crusted honey mustard chicken*

I am so thrilled with this recipe that I couldn't even wait one day to share the goodness with all of you! We served this tonight at a sports banquet, honestly not having a clue if this recipe is good or not, and man oh man! It was not only good, it just about knocked my socks off! I wouldn't categorize myself as a honey mustard lover, or even liker, but I will tell you what made me think that this recipe is one worth trying. Dill. I am pretty sure that I am obsessed with almost anything containing dill. I could just about take a bath in this honey mustard/dill sauce. Ok, that's really gross, and let's not lie - honey mustard kind of looks like boogers. But you get the point. Now that I have you all grossed out will booger baths, please put this one your weekly menu and make it STAT!

*In case you were wondering, we served this amazing chicken-lish-isness with roasted green beans, loaded mashed potatoes and garlic bread*

Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken
from Weight Watchers

thai chicken tacos*

These tacos are TO DIE for! They are one of many new additions to my new menus that we are about 3 weeks into right now, with 2 weeks left to go. There are so many new amazing recipes that I need to share with you all, but I think that these are my very favorite so far. The marinade is so amazing, but the icing in the cake is the cabbage slaw. You HAVE to make the cabbage slaw! It is crunchy, tangy and sweet. Really, the only word to describe this whole dish is simply amazing.

Thai Chicken Tacos
from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

buffalo chicken mac & cheese*

I finished my first Pinterest inspired crafting project about a week ago. I am loving my little pom pom flowers! They turned out so cute, and I have even had a request to sell them at the upcoming boutique at work! I am already going to be selling some cake pops and cupcakes (maybe), so why not throw in some adorable pom pom flowers?

Here's a pic up close and personal:

How cute are they?? The tutorial is from Ivey Handcrafted - if you, too, would like to make these cutest little guys! Or, if you don't want to spend the time, drop by the Heritage Boutique on November 3-4 and I will have some for you to purchase! If you want more info on the boutique, just e-mail or leave me a message on this post and I would be happy to give the low-down!

And, I have some exciting news! There has been a new addition to our little kitchen family. Welcome our new charbroiler for all of our steak, hamburger, chicken and pork chop needs!

We have already used it a couple of times and pretty much love it! We have determined, however, that we need to be more on the ball and have it preheated and ready to go, or else a 4 oz. piece of chicken takes 45 minutes. That is no bueno. But we will get the hang of our new toy, don't you fret! I am already loving the beautiful presentation it gives, and of course everything tastes better straight off the grill!

This buffalo chicken mac & cheese is simply amazing! I am not the biggest buffalo sauce fan, at least not straight up. But this mac and cheese is to die! The buffalo sauce just gives it the slightest tang and little bit of kick, and the crunchy breadcrumb topping just adds that perfect little bit of texture. I am in LOVE with this recipe! The students actually loved it, too. This will be on my menu for the long haul.

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
from The Girl Who Ate Everything

slow cooker chicken tikka masala*

This recipe is the second chicken tikka masala recipe that I have made. The recipe here is the recipe that we use at work. It is pretty yummy, but I like this slow cooker chicken tikka masala more! I LOVE this dish at the Bombay House, and I think this recipe is even more similar to the one that they serve there. It is thick, rich, and with just a little kick. This stuff is absolutely amazing served on top of some buttery, nutty basmati rice and piece (or two) of homemade warm garlic naan bread! Absolutely to die! (Recipe for basmati and a new naan recipe coming soon!).

The recipe calls for chicken thighs, still on the bone. I thought that was strange, but beside that I don't really like dark meat, and I definitely don't like meat on the bone. But serving meat on the bone with sauce over rice seemed completely absurd to me. So I diced up a boneless, skinless chicken breast and marinaded and broiled it like that. Worked perfectly! That would be my suggestion. However, I didn't cook it the other way, so it might be equally delicious like that. Just more difficult to eat I would imagine.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
from Meal Planning 101

asian bbq chicken*

I don't think that I need to go into my obsession with Chinese food. But let's just say - I am pretty sure I could live in a pool of teriyaki sauce. That would make me one happy chickadee. The only other thing that would make me happier about Chinese food is having better Chinese desserts. A fortune cookie. Really? Is that all you got? Don't get me wrong, they are pretty good, but seriously? Although, I will never forget when I was 15 I had a fortune cookie that said "your place in life is behind the wheel". I was pretty excited about that. Obviously, if I remember after almost 10 years later about this monumental revelation given to me by a piece of paper, it must have been big news. Those fortunes will get ya!

