Crockpot Shredded Lemon Chicken

This is probably the easiest meal I've ever made. In fact, I almost feel guilty is was so easy - but not too guilty because it was absolutely delicious. 4 ingredients, 1 crockpot, and you're done. Easy.

4 T. butter 

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

1 packet Italian dressing mix

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 2 lemons

Place butter in the bottom of crockpot and turn on low. Add seasoning packet and chicken to a large, resealable plastic bag; shake to coat. Place chicken on top of butter; top with lemon zest and juice. Cover and cook 5-6 hours on low. Before serving, shred chicken with two forks; add back into juices and stir. Serve over steamed rice. 

*Modified from The Queen's Beehive

Chicken Piccata

You've probably figured out by now that I often challenge myself to recreate or top restaurant recipes in my own kitchen. This recipe resulted from a recent visit to a new Italian joint. I loved their piccata dish and wanted to bring it home with me - and did!

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed then cut in half 

Sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder, seasoned to taste

¼ cup flour

4 T. butter, divided

2 T. olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus zest of 1 lemon

1/3 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup dry white wine

2 T. capers

1 box angel hair pasta, prepared per package instructions

Prepare chicken and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Dredge chicken in flour until completely coated.

In a large skillet, preheat 2 T. of butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, about 5 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Prepare angel hair pasta per package instructions.

Add lemon juice (and zest), broth, and wine to the pan to deglaze; bring to a boil. Add capers, and then return chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and place over prepared angel hair. Whisk remaining butter into the sauce; pour sauce over chicken and pasta. 

Orange-Ginger Beef

Since I've found myself in a city with limited options in terms of good Asian food, I've been doing a bit of experimenting in my own kitchen. This beef had great results - flavorful and tender.

1 ½ lbs tri-tip steak, trimmed 

Marinade:

¼ cup orange juice

¼ cup soy sauce

2 T. sesame oil

2 tsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. ground ginger

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Glaze:

¼ cup orange juice

2 T. orange marmalade

Pierce steak with fork several times on each side. In a small bowl, combine ingredients for marinade; whisk to combine. Pour marinade into large, resealable plastic bag; add steak and shake to coat. Refrigerate 3 hours-overnight.

Preheat broiler for 10 minutes. Remove steak from bag and place on greased broiler pan. Whisk together glaze ingredients; brush over one side of steak. Broil 6-7 minutes per side, until medium-rare; flip once and coat the reverse side with glaze. Let rest 5-10 minutes, then slice thinly on a bias.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

Canned chicken? You've got to be kidding me! Somehow, in this recipe, it just works (plus, it's 98% fat free). Try this lighter version of a fried classic as an appetizer or main dish.

1 (large) can chunk white chicken in water, drained 

½ cup green salsa (Try: World Table’s Salsa Verde)

10-12 corn tortillas

1/3 cup fat-free cheddar cheese, shredded

½ tsp. dry taco seasoning

Fat free sour cream for dipping (optional)

Taco sauce for dipping (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine chicken and salsa; mix thoroughly to combine, shredding chicken in the process. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain any excess liquid from chicken and stir in cheese and taco seasoning. Cover tortillas with a damp paper towel and microwave for 60-80 seconds, until pliable. Spoon about 2-3 T. of chicken mixture into the center of a tortilla. Spread chicken length-wise and roll into a tight cigar shape; secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Line rolled taquitos on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake 14-16 minutes, until tortillas are crispy. Serve with sour cream and/or taco sauce for dipping. 

*Recipe modified from Hungry Girl's Exploding Chicken Taquitos

S'Mores Bars

I have an addiction to a great new website called "Pinterest". Imagine a giant bulletin board, filled with pictures of all your favorite things, that you can share with your friends --- that is Pinterest. There are boards for design, travel, art, books, crafts, and my favorite: food. It is through Pinterest that I discovered this recipe and, once again, set out to try my hand at baking. The result was gooey deliciousness!

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/3 all-purpose flour

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

2 large chocolate bars (Hershey’s)

1 ½ cups marshmallow cream/fluff

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease square baking dish.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt.  Gradually add to butter mixture, mixing on low speed until combined.

Press half of the dough mixture into the bottom of the greased dish. Place chocolate bars, in a single layer, over dough. (The bars may fit nicely side by side, but if not, break them apart to create an even single layer) Spread marshmallow cream over chocolate. Flatten remaining dough and lay over the top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

*Recipe from Lovin' From the Oven

Honey-Lime Chicken

There are two things I love in the summer: grilling and citrus. The grilling is self-explanatory, but there's just something about the clean, fresh taste of citrus that cools me down. This lime-based chicken is great on it's own (paired with Cilantro-Lime Rice) or would make a fresh salad really pop! 

