Herbed Zucchini Pasta

Serves: 4

2 T. butter
5 T. oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 green pepper, diced
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/2 t. oregano
1 t. rosemary
1 t. basil
1 pkg (12-16 oz.) pasta, cooked
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter with 2 tablespoons oil. Add onion and garlic; saute for 5 minutes. Stir in green pepper; saute for an additional 3 minutes. Stir in zucchini and herbs; cover and cook over low heat for 5-8 minutes, until zucchini is tender. Add remaining oil; toss with pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

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Tips: This was a tasty meatless dinner that was easy to put together. Instead of chopping all the vegetables ahead of time, this recipe should give you enough time to chop the next item to add while the vegetable before it is sauteing. It is best to use pasta like bowtie, rotini or penne instead of long noodles like spaghetti or linguine. I also shared this recipe at 11th Heaven's Homemaker Mondays & Breastfeeding Moms Unite's Vegetarian Foodie Friday.

Recipe adapted from Pasta Recipes Cookbook (Gooseberry Patch)

Chicken & Vegetable Chowder

Serves: 4

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted
1 1/4 c. frozen broccoli cuts
1 c. carrots, sliced
1/2 c. corn; fresh, frozen or canned
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. thyme
1/2 c. half-and-half

Combine all ingredients except half-and-half in crock pot. Cover and cook on low 5 hours or until vegetables are tender and chicken is no longer pink in center. Stir in half-and-half. Turn to high. Cover and cook 15 minutes or until heated through.

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Tips: This was a delicious soup that was easy to put together. I substituted the leftover chicken from my Roast Chicken for the chicken breasts to save time and to make two meals out of one whole chicken. (You could also use leftovers from Roasted Chicken with Veggies.) Pair this chowder with some french bread or homemade bread machine bread and your meal is complete.

Recipe adapted from 365 Favorite Brand Name Slow Cooker Recipes & More

Pineapple Chicken Lo Mein

Serves: 4

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 t. ground ginger
2 T. oil
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks in juice
2 medium carrots, julienned
1 medium green pepper, julienned
4 oz. spaghetti, cooked and drained
3 green onions, sliced
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. soy sauce

In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook the chicken and garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil for about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with ginger. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 c. juice (save the rest for another use). Add carrots, green pepper and pineapple to skillet. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken juices run clear. Stir in spaghetti and onions. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce and reserved pineapple juice until smooth. Stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

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Tips: This was a great Asian-style meal with lots of veggies that the whole family enjoyed. I know it seems like a lot of ingredients and steps but most of the prep for step 2 can be done while step 1 is cooking so it did not take me long to make this meal. Save the extra pineapple juice and add it to a Fruit Smoothie. I also shared this recipe at Harrigan Howdy's Recipe Share Party.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home's 2003 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

Garlic & Cumin Pork Loin

Serves: 4-5

1 boneless, pork loin roast, approx. 2-3 lbs.
1/4 c. oil
2 T. cumin
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. lemon juice
4 T. cilantro, chopped
1 t. coarsely ground pepper
1/2 t. salt

In a small bowl, mix dry ingredients. Stir in oil then transfer to a blender or food processor. Mix to a smooth paste. Rub pork with paste; cover and refrigerator 2-4 hours. Heat grill to medium-high and cook pork on each side for 10 minutes. Turn grill to medium heat; move pork to area over indirect heat (Leave one side on, cook pork over other side) for about 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from grill; let rest 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

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Tips: This is a great recipe for pork loin and very easy to prepare. All that is left to do is to prepare a small side dish, like rice, and a salad and dinner's ready. I watch for pork loin to go on sale in bulk, usually a large 8-10 lb. piece. (I think I found it for $1.88/lb.) Then I ask the meat counter to cut it into 4-5 pieces. This saves me the trouble of having to cut it and makes several nice meals for my family. I also shared this recipe at Our Homeschool Home's On The Grill & Balancing Beauty & Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday.

Recipe from TheOtherWhiteMeat.com

Green Chile Frittata

Serves: 8-10

3 c. tortilla chips, coarsely crushed
1 1/2 c. green salsa
Juice from 1/2 lime
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
12 eggs
3/4 c. milk
1 c. (4 oz.) Colby Jack cheese, shredded
1 small onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded & diced
1 clove garlic, minced
Sour cream

In a bowl, combine crushed chips and salsa; stir in lime juice. In a separate bowl, whisk together cilantro, eggs, milk and 3/4 c. cheese. Add tortilla chip mixture to egg mixture; mix well. In a skillet, spray with non-stick spray and cook onion, pepper and garlic for 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender. In a greased 13 x 9 pan, place onion mixture on the bottom. Pour egg mixture on top. (Do not stir.) Bake at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes or until egg mixture is set in the center. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top with sour cream.

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Tips: I had never made a frittata before so I checked my dictionary for the official definition. I came to the conclusion that it is basically a fancy name for an egg casserole and this one was very tasty. I made it for dinner but it could easily be a breakfast dish as well. One cup of cooked, diced chicken can be added to the egg mixture if you prefer meat in your dish. We were even able to get my daughter to eat some by calling it a cheese and tortilla casserole (she turns her nose up at eggs). I also shared this recipe at Breastfeeding Moms Unite's Vegetarian Foodie Friday.

