Recipe of the Week Archives - Page 28 of 34

Recipe of the Week: Mexican Chicken Casserole

April 27, 2009 26 Comments

This week I’m sharing my Mexican Chicken Casserole. I’ve posted the recipe before in a Menu Plan Monday post, but since then I’ve taken more pictures of the casserole and wanted to post it by itself. And since we’re having it this week, it seemed like a good time to share it.

This is one of our favorite meals! It’s a pretty versatile recipe, and it makes a great make-ahead meal, and I think it would be good to freeze too. Enjoy!

Recipe for Mexican Chicken Casserole:

Ingredients:
2 cans chicken breast, drained or 3-4 boneless chicken breasts, cooked & chopped/shredded
1 reg bag tortilla chips (use as much as you like)
1 1/4 cup chicken broth or water (I use the broth drained off of the canned chicken)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 – 1 1/2 cups of salsa (I don’t really put an exact amount)

Instructions: Spray 9X13 casserole dish with cooking spray. Mix together all ingredients except chips. Layer bottom of casserole dish with crushed chips. Then place part of the chicken mixture on top of the chips. Continue to layer chips and chicken mixture, ending with chips on top. Then sprinkle some additional cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Tips & Suggestions
-I usually place a pile of chips on a plate and then serve the casserole on top of the chips. Additionally I get out additional salsa, shredded lettuce, extra cheese, and sour cream to go on top. You could also use peppers, onions, diced tomatoes, or any other topping with this recipe.

-Also, the original recipe included jalepeno peppers and rotel tomatoes with the chicken mixture instead of salsa.

-This is a great way to use up crumbled chips from the bottom of the bag. My husband hates eating small pieces of chips so I find that this is a great way to make sure that they don’t go go waste. Plus, you don’t have to work as hard to crush them.

Above is a photo of the casserole after it’s baked, and below is a picture of how it can be served. I like to place it on a bed of chips and top it with sour cream and extra cheese.

And if you like a little more heat, you can follow this example. In this photo, the casserole is served on a bed of chips, and topped with sour cream, cheese, salsa, and taco sauce.

-Jerri

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I’m posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Making A Happy Home Monday is hosted by As For Me and My House….
Kitchen Tip Tuesdays is hosted by Tammy’s Recipes
Make Something Monday is hosted by Go Graham Go! and Jolly Mom and Diana Rambles.
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.
I Am Blissfully Domestic is hosted by Blissfully Domestic.
Ultimate Recipe is Swap is hosted by Life as Mom.

Filed Under: casseroles and quick meals, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Crispy Ranch Chicken

April 20, 2009 24 Comments

This week I’m sharing one of favorite chicken recipes. It’s one of the first dishes I made for my husband while we were dating, and it is super yummy!

Recipe for Crispy Ranch Chicken

Ingredients:

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

1 envelope (1 ounce) ranch salad dressing mix

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups of crushed tortilla chips

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Directions: In shallow dish, mix soup, milk, and salad dressing mix. Reserve about a cup for sauce. Dip chicken into soup mixture. Coat with tortilla chips. Place chicken on greased baking sheet. Drizzle with margarine. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until done. In small sauce pan, heat reserved soup mixture to boiling. Serve with chicken.

Normally I put in some different suggestions and variations on the recipes, but I think this one is perfect as is. I suppose you could leave the chips out or use something else such as bread crumbs for the crispy part. Or you could use this recipe/technique with various types of sauce. Let me know if you have any good ideas!

-Jerri

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Filed Under: casseroles and quick meals, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Pineapple Angel Food Cake

April 13, 2009 28 Comments

This week I’m sharing a yummy recipe for Pineapple Angel Food Cake. My mom made this a couple of weeks ago and gave me some slices to take home (hence, there’s no photo of the whole cake).

This is the perfect dessert for spring and summer. And this was very easy because it was made using an angel food cake mix. But of course, you could incorporate this into a homemade angel food cake recipe as well. Enjoy!

Recipe for Pineaple Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:

1 box of angel food cake mix

1 (15 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 teaspoon ginger

Directions: Mix up angel food cake batter as directed. (The kind I used only required that you add 1 1/4 cups of water before mixing.) Then add ginger and coconut and mix. Fold in pineapple chunks. Pour into a tube pan or a 9X13 pan. Bake as directed on box.

Tips & Suggestions:

– Try serving this topped with whipped cream and additional pineapple chunks.

