Sheet Pan Fajitas

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1.5 – 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and sliced
1 large onion, sliced
2 large bell peppers (or 3 small/med ones), sliced
3–4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
handful of cilantro
1 lime
optional for serving: sour cream, guacamole/avocado, tortillas, rice and beans, etc

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Have a large sheet pan ready (cover with foil or parchment for easy clean-up).

In a small bowl mix salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano and garlic powder.  Place sliced chicken, onions, and peppers in an extra large mixing bowl.  Drizzle on oil and seasonings. Toss to coat.

Spread chicken and pepper mixture out evenly on baking sheet and place in oven.  Bake for 20-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.  If desired, place under broiler for a quick minute to brown.

Remove from oven and if desired, sprinkle cilantro over everything and give it a big squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Serve with tortillas and traditional fixings, or over a bed of salad or veggies or rice and beans, etc.

Notes:
I made these the week they were posted back in January and have not made another fajita recipe since (even our beloved and much-made fajitas that I posted here many many moons ago).  I doubled the recipe to feed all the Blanchards in North Carolina this summer, and in that case, we ended up cooking it all in a couple of giant frying pans on the stove.  It worked fine that way, too, but I just love the hands off ease of the sheet pan meal.  This one is so flavorful, so easy and so quick I don't think you'll ever need another fajita recipe again!

Frying pan style - you do what ya gotta
do when cooking in a stranger's kitchen.
;)

Massaman Curry

Source:  Life Made Simple

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil, coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices
• 2 cans (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• 1 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tbsp. smooth peanut butter
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. red curry paste
• 1 4-ounce can massaman curry (4 ounces = 1/2 cup)
• 1 lb. chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c. chopped roasted peanuts

Directions:

1. In a large skillet or dutch oven set over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, saute the onion until tender. Add the carrots and potatoes, cook for 5 minutes.
2. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth, bring mixture to a simmer. Add peanut butter, brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce and curry pastes, mix to combine. Let the potatoes and carrots simmer for 10 minutes, then add the sliced chicken. Continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is fully cooked.
3. Remove from the heat, serve over freshly cooked white or brown rice. Garnish with additional peanuts, sliced lime and Thai basil, if desired.

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Source:  Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 15-ounce cans chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2–3 shakes Tabasco (or similar hot sauce), Optional
• kosher salt, to taste
• 4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese (low fat is fine)
• 1 7-oz can mild green chiles
• 14–16 ounces cooked, shredded chicken (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 4 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, divided
• 8–10 medium flour or corn tortillas

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Wen butter is melted and bubbly, add flour and stir to combine. Continue cooking, whisking continuously until mixture is light golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. SLOWLY add chicken broth, whisking constantly, until smooth.*note, if this part ends up a disaster and your sauce looks lumpy and clumpy- it’s not ruined! Just pop the entire sauce in a blender to smooth it out, then back in your pan and continue.
3. Whisk in garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander, chili powder, and pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer and stir until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream and hot sauce. Add salt to taste and set aside.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, soften cream cheese in microwave until it’s easily stirred. Add green chilis and 1/2 cup of reserved sauce. Stir to combine and add chicken and 2 cups cheese.
5. Tip: If needed, to make the tortillas easier to roll, place between damp paper towels and microwave until warm (20-30 seconds).
6. Pour about 1 cup sauce into the bottom of prepared pan and spread out evenly. Place about 1/3-1/2 cup chicken mixture on each tortilla and roll tightly. Place tortillas snugly in pan. Pour remaining sauce on top and top with remaining 2 cups cheese. Bake 30-35 minutes, until hot and bubbly throughout and cheese is melted.

