Sesame Chicken

Or a reason to get up in the morning! This was SO GOOD! Nick and I get a little burned out on chicken sometimes, but this is a recipe that you could never get burned out on. It's that amazing. Infinitely better than frozen breaded chicken tenders with layers of wonderful flavors. It's crispy and spicy and full of sesame seeds. And the best part of this recipe? It's easy as . . . well, popping chicken tenders in the oven!

Sesame Chicken

4 chicken breasts (I used 8 chicken tenders), thawed
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 1/2 heaping tablespoons Chinese garlic chili sauce
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, sesame oil, and garlic chili sauce. Toss to combine and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a nonstick pan on medium heat and add the oil; heat until almost smoking. In another bowl add breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and sesame seeds. Toss to combine. Using tongs, place the chicken into the crumb mixture and coat well. Place the chicken in the hot pan and cook until golden (2 to 3 minutes) and flip. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes on the other side.

Place the whole pan in the oven and bake 10-15 minutes (7-8 minutes for chicken tenders) or until the internal temperature of the chicken in 160 degrees. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Breakfast Stirfry

Also known as leftover ingredients from a massive brunch dumped in a skillet with eggs and hashbrowns. I had my doubts on this one, but I hadn't set out any meat for Nick's lunch yesterday and I needed to feed him something that would make enough for leftovers. When I opened the fridge all I could see was a massive amount of leftover food from Mother's Day. Not feeling particularly creative, I decided to just dump it all in a skillet and hope for the best! And it was really good! I even saved some leftovers for me, which says a lot. Bear with me on the recipe, since I didn't do a lot of measuring.

Breakfast Stirfry

1 package of frozen shredded potatoes (hashbrowns)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 pound breakfast sausage (I don't eat this stuff, so 1 pound would be the right amount for a regular recipe)
8 ounces of diced mushrooms (we had about 2/3 of a package, but I'd like a full 8 ounces next time)
A couple of forkfuls of roasted red peppers
A sprinkle of dried chives (fresh would have been better, but I used what I had)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder to taste

In a large electric skillet, melt a tablespoon or two of margarine. Add in frozen (or thawed) hashbrowns. Flip and stir continuously to brown on all sides. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, melt a little more margarine. Add in diced mushrooms. Cook until the moisture is gone, about 6-7 minutes, and transfer to a bowl. In the same pan, cook the sausage until brown.

Scramble the 4 eggs and add them to the browned hashbrowns, then add mushrooms, red peppers, chives, and seasonings. Stir and dump in the cheese. Stir again. If you're like my husband, at this point you would stir in the sausage. However, I don't eat sausage, so he just sprinkled it on top of his breakfast stirfry and I ate it plain (which was also amazing!). Add some parsley for garnish and serve.

*This would also be yummy with diced bell peppers, green chilies, bacon, etc. It's a dump-it-in kind of recipe, so it can be changed to anyone's taste.

Steph's Spicy Chicken Tacos and Black Beans

So I've been doing enough cooking that I'm really getting a feel for what tastes good and how to add dimensions of flavor to otherwise boring dishes. Now, it's not like making tacos is difficult, but I thought I would just try something new without a recipe for today's meal. And it was a huge hit! Nick said these are the best homemade tacos he's ever had and I have to agree. The chicken was moist and spicy, the cilantro was bright, and the avocado was creamy. Add in yummy and good-for-you black beans and you've got a winner! This one is going in my "permanent file."

Steph's Spicy Chicken Tacos and Black Beans

1 10-ounce can hot Ro-Tel tomatoes and peppers
1 15-ounce can black beans
3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
Taco seasoning
Hot sauce
1 avocado
A bunch of cilantro
Sour cream
Lettuce
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Taco shells

Cook taco shells according to the package directions. Blend Ro-Tel in a blender or food processor until it's a smooth consistency (I don't like chunks, so if you are chunky fan, skip this step). Add blended Ro-Tel to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in chicken, 1/4 cup of taco seasoning, and 2/3 cup water. Let it simmer until the liquid has been absorbed into the chicken. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add black beans, a couple of shakes of hot sauce and some taco seasoning (I just did this to taste, so no measuring). Cook until heated through then mash beans with a potato masher to thicken. Don't go too crazy here-you only need to mash enough to thicken. Not all the beans should be mushed.

While everything is cooking, cut up slices of avocado and do a rough chop through a bunch of cilantro leaves. Then assemble your tacos. I like to start with the chicken, then the cheese and lettuce, topped with avocado, cilantro, and sour cream. Nick's a bit of crazy person and puts his avocado on the bottom, topped with beans and chicken. Weirdo. But any way you like it, these are GOOD!

