Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

If I want to guarantee that Roman is going to eat supper, I know that it has to include to things; chicken and cheese. This recipe is chalk full of those two ingredients, but also adult enough for John and I. I love chicken cordon bleu, but who has time for the stuffing, breading, and baking. This casserole takes a classic dish and makes it quick and simple. It also freezes extremely well, so you can make a few and stash them for another day!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
4 chicken breasts, chopped
300g sliced deli style black forest ham
300g sliced Swiss cheese*

Sauce
4T butter
4T flour
3 cups milk
2T lemon juice
1T Dijon mustard
1 1/2t salt
1/2t paprika
1/2t pepper

Topping
4T butter, melted
1 1/4cup Panko
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat over to 350 and spray a 9x13 baking dish with oil. Layer in chicken, ham & cheese. Set aside.

In a small pot, melt sauce butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Slowly add milk while continuing to whisk. Turn heat to high and cook until it thickens and boils. Remove the pot from the heat and add remaining sauce ingredients. Pour the sauce over base layer in the baking dish.

Mix together topping ingredients and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

When the cheese melts and mixes with the sauce and runs down and coats the ham and chicken, magical things happen. The crunch of the topping is perfect and is a great contrast to the gooey interior. The mustard also gives the casserole and nice little zing without being overpowering. DEFINITELY a family favorite!

Chicken Quesadillas

I have a long standing love with the chicken quesadilla that dates back all the way to high school. I remember going to Boston Pizza with my friends and ordering the most delicious chicken quesadilla. Once I hit my college days, living away from home for the first time, and having surviving on student loans and part time job, the luxury of the BPs quesadilla was only for special occasions.

I however would not give up so easy! I spent many nights in my apartment attempting to perfect this tasty meal. I was a big nerd so I did indeed have a lot of time to perfect it. I tried using one of those quesadilla machines, and it worked okay, but having a piece of equipment strictly to cook quesadillas is a bit much. That and I lost it in a move...

Chicken Quesadillas
3 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 cup chopped green onion
2 cups chopped bell pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar
8 - 10" tortillas
salsa and sour cream for dipping!

Spray a frying pan with non-stick spray and heat to medium-high. Lay one tortilla in the bottom of the pan. Layer on 1/4 of the chicken, 1/4 cup green onion, 1/2 cup bell pepper, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, and top with another tortilla.

Here is the secret!!! Sit a large plate on top of the top tortilla and weigh is down with something substantial, I like to use my Brita water jug.

Cook the quesadilla for 1-2 minutes until the cheese starts to melt and the tortilla is nicely toasted. Remove the water jug and plate. Using a flipped, toss the quesadilla onto the other side. Top with the plate and weight again, and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Slide the quesadilla onto a cutting board and cut it into slices.

The weight of the Brita helps the cheese to stick the two tortillas together. This way you can dip your quesadilla without all the filling falling out! Genius right!? Now I really want a quesadilla....

Chicken Apple Bites

Baby food isn't always just for babies. Well, this isn't exactly baby food but I did find this recipe in my baby food cookbook, First Meal by Annabell Karmel. What started out as a great finger food for Roman when he was little, has morphed into one of my favorite freezer cooking meals. I love anything in meatball form for freezer cooking because they are easy to make in a large quantity, freeze easily, and can be reheated all at once or in small batches. The original recipe suggested frying the bites, but to save time and to make them a little healthier, I've decided to bake mine in the oven.

The apple in these bites might seen add when paired with chicken, but trust me when I tell you it is delicious! The apple gives the chicken a subtle sweetness that is tasty, and ensures that even the pickiest eater will gobble these up. My only suggestion? Keep a close eye on your bites because mine tend to disappear from the cooling racks...

Chicken Apple Bites
1 large apple, grated
1lb ground chicken
1/2t onion powder
1T minced parsley
1 cup panko
1T chicken stock (water also works)
1/4-1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2t garlic powder
1/2t salt
1/4t pepper

Mix all ingredients together and form into balls using a small ice cream scoop. Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.