White Bean Chicken Chili (Soup)

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Extra virgin Olive Oil (or non-stick spray)
1 pound boneless chicken, cubed (about 3-4 boneless, skinless breasts) (I usually don't use this much - one or two (if I'm feeling really chickeny) is plenty)
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans Great Northern Beans
1 3.5 oz can green chilies
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon coriander (I know it's not common in a lot of spice cabinets, but I bought some just for this recipe and I'm very happy with it)
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh cracked pepper (or just regular ground pepper from your shaker, no need to be fancy)
1 lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
32 ounces chicken broth
additional toppings: tortilla chips, jack cheese, diced green onions, lime wedges, more cilantro, sour cream, avocado

Directions:
In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes- just until it starts to become translucent. While onions are cooking, drain beans and rinse with cold water and set aside.

Sprinkle chopped chicken with a little salt and pepper and add to pot. Add garlic as well. Cook until there’s no more visible pink on the chicken, probably 3-4 minutes. Then add green chills – along with all of the juices in the can.

Add beans, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and then add chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the juice from one lime and the 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowls and top with toppings.

Makes about 8 cups of soup.

Optional: It's called a chili, but it’s really a soup consistency. If you want it thicker, just reduce the amount of broth. Or, alternatively, take an additional can of beans (drained and rinsed) and place them in a blender. Ladle in a cup or 2 of the finished broth (avoid the chicken pieces, etc,) and puree until smooth. Add this mixture to the soup. (I've never tried this with this soup because I like the brothiness of it, but it's a great idea if you're looking for something more chili-like.)

Also: I once tried this in the crockpot, literally "throwing everything in" (minus the lime juice and cilantro - I added that at the end) and starting with a frozen chicken breast.  It worked great!  I just cooked it on high for maybe 3 hours (ish?) and then dropped it to low till dinnertime (maybe 3ish hours more?).  I think I like the texture of the chicken and onions and such better when it's on the stovetop, but it's definitely doable in the crockpot if that fits your schedule better.

Notes:
This is one of my favorite southwest-y flavored soups and I make it over and over and over throughout soup-eating months.  And don't skimp on the toppings!  (Haha - maybe that's the reason I love taco/tortilla/chili type soups so much?)

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese (can use low-fat) (I always up this to 4 oz (half a brick) just because)
1/4 cup green salsa (I always use La Victoria brand, medium heat)
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (these are also really delicious with leftover pepperoncini pork or cafe rio pork too)
1 cup grated pepperjack or monterey jack cheese
20 small flour (or corn, but I like flour best) tortillas (look for "fajita size")
kosher salt
cooking spray or olive oil

Directions:
For the filling:
Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well. (You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.)

For the taquitos:
Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

If using corn tortillas, work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towels until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If using flour tortillas straight from the fridge, it helps to warm them in the microwave so they’re easier to roll.

Place 2 Tablespoons (don't overfill or it will all ooze out and it might do that anyway) of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1 inch from the edges.

Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another. Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Dip in sour cream, salsa, or our favorite: Creamy Lime Cilantro Ranch (we call it "green sauce" and it is THE BEST!).

For the freezer:
Prepare the taquitos through rolling them out and placing them on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 and place the taquitos on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Notes:
I'm trying to get back to posting here on the ol' recipe blog.  (I feel like I've said this before, and I probably will say it again. New Year's Resolutions and all that.)  BUT, I definitely want to share some of my all-time favorites that I've been making the past couple of years.  I won't post every single new thing I make like I used to.  But I absolutely want to get the ones that we come back to over and over again shared here.  And these taquitos definitely fit in that category.  They are AMAZING and a big-time favorite at our house.  And they're easy!  The hardest/longest part is rolling them up, but that isn't even that hard/long.  So don't delay!  Give them a try!

Asian Garlic Noodles

Source: Mel The Great

Ingredients:
12 ounces spaghetti (I did not have spaghetti - who doesn't have spaghetti? - so I ended up subbing a full pound package of extra wide egg noodles and it worked really well, I thought)
1 teaspoon olive oil or avocado oil
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp or boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed (I would have loved shrimp, but I used chicken since that's what I had, and I only used one chicken breast)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
3 zucchinis spiralized or small diced (I think three zucchinis was a ton! you could get away with 2, I'm sure)
3 large carrots, cut into thin matchsticks or chopped (I tried the matchsticks thing, just to be cute and I think next time I'll just chop 'em small)
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (my own addition to kind of make up for less chicken)
chopped fresh cilantro

for the sauce:
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce, more to taste, if needed
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger (I used about a teaspoon of dry ground)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (I only had plain ol' white vinegar)
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions:
Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling, lightly salted water according to package directions just to al dente. Drain and rinse quickly with cool water. Set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, whisk together all the sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch.

