Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe

If there's is one type of food that I could live off of for the rest of my life it would be salads. I love salads. I love creating salads and the options are practically limitless. One could possibly say they actually are limitless. Since discovering a particular salad dressing a few years ago Chinese Chicken Salad quickly climbed my list of all time favorite salads. I may have even eaten four of this particular salads last week. What I really enjoy about it is the light yet full flavor of the salad, and I especially love how healthy it is. 

Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 2-3 chicken breast
• Romain lettuce 
• Spring mix 
• Cabbage (Purple or Green)
• Green onions
• Green olives (optional)
• Hearts of palm (optional)
• Crispy chow mein noodles 
• 1 tsp Sesame oil
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Garlic salt 
• Onion powder
• Cayenne pepper
• Annie's Shitake Sesame Dressing

Directions

• Cook the chicken in the sesame and olive oil until done
• Season the chicken when it's almost done with your dry ingredients (garlic salt, onion powder and a bit of cayenne pepper)
• While that's cooking finely chop up the lettuce, spring mix and the cabbage as well as the rest of your veggies (onion, olives and hearts of palm)
• Toss it all together in a bowl and top with the crispy noodles 
• Slice your chicken (you can do it all pretty or chopped) and place on top of the lettuce
• Now top your salad with Annie's Shitake Sesame dressing

Now sit down, relax, grab a glass of wine or beer and enjoy this beautiful salad.

Homemade Meatball Sandwiches Recipe

Making dinner should be an enjoyable process. Not something us Moms stress over, so when I don't feel like making a big meal or just plain don't feel like cooking I try to do my simple meals so we don't eat out. You really can't get any easier then meatball sandwiches. Most of it is just prepping/putting together the food and it's only four ingredients which you can choose relatively healthy options here. And as an added bonus it's one of my kids favorites. Something easy and the kids love it...it's a win win!

Ingredients:
Wheat Hoagies
Organic Pizza Sauce (I chose pizza sauce because it has a bit more oomph then plain tomato sauce)
Provolone Cheese
Meatballs (I usually do turkey meatballs but they were all out at the market today)

Instructions:
Cut the hoagie lengthwise but not all the way through (you still want it attached so it doesn't fall apart
Pile on your cooked meatballs
Pour on as little or as much sauce as you like
Bake in the toaster oven for approximately 5 minutes or in a conventional oven at 400 degrees for 5 minutes (just enough time to warm the sauce & toast the hoagie)
Pull out of oven and top with cheese (don't worry the cheese will melt all on it's own)

Only four ingredients, takes less then ten minutes total and you have a delicious meal for the whole family to enjoy.

Sidenote...please excuse the poor photos, these were taken from my phone as a last minute oh hey I should post about this huh. Well let me grab my phone then and snap to it.

PieOgraphy's Banana Cream Pie with Chocolate & Caramel

Oh yes, I did just say Banana Cream pie with Chocolate Ganache.

Let me introduce you to Jo Packham. the creator and Editor-in-Chief of Where Women Cook. I'll wait while you go peek at her site....and you must peek because it's gorgeous and FULL of amazing recipes and soooo much more. Back to Jo now, in addition to her amazing website she also owns a publishing company where she creates the bestselling magazines Where Women Cook and Where Women Create, Where Women Create Business vand she is also an author! I don't know about you but I think Jo is amazing and I bow down to Jo and her awesomeness. On February 1st she released the Where Women Cook PieOgraphy cookbook, where pie meets biography.

You always hear how a recipe has a story behind it but what happens when you don't get to hear the story? You're left wondering what it was, was it a good story, I wonder who actually created this recipe because damn is it good, man I wish I knew what it was! At least that's how it runs through in my head. So when I was approached about reviewing Jo's new cookbook the first thing that stuck out at me was the fact that you actually get the story. You may get the story behind the person who created the recipe, the story behind the recipe heck you get both. I really love that about this book, I may even love it more then the actually recipes....wait who am I kidding, I love food how could I say that. All joking aside I really enjoy both parts of this book, getting to know the person behind the food and knowing the story of the recipe as well as the drool worthy pictures. Have I mentioned the pictures yet? Forgive me for not sharing them....they are drool worthy.