To Freeze: Bake as directed and allow bites to cool completely. Flash freeze and transfer to a freezer bag.
To Serve: Thaw and reheat in the oven or microwave

I love these for supper but they are also great for lunches. They are quick and easy to reheat which makes them perfect for getting food into a screaming toddler as fast as possible. Not that I would know anything about that...

Meal Plan - February 17, 2017

I'm really excited for the meals I have planned for the next couple weeks. I've been in a bit of a food slump lately, and finally made some time to track down some new recipes. New recipes can be a scaring thing because you never know what you're really going to get. Sure the photo looks beautiful but will it be good?

Well, we've already had a few of these recipes and so far we have some new family favorites!! I'll keep you in suspense about which meals they are until the next meal plan post.

Pork cutlets with mashed potatoes and veggies
Roasted chicken and veggies
Ham & Gouda Stromboli
Honey Teriyaki Chicken
Chicken Guacamole Tostadas
Spinach & Feta stuffed chicken
Chicken Enchiladas

I also have a few fun lunches planned. I don't normally plan lunches because we usually have sandwiches or leftovers. Roman, like almost every kid, loves McDonald's. Who doesn't really? Like most people I know that eating too much fast food isn't good for anyone, plus it isn't cheap! I usually make hamburgers for lunch a couple times a month so that he can still get his burger fix, but it's in a healthier way. I make my patties from scratch and like to stuff the patties with some mozzarella or cheddar cheese. Roman gets so excited when he finds extra cheese that all thought of McDonald's is gone!

My parents gifted John and I an Acti-Fry machine a few years ago for Christmas, and it's one of those appliances that I always forget to use. I thought it would be fun to give homemade sweet potato fries a shot. I'm not usually a fan of them, but I thought that maybe homemade ones would be better. So, I picked up a few sweet potatoes and we'll see what happens!

Jalapeno Cream Cheese Chicken

This recipe is right up there with the Creamy Chicken Pocket recipe I shared a few weeks back. You NEED to try this recipe! I particularly like this recipe for our busy soccer nights. I pop them in the oven, have them cooked before we leave, and when we get home the just need to be warmed up quickly before we can eat them and jump right into bed time routine.

Don't let the jalapenos scare you. The flavour of the jalapenos is very present but there is no heat from them once you remove the seeds. The cream cheese filling in the chicken is amazing and I would actually dip chips or bread into it and eat it just as a dip. It's that good!

Jalapeno Cream Cheese Chicken
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 1/2T oil
1 diced jalapeno, seeds removed
4t minced garlic
8oz. cream cheese
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Butterfly the chicken breasts by running a sharp knife, parallel to the cutting board, through the centre of the chicken breast without cutting all the way through. Set aside.

Cook jalapenos and garlic in oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add cream cheese and cheddar and continue to heat until the cheese is completely melted. Allow to cool. Spoon the mixture into the centre of each chicken breast and close with toothpicks. *NOTE: I never have toothpicks in the house so I just close them up and it has worked well for me. Arrange chicken on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes.

To Freeze: Arrange chicken on a parchment lined baking sheet and flash freeze. Transfer to a freezer bag.
To Serve: Thaw chicken and bake as directed.

I found this recipe somewhere on the interweb but for the life of me can't find it now. If I track down the original I'll link it here.

Greek Chicken & Lemon Rice

Holy chicken recipes Batman! I didn't realize how many of our favorites these days are chicken. But I guess that's what happens when you don't want to fight with a threenager about eating his supper. Why can't we go back to the days when Roman would devour anything I put in front of him. On an unrelated topic, the legend of the threenager is not a legend, it's truth! I know! I've seen it!

Roman liked this dish, but John LOVED it. He says it tastes just like Greek take-out! I love finding recipes that replace take-out and can be frozen. It gets rid of all the excuses for picking up food or having it delivered. Unless of course you forget to take it out in the morning and it's still frozen solid one hour before supper time. Not that I would know anything about that happening....