This chicken is great for Chinese lovers or even those who aren't big fans! Where it is just a marinade, the flavors aren't as strong, but they add just that little touch of amazingness. We made ours on the flat grill, but actually BBQ'd on a BBQ grill sounds incredible. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!

teriyaki chicken salad sandwich*

My little sister is the cutest! Last night she came over to hang out with me and do a little yoga. I have never done yoga in my life, but my best friend Ashley was telling me that she discovered that there was yoga on Xfinity on Comcast. I decided to look it up and check it out the other day and I had no idea how hard yoga is! It is definitely a workout. Anyway, I decided that I should give it a shot so I invited my sister to join me in this adventure. So she came over with my little nephew Xander (love him!) and we about died doing yoga! I didn't know my body could twist/bend that way. It was an experience to say that least!

So once the torture was over, we ordered some Chinese, since it is so healthy and all, and just hung out. My little nephew is only 5 weeks old and I have babysat the little guy 3 times. I asked her how she dared have me watch him so much, when I don't even have kids myself. She said that she sees the way I take care of my dog, so knew I would do a good job. HAHA! That is sad! I told you little Tankers is spoiled! I cracked up for a good 5 minutes! Oh man...

This sandwich is so delish! I love chicken salad!! However, I do not love chicken salad with grapes. I don't know why, but mixing fruit with my meat seems weird. This recipe has mangoes and pineapple in it, so I'll admit, I was skeptical. Especially because I am not a huge fan of mangoes. Let me tell you, it works! The teriyaki sauce mixed with the mayo is pure heaven, and the crunchiness of the toasted almonds is magical! I tried to be good and eat it on a piece of whole wheat bread, but let me tell you it was hard to turn down the buttery croissant! I am sure the combo of this amazing chicken salad and the croissant would have been to die for!

chicken cordon bleu*

I don't know what has gotten into me, but I have been cooking and baking all day. To be honest, I don't cook a whole lot at home. Well, I cook, but mainly the same meals over and over. It is not too often that I get very creative. But I do have my reasons. The first reason - I don't have that much time. Once I get home from work it's usually between 5 and 6 and there is not much to time to cook a full blown nice meal. The second reason, I love my husband but he is not very adventurous. HOWEVER, notice that is a big HOWEVER, he has gotten a lot better lately. For instance, a few months back he ordered a mango salsa chicken salad from a restaurant that had VEGETABLES and MANGOES in it. That is insane! I nearly dropped over dead! And thirdly, cooking nice fancy meals on a constant basis is expensive. I like to go shopping for things other than food, and it bugs me if I have to spend all of my money on food. Is that weird?? Maybe. But seriously, food is expensive! That and it is just Landon and I, so it is hard for me to justify spending too much money on food, when 9 out of 10 times it is cheaper for us to eat out. Oh, and fourthly, I am around food ALL DAY. It is a wonder I am not 300 pounds yet. So it is not as exciting for me to cook at home when I am cooking nearly everyday at work.

Anyway, back to my cooking and baking of the day. Today I made chicken cordon bleu for the first time, some mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade fluffy dinner rolls, and a big cookie with homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert! This is when I was reminded that I don't have time to cook like this all the time. I started cooking at 2 and just finished up and it is almost 7:30. Of course I had some down time in between to throw in 5 loads of laundry. I was very productive today, but now I am pooped and am seriously craving a diet Dr. Pepper right about now. If only it wouldn't keep me up all night...