1-2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

Marinade:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh lime juice (2 limes), plus zest

2 T. honey

½ tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

In a large, resealable plastic bag combine all marinade ingredients; seal the bag and shake to combine. Add the chicken to the bag; shake to coat and refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours.

Preheat grill over medium heat. Grill chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through. Serve with Cilantro-Lime Rice.

*Recipe from The Enchanted Cook

Cilantro-Lime Rice

We all have our favorite restaurant recipes. Since the Air Force has moved us to a rather restaurant-desolate city, it's been my goal to try to recreate some of our favorites. With the nearest Chipotle about 2 hours away, this dish is a great, healthier substitute for their delicious rice and makes a great side dish!

1 cup long-grain or Jasmine rice 

Juice of 1 lime

2 cups chicken broth or water

1 tsp. salt

3 T. fresh cilantro, minced

3 tsp. vegetable oil

In a medium pot, add rice, 1 tsp. oil, broth, and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low, cover, and simmer about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit an additional 5 minutes.

In a medium glass bowl, combine cilantro, lime juice, and remaining oil. Toss with rice until completely mixed.

*Recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes 

Grilled Spicy Honey Chicken

I am always looking for new and different grilling recipes, especially since we got a monster new grill this spring! This chicken revisits my favorite flavor combo: sweet and savory.

1-2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

2 tsp. olive oil

Rub:

2 tsp garlic

2 tsp chili powder

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp smoked coriander

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp cayenne

Glaze:

½ cup honey

1 T cider vinegar

Combine all spices for rub and mix together well.

Trim chicken and pat dry; rub oil to coat chicken. Using your hands, coat chicken with spice rub on all sides. Grill chicken over medium heat, about 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through.

While chicken is grilling, warm honey in the microwave for 15-20 seconds; add the vinegar and stir well to combine. Reserve 2 T. of the glaze for serving. Use the remaining glaze to brush onto chicken in the final minutes of grilling. Serve with reserved glaze.

*Inspired by The Girl Who Ate Everything

Beefy Minestrone

Okay, okay...I know that your typical minestrone doesn't contain meat and therefore shouldn't be "beefy". But when you have a husband who thinks a meal is only a meal if it contains some sort of meat product, well, you have to make certain concessions. Therefore, this is the perfect recipe to use up last night's leftover steak or roast to make something flavorful, healthful, and delicious.

½ onion, chopped 

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, chopped

10-15 baby carrots, chopped

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 can (14-oz) diced tomatoes (with Italian herbs)

1 can (14-oz) crushed tomatoes

1 can (15-oz) dark red kidney beans

½ cup red wine

6 cups chicken broth

1 cup lean steak, diced

1 cup pasta (egg noodles, elbow macaroni, shells – all work well)

In a large crockpot, combine all ingredients except pasta. Cook on low 5-7 hours. Add pasta for the last 10-15 minutes of cook time, until noodles are tender but not overcooked.

JELLO Magic Mousse

If you're looking for an incredibly simple, inexpensive, light, and guilt-free dessert, look no further! I largely ignore the recipes that are often found on packaging, but this one sounded too easy to pass up. The multi-textured layers amp up the same old JELLO flavor and can be suited to any flavor. Here I used the sugar-free versions, but feel free to go the traditional route as well!

1 pkg. Sugar-free JELLO, any flavor 

1 ½ cups boiling water

1 carton Sugar-free Cool Whip (small)

Whisk JELLO and boiling water together 2 minutes, or until completely dissolved. Whisk in Cool Whip until combined and smooth. Refrigerate 6-8 hours until firm. 

Apple-Oat Coffee Cake

What goes better with an afternoon tea than coffee cake? (Well, maybe scones, but that's for a different day) When I found myself hosting a tea for some friends last week, I decided to delve into a bit of baking and turned to my trusted friend, Betty Crocker, for some inspiration. I love my new Betty Crocker's Healthy New Choices cookbook - the recipes I've tried consistently taste great and don't make me feel guilty afterwards. This coffee cake was moist, delicious, and packed with fiber. 

