Pineapple Chicken

I know that a lot of people are always looking for something new to do with chicken. It's a family favorite in just about everyone's family. So here's a new chicken recipe for you. We tried it last night, and it was pretty good. Brandon liked it, which is a plus, and I think it was decent and needs some tweaking. Give it a try and see what you think!

What You'll Need: 

Chicken for six (I used four large chicken breasts, cut up)
Olive oil
2 8 oz cans crushed pineapple in juice
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup brown mustard
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp melted butter
Paprika
White rice, for serving


How to Make It: 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Get the chicken ready for cooking by trimming any fat and cutting it up if you'd like. Brush a little olive oil in a 9x13 pan, and place the chicken inside. In a bowl, whisk together the broth, mustard, and honey, and stir in the pineapple. Pour over the chicken, and drizzle the melted butter over that. Sprinkle with some paprika, and throw it in the oven for 40 minutes or until the chicken is done. Serve it with rice, and put out some Polynesian sauce or Hawaiian barbecue sauce if you have it (I thought the taste was really mild so I had mine with a little barbecue sauce!) I think that it would also taste really good served with egg rolls, but we didn't have any on hand. : )

Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken

I made this last night, and it was really yummy! I'm looking forward to having the leftovers for lunch. 

What You'll Need: 

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 2 packages chicken breast tenderloins
1 bottle honey barbecue sauce
Scant 1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp garlic powder

How to Make It: 

Place the chicken in a large slow cooker. In a bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, red pepper and garlic powder. Pour over chicken. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on Low setting for 4-6 hours. Fair warning: the longer you leave the chicken in the slow cooker, the more dried it will taste (especially if using thinly prepared chicken, like the tenderloins.) So for smaller pieces of chicken, aim for about 4 to 5 hours before serving.

Creamy Tomato Pasta Bake

I think this is what some people would call a "weeknight dinner." It's easy and pretty cheap, and doesn't take long to prepare. It tasted good, too- much better than just plan pasta and marinara! This is adapted from a recipe I found on pinterest. 

What You'll Need: 

1 16 oz box tubular pasta (I used maltagliati)
1 jar marinara (I used a roasted garlic and onion flavor- I like chunky sauce!)
1 jar alfredo
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Grated parmesan
1 packet Italian dressing mix, optional

How to Make It: 

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees (I set mine to 425 degrees because I heated up frozen garlic breadsticks to serve with the meal. You can always adjust the cooking time if you'd like to do something similar.) In a large bowl, combine the two sauces and 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella. Shake in some of the grated parmesan and the dressing mix, if you're using it, and stir to combine completely. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the sauce mixture. Stir to coat all the noodles, and pour everything into a 9x13 pan. Top the pasta with the remaining shredded cheese, and some extra parmesan if you'd like. Throw it in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the whole dish is heated through.

Cheesy Pecan Chicken Casserole

I made this for dinner tonight with roasted carrots and cannellini beans. It was pretty yummy!

What You'll Need: 

1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese, divided
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chicken broth
4 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 onion, finely diced*
1/4 cup mayo
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce, or more to taste
1 tbsp dijon or spicy brown mustard

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 350. In a bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup of the cheese, the pecans, salt, paprika, and vegetable oil. Set aside about 2 cups of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the remaining crumb mixture on the bottom of a greased 13x9 baking dish. The crust will be crumbly- don't worry about it! Bake the crust for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Pour the mixture over the baked crust, and sprinkle it with the remaining cheesy pecan crumbs. Bake the casserole for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let the casserole stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will make 8 very generous servings!

*I don't even bother dicing onion anymore, unless I can throw it in my food processor with something else. Invest in a decent box grater (cheese is better when you grate it yourself, anyway) and just grate the onion. You don't have to touch it as much and it takes a lot less time!

Balsamic and Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Loin

Drop everything you're doing, go to the grocery and get the ingredients for this right now. It is so good. I want to make batches of the sauce and put it on everything- I have a feeling that it would be very yummy on chicken, as well.

What You'll Need:

1 2 lb boneless pork loin

1 tsp ground sage

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp soy sauce

How to Make It:

Combine the sage, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture over the pork. Place the pork in a slow cooker, and pour the 1/2 cup water in there with it. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. About an hour before the pork loin is done, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, water and soy sauce in a small saucepan, and heat the pan until the mixture thickens. Stir the sauce frequently so you don't get little lumps of cornstarch in it. Brush the roast with the glaze two or three times in the last hour of cooking, and serve the roast with whatever sauce you have left over. Or you can be like me and double the sauce recipe so you'll have plenty to go around!

Buffalo Chicken Calzones

What You'll Need:

1 can (8 oz) pizza sauce (I like Muir Glen)

2 tsp plus 1/2 cup hot sauce, divided

1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

3 tbsp butter

A dash of Cajun seasoning (I used Emeril Lagasse's recipe, scaled down)

2 tubes (10 oz each( refrigerated pizza crust dough

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 oz very finely crumbled blue cheese, optional

Cornmeal

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine the pizza sauce and 2 tsp hot sauce; set aside. In a skillet, saute the chicken in the butter for 3-5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink. Stir in the Cajun seasoning and the remaining hot sauce, cover the pan and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until everything is heated through. Unroll the pizza dough and divide each portion in half. On a floured surface, roll each dough portion into an 8 inch circle. Spread the pizza sauce mixture over half of each circle within 1 inch of the edge of the dough. Top the sauce with the chicken mixture and the cheeses. Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges to seal. Sprinkle a greased baking sheet (or two, if you need it) with cornmeal. Place the calzones over the cornmeal, and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Garlic-Parmesan Chicken

I made this a week or two ago with some spaghetti and pasta sauce. It was quite yummy.