I have always loved the little chicken cordon bleu's you can buy in the frozen section at the store, and a couple months back Landon ordered it from Mimi's and it was amazing! Ever since I have wanted to try my hand at making it myself, and today was the lucky day! And even though I was totally scared out of my mind because I didn't think I could make it work, it turned out perfectly and even looked edible!! If I can do it, anyone can do it! Give it a try.

This recipe is amazing. The chicken is nice and tender and the middle with the ham and melty cheese is amazing. Then the crunchy crispy outside is the perfect little package to this amazing dish!! And again, you can tell the pictures were taken in my dark dreary household.

Chicken Cordon Bleu
from Buttery Books

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
6 thin slices of Swiss cheese
6 thin slices of ham
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon paprika
Kosher salt
Coarse ground pepper
1 cup bread crumbs, preferably Panko (HIGHLY suggest the Panko! Love it!)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 eggs
2 teaspoons water
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil

Wash chicken breasts and pat dry.  Between two pieces of plastic wrap, gently pound out chicken  to 1/4 inch thickness.  Be careful not to tear chicken.  Place a cheese and ham slice on each chicken breast.  Tightly roll each chicken breast over the cheese and ham and squeeze the chicken roll to help seal.  Secure seal with toothpicks, if necessary.

Mix the flour and paprika together in a flat dish.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Set aside.  Mix bread crumbs and thyme together in another flat dish.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Set aside.  In another dish, mix whisk together eggs and water.  Arrange dishes next to stove top where the chicken will be frying.

In a large saucepan, heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.  Lightly dust chicken rolls with flour mixture, then dip into egg mixture.  

Gently coat each roll in the bread crumbs and place in pan to fry.

Cook until chicken is browned on all sides and juices run clear. Transfer breasts to serving plate.   Remove toothpicks if used. 

Serve with a wedge of lemon or a cream sauce, if desired.

-alyssa*

buffalo chicken pizza*

This is my new favorite pizza! Which is surprising because I am not a huge fan of buffalo sauce. I think the only buffalo sauce I really like is at Winger's. Their sticky fingers are amazing! Only the sticky fingers, though. I am not a fan of chicken wings. Or any chicken on the bone really. I don't need to see the anatomy of the chicken while I am trying to enjoy my dinner. But that's just me :).

The buffalo sauce for the chicken in this recipe is so amazing! It is a little sugary and not too spicy. But let's talk about the white sauce on this pizza for 2 seconds. This stuff is incredible! It is so simple at only 4 ingredients, but WOW! This white sauce would be amazing on my husbands chicken garlic pizza he loves that he gets from Papa Murphy's. I am going to have to recreate that pizza and see if I can win him over with my version!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza
original recipe from The Way The Cookie Crumbles
adapted version from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

1 lb pizza dough, stretched to a 12-inch round (we did 7" individuals for the students)

Buffalo Sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup Frank’s hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

White Sauce
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
pinch of sugar
pinch of garlic powder

1 large (or 2 small) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup red onion, diced

At least 30 minutes before you plan to bake the pizza, preheat oven to 500 F.  Set a pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven.

To make the buffalo sauce, add the butter to a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat.  Cook until melted, then mix in the hot sauce, brown sugar and cider vinegar.  Add the shredded chicken and toss to coat with the sauce.

To make the white sauce, mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, sugar, garlic powder and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a small bowl to combine.  Set aside.

Transfer the dough to a well-floured pizza peel, if you have one.  (We don't, so I always use parchment paper.)  Spread the white sauce in a thin, even layer over the dough, leaving a small border around the edge.  Top with the chicken, then the mozzarella and finally the red onion.  

Bake on the preheated pizza stone (or the back of a baking sheet if you don't have one) for about 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling and browned.  Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Really, you have to try this to believe how amazing it is! Again, the sauce. Both the buffalo and the white sauce. AMAZING!!!!

-alyssa*

grilled chicken w/ peach bbq sauce*

We served this grilled chicken with peach bbq sauce at the banquet this last Wednesday. I didn't hear much feedback either way as to whether or not the students and staff thought it was tasty, but most of my staff as well as myself thought it was pretty good! I know that there was a lot of skepticism because it was "peach bbq sauce", but when I was making the sauce I was so excited to try it because it smelled AMAZING!

