Ma What's For Dinner? » broccoli

Twirly Whirly Pasta Salad

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:00:44 +0000

This one is for Shell. Oh you didn’t know that I take requests? Well now you do…send ‘em on over and I’m at your service. My girl Shell over at Things I Cant Say, oh yeah you know her, cool girl, superstar, all around homecoming queen, uh yeah, that’s her. She asked if we had any pasta salad ideas. Do I have a pasta salad??? Of course I have a pasta salad. Not only do I have a pasta salad, but it’s a pasta salad served up either cold or warm, it’s easy, tastes delicious, it’s healthy and you can make it with stuff already in your house. Oh yeah, Shell my sweet, I have a pasta salad for you…

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes

1 lb Rotini (corkscrew) pasta

1 bag frozen veggies (I like mixes of broccoli, carrots, & cauliflower)

2 c Italian dressing (bottled is fine, I like Newman’s Own)

2 c rotisserie chicken, cubed (from your supermarket)

½ c parmesan cheese

1 can marinated artichoke hearts, drained

Heat a large pot of water over high heat for pasta. Take out your frozen veggies and let them thaw on the counter. Once the water is boiling add some salt to flavor the pasta and then pour in fusili and cook, according to package, to al dente. 4 minutes before you pasta is set to be done add in your veggies.

Drain well and pour into large pasta serving bowl. Top with chicken and artichoke hearts. Pour on dressing and toss to coat. Top with parmesan cheese. This is a complete meal in minutes and all in one bowl! Everyone loves less dishes to clean.

Whenever I take this dish to potlucks or when I’m in charge of snack at school everyone always asks for this recipe. I’m almost embarrassed to tell them how simple it is, but it’s so good!

Eat your veggies chicken stir fry

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Thu, 27 May 2010 13:00:28 +0000

What’s the quickest and easiest way to get a picky eater to finish off a serving of veggies? Toss them with some chicken and teriyaki sauce and serve up on a bed of rice of course! Fast, affordable, healthy, and delicious! You won’t have to resort to dessert bribery, not that I’ve ever ever considered anything like that, no really, not ever, to get your kids to clean their plates with this dish.

1 lb chicken tenders cut into bite sized pieces

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup sliced carrots

1 bell pepper chopped

1 T canola oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated on a microplane or minced

a couple of dashes chili oil

a couple of dashes sesame oil

1/2 T fish sauce (optional and available on your asian foods aisle)

2 T soy sauce

1/2 cup bottled teriyaki sauce

2 cups brown rice cooked according to package instructions (you could use white if you haven’t watched the Today show too many times and are now scared of anything with the word white in the title a la white bread, white rice, etc.)

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot add garlic and ginger and stir well to flavor the oil. Have your chicken on hand and ready to go so that as soon as the garlic begins to brown toss in your chicken. Toss well and allow chicken to brown stirring often (hence the stir-fry). When you chicken is browned well toss in all of your veggies. Stir and allow to cook for about 3-4 minutes, until they just begin to soften a bit.

Season with chili oil, sesame oil, and fish sauce. Cook for a minutes. Add soy sauce and cook for another minute. Pour in your teriyaki sauce and turn the heat down to medium-low. Allow to simmer for a few minutes while you spoon your rice into a mound on the center of each plate. Top with stir fry mixture and plenty of sauce. It’s good and good for you! How can you beat that combination? Ok, who wants dessert?

Quelle Horreur – Top Ramen???

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Mon, 24 May 2010 12:00:29 +0000

Oh yeah, I did it…I know what you’re thinking, first spaghetti tacos and now the wretched Ramen? Has Ma lost it? Think of the low nutritional value, think of the sodium content! I know, I know. You all know what a crazy week it was last week, GG’s in the hospital and I just wasn’t feeling like Supermom so I folded and gave the chillins some Top Ramen. I tried, I added some good stuff like protein and veggies, and it’s not like I just tossed the stuff into the microwave and let them have at it on the couch in front of an episode of Sponge Bob. You know everything said in jest is at least partly true right? The television was paused in the other room when they came to the table and scarfed it down. And it wasn’t Sponge Bob, it was Fanboy and Chum Chum…but come on, how do you beat a meal that costs less than $1.50 to make and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare???

Serves 4 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes

1 package chicken flavored ramen noodles

1 head broccoli cut into florets

1 leftover pork chop cut into small chunks

In a small saucepan heat 2 cups of water over high heat. When the water boils add the noodles and cook for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes turn the heat down and add the seasoning package, the broccoli and the pork. Allow the broccoli and pork to warm through, about 4 minutes, and serve. For the record, the hubs and the kids loved this!