I couldn't review this book without making a recipe from it, it just wouldn't be right. One of my all time favorite pie's is the Banana Cream Pie so when I saw there was a recipe in PieOgraphy for it but with a special twist I knew this would be the pie I would make. Confession....I've never made a pie before from scratch so I was a little scared. Yeah I've made one that involved pudding and whipped cream but I don't count that because the ingredients for the filling were already made, nothing done from scratch. So with a deep breath I gathered my baking confidence and got to work.

I didn't follow the exact recipe since I wanted to make sure it would be something my whole family would eat (kids, they're picky you know) so I left out the salted butter caramel sauce but I kept the chocolate ganache because dude, it's chocolate!

And because this was my first time making a pie I finally got to pull out my Grandmothers old pie dish that she passed down to me ages ago that has sat in the hutch collecting dust.

I even pulled out her beautiful pie server.

Not too shabby for my first attempt at making a pie huh? I have to thank the amazing instructions from the recipes creator, Nancy Soriano. And the drool worthy photos which caught my eye and conviced me to make this pie.

Really quick, another thing I enjoyed about this book is that it's not just dessert pie's in it. You also have delectable, savory pies included in there such as spinach quiche, heirloom tomato pizzas, chicken pot pie and more. So the reference of pie encompasses all types of pie's. If you would like to take a peek at the book for yourself click HERE. And since I know you will fall in love with it instantly here is the link to where you can buy it.

You can also keep up on the Where Women Cook community on their Facebook page, Twitter and their Pinterest page.

I received an advanced copy of Where Women Cook: PieOgraphy to facilitate my review, the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Quick & Simple Lemon Chicken

I am all about making dinner time about spending time with family instead of slaving over the stove. So when it comes to creating dinner I like to create recipes that are simple yet satisfying to the pallet. Last night was yet another successful quick and simple dinner, Lemon Chicken.

Simple Lemon Chicken

Four chicken breasts
Half an onion, sliced
One tablespoon garlic
Olive oil (one turn around the pan)
Pepper
Salt
Cayenne pepper
One lemon

Season chicken with salt, pepper and cayenne (to taste)

Cook chicken on medium high heat for four minutes on each side

Add slice onions and garlic 

Cover and cook for ten minutes on medium to low heat 

Uncover and reduce sauce by turning heat up (approximately five minutes) 

Add juice of one lemon

And there you have it, in under thirty minutes you have a healthy delicious meal to serve to your family all while spending less time in the kitchen and more time with those you love. Enjoy!

Weekly Meal Plan

I have never been an organized person, I am more of a on the whim let things flow gal but lately deciding what to make for dinner has become more of a chore then an enjoyable experience as it once was for me. I love cooking, always have so in attempts to get back to the enjoyable side I have decided to try my hand and making a weekly meal plan.

I have avoided doing this for quite some time now because my thinking was that it would take forever me forever to sit down and plan it all out but in reality it took me under ten minutes. I think I mentally overwhelmed myself by assuming I had to do it a month at a time. But doing it weekly I can handle. Here is what I came up with for next weeks menu.

Week of 09/17 Menu

Monday: Curry Chicken
I love Curry Chicken. It is such a simple meal to make and one that is never a disappointment. Even my kids love it. 

Tuesday: Spaghetti
Another simple dish. I let my sauce cook most of the day and by dinner time all the flavors have infused wonderfully.

Wednesday: Wild Rice Chicken Casserole
I haven't made this dish in a while but as I sit here next to the open windows while it's a beautiful 65 degrees out I just had to include a nice fall/winter dish.

Thursday: Chicken Tortilla Soup
Again inspired by the coolness outside I wanted a soup but nothing too heavy.

Friday: Leftovers
Waste not want not. I know not all people are leftover fans but I absolutely love them. It's the perfect time to have a little bit of everything from the week and to make sure nothing gets wasted. 

Saturday: Chicken Tostadas
While my husband is at work I usually leave the weekends as my easy days in the kitchen. And this is one of the kids favorite meals. It's a win win.

Sunday: BBQ chicken sandwiches
This will be a new one for us. My mom used to make BBQ Pork sandwiches while we were growing. While my kids aren't a big fan I thought a new twist might work. Fingers crossed.

My fridge and pantry are a little bare right now but luckily I do have a lot of the basics for these recipes so my shopping list will (thankfully) be semi short.