 

Greek Chicken & Lemon Rice
5-7 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1-2 lemons, zested and juiced
1T oregano
4 garlic cloves, minced

Rice
1/2T olive oil, separated
1 small onion, diced
1 cup long grain rice
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup water
1T oregano
1t salt
pepper

Combine chicken, lemon zest & juice, oregano and garlic in a freezer bag. Place in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.

Heat 1/2T oil in a pan over medium high heat. Cook chicken, reserving marinade, until golden brown on both sides and set aside. Add onion to the pan and cook until translucent. Add the rest of the ingredients and reserved marinade. Let the liquid simmer for 30 seconds. Divide the mixture between two 8x8 pans, top with chicken thighs and cover with foil. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered.

To Freeze: Bake as directed and allow to cool completely. Cover with foil and freeze.
To Serve: Defrost and reheat in the oven or microwave. If reheating in the microwave, be sure to scoop it onto a microwave safe dish first! No sparky sparky!

Originally posted on Recipe Tin Eats.

Creamy Chicken Pockets

Everyone knows that food tastes better when it comes in pocket form; pizza pocket, pocket pies...or maybe that's just me... Roman loves chicken, broccoli and cheese, and I clearly have a thing for food in a pocket, so this recipe was sure to be a hit! I found the original recipe on Once A Month Meals, but changed it up just a bit.

These pockets have become a go to recipe in our house lately. Because the pockets only have to be reheated on serving day, it make them a great choice for busy nights when Bianca won't let me out of her sight for longer than two minutes, or the nights that I completely forget about supper. Ooops! They would also be great to take to work/school for lunch and could be eaten cold or warmed up in the microwave for a few minutes. And because it's in a pocket form you can just pick it up and eat it! See, I told you food in pocket form was amazing!

Creamy Chicken Pockets (Makes 8)
2 2/3 cup chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
1 cup finely chopped, cooked broccoli
2t minced garlic
1T butter, softened
4oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4t salt
2T milk
1/4t pepper
8oz crescent rolls* (1 pkg.)

Topping:
1T butter, melted
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

*These are the regular crescent rolls. You can use the Grands crescent rolls, you will just have 4 really large, meal sized rolls instead of 8. Obviously you will need to adjust the baking time accordingly.

In a bowl, mix together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add chicken, garlic and broccoli to cream cheese. Stir in salt pepper and milk, set aside.

Separate rolls into triangles, (*Tip - I like to flatten mine out and stretch them out a bit so I can pack more filling into them and they are easier to close) and place a good sized scoop of filling into the centre of each triangle. Fold the corners of the triangle into the centre to completely enclose the filling. Place the pockets on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake at 375° for 11-13 min.

To Freeze: Bake as directed and allow to cool completely. Wrap each pocket with plastic warp, place in a freezer bag and freeze.
To Serve: Defrost pockets and reheat in the oven or microwave.

The possibilities for fillings are endless! You could swap in any kind of vegetables with the chicken, or just skip the chicken and make a veggie and cheese pocket! I'd love to hear what you come up with!

Greek Meatballs

I stumbled upon this recipe in one of the most unlikely places.  I was watching LisaSZ09, one of the beauty gurus I follow on YouTube, but this particular video was one of her vlogs.  As soon as I saw this recipe (Originally from Rachael Ray) I knew I had to give it a shot because I'm always interested in trying a recipe that makes chicken interesting.

Meatballs are one of my favorite freezer meals because they are super quick and easy to make on my cooking day, and they reheat super fast.  It's also nice to have the option to just pull out a few meatballs if I'm scrambling for lunch for Roman.

Greek Meatballs
1T olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 gloves garlic, minced
1 pkg chopped spinach, defrosted and water squeezed out
3/4 cup crumbled feta
1 lb ground chicken
1T grill seasoning*

*I use Clubhouse LaGrille Chicken seasoning but Montreal Steak spice, of whatever you have on hand would work just fine.

Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix well.  Form into meatballs and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes.

To Freeze: Prepare as directed. Flash freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag.
To Serve: Reheat in the microwave or oven.