Recipe adapted from The Pampered Chef Season's Best Recipe Collection (Fall/Winter 2005)

Oatmeal Peach Bake

Serves: 6-8

1 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. cold butter
Filling:
2 cans (16 oz. each) sliced peaches packed in juice
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
Topping:
1 1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. flour
5 T. cold butter

In a bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Pat into a greased 9-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, drain the peaches and reserve juice in a medium saucepan. Add the sugar and cornstarch; stir until dissolved then bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in peaches. Pour into crust. For topping, combine oats, brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

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Tips: This peach crisp was filling and yummy especially with vanilla ice cream. I liked it since it is made with canned peaches and avoids the extra additives and preservatives. If you are looking for a peach dessert that is a bit quicker, try my Easy Peach Crisp. I also shared this recipe at Tales from the Fairy Blogmother's What's Cooking Wednesday.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Mom's Best Meals

Roast Chicken

Serves: 4-6

1 whole chicken (approx. 3 lbs.), skin removed & cleaned
5 T. butter, softened
1 lemon & 1 t. lemon zest
1 T. thyme
1/4 t. pepper
1 t. seasoned salt

In a small bowl, mix butter, thyme, lemon zest and pepper until it forms a smooth mixture. Pat dry the chicken. Using the back of a spoon, spread the butter mixture over the outside. Place a small amount of butter mixture inside chicken. Sprinkle outside with seasoned salt. Cut lemon in half and place one half inside chicken. Place chicken in roasting pan. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes. Baste the chicken halfway through. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

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Tips: This was a tasty roast chicken that I plan to used the leftovers to make a chicken soup with. It takes a little time to remove the skin and clean the chicken but once its in the oven most of your work is done. Try serving it with cooked carrots and bread & butter. I also shared this recipe at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

Recipe adapted from DK Children's Cookbook

Barbecued Chicken Quesadillas

Serves: 2-3

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/3 c. barbecue sauce
1/3 c. tomato, chopped
1/4 c. onion, chopped
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
4 flour tortillas, burrito size
1/2 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded

Place chicken breast on a microwave-safe plate. Cover and microwave on high for 4-5 minute or until fully cooked. Using two forks, shredded chicken breast. Mix in barbecue sauce. In a separate bowl, combine tomatoes, onion and cilantro. Place two tortillas on a baking sheet. Spread half the chicken on each tortilla. Top with tomato mixture then with cheese. Place the other tortilla on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until cheese melts and tortillas are crispy. Cut in fourths and serve.

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Tips: These quesadillas were a nice change from the original and easy to put together. If you have never tried this method for making shredded chicken it is super easy and quick. Just use one fork to hold the chicken and rake it against the grain with the other. You could also cut out a step by choosing to use canned chicken. I did pick out the onions for my daughter or just make part of one quesadilla without the ingredients your kids don't like. I also shared this recipe at Life as MOM's Recipe Swap & Momtrends' Friday Food.

Recipe adapted from Eating Better: Recipes and Tips from Home Economics Teachers

Biscuits with Chicken Gravy

Serves: 4-5

1 cup milk
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 t. garlic salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz.) mixed vegetables
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 can large, refrigerated biscuits

Bake biscuits according to package directions. In a large pot, combine milk, cornstarch, garlic salt, pepper and broth. Mix well before turning on heat, dissolving cornstarch completely. Turn heat on medium. Add vegetables and chicken. Stir occasionally and cook for 10-12 minutes or until thick and creamy. When biscuits are finished, place open-faced on a plate and serve 1/2-3/4 cup of gravy over each biscuit.

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Tips: This was a nice easy biscuits and gravy recipe. To make things even easier, substitute 1-2 cans of chicken for the chicken breasts. Kids may prefer (as my daughter did) to have their biscuit with butter on the side and the chicken with vegetables separately. For the biscuits, I used the store brand that was equal to Pillsbury Grands. I also shared this recipe at Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap.

Recipe adapted from Down Home Cookin' Without the Down Home Fat

RR Kid Food Cookbook Winner

Congratulations to Shannon, my winner of the Kid Food: Rachael Ray's Top 30 30-Minute Meals. She will have 48 hours to contact me. Thank you to the 42 people who entered this giveaway. This was my biggest giveaway yet! I have more coupons and cookbooks to giveaway in the upcoming weeks so stay tuned.

Saucy Chicken over Rice

Serves: 4-6

8 chicken thighs, skinned
1/3 c. dry white wine
2 T. minced onion
2 cubes, crushed or 1-1/2 t. chicken bouillon
1/2 t. lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. marjoram, crushed
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
Hot, cooked rice

Place chicken in the bottom of crock pot. In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients (excluding rice). Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Reduce heat to low and cook for an additional 2-3 hours. Serve over rice.

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Tips: This was a wonderful crock pot chicken dish. Chicken thighs or drumsticks can be used and the sauce will support 4-6 more pieces of chicken if you are cooking for a slightly larger crowd. I loved how easy this was to put together and since it didn't have to cook for a full 8 hours you can have a crock pot meal even if you put it together after lunch. Look for chicken pieces to go on sale at the store to have ready for this dish. I can usually find them for about 99¢/lb. I also shared this recipe at Smockity Frocks' What's in Your Crockpot?

Recipe adapted from Southern Living: Slow-Cooker Cookbook