Now the biggest obstacle for me....sticking to it! Fingers crossed people.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Julie and I were chatting on twitter the other day about soups and I asked if she had any recipes she may want to share with me since I came to the realization that I've only ever made two types of soups. Creamy Potato and Broccoli Cheese. While they are amazing soups I have been trying to stay away from creams and cheese based foods. And being the awesome person that she is she shared a few soup recipes that looked amazing. But I knew I had to try her Chicken Tortilla Soup as soon as I saw the recipe.

When I went shopping I had two of Julies soup recipes up on my phone and I accidentally looked at the wrong one and purchased a rotisserie chicken when the recipe called for chicken breasts so I ended up changing the recipe a little bit based on that.  

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1/2 cup salsa (I used Riverwalk Cantina salsa, you can pick it up at Walmart for under $2)
5 cups of chicken broth (or chicken bullion)
Half a roasted chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces (I picked up a precooked roasted chicken from the store)
4 Tablespoons uncooked rice
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro (optional...I am not a straight cilantro fan so I didn't use this)
1/2 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 can of black beans (washed and drained)
2 large, ripe avocados chopped into bite sized pieces
Tortilla Chips
Onion powder, Cumin and Cayenne pepper to taste
Lime

Heat chicken broth to boil in a large pot. Once boiling add salsa and rice and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.
Now throw in the chicken, onions, black beans and seasonings to taste. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
Taste the soup to make sure the seasonings are to your liking. If all tastes good then turn off the flame.
Just before serving add the cheese and cilantro. 
The fun part is piling up all the goodies to your hearts content. Avocado, cheese, sour cream, additional cheese (if you want it extra cheesy)and chips. You can either put them in the bowl prior to pouring the soup in or you can break a small handful of chips for the top. I personally like the little bit of crunch putting them on last adds to the soup. Last but not least is squeeze a little bit of fresh lime juice on top.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

I love salads. I don't think I have ever come across a salad that I haven't liked. There are a few that I thought for sure they would be horrible but I was proven wrong. Typically I don't like to be proven wrong but when it comes to new foods I am good with it because my belly is nice and full with delicious food. Mmm mmm good.

A go to salad in my house is a Buffalo Chicken Salad. I don't make mine like a typical salad. Actually a lot of times buffalo chicken salads can be a tad boring. So I add my own person touch to them with a bit more variety. Here is my simple yet very tasty recipe for Buffalo Chicken Salad.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Pickled Beets

Hearts of Palm

Kidney Beans

Green Onions

 Orange Bell Peppers 

Tomatoes

Mixed baby greens

Romaine lettuce

Previously cooked chicken, diced and cooked in Franks Hot Sauce

Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese

Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing

Diced hearts of palm, pickled beets, tomatoes, kidney beans, green onions and orange bell peppers

Thinly sliced (because I like small bites) mixed baby greens

Throw in diced veggies

Add some sliced romaine

Top with your precooked chicken, some crumbled Gorgonzola and yogurt blue cheese dressing

Toss is all together and enjoy!

By precooking the chicken you save some time so you can just dice up what you need and throw it all together. Right after I go shopping I typically take about three to four chicken breasts and cook them up specifically for salads for that week. It helps cut back on prep time which is always a help with three kids.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I am not going to make any silly claims that this recipe is healthy for you because it's not. It's full of creamy goodness and nothing this good was ever intended to be healthy. It's not like heart attack in a bowl though so don't put it on the make once a year shelf. This soup is great for the fall months, winter and in between. I've made it....maybe I shouldn't admit how many times I've made it in the last six months. I'll keep that little tid bit to myself. Just know that it is by far my favorite soup.

I look forward to it so much each time I've made it that I have completely forgotten to take pictures of each step. It's like my mind goes on a one way track and all I think about is broccoli soup. When will it be done? Is it done yet? Can I have some of that creamy goodness now!

And one of the best parts about this recipe is it's relatively simple.

Here is what you'll need.

4 cups broccoli-chopped into small pieces

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups milk (I use 1%)

1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon Onion powder

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon Garlic salt

2 tablespoon Butter

Half of a red onion, chopped

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

* Rinse the broccoli, finely chop and let dry on a paper towel.

* Melt butter and add in your onions. Cook onions approximately 3-4 minutes or until opaque.

* Now it's time to make your roux. Grab your whisk and stir while slowly adding in a little bit of flour at a time.

* DO NOT add it all in at once or you will end up with clumps. Add in a little bit, stir, and when it's completely smooth and start to ruse add in a little bit more.