Easy, peazy, lemon squeezy!  I like to use an ice cream scoop to form my meatballs.  This was each meatball is the same size which is good for my OCD but it also helps the meatballs cook evenly.  Plus you don't end up with nasty chicken hands!  I like to serve these meatballs with tzatziki and broccoli.  If you're feeling really fancy you could make your own tzatziki, but I prefer to buy mine, it's just easier.

Mushroom Chicken

When John came home and sat down for supper I was excited to see what he would think of my creation.  I was shocked at the reaction!  He couldn't stop saying how delicious it was between mouthfuls of chicken.  There is nothing more satisfying than knowing that something that started out as a throw together meal is now a holy grail recipe.  Immediately after finishing his second plate John informed me that I must post this recipe, even it was only to save it for our future use.  He's always keeping the best interest of his stomach, I mean the blog, at the front of his mind.

I feel like chicken thighs have a bit of a bad rap.  Sure they are a little fattier than the breast but they also have a ton of fantastic flavor, especially if they have the bone in and skin on.  Thighs are also a lot less expensive than breasts, especially if you can get them 30% off at Superstore like I usually do.  When I see those glowing pink stickers in the meat case I make sure to stock my freezer!  Buying reduced meat is a great way to save money on groceries as long as the meat still looks good.

Mushroom Chicken (Serves 4)
8 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
salt & pepper
2t coriander powder
1T butter
1 pkg mushrooms
1 cup chicken stock
2t mustard powder
2T flour

Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper and coriander.  Heat pan over medium-high heat and place chicken in skin side down.  Cook chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side until the chicken is cooked through.  Set the chicken aside.

Melt butter in the same pan you cooked the chicken in and add mushrooms.  Sauté until the mushrooms have reduced in size and are nicely browned, about 5 minutes.  Add chicken stock and mustard powder to the mushrooms.  Whisk in flour to slightly thicken the sauce.  Return the chicken to the pan (skin side up) and bring to a simmer.  Serve with mashed potatoes, cauliflower or roasted vegetables.  In this case I decided to serve the chicken with roasted beets, brussel sprouts and onion.

Why not turn this delicious chicken into a freezer meal!
To freeze: Cook as directed.  Place chicken in a 9x9 tin pan and top with sauce.  Cool completely.  Cover with foil, label and freeze.
To Serve: Reheat at 350° for 30 minutes or until chicken is warmed through.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Who doesn't love a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup on a cold day?  Or any day for that matter!  Soup is a great way to use cheaper cuts of meat to make a delicious meal; in this case I used chicken thighs.  People often avoid thighs because they are a little higher in fat and quite honestly I think people tend to forget there is more to a chicken than breasts. 

Chicken thighs are super juicy and full of flavor, which makes them perfect for soup!  I prefer to use skinless and boneless thighs because it cuts down on prep time.  If you find a great sale on regular chicken thighs you could use them as well just remove the skin prior to cooking and remove the meat from the bone after cooking.  You could even boil the bones in your stock to add extra flavour.  Just be sure to get all the pieces out before serving!

Chicken Noodle Soup
20 chicken thighs
1T oil
2 sweet onions, diced
1t salt
3 cups chopped carrots
4 cups chopped celery (approx. 1 bunch)
4 cups chicken stock
6 cups water
1T fresh rosemary, chopped
2 bay leaves
2T fresh parsley, chopped
2 cups broad egg noodles

Melt butter in a large pot over medium high heat.  Fry 4-5 chicken thighs at a time for 5 minutes on each side, making sure not to crowd the pan, until cooked through.  The chicken will stick to the bottom of the pot a bit but that's exactly what we want!  Those stuck bits are going to make a delicious broth!  Chop chicken into bit size pieces and set aside.

Add chopped onions and salt to the pot.  Cook over medium high heat scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon as it cooks.  The juice from the onion will loosen all those bits and the onions will turn a brown color.  Add carrots and celery to the pot and cook for 2 minutes.  Stir in stock, water and herbs and bring to a boil.  Add chicken and simmer over medium high heat for 30-40 minutes or until carrots are cooked through.  At this point you'll want to fish out the bay leaves, nobody wants to eat those bad boys.  Stir in the egg noodles and simmer until tender about 5 minutes.

