Recipe #27: Super Easy Mexican Orange Chicken

Here's a quick and easy, good-for-you chicken recipe adapted from one of my cookbooks. I liked the different take on chicken- I'm so used to lemon chicken recipes, I wouldn't have thought of such a basic orange chicken recipe.



INGREDIENTS:

2 chicken breasts, approx 6oz each
3 tablespoons flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 (or more to taste) cloves of garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 cup red onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup orange juice
olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Coat chicken breasts in seasoned flour; shake off excess flour.
Place onion, garlic, and chicken in a skillet with hot olive oil. Brown both sides of the chicken, 2 minutes per side.
Remove chicken breasts and set aside. Pour the orange juice into the pan and deglaze.
Put chicken back in the skillet and cover, cooking on medium heat for 6 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle.

Serve (topping with the onion from the pan) with Mexican rice or your choice of side. Garnish with slices of orange.


We squeezed the orange slices over the chicken. It was very moist, and the onions totally made the dish. The rice is a pack of Uncle Bens Ready Rice, Spanish Style, which only takes 90 seconds in the microwave to be perfect:

Stir Fry

This post won't contain a specific recipe. Instead, it's just here to give you some ideas when it comes to making a stir fry. When I first began cooking dinners that weren't coming from a box or kit, I started making simple stir fries. They're easy to put together and are customized to your own tastes. All you need is a decent sized pan, some olive oil, some sort of meat (or none, even), veggies, and sauce for flavoring. I'd suggest something to serve it on, too, like noodles or rice.

For example, I made this stir fry a few nights ago:


I used everything that was a left over ingredient from other recipes, including chicken, Japanese Udon noodles, frozen peas, snap peas, mushrooms, carrots, white onion, sesame seeds, green and red bell pepper, and garlic. I didn't buy any of the ingredients for this specific meal. That's why I like stir fries- not only are they easy to cook, but you can put a bunch of miscellaneous veggies together to create something that looks like it was planned.

I used some teryaki sauce in a bottle I'd had for another recipe to give this dish its overall flavor. You can use soy sauce, ginger, or any other asian-inspired seasonings

Other meat ideas include cubed beef, shrimp, tofu, or pork.

This is how I make my stir fries: Heat up some oil in a pan. Add garlic and the tougher veggies, like carrots and onion. Cook for a few minutes till they're a little softer, then add the softer veggies like peppers and peas, and also the dry seasonings. Cook for a minute or two, then add the meat. As the meat gets closer to being finished, add the liquid seasonings. Once everything is cooked through, serve over prepared rice or noodles.

I hope to have a wok some day soon, and I just purchased a stir fry cookbook so I can learn more about other options. I'm sure I'll be posting any good recipes, but this is always a simple fall-back dinner for days I don't feel like getting all fancy with my cooking.

Recipe #26: Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

This is one of the more involved recipes I've put together, but every second was worth the end result. Not too hot (although we did have milk with it, just in case) but a nice amount of heat. This recipes comes from Food Network Magazine/foodnetwork.com.

Ingredients

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
• Kosher salt
  
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank's)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Side notes: Panko breadcrumbs can be found in the Asian food section (they're Japanese) and the amount of rotisserie chicken called for is basically the entire chicken, so you won't be wasting any of it. Be careful assembling this because all of the ingredients JUST fit in the casserole dish, but it didn't bubble over in the oven. We lined the oven shelf with aluminum foil just in case. Also, I'm not a big fan of blue cheese, but it was good in this recipe. I used a lot of dishes in this recipe, but I was able to reuse my medium pot that I used for cooking the macaroni to make the cheese sauce.

Changes: My changes were minimal. I used shredded cheese instead of a block (it all melts anyways- doesn't matter what shape it's in), used dried parsley because I was too tired to cut up fresh, and regular salted butter.

Recipe #25: Tortellini with Peas and Bacon

This recipe from Food Network Magazine originally calls for prosciutto, but Nick and I don't like it. Instead, I used bacon... because everything tastes better with bacon! This meal is so full of flavor! It feeds about 2.

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1 pound meat-filled tortellini (you can find this is in the freezer section)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces prosciutto or pancetta OR BACON, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook as the label directs.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and prosciutto and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. (Note: Bacon will take longer to cook!) Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Ladle in about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and simmer until reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

About 2 minutes before the tortellini are done, add the peas to the boiling water and cook until just tender. Drain the tortellini and peas and add to the skillet, tossing to coat with the sauce. Stir in the parsley. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.

