Potato Chip Crusted Chicken Breasts

     We LOVE breaded chicken in our house!  This recipe calls for something a little different...potato chips!  Not only do the potato chips give the chicken a little extra moisture, they are also preseasoned (salted).  One very important tip when breading chicken or any type of protein, season each layer.  Do not only season the protein.  This will enhance the flavor of the layers and the protein itself.

    I made this as a Chicken Parmesan style with melted provolone, but it's great on its own, in a sandwich, or a side.  We enjoyed it with pasta with marinara sauce and an aglio e olio pasta.  Perfection!

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Apple Cider Donut Cake

    There is nothing like the smell of a freshly baked Apple Cider Donut during the fall months.  For me, the smell of cinnamon, sugar and vanilla are so comforting and warming.  Unfortunately traditional apple cider donuts are made with dairy or nuts or both.  I love this recipe because it's both dairy and nut free, and can also be egg free by substituting extra applesauce for eggs.  The cake is also extremely moist, not dry!  

    Enjoy with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream (don't forget this can be vanilla soy ice cream)!

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Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy

    Sometimes I have a taste for a burger, but not your traditional burger on a bun.  Once in a while I would rather swap the bun and fixin's for gravy.  This recipe does just that!  Hmm...Salisbury Steak.  

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Brown Sugar Glazed Meatloaf

 

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Roasted Southwest Potatoes and Broccoli

    Roasted Southwest Potatoes and Broccoli are a great addition to your meal, not only on Taco Tuesdays, but any day during the week.  I made these as a side for our Popcorn Chicken Wraps, but the would be delicious with grilled chicken, steaks, pork chops, or even burgers.  

    We had less than a half bag of golden potatoes, and I knew I'd have to stretch that for the 6 of us.  Time to look in the freezer, ooh!  Broccoli!  The kids love broccoli and this dish is a great way to incorporate veggies into your dinner.  Using a simple mix of taco seasoning, it gives this dish a southwest feel.  One suggestion is to par cook the potatoes, this is ensure that the potatoes are not hard when they come out of the oven.  How many times do you roast potatoes and the come out hard?  Now, you have a quick tip to prevent that from happening.

These potatoes would also be good for a breakfast hash with scrambled eggs, sunny side up eggs, or even in a breakfast burrito!

This recipe will serve 6.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs golden potatoes or red potatoes, diced into cubes
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 bag frozen broccoli
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Directions:

1. Dice the potatoes into cubes.  Add to a large pot.  Add water to cover the potatoes and season with salt.  Cover.  Heat water to boil.  Once boiling, turn the heat to simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Drain and return to pot.  Set aside.  This can be done in advance.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a medium baking sheet with foil.  Add onions, jalapeños and spices to the pot.  Add in 2 to 3 tbsps of olive oil.  Stir to combine.  
3. Spread broccoli evenly on baking sheet.  Sprinkle a little olive oil on the broccoli.  Pour the potato mixture onto the broccoli and toss gently to combine.
4. Place in the oven for 30 minutes.  Veggies will begin to brown slightly and flavors will come together!  Ready to serve!  Enjoy!!

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Quick Cream of Chicken Soup

    Lately I've had a taste for cream of chicken soup.  When getting lunch ready for the kids, I will make my lunch while they are eating.  Opening a can of soup is quick and easy, but today I wanted to make my own using up some of the leftover chicken from the Lemon and Fresh Herb Roasted Chicken.  

    You will LOVE this recipe!  I pulled this soup together with onhand ingredients in about 15 minutes.  This is so thick and creamy, it would be great over pasta or rice, with veggies and mashed potatoes, or simply on its own.  Adding in some broccoli or peas would also be delicious!

Recipe serves 2.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2.5 to 3 cups milk or half and half, I used a combination of both
• 2 tsp each of garlic and onion powder
• salt and pepper
• diced leftover chicken
• drizzle of lemon juice

Directions:

1. Add butter to a medium pot on medium high heat.  When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour.  Whisk well to combine all of the flour with the butter.  
2. Once the butter and flour are slightly browned, whisk in 1 c. of milk.  Continue to whisk until all lumps of flour are gone.  Add more milk, whisk to combine.  Continue to add milk until you have your desired thickness.
3. Stir in diced chicken, adjust seasonings, and drizzle in lemon juice.  Lunch is ready!!  Enjoy!!