Measure out 1/4 cup and set aside. Whisk in the cornstarch to the larger batch of sauce.

Heat the 1 teaspoon oil in a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp or chicken lightly with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Add the 1/4 cup reserved sauce. Saute until cooked through (just a few minutes for shrimp, 5-6 minutes for chicken). Remove the meat to a plate and return the skillet to the heat.

Add another teaspoon of oil, if needed, and add the bell peppers, zucchini, and carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are crisp-tender, longer for softer vegetables.

Add the cooked spaghetti, shrimp or chicken, and reserved sauce mixture. Toss to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through.

Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

Notes:
This was yummy and colorful and different than our normal noodle dishes.  I loved it.  'Nuff said.

Eat the rainbow!

Cajun Chicken Stroganoff

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons olive oil
12 ounces chicken sausage (like the Aidell's brand), sliced 1/2-inch thick (I just used some turkey sausage that was on sale)
12 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 Tablespoons flour
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup sour cream
Chopped green onions or fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Hot, cooked egg noodles or rice or quinoa for serving (we always go for egg noodles with stroganoff)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the paprika, pepper, salt, basil, thyme and oregano. Let sit while cooking the sausage and mushrooms.

In a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet (I always use a large saucepan because I don't have a skillet big enough for these sorts of things), heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Remove to a plate.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken/seasonings mixture in a single layer. Let the chicken brown nicely on all sides (don't let it cook through). Push the chicken to the edges of the skillet and add the tomato paste and garlic powder to the center. Cook while mashing and pressing the tomato paste and garlic mixture into the hot skillet for 30 seconds or so before stirring it into the chicken.

In a liquid measure cup (or in a blender) combine the flour and chicken broth until smooth.

Slowly pour in 1/2 cup of the broth, stirring quickly and thoroughly. After the mixture thickens a bit, continue adding the broth slowly, stirring or whisking quickly to incorporate the broth throughout the chicken. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is bubbly and thickened. Add the mushrooms and sausage back to the skillet and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Off the heat, stir in the sour cream. Serve over hot, cooked egg noodles, rice or quinoa. Garnish with fresh parsley or green onions, if desired

Notes:
This makes a ton of sauce - usually I mix my noodles and sauce together and just serve it from one pot, but this time I didn't cook nearly enough noodles to do that, so we kept them separate for leftovers and I used some leftover rice from other meals for lunches the next few days.  Also, the sauce was runnier than I was expecting.  So maybe next time I'll add an extra tablespoon or so of flour to help it thicken up a bit more.  It was good though.  Different than our usual stroganoff (which we all love around here), but a fun change.  I really like the sausage addition.

Creamy Chicken Soup with Rice

Source: adapted slightly from Quiche the Cook blog

Ingredients:
1 small chicken breast, diced
3 medium-sized carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 Tbs oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cans chicken broth
~1 cup water
1/2 cup rice
1 teaspoon rosemary (I just shaked a few shakes - it was probably less than a teaspoon, but I don't really know)
1 teaspoon sage (I don't have sage, so I subbed marjoram - and it was, again, probably less than a teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons flour
3/4 cup milk (or you could use cream)

Directions:
In a medium-large pot, heat the oil and cook chicken pieces (seasoning with salt and pepper to taste).  Once chicken is cooked through, remove from pan and set aside.  Saute the carrots, celery and onions in the residual oil and chicken juices until the onions become translucent.  Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the chicken broth, water, rice, diced chicken, rosemary, sage, salt & pepper and let the mixture come to a boil.  Continue to cook until the carrots can be pierced with a fork and the rice is cooked (10-12 minutes) (I actually let it simmer low and slow for a good long while - like an hour, but if you don't have that kind of time, a few minutes is probably fine).

