February 27-Auntie Millie's Chicken Noodle Soup

I can't take any credit for this recipe, other than the fact that I helped eat it. I willingly give up all credit to family, and to my wonderful husband who knew that this was exactly what I needed to come home to on a rainy Monday.

My husband knew that I wasn't feeling very well this morning. While I was at work, he called our Auntie Millie to get the the recipe for this bowl-of-comfort. (Thank you Auntie Millie and my dear husband Chris for taking care of me!)

Auntie Millie's Chicken Noodle Soup

1 package egg noodles

Chicken breasts or pieces (about 6 small breasts)

2-3 large carrots, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

Potatoes, chopped

3 cloves potatoes, chopped

Chicken bolion to taste (about 2-3 tbsp)

1.) Boil chicken in enough water to keep for broth. Cook noodles separately. 

2.) Once chicken is cooked through, remove from pot and shred.

3.) Return chicken to water and add chopped vegetables and bolion. Cook 10-15 minutes.

4.) Add noodles to pot, combine with ingredients, and serve. 

February 25-Zesty Pita Pizzas

I know I've already made pita pizzas, so this may be somewhat of a repeat. It's a lazy Saturday night fix...delicious result without any thought or prep. 

Zesty Pita Pizzas

1 Whole Wheat Pita

Tomato Sauce

A sprinkle of mozzarella cheese

Spinach, red pepper, oregano, dried onion, and parsley to taste.

Preheat oven to 350. Spread tomato sauce over pita and top with remaining ingredients. Bake 10 minutes. 

February 21-Tomato Basil Pasta w/Chicken

Comfort food. 

I originally found a recipe for Pesto Pasta with Chicken and decided to try it. To match the contents of my kitchen, I swapped pesto sauce and olive oil for Philadelphia Cooking Cream and basil. Since the main sauce and key seasoning was different, it was probably completely different from the original...but still turned out good. 

Tomato Basil Pasta with Chicken

3 cups whole wheat pasta

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup sun dried tomato pieces

crushed red pepper to taste

Approx 1/4 cup Philadelphia cooking cream 

Approx 2-3tbsp basil

1. Bring pot of lightly salted water to a bowl and cook pasta as directed. 

2. Sautee garlic, red pepper, and chicken in a skillet until chicken is cooked through. Add tomatoes at the end. 

3. Combine all ingredients, toss to coat, and heat over stovetop. 

February 18-Savory Turkey Burgers

Today I decided to stray from the prepackaged variety and make my own turkey burgers. I'm glad I decided to be bold because these came out moist and delicious! My brother came over for dinner, complimented their taste, and finished three on his own. I'm never going back to frozen patties (Sorry, Jennie O!)

Savory Turkey Burgers

(Measurements based on estimations. Add as much or as little as you like for taste, texture, etc. I improvised as I went along.)

1.5 lb ground turkey

2-3 tbsp bread crumbs

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1-2 tbsp dried onion

2 egg whites

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Separate into approx. 8 patties. Grill until cooked through (About 8-10 minutes on the George Foreman).

February 14- Santa Fe Chicken Over Rice

One of my favorite new toys is my slow cooker. It is so easy to prepare a meal the night before, flip the switch on the way out the door, and come home to a mouthwatering meal. This week I tried Santa Fe Chicken (original recipe found via Pinterest...What can I say?). Compared to the photo from the original recipe, mine looked more like a stew. I followed the recipe and carefully measured, but mine seemed to have more broth. (It's probably because the rice soaks up the juice and I didn't serve mine with a lot of rice.)

Either way, it turned out great! 

Santa Fe Chicken

1.5 lbs chicken breast

15 oz can black beans

14.5 oz diced tomatoes with chiles

14.5oz chicken broth

8 oz frozen corn

1/4 cup cilantro

1 tsp cayenne (to taste)

1 tsp garlic powder

1tsp onion powder

1 tsp cumin

Combine all ingredients (except chicken) in slow cooker. Salt chicken and lay on top. Cook low 10 hours or on high 6 hours. 30 minutes before serving, remove chicken, shred, and return to cooker. 

Serve over rice. 

February 12- Parmesan Crusted Chicken

One of my favorite recipes to make is my mom's oven baked chicken. The chicken is always moist, delicious, and perfectly coated in paprika, flour, and pepper. Tonight I was inspired to take the same idea, but bake my chicken in a different kind of coating.

As a novice domestic, it may be a little ambitious to ditch measurements and recipes and try something new. But hey, I was feeling pretty confident tonight and thought I'd start small. Besides, it can't get much simpler than chicken right?

It's a small accomplishment but I'll claim it. Turned out tasty. 

Parmesan Crusted Chicken w/Mixed Vegetables

*Estimated measurements

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1-2 tbsp parmesan cheese

1tbsp olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a gallon bag, combine ingredients and shake well until chicken is coated. Grease pan with oil or nonstick cooking spray. Lay chicken in pan and bake 40-60 minutes. 

February 10-Chicken Pesto Flatbread

Yum. Sometimes words just don't cut it, so that is all I have to say tonight. Yum. 

I was inspired by two recipes-One for pasta and a Kraft recipe for flatbread...I slightly wandered away from the directions to make my own twist of this gooey masterpiece. 