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Lemon and Fresh Herb Roasted Chicken

    I’m always thinking of easy meals to make that are dairy and nut free free. I know we have all gotten frustrated and it gets hard to find or offer variety when there are allergies in the house. For family meals I like to make things everyone can eat so no one feels “different or slighted.” We had easy lemon and fresh herb roasted chicken for dinner with a garlic and oil pasta. It was a hit!! It was a perfect accompaniment to the pasta, but mashed potatoes would be terrific as well.

    This recipe is super simple and takes very little effort. I used bone in chicken breasts because the bone adds so much flavor and tends to keep the breasts juicier. In a large baking dish, I layed out the chicken, sprinkled it with salt and pepper, fresh thyme, chopped fresh rosemary, garlic powder, and lemon slices. Drizzled everything with oil, put it in the oven...done! You now have 40-45 minutes to get other things done.

    I'm thinking of trying this recipe for a whole roasted chicken. Placing lemon slices under the skin and in the cavity. I'll let you know how it turns out!

This recipe serves 4 large portions.

Ingredients:

• 4 large bone-in chicken breasts, skin on
• salt and pepper
• 4 lemon slices
• 3 tsp fresh thyme
• 3 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 3 tsp garlic powder
• olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Arrange chicken in a large baking dish, season with salt and pepper, garlic powder, fresh thyme and rosemary. Place a slice of lemon on each chicken breasts. Drizzle chicken breasts with olive oil.
3. Place in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Skin will begin to brown and crisp. Check internal temperature of the chicken. It needs to be 165 F. The pan juices from the roasting serve as a perfect "gravy" over the chicken, and great for basting the chicken to keep it moist.
4. Once the chicken is ready, dinner is set! Serve with an aglio e olio pasta or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

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Parmesan Turkey Meatballs with Ravioli and Alfredo Sauce

Ground turkey can be a great healthier alternative to ground beef.  Unfortunately it can be a little pricey, but I like to use it every so often for dinners, even dinners that call for ground beef.  One thing to remember when using ground turkey when making burgers, meatballs or even a meatloaf is that it has a very low fat content, so it's important to add flavors to give it fat and flavor.  Adding things like eggs, cheeses, herbs, breadcrumbs will help to do just that.  

I will often use ground turkey to make a variety of flavored burgers or meatballs, staying true to the basic recipe of eggs, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.  I've made chipotle burgers, Parmesan meatballs (recipe below), Greek style burgers/meatballs, and more!  Ground turkey is a blank canvas for you to style any way you like!

This recipe includes a lazy Alfredo sauce to use with pasta.  Tonight's menu called for ravioli (we didn't have kids home to worry about dairy).  When I say lazy Alfredo sauce, I mean as lazy as opening a jar of sauce and adding to it.  Yes, I've made my own which is a combination of butter, garlic, Parmesan, heavy cream and fresh herbs.  I basically added the same to this sauce, but you have a base for it with the jarred sauce.

A quick tip for when using ground turkey; if you're able always try to refrigerate your burgers, meatballs or meatloaf for at least an hour before cooking.  This will not only allow for the flavors to combine, but it won't fall apart when your cooking it.  If the meat is at room temperature and you're trying to grill turkey burgers, they will tend to crumble and fall apart.

Recipe includes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground turkey
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 c. breadcrumbs
• fresh parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Combine the above ingredients in a medium size bowl.  Mix well.  
2. Form meatballs to the size slightly larger than a golf ball.  You should have about 18 meatballs.
3. Cover baking sheet and place in the fridge for about an hour.  20 minutes before taking the meatballs from the fridge, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
4. Bake the meatballs for 30 minutes.  The will need to reach an internal temperature of 165.  While the meatballs are in the oven, cook the ravioli according to package directions.

Recipe for the Alfredo sauce below.  Serve meatballs with your choice of pasta.  With these meatballs, I've made aglio e olio pasta, tortellini and ravioli.  Risotto would also be a tasty side.

