It's a crock pot of a day....

So, today I am being super lazy and just dumping it all in the crock pot.... sometimes that is just the best way to go!

I am making some Cowboy Chicken: down on the Ranch.

Here's what you need:

• Red baby potatoes
• a few baby fingerling potatoes
• Ranch salad dressing packet (the cowboy on the ranch)
• 4 large chicken breasts
• black pepper to taste

Here's what you do:

• Clean potatoes place in crock pot
• Place chicken breasts on top of potatoes
• Sprinkle with about 1/2 packet of Ranch
• Season with black pepper

Turn the crock pot on high for 4 hours or until chicken is done- worked for me in 4 hours- then enjoy the rest of your day!

I haven't been cooking a lot this past week, been busy- but even on our busy weekends- a crock pot comes in handy!  Gotta at least do this much, it's fresh and healthy with just a little flavor-- love it!

till next time, Me

Been a While..... Meatballs- Out!

So, I know it's been a while- tried a few things, some turned out well... some- well.... not so much-- but at least I'm trying!!  Tonight I made meatball sandwiches, it was delicous and so easy!! 

This is what I call- Meatballs- Out!!

Here's what you need:

1 package Open Nature Chicken Meatballs (prepackaged in sausage section of safeway)
1-2 handfuls Parmesan cheese grated
1 Hoagie Sandwich rolls
3-4 tbsp. white pasta sauce- use your fave

Here's what you do:

• Heat up meatballs in pan
• Heat up sauce in microwave
• Heat up rolls in oven to get nice and crusty
• Once meatballs are heated through, add to roll
• Cover with sauce and sprinkle with cheese

I did three meatballs to a sandwich and it was GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!

Quick, easy- weeknight meal.  Period.

I did make some quick oven fries too- just to have something else with it, it was fantastic!!!

Hope you like--

till next time,
Me

Had to Make Somethin....

Tonight, I knew we had to make something.... sooooo... chicken burgers it is! 

I had read some artical of a recipe that was a teriyaki / worstechire sauce chicken burger with pineapple juice.  I had to wing it however because I couldn't find the magazine!!

So, mixed a little bit of this and a little bit of that- topped with a 100 cal. Wholy Guacamole pack, and it was great!!!!!!!  Easy as pie, not a ton of flavor- could probably have put more seasoning in the ground chicken- or maybe it would have been better with turkey... will try this again sometime!

Haven't done a ton this week, been busy- but this weekend, I am determined to blog at least twice, lol...  Hope you are all successful in your kitchen adventures this weekend!  More to come, stay tuned!

Fancy Chickens....

Chicken burgers, those are one my staple quick meals.  You can jazz them up, or make them simple as can be with just a difference of a few ingrediants.  The boyfriend likes regular size burgers, I like sliders... I feel satisfied still without eating a ton of food.  It's a win-win situation.

Tonight, I decided to make them what I call:

Fancy Chickens

Here's what you need:

• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp. dijon mustard (pardon me....)
• 1 tub goat cheese crumbles
• 1 tbsp. black pepper
• 1 lb. lean ground chicken

Here's what you do:

• In a large bowl put in all ingrediants in that order
• Mix thoroughly
• Form burgers by the following "technique"
• karate chop your meat down the middle so you have equal halves
• karate chop one of the halves to make two large burgers and set aside
• karate chop the remaining half into three small slider size burgers
• Preheat Foreman grill
• Place burgers on grill until done, this usually takes approximately 10min. or until the burgers get quiet or when the chicken is thoroughly cooked through

Put it all together:

• Grab slider buns and put a small amount of light mayonaiise on one side of bun
• Place slider burger on bottom bun
• Place a nice pickle on the chicken
• Top with bun or the "roof"

I made up some yummy waffle fries and a balsamic / dijon dressed romaine heart salad... it was fantastic... and so simple!

Total prep time: 15min.
Total cook time: 35min. (including fries)



Basically what this reminds me of is a light summer meal, quick bbq style without heating up the entire house- not that it gets too hot in our region- but just omit the french fries and make a bigger salad... would be just as lovely!  Why didn't I do this sooner, the kitchen is not my enemy!

till next time, Me

A Taste of Italy or Something Like It

Ciao, stasera stiamo avendo polenta con salsiccia per la cena...