Oat Streusel (see below) 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup margarine, softened

1 cup skim milk

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. allspice

2 egg whites

2 medium apples, chopped (about 2 cups)

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease square baking dish. Prepare Oat Streusel (below) and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat remaining ingredients, except apples, with an electric mixer on low, about 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in apples. Spread half the batter in the pan; sprinkle with half of the streusel. Top with remaining batter; sprinkle with remaining streusel. Bake 40-50 minutes, until completely firm and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Oat Streusel

3 T. margarine, firm

1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cut margarine into oats, flour, and brown sugar using a pastry blender or fork, until crumbly. Stir in nuts if desired.

Fettuccine and Pink Sauce with Parmesan-Crusted Chicken

Italian food is great for experimenting because the tastes are so subjective. Play with the flavors of this dish until you find something just right for you!

Sauce:

½ batch of Almost Scratch “No Chunks” Tomato Sauce, minus Italian sausage 

1 cup half & half

½ cup shredded parmesan

1 pkg. fettuccine noodles, prepared per package instructions

Chicken:

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg, beaten

½ cup shredded parmesan

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

3 T. olive oil

Prepare Almost Scratch “No Chunks” Tomato Sauce (or thaw from frozen).

Meanwhile, pound chicken with mallet until thin; season with salt and pepper. Beat egg into a shallow dish; mix parmesan and breadcrumbs on a plate. Dip each chicken breast into the egg, then coat on both sides with breadcrumb mixture. In a large skillet, preheat oil over medium heat. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side and cooked through. Cover with foil and set aside.

Stir in half & half and parmesan into smooth tomato sauce. Simmer approximately 5-10 minutes more, until flavors combine and sauce is heated through. Serve sauce over prepared fettuccine and top with chicken.

Dill Drumettes with Lemony Aritchokes

Great for an appetizer or main dish, try these drumettes in lieu of chicken breasts at your next BBQ! (The marinade would also go great with salmon!) Also check out the bonus recipe below for lemony artichokes that will delight even non-veggie lovers.

1-2 lbs. chicken drumettes 

Salt & pepper

¼ cup orange juice

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. dill

4 T. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread drumettes on greased cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper. Stir orange juice, lemon juice, and dill into melted butter. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade for serving. Brush marinade onto one side of the drumettes. Bake for 20 minutes, flip, and brush with remaining marinade; bake for an additional 20 minutes, until chicken is caramelized and cooked through. Serve with reserved marinade.

Lemony Artichokes

                             

1-4 whole artichokes

1 lemon, ½ quartered, the other half reserved

Salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 T. butter, melted

Boil a large pot of water; add salt and lemon quarters. Trim the top ¾-inches off of the artichokes; cut off stem and peel away any wilted leaves. Boil artichokes 30-40 minutes, covered, until leaves pull away easily.

Stir garlic powder and the juice of the remaining lemon half into melted butter; serve artichoke leaves with butter sauce for dipping.

Almost Scratch "No Chunks" Tomato Sauce

A good tomato sauce is the key to so many Italian dishes. When I'm in a hurry, I stick with my simple, "No Chunks" Tomato Sauce, but if I have time for slow cooking, the flavors of this "almost" from scratch sauce cannot be beat. (I say almost because I still used canned tomato sauce, not whole tomatoes) Since I prefer my sauce "chunkless" I use my handy immersion blender at the end of the cooking process for a smooth texture. While I often use Italian sausage, this sauce would be equally good with ground beef or turkey, or even meatless. 

2-3 ribs celery, chopped 

1 red onion, diced

1-2 carrots, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. butter

Salt & pepper

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. basil

½ - 1 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 (28-oz) cans tomato sauce

½ cup red wine

1 tsp. sugar

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage

Saute celery, onion, carrots, and garlic in butter until softened; season with salt and pepper. Add Italian seasoning, basil, and red pepper flakes; stir to coat vegetables. Add tomato sauce, wine, and sugar and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer 2-3 hours. (Can also be cooked in a Crockpot for 4-6 hours)

Brown sausage in a skillet. While sausage cooks, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce. (If you do not have an immersion blender, mix, in batches, in a regular blender) Add browned sausage to sauce; simmer 5-10 minutes more. Serve with preferred pasta.

Shredded Beef Tacos

There are two main reasons I love my Crockpot: 1) Dinner is ready (within reason) when I am. For a schedule as varied as ours, this simple fact is a Godsend. 2) It makes my entire house smell yummy all day. These tacos smelled so delicious, I couldn't wait for dinner-time to arrive! 