While making the sauce, I used our new BlendTec blenders that got donated to us during the last parent conference by Tom Dickson, the creator of BlendTec. We absolutely LOVE them and use them all the time! They are also nice enough to let us borrow extra blenders from them when we have our smoothie days a few times a year! THANKS BLENDTEC!

Grilled Chicken w/ Peach BBQ Sauce
from Gwyneth Paltrow via Bon Appetit, June 2011
as seen on Tracey's Culinary Adventures

9-10 oz frozen sliced peaches, thawed and chopped (or 1 cup chopped peeled fresh peaches)
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce (from canned chipotle chiles in adobo)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs)

Add the peaches, ketchup, lemon juice, garlic and adobo sauce to a small saucepan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer until the peaches are soft, about 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let cool. 

Transfer to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

(P.S. the BlendTec blender even has a button for sauces! How convenient!)

Transfer half of the sauce to a resealable plastic bag.  Add the chicken, seal the bag then use your hands (on the outside of the bag) to coat the chicken with the sauce.  Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or in the fridge for up to 8 hours.  Cover and refrigerate the remaining half of the sauce.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Oil the grill racks thoroughly to keep the chicken from sticking.  When hot, grill the chicken until charred in places and almost cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side.  Brush all sides of the chicken with some of the remaining sauce then continue to grill until cooked through (chicken will register 160-165 F on an instant read thermometer), about 1-2 minutes more per side.  Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.  Serve with remaining sauce.

ENJOY!*

-alyssa*

bowtie chicken caesar salad*

Hello everyone out there!! Do you remember me?? I have been busy Busy BUSY! But I have some great news! My summer menus are completed and underway! Oh, and not to mention we have welcomed two new staff into our department! I should have taken their pictures today so that I could introduce them better. Joan is our new Food Service Worker and so far she is so great to work with and has the best personality! Colton is our new dishwasher and he has been working a little over a week and has been so awesome! I have heard nothing but positive things about both of them from all around campus and I am so excited when they are out of training so that they can hang out with us all day! I will try and remember to get a picture tomorrow, and also still need to get a picture of everyone in my department so that you all can see a face to the name :). And I just want to tell you how EXCITED I am to FINALLY be fully staffed! I have been fully staffed for about 2 weeks in the 13 months that I have been the director of food services. It is really like a huge sigh of relief! Now I need a vacation :).

So with the launch of our new menus and a huge sports banquet tomorrow for the students, we were SWAMPED today! Also, we fit in going to lunch at Applebee's for Jamie's, Jackie's and Colton's birthdays. We are a bit behind haha. Anyway, today Karen made this amazing bowtie chicken caesar salad, we made the cake for our better than sex cake tomorrow for the banquet, we made some chicken tikka masala for dinner, a birthday cake for one of the students, and I made some peach bbq sauce for our grilled chicken with peach bbq sauce tomorrow for the banquet. As well as our regular fruit cutting and salad bar making in between. Phew..that's a lot of stuff! Oh, and I forgot that Sarah and I ran to the store to buy a ton of vegetarian food as well as some necessities for the banquet and the upcoming camping trip this weekend. My days have been this crazy for what seems like ever, so this is my excuse for my lack of blogging existence. Forgive me, but I am BACK!

I love the Caesar dressing that we use at work. It is actually just the Sysco brand, but it is my favorite! I have tried a couple of different kinds whether it be a bottle I bought from the store or at a restaurant, and none I like as much as our plain old Sysco kind. I guess I could attempt to make some, but to put anchovies or whatever they use would totally freak me out. I know they are in there, but I don't want to see them be put in there. You know what I mean? Anyway, when I saw this recipe for a bowtie chicken caesar salad I was THRILLED! I have seen this meal on the menu at the Pizza Factory, and heard that it was amazing, so couldn't wait to try it out for myself. I thought pasta mixed in with salad sounded like a crazy idea, but it totally works!

Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad
adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

2 bunches romaine lettuce, chopped

1 bag home-style seasoned croutons
1 bag toasted almonds (I forgot to order almonds, so left them out this time...oops!)
2 chicken breasts, grilled with salt and pepper
2 cups bowtie pasta, cooked
4 - 6 oz. shredded parmesan cheese
Caesar Dressing

Toss all the above ingredients with Caesar dressing right before serving. Serves 20-25.

 Yummy yummy in my tummy!

Stay tuned for some of the recipes for our banquet tomorrow. On the menu is caesar salad, grilled chicken with peach bbq sauce, roasted red potatoes (a pre-blogged about recipe), asparagus with balsamic browned butter, garlic bread, New York cheesecake with raspberry sauce, and better than sex cake!

-alyssa*

fiesta chicken pasta salad*

Happy 4th of July everyone! I am absolutely convinced that holidays are just no fun unless you have kids. Even the 4th of July. Landon and I contemplated buying fireworks, but then came to the conclusion that it really didn't sound that fun. However, I am sure if we had a little one that I would buy them for sure because we would just love the see the awe on their face as the fireworks did their thing.

Instead we are sitting here watching True Grit. If there are two kinds of movies I don't like it is Sci-Fi and westerns. I am not a big fan of most action movies either, but never ever have I wanted to watch a Sci-Fi or western. And yet here I am...which is why I am blogging :). Landon is sure lucky I love him! Anyway, the point of this story is that someday holidays, like the 4th of July, will be more exciting if and when we decide to have kids. Now don't get it twisted, we are not planning on having kids until I am 30. This is no exaggeration. I simply don't have the time, and I refuse to have my child be raised in a day care. That is a subject all it's own, so let's get to this yummy pasta salad!

I found this recipe yesterday on BettyCrocker.com. Gotta love that Betty Crocker! I wanted something yummy to make for our 4th of July dinner, and decided this sounded amazing! Before I get to the recipe though, I have a confession to make. Last night I wanted to make a big cookie for Landon and I to enjoy, and started in on the ingredients. I then realized that I didn't have a single egg. I decided to give up and finish making it the next day, because where it was Sunday all of the nearby grocery stores are closed and I did not want to drive all the way to Wal Mart. Then, I had a revelation. I bet my renter downstairs had an egg! She's been out of town all week, plus I have to do my laundry down there every Sunday anyway. Yes - I did. I raided her fridge and stole an egg. I really do feel awful about it. First thing this morning I ran to the store to buy some ingredients for this pasta salad, and also bought some eggs. The second I came home I ran downstairs and replaced the stolen egg. Good as new. I still feel guilty...but I figure had she been home and I asked her for an egg she would have without a doubt let me borrow one with the promise of an egg in return. That was how I have lived with myself thus far. So, thanks Effie for the egg!

Fiesta Chicken Pasta Salad
from Betty Crocker

1

  package Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad® classic pasta salad mix

1/3 

cup sour cream

3 

tablespoons water

1/2 

teaspoon chili powder

1 

cup cherry tomato halves

1/2

  cup julienne strips green bell pepper (I left these out)

2

  green onions, chopped

1

  cup cubed cooked chicken or roast beef

Tortilla chips

1/2

  cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

Old El Paso® salsa (any variety) 

  

Empty pasta mix into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta; rinse in cold water. Shake to drain.

Stir together Seasoning mix, sour cream, water and chili powder in large bowl.

Stir in pasta-vegetable mixture, tomatoes, bell pepper and onion. Stir in chicken.

Line serving plate with tortilla chips. Mound salad onto chips; sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Serve with salsa. Refrigerate any remaining salad.

Makes 4 servings 

This salad is very good! It has a little tang to it and is very flavorful. The next time I make it I think I am going to add some Cholula so that it has a little spice. It is really a meal all its own, but it went very well with our BBQ hamburgers, potato chips and a warm brownie with vanilla ice cream for dessert! Happy 4th of July!