Recipe #24: Mozzarella Chicken Sandwich

This is a simple but delicious recipe to feed 2 people. I found this in one of my Sandra Lee magazines.



INGREDIENTS:

• Approx 1lb chicken tenders
• Italian dressing
• Pepperidge Farm Mozzarella Garlic Bread
• Red onion, sliced into rings, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• Marinate the chicken tenders in italian dressing for a few hours.
• Preheat the oven to bake the garlic bread according to package directions.
• While the garlic bread bakes, cook the chicken tenders, whole, in a skillet until done. A few minutes before the chicken is done, add the onion on top to soften them up a little bit.
• Put the cooked chicken and onions on the bottom half of the baked garlic bread. Place the top on and cut in half.

Recipe #23: Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

This recipe did not disappoint. It's very hearty and has the perfect flavor, and is really cheap to make. This comes from my favorite cookbook, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Fast Fix Family Favorites.


INGREDIENTS:

1 store-bought roasted chicken
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
4 cans (14oz each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cans (10 3/4oz each) Campbell's condensed mushroom soup with roasted garlic
2 teaspoons fines herbes
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups egg noodles, cooked

DIRECTIONS:

1. Remove skin and bones from roasted chicken. Shred. In a 3.5 to 4 quart slow cooker, place chicken, onion, celery and carrots. Stir in broth, soup, and fines herbes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 8-9 hours.

3. When soup is done, stir in cooked egg noodles and heat thru. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve hot.



MY CHANGES:

1. Instead of using fines herbes, which I couldn't find in the spice section of the grocery store, I instead used herbs de provence, which was right on in flavor.

2. I cooked an entire bag of egg noodles instead of just two cups.

3. Since there was no more room in my crock pot, I instead added the soup to the noodles, which I'd cooked in a big pot to accommodate the combining of the two.

Also, if you don't like mushroom soup, I'd suggest possibly cream of celery in its place.

Recipe #22: Sicilian Swordfish with Broccoli Linguini

This is from my cookbook Prevention's Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes by Linda Gassenheimer. The sauce for the swordfish might sound strange, but it turns out really good- I love the raisins and how they add a little sweetness to the sauce.



Sicilian Swordfish

Ingredients:

1 cup canned, low sodium, diced tomatoes (I used a whole can)
3 cloves garlic, crushed (I used minced garlic)
5 pitted black olives (I used cut black olives from a can, about 2/3 of the can)
2 tablespoon raisins
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 pound swordfish (about 3/4 inch thick)

Directions:

Place tomatoes and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add olives, raisins, and oregano and continue to cook 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Heat olive oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add swordfish. Brown for 2 minutes on each side. Salt and pepper the cooked sides. Lower heat to medium and continue to cook 2 minutes, or until fish is cooked. It will look opaque inside, not translucent. Remove from skilled and divide into 2 equal portions. Serve over linguine (see recipe below) and spoon sauce over top. Note: I used frozen swordfish steaks, so I had to cook them longer. Also, I used two steaks instead of dividing one between two people.

Broccoli Linguini

Ingredients:

1/4 lb fresh or dry linguine (I used closer to 1/2 lb)
1/2 lb broccoli florets (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup reserved boiling pasta liquid
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Bring a large pot with 3 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add linguine. Cook 2 minutes if using fresh pasta or 9 minutes for dried. Add broccoli in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Remove 1/4 cup water from pot and drain linguine and broccoli. Mix olive oil into reserved water. Pour over linguine and broccoli and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place on individual plates. Arrange fish over pasta and spoon sauce on top.

Note about raisins: A friend of mine recommended Dole brand raisins to me over the Sunmaid ones, and boy what a difference. The Dole raisins are much juicier and overall a better quality than Sunmaid.

Recipe #21: Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Breasts with a Cheddar-Mustard Sauce

Here's a Rachael Ray recipe for chicken fans! This comes from her 365: No Repeats cook book. The chicken turns out super moist, and the pickle garnish on top really adds to the overall dish. Definitely a keeper.