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and flour until there are no clumps.  Stir this mixture into the soup and stir until fully incorporated.  Cook another 2 minutes (or another hour if you have the time), or until it thickens slightly.

Notes:
Ever since I saw this recipe I couldn't get the poems by Maurice Sendak out of my head.

"In January

it's so nice

while slipping

on the sliding ice

to sip hot chicken soup

with rice."

In fact, as I made this soup tonight, I recited every month of chicken soup poems that I could remember (I did have to peek at the book a few times because I got stumped on April and June and July).

Let me just say, this soup is awesome.  I didn't really change a ton from the original recipe - mostly just upped some of the ingredients so we would have more to eat (and more leftover for lunch tomorrow).  Gregg, Cal and I all had second helpings tonight - it was just so flavorful and warm and hearty.  Served up with a fat slice of some crusty artisan bread (homemade, and oh-so-easy, no less) we had a magnificent dinner on a chilly January night.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
2-3 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or chicken tenders
16-ounce package sliced bacon, thick cut or regular
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (I went with the larger amount on each of these ranges)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If you have it, place an uncoated metal cooling rack inside a foil-lined large rimmed baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. If not, line a baking pan or broiling pan with foil and lightly grease with nonstick cooking spray.

Cut the chicken breasts into large bite-sized pieces. If using chicken tenders, cut them in half (you can fold over the chicken tender pieces when wrapping so they'll be thicker). Place the chicken pieces in a medium bowl and toss with the salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, garlic powder and red pepper. Let it hang out while preparing the rest of the ingredients (you can cover and refrigerate up to a day).

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and chili powder together. Cut the entire slab of bacon into thirds.

Wrap each chicken piece with small strip of bacon and holding tightly, dredge them in the brown sugar/chili powder mixture. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer on the baking sheet (or rack set inside the baking sheet). If the bacon isn’t staying put, you can secure with a toothpick.  (I made mine ahead of time and stored the pan in the fridge for most of the day till it was time to cook.  So when it came time to cook them, they took closer to 30-40 minutes to cook since everything was so cold.)

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and the chicken is cooked through. Flip it once if the chicken is laying directly on the baking sheet. Serve immediately.

Notes:
I was looking for new appetizer recipes that I could serve for Christmas Eve or New Years Eve or just your average Thursday Eve.  And of course, Mel came through for me again.  These were delicious!  I loved the slight spicy-sweet coating that came from the brown sugar-chili powder dusting over the top of these little delights.  My only complaint is that the bacon never really got crispy.  I don't know if it's supposed to, but I guess I was expecting it to, so when it stayed pretty soft and chewy, I was a little bit bummed.  But, they were delicious.  And they actually warmed up great in the microwave for the next few days as we ate them for lunch.  We even sliced them in half and used them as the meat in a sandwich, which was really quite delicious.

Creamy Black Bean Chicken Soup

Source: here, via Pinterest

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts (I used 1 small one and it was totally chickeny enough)
1 cup chicken broth (I think I probably used one can, which is closer to 2 cups)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained (I used about a cup of frozen corn kernels)
1 cup salsa
1 package taco seasoning (I used a few tablespoons of a homemade seasoning mix)
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (optional)
Tortilla chips

Directions:
Place chicken in crock pot. Pour broth, beans, corn, salsa, and taco seasoning over chicken.

Cook on low for 6 hours (or high for 3 hours).

Remove chicken and shred. Re-add chicken.

If desired, add sour cream and cheese to crock pot. Stir until smooth. (Or add desired amount to individual servings)

Serve with tortilla chips.

Notes:
I stumbled across this little recipe on pinterest one day and immediately changed my plans for that day's dinner and made this instead.  It was super easy, super delicious and super small.  Which actually was perfect for us on the Thursday before Thanksgiving since I didn't need lots of leftovers to deal with before we left town for a week.  So yeah, it doesn't make a ton, but it easily could be doubled in a bigger crock pot.  Yum!

Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Source: my mom, Peggy (I think she said it came from an old ward cookbook from years ago)

Ingredients:
1 cup rice (not cooked - yet)
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 - 1/2 green pepper, diced (optional - suggested by by sister) (I went with them)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 6 oz can mushrooms (optional) (I opted for the mushrooms)
1/4 cup pimento (optional) (I left these out)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional) or cracker or bread crumbs (I went with bread crumbs)
1 1/2 cups light cream or milk (I used evaporated milk + 1% milk)
chicken broth (see directions)
3 cups cooked diced chicken (I used probably 2 cups for a double batch)
2 Tablespoons parsley

Directions:
Cook rice.  Cook onion (and green pepper, if using) in butter until tender.  Remove from heat.  Stir in flour.  Drain mushrooms, reserving liquid.  Add enough chicken broth to liquid to measure 1 1/2 cups.  Gradually stir into flour mix.  Add cream.  Cook and stir until thick.  Add rice, mushrooms, chicken, pimento, parsley, salt and pepper.  Place in a 2 quart casserole dish.  Sprinkle with almonds or crumbs.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Notes:
My mom always made a double batch of this casserole and froze one to have on hand to take to someone in need in the ward when she served as Relief Society President.  She even made it for us when she came to visit/help after Callie was born, and boy was it tasty then!  Our Relief Society President recently had a baby, so I decided to bring her this comforting, warm, delicious casserole as a dinner for her and her family.  I, too, doubled it, keeping one for us.  It comes together pretty quickly and it really hits the spot.  Another variation by my sister is to leave out the mushrooms and pepper and add broccoli instead.  Sound delish!

(Notes for me for the future: when I doubled the recipe, I used 1 can evaporated milk + 1% milk to make it 3 cups; mushroom liquid + 1 can chicken broth + water from boiling chicken to make it 3 cups.)

Chicken Marsala

Source

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
3 tbsp olive oil
2 oz prosciutto or bacon
1 onion finely chopped (I added)
8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup dry marsala wine (or chicken broth)
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I omitted)

Directions:
1. Place flour in shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Coat the chicken evenly with the flour, shaking off the excess.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken on both sides. Working in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan. Transfer to crock pot once browned.
4. In the same skillet, brown the prosciutto or bacon until it becomes crisp. Remove onto paper towels.
5. Add onion to skillet and cook until soft. Add mushrooms and cook until both the onion and mushrooms have browned. Once brown, stir in wine and broth, scraping up the browned bits of prosciutto stuck to the pan.
6. Pour the mushroom and wine sauce over the chicken in the crock pot.
7. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours.
8. Top with the cooked crumbled prosciutto and chopped parsley right before serving.

Notes: I'm trying to increase my healthy crock pot recipe repertoire. Although this doesn't rate super high on the healthy scale (hello bacon grease), it gets a perfect score for both deliciousness and ease. This will definitely become a regular in our household.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta {Mel's Version}

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
for the seasoning:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you want to up the heat) (my kids thought it was too spicy even when I used only 1/4 teaspoon - so use as much as you can handle!)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

for the chicken and pasta:
2 teaspoons oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch strips
2 bell peppers, any color (I prefer red and orange), sliced into thin strips (I only had one - a red one - and it seemed to be plenty)
1 yellow onion, cut into thin half moon slices
12 ounces fettuccine noodles (I decided to use a whole pound package because I hate having half-open pasta bags in my cupboard just hanging out)

for the sauce:
1 Tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
1 cup milk
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (I skipped the broth and just upped the milk to 2 cups total since I used more pasta than she called for)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix together all the seasoning spices in a small bowl and toss all but 1 teaspoon of the mixture with the chicken pieces, reserving the 1 teaspoon for later.  (Since I had already made up a very similar Cajun spice mix a long time ago, I just used ~1 Tablespoon of that for the chicken and 1 teaspoon for later.)

Bring a large pot of salted (I never salt my water - am I a bad pasta maker?) water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package directions.

