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! 

A breakfast fave

Oatmeal (regular oats) topped with a sprinkling of brown sugar, 

raisins/craisins, 

chopped strawberries, 

chopped pecans, 

and drizzled with real cream.

Now that's a great way to start a day!

Shredded Beef Sandwiches

So dang easy!

3 lbs. beef chuck roast

1/2 large onion, chopped

1/4 cup vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced (I used more)

1-1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Place meat in slow cooker. Top with onions. Combine vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over meat. Cover. Cook on low 8-10 hours or high 5-6 hours. Shred meat (you can drain the broth to save for dipping, or shred the meat and combine it with the broth--I like it combined because it keeps the meat moist).

I usually add bbq sauce to it after I shred it, and then pile it on top of buns sandwich-style. That's Geoff's favorite way. I think it still makes good sandwiches without the bbq sauce too. 

Original recipe is from "Fix-It-and-Forget-It-Entertaining"

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!)

Fish Kabobs

3 T extra-virgin olive oil
3 T lime juice
3/4 onion, quartered
3/4 red bell pepper, cut into wedges
3/4 yellow bell pepper, cut into wedges
12-18 cherry tomatoes
1.5 lb. fish (halibut, sword, salmon) shown in picture is orange roughy

Combine oil and juice into 8 x 8 glass baking dish. Cut fish into 1" cubes, place in dish, and marinate in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Turn cubes to coat evenly and chill 5 more minutes. Thread fish and veggies onto skewers, brush with leftover marinade from baking dish. Place skewers on a broiler pan and broil 4" from heat source, about 3 minutes. turn skewers, brush with marinade, and broil from another 3-4 minutes, or until fish is done and veggies are tender-crisp.

Very good! Here is the meal, with broccoli (also had rice with 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.

Cinnamon Apple Muffins

Seth found the muffin cup liners the other day and wanted to make cupcakes, so we made "muffin cupcakes" instead and Seth loved them - I added my own crumb topping since I like topping =)

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted (it says you can substitute with canola oil, so I wonder if you could use applesauce as well to make them healthier and applier?)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup finely chopped apples

Heat oven to 375 F.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add all remaining ingredients. Stir just until flour is moistened. Spoon into muffin liners.

Bake 18-23 minutes.