One Pot Orange Chicken

And in less than 30 Mins!

Ingredients:
• 4 boneless chicken breasts, chopped into small chunks
• 1/3 cup flour
• olive oil
• 1/2 T salt
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 T ketchup
• 6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate (thaw or throw it in the microwave for 45 seconds)
• 4 T brown sugar
Bell Peppers & Zucchini if you'd like.  I did use 1 orange, 1 red, 1 green and a zucchini.

In a bowl, mix the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, and ketchup.

Pour the flour in a small bowl.

Cover the chicken breast chunks in flour and shake off the excess.

Pour a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and brown the flour-covered chicken.  

Take it out of the pan and let drain onto a paper towel.  

Toss the veggies into your pan and stir fry for appx 5 mins or until softened.

Add the chicken back into the pan and stir for 2 mins, just to brown every thing up.  

Pour in the orange juice mixture and toss a few times getting everything coated and the sauce warmed up.

Serve over rice.

Cheesier Chicken & Rice Bake

I was watching my sis in law make something for dinner last night & thought, hmmmm how can I switch that up?
So this is what I did...
INGREDIENTS:
1-whole chicken
1-pkg onion soup mix
1-can cream of mushroom soup
Rice, I used regular with the 2 cups of water to 1 cup rice ratio
3-cups cheese
1-cup French's Fried Onions
1-sleeve Ritz Crackers
DIRECTIONS:
I put the chicken, soup mix and soup into the crock pot on high and let it cook until the chicken was fully cooked.
Remove the chicken & shred it from the bone. Put the chicken back into the soup in the crock pot, just to allow the flavors to marry (about 1 hour). In the mean time make your rice. Toss the rice in with the chicken and mix, add 2 cups cheese.
Dish all of this into a 9x13 pan.
Top with the fried onions, crackers (crumbled up) and the last cup of cheese.
Bake on 350° for 20 min.
YUM!
~ Melissa

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Southwestern Chicken Salad

My mom was wanting me to make a salad tonight with a few different ingredients...After a bit of thought, I realized I could make a Southwestern Chicken Salad. One like I order at a local fast food chain, but with less than half the calories.
Here's what I came up with...


SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN SALAD

• 4 BL/SL Chicken Breasts
• 1 Head of Romaine Lettuce
• 1 Bunch of Cilantro
• 1 Bunch of Green Onions
• 2 Cans of Black Beans
• 2 Cans of Yellow Corn
• 1 Jicama
• 4 Roma Tomatoes

DRESSING

• 1 C. Light Sour Cream
• 1 C. FF Milk
• 3 TBS. Hidden Valley Ranch Mix (my preference)
• 1 TBS. The Pampered Chef's Chipotle Rub

Mix all of the dressing ingredients together & let them sit in the refrigerator before starting on the salad so it can set up and the flavors can marry.

SALAD DIRECTIONS
BBQ the chicken, seasoning with The Pampered Chef's Southwestern Seasoning Mix. Set aside after cooked thoroughly! (You can check the temp with the Digital Pocket Thermometer.)
While the chicken is cooking, get all your vegis washed up. I like to put my lettuce & cilantro into the bowl of the Salad & Berries Spinner. Then I put the cilantro into the berries colander, spin. Then the lettuce into the salad colander and spin. It helps to get your green dry, which prevents a soggy, wilted salad!
Cut up all your green vegis and throw them into the 8-qt. Stainless Mixing Bowl (just an FYI, this bowl is my GO TO bowl for EVERYTHING! It is ginormous...and it will be discontinued soon!) Open up your beans & corn. Strain them both in the colander. Rinsing the black beans before spinning them. Toss them into the salad mix.
Now take your jicama & slice it in half. Taking the Serrated Peeler to the skin, makes it a breeze to clean up! Now slice it into 1/4" slices lengthwise, then again going the other way to make strips. Toss those into the bowl.
Cut your tomato to your liking, as well as the chicken. Toss them both in.
Toss the salad together. Serve on a dish and drizzle the dressing on top!