* Once you have mixed in all the flour it's time to add in the cream. Again only do a little bit at a time. But you have to be fast because as soon as the liquid touches the roux it will want to turn to putty. So start mixing before you've even added the cream and keep mixing until you've added all of the cream.

* Add in your milk.

* Dump all your broccoli in and give it a good stir

* And lastly add in all of your seasonings. Nutmeg, garlic salt, cayenne pepper, onion powder.. It may seem like you are using a lot of seasoning but don't worry. It won't be over powering at all. Since you're using small amount of each nothing will strike out at you and take you over in flavor. It will all blend perfectly together.

* Bring the soup to a boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

* Prior to adding in the cheese give it a good stir and a taste test. If needed add some salt and pepper to taste.

* Add cheese right before serving.


And there you have it, delicious broccoli cheese soup that is as addicting as it is melt in your mouth good.

Chicken a la Shana-Serrano Chicken Recipe

Get it??? Like Chicken a la King but since this is my recipe it's Chicken a la Shana. Actually I don't even know what Chicken a la King is but I like saying it, so it helped me name my recipe that has been nameless for seven years.

:::::WARNING::::: 

If you do not like spicy dishes turn away, do not, whatever you do, do not look at this recipe and see it's deliciousness scream at you and invite you to try a bite of it's spicy goodness. 

When I made this prior to having kids I would occasionally double the amount of peppers. What can I say I love me some spiciness. 

Chicken a la Shana

5 chicken breasts

1 whole red onion (chopped)

2 Serrano chili peppers (sliced long way & seeds removed)

1 red Jalapeno (sliced long way & seeds removed)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

Pepper
Sea Salt

Garlic Salt

Onion Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Oregano (I use a ground up powdered version so measurements may vary)
Tomato Sauce (2/15oz cans or 1/28 oz can)
Olive oil

De-seed and slice up your peppers. Make sure not to rub your eyes after handling these babies

Season your chicken with the salt and pepper. Cook approximately six-seven minutes on each side in one tablespoon of olive oil

Chop your onion. I left the pieces a little chunky because my oldest is not a fan of onions so I usually pick them out for him and then put them on my plate. Waste not right

 Put another tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and cook up the onions, garlic and peppers for two-four minutes. I like my onions slightly crunchy so I typically only cook them for two minutes

 Next add in the tomato sauce

Put the chicken back in

Add in remaining seasonings (oregano, garlic salt, onion powder and cayenne pepper)

 Simmer on low for 15 minutes

Whala....Chicken a la Shana

Make a Weeknight Meal Special Challenge

One of the best things about the cooler weather this time of the year is that it also means it's soup season! I love soup. I am a creamy girl at heart but knowing that's not always the healthiest route it's good to keep your options open and not discount vegetable based soups. 

Bertolli recently came out with a new line of frozen meals called Meal Soup. They offer four different varieties to choose from.

Chicken Minestrone, Roasted Chicken & Rotini Pasta, Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken and Tuscan-Style Beef with vegetable. 

Here are a few facts about Bertolli

·      Bertolli® Frozen Meal Soups are hearty and fresh-tasting with vegetables, meats, pasta and herbs individually flash frozen at the  peak of freshness.
·      Bertolli® Frozen Meal Soups are available in the frozen aisle, and can be prepared on your stovetop in minutes.
·      With robust flavors and rich textures, new Bertolli® Frozen Meal Soups are available in four varieties: Chicken Minestrone, Roasted Chicken & Rotini Pasta, Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken, and Tuscan-Style Beef with Vegetables.

Since this is a fairly new product and I live in a small town I was only able to locate one store out here that carried them, and was shocked to see that out of the shelf provided for the soups only one remained. I took that as a good sign that people are enjoying them. If you are worried that the soups aren't carried in your area click here and you can search for a local store that carries the soups. The one that was left on the shelf was the Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken. Quite honestly even if they had all four in stock I probably would have bought the same one because I am a sucker for tomato soup. I also thought that since it had the tortellini in it then the kids would be more willing to try it. 

I was challenged to make a special meal with Bertolli Soups and do so in under an hours time. One thing I love about doing soup for dinner is it goes with pretty much anything you can think of. The other night I made a chicken and pasta dish that fit right into the Italian theme and since I had plenty of leftovers I decided what better to pair the soup with then our left overs. And it saved me a lot of time just reheating the food as opposed to creating the whole meal.