– Reserve the juice from the pineapple chunks and pour it over baked cake like a glaze.

-If you love coconut, I suggest adding more to this recipe.

-Jerri

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Filed Under: desserts, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Foil Pack Potatoes

April 7, 2009 21 Comments

I’m posting my menu & recipe a little later than usual because I wanted to give my posts that I published over the weekend a little more time at the top of the blog. And then I flipped through all my photos and just could not decide on what recipe to post for this week.

Finally I decided to go with these foil pack potatoes. Sorry that the photo’s not that great, but it is a delicious side item that you can bake in the oven or on the grill. The recipe I used called for taco seasoning, but I used chili powder and a little salt and pepper instead. But you could use any seasonings or toppings you like.

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Recipe for Foil Pack Potatoes: Ingredients:

Potatoes (1 or 2 per person)

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Chili Powder

Salt & pepper

Directions: Cut potatoes into thin slices or cubes. Place slices from one potato (or 2 small potatoes) on a piece of foil. Sprinkle with chili powder and cheddar cheese. Bring up foil sides and fold down to seal the packet Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serve beside your favorite dish. (Optional – Top with sour cream and other toppings when serving.)

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Tips & Suggestions:

-I actually boiled my potatoes on the stove for 10 to 15 minutes to ensure they were soft enough for our liking. But I suppose you could also bake them a little longer, and maybe add a tiny bit of water to each pack to prevent them from being too dry.

-Add other veggies to your pack like peppers, onions, carrots, or mushrooms.

-For a complete meal, add a piece of chicken or other meat to your pack.

-For a cookout, place your packets on the grill for 35 to 40 minutes.

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I’m posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Making A Happy Home Monday is hosted by As For Me and My House….
Kitchen Tip Tuesdays is hosted by Tammy’s Recipes
Make Something Monday is hosted by Go Graham Go! and Jolly Mom
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Forever Wherever.
I Am Blissfully Domestic is hosted by Blissfully Domestic.
Ultimate Recipe is Swap is hosted by Life as Mom.

-Jerri

Filed Under: breads and sides, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Buffalo Chicken Fingers

March 23, 2009 14 Comments

I’m always getting questions about the buffalo chicken fingers on my menus. Sometimes we purchase these from a local resturant and sometimes I make my own. They’re actually just like regular chicken fingers except that you add buffalo sauce.

Method for Cooking Buffalo Chicken Fingers:
-You can buy frozen chicken fingers that are already breaded or you can buy boneless skinless chicken fingers (or buy breasts and cut them into fingers yourself) and cover them in the breading of your choice.

-Then choose your cooking method. They can be fried on the stove or deep fried, or you can bake them.

-Then after they’ve cooked you simply dip them in a little buffalo sauce. The sauce can be found at your local grocery store. Frank’s is the most popular brand, but I’ve also used Moore’s. And you can find these in hot or mild. You can also make your own sauce (and I’m sorry to say that I can’t recommend a recipe to you because I’ve never made my own sauce).

-After dipping they are ready to serve. Or if you choose, after dipping you can place them in the oven for about five minutes so that the sauce is warm.

-Then serve them with ranch of bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks. They are also great with french fries and Texas toast, or (as my picture indicates) fried pickles.

Tips – If you don’t like buffalo, you can dip these in barbecue, chipotle, honey mustard, or another flavor of your choice.

-You can also use the buffalo sauce on grilled or baked fingers without breading.

Here’s a recipe for the plain breaded chicken fingers:

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (or regular salt)

1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch strips

1. Heat oven to 425ºF. Melt butter in rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, in oven.
2. Mix flour, salt, and pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture. Toss with melted butter in pan.
3. Bake uncovered 15 minutes. Turn chicken strips; bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until no longer pink in center.

Options: You can leave the butter out, and cook these in the deep fryer or on the stove top in oil. You can also try dipping the chicken in a mixture of milk and egg before dipping in the flour mixture, or spread mayo on the chicken before dipping. *

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Please visit the following sites for more great recipes & other ideas:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Making A Happy Home Monday is hosted by As For Me and My House….
Kitchen Tip Tuesdays is hosted by Tammy’s Recipes
Make Something Monday is hosted by Go Graham Go! and Jolly Mom
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Forever Wherever.
I Am Blissfully Domestic is hosted by Blissfully Domestic.

