started saving bacon fat from when I "bake" bacon and freezing it...came in handy!)

Vegetable or canola oil (as needed)

Chicken Directions:
If possible, "brine" the chicken by placing it in a large ziplock bag filled with water and salt.  Keep in the fridge for a few hours.

Drain the chicken, then pound it with a mallet to make it thinner.  

Meanwhile, heat the bacon fat and the oil (I just did poured oil until the skillet had at least an inch in it) into the skillet.  Heat on medium heat.

Mix the flour and cracker crumbs together in a bowl.  Salt and pepper to taste. (The original recipe suggested 2 cups of flour with salt/pepper in one bowl, and then 1 cup of flour mixed with the cracker crumbs in another for a second dip. Honestly, in the future, I would just dip once (one bowl with 2 cups of flour and 1 sleeve of crushed cracker crumbs).    Saves on dirtying up the dishes. :)

Dip the chicken into the flour mixture(s).

Add to the skillet (when hot), making sure not to crowd them.

Heat/cook on one side until golden brown, then flip it.

When it has cooked through, remove from oil (and then add another).  We put a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet and let them sit on the cooling rack (covered by aluminum foil to keep warm).

Gravy Ingredients:
1/4 cup pan drippings (from frying chicken)

1/4 cup flour (you can use 1/4 cup reserved flour from the chicken but I just got a new 1/4 cup flour)

1 1/2 cups milk

salt and pepper to taste
 
Gravy Directions:
Remove about 1/4 cup of pan drippings from the skillet.  Heat in a saucepan or another skillet (or you can do the same one but I did it in a saucepan so my gravy would be ready when my chicken was) over low or low/medium heat.

Add in 1/4 cup flour.  Stir frequently until nice and smooth.

Slowly add the milk.

Continue to stir as it thickens.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat until heated through.

Serve over chicken and/or mashed potatoes.

YUM!

Roasted Chicken Thighs

I saw this recipe on Pinterest not long ago and thought it looked fairly easy and very good.  I actually bought the chicken a few weeks ago to make it then our menu got mixed up so I stuck them in the freezer.

Until yesterday.

I pulled them out and let them defrost in the fridge (then in the microwave for a little while). 

I didn't get to "marinate" as long as I should have (which is what happens when you forget to read over a new recipe the night before), but it worked.

And it was simple.

And good.

My picky eater walked through and actually jumped for joy seeing the chicken.  "That is REAL chicken, Mama!"  I guess the fact that there was even skin made it more real?

:)

Ingredients:
8 chicken thighs (bones/skin included)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 lemon juiced (or about 1/4 a cup of lemon juice)

Salt and pepper

1-2 tbsp grainy mustard (I used "spicy mustard")

2-4 tbsp honey

Directions:  

Pour the olive oil and lemon juice over the chicken.  (I used a ziplock)  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven at 375 for about 25 minutes (or a little longer if you didn't defrost in time :) with the skin down.

After 25 minutes, flip chicken over and return to oven for about 10 more minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the mustard/honey.  I used about 2 Tbsp mustard and 4 Tbsp honey.  

Remove from oven and brush the mustard/honey on top of the chicken.

Broil for about 5 more minutes.

Enjoy!

We ate ours with potatoes with white sauce, carrots/Ranch, and a Rhodes bread loaf.

It was enjoyed by all.

I will be making this again.  (And next time, I will "marinate" it a little longer...)

Reba

Pork Chops and Potatoes with Gravy

 I saw this on Pinterest not long ago and thought it seemed like a good recipe to try. Gravy, potatoes, meat, and all in one dish.  Perfect.

Finally this week, I gave it a try.

And it was delicious.

Like really good.

I wanted to eat it all.

Even my picky little eaters chowed down on it.

We will be having this again...

(Note:  I followed the original recipe fairly closely though I changed things up just slightly...)

Ingredients:
4 Thick boneless porkchops (I used 5 and some did have bones...)