Okay, this is supposed to say, "hello, tonight we are having polenta with sausage for dinner"--according to google, this is what that says.... I am not sure I'm convinced, but I'm running with it anyway.... if you know Itialian- feel free to let me know if I'm swearing at you...

Polenta with chicken sauage with peppers to be exact... yum!!!!!!  I actually was so impressed with my dinner making skills tonight that I phoned a friend in the middle to share my joy!  I actually used 2 burners at once... holy moly....

I started to wonder as I was relishing in my accomplishments, am I becomming someone who actually enjoys being in the kitchen??  The answer to that question is still to be answered, but tonight... tonight my friends- I enjoyed myself.

I loosely followed a weightwatchers recipe that I found, but kind of made it my own.... so here goes...

Here's what you need:

• 1 cup Golden Pheasant polenta (if not using this brand, follow instructions on package)
• 4 cups water
• 2 tbsp. butter (Land O'Lakes Light Spreadable butter with Canola oil is what I used)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 4 chicken sausages (I used Open Nature mild italian sausage)
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 bag frozen mixed bell peppers

Here's what to do for chicken and sausage:

• In a skillet heat olive oil over medium to medium high heat
• Add frozen bell peppers and begin heating through
• Remove casings from sausage and break up into smaller pieces
• Add to fully heated peppers
• Add balsamic vinegar and stir
• Heat through stirring occasionally

Here's what to do for polenta:

• In a sauce pan, begin boiling salted water
• Lower heat to low / medium low
• Slowly add 1 cup dried polenta
• Begin stirring, and basically don't stop for approximately 20min.
• Seriously, do not stop stirring
• Blend in butter
• Sprinkle in parmesan cheese
• Add more butter or parmesan if it doesn't look creamy enough

Here's how to put it all together:

• Add about 1 heaping spoonful or more (depending on how hungry you are)
• Add chicken sauage / bell pepper mixture
• Sprinkle with more parmesan for decoration... make it fancy if you will....

Total prep time: 10 min
Total cook time: 20 - 25min.
Total Servings: 4

Here's what I learned with this recipe.... it is not easy to make polenta but the way I see it is at least it's kind of a workout with all that stirring!!!  Plus, an added bonus- it was delizioso!! 

till next time, Me

Swing and a miss??

Okay, not all meals can be out of this world fantastic.... even me- the optimist knows this.  I try, I try... but sometimes they are just out of necessity to use up food so you aren't wasting. 

Tonight, I am calling our meal...

Use it Up Chicken

What you need:

• 1 package thin sliced chicken breast
• 1 package frozen corn
• 1 bag frozen prepared hashbrown cubes (I used Ore' Ida)
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Here's what you do:

• Heat olive oil in wok or large skillet over medium / high heat
• Cut chicken into cubes about 1 inch or smaller
• add chicken to olive oil and stir
• add salt
• add pepper
• Add 1/2 bag frozen corn and stir
• Add 1/2 bag frozen hash brown cubes and stir
• continue cooking for 20 - 30 min stirring occasionally or until chicken is cooked through
• add more salt and pepper if needed

Total prep time: 10min.
Total cook time: 30min (or until chicken is done and potatoes are heated through)
Servings: 4

Here's what I have to say about this meal.  It was okay.  Not my best, not my worst- used up the chicken that needed to be cooked and we ate it- we didn't go hungry tonight.  Actually my boyfriend said that it wasn't bad. 

I think what might have made it better was adding some kind of worstichire sauce or something while cooking, the chicken turned out a little bland.  I tend to not add enough salt- but love pepper so I added more.
Sometimes I am going to knock it out of the park, and sometimes I am going to swing and a miss... but the important part is that I am trying- my rolling pins and pearls are in the kitchen and I am trying... for me that is huge!

till next time, Me

Source

Sunday Night Quickie....

You know how on Sundays, all of a sudden your evening sneaks up on you and it's getting late- you have a million things to do to get ready for the work week ahead of you and you need something quick and easy to make for dinner.... well I have something in store for you!