-Jerri

Filed Under: casseroles and quick meals, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Pistachio Dessert Salad

March 16, 2009 24 Comments

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day I wanted to post a green colored recipe. My mom used to make this Pistachio Dessert Salad every year at Christmas. Actually she called it Congealed Salad or Pistachio Salad. As a kid I always called it “that green stuff.” Actually I still call it that, but I think Pistachio Dessert Salad sounds a little more inviting.

In some cookbooks it’s also listed as Watergate Salad. In case your curious about this name origin I looked it up (proving once again that I’m one of the biggest nerds on the planet), and I found an article at Life123.com. It said that pistachio pudding was introduced by Kraft in 1976, and customers began making Pistachio Pineapple Delight. Then a Chicago food reporter named it Watergate Salad in her column. So there you go.

Today I’m sharing the recipe that I use and some variations on the recipe.

Recipe for Pistachio Dessert Salad:

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip, thawed

1 (3 3/4 oz.) pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix

1 to 1 1/2 c. miniature marshmallows

1 (15 oz) can crushed pineapple (drained)

1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Directions: Combine pudding mix and Cool Whip. Add other ingredients and mix well. Chill 1 hour before serving.

Tips & Suggestions:

-This is a very easy recipe to customize for different occasions or for your own tastes. Here are some examples and suggestions:

Add a splash of color and flavor by mixing in OR topping with Maraschino cherries.
Substitute a can of fruit cocktail for the pineapple. Or if you like a lot of fruit, mix in the fruit cocktail in addition to the pineapple.
Another great item to subsitute or add to the mix is mandarin oranges.

-You can also change the recipe completely by using a different flavor of pudding or jello mix.

My mom makes a red/pink version of this using cherry or strawberry jello and Maraschino cherries.
If you want a green salad, but you don’t like pistachio, you can use lime gelatin instead.
Another version I’ve heard of uses orange jello, mandarin oranges, and/or pineapple.

Personally I love this pistachio version. What do you guys think?

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Filed Under: desserts, Misc Holidays, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Chicken Tortilla Soup

March 8, 2009 27 Comments

This week I’m sharing my recipe for chicken tortilla soup. I had never tried this soup until a couple of months ago. A lot of bloggers had posted their own recipes for the soup, and I finally decided to find one of my own and try it out.

Of course, I decided to try the easiest version I could find, and then I couldn’t make it without making a few changes first. Below you’ll find my edited version of the recipe, followed by the original, along with my tips and suggestions.

My Recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

2 cans black beans (15 oz)
2 cans whole kernel corn (15-15.25 oz) (drained)
2 cans of chicken breast (10 oz, drained) (or 2-3 boneless chicken breast, cooked/chopped)
1/2 cup chicken broth (or more if you prefer)
3 tsp of chili powder

Mix all ingredients together and heat to a rolling boil. Simmer on low till heated through.

Serve with chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

The Original Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chile peppers (10 oz)
2 cans black beans (15 oz)
2 cans whole kernel corn (15 oz) (drained)
2 cans of chicken breast (10 oz, drained)
2 cans of chicken broth

Mix all ingredients together and heat to a rolling boil. Simmer on low till heated through.

Reasons for my Changes:
-I left out the tomatoes because I don’t care much for tomatoes, and my husband sometimes has allergic reactions to the tomatoes.
-The Broth. I recommend no more than 1 cup with my version of the recipe. (But keep in mind that my version is thick and less soup-y). The original recipe called for 2 cans of chicken broth, and I suppose if you include the tomatoes in the recipe, you would need more broth. Just use your best judgement.
-Also, the original recipe did NOT include the chili powder. I just added this to give it a little more flavor.

Tips & Suggestions:

-This is a great meal to make when you’re in a hurry. In fact, I like to keep canned chicken on hand just so I can put it quick recipes like this.
-This is also a great way to use up your leftover chicken.
-And because this is so easy to make, it’s a good recipe to double and freeze for later, and it’s also a great recipe to make for company.

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Filed Under: Recipe of the Week, soup

Recipe of the Week: Chicken Cordon Bleu

March 2, 2009 17 Comments

This week’s recipe is my chicken cordon bleu. It’s another easy recipe, and I don’t have to go out and buy anything special to make it, which is always a plus. And if you’re not a fan of ham and cheese, this recipe is easily customized with your favorite ingredients.