When I make soup I like to make a large amount of it so I can freeze some.  Once the soup is cooled, ladle it into labeled freezer bags, seal, and freeze.  You can reheat the entire batch on the stove, or do individual portions in the microwave.  In no time flat you will have supper on the table that is not only delicious, but good for you!

I should also mention that soup always tastes better when you put it in a cool bowl!

Chicken Taco Salad

Way back in 8th grade, taco salad was one of the very first things I ever cooked.  Unless that is you count the after school snacks consisting of countless pots of KD and numerous grilled cheese sandwiches.  Taco salad is a quick and easy weeknight meal, but it can also be healthy!  Traditionally, as far as I know anyway, taco salad is served with beef and a dressing of some sort, but I like to make a few switches and skip the dressing.  I promise it will still be moist, flavorful, and you definitely won't miss the dressing!

Chicken Taco Salad
1lb ground chicken
1t garlic powder
1t onion powder
1t cumin
1t chili powder
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup salsa
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 head romaine lettuce, torn
1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Season ground chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and chili powder and then brown in a pan over medium high heat.  Add bell pepper, tomato and salsa and cook until warmed through, remove from heat.  In a large bowl mix together chicken, green onions, lettuce and tortilla chips.  Top with shredded cheese and serve.

I usually assemble my taco salads in individual portions.  This way the ingredients are evenly distributed and everyone gets some of everything.

I love this recipe because of it's simplicity and freshness and also because it's quick to make and good for you!  To save yourself even more time you could cook your chicken and freeze it.  Then all you have to do is reheat and dress your salad!

Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

I love fall and all of the delicious food that comes with it.  I love roasting chickens but it doesn't strike me as a summer food so I usually do it this time of year.  Which is a shame because I make a pretty tasty chicken if I do say so myself!  For my family the key to a successful roasted chicken is all in the skin.  You don't have an amazing chicken unless you get that deliciously crispy skin.  Now you can't tell anyone. but I'm going to let you in on my secret to the crispy chicken skin, unfortunately it won't reduce the calories...

Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables
1 medium onion, sliced
4 beets, sliced
1 whole chicken
1/4 cup butter
1 lemon, sliced
3-5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
salt & pepper

Preheat over to 400°.  Lay sliced onions and beets in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Separate the skin from the chicken breasts by sliding your fingers between the skin and the breast meat, creating a pocket.  Once the skin is separated, slide butter under the skin.  If your butter is warm just shmear it in there.  If not, cut it into chunks or slices to make it easier to insert.  I also like to tuck a little butter between the legs and the body of the bird, because more butter is always better! 

Stuff the lemon slices and rosemary into the cavity of the chicken and sprinkle salt and pepper over the entire chicken.  Place chicken on top of vegetables and bake at 400° for 60 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Whole chickens are a great value because you can use them for so many things.  We usually get two meals out of a roasted chicken (or at least we did before Roman started eating solids) and I often use the leftover meat for wraps or soup.  The bones can also be boiled to make your own chicken stock.

And of course every meal in this house is now cooked under the watchful eye of Roman who has appointed himself the head of quality control.  He also helps wipe down the counter from time to time.  Sometimes he gets distracted but I keep him around because he's a good worker, and he's pretty cute in a onsie!

Chicken Parmesan

Are you a phase eater?  I've always been a huge phase eater, meaning that I go through phases of wanting/eating the same food all the time.  During my college days I had the same lunch and supper every night for 2 years.  It's almost like being pregnant and only wanting to eat that one food that just tastes better than anything else in the whole world.  I think John is still recovering from my stint of croissant sandwiches while I was pregnant with Roman.

My newest phase is chicken parmesan.  I don't know what it is with chicken parmesan lately but I just can't get enough.  Of course John isn't complaining having to eat this delicious Italian meal more often, which works out great!  In my last freezer cooking day I had a few chicken breasts left over so I decided to turn them into chicken parmesan!