-alyssa*

homemade chicken pot pies*

I am currently right in the middle of making my new summer menus! I sent out menu idea sheets to each home on campus to get the students likes, dislikes and suggestions. So far I have gotten 3 sheets back and these homemade chicken pot pies were a favorite on all three!!

I am a HUGE fan of chicken pot pies, and one day decided to try this method out and it worked amazingly well! They are easy easy easy, and obviously very kid-friendly! I would highly suggest making these for your family! No more store bought, waiting 60 minutes to bake, frozen chicken pot pies :). These are so versatile, too! You can put whatever veggies you like, and really can use whatever kind of meat you like. A beef pot pie would be amazing, too! It would taste like beef stew. I love beef stew! Mmmm..I'm going to have to try that next!

Homemade Chicken Pot Pies
serves 6

1 lb. diced chicken, cooked
2 cans cream of chicken soup
3/4  cups chicken broth
1 cup peas and carrots, frozen
salt and pepper to taste
12 puffed pastry - 5x5 squares
egg wash

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, combine the cooked diced chicken, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and peas and carrots. Heat through until the sauce and peas and carrots are warm. Season with salt and pepper.

On a greased baking sheet, lay down 6 squares of puffed pastry. Brush egg wash around the edges of the pastry. This will serve as a glue so that the top pastry layer sticks to the bottom layer. Scoop about 1/4 cup of filling in the middle of the pastry square. Top with another sheet of the puffed pastry and pinch the edges so that there are no openings. This is very important so that all of the gooey goodness doesn't ooze out! Then brush the top with more egg wash to help the puffed pastry get nice and golden brown.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until puffed pastry becomes a gorgeous golden brown.

We serve this with a side of roasted broccoli. SO yummy, and like I said there are so many different flavor possibilities. With a chicken pot pie alone you could add potatoes, broccoli, celery, carrots, green beans, onions...really the possibilities are endless! So be creative and remember to share your creations with me!

-alyssa*

chicken tikka masala*

Indian food entered my life a few short months ago. Landon's co-worker has raved about Bombay House for years, but my sweet husband has not been very adventurous with foods until lately. He finally decided that he dared try it, and now we are hooked. Our first trip we got the chicken tikka masala, chicken curry and some naan bread. AMAZING. We liked the chicken tikka masala more than the curry, but both were very tasty - which I was surprised with because I am not a curry fan. The second time we went we only got the chicken tikka masala and garlic naan bread. SOO good! If you have never tried Indian food, you HAVE to. Seriously. The rice alone is worth it.  

This recipe is pretty legit. It is pretty spicy, so next time I am going to cut back on the cayenne pepper in the marinade for the chicken. I could handle the heat, but I have an average tolerance for spicy foods. I know it was too spicy for some of the students and staff.  I LOVE the sauce. I could eat just the sauce on some basmati rice and be good to go. 

We actually cooked this chicken completely different than the recipe states. Because we were cooking for about 180, we actually cooked the chicken on the flat grill, then transferred it to the sauce. It worked perfectly and I really liked how it turned out. So if you don't want to go through the extra hassle, you can just cook your chicken in a pan just fine.

Chicken Tikka Masala
from Cook's Illustrated and as seen on Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Chicken

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup plain yogurt (I used nonfat but the recipe suggests whole milk yogurt)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 serrano chile, minced (ribs and seeds removed)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

To prep the chicken: Mix the cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt together in a small bowl.  Sprinkle the mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken.  Put the chicken on a plate, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.  Whisk the yogurt, vegetable oil, garlic and ginger together in a wide bowl.  You'll use this to coat the chicken later before cooking - set aside for now.

To make the sauce: Meanwhile, pour the oil into a large Dutch oven set over medium heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic, ginger, serrano chile, tomato paste and garam malasa.  Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes, stirring almost constantly.  Stir in the crushed tomatoes, sugar and salt then bring the sauce to a boil.  Reduce the heat so your sauce is simmering and cover the pan.  Let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring a few times.  Add the heavy cream, stir to combine and bring the sauce back to a simmer (uncovered).  Take the pan off of the heat and cover to keep warm.  (You can also make the sauce ahead - just refrigerate it once it cools slightly then rewarm when you want to serve.)

