Stuffed Chicken...

Pepper & Cheese Stuffed Chicken

4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breast halves

1 7 ounce can of red Chipotle Chili Peppers

4 Tablespoons herb-flavored cheese spread (I use Parmesan w/Garlic & Herb)

2 eggs

seasoned bread crumbs

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 13x9x2 inch baking sheet with aluminum foil; coat with nonstick cooking spray.

Insert sharp knife into thicker side of chicken breast creating a pocket in the center of the chicken.

FOR MILD HOTTNESS: Slice the chipotle chili in halve lengthwise, scrape all seeds. Place one chili inside each chicken breast.

FOR HATTON HOTTNESS: Slice the chipotle chili in halve lengthwise, scrape some seeds, leaving some seeds. Place two chili's inside each chicken breast.

On top of chili, spread one tablespoon of cheese spread.

In a small bowl beat eggs with a fork. Brush each side of each chicken breast with egg and top both sides with breadcrumbs. Spray chicken breast tops with nonstick spray.

Bake at 375 for about thirty minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in center registers 160 degrees.

**By the way, this recipe came from one of our dedicated readers, also our Mom (or Momma) so Thank You!!

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Again another easy and yummy slow cooker recipe!  This one does take a little longer to prep for the slow cooker so not one to use if you are in a hurry that morning but worth the little bit of extra work.  I may forgo the browning of the chicken next time entirely, and then cook longer in the slow cooker.  I felt the browning was mostly for color but with the dark sauce I don't know if it was necessary.  But until I try it differently here is the current recipe as prepared.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Your choice of chicken (I used 6 boneless skinless breast; org recipe calls for 10 boneless skinless thighs)
• 3/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed (or 2 tablespoons pre-minced garlic)
• 1 tablespoon ginger 
• 1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained with juice reserved
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

1. In the slow cooker mix honey, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, ginger, and reserved pineapple juice-not the pineapple just the juice.  
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook chicken just until evenly browned on all sides.  Place chicken in a slow cooker.
3. Cover, and cook 4 hours on high.  Stir in pineapple tidbits just before serving.
4. Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl.  Remove chicken from slow cooker.  Blend the cornstarch mixture into remaining sauce in the slow cooker to thicken.  Serve sauce over chicken.

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken

From the freezer, to the crock pot, to the plate with ease.   This dinner was simple and delicious!!

Ingredients:

• 5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (frozen; if you don't use frozen you may want to reduce the cooking time in the first step or add more dressing, so that it doesn't dry out)
• Double batch of Good Seasonings Italian Dressing (or 1 bottle pre-made Italian Dressing)
• 1 8oz. package of cream cheese-I used reduced fat
• 1 can cream of chicken soup-I used Campbell's Healthy Choice
• 1 can chicken broth-I used Swanson's Natural Goodness~100% fat free, 33% less sodium
• 1 teaspoon Basil
• 1 teaspoon Parsley
  
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place frozen chicken and Italian Dressing in crock pot on low, cook for 6-8 hours
2. Pull chicken out and drain remaining dressing/juices, set chicken aside
3. In empty crock pot combine remaining ingredients and whisk together until creamy, turn crock pot up to high 
4. Shred or chunk chicken-Mine pretty much fell apart
5. Put chicken in crock pot with sauce and leave on high for 45 minutes to an hour

Serve over egg noodles, other pasta, or rice.  We used egg noodles and it was very very yummy!! Dustin, Taylor & I all loved it.  It was a quite meal because everyone was too busy eating to talk.  

By using The reduced fat cream cheese, Healthy Request Soup and Natural Goodness Broth this was a very healthy meal too.  I could have even used fat free Italian dressing if I had used pre-made dressing.  You can feel good about serving this to your family! (and eating it too)

London Broil oopsy!!