Normally when you bake chicken parmesan it doesn't turn out as crunchy as it would if you fried it.  I swapped out the regular bread crumbs for panko which stays crunchy even after baking it.  Now you can have the crispy chicken parmesan that you love without soaking it in oil!

Chicken Parmesan (serves 6)
1 1/2 cups Panko
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup flour
2T dried basil
2T dried parsley
3 eggs
6 chicken breasts; pounded to 1/4-1/2" thick
pepper
2 cups mozzarella cheese
    *Feel free to add more cheese.  The only thing better than cheese is more cheese!!

Mix panko and parmesan together and place on a plate.  On another plate combine herbs and flour.  Put eggs in a bowl and beat.  Season chicken with pepper.  Dredge the chicken in flour, eggs and then panko.  Bake at 410° for 15 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Flip the chicken and bake for another 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Top chicken with mozzarella cheese and broil until golden brown.

To Freeze: Lay coated chicken breasts on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze.  Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.
To Serve:  Thaw chicken and bake as directed in recipe.

Freezing the chicken already coated makes this an easy weeknight meal that everyone will love.  Pair it with spaghetti and tomato sauce and you'll have a meal that everyone will ask for again and again.  I had some leftover Smart Mac & Cheese in the fridge so we had that instead.  Because this was baked and not fried I had no problem sharing this with Roman and he loved every bite!

Chicken Pot Pie with Homemade Crust

Chicken Pot Pie has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember.  Each and every time I make it it's as if everything is right in the world, especially when it's pared with my Grandma's homemade crust.  My Grandma was a master cook and if you've tried her Hash recipe then you'll completely understand.  Growing up in rural Saskatchewan in 1917, then having 7 kids (all girls, the poor woman), a husband that lived for pie, and living to the ripe old age of 95, she had plenty of time and opportunities to perfect her craft, and this crust will not disappoint!

 

I like my pot pie to have equal amounts chicken and vegetables so that every bite is fill with amazing flavour.  I am overrun with fresh herbs from my garden so this was the perfect opportunity to use some of them and enhance the flavour of the chicken.  I know chicken pot pie traditionally has a top to it, but I find that all that crust can sometimes overpower the filling so I decided to make mine open faced.

Chicken Pot Pie
2 cups chicken, cooked & chopped (use whatever cut you like)
2 cups frozen vegetables
1 10oz can cream of mushroom soup
2T chopped fresh parsley
2t fresh thyme
1/4t salt
1/4t pepper

Homemade Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4t salt
1/2 cup butter, cubed & cold
1/3 cup water

Mix together flour and salt in a large bowl.  Cut in cubed butter with a pastry blender or with your hands.  Grandma's technique was to take a handful of flour and butter and rub it between her hands until the butter started to break up into smaller pieces, so this is how I do it.  Add the water and mix with your hands until the dough starts to come together.

On a floured surface roll out pie crust into a circle 1/4" thick and place in pie pan.  Trim off excess crust by running a paring knife against the lip of the pan at a 45 degree angle.  I like to make a design around the edge of my crust using a fork.  You could also pinch the edge to make ridges or leave it plain.

In a bowl combine all pot pie ingredients and mix until combined.  Pour mixture into pie crust and spread into an even layer using a spatula.  At this point you can use the excess pie crust to make a design on the top of the pie if you wish.  If you like your chicken pot pie with a top, make a second pie crust and lay it over the filling, sealing the top to the bottom using warm water.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until crust starts to brown.  Let the pie rest for a few minutes before serving.  This will allow the filling to set up a bit and prevent the filling from running everywhere when you cut into it.

This would also make a great freezer meal!  If freezing the entire pie, bake as directed and allow to cool.  Then wrap top with tin foil and freeze.  To serve, simply reheat in the oven.  For individual servings, bake as directed and allow to cool.  Place slices of pie in an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap, then freeze.  Reheat in a microwave to serve.

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breasts

There was a point in my cooking career (many moons ago) that I always wanted to stuff food in food.  I'm not talking about anything as interesting as a turducken, but I had a small obsession with stuffing chicken and beef with cheese and vegetables.  It started out as an interesting concept but my family quickly lost enthusiasm.  The final nail in the coffin was steak wrapped around asparagus and feta.  I had gone too far!