To cook the chicken:  Position an oven rack about 6 inches from your broiler and preheat the broiler.  Set a wire rack inside of a foil-lined baking sheet.  Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and dip each piece in the yogurt mixture.  You want a relatively thick layer coating the chicken.  Transfer the chicken to the wire rack.  Broil the chicken until it is cooked through (to an internal temperature of 160 F), about 10-18 minutes, flipping the chicken over halfway through the cooking time.  (The cooking time will depend in large part on the thickness of your chicken pieces.)

Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes, then cut it into 1-inch pieces and add to the warm sauce.  Add the cilantro to the sauce as well and season to taste before serving.

So amazing! We also made some garlic naan bread to go along with it. Stay tuned for the recipe!

-alyssa*

chicken pillows*

Evidently these little guys are a Utah favorite. However, I never heard of them until I made them on Saturday. I must not get out much. I found these on a blog and it is one of my best finds to date. These chicken pillows are AMAZING!!

My hubby and father-in-law worked on our deck on Saturday, so I needed to make them a yummy and filling lunch for all of their hard work. I served these delicious bundles of joy with some loaded mashed potato casserole (recipe coming soon) and roasted green beans.

Chicken Pillows
recipe seen on The Girl Who Ate Everything

Mix together with mixer (or by hand if your cream cheese is soft enough):
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream

Stir in:
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ Tablespoons dried chives
1 ½ Tablespoons fresh onion minced
3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (around 3 cups)

Assemble Pillows:
2 (8 ounce) cans Pillsbury crescent rolls
1/4 cup melted butter
Italian bread crumbs (around 2 cups)

Gravy:
1 (14.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (0.87) package chicken gravy mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and sour cream until well combined. You can do this by hand if your cream cheese is soft enough. Stir in salt, pepper, onion, chives, and diced chicken.

Using Pillsbury crescent rolls, take 2 triangular rolls and push together at perforated seam to make into a square. Make sure you seal the perforations well so your filling doesn't come out. Put about 3 tablespoons of chicken mixture in the center of each square. Fold the dough corners to the center over the chicken mixture forming a pillow.

Dip each pillow in melted butter on both sides. Roll in bread crumbs on both sides. Shake excess crumbs off.

Place chicken pillow on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Make gravy by mixing one package of chicken gravy mix, one can of cream of chicken soup and 3/4 can of water in a small pot. Mix together and heat until warm. Serve chicken pillows with gravy poured over top.

These things are like heaven. I love the mixture in the middle. It has so much flavor and boy are they filling! I made 8 of them because I thought they would be kind of small. No way Jose, these things are very big! I ate two and seriously thought I was going to explode. So if you have been living in a hole like me and haven't tried this Utah tradition of a food, you better try it because they are pretty darn good!

-alyssa*

chicken lo mein*

I am a Chinese food fanatic. I don't eat it nearly enough for my liking, but that is probably a good thing. The husband does NOT like Chinese food. However, about once a year I can coerce him into going to Panda Express because he will eat their orange chicken and fried rice, as long as he eats around the vegetables. My favorite thing from Panda is also the orange chicken and the chow mein noodles. I mentioned on an earlier post that if I were to eat only one thing for the rest of my life, I think I would choose Panda's orange chicken and chow mein. I'm also a huge fan of P.F. Chang's crispy honey chicken and lettuce wraps. But in all seriousness, I like most Chinese food. I think in my previous life I was Chinese.

This chicken lo mein seriously tastes like something you would get from a Chinese restaurant. I was quite proud of us when we made this for all of the students and staff our first go round. It is quite the risk to do something so out of my comfort zone for that many people, but I could not have been more pleased with the end result. The only thing I was upset about was that I didn't get to eat lunch at work that day :(. I don't remember what I had going on, but all I got was my taste test and that was it! Plus I was doing biggest loser at the time so I am sure I wouldn't have eaten as much as I would have liked. I am so excited for when we get to make it again and I am having an overflowing plate full!