So as I said on the previous post, when I typed it I was marinating this recipe for a second time. I thought that it didn't look the same when I had bagged it, but I thought maybe it was just because I had two steaks in the same bad but once I typed out the ingredients I realized that I had made a boo boo. I was multiplying the marinade ingredients by 1 1/2 so I should have put 1 1/2 TEASPOONS of Oregano but when I was putting it in I thought "I really like Oregano, I will go ahead and double it, rather than 1 1/2 times normal". Well that would have been no problem but I had the TABLESPOON not the TEASPOON, so it didn't look the same because it had TONS more Oregano. I was worried that I had ruined all that meat, but I just hoped for the best. I was so thankful when everyone still loved it. So I guess the point is put as much Oregano in as you want, it will still be good.

London Broil

So first of all --no this meat has not been marinading for a week, but as previously told we are busy moms.  Plus I have been deeply engrossed in two books this past week so I am sorry that I have neglected you.  Thankfully my sister has made up for my inadequacies.  

Secondly, since I just fished bagging this recipe to marinade AGAIN for tomorrows dinner, I figured I better get on here and post it.  Needless to say EVERYONE loved it!!  Even my super picky son!!  That is a miracle in itself.  I came home from church today and was told by Nana that she had bought two flank steaks and they were in the fridge for me to marinade the same way.  I took that as a huge compliment. 

Flank steak is typically a very though meat but is also very inexpensive and goes on really great sales.  This recipe is perfect for this meat!!  It was super flavorful and tender!!  The ingredients are easy to keep on hand so you won't ever have to pass by a great sale on flank steak again because you don't have a recipe for it.

Marinading (learning how to taste yummy) and then two of the plated 

London Broil with one piece sliced off.

London Broil

Ingredients

• 3 cloves (or 2 tablespoons) garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (2 pound) flank steak or round steak

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix together garlic, soy sauce, oil, ketchup, oregano, and black pepper.  Score meat about two inches apart on both sides.  Place meat and marinade in a large resealable plastic bag.  Refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.  (I have marinaded mine for 24 hours both times)
2. Preheat oven to broil.  (Or see alternate BBQ directions below)
3. Spray broil pay with non-stick cooking spray.  Place steak on the broiling pan, and discard marinade.  Cook for 10 +/- minutes per side, depending on the thickness.  Do not overcook as it is better on the rare side.  (And I normally am even a well-done girl and this was even true for me)
4. Slice across the grain and serve.  (goes great with red potatoes :)

for the BBQ grill (I have not cooked it this way but this was the original recipe)

1. In a small bowl, mix together garlic, soy sauce, oil, ketchup, oregano, and black pepper.  Score meat about two inches apart on both sides.  Place meat and marinade in a large resealable plastic bag.  Refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.  (I have marinaded mine for 24 hours both times)
   
2. Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate.  Place steak on the grill, and discard marinade.  Cook for 5-8 minutes per side, depending on the thickness.  Do not overcook as it is better on the rare side.
4. Slice across the grain and serve.  (goes great with red potatoes :)
   

STICKY CROCK POT CHICKEN...

STICKY CROCK POT CHICKEN...

1 bottle Catalina dressing
1 small jar Apricot Preserves
1 envelope Knorr Onion soup mix
chicken
put chicken in crockpot and pour all ingridients over chicken. cook on low all day. serve with rice.

(I know it's not my picture, I stole the picture for eye appeal :-) I left my chicken whole when serving it on the plate, and poured a lot more sauce for yummy wet rice)

So, this is the recipe I used for our dinner tonight, and I felt like I cheated! :-) It was super easy!! And the best part, everybody loved it!! I left it in all day, and it was great! I used a whole bottle of Catalina dressing, and a regular jar of apricot preserves - I could have put more chicken in, we had a lot of sauce left over... but now I know I could easily make this dinner for 6 or 8 people, just by adding more chicken. Hope you try this... it's sweet, sticky, tangy, I don't know but the taste is perfect!! Plus REALLY EASY!!

HERB-CRUSTED PORK TENDERLOIN

HERB-CRUSTED PORK TENDERLOIN

1 (4 pound) boneless pork loin
1 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. store bought pre-minced garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried rosemary

-Preheat oven to 350*F
-Place the pork loin on a rack in a roasting pan. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. With your fingers, massage the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all the meat. Or if you are like me and don't like to touch the meat, then use a spatula and spread into the pork.
-Cook pork in middle rack in oven for one and a half to two hours (1 hour 45 min. in my oven).
-Test for doneness using a meat thermometer. When the internal temp. reaches 155 degrees F, remove from oven. Or when there is NO pink in the meat, remove from oven.
- Allow to sit for about 15 minutes, as it will continue to cook while it rests.