Mexican Lasagna

So every morning I spend about a half an hour (sometimes it's more like an hour . . . ) reading my favorite food blogs. It's really amazing to see a recipe go from ingredients and steps to a finished product and getting the notes in between from people who know what they are doing. A recipe book is a great resource, but it can be very impersonal. In consequence, I enjoy making recipes from the blogs much more than from a cookbook. This recipe is from one such blog, and a very well known blog at that. The Pioneer Woman has not once steered me wrong and I have quite a few of her recipes written in my personal cookbook. This Mexican Lasagna was one such recipe and I'm so glad I made it! It definitely earns a spot on our regular rotation (if I ever get back into a regular rotation . . . there are so many new recipes to try!)

For the record, I did change this recipe a little bit. The first thing I did was cut it in half. She wasn't kidding that it could feed an army! The second thing I did was use a boxed Spanish rice mix instead of making my own. And finally, I used roasted chicken breast instead of ground beef. I don't eat ground beef, which is why you will never see it in any recipe I make. I'll give you my recipe, and you can check out the link to see The Pioneer Woman's version.

Mexican Lasagna
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

3 Chicken breasts, roasted (directions to follow)
Taco seasoning (chili powder, paprika, and cumin)
Red pepper flakes
Box of Spanish rice mix
1 15-oz. can black beans
1 16.8-oz. jar salsa verde
flour tortillas
1-2 cups of frozen corn, cooked (or a can of corn, drained)
1 package Mexican blend cheese
1 10-oz. jar enchilada sauce
Sour cream, cilantro for garnish

To roast the chicken: Place each piece of chicken in a foil packet. Pinch the ends, but leave the top open. Pour in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and then sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Roll the top of the foil closed. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Remove from packets, shake off excess oil and shred with two forks. Prepare rice per package directions. I added red pepper flake and a little bit of taco seasoning to up the flavor. While that's cooking, drop the shredded chicken in large skillet over medium-high heat. Dump in a 1/4 cup of taco seasoning and 2/3 cup water along with a little red pepper flake. Let the water cook down, stirring occasionally.

Add black beans to the rice mixture (I forgot to do this!) and then start layering in a greased 13x9 inch pan. First, spread a layer of salsa verde. Cover with a layer of tortillas. Overlapping is okay. Spread on half of the rice mixture.

Spread half the cheese on top of that. Then add another layer of tortillas and pour on the enchilada sauce, spreading it around evenly.

Add the chicken then the corn then the remaining rice and salsa verde.

Top with the rest of the cheese and sprinkle with taco seasoning. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes.

Serve with sour cream and fresh cilantro for garnish.

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast Casserole

I've been trying out a bunch of new recipes in preparation for a big Mother's Day brunch I'm hosting. I don't want to serve something that doesn't taste (and look) delicious, especially to the people I love the most in this world! Unfortunately, this dish fell into the "tastes great, looks bad" category, so although I'm sure I'll make it again, I won't be making it for Mother's Day. Now I'm thinking I'll fall back on the tried-and-true pumpkin pecan pancakes (a mix from Willams Sonoma) in addition to the quiches.

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast Casserole
*I cut the recipe in half for the two of us

12 slices of bread, crusts removed (I used a potato bread)
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed (I didn't cut this in half, and would use 2 cups in the full recipe)
12 eggs
2 cups milk
1/3 cup syrup (I used blueberry syrup)

Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon butter

Cut bread into 1 inch cubes, place half in a greased 13x9 inch pan. Mix softened cream cheese with vanilla and cut into 1 inch cubes. Place over bread. Top with blueberries and remaining bread. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in milk and syrup, blending well. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture. Cover and chill overnight.

Remove casserole from the refrigerator a half hour before baking. Baked covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 25-30 minutes more or until golden brown and the center is set.

Sauce: In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; add water. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in blueberries and reduce heat. Simmer 8-10 minutes or until berries burst. Stir in butter until melted. Serve warm with the casserole.

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

I'm terrified of baking. Cookies, bars, cakes, pies-all fall into the "too scared to cook" category. But I'm embracing my role as a cooking wife, so at 3am in the morning, there I was with my food processor making raspberry oatmeal bars. And I'm glad I did! These were very good and really fulfilled my sweet craving without being too sweet.

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
From Pink Bites

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats (not the quick cooking kind)
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 sticks cold butter
1 1/2 cups raspberry jam (I used 1 3/4 cups-I like jam!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9 inch baking pan.

In a food processor, blend flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut butter into pieces, add to food processor, and pulse a few times until large crumbs form. Divide the dough in half (I just eyeballed it).