While the noodles are boiling, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Add the seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer and cook until golden on each side and cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside, leaving as much liquid in the pan as possible.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the peppers and onions. Sprinkle the reserved spice mixture over the top and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are softened. Scrape the veggies on top of the chicken.

Return the skillet to the heat and make the sauce by adding the butter and garlic. Stir constantly for 30 seconds or so until the garlic is fragrant. Add the cream cheese in large pieces and whisk or stir until smooth and thick.

In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk, broth and cornstarch until well combined.

Gradually pour this mixture into the skillet, whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste (I'd suggest about 1/4 teaspoon each and work up from there as needed).

Add the chicken, peppers and onions and stir to coat with sauce. Remove from the heat.

Once the noodles are finished cooking, drain and return to the pot. Pour the sauce mixture over the top and toss to coat the noodles with sauce. Serve immediately, garnishing with green onions, if desired.

Notes:
I had made a different version of Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta a long time ago and we really enjoyed it then and the handful of other times I have made it since.  I liked the flavor and creaminess and the relative ease of the dish, but when I saw Mel post her own version, I knew I had to give it a try.  And I knew that I wouldn't ever go back to my old ways once I did.  That's sort of the way it goes with her recipes.  She's just that good.  I really liked the extra creamy-factor from the cream cheese, but I actually thought the pasta was better the second day (reheated, of course) after it had a chance to really meld together in the fridge overnight.  Good stuff here.  And although the recipe looks long, it really isn't too involved and is actually pretty quick to whip together.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Source: Inspired by these recipes I found on pinterest, and taking some ideas from my favorite tortilla soup recipe from my old neighbor Camilla, I mostly made this one up on my own (kinda fun!).

Ingredients:
~2 cups celery, diced (I used a bunch of odds and ends pieces I had in my fridge, but I'd guess probably 4-5 stalks should do ya)
~2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced (I got this from 4 medium carrots)
1 large onion, diced
1-2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 heaping cup cooked and shredded chicken
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
2 (10.5 oz) cans cream o' chicken soup
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
2+ cups water (I used the leftover water that I cooked my chicken in - is that legal?)
ground black pepper and parsley, to taste
2 Tablespoons cornstarch + 3 Tablespoons cold water

Directions:
Heat the oil in a 5 quart soup pot.  Dump in the celery, carrots and onions and saute until the onion is translucent and the veggies start to soften.  Add the frozen peas and corn, cream o' soup, chicken broth and water.  Stir well to mix everything.  Season with pepper and dried parsley.  Simmer on low for at least a half hour (I had mine cooking for about an hour).  For the last ten minutes of simmering, add the cornstarch-water mixture and watch it magically thicken up nicely.

Notes:
I saw a couple Chicken Pot Pie Soup recipes floating around on pinterest recently and the idea just sort of stuck in my head.  I didn't think ahead today in time to make it in a crock pot like the recipes I found suggested, but this stove-top version worked out nicely for our needs.  (I think it would work out fine in a crock pot, too, and may use that idea in the future.)  I tweaked the recipes I found (I didn't add mixed frozen veggies since I didn't have them and I didn't add potatoes because that seemed kind of weird to me for a chicken pot pie dish) and was really pleased with the results.  We gobbled ours up tonight (even though it wasn't really a soup-weather sort of night) with some hot whole-wheat biscuits and it was quite the delicious meal.

Epicurean Chicken Pasta Salad

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
for the Salad:
10 ounces (actually anywhere between 8-12 ounces) rotini pasta (I found that 3 ounces = 1 cup dry, so I used 4 cups dry)
2-3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces or shredded (I dropped this to about 1 cup shredded and didn't miss the extra)
1 large sweet-tart apple, cored, diced (Mel prefers Honey Crisp for this salad - I just used a Gala)
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, diced small (about 1 cup)
1 15 ounce can pineapple tidbits, drained very well (I had a 20 ounce can and used about half of it)
1/2 cup red grapes, halved (my grapes were ginormous so I quartered them)
2/3 cup sliced almonds (I think I just used about 1/2 cup I think)

for the Honey Lime Dressing:
1/2 cup light or regular mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup light or regular sour cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions:
In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the pasta until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well.  In a large bowl, toss all the salad ingredients together.

