Creamy Chicken Taquitos

 These are soooooooooooooooo yummy!  I have been seriously addicted to these lately...for lunch, for dinner...I think Jim is getting sick of them.  These freeze really well so they are a great meal to make ahead and pop into the oven when you are in a rush.

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken)
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup green salsa
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
3 TBSP cilantro, chopped
2 TBSP green onions, chopped
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese (I've also done cheddar and it turned out fine)
about 15 small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat over to 425, line baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

Combine cream cheese, salsa, chili powder, cumin, garlic, cilantro, and green onions.  Stir in cheese and chicken.

Wrap your tortillas in a wet paper towel and place them in the microwave for about a minute and 15 seconds to soften them.  Work fast and add a few tablespoons of the mixture to each tortilla and roll up. Place seam down onto your baking sheet.  After all tortillas are filled spray the tops with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes until edges are golden.

Dip them in salsa, guacamole, or sour cream...or all 3. :)

Desi's Chicken Pot Pie

My sweet friend Desi brought me this homemade chicken pot pie after I had Blake.  It was soooo good and I craved it for weeks after we ate it.  I finally made one using her recipe and have made it time and time again.  I've served it to guests, I've brought it to sick friends, or friends who just had babies, and everyone has loved it.  The recipe makes two pies - so it is perfect for giving one away, or for freezing one.

Crust
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 1/3 cups shortening
ice water

Combine dry ingredients and add shortening.  Cut in using a pastry blender until the crumbles are the size of peas.  Add water (It usually takes about 1 cup for me) and continue to cut with your pastry blender until the dough pulls away from the sides.  Cut until it forms a ball.

Divide into 4 parts and roll out on floured board.  Dough will make the top and bottom of two pies.

Filling
1 cup butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup red potatoes, chopped (pretty thin)
1 cup russet potatoes, chopped (pretty thin)
1/2 cup flour
15 oz chicken broth
1 TBSP chicken bullion granuals
1 cup frozen peas
meat from one rotisserie chicken
1 cup cream
salt to taste

Melt butter in a saucepan.  Add onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes.  Cook until onions are translucent.  Add flour, bullion and salt, stir and cook over medium for a few minutes.  Add broth, peas, and chicken.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Add cream, remove from heat and ladle into pie crust.

Bake at 425 for 30-35 minutes until golden.

Pumpkin Pasta

Several years ago, while I was living in San Diego, I belonged to the BEST crafting group.  We called it card swap.  We would meet once a month and exchange handmade cards.  The ladies in this group were the most talented, fun, caring, and amazing women I have ever met.  It was something I looked forward to EVERY. SINGLE. MONTH.  One month I remember so vividly was at Marianna's house.  Marianna has an infectious laugh, never spoke ill of ANYONE, and had this way of making you feel special and important.  I miss her like crazy.  This particular time she hosted happened to be in October.  Her house was adorned with cute Halloween decorations, she had candy apples and chocolate sitting out on her kitchen table, and she served us THIS pasta.  We all DEVOURED it!  It was so yummy, so homey, and perfect for the season.  She kindly shared the recipe with me and I think about this dish every year in October.

So often we think of pumpkin as a dessert ingredient rather than a savory ingredient...but it is PERFECT in this dish!  My 9 month old even gobbled this up (once I pulsed it in the blender a few times.)  It has a rich, earthy, savory flavor that I just can't get over.  Love this one!

1 LB Fettuccini

2 TBSP EVOO

1 small onion, diced

1 shallot, minced

1 (14oz) can pumpkin

1 (14oz) can low sodium chicken stock

3 tsp chopped fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

2 cups shredded smoked gouda cheese, divided

2 cups shredded parmesan cheese, divided

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and shallot.  Cook, stirring frequently for 5-7 minutes or until translucent and soft.

Add pumpkin and stock.  Stir to combine and add thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Stir and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes or until sauce is thickened.  Add 1 1/2 cups gouda and 1 1/2 cups parmesan.  Stir gently to combine and add cooked pasta.  Remove bay leaves.  Top with remaining cheeses.

Pulled Beef Sandwiches with Blue Slaw

Remember that roast I made for the Beef Noodle dish?  Remember how I only used half of the roast?  Well - this is how I used the other half!  And easy peasy pulled beef with a blue cheese cole slaw.  

Pulled beef, or pork if you prefer, is kind of like the adult version of a sloppy joe.  Messy, delicious, and leaves your fingers sticky.  If was actually my mother-in-law that turned me on to eating slaw ON my pulled beef sandwich.  She serves a delicious pulled beef with traditional slaw at her house sometimes.  I always gobble down that meal.