I also served gravy over the top of my tenderloin. I just used one of those gravy packets. It made it DELICIOUS!

I made this dinner and it is definitely a favorite!! It was absolutely delicious!! It does have a long cook time, but it's one of those -put it in the oven and forget it- dinners!! Everybody loved it, and it was super tasty! We had never even made pork tenderloin before, but it is a favorite now! I hope your family enjoys this as much as mine did!!

Comments

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Pesto Chicken

So, here is a tasty and simple favorite in our house... Enjoy!

Pesto Chicken

Need:
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Jar (Classico 10 oz.) Traditional Basil Pesto
2 cups preshredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 Plum Tomatoes cut in chunks

To Make:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Defrost Chicken Breasts (if frozen).
Place Chicken Breasts in large bowl.
Puncture chicken breasts with fork 2-3 times each piece.
Spread Basil Pesto over chicken, rub with spoon generously all over chicken.
Typically, for 4 pieces of chicken I would use half the jar.
If time allows let chicken marinate in basil pesto for 15-20 minutes.
Cover cookie sheet with foil.
Place chicken breasts on cookie sheet (spoon extra basil pesto back onto chicken)
Bake for 20-22 minutes.
Remove and layer generously with mozzarella cheese and tomatoes.
Bake for additional 4-6 minutes.
Enjoy! Serves: 4

Another 1st...

I can't really claim this as a new recipe, but I did make another 1st for tonight's dinner...
I made Tri-Tip! I have NEVER made any red meat before, so I was definitely showing love to my husband through this act of service to him! (I can't stand to look at, touch, smell or taste beef) I bought the Tri-Tip pre-seasoned from Costco, and just stuck it in the oven! Sounds easy enough, but let me tell you, this was a stretch for me! But if you like red meat, I think this would be the way to go. You have to be home well before dinner time, but it takes little-to-no effort!

Crystal's Turkey Dinner...

So... this is NOT a normal thing - but last week I made a Thanksgiving Day style dinner... my 1st actually! And it went well! Of course, I had all the crystal platters and bowls out on the table with post-it notes on each so that I could make sure I had everything ready to be put out, and so that I didn't forget anything. My family got there, and had a blast making fun of me for my OCD like behavior, but it was all in love so that's ok :-) Anyway... we had
Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Sweet Potatoes
Corn
Rolls
Pickles & Olives
Cranberry Sauce
And it all went very well, except the fact that I burned my hand on the oven trying to check on the Turkey. But, I just seasoned the turkey with salt & pepper - nothing special, but very tasty! It was a very nice dinner, and a nice little practice run... I think I am ready for Thanksgiving at my house this year :-)

I've got something marinading!!

I've got something marinading!! Be sure to check back 

tomorrow night, I've got a London Broil marinading right now 

that I will be making tomorrow evening!  

It smells yummy!!

Honey Mustard Chicken

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 
2. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste, and place in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.  In a small bowl, combine honey, mustard, basil, paprika, and parsley.  Mix well. Pour 1/2 of this mixture over the chicken and brush to cover.
3. Bake in the preheated over for 30 minutes.  Turn chicken pieces over and brush with the remaining 1/2 of the honey mustard mixture.  Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.  

Okay so this is the first dish that everyone eating didn't love.  My husband didn't really like it.  But he is not really a big fan of mustard.  Taylor and Jayden loved it and ate it up.  I hardly tried it by the time I was done with my salad, but did like it.  However, I did think that the mustard was a little overpowering and you didn't get enough of the honey flavor.  So for now a good recipe when the hubby isn't home (and we all need those recipes too-otherwise we would get tired of corndogs).  But the next time I make it I will tweak it a bit (as I enjoy doing) and may get back to you with an improved version.  Don't let that scare you away though, it is still a good recipe to begin with as long as you like mustard (which Dustin doesn't).