One change I make a lot is to use American cheese rather than the Swiss. We like the Swiss, but we don’t always have it on hand, so the American is a great alternative.

Recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients:
2-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
thin sliced ham (2-5 pieces per chicken breast)
swiss cheese and/or American cheese (1-2 slices per chicken breast)
pepper/seasonings or shake & bake mix.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheet or casserole dish with cooking spray. Flatten out the chicken breasts. Place meat and cheese on top of chicken. Fold chicken breast over and stick 3-5 toothpicks in the chicken to secure it shut. Top each chicken breast with your choice of season. I use a little pepper and/or Morton’s Nature’s Season, and sometimes I sprinkle a little Shake n’ Bake seasoning on top as well. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until done.

Optional: 5 minutes before chicken is done, take out, and place half a piece of cheese on each chicken breast, or sprinkle some shredded cheese on top. Replace in oven and finish baking.

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Filed Under: casseroles and quick meals, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Chicken & Rice Bake

February 23, 2009 17 Comments

This week’s featured recipe is one of the first things that I ever made for my husband when we were dating. He loved it, and it’s become a dish that he requests quite often. And even though I’m branching out and trying to make different things, I still love this. In my mind it’s one of those “old faithful” recipes. If I’m running short on time, or ingredients, or if I can’t decide what to put on the week’s menu, I can always turn to the Chicken & Rice Bake!

Recipe for Chicken & Rice Bake

Ingredients:
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
2 cups water (or 2 2/3 cup for extra-creamy rice)
1 1/2 cups uncooked regular long-grain white rice
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tsp pepper (or more if desired)
salt to season (optional)
Shredded cheddar cheese (as much as desired)

Directions:
Coat a 2 qt shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Mix soup, water,and rice together. Mix in some cheese (optional). Season with pepper and a little salt (if desired). Place uncooked chicken breasts on top of mixture. Season chicken with additonal pepper. Top chicken and rice with cheese. Cover with tin foil. Bake at 375°F. 45 min. or until done.

Tips & Suggestions:

– This is a great recipe to cut in half or double, depending on how many people you’ll be serving. You can also make the rice without the chicken on top; it’s a great side item!

-I often make this with 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (rather than using the chicken). You could also use 2 cans of cream of chicken, if mushroom’s not your thing! Or try other flavors of soup that are to your liking.

– Change the size and taste of the recipe by adding a single canned or frozen vegetable (green beans, peas, broccoli, or carrots), or add some mixed vegetables.

-Or try substituting another type of cheese for the cheddar.

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Filed Under: casseroles and quick meals, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

February 16, 2009 19 Comments

I’ve had a huge headache all day, so I’m running a little behind with my recipe post, and since I’m still not feeling very well, I’m keeping it short tonight. But I do want to remind everyone to stop by for my 300th post and giveaway.

Now for this week’s recipe I picked something a little less fattening than last week. I imagine everyone could use a little broccoli in her life after a weekend of chocolate eating, so I’m posting this chicken broccoli alfredo recipe. It’s great for an easy, quick, and healthy meal.

Recipe for Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Ingredients
6 ounces of uncooked fettuccine (I used a cup of rotini instead, or you can try a cup of spaghetti noodles)
1 cup broccoli flowerets
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup cubed cooked chicken
1/4 teaspoon pepper to season

Directions: Prepare pasta according to package directions. Add broccoli for last 4 minutes of cooking time and drain. Add soup, milk, cheese, chicken, an pepper. Heat mixture throughout, stirring occasionally

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Please visit the following sites for more great recipes & other ideas:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Making A Happy Home Monday is hosted by As For Me and My House….
Kitchen Tip Tuesdays is hosted by Tammy’s Recipes
Make Something Monday is hosted by Go Graham Go! and Jolly Mom
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Forever Wherever.
I Am Blissfully Domestic is hosted by Blissfully Domestic.

-Jerri

Filed Under: casseroles and quick meals, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Mexican Chicken Casserole

Recipe of the Week: Crispy Ranch Chicken

Recipe of the Week: Pineapple Angel Food Cake

Recipe of the Week: Foil Pack Potatoes

Recipe of the Week: Buffalo Chicken Fingers

Recipe of the Week: Pistachio Dessert Salad

Recipe of the Week: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Recipe of the Week: Chicken Cordon Bleu

Recipe of the Week: Chicken & Rice Bake

Recipe of the Week: Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

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