INGREDIENTS:

4 medium (quart size) plastic food storage bags
4 6-8oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 5-oz bag of salted pretzels, any shape (I just kind of eyeballed the amt from a larger bag)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I used salted)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (I got a bag of shredded sharp Cheddar)
2 heaping tablespoons spicy brown mustard
Coarse salt
1/4c fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped (I used dried parsley)
1/4 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large sour dill pickle, finely chopped (I used Klaussen, from the lunch meat section)
1 lemon, cut into wedges (I omitted this)

DIRECTIONS:

Sprinkle a little water into the food storage baggies. Place 1 chicken breast in each bag and seal it up, pushing out excess air. Use a mallet or the bottom of a heavy pot or pan and pound each breast until flat, just shy of busting out the bag. Repeat with the other 3 chicken breasts.

Place the pretzels in a food processor or blender and grind until fine. Transfer the ground pretzels to a shallow dish and add the thyme and some pepper. Crack and beat 2 eggs in a second shallow dish with a splash of water. Working with 1 pounded chicken breast at a time, coat the breast in the ground pretzels, then in the eggs, then in the pretzels again. Preheat a large skillet with 1/4 inch of vegetable oil; add the pretzel-coated chicken breasts to the hot oil. Cook in a single layer, in 2 batches if necessary, about 3-4 minutes on each side, until the cutlets' juices run clear and the breading is evenly browned.

While the chicken is frying, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the flour to it. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk. When the milk comes to a bubble, stir in the cheese and mustard with a wooden spoon. Season with a little salt (if you use unsalted butter only!!) and pepper and remove the cheese sauce from the heat.

Transfer the fried pretzel-crusted chicken breasts to serving plates, drizzle with the cheddar-mustard sauce, and then sprinkle with a little parsley, finely chopped onions, and finely chopped pickles. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges alongside.


Check out that texture! I served this with some quick-cook jasmine rice so I could make more use of the cheese sauce.

Recipe #20: Beef Shepherds Pie

I've made a simpler shepherds pie before attempting this recipe. Let me tell you, there's a huge difference when you just add a little more time and more fresh ingredients! This is now a favorite meal of mine, and it feeds a lot. I'm eating the leftovers for breakfast! I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com. I was somewhat liberal on the amounts (especially more mushrooms), but for the most part, I kept with the recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (I used regular margarine)
  
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 rib celery, sliced
• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 cup canned low sodium beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups mashed potatoes, recipe follows
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, optional (I used cheddar instead)
  
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Directions

Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, half the salt, and oregano. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until mushrooms are soft and tomato paste has turned brick red, about 8 minutes more. Stir in the beef, the broth, the remaining salt, the Worcestershire, and some pepper, breaking up any large clumps of meat, cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the meat and vegetables to a 2-quart oval casserole dish and spread the mashed potatoes over the top, leaving a 1/4-inch boarder around the edge. Make a decorative pattern on the top of the potatoes, if desired. Sprinkle with cheese, if using, and dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake until potatoes brown and the juices bubble around the edge, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Mashed Potatoes:

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled quartered

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

3/4 cup whole milk

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

Put the potatoes in a saucepan with cold water to cover by about 1-inch and add the salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. At the same time, combine the milk and butter in a small saucepan and warm over low heat until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Drain the potatoes and return to the saucepan. Toss the potatoes over medium heat until dry. Add the heated milk mixture and mash the potatoes until just slightly chunky, then stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Recipe #19: Ratatouille Pasta

Here's a Rachael Ray recipe from her Veggie Meals cookbook. I must say, it's quite colorful, and has just as much flavor as it has color. It's quick and easy to make, and you'll have lots of leftovers. I was surprised how filling it was.



INGREDIENTS:

4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (a few pinches)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (3 times around the pan)
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (recipe says yellow, I used white)
1 small eggplant, peeled or skin-on, diced (I used a larger eggplant)
1 medium zucchini, diced
20 Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, drained
Coarse salt and pepper, to taste
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
A handful chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2lb rigatoni pasta, cooked al dente

DIRECTIONS:

In a deep skillet or pot, working over medium heat, simmer garlic and crushed pepper in oil until the garlic speaks.

Add peppers, onion, eggplant, zucchini, olives, capers, salt and pepper. Cover and reduce heat to medium low, and cook the veggies down, stirring occasionally, until eggplant begins to break down, about 10-15 minutes.

Add tomatoes and parsley and heat through. Toss with pasta.