What You'll Need:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup dry bread crumbs

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp dried basil leaves

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded flat

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. In a bowl, blend the olive oil and garlic. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan, basil, and pepper. Dip each chicken piece in the oil mixture, then in the bread crumb mixture (roll the chicken around in the crumbs to ensure that it's well coated.) Arrange the chicken in the prepared baking dish, and, if you like, sprinkle with some of the remaining crumb mixture. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink and its juices run clear.

Fried Chicken with Mushroom Gravy

Gravy is amazing, but this stuff is especially good.

What You'll Need:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp Bisquick, divided

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 egg

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

2 tbsp sliced green onion

1 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp soy sauce

How to Make It:

Between pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper, place each chicken breast smooth side down; gently pound until about 1/4 inch thick (this would be called a "paillard".) In a shallow dish, stir 1/2 up Bisquick and garlic powder. In another shallow dish, beat the egg. Dip the chicken in the egg, then coat each piece with the Bisquick mixture. In a 12 inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add the chicken. Cook three minutes or until golden brown. Turn the chicken; cover and cook 4-6 minutes longer until done. Remove the chicken to a serving platter and cover to keep warm. In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook 3-4 minutes until browned. Add the remaining Bisquick and onions; cook and stir until mixed. Stir in the milk and the soy sauce. Cook the gravy until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Serve the gravy over the chicken.

Black Beans and Rice

These are so yummy!

What You'll Need:

4 standard-sized cans black beans

1/2 yellow onion

6 cloves garlic

1 bunch cilantro

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups whole grain brown rice

Diced avocados, for serving

Sour cream, for serving

Tortilla chips, for serving

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat the black beans over medium-high heat (drain very little of the juice.) Chop the onion and cilantro, mince the garlic, and place these in a small saucepan and saute. After the beans have been heated for about 20 minutes, stir the sauteed ingredients into the black beans. In a separate pot, begin preparing the rice according to package instructions. Pour the beans into a 13x9 baking dish and top with the shredded cheese. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve the black beans and rice with avocado (if you're into that), sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Parmesan-Dijon Chicken

There are so many different ways to fix chicken, which is good, because it's pretty much the only meat we eat around here. This recipe serves 6.

What You'll Need:

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/4 cup butter, melted

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large zip-top plastic bag, mix bread crumbs and cheese. In a shallow dish, stir the mustard into the melted butter until well mixed. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; dip one piece of chicken in the butter mixture, then place in the bag, seal it and shake the bag to coat the chicken with the crumb mixture. Place the chicken in a single layer in a 13x9 baking dish. Bake uncovered 20-30 minutes, turning chicken once with tongs, until the chicken is done and its juices run clear.

Taco Seasoning

I am experimenting. This one is pretty good, although it has a little bit more heat than the prepackaged stuff, I think. Use this recipe for 1.5-2 lbs ground beef or turkey.

What You'll Need:

2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cayenne or red pepper

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

How to Make It:

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Add to cooked ground beef or ground turkey while the meat is still in the skillet. Add about 1/3 cup water and stir to coat meat completely with the spice mixture. Cook on low heat until the mixture is thickened slightly.

Barbecue Biscuit Cups

I have eaten a LOT of ground beef barbecue in my lifetime. On bread, on hot dogs, on hamburger buns, even in flour tortillas sprinkled with cheese. Here's another way to eat barbecue (you can also substitute your favorite barbecue recipe.)

What You'll Need:

about 3/4 lb lean ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced (or use a small pinch of garlic powder)

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper, optional

1/4 cup ketchup (I used a little more because I like "wet" food)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp pepper

1 tbsp packed brown sugar

1 can buttermilk biscuits

1/2 cup shredded cheddar

How To Make It:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a skillet, cook the beef, onion, garlic, and bell pepper over medium high heat until beef is cooked; drain. Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and brown sugar. Separate the biscuit dough into 8 biscuits and place each one into ungreased standard sized muffin cups; smoosh them to make about a little bit of a rim above the pan. Spoon the beef mixture evenly into the dough cups. Sprinkle each cup with cheese. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Zesty Italian Crescent Casserole

I'm 99% sure I got this one from a Pillsbury cookbook. I adjusted the recipe a bit, though. This was really yummy!

What You'll Need:

1 lb lean ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 pkg (1.5 oz) spaghetti sauce mix

1 can tomato sauce

2 cups mozzarella

3/4 cup sour cream

1 can crescent rolls

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

2 tbsp butter, melted

How To Make It:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a 10-inch skillet, cook the beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in the sauce mix and tomato sauce and heat until hot and bubbly. In a small bowl, mix the mozzarella and sour cream. Pour the hot meat mixture into an ungreased 13x9 inch glass baking dish. Spoon the cheese mixture over the meat. Separate the crescent roll dough into 2 rectangles. Place rectangles over the cheese mixture. In a small bowl, mix the Parmesan and butter; crumble evenly over the dough. Bake for 18-25 minutes until deep golden brown. Cut into squares and serve.