There is this trendy, cool thing here in LA called the food trucks.  You may have heard about it on the food network, or you may have been to one of these set ups.  It is basically a bunch of gourmet catering trucks that gather at one location and allow the public to buy a meal.  Kind of like a food court on wheels, except waaaayyy better.  There is a food truck stop location near us each Friday, and we enjoy going down there.  It's a great way to eat out with a baby and try some new foods.   Recently I had a pulled pork sandwich with blue cheese cole slaw at a food truck.  It was Ah-mazing. 

Between my mother-in-law's pulled beef and the sandwich I had at the food trucks, I was inspired to create this meal.

half of a cooked roast beef (or roast pork if you prefer), shredded  --  see what I did with the other half of my roast here

2 cups barbeque sauce of your choice (I like Sweet Baby Rays)

1/2 cup water

1 16oz bag of cole slaw mix

1 cup light mayo

2 TBSP apple cider vinegar

1 TBSP honey

1 cup blue cheese crumbles

hamburger buns

spray butter (optional)

Place your shredded beef into a medium sauce pan, add the barbeque sauce and water.  Heat over medium heat until heated through.

In a large bowl whisk together the mayo, vinegar and honey.  Stir in blue cheese and cole slaw mix.

OPTIONAL - Heat a skillet over high heat.  Spray the inside of your bun with spray butter and place inside down on your skillet for about 30 seconds to toast the bun.

Assemble the sandwich by placing some pulled beef on the bottom at the blue slaw on the top.  Be sure to wear a bib while eating this meal. :)

Fresh Pesto Shrimp

It's no secret - I LOVE shrimp.  Seriously one of my favorite foods.  I like it grilled, roasted, cold with cocktail sauce, fried, in pasta...I could go on and on...but I'll stop so I don't end up sounding like Bubba Gump.

I stumbled upon this tasty shrimp recipe a few years ago.  I've prepared it roasted in the oven and on the grill.  Both are delicious.  Prepared roasted the flavors are rich, and grilled the flavors are fresh.  Pictured here I have grilled it.  I prefer grilling in the summer months - keeps your house cool.  If you really want to make this recipe more "semi-homemade" just buy pre-made pesto.  I've done it and it was just as good!

This dish works as an appetizer (served this at Christmas) or a main dish (like we had tonight).  Really versatile.

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked, peeled and deveined shrimp

1 cup basil leaves

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh grated parmigiano reggiano

salt and pepper to taste

crushed red pepper flakes

lemon wedges for garnish

Start by preparing your pesto, if you're using store-bought skip this step.  In a blender or food processor (I use my magic bullet) combine basil, garlic and pine nuts.  Pulse until basil is roughly chopped.  Add cheese and olive oil and blend until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss shrimp with the pesto in a gallon size ziplock and let marinate for 20 minutes in the fridge.

Thread onto skewers and sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes.

If grilling: Preheat grill and cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, turning once, until shrimp is opaque and pink.

If oven roasting: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Arrange skewers in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Roast until shrimp is opaque - about 8-10 minutes.

Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.  Garnish with lemon wedges.

Desi's Bacon Chicken Pasta

My friend Desi made this pasta for me one night when Jim was out of town.  It was SOOOO yummy and I craved it for weeks after  eating it.  So, I finally put it on my meal plan and bought the ingredients.  I made it on a night that I had to be somewhere when Jim got home so I wasn't around when Jim ate.  When I returned Jim told me how good it was.  He said when he went to dish some up he thought it looked like a normal pasta and chicken dish, then he tasted it and thought to himself "This is really good, what is that flavor?"  Then the lightbulb when one, "Bacon!"  He was so happy that he sent me a text message telling me how good it was!  Ha ha.  This dish is definitely an indulgence with lots of naughty ingredients, but it is very much worth it!

Desi's original post is on her awesome cooking blog Oh So Delicioso and can be found here.  I just had to make a post on my cookbook so I could always have this recipe handy.

16 oz farfalle pasta (bow-tie)

4 chicken breasts

1 12 oz bottle of Lawry's Mesquite marinade with lime juice

3/4 cup butter

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBSP ground black pepper

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (not the powdery stuff)

1 LB bacon (previously cooked and crumbled) **must be real bacon, not "bacon bits" or "real bacon"

(Optional)

1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes 

1 cup peas

1. In crock pot cook chicken in marinade on low for 6 hours.  Remove from marinade and cut into bite sized pieces.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and return to pot

3. In a small saucepan melt butter.  Add garlic, pepper, cream, cheese, and bacon.  Whisk for 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in chicken and pour mixture over cooked pasta.  Stir to coat.  Top with a sprinkle of extra cheese.

Apple Juice Brined Turkey

• 2 quarts apple juice
• 1 gallon cold water
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 5 pounds ice cubes

1. Line a cooler with a large food safe bag. Combine the apple juice, water, and salt in the bag; stir until the salt is dissolved; add the garlic.
2. To use: Lie your turkey into the brine with the breast-side down; add more water to submerge turkey completely if needed. Pour the ice over the turkey. Seal the bag and close the cooler; allow to sit overnight.