No Buns About It Chicken Burgers

Here's what you need for the burger:

• 1 lb. lean ground chicken
• dash sea salt
• dash black pepper
• Frank's Original Hot Sauce (to taste)

Here's what you need to make the Blue cheese Slaw Topping:

• 2 tbsp. reduced fat mayonnaise
• 1 cup shredded coleslaw mix from bag
• 2-3 tbsp. reduced fat blue cheese crumbles

Here's what you need to make the "bun":

• 2 large heirloom tomatoes sliced into 8 pieces

How to make the burgers:

• Preheat George Foreman Grill
• In large bowl, mix together pepper, chicken, salt
• Divide into 4 burgers
• Sprinkle Frank's individually into the burgers to your liking, trust me- the more the better, it will burn off while cooking- do at least 4-5 sprinkles for a light taste
• Place burgers on grill and cook accordingly (approx. 10min.)

Put it all together in this order....

• One piece of tomato on plate
• Chicken patty
• Scoopful of slaw
• Another piece of the tomato

TOTAL SERVINGS: 4 
TOTAL PREP TIME: 10min.
TOTAL COOK TIME: 10min.

Serve with some steak fries and a couple pickle slices and you are good to go- you won't even miss the bun!!!  I made this tonight and it was awesome, such a quick and easy meal and now I have the rest of my night to get my mind ready for the week ahead of me and hang out with the ones that mean the most to me... my boyfriend and my puppies.... I'm a lucky girl!

Till next time, Me

SOURCE: carohutchingsphotography

So far... so good....

This week has been pretty good if I say so myself.  So far, I have created some "original" meals, some good- some iffy.... but edible mind you.  It's a start!  I thought that maybe I'd share a quick and easy recipe that you can make a bunch of different ways...

This is what I am calling, HARD DAY CHICKEN:

Here's what you need:

• 1 lb. lean ground chicken
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 bag frozen mixed veggies- I use the Safeway brand bell pepper mix- green, red and yellow peppers
• 1 tsp. minced garlic

Here's what you do:

• Heat olive oil in large skillet on medium high heat
• Add minced garlic and allow to heat through (approx. 2 min.)
• Add frozen bag of mixed peppers, cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally
• Add ground chicken and break apart mixing peppers throughout
• Continue stiring, it will be watery as peppers defrost- it's okay, it will be just fine....
• Continue cooking for several minutes, move around every once in a while so it doesn't stick
• Add pepper
• Add sea salt
• Mix together and allow to cook for several more mintues water will evaporate- cook for a few minutes more until it dries out a little bit more or until chicken is cooked through

I have made this chicken several times this week, it's a hit!  My boyfriend eats it just like this, I like to try to jazz it up a bit so I have tried a few things now...

• Pita with feta, ceasar dressing, olives... yum
• Tacoless tacos, with sourcream, olives, salsa, cheese... yum x2

Give it a try, see if my HARD DAY CHICKEN doesn't help make your night a little easier...

Till next time, me

Breaking it down and being honest....

The kitchen.... a dreaded place for a woman with a "healthy" fear of failing. 

First let me explain, I am not fearful of failing in life- generally I feel that I can be successful in anything I try to do, but the kitchen is that one area I've always felt even if I tried to tackle, I just knew I would fail.  It was never a question of IF but WHEN....

I am a pretty busy gal and have often felt like I never had time to make meals, so we would go out to eat, make something simple like pasta (you can't really mess up pasta)... or worse- just settle with cereal... then one day I realized how silly was I being.

In my mind- working in the kitchen = failure.  If I made the effort to be successful I would turn into the iconic image of the 50's housewife with the rolling pin and pearls.  Well my dears, that is not me. 

This started out as a joke, that I would create a blog to document my journey in domestication, then I realized... there might be other women out there like me who feel overwhelmed in the kitchen and would rather walk away, waste money and gain weight all because they don't want to fail at something that is ingrained in us.... basic survival skills-- keep in mind, you have to eat to survive, why not enjoy what you are making instead of just suffering through a burger and fries.

Till next time, me

(source- google images)