I must have been traumatized because I had not stuffed another piece of meat until this very day.  I found inspiration in a post on a healthy eating Facebook page.  A gal had posted a picture of this delicious looking stuffed chicken breast.  Instantly the memories of the past flooded back, but this time I had no one to stop me, John and Roman would be the next victims of my meat stuffing crusade!

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breasts
4 chicken breasts
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 tomato, diced
3/4 cup chopped spinach
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs
2T chili powder
1t chipotle powder
1t salt
1t pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.  To create a pocket for the filling, butterfly each of the chicken breasts by slicing the breast in half, running the knife parallel to the cutting board, but not cutting completely though.

In a small bowl mix together ricotta cheese, tomato and spinach.  Spoon the mixture into the pockets in the chicken breast, diving the cheese mixture between the chicken.  Secure the chicken breast closed using toothpicks.

On a plate combine panko bread crumbs, chili powder, chipotle powder, salt and pepper.  Stir until well combined.  Add a splash of water to the beaten eggs and brush over both sides of the chicken breasts.  Coat each chicken breast in bread crumbs and set on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

If you want to make this a freezer meal, simply wrap the stuffed but un-breaded chicken breasts in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer bag.  To serve, thaw the chicken, coat with egg and bread crumbs, and bake!  Easy peasy!

Chopped Inspired Chicken Wrap

Today I was feeling inspired for lunch.  Well, actually I was dreading lunch because I had no idea what I wanted to eat.  All I knew is that I definitely did not want the leftovers in the fridge.  I hate wasting food but sometimes you just can't eat the same thing 4 days in a row.  So after preparing Roman a delicious lunch I headed to the fridge to see what my options were.

I came across some leftover sesame chicken and rice.  There was half a chicken breast and maybe 1/3 cup of rice left.  It had been fermenting in there for a couple days and the rice was looking a little sad.  Suddenly I had an idea!  Why not take a page from a recent Chopped episode featuring leftovers and make something new with it!  The hunt was on for something to pair with the chicken that had seen better days.

Some semi frost bitten whole wheat tortillas were peeking out at me from the bottom of the freezer and they looked like they could use some love.  I recently picked up some of my favorite summer roughage from the local farmer's market.  Earth, Sun, You is a vendor that sells delicious micro greens and shoots of all kinds at the Regina Farmer's Market and the Moose Jaw Farmer's Market.  I love the pea shoots and the sunflower shoots are pretty tasty too.  In this particular dish I decided to use pea shoots mixed with radish shoots.  We recently had my parents over to help us install a vanity and I had some onions leftover that I had chopped for our BBQ lunch that day; I knew I could work those in.  I grabbed a cucumber, a little mayo and some cheese, because everything is better with cheese, and voila this delicious wrap was conceived!

Leftovers can get old fast, especially when you're the only person that eats them!  Next time your staring down a sad display of precooked food, take the opportunity to be creative with your meal and see what you can come up with!  The worst thing that can happen is it doesn't taste good and you end up tossing it, like you would have to that disheartening meal you found in the first place!

Thai Turkey Meatballs

This is a holy grail recipe!  I found this delicious morsel a few years back on Pinterest and have been making it on a regular basis ever since.  Not only is this recipe super easy and amazingly delicious, but it's also pretty healthy!  The water chestnuts make this meatball!  They add a slight crunch that is so beyond amazing that you'll be wanting to add them to everything you make!  I usually serve this over rice but it would also be great over couscous or even on their own as a appetizer for a party!  Doesn't this photo just make you drool!?