Slow-Cooker-Cranberry Roast

The roast cooking (notice the low fluids) and the Roast once it was "plated"

Cranberry Roast with gravy on the side (for my no gravy boys)  served with green salad and baked potatoes with all the toppings!

INGREDIENTS
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast
1 (16 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

1. Place onion soup mix in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place roast in the slow cooker, and top with cranberry sauce.

2. Cover, and cook 8 hours on Low.

3. Remove roast, and set aside. Set slow cooker to High. Whisk together butter and flour, and slowly mix into the liquid remaining in the slow cooker to create a thick gravy. Serve with the roast.


I made this roast last Sunday. I started it before church and was a little worried about leaving it because there seemed to be a lot less liquid than any roast I have made before but I left it and hoped for the best. It was not dry at all, it was very good!! I served it with baked potatoes (with all the toppings and a green salad. All of the family loved the roast. As for the gravy Dustin & Jayden do not eat gravy of any sort and Taylor who does normally like gravy didn't really care for it. I liked it but can see why kids wouldn't. So I give the meat a solid A- but the gravy more of a C, since I am the only one of the family who liked it.  But since you only add flower & butter to the juice left from the roast, I will make it again next time and see if Nana & Papa like it.

Candi's Red-Wine Chicken

So this is both my and my husbands new favorite meal. I tried it for the first time last night and it was the best meal in my 9 years of marriage BY FAR!! I can not tell you how much we both enjoyed this meal and it was SO easy.

I made the kids "quick food" and then put them to bed and fixed a nice candlelit meal for my husband and I. We started with a classic green salad and rolls and then I "plated" the chicken. I was still finishing my salad as my husband said "here you have to try this" and shoved a piece of chicken in my mouth. It was WONDERFUL!! I set aside the rest of my salad and started eating my chicken.

This chicken made a wonderful meal for two but it is a great family meal or a meal for guests as well. (I ran a bite back to my 7 year old daughter who was not yet asleep and she was quite disappointed that her dinner was not up to the par of mine. She has already asked me today when I am going to make it again for everyone). It is unbelievably easy and tasted like I had slaved over it for hours.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon paprika
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup red wine
salt and pepper to taste


Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook garlic in oil until tender. Place chicken in the skillet, and brown on each side.

2. Sprinkle chicken with paprika and 1 cup brown sugar. Pour red wine around chicken.

3. Cover, and simmer about 20 minutes; lightly baste chicken with wine sauce while cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


Notes:

You can substitute 3 pounds of your favorite cut of chicken-or whatever you have on hand. Also, I used fresh minced garlic but jarred would save time. I also used red cooking wine found near the vinegar in my grocery store but any of your favorite red wine will work.

Something to look forward to

Tomorrow nights' meal will be Cranberry Roast. While searching for what to cook tonight I came across one that will have to wait 'till tomorrow. Not enough hours left to have it tonight unless we want to eat after 8. I am really looking forward to making it but it will have to wait one more day. So back to my search for a new recipe for tonight!! Check back tonight to see what I fixed and how it was!!

Cooking Momma Candi

Let us introduce ourselves....

We are Candi (left) and Crystal (right). We are sisters and best friends. Candi has always enjoyed cooking but always stuck to the same few dishes. Crystal has a husband who is a wonderful cook. But recently things changed for both of them. Crystal had a gorgeous baby boy and became a stay at home mom. At that time she decided to tie her apron strings and explore in the kitchen. And boy is everyone glad she did, she has a talent and is a great cook. Candi finally just got fed up with the same 'ol dishes and discovered that she really loved to cook. She was inspired by top chief but also realizes that not everyone has 2+ hours prep time. So in their quest for recipes they decided to create this blog together. Crystal is typing from Albany, OR and Candi is typing from Bakersfield, CA. Blogging together is another way for them to feel closer!!

We will be posting recipes that we try, the good and the bad. We will post tips and funny stories from the kitchen. We would also like to get into doing reviews of kitchen gadgets and gizmo's. Really we want to blog about every corner of the kitchen.