1 egg

2 Tbsp milk

salt/pepper

2 Tbsp oil for frying pork chops

5 potatoes, sliced thin (honestly, I think three would have been enough...I sliced pretty thin)

1 stick of butter (I used unsalted)

1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup flour

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream (I was actually out so I used an additional 3/4 cup milk and an extra 1/4 cup butter which is a substitute for heavy cream according to my research)

1 envelope onion soup (I usually use a homemade version but I actually had a Lipton's version I used this time)

1 medium onion chopped (or pureed if you leave them in the food processor too long...)

1 cup (more or less to taste) mushrooms. I used just a few. I love mushrooms.  Most people I live with don't and they did complain about the few I used...

2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

The original recipe has you start the pork chops first, but I started the gravy first to make sure it thickened.

To make the gravy:  In a saucepan, melt the stick of butter.  Add in 1/4 cup flour.  Stir in the milk and heavy cream.  Stir often.  When it has thickened, add in the onion soup mix.  I then removed it from the heat.

While I was waiting for the gravy to thicken, I worked on the pork chops.

Add some oil to a skillet.

Mix the egg and 2 Tbsp milk in a shallow bowl, and place the 1/2 cup flour with salt and pepper to taste in another bowl.

Dip each pork chop in the egg mixture then the flour mixture. 

Add to skillet, browning each side for a few minutes.

Once the pork chops were ready, I started assembling...

Place the browned pork chops in the bottom of a large casserole dish or Dutch oven.

Add layer of mushrooms/onions (if desired).

Layer sliced potatoes on top. 

Then pour the gravy over the top.  (This is out of order from the original recipe)

Bake for about an hour and a half.  About thirty minutes into it, I did cover the casseroled dish with aluminum foil)

Enjoy!

We ate ours with carrots/Ranch and leftover yeast rolls.

Reba

Sesame Chicken

I have been in the mood for some "Chinese" food.  And I do love the sweet and sour chicken. But making it can be a little time consuming. And though it is spring break, I have been busy today with other household chores (like baking sandwich bread and organizing the coat closet). 

So I needed easy.

But good.

Well, on Pinterest, I found just the right recipe.

Sesame Chicken.

It looked easy. Had good reviews. Was light in calories. And would partner well with fried rice which we will love to eat around here. 

So sesame chicken it was.

My pickiest eater said, "This is a really good meal even if it isn't sweet and sour chicken."  Trust me, that is a compliment coming from her.

And the chicken? ALL gone.  Nothing left.

There may have actually been a child licking the dish clean.

Yes, really.

I agree with all of the above. It isn't sweet and sour chicken (much milder) but it was good. And with the fried rice, it was an excellent pair.  We will definitely have this again, especially on those nights my time is limited.

Ingredients:
1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken tenderloins cut into chunks

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp whole wheat flour (or whatever flour you prefer...the original recipe called for one but I doubled it since I had closer to 2 pounds of chicken)

1 Tbsp sesame oil (seriously, could anything smell better???)

2 garlic cloves minced

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp white vinegar

1/2 cup chicken stock (I used broth since I had that on hand)

sesame seeds (the original recipe used both white and black...I couldn't find black so we just used white)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

The original recipe has you start on the stovetop with a skillet then move it to the oven. I try NOT to put my skillets in the oven if at all possible, so I just stuck a 9 x 13 inch dish in the oven and transferred the chicken to it from the skillet.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet at medium heat.

Meanwhile, put the flour, salt, and pepper in a ziplock bag. Add the chicken to the bag and shake away.

Place the chicken in the hot skillet and sear on each side of the chicken for about 3 minutes each side.

Meanwhile, mix together the sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and chicken stock.

Once the chicken is browned, transfer to the hot dish (or keep in the skillet) and pour the chicken stock mixture over the top.

Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes.

Once cooked through, sprinkle sesame seeds over the top and serve.

Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

I saw this recipe (or rather the pictures from it which are MUCH nicer than my pictures) on Pinterest and decided we just really needed to try it.

