March 11-Chicken Crescent Rolls

These were my favorite as a kid. Whenever my mom would ask what I wanted for dinner that week, I'd  almost always suggest Chicken Crescent Rolls. The other night I was talking to my husband about these and he said he had never had them before. 

Shock. "What?  We've been together for five years and you never had my mom's Chicken Crescent Rolls? How could we have let this happen?"

Despite my love for these toasty treats, I somehow managed to leave my parent's house without the recipe. Cue more shock. "What? How could I have let this happen?"

I quickly got the recipe from my mom. They turned out exactly how I remembered.

Chicken Crescent Rolls

1/3 cup bread crumbs

4 oz cream cheese (w/chives-optional), softened 

2 tbsp margarine, softened

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup cooked chicken

1 2oz can drained mushroom stems and pieces (optional)

1 8oz can refrigerated crescent rolls

2-3 tbsp melted margarine

1 can cream of chicken soup

1. Set aside crushed croutons. In a medium mixing bowl combine cream cheese, 2 Tbsp margarine, lemon juice and pepper, mix well. Stir in chicken and mushrooms, set aside.

2. Separate crescent roll dough into 8 triangles. Spread each with about ¼ cup chicken mixture, roll up, starting at the small side of the triangle, rolling to opposite point. Tuck in sides and point under to seal completely. 

3. Dip rolls in melted margarine: coat with bread crumbs. 

4. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. 

5. Serve with prepared cream of chicken soup as gravy.

March 7-Balsamic Crockpot Chicken

This crockpot dish was full of flavor and easy to make. My finished product however looked nothing like the photo that accompanies the original recipe on Youbeauty.com (original recipe submitted by Stephanie O'Dea). Comparing the two photos, you'd think we made two completely different dishes. It could have been because I let mine cook for a little longer than recommended since I was at work all day. I like my veggies very well done, so it worked out perfectly. 

Oh well...I think I captured the taste and my husband and I enjoyed eating it!

Balsamic Crockpot Chicken

1.5lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 zucchinis, sliced into bite sized pieces

2 yellow squash, sliced into bite sized pieces

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 head garlic, peeled (whole cloves)

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

Place chicken in a 6-quart slow cooker. In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped veggies, garlic cloves, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Pour mixture on top of the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Serve with rice or quinoa.

March 4-TGFGN (Thank God for Great Neighbors!)

My husband and I were delighted when another young, married couple moved in across from us. We had our new neighbors over for dinner last night and had a wonderful time of fellowship, laughter, board games, and gaining instant friends. Thank God for great neighbors!

The first time my husband and I invited our families over for dinner, I tormented myself trying to figure out what to make. I felt a need to establish my reputation and to make something that everyone would enjoy. After a year of domestic bliss, I may not be Martha Stewart but I am happy to say that hosting people over for dinner has become a source of joy rather than stress. 

For yesterday's menu, I opted for something familiar, tested, and delicious. 

The Menu

 Chicken Primavera with pasta (an old favorite, worth repeating)

Garlic Bread

Green Salad w/Tomatoes

March 1- Taco Night

The first day of March was ushered in with 85 degree highs, sunshine, and tacos in the Hernandez home. Thank you, Southern California. You are wonderful. (Keep that sunshine coming!)

Tacos made with extra lean turkey, homemade guacamole, Spanish rice, pinto beans, warm tortillas, and all the classic fixings. Self explanatory. Dig in!

February 27-Turkey Meatball Subs

Holy. cow. (Er..turkey?) These meatball sammies are absolutely mouth-watering! 

Last week I tried my first meatball sub at a family birthday party and it was pretty good. It looked like something that would be easy to make from scratch and I was inspired to try it! After reading over a few meatball recipes, I whipped up this turky-fied version of this classic sub shop favorite. 

Turkey Meatball Subs

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 onion, finely chopped

3/4 tsp garlic powder

1 large egg

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

onion powder

ketchup

1 jar marinara sauce

parmesan cheese

soft Italian rolls

1. In a medium-large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients (Onion powder and ketchup as desired, about 4 shakes of  powder and a squirt of ketchup). Mix well and roll mixture into balls about 1in in diameter. (Mine made 28 meatballs).

2. Heat marinara sauce in a wide saucepan/pot. Try to use a pot that will allow the sauce to sit about 1-2 inches high (see photo below). 

3. Place the meatballs in the marinara sauce and cover. Simmer for about 12 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through. 

4. Serve meatballs on toasted Italian rolls. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

February 20-Hummus Crusted Chicken

My hubby and I have both had the privilege of dining in the Middle East (BEST food you'll ever eat, by the way) and have turned into hummus fanatics. We have been known to devour an entire package in one sitting. Over the past few years, we've made it our goal to visit every Middle Eastern restaurant in southern California and often rate the experience based on the hummus. 

When I found this recipe for Hummus Crusted Chicken by Ali at Gimme Some Oven I had to try it. I'll admit, I was a little skeptical at first because I had never baked hummus. Whoever came up with this is brilliant! Hummus is a great coating for chicken! It takes on a light crispy texture, almost giving the chicken a fried/crusted texture. Yummy. Plus, it was probably one of the easiest recipes I've ever made.

Hummus Crusted Chicken w/veggies

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1 zucchini, chopped

1 yellow squash, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup hummus

1 tbsp olive oil

2 lemons

1 tsp smoked paprika or sumac

1. Preheat oven to 450. Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss zucchini, squash, and onion with olive oil until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper. 

3. Place vegetables on the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Lay the chicken breasts evenly on top. Cover each chicken breast with the hummus so that the entire breast is covered. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the chicken and vegetables. Then sprinkle the pan with paprika or sumac. Thinly slice the remaining lemon and place the slices in between the chicken and vegetables if desired.

4. Bake 25-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. 

5. Serve immediately and enjoy!

February 9-Paleasagna

This recipe is incredible! 

When I first joined Pinterest, this is one of the first recipes I collected (Original by What Runs Lori).

 It had sat on my "Cooking Inspiration" board for a few months before I rediscovered it this week. 

It looked both healthy and delicious so I thought I'd give it a try. 

I am so impressed with how great it turned out! The yogurt/egg mixture made the dish for me (Although the seasoning of the meat was definitely a close second). It bakes together so well and adds a dash of comfort. So good!

It is a spinoff of classic lasagna, but higher in protein, packed full of veggies, and without any noodles. 

(The true test will be when my carb-lovin' honey comes home from work and heats up the leftovers.)

Paleasagna

1 white onion, diced

1lb lean ground turkey

1 15oz can diced tomatoes (drain excess juice)

3 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp Italian spice blend (I made my own with oregano, thyme, rosemary, and basil)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1lb zucchini and/or yellow squash, cut into medallion rounds

1/2 cup raw goat cheese, shredded (I had a TON of leftover mozzarella that needed to be eaten, so I substituted)

2 cups Greek yogurt

1 head broccoli, roughly chopped

1 egg

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and add the diced onions. Sauté on med-high heat until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add turkey, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, spices, salt, pepper, and crushed garlic. Continue to cook all ingredients until the turkey is cooked through. Set aside when done. 

2. In a medium bowl, combine cheese, yogurt, egg, and broccoli pieces. Mix well. 

3. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease the bottom of a 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Place a layer of zucchini and squash rounds evenly across the bottom, making a sort of liner. Add a layer of turkey-tomatoe sauce on top of the zucchini. Top that with some of the broccoli and yogurt mixture. Continue the layering process until you have used all of your ingredients. Top with more cheese if desired. Bake 45-60 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.