Press half the dough into the pan, covering the bottom and a little bit up the sides (about an inch). Spread the jam evenly over the dough and then cover that with the rest of the oatmeal dough by just sprinkling it over the top. Do not press!

Bake for 55 minutes and let it cool completely before cutting. Enjoy!

Cheddar and Herb Biscuits

I will admit it. I have an addiction. Seriously. The Cheddar Bay biscuits from Red Lobster-so delicious! Once when my college roomies and I went to Red Lobster, we stuffed our purses and bags with the Cheddar Bay biscuits and ended up bringing home something like 25 of those little pieces of heaven. It was like the best dream ever! Haha, okay, so I'm exaggerating a little on that last one, but these are seriously SO GOOD! When I found this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, I was so excited to try it out. And like many of her recipes I've tried, I was not disappointed. I will be making these all the time, I'm sure!

Cheddar and Herb Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (I used more like a 1/2 teaspoon-mmmm garlic!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
3 tablespoons butter, cold
1 cup buttermilk
1 & 1/4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, garlic, and salt. Cut in shortening and butter until coarse crumbs are formed. Lightly mix in grated cheese. Mix in buttermilk until just moist (dry spots here and there are okay-biscuits will be tough if overmixed). Drop biscuits onto greased or lined baking sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes until browned and golden.

While biscuits are baking, in a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Brush mixture on biscuits evenly as soon as they come out of the oven (or dip in mixture). Serve immediately.

Cheesy and garlicky deliciousness!

Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Dip

I decided to buy a mini crockpot off Amazon the other day after purchasing a slow cooker cookbook. My mom has a small one and it burns everything, so I was really hesitant about this one, but it had low and high settings, so I figured it would probably work better than Mom's. I was right. Nick claims this is his new favorite dish. I told him a dip can't be his favorite meal. The mess all over his face begged to differ, however.

One quick note: this isn't a throw-it-in-the-pot kind of recipe. There are a few steps beforehand; read the directions before beginning, so you aren't surprised.

Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Dip
From the Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook
*Use a 1 & 1/2 quart crockpot

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 garlic clove, minced
14-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1/3 cup roasted red bell peppers, finely chopped

Combine Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and garlic in food processor. Process until smooth. Place mixture in slow cooker.

Add chopped artichoke hearts and red bell pepper. Stir well. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour. Stir again. Cook on high for an additional 1/2 hour or until hot. Serve with chips, veggies, and/or pita bread.

*I might add a couple of drops of tabasco for a little kick the next time I make this. However, I will have to make sure that Nick is nowhere around because he might throw himself over the crockpot to stop me. He swears it's perfect as is.

Creamy Orzo with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Red Peppers

To start off, I have to say that this was pretty good. Nick says it is now in his top five. I don't feel that strongly about it, but it came together quickly and had a yummy flavor that was different than what we normally eat. Next time, however, I will cut the recipe in half, as it easily made enough to feed 6 people!

Creamy Orzo with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Red Peppers

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cut in chunks
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered (I bought them pre-sliced to save time)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cloves finely minced garlic
1 pound orzo pasta
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup reserved pasta water
1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Squeeze of lemon juice

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the orzo according to package directions. Reserve one cup of pasta water when orzo is done.

While orzo is cooking, chop up your veggies and meat. Having everything on hand and ready to put in the dish is helpful in this one because it all comes together so fast! Then heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet. Brown on all sides, but don't cook through. Add mushrooms, peppers, and thyme.

Stir and let cook 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms and peppers have softened and browned and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer, or until fragrant. At this point, add the cream cheese in bite-sized chunks and stir so it melts and coats the chicken and veggies.

Add the reserved pasta water and bring it to a simmer. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir and then add orzo, parmesan, lemon juice, and parsley. Stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with parmesan and parsley.

Originally from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Spinach, Mushroom, and Swiss Quiche

Having never made quiche before, I thought it would be so much harder than it was. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was easy and delicious. Bonus: you can easily change up the ingredients to fit your tastes.

Spinach, Mushroom, and Swiss Quiche

4 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons flour
Onion powder or 1/3 cup finely minced onion
Salt and garlic powder
8 ounces shredded Swiss (2 cups)
1/3-1/2 cup cooked diced mushrooms
1 package frozen chopped spinach
1 9-inch unbaked deep dish pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spinach according to package instructions. Wring out liquid and set aside. Meanwhile, cook the diced mushrooms in a skillet over medium-high heat in a little bit of olive oil for 2-3 minutes until browned and liquid has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool while you work on the egg mixture. Hand whip eggs, milk, mayonnaise, and flour in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into pie crust and bake 45 minutes to an hour or until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes (this will be really hard-believe me!) and then enjoy!