Meatloaf

This is my mom's way of making meatloaf that I remember eating when I was growing up. It is simple and delicious.

Ingredients

1 1/2 LB Lean Ground Beef

1/3 to 1/2 sleeve of saltine crackers, crunched up

1 small can tomato sauce

salt

pepper

onion powder

Directions

1. Mix beef, crackers, 1/2 can tomato sauce. Using your hands to do this is the easiest way to get everything combined.

2. Mix remaining tomato sauce and seasoning in a bowl.

3. Put beef mixture into a loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Top with tomato mixture.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 - 1 1/2 hours until middle is no longer pink.

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

I got this recipe from Skinny Taste and it turned out really good! My only addition was the red pepper flakes, which you could omit if you don't like spicy food.

1 tsp oil
4 scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 oz light coconut milk
2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add scallion whites and red curry paste and sauté one minute. Add shrimp and garlic, season with salt and cookabout 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk, fish sauce and mix well. Simmer about 2-3 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through. Remove from heat, mix in scallion greens, red pepper and cilantro. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Spicy Asian Glazed Chicken

This dish is a simple *Spicy* one. Goes great with steamed rice or veggies.

8 medium chicken tenderloins
Pam spray oil
1 cup water
1 tbsp hot sauce (more or less to taste)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tsp or sugar
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 tsp sesame seeds

In a heavy large saucepan, brown chicken on high for 3-4 minutes with a little spray oil. Add water, balsamic, soy sauce, agave, garlic, ginger, hot sauce and cook on high until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and bring heat to high, allowing sauce to reduce down, about 8 minutes until it becomes a thick glaze, turning chicken occasionally. (Keep an eye on glaze, you don't want it to burn when it start becoming thick) Transfer chicken to a platter and pour glaze on top. Top with sesame seeds and serve.

Beef & Cheese Enchiladas

This is really a non-recipe recipe. Simple ingredients, simple preparation - and great results!

This is so easy that I wouldn't even call in a recipe...but it is go-to in our house for those busy days when you want a warm comforting meal.

Ingredients

1 LB Lean Ground Beef

2 15oz cans tomato sauce

1 envelope enchilada seasoning

2 cups montery jack cheese, grated

6-8 flour tortillas

Directions

1. Brown beef, drain fat. Add tomato sauce and seasoning - cook until warm and thickened.

2. Spray a cake pan with non-stik spray.

3. With a slotted spoon add beef from tomato mixture (About 4 TBPS) to tortillas, topping with cheese. Roll up and place in pan. Continue until beef is gone from mixture and pan is filled. Top with remaining tomato mixture and cheese.

4. Bake is a 375 degree over for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Easy Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

This is my super-easy, dinner in a rush spaghetti that never disappoints!

1 LB ground beef

2 15-oz cans tomato sauce

1 envelope spaghetti seasoning

hot cooked spaghetti noodles

parmesan cheese

Brown beef, drain fat. Add tomato sauce and seasoning. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Serve over top of hot cooked spaghetti noodles and top with parmesan cheese.

Chicken & Pasta with Peanut Sauce

This is sooooo good! As a bonus it is terribly easy! The only thing you have to cook is the pasta! This has been a long time favorite at our house!

Ingredients

6 ounces dried fettuccine or linguine

1 cups snow peas

1 cup cooked chicken strips (I like to use part of a roitisserrie chicken)

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh pineapple or one 8-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained

1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Place the snow peas and chicken in a large colander. Pour hot cooking liquid from pasta over pea pods and chicken in colander; drain well. Return pasta, pea pods, and chicken to the hot pan. Add pineapple.

2. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan stir chicken broth into peanut butter. Heat and stir with a whisk until peanut butter melts. Stir in soy sauce, lime juice, red pepper, and garlic; heat through.

3. Add sauce to the pasta mixture. Gently stir to coat pasta with sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken and Noodles

This is one of those homey, creamy, feel-good dishes.

Ingredients

4 chicken breast tenderloins

2-1/4 cups water

14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed (optional)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup sliced carrot

1/2 cup diced onions

1 cup diced celery

10 oz dried wide noodles

1 cup milk

1 cup loose-pack frozen peas

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large pot, combine chicken, the water, broth, bay leaf, dried thyme (if using), salt, and pepper. Add carrot and celery. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Discard bay leaf.

2. Remove chicken from pot; cool slightly. Chop or shred chicken; set aside.

3. Return vegetable mixture to boiling. Add noodles; cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the milk and the peas.

4. In a screw-top jar, combine remaining 1/2 cup milk and flour. Cover and shake until smooth. Stir into the noodle mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken and fresh thyme (if using). Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through.

Makes 6 servings.