Lighter Chicken Tetrazzini {recipe swap}

Lighter Chicken Tetrazzini

2-3 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

4 cups chicken broth (to boil chicken in)

1 box of whole grain linguini or spaghetti 

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened 

2 cans fat free cream of chicken soup 

1 1/2cup of light sour cream

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt + pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray casserole dish with cooking spray.

Rinse chicken breasts, pat dry and season with salt and pepper.  Put in pot and cover with 4 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a rapid boil, turn heat to low, cover and cook 20 minutes. Reserve a couple of tablespoons of broth for mixture.

When chicken is cooked, remove from pot and shred.

Cook and drain pasta. I used leftover chicken broth to rinse pasta. Layering flavors is everything.

Combine softened butter, soup, sour cream, chicken, reserved chicken broth and wine. Add cooked pasta and pour into casserole dish. Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 more minutes or until brown and bubbly.

My boys went nuts over this, even asking for seconds. Can be made ahead, just bring to room temperature before baking. Serve with salad or sautéed green. So delicious!

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Marinated Cheese Appetizer {recipe swap}

A unique recipe...perfect for your summer parties!

I found this recipe in an old fire company auxiliary cookbook and decided to give it a try, since I had all of the ingredients on hand...Everyone loved it.

Marinated Cheese

2 blocks cheddar and/or assorted cheeses

1 block of cream cheese

½ Cup of olive oil

½ Cup of white wine vinegar

1-4 oz. jar of diced pimento, drained

2 T flat leaf parsley, chopped

3 T scallions, chopped

2 Cloves of garlic, minced

1 t sugar

2 T dried Italian seasoning (dressing mix)

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Cut hard and cream cheeses into thin 1-inch pieces and decoratively arrange on a plate/platter with a lip.  I used sharp cheddar and Colby jack. 

NOTE:  Freeze cream cheese 10-15 minutes before slicing and it will be much less messy. 

Mix remaining ingredients in a small jar and shake well to combine.  Drizzle the marinade over the cheese.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to no more than 8.  Let the cheese platter come to room temperature before serving.  Serve with crackers, pita chips or thin-sliced baguette.  I used triscuits and baguette slices.  Delicious and different!

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Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings {recipe swap}

Honey-Sriracha Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

For the wings...

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for the pan

2 pounds chicken wings, split at the joints, tips removed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the sauce...

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup honey, plus more for drizzling

1/4 cup Sriracha (Asian chile sauce)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly coat a large rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil. Dry the chicken wings with paper towels and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, the melted butter, granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour the mixture over the wings and toss well to coat. Spread the wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the wings until browned and crisp, about 55-60 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the honey, Sriracha, soy sauce and lime juice and stir until the mixture bubbles gently. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Carefully remove the wings from the baking sheet and transfer to a large bowl. Pour the warm sauce over the wings and gently toss to coat. Transfer the wings to a serving platter and drizzle with more honey and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and cilantro

Note:  To toast sesame seeds...spread seeds on a baking sheet and place in a 325 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, being careful not to scorch.

Recipe adapted from here.

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Secret Ingredient Cheesy Pork Cutlet Florentine {recipe swap}

This recipe was a happy accident created by a friend of mine and it was so good, I had to share!

Cheesy Pork Florentine

6-8 thin sliced, boneless pork chops, or a pork loin sliced into medallions

1 cup of Italian breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of canola oil

6-8 Laughing Cow creamy Swiss cheese wedges

6-8 slices of deli mozzarella or provolone cheese

Bag of baby spinach, steamed and squeezed dry

Salt & pepper, to taste

In a shallow bowl mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper (I was pretty liberal with S+P, 10 turns of each grinder).  In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs.  Dip the pork cutlets in the eggs, letting excess drip off,  and then in the breadcrumb mixture.  Place on waxed paper until ready to fry.  

TIP:  I use a fork when working with things that need to be breaded and fried.  You will lose less breading with a fork than you would if using tongs.

In a large skillet heat your oils over medium-high heat until hot.  Cook cutlets on each side until golden brown, about 5 minutes or until the juices run clear.  When cutlets are cooked, drain on paper towels and transfer to a jelly roll or baking pan.  You are ready to assemble.

Put a bunch of spinach on each cutlet, followed by a Laughing Cow wedge (spread, smushed or smeared) and then a slice of deli cheese.  When all cutlets are assembled, put in oven and broil for about 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Served with rice or pasta and an additional veggie, this is an easy weeknight meal.  The creaminess of the Swiss cheese accompanies the crunch of the cutlets so nicely, that the kids will ask for seconds.  Enjoy!

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Irish Nachos {recipe swap}

Oh hey...long time, no see!  I'm back after a whirlwind (okay, stagnant) holiday and winter season.  But I'm getting back to business (sporadically), as I miss cooking and doing projects around the home.  I also use the blog as a means to share our life with family and friends around the country.  So I'll start with a really fun recipe...

I made these on Superbowl Sunday when our family was home and down for the count for one illness or another.  This is PERFECT for March and St. Patrick's Day events!

Irish Nachos

1 Corned beef brisket (about 3lbs.)

4 Cups beef broth

2 Bottles Sam Adams Boston lager

1 Bay Leaf 

1 Package of frozen waffle fries

1 Package of sauerkraut

1 Pound of deli Swiss cheese, sliced thin

1 Bottle of Russian dressing, or make your own

Sliced green onions (optional)

Place your brisket in the crockpot along with broth, beer and bay leaf and cook on high for an hour.  After an hour, lower crockpot setting to low for 4-5 hours.