In another small or medium bowl, whisk all the dressing ingredients together.

Pour the dressing over the salad and stir gently to mix so that all the ingredients are evenly coated with the
dressing.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to an hour (the salad may dry out a bit if refrigerated for much longer - you can make extra dressing or reserve part of the dressing to stir in right before serving).  (I had leftovers for days and I didn't notice any drying effect, so I may make it a few hours in advance without any worries in the future if needed.)  I also felt like it needed just a touch more salt (maybe because I didn't salt my pasta water?) so I sprinkled some on my serving when eating.

Notes:
I saw this salad pop up on Mel's blog recently and thought it looked mighty tasty.  The honey-lime dressing really tickled my fancy.  So I whipped it up to serve as a side for a dinner of Marv 'n' Joes, courtesy of Mom's garden tomatoes.  That's a late-summer meal if I've ever had one!  Also interesting to note: this salad was the cause of Callie's very first documented temper tantrum.  She wanted MORE noodles and wasn't happy when I suggested she eat a bite of grape or chicken before I gave her more.

Chicken Enchiladas

Source: My mom

Ingredients:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup (or more) sour cream
1/2 can (use your soup can) or less milk (use this if you don't have chicken juice to add to your sauce)
1 medium onion, diced
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 can chicken chunks (save juice) or 1 lb. cooked, cubed or shredded chicken (I'm a little skimpy lately and can get by with ~1 cup shredded chicken for 8 enchiladas and we haven't missed anything)
1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
8 flour tortillas

Directions:
Mix soup, sour cream and chicken juice (or milk).  Spread enough of this mixture to cover bottom of 9x13" casserole dish.  Inside each tortilla, layer some chicken, a little onion, chiles, and cheese.  Roll and place seam side down in dish.  Cover tortillas with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.  Garnish with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato and salsa.

Notes:

This is one of my very favorite comfort food meals of all time.  And my mom must have known that since she made them for me while she was here helping after Callie was born.  I just love them (and her) so!  Very quick to assemble and cook, they make a great weeknight meal.  I've also made them on a Saturday night and kept them in the fridge uncooked till Sunday afternoon when I didn't feel like "cooking".  Leftovers (if you have any) are the best!  Oh!  And any other meat can be used in place of the chicken - we used to have these with ground beef or leftover turkey after Thanksgiving.

Shake and Bake Chicken

Source: My momma, Peggy Elwood

Ingredients:
2 cups dry bread crumbs
½ cup flour
3 teaspoons paprika
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup shortening
chicken pieces (I like to use the boneless skinless thighs or regular drumsticks)

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients (minus the chicken) together. Skin the chicken (if it has skin) and roll in the breadcrumb mixture.  Bake at ~350 degrees F until chicken is cooked (times will vary depending on the pieces of chicken you're using - a good starting point is usually about a half hour and check from there).  This makes a lot (I coated two big packages of chicken legs and I still have some left over!), but the extra crumb mixture will keep for a long time in a ziploc bag in the fridge.  Note: put a small amount of crumb mix in a bowl for dipping/rolling your chicken in and add to it as needed.  That way your extra crumbs stay chicken juice-free and you can have more deliciousness on another day.

Notes:

According to family legend, this was something my mom made for my dad on one of their first dates . . . and the rest is history!  My memories of it usually involve a President's Day outing to Hardware Ranch to see the elk and go sledding, picnicing on cold Shake and Bake and Dad's potato salad in the car afterwards.  We recently made and devoured it for a Memorial Day picnic in the mountains of Colorado.  Whatever the memories or tales around this chicken may be, it's definitely delicious and worth making.  As Gregg loves to quote every time we make or eat this, "It's shake and bake, and I helped!"