Chicken Stir Fry

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:00:32 +0000

Chicken Stir Fry

Serves: 4 Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

For the stir-fry:

1 pound chicken tenders, sliced thinly

1 T vegetable oil

½ large onion, chopped

1 T minced garlic

½ T minced ginger

pinch of Salt & Pepper (S&P)

½ cup broccoli florets

6 oz sliced mushrooms

1 can water chestnuts, drained

½ cup Chinese snow peas

½ cup bean sprouts

2 T all purpose flour

For the sauce:

3 T Hoisin sauce

2 T soy sauce

2 T sake

1 t sugar

½ T red chili paste

1 t toasted sesame oil

¼ c chicken stock

2 t corn starch combined with 1 T water mixed until smooth

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup jasmine rice

Combine all of the ingredients for the sauce in a medium sized bowl. Mix well and set aside to let the flavors come together. In a small saucepan heat 2 cups chicken stock over high heat. Once the stock is boiling add in 1 cup of rice and stir. When it comes back up to a boil, cover and turn down to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile in a wok or extra large skillet, heat vegetable oil over high heat. While the oil heats up season chicken with S&P and toss with flour to coat lightly. When oil is smoking add chicken to the wok and allow to brown (about 2 minutes) then flip chicken pieces over to allow other side to brown (about 1 minute more.) Once your chicken has browned use a slotted spoon to remove chicken to a plate and cover with foil.

Add onions, garlic, and ginger to the oil left in your wok. Give them a good stir and let the flavor infuse your oil for about a minute or so. Toss in your broccoli and mushrooms and stir quickly. After a minute add in your water chestnuts to the stir fry mixture. Toss to combine. Allow to cook for another minute. Return your chicken to the wok along with the snow peas and bean sprouts. Pour your sauce over the top of your stir fry and stir. Allow to cook for an additional minute or two or until your sauce has thickened up.

Once your rice is cooked, remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Scoop a healthy portion of rice into the center of each plate and top with stir fry.

Tasty Tidbit: You could serve this one up with super healthy brown rice instead of the jasmine. Just be sure to start the rice early as it takes about 45 minutes to cook! My family never even notices the difference!

Meaty Morsel: You can switch out or add any vegetables you like. Involve your kids in the decision process. Maybe go with the green theme and add in green pepper and scallions, go orange with an orange pepper and carrots, or try purple with eggplant and purple cabbage!

Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken & Broccoli

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:00:32 +0000

Serves 6 Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 20 minutes

1 cup chicken stock

S&P

1 pound fettuccini

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces finely grated good quality Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

4 thin sliced chicken breasts

1 T extra virgin olive oil

10 ounces fresh broccoli cut into florets

Bring large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Put the broccoli into a steamer and steam for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to warm, about 200 degrees F. Put a large serving bowl or a platter, for the pasta, into the oven to warm.

Heat a grill pan over high heat. Drizzle chicken with olive oil and season with S&P. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 7 minutes on the first side, 5 on the second. Allow to sit for 5 minutes then slice into bite sized pieces.

In a small pot over low heat, heat the chicken stock.

When the water boils, season with salt, add the pasta and cook to al dente. Just before draining, add a ladle of the starchy pasta water to the pot with the chicken stock. Drain the pasta.

Remove the bowl or platter from the oven and scatter with the butter pats. Add the pasta and pour in the chicken stock. Sprinkle with half of the cheese and toss for 1 minute. Add more cheese and continue to toss for another 1 to 2 minutes. Keep tossing until the pasta is evenly coated and cheese has melted into the saffron broth forming a creamy sauce. Toss in chicken and broccoli. Serve immediately.

Chicken Divine

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:19:16 +0000

Serves: 8 Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes

10 ounces steamed broccoli

3 large boneless chicken breasts

1 T olive oil

1 10 ounce can cream of mushroom soup

8 ounces buttom mushrooms, halved

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/2 cup light sour cream

2 t. fresh lemon juice

1/2 t. curry powder

1 can sliced water chestnuts

S&P

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup french fried onions

4 strips bacon chopped

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Season your chicken breasts with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes. Meanwhile heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add your chopped bacon and saute until crisp. Remove and allow to drain on a paper towel.

While your chicken cooks, assemble your casserole. In a 13×9 pan arrange your broccoli on the bottom. In a large bowl combine soup, milk, mayo, sour cream, mushrooms, lemon juice, curry powder, water chestnuts. Stir to mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Once your chicken has finished cooking remove it from the oven and slice it into thin strips. Arrange the chicken over the broccoli. Pour the soup mixture over the top of the chicken and broccoli. Top with cheddar cheese and fried onions. Cover with foil and bake on 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with bacon and cook uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with brown or white rice and enjoy!