*just a reminder...I cook for a family of 7, 4 adults and 3 children. This recipe was specifically measured for around 10-1Cup servings. Please adapt for your family.*

Chicken with Hashbrowns

An original Melissa Herrera recipe...Yes, I was confused about what to make for dinner. So I made up...

Chicken with Hashbrowns
6 Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless & frozen)
2 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup, 1 Can of Milk
1 bag Frozen Hashbrowns (the shredded kind, not the O'Briens)

Place the Chicken, soup & milk into a baking dish. Season with Salt, pepper & garlic salt.
Bake at 350* for 1hour. Add the frozen hashbrowns to the top & bake for another 30-45 min.

I was worried about the kids eating this, because they're not big COM soup eaters nor do they like gravy (YES, my kids are strange!) But everyone really enjoyed it! I made some vegis on the side and voila, it was Dinner!
*Please remember the measurements are for my family of 7 1/2...so adjust for your family!*

Now wasn't that easy!?!? Why can't you bring your family back to the table?

Grilled Chicken Penne al Fresco

Grilled Chicken Penne al Fresco
Preparing a tomato-garlic sauce from scratch in the microwave will fill your kitchen with the aromas of an elegant Italian restaurant.

4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
3 cups uncooked mezze penne pasta
3 cups chicken broth
¾ cup dry white wine such as Chardonnay
½ tsp each salt and coarsely ground black pepper
1¼ cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, divided
1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (about ¼ cup packed)
2 cups diced grilled chicken breasts
Additional grated fresh Parmesan cheese
and coarsely ground black pepper (optional)
1. Spray Deep Covered Baker with olive oil using Kitchen Spritzer. Slice
garlic into baker using Garlic Slicer. Add tomatoes. Cover; microwave
on HIGH 4-5 minutes or until tomatoes begin to burst, stirring after
2 minutes. Crush tomatoes using Mix ‘N Chop. Add pasta, broth,
wine, salt and black pepper.
2. Return baker to microwave; cover and microwave on HIGH 16-18
minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring after 10 minutes. Meanwhile,
coarsely chop basil with Chef’s Knife. Reserve 2 tbsp for garnish. Grate
cheese using Rotary Grater (Doing this will make you feel like your the waiter/ress at Olive Garden).
3. Carefully remove baker from microwave and remove lid, lifting away
from you. Add remaining basil, cheese and chicken to baker; mix well.
Garnish with reserved 2 tbsp basil, additional Parmesan cheese and
black pepper, if desired.
©2009 The Pampered Chef used under license.


Make budget-friendly meals every day!
Our Deep Covered Baker has you covered, all for around $2 per serving.*

OK, so if you haven't figured it out yet...I am signing back up to do Pampered Chef!
I am SO excited!!! I easily gave up Avon, but just had a constant bug in the back of my head with PC. I asked God to remove it if it wasn't something that I wasn't supposed to pursue. Well within 1 month I had 4 people asking me to order them Stones. I had to turn them down, but then went back to them and told them to give me some time.
I talked to my hospitality director aka my mentor. She did some research & found out that I can sign up with only paying $65, compared to $155 and I had to send in a letter asking to go under her, not my old director that I never knew.
I am SO excited!!!!
So, Now I need some shows booked. Get ahold of me and lets get you on my calendar!!!

If you book a show in the month of October, I will give you a Bar Board for FREE! Just leave me a comment either here, on Facebook or email me!*
Sales MUST reach $150!

Spin with Ortega Chiles

Chicken & Ortega Chiles
~Chicken Breasts (how ever many your family will eat)
~1 Can Ortega (or whatever brand you can get) Whole Chiles
Seasonings; salt, pepper, chipotle rub (contact me to buy)

Season the chicken & place on the grill. Grill on both sides, about 15 mins each. Open up the chiles & place on top while grilling. When you flip, place another chile on top again.


Jasmine Rice w/ Black Beans & Chiles
~Jasmine Rice (amount you need for your family), cooked according to directions
~1- 2 Cans of Black Beans, drained & rinsed
~3 Ortega Chiles
~Salt & Pepper

Once you make your Jasmine Rice, add in the beans & chiles, salt & pepper. Mix in a big bowl so air can flow through & the rice doesn't become sticky and turn into masa.