Lemon Chicken Pasta with Broccoli

Source: Mel again

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cubed
Salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon oil
4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (when I do the full 16 oz pkg of pasta, I up this to 2 1/2 cups)
Zest of two lemons, about 1 Tablespoon
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons, use the same ones you just zested)
12 ounces penne pasta (about 4 1/2 cups dry) (I usually use the whole 16 oz package and just up the liquid a bit to make sure it all cooks)
2-3 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets
3/4 cup milk (when I do the full 16 oz pkg of pasta, I up this to 1 cup)
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I never have the real stuff, so I just used 1/4 cup of the powdered stuff from a can and then garnished with more at the table)

Directions:
Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Add the chicken and saute, stirring frequently, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate, keeping as much oil/liquid in the skillet as possible.

Keep the skillet on medium heat and add another teaspoon of oil if needed (I usually don't but you'll want to keep an especially close eye on the garlic). Add the garlic and basil and stir constantly for about 30 seconds. Add the water, broth, lemon juice and pasta. Stir to combine.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally just to keep the pasta from sticking, for 10-12 minutes until the pasta is tender - it will cook for a few more minutes in the next step. There will be a bit of liquid left in the skillet; that's ok (I had more than "a bit" left - I thought it looked like a lot - but it really is okay).

Add the broccoli and lemon zest. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and tender. While the broccoli is cooking, whisk together the milk and cornstarch.

Uncover the skillet and stir in the milk mixture along with the Parmesan cheese and reserved chicken. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 1-2 minutes.

Season with additional salt and pepper (this is really important - don't skip this step!) and serve.

Notes:
I still have some frozen lemon juice cubes and a partial jar of zest in my freezer, so whenever I see a recipe involving lemons, I perk up and pin that baby!  I tried and loved a similar recipe earlier this year with angel hair and spinach, but I think I've been converted to Mel's way (of course I have!) and will likely stick to it.  I may even try the angel hair and spinach with her methods - they're so quick and simple and totally out of this world delicious!  You should make this.  Today.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe, via a recommendation from my sister Heather

Ingredients:
for the marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt (Heather said she's used sour cream, too, with good results)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger (I used 1 teaspoon ginger powder)
1 teaspoon salt
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips or chunks

for the masala:
1 Tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup cream (I used the 1/4 cup melted butter + 3/4 cup milk trick for this)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
For the marinade, combine all ingredients except chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and refrigerate for one hour or up to 8 hours (I had mine in the marinade for 2 hours). Grill or cook chicken in frying pan (I did the latter in a little bit of oil). Discard marinade.

For the masala, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for one minute. Season with cumin, paprika and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream.  (I actually just melted half a stick of butter right at first and used it to saute the garlic and jalapeno, then when I added the milk it became the "cream".)  Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes (I only did about 10 minutes for the initial simmer). Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes (but then after I added the chicken it simmered for probably nearly 20 minutes while I waited for Gregg to get home). Garnish with fresh cilantro (this was a must - it really made it taste so fresh). Serve over hot rice.

Notes:
Heather had told me about (raved about, actually) this recipe multiple times and since we are officially out of the fun Indian spice packets we've received from Gregg's sister Heather over the years, I decided I'd try my had at a from scratch Indian recipe.   This really was quite easy and so awesomely delicious.  I'll be keeping this one in the rotation, for sure.  Oh, yum!

Crockpot Orange Chicken

Source: here

Ingredients:
4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed (I just added them frozen and it worked perfectly)
3/4 cup orange marmalade
3/4 cup BBQ Sauce
2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:
Cook chicken in crockpot on high for 3 hours.  After 3 hours, drain juices.  Mix together marmalade, BBQ sauce, and soy sauce in a small bowl.  Pour over chicken and cook on high for 30 more minutes.

Notes:
Couldn't be simpler!  Luckily it was awesomely tasty, too.  The chicken was so soft and moist and flavorful.  I did shred it slightly into big chunks when I added the sauce mixture, just so I could ensure that I upped the chicken-to-sauce ratio.  We ate this with some delicious rice pilaf, but plain rice would be fantastic, as well.