Lazy Alfredo Sauce

Saute 1 clove of grated garlic in a little olive oil.  Add 3/4 c. of heavy cream (I often use half and half).  Bring to a low boil.  Add 3/4 c. grated Parmesan.  Stir to combine and dissolve the cheese. Add 1 jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce and fresh parsley chopped.  Season with salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to simmer, toss in some frozen peas and remove from heat.  (Peas can be omitted.)

To make this a one pot dish, I will cook the pasta to al dente, drain and then reuse the pot to make the sauce.  Once the sauce is ready, combine the pasta with the sauce and toss to combine.  You will have extra sauce to use over the meatballs.  Enjoy!!

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Dairy Free Sausage Gravy with Biscuits

     I don't know why, but I have had a taste for biscuits and gravy.  I couldn't remember the last time I had this, and this is typically not something I'd make for our dinners.  Biscuits?  Sure, but wasn't sure how the kids would like the sausage gravy.  The trick for me was to make this dairy free.  Since I changed my mind last minute to make this instead of whatever else I had planned on our weekly menu, I had to improvise on some of the ingredients.  I'm sharing the recipe how I made the dish because it turned out great and everyone loved it!  Apparently I will need to add this to our repertoire of meal rotations.

    When I originally had the thought of making this dish, I figured I would use oat milk to make it dairy free.  Great!  No problem, except that I ran out of oat milk making the biscuits.   So, I had homemade chicken stock in our freezer and used that in place of the oat milk.  I browned the sausage, removed it from the pan, made a roux with dairy free butter and flour, added the chicken stock, seasoned with salt, pepper, and fresh parsley and when that was thick enough for a gravy, I added the sausage back to combine.  It was fantastic!  

    The biscuits were a simple drop biscuit, swapping out the milk for oat milk, which didn't make a difference.  I also swapped out butter for equal parts of veggie oil. Since the dairy free butter is oil based any, using the butter or oil wouldn't really matter.  Are you ready for this simple recipe for a delicious Sunday comfort meal?  

This recipe will yield 15-18 large biscuits and 8 servings of gravy.

Dairy Free Drop Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 3.5 c. flour
• 3 tbsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 c. butter or oil
• 3 c. oat milk

Directions:

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Using a fork, cut in the butter until well incorporated with flour. Add milk and stir together a few times until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet or muffin pan. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 15-18 minutes.  The tops should be slightly browned.

Sausage Gravy

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 lbs. ground Italian sausage or breakfast sausage
• 3 tbsp dairy free butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 to 3 cups chicken stock
• chopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Add oil to a large skillet heating on medium high heat.  Add ground sausage, crumble with a heavy spoon into small bits while browning.  Season with salt and pepper.  Once browned, remove from skillet to drain.
2. Add butter to skillet.  Reheat on medium high heat.  Once the butter is completely melted, add the flour.  Whisk together to combine and cook the flour.  
3. When the flour is cooked for 2-3 minutes, whisk in stock. Continue to whisk to remove any chunks.  Add more milk one cup at a time.  If the gravy is too thick, add more stock.  If the gravy is too thin, make a cornstarch slurry. 
4. After the gravy is well combined, add parsley, salt and pepper.  Stir.  Add the sausage into the gravy.  Stir until well combined.

Serve over biscuits.  It's your choice, slice the biscuits in half or serve whole.  Enjoy!

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Balsamic Glazed Chicken Breasts with Creamy Onion Gravy

 

    Once in a while I really crave some comfort food.  The other night I made chicken and gravy with some mashed potatoes, green beans and bacon. This marinade is versatile and it can also be used with pork as well.  This would be a great base for a sweet and tangy BBQ pork roast in the slow cooker.  Feel free to also use with boneless chicken thighs or tenders.  