Chicken Lo Mein
from food.com

2 tsp. instant chicken bouillon granules (or 2 cubes)
2 cups boiling water
8 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into long, thin slices
1/4 cup dry white wine (I left this ingredient out because we didn't have any)
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. sesame oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 can water chestnuts, chopped
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed and drained
1 carrot, shredded
8 oz. thin spaghetti, cooked and drained

Dissolve broth granules in boiling water in small saucepan. Pour 1/2 cup broth mixture into large skillet. Let remaining liquid in saucepan cool. Bring mixture in skillet to boiling. Add chicken and simmer 5 minutes, until no longer pink in center. Remove chicken with slotted spoon to platter. Pour off liquid from skillet.

Stir wine, soy, and cornstarch in small bowl until smooth. Stir into remaining cooled broth in saucepan. Heat oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add all veggies; cook, stirring 2-3 minutes until veggies are crisp-tender.

Add chicken and pasta; toss 2 minutes until heated through. Stir cornstarch mixture in saucepan; add to skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened. Top with additional sliced green onion if desired.

It seems like a ton of ingredients and lots of steps, but it's really not hard and the end result is simply AMAZING! If I could disguise all the veggies in there somehow, I would totally sneak this into my husbands diet so that I can make this on a more regular basis. This would actually be something that I wouldn't mind eating leftover (I am not a big leftover fan), so maybe I will just make some for myself and eat it everyday for a week. I really wouldn't mind :).

-alyssa*

chicken parmesan*

This recipe is 3 ingredients. You heard me right - 3. It is so simple, and so amazingly delicious. I love Italian! Back in the day it was hands down my favorite food. Now I am confused about what exactly my "favorite" food is. I swear it changes every single day. Today, my favorite food is the ice cream cake we made yesterday (recipe coming soon). Tomorrow, we are making some orange creamsicle cupcakes. Those will probably become my new favorite food. I will let you know :).

I LOVE chicken parmesan. Love it I tell you. Does anyone remember Fazoli's?? I don't know if one exists anymore. There used to be one in Provo and in Orem, but they are both gone and I haven't seen one since. Anyway, it was this amazing place (that I guess I was the only one that went to) and I would get their baked chicken parmesan. I am not lying, my stomach is rumbling right now just thinking about it. And this cute old lady would walk around and hand out all you can eat WARM breadsticks. Man, I miss that place. If anyone knows if it is still in existence, please let me know!

So this recipe goes out to Fazoli's. It's not a fried chicken breast like theirs is (which is my preference honestly), but it is still pretty darn good. If you get rambunctious, feel free to make your own marinara. We made these for all of the kids, so took the easy way out this time but maybe next time we will switch it up. So are you ready for the 3 ingredients?? Haha, I am pretty sure you can figure this one out yourself.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients


6 chicken breasts - boneless, skinless - or breaded and fried/baked if you prefer
1 jar marinara sauce - whichever kind you prefer. I buy Prego Three Cheese, unless I make my own
Mozzarella Cheese

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a casserole dish with cooking spray so all of the goodness doesn't stick. Cook your chicken breasts in a hot pan until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Meanwhile, while the chicken is cooking heat up your marinara in a saucepan. When the chicken is done, scoop about 1 cup of the warm marinara sauce and cover the bottom of the casserole dish. Top the marinara with your chicken breasts.

Top the chicken breasts with the remainder of the marinara and spread it around evenly. Then is the best part! Sprinkle on as little or as much mozzarella as your little heart desires.

Cover with some aluminum foil and stick in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is all melty and delicious.

Don't fret if your chicken seems to have "disappeared". Dig in for a second and I promise you will find it hiding in there somewhere!

There it is! Had I had it on hand, I would have topped it with some fresh basil. I don't know where I was on that one. My suggestion: serve with a side of whole wheat spaghetti topped with some more amazing marinara. Or, grab yourself a bun and throw your chicken, sauce and all, and make yourself a delicious sandwich!

-alyssa*