Beef:

1 ½ - 2 lbs. beef top round 

Salt & pepper

1 jalapeño, finely minced

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

½ onion, chopped

1 T. chili powder

½ tsp. cumin

¼ tsp. cayenne

3 T. lime juice

½ bottle amber beer

Tacos:

6-8 taco shells

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Diced tomatoes

Shredded lettuce

Season roast with salt and pepper and place in a Crockpot; add remaining ingredients, cover, and cook on low about 6 hours. Once cooked, remove meat from pot. Shred beef with two forks, going with the grain. Add shredded beef back into the pot and stir into sauce; let heat 5-10 additional minutes. Prepare tacos with desired ingredients and spoon in meat.

Crab Melts

This unusual recipe was a product of experimentation with some of my favorite flavors. Slathered with hollandaise sauce, this dish makes a great meal, any time of day.

2 English muffins, split 

2 T. butter or margarine

1 cup crab meat

2 T. lemon juice

¼ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

¼ onion, sliced and sautéed

1 pkg. hollandaise sauce, prepared per instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread butter lightly on English muffins and place on a cookie sheet. Top each muffin with sautéed onions (if using), crab meat, lemon juice, and cheese. Bake approximately 10 minutes, until muffins are crispy and cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, prepare hollandaise sauce per package instructions. Pour over baked muffins.

Citrus-Herb Marinade

The great thing about a good marinade is its versatility. Try this light recipe to add a fresh zing to chicken or fish. Great for grilling!

½ cup orange juice concentrate, thawed 

½ cup water

2 T. Dijon mustard

1 packet ranch dressing mix

4-6 chicken breasts or fish fillets

Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Add marinade and fish or chicken to a large resealable bag; toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. 

Chicken Strips (For Adults)

Let's face it: sometimes we all wish we could still order from the children's menu. Please your inner child and your adult palette with these simple, Italian-style chicken strips. Try them with "No Chunks" Tomato Sauce for dipping (instead of ketchup) and a side of buttered noddles. 

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips 

½ cup Panko bread crumbs

¼ cup shredded parmesan

1 egg, beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

3 T. olive oil

Prepare chicken and season with salt and pepper. On a plate, mix together bread crumbs and parmesan. Dip chicken into egg, then coat with bread crumb mixture on all sides.

Preheat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry chicken until cooked through and golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes. Serve with buttered noodles and marinara sauce. 

Peach-Glazed Meatballs

Meatballs are one of my family's go-to meals, primarily because of their versatility. Feeling like Italian? Whip up a tomato sauce and some spaghetti noodles. Want an Asian flair? Add some teriyaki sauce and steamed rice. A good meatball stands up to just about any combination. This peach-flavored marinade plays up the sweet and savory combination and makes for an easy and delicious meal. 

Meatballs: 

½ cup bread crumbs

3 T. milk

1 egg

1 ½ lbs. ground beef

¼ tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. lemon pepper

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

Sauce:

1 jar (18 oz.) peach preserves

1 bottle chili sauce

½ packet “Beefy Onion” soup mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, blend bread crumbs and milk with a fork; beat in the egg. Add ground beef and remaining ingredients; combine by hand until completely blended. Roll meat mixture into 1 ½ - inch balls and place on baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, whisk together sauce ingredients. Cook over medium heat until heated through. Add cooked meatballs, stir to coat, and simmer about 20 minutes. Serve, with glaze, over steamed rice. 

Greek Chicken Sandwiches

I have had a love affair with tzatziki sauce from an early age. Sure, give me a good gyro, but I'm just as happy lapping it up with crackers, or sometimes even a spoon. This simple gyro-variation incorporates the fresh, light flavors of Greece (tzatziki included!) into a family- and budget-friendly meal. (Hint: Try it with Citrus-Glazed Fruit Salad!) 

½ cup balsamic vinaigrette

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

6-8 pita pockets or sandwich flats 

Sauce:

1 cup plain yogurt

1/3 cucumber, finely chopped

1 T. parsley

1 tsp. dill

1 garlic clove, finely minced

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 T. lime juice

Toppings:

1/3 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 wedge red onion, thinly sliced

Feta cheese, crumbled as desired

Place chicken in a large, resealable plastic bag; add vinaigrette and turn to coat; marinate 4 hours-overnight.

In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to combine; stir before serving.

Preheat and spray grill; discard marinade and grill chicken until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per side. Allow chicken to rest about 5 minutes, then cut into thin strips. Build each sandwich in a pita or sandwich flat, layering sauce, chicken, cucumbers, onion, and feta as desired.