    I didn't marinate the chicken for very long, just for about 20 minutes.  This could go for a little longer if you'd prefer, but I roasted the chicken breasts in the marinade to enhance the flavor.  Originally I was just going to make some "grilled" onions to have on top, but knowing we were having mashed potatoes with dinner, gravy just seemed that much better.  Gravys are very easy to make.  For a simple and quick gravy, add 2 tbsp butter to your skillet, once the butter is melted, add an equal amount of flour.  Whisk to combine.  Once the flour is incorporated to the butter, and it begins to form small bubbles, add either broth and/or milk.  Add about 1 c. at a time to determine the thickness of the gravy you like.  Whisk again until well combined.  Season your gravy and your gravy is ready to go!

Ingredients:

Glaze:

• 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• salt and pepper

Combine the ingredients into a small bowl.  Whisk well to combine. Set aside.

Chicken:

• 2 lbs. chicken breasts, butterfly in half to make thinner pieces (click on the link for a quick tutorial)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place chicken pieces into a large baking dish.  Pour glaze over the chicken.  Set aside for 20 minutes while the oven is preheating.  Roast chicken for 35-40 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  While the chicken is in the oven, prepare the onion gravy.

Creamy Onion Gravy:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced into thin slices
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 c. milk, more if needed
• 1 packet of onion soup mix
• salt and pepper

Add butter to a large skillet on medium high heat.  Once the butter has melted, add the onions.  Saute until translucent and they begin to brown.  Whisk in flour to the butter and onions.  Continue to whisk as the flour begins to bubble and brown.  Whisk in milk and stir to remove any lumps from the flour.  Continue to add more milk (1/4 c. at a time) as the consistency of the gravy thickens.  Once the mixture is well combined and slightly thick, add the onion soup mix, salt and pepper.  Stir until well combined.  Allow to thicken once again.  Stir.  If needed, add a little more milk.  Stir.  (If you want to keep this dairy free, use stock or broth or dairy free milk.  Water will work too, but not as flavorful.)  You will want the gravy to coat the back of a spoon.

Serve with mashed potatoes, baked or roasted potatoes, green beans (any veggie), rice, or pasta.  Enjoy!!

Balsamic Glazed Chicken and Pork Chops

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Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo with Cheese Tortellini

 

    Has it ever been "that kind of day," and you just don't feel like putting a lot of effort into making dinner? .  Or the weather just too hot to turn on the oven?  Around our house, it was "that kind of day," and I didn't feel like putting in a lot of effort into dinner, but I knew I was hoping to make some comfort food.  So, I turned to the slow cooker and figured that would be a great compromise.  

    I opted for Chicken Alfredo since it was just David and I home for dinner that night.and we didn't have to worry about any dairy free options.  This doesn't need to cook for that long, so I started the slow cooker that afternoon with the chicken breast and alfredo sauce.  You have the option of cooking the tortellini in the slow cooker 15 minutes before serving, or do what I did and cook them separately and toss everything together before serving.  I "doctored up" the jarred Alfredo sauce I used added grated garlic, a little salt and pepper, onion powder, dried parsley, half and half, and shredded parmesan.  

    Extremely easy dinner, and most importantly stress free!  Sometimes you just need that kind of dinner.  Serve with a salad and bread!  

This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. chicken breasts or 3 - 4 large chicken breasts
• 2 jars Alfredo sauce
• 2 cloves of garlic, grated
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tbsp. dried parsley
• 1/2 c. half and half
• 3/4 c. shredded parmesan
• salt and pepper
• 1 20oz. package of cheese tortellini

Directions:

1. Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts.  Add to slow cooker.
2. In a medium size bowl, combine 1 jar of the Alfredo sauce, garlic, onion powder, parsley, salt and pepper, and parmesan.  Pour the 1/2 c. of half and half into the jar from the sauce, replace the top, shake to get any sauce left in the jar, and then pour into the bowl.  Mix well.  
3. Pour mixture over the chicken to coat.  Set the slow cooker for 5 hours.  Once the chicken is cooked, either shred or cut into chunks.  Keep warm in the slow cooker.
4. Either cook the tortellini to package directions or add to the slow cooker.  If cooking the tortellini in the slow cooker, add the 2nd jar of sauce and stir.  Set the slow cooker to simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  If cooking separately, add the second jar of sauce to the slow cooker, stir to combine, then add the tortellini once cooked and drained.
5. Serve with a simple salad and crusty bread.  Enjoy!