I placed the chicken on top and served together. It was a hit!

Chicken Biscuit Pie

This is a twist of Chicken Pot Pie, but made with biscuits, well because I didn't have pie crust =)

2 C. cooked chicken (I used left over's from last night)
2 cans of refrigerated biscuits
1/2 C. frozen vegis (whatever you like, I used the mix with carrots, green beans, peas & potatoes. Or you can substitute with Veg-All, 2 cans, drained)
2 cans Cream Of Whatever You Like
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 400*. Take on can of biscuits & cut into fours. Place them into a 9x13" baking dish. Mix the other ingredients & pour over the biscuits. Then do the same with the other can of biscuits.
Bake for 20 mins or 'till the biscuits are cooked & filling is bubbly.

Onion Broiled Chicken Thigh & Au Jus Sauce w/ Cheesy Potatoes

So, life has grabbed me and just ain't letting go. I did NOT feel like even cooking, but I do have a family I must care for. So here it goes...

Onion Broiled Chicken Thighs w/ Au Jus Sauce
12 Chicken Thighs
2 Pkg Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1/4 C Olive Oil
2 tsp cornstarch

Heat oven to 425*. Get a pan that can take the broiler & line with foil (the best trick I've ever learned for clean up!). Place the thighs in the pan. Mix olive oil & soup mix together & slather it over the thighs.
Bake for 40 mins.
Take the thighs out & pour the drippings into a pot. Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 c. of water, pour into drippings. Let warm up & thicken just a bit, remember, it is Au Jus sauce, not gravy.


Potatoes
Make instant potatoes as directed, but add some Parmesan cheese into the instant potatoes.

Serve all together. Place the Au Jus into a bowl & dip away. The Au Jus can also be poured over the potatoes, if desired.

Back in the kitchen

Ok Karla, I am back & posting just for you!
I have been overwhelmed with being a "new" mama, learning routines, getting back to my self, etc.
I have been back in the kitchen, but not cooking like I do.
Well tonight, I made a full meal, even though i didn't want to, because I am completely exhausted from my Laughlin trip & Delayna adjusting to being back. I even cooked with miss fussy in her bouncer on the counter, since I don't have a good carrier yet.
Anyway, here's dinner from tonight...
I made Quick Chicken & Dumplings (as usual, click on the recipe to get it) from Betty Crocker.
Here's my biscuits before I 'dropped' them

I replaced the frozen vegis for my favorite canned vegis:

Here's what my stew looked like before I dropped the dumplings

I forgot to take an after picture. I had a hungry little girl & was trying to get baby shower stuff done.
Anyway, the results were really good. It was a bit too salty, next time I won't season them on my own. The kids really liked it and it was the best Chicken & Dumplings recipe I have ever made!

BBQ Chicken Salad

So my SIL makes this AWESOME BBQ Chicken Salad! She made it a few weeks ago over at my house and I will be making it tonight.
It is SUPER simple & fast, Oh and VERY healthy!!!!
K, here it goes...

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken breast~ for your family
Lettuce~ whatever kind you like
Cilantro
1 Can of Corn
Ranch Dressing
BBQ Sauce~ your choice, Hunts Honey Hickory is what we like
Tortilla Strips~ you can either make these on your own or buy some chips or whatever crunchy

DIRECTIONS:
Bbq the chicken with some sauce. While the chicken is cooking, chop up the lettuce & cilantro, toss into bowl, add corn. Cut chicken into strips.
Place greens onto plate, lay chicken ontop & top with tortilla strips.
Add ranch dressing & a bit of bbq sauce.

On a side note, I think jicama would be really good in this!
Hope you enjoy!!!

Betty Crocker Saved The Night!