Thai Turkey Meatballs  (Makes approx. 20 meatballs)
2T soy sauce
1T sesame oil
2t minced fresh ginger
1/2t chili flakes
1t sugar
1T cornstarch
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
1 lb ground turkey (chicken also works)
1/4 cup hoisin sauce (truth be told I just dump the sauce in until I think it's enough)
sesame seeds for garnish
4 green onion, chopped for garnish

Whisk together soy sauce, oil, ginger, chili flakes and sugar.  Whisk in cornstarch until smooth.  Mix ground turkey and water chestnuts together and add soy sauce mixture, stir until well combined.  Drop balls onto a baking sheet liking with parchment paper. *TIP - use a small ice cream scoop to form the balls so they are uniform in size and cook at the same rate.  Bake at 400° for 15-17 minutes.  Place cooked meatballs in a bowl and coat with hoisin sauce.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion.

To freeze: Freeze meatballs on baking sheets before baking.  Transfer to a freezer bag, label and freeze.
To serve: Place frozen meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400° for 20-30 minutes until cooked through.

Chicken Something

I know what your thinking.  Why on earth would I want to eat something called Chicken Something?  The name leaves a bit to be desired, but when John asked what I was making for supper I wasn't really sure what to call it, hence the name Chicken Something. 

I had originally purchased the rotisserie chicken with the intent of making a meal that I've made in the past, only to discover that I didn't have one of the main ingredients (I hate when that happens!).  I had already taken some Fried Couscous out of the freezer so I decided to keep with the Asian theme.  After surveying the contents of my fridge this is what I came up with!

Chicken Something  (Serves 4)
1 rotisserie chicken - breasts, wings and legs removed
1 tomato, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
5 spears asparagus, chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2T sesame oil
1t chili flakes
1T chili powder
2T sesame seeds
4 cups cooked couscous (I used Fried Couscous from Once A Month Meals and I highly recommend it!!!)

Layer chicken on top of couscous in a 9x13 pan.  Top with tomato, bell pepper and asparagus.  Drizzle soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame oil over top.  Sprinkle with chili flakes, chili powder and sesame seeds.  Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes until chicken is warmed through.

I could smell this deliciousness brewing in the oven, but wasn't completely convinced that this was going to turn out.  But I was pleasantly surprised!  The hoisin and soy meld with the BBQ flavor of the rotisserie chicken to make a delicious sauce on the chicken and couscous.

Chicken Packets

I realized a few days ago that we haven't had chicken in a long time since we have a freezer full of beef.  So I decided to bust out an old recipe that I haven't made in close to 5 years.  John absolutely LOVES this recipe so he was ecstatic when he realized what I was making.  It also happens to be a one dish meal that can be customized to what you like or what you happen to have in your fridge!

Sometimes that hardest part of deciding on what to make for supper is coming up with a side dish.  Steamed veggies can get old after awhile, and there are only so many things you can do to rice.  What if you could make your main and side dishes all at once and they would all taste amazing?  It is all possible with these chicken packets and I'll show you how!

Chicken Packets - Makes 2 Packets
2 chicken breasts
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 cup broccoli, cut into florets
2/3 cup salad dressing of your choice
salt
tin foil

Cut two large pieces of tin foil.  You want them large enough that it will they it will completely enclose all the ingredients in a pouch.  Divide the rice and vegetables in half and layer them onto the tin foil with the shiny side in.  Top each portion with a chicken breast and sprinkle with salt.

 

This is where things get interesting!  Pour salad dressing over each portion and top with parsley.  The salad dressing will form the sauce for the entire dish.  Changing the dressing you use completely changes the taste of this dish.  We all have a few salad dressings in our fridge that hardly get used, so this is a great way to use them up.  Plus you could make each portion a different flavor, catering to everyone in your family's tastes, all while only having to make one meal!

 

Fold the tin foil over the chicken and seal all the edges.  *TIP - make sure to fold the tin foil up rather than down as this will prevent juices from leaking out of the pouch.  Place the pouches on a cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Open the pouches and enjoy!  You can either transfer your meal onto a plate or, as John and I like to do, eat it right out of the pouch (just be careful not to eat the tin foil!!).  The broccoli and peppers are perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious because they steam inside the pouch in the salad dressing.  The chicken is always super moist and best of all you don't have to use an ounce of oil! 

This dish is not only delicious and good for you, but its incredibly easy.  These pouches can be assembled the night before and all you have to do it pop them in the oven, which makes them a great option for a busy family.