Note: This recipe would also be good served over a fettuccini or or angel hair pasta.

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Easy Stuffed Peppers

 

    Today I made Stuffed Peppers for dinner.  Neither David nor I could remember the last time we had them.  Nicky and I had a busy day ahead of us, so I was able to prep everything before we left, put the peppers in the fridge, and baked them when we got home.  

    One thing when making these, you'll want to find peppers all about the same size that are fairly straight along the bottom and easily fillable.  If necessary, trim the bottoms of the peppers to make them stand straight in the pan when baking them in the oven.  You'll also want to cook the rice in advance, leftover rice works perfectly!  Brown the meat with some diced onions combine with the cooked rice and some tomato sauce and your mixture is done!  

This filling will make 8 -10 large peppers.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1.5 lbs ground beef
• 2 cups rice, cooked
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• salt and pepper
• 1 jar of tomato sauce, I used Tomato and Basil
• 8 -10 large green and/or red peppers, tops cut off and seeds removed
• 8 -10 slices of provolone cheese
• 1 c. shredded cheese
• 1/2 c. grated parmesan

Directions:

1. Cook rice and allow it to cool.
2. Prep the peppers, trimming them to keep them even and about the same size.
3. Add the oil to a large skillet on medium high heat.  Add onions and garlic, cook for three minutes.  Add ground beef.  Break up the meat as its browning and add the spices, salt and pepper.  If using a high fat content of beef, you will need to drain it before adding the the jarred tomato sauce.
4. Once the meat has been drained, add 3/4 of the jar of tomato sauce.  Mix to combine.  Add the rice to the skillet.  Combine.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (unless you are planning on prepping the peppers in advance and baking them later).  Add the remaining sauce to a large baking dish.  Spread around the bottom of the dish.  Line the green/red peppers up around the dish.  
6. Tuck a slice of provolone into the bottom of each pepper.  Fill each pepper evenly to the top with the meat and rice mixture.  Combine the shredded cheese with the parmesan.  Top each pepper with shredded cheese mixture.  
7. At this point you can cover with foil and refrigerate or place in the oven.  Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the peppers reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees and the cheese is melted.  If you are planning on refrigerating and baking later, take the peppers out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking.
8. Serve with a salad and garlic bread or your choice of vegetable.  If you prefer more sauce, feel free to add an extra jar.  Enjoy!

Peppers are ready for the oven!

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Cooking Videos

I'm so excited!  Today we are launching our first cooking videos for Happy Mom Cooking with Kids!  Nicky was the first to make a video, and he made for you Chicken Fried Rice.  The recipe for the Chicken Fried Rice is in this blog.

We can't wait for you to watch it!  We hope you enjoy.  

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Lemon, Tomato, and Basil Orzo Pasta Salad

    I'm always thinking of new ideas to make for us for dinner as either a main dish or a side dish.  Since we are on the go a lot with baseball, many of our meals have to be quick, easy, and transportable (if that's even a word).  I was able to use both fresh basil and tomatoes from our garden to make this salad.  It was delicious and a great accompaniment to our sub sandwiches.  I'd serve this with hot dogs, burgers, and as a great side for your BBQ cookout.  

    This salad is a blank canvas.  Feel free to add grilled chicken, broccoli, mozzarella, sausage, or anything else you'd put in a pasta dish.  This would also be great served warm.  This is definitely something to make in advance if you are serving it cold.  After making it, put it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Ingredients:

• 1 box orzo pasta cooked to package directions
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• 1 heaping cup shredded basil
• 5 to 6 large cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to the package directions.  Be sure to season the water with salt before dropping the pasta.  You will need to reserve 1/2 c. of the pasta water before draining for the dressing.
2. While the orzo is cooking, zest the lemon into a large bowl.  Juice the lemon into the bowl, being careful not to drop any seeds into the bowl.  Whisk in the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add reserved pasta water to the dressing.  Whisk.  It will seem watery, but the orzo will absorb the dressing.  Drain the pasta.  Set aside to cool.  Once the orzo has cooled down slightly, add it to the large bowl with tomatoes and basil.  Serve immediately or set in the fridge until you are ready to serve.  Enjoy!

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