Chicken Pesto Flatbread with Sundried Tomatoes

Whole Wheat Pitas

Philadelphia Savory Garlic Cooking Cream

Basil

Grilled Chicken Breast (leftovers worked well!)

Sun-dried tomatoes

Parmesan Cheese

Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spread Philadelphia cooking cream onto pita bread and lay on a baking sheet. Top with pesto. Next, layer chicken and sun-dried tomatoes (amount as desired). Lightly sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Top with mozzarella. 

Bake 10 minutes and enjoy. 

February 9- Kristin's Roasted Vegetable Scramble

Kristin's Roasted Vegetable Scramble

1/2 Cup Egg Whites

Fire Roasted Tomatoes (about 5-7 pcs)

1/2 Cup Baby Spinach

1 Large Mushroom, Chopped

Chunky Salsa (as desired)

Dried Onion

Oregano

Lightly spray skillet with cooking spray. Sautee mushrooms and tomatoes, with spices. Add spinach and heat until wilted. Add egg whites. Top with salsa and serve with toast, english muffin, or preferred bread. 

Mmm...

February 8- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

This turned out to be a great hands-off approach to a delicious meal. I did all of the prep the night before, which made for an even easier day. The soup was flavorful and the chicken was super tender and well marinated! My husband ate two bowls, and polished off the leftovers today. Definitely adding it to the recipe collection. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

14.5 oz corn

14.5 oz diced tomatoes w/juice

14.5 oz chicken broth

10 oz enchilada sauce

4 oz diced green chiles

1 white onion, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 pepper

(The recipe I found on allrecipes.com also asked for 2 bay leaves)

Place chicken at the bottom of a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6 hours. Then,  remove chicken, shred, and return to slow cooker. Continue cooking for 30 minutes-1 hour. 

I enjoyed it as it, but my husband said it was really good with shredded cheese and sour cream too!

February 8- Hummus Turkey Spinach Wrap (Tomorrow for Lunch)

I usually pack my lunch the night before, so that I have more time to get ready in the morning. This week I was getting a little tired of my classic go-to lunch of a turkey sandwich and apple slices. A few nights ago I decided to get a little more creative with my brown bag lunches and come up with a new twist on my classic favorite. It was so yummy that I've packed it for lunch every day this week.

Hummus Turkey Spinach Wrap
1 Tortilla (pictured: Mission Whole Wheat Tortillas)
Hummus (We picked up some homemade hummus in Anaheim last week; A delicious addition!)
Baby Spinach Leaves
2 Slice of Deli Sliced Turkey
Seasoning (I chose Dried Onion, Parsley Flakes, and a bit of Oregano)

Spread hummus across the tortilla and sprinkle with preferred spices. Top with baby spinach and turkey. (I layer the spinach first; It seems to keep everything from becoming too soggy). Beginning at one end, tightly roll the tortilla. Cut into halves or thirds. Place in a Ziploc bag and throw it into the refrigerator-In the morning, you have an easy grab-n-go lunch!

February 7- Lazy Chip Cookies

Disclaimer: NOT for supper (unless you have a case of the rainy Mondays...I won't tell)

This is so simple it may not even be worth sharing, but they tasted pretty darn good. Cookies in less than 20 minutes, including prep time. Cookie mix + whatever ingredients you can find (tonight's concoction is brought to you by butterscotch chips and chocolate pieces).

I hope my youth group gals like cookies!

Tomorrow's recipe: slow-cooker enchilada soup. If you don't hear from me, it means I failed. Ha!

February 5-Chicken Fajitas and Black Beans

Do you know that moment when you are at your favorite Mexican restaurant and a plate of sizzling fajitas   comes through the dining room? Every head in the room seems to turn and look to see where that sassy sound and delicious aroma are coming from. 

Recreated...but in our kitchen. Mmm. 

Chicken Fajitas
Cook vegetables (I like onions & bell peppers) in 1 tbsp olive oil and set to side. In the same skillet, cook chicken through. Once the chicken is cooked through, add fajita seasonings (can be found pre-mixed at any grocery store) and 1/3 cup water. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Add vegetables and heat through.

Serve with beans, tortillas, and fresh salsa.

February 5- Frozen Yogurt Banana Bites

Not exactly dinner, but definitely worth sharing!

This afternoon I wanted something sweet and decided to try something new...These little treats were absolutely delicious (and healthy)!

All you need is 1 banana and 1 individual container of yogurt (I personally like Yoplait Light Vanilla). Slice bananas, dip in yogurt, and lay on a flat surface. Drizzle remaining yogurt over slices.
Freeze approx. 1 hour.

YUM!

February 2-Super Easy Beef and Broccoli

One night we both had a hankering for Chinese takeout...rather than go out, I decided to see what I already had on hand, and whipped together this dish. This is our classic go-to meal on a busy night. It's quick, simple, and delicious. 

Kristin's Super Easy Beef & Broccoli
1 lb beef, thinly sliced
1 onion
1 bag of frozen broccoli
Garlic cloves, chopped (1-2 depending on preference)
Garlic Salt
Soy sauce

In a large wok, brown beef in soy sauce (amount as desired) and add a dash of garlic sauce. Once the meat is cooked, add onion, broccoli, and garlic.

Continue to cook until onions are browned and broccoli is heated through.

Serve over rice.