Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

I like Mexican food.  But I'm more a fan of the stuffed, fried variety, like taquitos and chimichangas!  I also like tacos and quesadillas and can make a meal out of just the complimentary tortilla chips and fresh salsa that is put on the table. I'm not a very big enchilada eater, which is too bad for my husband, since he always seems to order them when we go out for Mexican.  I'm obviously not making them enough at home.  I just don't like the tortilla smothered in sauce.  This recipe caught my eye because of the words honey and lime.  Not words you normally associate with Mexican.  These took a little time to make, especially because the chicken needs to marinate in the sauce for at least 30 minutes.  Believe me, it is well worth it!  The sauce adds so much flavor! And there wasn't a lot of leftover sauce to mix with the sour cream, so these enchiladas weren't especially saucy, which was fine with me!  These were really flavorful (and I didn't even use all of the enchilada sauce, which I found to be a bit spicy!).  Even my brother, who was over for dinner, and who doesn't usually eat Mexican enjoyed these.  My daughter ate hers all up, while my son, as usual gave me a hard time about eating his.  But these were really tasty I had to give them a 2 thumbs up, even without his vote!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
recipe from Cassie Craves

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup sour cream

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let the mixture marinate for at least 1/2 hour.

3. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, roll them up and place in bottom of pan, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas.

4. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the sour cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of rolled enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up.

Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta

This recipe originally caught my eye when it was described as a one pot meal, including the cooking of the pasta.  You are supposed to cook the chicken first in the skillet and then once the chicken is done, take it out and cook the pasta.  I had never cooked pasta in a skillet before (and probably won't again....there was a lot of liquid and I almost had a flood on my stove!).  Next time I'd just cook the pasta separately and then mix with the chicken and other ingredients after.  If you like BBQ sauce then you'll probably enjoy this dish.  It was tasty and different from other pasta dishes I've made in the past.  My son of course wasn't a big fan but my daughter enjoyed this.  As for my husband, well he likes almost everything I make!  From the picture you can see that I didn't garnish with scallions (or any garnish for that matter!).  The kids don't like them and it's just one less thing that they have to pick out!

Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta
recipe from A Taste of Home Cooking

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
1 red onion, diced
3 cups water
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces penne pasta
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken and onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken and onions to a plate and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the water, chicken broth, penne and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is almost absorbed, the pasta is tender and the mixture is thick and syrupy. Stir in the barbecue sauce and sour cream. Once mixed, add in the reserved chicken, onions and shredded cheeses. Stir to combine and cook until everything is heated through.

Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with additional red or green onions and more shredded cheese.

Family Rating: 11/2 thumbs up.

Recipe Repeat: Cheeseburger Meatloaf

I had my fill of cheeseburgers this past summer and don't make burgers a lot (although Rachael Ray sure has many delicious looking ones in her magazines!), even though I do enjoy them.  As fall comes I think less of burgers and more of meatloaf.  It's similar to a burger, without the bun, right?!  And this recipe combines the flavors of a cheeseburger in meatloaf form.  This was in my folder of recipes that I've made before, although I couldn't tell you when.  I know that we enjoyed it the first time I made it though, which is why I had saved the recipe in the first place.  The flavors of a cheeseburger are all in there - the pickles, onion, cheese.  Of course my son didn't eat much of this, but my daughter really liked it.  Unfortunately, there is a bit of preparation for this and a lengthy cooking time so this does not make for a quick weeknight dinner.  However, when I was working and we wanted meatloaf for dinner, my husband or I would prep the meatloaf the night before and then I'd stick it in the oven when I got home from work.  So at least all the prep work was out of the way and I had time to give the kids showers, help with homework, etc.

Cheeseburger Meatloaf
recipe from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, April 2008

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 red onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup ketchup
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1/2 cup bread-and-butter pickle chips, chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
8 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
2 pounds new red potatoes
3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees . Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

2.In a large bowl, combine the ketchup, bread crumbs, eggs and pickles; mix in the onion. Crumble in the beef, add the cheese and mix together. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and shape into a 4-by-12-inch loaf. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160 degrees , about 35 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, halve the potatoes and place them in a large pot with enough salted water to cover by an inch. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, return to the pot and mash with the cream.

4.Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the mashed potatoes.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

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Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Slow Cooker Garlic Ranch Chicken

I'm always on the lookout for new slow cooker recipes.  The slow cooker is a kitchen staple for a busy mom!  Honestly, most of the slow cooker recipes that I've made in the past haven't been that great.  I know that my slow cooker tends to cook things faster than the designated cooking time.  Now that I'm home and can easily check on the doneness of dishes I'm hoping to have less overcooked meals!  This recipe has only 5 ingredients.  Throw it in the slow cooker and let it do its thing.  I ended up cooking some egg noodles, shredding the chicken once it was cooked, and mixing it all together in the sauce as seen below.  I ended up serving it with some steamed veggies.  Easy....definitely.  Taste-wise it was okay.  I won't be making this again....but then again I don't make many recipes twice.  The kids enjoyed it, although my son, like usual, ate more noodles than chicken. 