I totally forgot that Adriana had her performance last night. Around 3:00pm I realized that I still had to get home, make dinner, get homework done, shower and have everyone ready to go no later than 5pm!
So, I called on good 'ol Betty!
Here is what I made:
Oven Baked Chicken

Corn

French Bread & Butter

Monday Night's Dinner

Well, another Monday, what do you do?
I was having a craving for Chicken and Yams, so that's what I made.
Sorry, no pics, but this is what I did...

Baked Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
~1 Whole Chicken, cleaned, dried and seasoned with Garlic Salt and Seasoning Salt
DIRECTIONS:
I had the oven heated to 400* for the yams, so I placed the chicken into my Deep Dish Baker (R) by Pampered Chef, and let it cook for 1 hour 15mins.
Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 mins, so the juices could disburse into the chicken. Cut up & Serve.

Baked/Smashed Yams
INGREDIENTS:
~Fresh Yams (how ever many your family will need)
~Butter
~Milk
~Salt
DIRECTIONS:
Bake the yams at 400* for about an hour, or until they are soft like a potato. Remove from oven, peel the skin and put the flesh into a pot. Add butter & milk to your liking & season.
Heat and serve.

Stuffing
INGREDIENTS:
~2 boxes of Stove Top Stuffing (1 was WAY more than my family needed, but I had company)
~Butter
DIRECTIONS:
They're on the box, follow them...

Voila, dinner is done! It took about an hour and a half, but the prep was easy and you got to just throw stuff in and then go sit.

Birthday Dinner

It was Dominic's 4th birthday yesterday and I asked him what he wanted for dinner. Believe it or not his answer was, "Macaroni & Cheese."
So, instead of going and getting enough boxes of Kraft to feed my family, I decided I would make a homemade dinner and incorporate Mac N Cheese.
Here's what we had...

Lemon Pepper Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
~1pkg of Chicken Legs & Chicken Thighs (I was feeding 10+ people)
~2 bottles of Lawry's Lemon Pepper Marinade

DIRECTIONS:
Pre-heat oven to 350*
Place pkg of thighs in one pan, legs in another. Cover each pan of chicken w/ 1 bottle of marinade. Place in oven at 350* for 30 mins, then turn the temp up to 400* and bake for another 30 mins. Remove from oven and let sit for about 10 mins so the juices soak up into the pan & serve.

Home Style Macaroni & Cheese

I found the recipe on Allrecipes, so I can't take credit. Click on the name and it will take you to the full recipe.

Monday Night's Dinner

Sunday night we served Mozzarella Sticks for FUSION and there were NONE left over...UGH!
After we left, we stopped by the store to find some & had no luck.
I went shopping today and was on a hunt for Mozzarella Sticks!
Wal-Mart had them and weren't very pricey, so I bought me a bag!!!

So for dinner I decided we were having...
Buffalo Wings & Mozzarella Sticks
No pics, Totally Unhealthy, and a TOTAL pregnant woman dinner :)
But, if you can get to the store, buy a bag or two of Mozzarella Sticks & Wings, cook them as directed. Add some of this:
To your wings. Then your good to go!
Enjoy my easy peasy Monday Night Dinner!

City Chicken w/ Au Gratin Potatoes

I made this Monday night. It is a recipe that a friend of mine taught me years ago.
It's definitely a favorite in our house!

CITY CHICKEN

Ingredients:
*Chicken (boneless/skinless)
~Use as much chicken as your family will eat. I use 3 whole breasts for my family of 6

*Club Crackers, smashed us to use for crumbs
~About half box
*Garlic Salt
~About 1/4 Cup, more or less to your taste
*Egg(s), Beat up, ready to dip your chicken in
~About 4

*Oil
~Enough to cover your pan to fry

Directions:
Heat your cooking device. I prefer using an electric skillet (you can use a frying pan on the stove if you like, just watch your oil temp) set to 350*, bottom covered in oil about 1/4" deep.

Cut your chicken up into bite size pieces or into strips, whatever you like better.
Dip your chicken into the eggs.
Coat into the crackers mixure.
Place into hot oil and fry until golden brown, you should see it coming up the side. Then flip and continue cooking until brown.

Remove & cool on paper towels.

Au Gratin Potatoes
Buy a box from your store & make according to directions...