So finally last week, we did.

And I really liked it. 

It was good stuff. :)

Ingredients: 
2 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed (or in my case, minced)

6 boneless chicken breasts

1 jar of tomato sauce (or in our case, a jar of homemade non-tomato sauce)

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded

Croutons (the original recipe called for a whole package...I didn't use that many. I think I am too cheap :)

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven at 350.

Spread the olive oil over the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Sprinkle the crushed garlic over the olive oil.

Place chicken on top of garlic.

Sprinkle the chicken with half of the chopped basil.

Top with the tomato sauce (or in my case, the non-tomato sauce :).  Sprinkle remaining chopped basil.

Top with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Sprinkle croutons over the cheese.

Then top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 35-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Reba

Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai

A couple years ago, my husband insisted I should try Pad Thai.

I was more willing at this point to try new foods, so I did.

And I loved it.

Unfortunately, that same man who invited me to try it found out that he and Pad Thai did not agree with one another...namely the spices involved.

So that was basically the end of my pad thai days.

I have been craving it for some time now.

Not long ago I found a recipe on Pinterest (of course) for "pad thai". 

I perused the recipe and saw that it was simple and fairly easy to make.  And best of all, no wild spices.

Let me preface the recipe by saying that I know this is not true Pad Thai.

No fish sauce.  No tamarind.  Not even bean sprouts.

Just standard ingredients in my house.

Which I was fine with.

I will admit, my family all looked nervous as I threw it together.

Then we tasted it.

Oh yum.

It was delicious.

A definite "pad thai" taste but all with basic ingredients we could all eat.

And eat we did.

This will DEFINITELY be going into my cycle of recipes.

And next time I am craving pad thai, I will not have to be sad that we aren't having a thai date.

I will just hop into the kitchen and throw it together.

Yum.

Ingredients:
1 box rice noodles (I used brown rice noodles, Annie Chun's pad thai)

Shrimp and chicken, thawed and cleaned (I cut chicken tenderloins into little chunks) and sprinkled with soy sauce

2 Tbsp brown sugar (I actually doubled this)

2 Tbsp lime juice (I just used the juice from a medium lime), lime slices for garnishing

3-4 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp vegetable oil (I actually used toasted sesame oil...LOVE that stuff)

Onions (The original recipe called for scallions separated by white and green parts...I forgot to get some at the store so I just used some regular chopped onion)

1 garlic clove minced (I used two; I LOVE garlic)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts

Directions:

The original recipe called for soaking the noodles in hot water. After reading some comments, I felt like boiling was a better way to go.  So I boiled them according to directions. They don't take long to boil at all.  Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile in a bowl, mix the brown sugar, lime juice, and soy sauce.  You can also add a squirt of Sriracha.  I chose not to.  Set aside.

In a large skilled, heat the oil and add the garlic/white onion.  Cook over medium heat.

Once tender, pour the beaten eggs into the skillet, stirring often until the eggs are cooked.  Remove the eggs.  I just kept the garlic/white onion separate in the skillet.

Add a little more sesame oil if needed.  Cook chicken and shrimp (these are both optional...the original recipe doesn't use either of these) until they are cooked through.

Add the noodles, the sauce, and the green parts of the onions (if you remember to get them :) to the skillet.  Stir together with the chicken, shrimp, and the onions/garlic.  Add the eggs back in.  Stir thoroughly. 

Sprinkle the cilantro and peanuts over the top.

Garnish with lime slices if you prefer.  (We didn't eat them but they added a nice touch and that little bit of extra lime flavor)

Enjoy!

We just ate ours with a side salad.  It was a complete meal (other than the salad) in one skillet.

Like I said, we all enjoyed it.  Those who didn't care for shrimp just picked those out.  There were others of us more than willing to eat the extras. :)

Happy cooking!

Reba

PS My husband said this would be a good "beach" meal.  The limes gave it that "beachy" flavor. :)