Slow Cooker Garlic Ranch Chicken
recipe from Cookin' Mimi

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup low sodium and/or low fat
3 cloves, garlic peeled, and lightly smashed
1 packet (approximately 2 Tablespoons) ranch dressing mix
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
1.Place chicken breasts in the bottom of a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker.

2.In a small bowl mix together the cream of chicken soup, garlic cloves, ranch dressing mix, and black pepper.

3.Pour over chicken breasts.

4.Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-4 or until chicken is tender and has reached 165 degrees.

Family Rating: 1 thumb up.

General Tso's Chicken

If my daughter had a choice I think that she'd eat Chinese food every night if I let her.  Especially sesame chicken and boneless spare ribs.  So I'm always trying out various Chinese take-out type recipes.  They are usually easy to make and much healthier than take out.  This recipe was easy and tasty! I thought General Tso's Chicken was spicy, but this dish is not!  When my son eats the main protein than the dish is a winner!  I know brown rice is healthier, but I just prefer white rice. So I served the chicken with white rice and some veggies. 

General Tso's Chicken
recipe from EveryDay with Rachael Ray, May 2012

Ingredients:
1 egg white
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon plus 2 1/2 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups cooked rice, for serving

Directions:
1.In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg white, 4 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp soy sauce and 1/2 tsp ginger. Stir in the chicken until evenly coated.

2.In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil and the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1/2 tsp ginger. Stir in the honey and vinegar.

3.Heat a wok or large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Carefully add half of the chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook, turning once, until the meat is no longer pink. about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat with the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil and chicken.

4.Discard the excess oil from the wok (about 1/2 tbsp). Add the scallions and garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in the sesame oil mixture. Return chicken to the pan and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick and the chicken is cooked through, 1-2 minutes. Serve with the rice.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up!

Apple Pie Cookies

Unfortuantely, I recently experienced computer problems....again.  So that and a trip to visit my sister and her family in Maryland this past weekend explains the absence of posts.  But I have plenty of recipes to catch up on.  Starting with this one.  I had made this recipe for this month's "apple pie" themed crazy cooking challenge at Moms Crazy Cooking but wasn't able to post in time because of my computer problems.  I still have to share the recipe with you though because these were really good!  I'm not a big pie fan.  I like the pie part (i.e. the flaky, buttery crust!) but the warm fruit part is not my favorite.  Plus, I am NOT a baker.  I actually really dislike making dough and/or anything that requires yeast, since those recipes for me are usually epic fails!  I was really excited when I discovered these cookies since I wouldn't have to make a traditional pie. I have to admit that my husband, The Weekend Chef, did help me make the dough for these.  And he also helped me roll the dough out and cut the cookies.  Warning:  the dough was super sticky, even after refrigerating it (our dough was in the fridge for almost 24 hours).  After using a lot of flour, we (meaning my husband!) was able to work the dough without too much stress!  The apples are shredded, so there are not big fruit pieces.  It's a sugar cookie with a surprise sweet filling inside.  I ended up bringing these cookies with some vanilla bean ice cream to my parent's house for dessert.  Both of them enjoyed these a lot and my dad is not a big dessert eater.  

Apple Pie Cookies
recipe from Cassie Craves

Ingredients:

For the sugar cookies:
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 medium tart apples, peeled and grated (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup water

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk, vanilla and lemon zest. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Divide in dough in half. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until easy to handle (dough will be soft).

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the filling ingredients. Cook over medium heat until apples are softened and mixture is thickened; cool.

3. On a lightly floured surface roll out each portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Spread with 2 teaspoons of filling to within 1/4 inch of edge. Top with another cutout seal edges.

4. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if desired. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up!

Turkey Apple Swiss Melt

I have a feeling that sandwiches are going to be a go-to dinner for us soon.  They are usually really quick to make and I can serve them with soup, since I can't eat just soup for dinner.  Cold fall and winter nights are perfect for a soup and sandwich dinner combo.  I haven't made any soup yet, but I recently made this sandwich.  When I was growing up grilled cheese involved the yellow american cheese slices in the plastic wrapper, which was never my favorite.  There are so many types of cheese/bread combos out there the choices are endless!  Unfortunately, I have a daughter who doesn't really like cheese....unless it's on pizza.  She does like turkey and apples and that's why I made this recipe.  I made hers without the cheeese and the rest of us had it as the recipe directed. I even had mine without the honey mustard sauce since I don't like mustard very much.  Sandwiches = easy customization!  The flavors of this sandwich worked well together.  The tart apple, sweet turkey, and tangy swiss.  This was an easy and tasty sandwich perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

Turkey Apple Swiss Melt
recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Light, September 2012

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
8 (1-ounce) slices bread
4 (1-ounce) slices Swiss cheese
5 ounces thinly sliced Granny Smith apple (about 1 small)
8 ounces thinly sliced maple turkey breast
Cooking spray

Directions:
1. Combine mustard and honey in a small bowl. Spread one side of each of 4 bread slices with 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard mixture. Place one cheese slice on dressed side of bread slices; top each with 5 apple slices and 2 ounces turkey. Top sandwiches with remaining 4 bread slices. Coat both sides of sandwiches with cooking spray. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sandwiches to pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until bread is browned and cheese melts.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.