Ma What's For Dinner?

Yes yes yes, I know that most people call this one chicken divan but this casserole is just so darn good that you just have to call it divine.  I love casseroles.  I love the fact that you can make them in advance, I love that you can throw anything leftover in the fridge into them, I love that dinner is ready by the time you get home from soccer practice!

I love that the weather has been cooler the last few days here in the northeast.  It’s going to be our first fall here and that is my favorite time of year.  It’s almost here and the kids are starting school next week.  This is great recipe for your arsenal when you need to get dinner on the table fast and homework done.

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!

Continue Reading

Move over CPK!  This one is a keeper.

It’s quick, easy, and sooooo delicious.

Don’t feel like calling out for pizza tonight?

Stay in and make this one yourself.

Keegan told me that this was his best dinner ever.

Give it a try and let me know if your kids think so as well.

Serves: 8  Prep time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1  T olive oil, divided

S&P

4 slices bacon chopped

1/2 small onion chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 t dried thyme

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup ketchup

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 t dried mustard

1 T molasses

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 store bought pizza dough

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced thin

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 shallot sliced thin

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Drizzle your chicken with 1/2 T olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 20 minutes at 425.  Meanwhile get started on your BBQ sauce.

In a medium saucepan heat remaining 1/2 T of olive oil over medium heat.  Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp.  Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel.  Set aside.

Pour off all but 1 T of bacon fat.  Add in your onions and allow to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute or two.  Season with salt and pepper and thyme.  Deglaze the pan with the vinegar being sure to scrap up all the good browned bits on the bottom.

Next add in your ketchup, tomato sauce, mustard, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce.  Turn the sauce down and allow to simmer until your chicken is ready.

Once the chicken is done remove it from the oven and slice it thinly.  Lay out your pizza dough and stretch it to fit a baking sheet.  Spread a think layer of sauce leaving a one inch border around the dough.  Arrange your chicken neatly around the pizza dough.  Then arrange jalapeno (I only put this on half so you get a half spicy half wimpy pizza) and shallots evenly around the dough.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.  Top with plenty of cheese and bake at 425 for 17-19 minutes.  Top with cooked bacon and more cilantro if desired.  Enjoy!

Continue Reading

Ok, so this was a recipe I found on a great foodie website, The Ungourmet .  Her site is amazing and her photography…oh, well let’s just say I worship at the altar of her awesomeness!

As many of you may know, I am not a lasagna fan.

GASP!

Yes, it’s true…

I don’t do ricotta.

And before you say it, yes I’ve had lasagna without ricotta and still, it doesn’t work for me.

It makes no sense.  I like everything in there, but alas, I can’t do it.

BUT…

I kinda liked this one.

AND my family LOVES lasagna, like most normal human beings in the world.

Not to mention the fact that the boys had  a BLAST helping me construct these little towers of yummyness.

They are a much healthier alternative to the kind your granny made so give these a whirl…

You’ll be glad you did.

Serves: 4   Prep Time: 25 minutes  Cook time: 40 minutes

1 lb ground chicken

2 cloves minced garlic

8 oz canned petite diced tomatoes undrained

8 oz canned tomato sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp cracked pepper

8 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente

1 beaten egg

2 cups ricotta cheese

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and well drained

2 cups shredded mozzarella

1 tbsp dried parsley

1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan

Thoroughly cook the ground chicken in a large skillet. Add the tomatoes, sauce, garlic, spices, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Combine the egg, ricotta, and parmesan.

Using a glass or cookie cutter that is close to the size of the muffin cups, cut 3 circles out of each noodle for a total of 24 circles.

Place 1 noodle circle in each muffin cup. Layer meat sauce, ricotta mixture, and shredded mozzarella. Repeat. Top with a bit of parsley and grated Parmesan.

Cover loosely with a piece of foil that has been sprayed with oil and bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes to brown on top.

Let the “cupcakes” sit for at least 10 minutes for easier removal.

Continue Reading

As many of you know we just moved to the Northeast from my home town of LA, CA.  Being a bred a So Cal girl, anytime I’m back east I immediately begin to crave some good ol’ Mexican food.  Oh, yes, I love me some spicy hometown grub.  Sadly, since we now live here year round that means I’m usually out of luck.  Now if you’re familiar with the East then you know, it’s really really hard to find good authentic Mexican food here.  Even the Tex-Mex is suspect.  Here in CT, the options are downright bleak.

See I love the good ol’ fashioned, hole in the wall, homemade salsa so spicy you’ll have heartburn for a week but it’s worth it, kind of places.  All I have here is a Taco Bell, and a bunch of terrible places with names like Caliente Rico’s or the like.  Needless to say, I’m dying.  So what do the kids and I do when we’ve already had Fitz Family Taco Night three times this month and we don’t feel like another run for the border???  We switch things up to a fabulous Chicken Ole Casserole!

Here’s what you’ll need.

3 chicken breasts cooked and chopped

3 whole wheat tortillas

2 cups tortilla chips

1 onion chopped

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 T cumin

1/2 T corriander

1/2 T chili powder

1/4 T cayenne pepper

1/2 T dried oregano

S&P

1 can red enchilada sauce

1 can olives

1 can diced green chiles

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 375.  In a large bowl combine chicken, sour cream, mayonnaise, cumin, corriander, chili powder, cayenne pepper, S&P and oregano.  Mix well.  Line the bottom of a baking dish with tortillas.  Add a layer of your chicken mixture, next a layer of half of your green chiles and half your olives.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Add a layer of half of your tortilla chips. Repeat the layer process with the remaining ingredients.  Pour the enchilada sauce on top.

Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional five minutes.  Remove from oven and serve with sour cream, diced scallion and tomato.

This does the trick and takes care of our cravings for the southwest.  Sometime you just have to take matters into your own hands…Ole!

Are there any foods that you can’t find in your area that you really miss?

Continue Reading

The hubs almost fell off the chair while eating this one…It’s so good.  I love chicken, it’s so versatile and quick cooking.  I love to have 101 chicken recipes up my sleeve.  Check out this fail proof method to bring your kids to the table.  Only two of mine eat the mushrooms though, but I keep trying!

1/4 c  flour for coating

S&P

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts pounded thin

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

8 oz container baby bella mushrooms quartered

3/4 c Marsala wine

1/2 c chicken stock

In a shallow bowl mix together the flour and season with S&P. Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture, set aside for about 10-15 minutes.

Set a large skillet over medium high heat. Melt butter in oil over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan, and lightly brown each side, about 4 minutes each. Remove chicken and set aside under some tin foil to keep warm.  Add mushrooms to the pan and season with S&P. You can add a bit more olive oil if it’s looking a bit dry.  Pour in wine and allow the alcohol to cook out for about 2 minutes.  Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then knock it back to a simmer.  Slide the chicken back in and allow to simmer for 8-10 mintues.  Serve over pasta or potatoes.  Make a lot.  This is a hit!

What is your go to chicken dish this summer?

Continue Reading