Assembly prep: deep fry or bake your waffle fries, heat up the sauerkraut and slice your swiss and green onions.  I slice my swiss into 1-inch long strips.

Once brisket is done, remove from crockpot and fork shred.  Drain and remove liquid from sauerkraut.  Get a broiler-safe pan(s) and you are ready for assembly.  In this order:

Waffle fries, shredded brisket, sauerkraut and swiss cheese (I laid in an X pattern, to ensure every inch had a bit of cheese).  

Broil until cheese is bubbly.  Remove from oven and garnish with green onions and a drizzle of Russian dressing.  More on the side if you like!

Three pounds of brisket will make one large or multiple smaller servings of this dish.

This is super-easy and crazy delicious.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip {recipe swap}

Pumpkin season is here.  It's flavoring everything from coffee to pasta.  This is my first time using pumpkin in a recipe and it was amazing!

{As are our lanterns in the playroom}

Simple ingredients.  You will have most of them on hand.

I found this recipe on Pinterest via Shugary Sweets.

It was different and delicious.  A huge hit with kids and adults.  Find the recipe here and try it!

Thanks for visiting!

Cajun Alfredo with Smoke Sausage {recipe swap}

This was freaking delicious!  Just sitting at soccer practice flipping through Better Homes and Gardens and see an ad from Hillshire Farm thinking that I have all of these ingredients.  Score!

Recipe can be found here.

It really was so simple with major WOW factor.  

Annnddd...it's about as creative as I have been lately.  I hope to get back to my adventurous ways in the kitchen again soon and share with ya'll!

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{This is not a sponsored post, just sharing the love}

Scrumptious Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf {recipe swap}

The addition of extra chocolate chips and cinnamon make this version of an oft-made recipe extra scrumptious and indulgent!

Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf

2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

3 very ripe bananas

1 tablespoon of milk

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

½ cup of butter, softened

1 cup of granulated sugar

2 eggs

12oz. bag of chocolate chips

(yes, the whole bag)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease your loaf pan.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  Mash bananas and mix with milk and cinnamon in another bowl.  Beat butter and sugar in a third, large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Add eggs to butter mixture and blend well.  Add banana mix to butter mixture and then stir in dry ingredients until blended.  Fold in chocolate chips. Yes, the whole bag.  Pour batter into greased loaf pan.

Cook for 60-70 minutes, covering top lightly with foil if it looks like it’s browning too much.  Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes before you slice.

This one couldn't get enough...

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Zucchini Pasta Saute {recipe swap}

It's been awhile since I've been in the kitchen, May went by in a flash.  It feels really good to be cooking again.

This is all over the internets, but here is my version of the paleo zucchini pasta.  It couldn't be easier to prepare and is tasty and filling.

Zucchini Pasta Saute

2 Large Zucchini, washed (not peeled)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 Cup of fresh, shredded parmesan cheese

With a box grater on its side, shred zucchini into large strips.  Heat the olive oil and garlic in a skillet and saute zucchini for 5-7 minutes, stirring often.  Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cheese.  

That's it...you have a healthy, summery side dish!

I served it with Cajun tilapia over a bed of baby spinach and a swath of caesar dressing.

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Grilled Peach and Gorgonzola Pizza {recipe swap}

Fun, delicious way to hide fruit from the kids! Using a Boboli crust and leftover chicken makes this a snap for week night meal.  

Grilled Peach and Gorgonzola Pizza w/a Balsamic Reduction

1 Boboli thin pizza crust

1 T Olive Oil

1/2 Cup of part-skim, shredded mozzarella

1 Cup of shredded chicken

1/3 Cup of Gorganzola crumbles

1 Medium peach, thinly sliced

1/2 Cup of Balsamic vinegar

Pizza Stone (optional)

Preheat oven to 450*

Place Boboli crust on pizza stone and lightly brush entire surface with olive oil (being especially generous around the crust).  

Grill peach slices on a hot grill, just long enough to get a char mark.  Once off the grill, slice into half moons.

Back to your crust.  Layer evenly with 1/2 of the mozzarella, chicken, gorgonzola and peach slices. Finish off with the remaining mozzarella.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until crust browns and the cheese bubbly.

While pizza is baking, place the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over med-high heat; stir and cook until reduced to about 2 tablespoons (about 5 minutes).  Drizzle reduction over pizza.

Cut pizza into wedges, serve with a crisp green salad and enjoy!

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Green + White Chef Salad {my favorite salads}

Green + White Chef Salad

{adapted from Martha Stewart}

Handful of mixed greens

Jack cheese, cut into matchsticks

Deli turkey, rolled and sliced

Egg whites, sliced

A dollop of spicy guacamole, optional

A sprinkle of bacon, optional

~The theme here is more of what you love, less of what you don't.  Feel free to add more veggies~

Assemble on plate

Dressing:

1 Lemon

1 Scallion

1/3 Reduced fat sour cream

2 Tablespoons Light Mayo

2 Tablespoons water

Fresh ground salt and pepper

Squeeze lemon in a small bowl.  Mince scallion and add to bowl; along with sour cream, mayo, water.  Whisk to combine, season with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

Pour dressing onto assembled salad and top with a sprinkle of bacon. Serve.

This concludes my week of salad.  Click to see my other favorites...Nicoise-ish Salad, Grilled Chix Caesar Salad and Spinach Salad with Warm Onions and Crispy Salami.

Thanks for visiting!

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