Chicken Tettrazini

8 oz. linguine

2 cups cooked chicken

6 Tbsp. butter

6 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp salt

1 can chicken broth (I've used chicken bouillion cubes--works great too)

1/4 cup water

1 cup heavy cream

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup sliced almonds (toast them in oven for a few minutes)

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour slowly while continuing to stir---stir constantly over heat for one minute. Gradually add cream, stirring constantly. When smooth, add broth and water. Cook for a few minutes till it starts to thicken (will not get really thick). Add mushrooms, almonds, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and chicken. You can alternate layers of noodles and sauce in a baking dish but I just stir it all together and then pour into a 9*13 baking dish. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.

**Adding some garlic to this dish would be yummy...it's like a chicken alfredo but with mushrooms and crunchy almonds--you have to include the almonds or it just doesn't feel right! 

Chicken Nuggets and French Fries

For at least a year now, I've been testing out different chicken "nugget" recipes. Fortunately, no matter which recipe I use or how I cook them, the kids generally seem to like them. My biggest challenge is with the consistency/texture of the coating. I've tried baking them, frying them, flash-frying and then baking, baking and then flash-frying, but I couldn't ever get it quite right.  I really liked the method and recipe I used tonight. It needs another trial run, but is still worth posting. 

Baked Chicken Nuggets

adapted from allrecipes.com http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Chicken-Nuggets/Detail.aspx

2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts cut into large pieces

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 tsp italian seasoning

Mix bread crumbs, parm, and seasoning in a bowl. Melt 1/4 cup butter in another bowl. Dip chicken pieces first in butter, then in crumb mixture. Cook on a cooling rack that is on top of a cookie sheet (I think this was key in how these ones baked so well). Bake at 425 till done (obviously depends on what size of chicken pieces you use). I turned mine halfway through baking.

Homemade French Fries

3 potatoes, peeled and sliced as desired

drizzle with approx 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Sprinkle with seasoning salt. Stir it all around

Bake at 450 for about 30 minutes (again it depends on the size you cut) turning when halfway through baking.

I made rainbow jello for a treat tonight--seemed to fit with the St. Patty's day theme! On the back of each "lucky clover" we each wrote a note to that person about why we were lucky to have them. (can't remember where I saw that idea but I loved it!)

Chicken Chili with Green Salsa

Note: this probably isn't the greatest "family" recipe since it is a bit spicy, but it was super fast, healthy, and had lots of flavor - I used two chicken breasts cut in small pieces, and medium salsa...might try mild next time =)

12 ounce(s) chicken-breast tenders, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cans (15 to 19 ounces each) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
1 3/4 cups (about 16-ounce jar) mild or medium-hot green salsa
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes, each cut into quarters

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken and cook 2 to 3 minutes or just until chicken loses its pink color throughout, stirring constantly.
2. Add beans, salsa, cilantro, and 1/2 cup water, and cook 5 minutes longer to blend flavors, stirring occasionally. Top with tomatoes to serve.

I made Tif's Zesty Chicken Saute

I was worried the chili pepper might be the overwhelming flavor, but I was suprised at how well the spices complemented each other. (Oh, I didn't use allspice, and replaced chicken breasts with chicken tenders--it was what I had on hand) I thought it was VERY good and SUPER easy. Preston ate his without a single complaint or prompting from me (yes!)

We had green beans and fried potatoes w/ cheese to go with it. 

Thanks Tif! Keep sharing!

Last night's dinner

you take this

and make it into this

Easy Chicken Parmesan

here's the original recipe (and I feel bad cuz I can't remember where I got this one)

3 lb chicken parts  (I just used chicken tenders, partially thawed)

1 cup bread crumbs

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp pepper

salt to taste

1 clove garlic or 1 Tbsp garlic powder

3/4 cup melted butter

Combine bread crumbs, cheese, oregano, salt & pepper; set aside.

Lightly saute garlic in 2 Tbsp butter, then stir in remaining butter. 

Dip chicken in garlic butter and then roll each piece in bread crumb mixture. Place chicken in 9*13 pan and sprinkle with remaining bread crumb mixture. Pour remaining butter on the top.

Bake at 350 for 55 minutes. 

This turned out pretty good but I've never tried another chicken parmesan recipe before to compare this to. This was easy to do. Geoff said he didn't notice the garlic flavor in it and recommended I leave it out next time because it made the house stink (his words). I used fresh garlic so maybe next time I'd try it with the garlic powder.