Many people discount leftovers but they are great for many reasons. A lot of times the flavors become more intense because you've let everything sit together overnight. You can create a whole new dish with leftovers. And best of all, they save time!

Tips on keeping meal prep time down:

Growing up we always ate meals together as a family and I want that for my family. While not always possible since my husband works and attends school I try to get everyone together as often as I can. Some things that I have found that get the kids more excited is serving them in "grown up" dishes. We have three different sets of dishes. Plastic, Corel (glass but break proof glass) and our fancy set that my husband and I use. By serving the kids the Corel plates/bowls they feel more like big kids and what kid doesn't love to pretend like they're older so there is usually less of an issue in getting them all to sit down for dinner which saves me time in chasing them around.

Planning ahead is a BIG time saver when preparing a meal. Making sure you have all ingredients needed so if you find out you are missing one ingredient you wont have to make a mad dash to the store. If it's something that requires a lot of chopping you can pre chop what you need the night before or in the morning, put them in Tupperware and in the fridge until needed later.

Also choose one day a week for an easy meal. Whether it be soup, salad, sandwiches, pizza, wraps, even spaghetti can be started in the afternoon and simmered on low until you're ready for dinner. Just go for something that does not take a lot of prep time but is still tasty.

Now onto the good part, our meal. With my leftovers out and being reheated all I had to do was prepare the soup and dinner would be ready. Pay close attention because here's the difficult part.

1. Put the package in a pot
2. Add one cup of water (per package)
3. Bring to a boil

In five minutes you will end up with an amazing soup that will shock you at it's deliciousness. 

Being a soup lover my expectations were high. I tried to keep an open mind but as soon as the soup started to boil and the smell spread throughout the house I knew the soup would be good. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. The spinach was perfect, no stems and it was all ripe so it tasted wonderfully. The chicken was tender and full of flavor and I loved that they were tiny little pieces. They were good size chunks and not a single piece of fat was on any of the pieces. The tortellini was amazing. Just the right amount of cheese filling that was nice and creamy. The pasta was slightly al dente which is a good thing because you don't want soggy pasta which leads to the filling leaking out. And of course the tomato bisque was pure perfection. Nice and creamy without being to heavy. It was full of flavor without being overwhelming. And it paired very well with our leftovers.

All in all this was an amazing soup. That is the first time I have ever said that about a store bought soup. I will admit, I can be very picky when it comes to soups but this one was a home run. Not only from the overall taste of the soup but the cooking time was very fast. Definitely will be keeping this on our favorites list. 

You can connect with Bertolli on Facebook at facebook.com/Bertolli or on Twitter at twitter.com/Bertolli and their Website at villabertolli.com

*I was compensated by Bertolli to participate in the Weeknight Meal Special Challenge. As always all thoughts & opinions stated are my own*

Meat & potatoes...meat & potatoes!

Every time I say that I say it like Dana Carvey in The Road to Wellville. If you haven't seen that movie you really should, it's a great movie! So my Mom used to make this recipe for us as we were growing up all the time. It was one of my favorites. That and Chicken w/ Cheese were my two all time favorites. I'll have to make that and share with you another time. I know when I say meat & potatoes people think what's so special about a piece of meat and some potatoes. Well only that it's not a piece of meat with a side of potatoes it's a casserole. Not only is it really good but it's really simple to make. Now I don't do ground beef so I use ground chicken instead. Takes exactly the same to me but feel free to use whichever you prefer. This recipe that I am sharing is double the normal amount that I make.

Meat Chicken & Potatoes 

8-10 medium/large russet potatoes

2 lbs ground chicken

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

2 packets Lipton onion soup mix

2 cups milk

2-3 tbsp ketchup

1/4-1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4-1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degree.

Peel, cut and boil your potatoes. While those are cooking start to cook your chicken. Cook the chicken through but before you take it off the stove season it with the dry seasonings. I gave variations in the measurements because everyone's tastes are different so use how much you'd like. You can also substitute one of the powders for either garlic or onion salt just don't make it too salty because the soup mix has salt in it also.

Mix the two cups of milk with the two the two Lipton packets and heat in the microwave for one minute. While that mixture is heating up add in your ketchup to the chicken. I know it sounds totally gross but I promise you it will not be nearly as good if you leave it out!

When the milk mixture is done mix and then pour in with the chicken. Let simmer on low for about five minutes. You want to let the liquids soak in a little bit so it's not too runny for the casserole.
Now that the potatoes are done mash them and prepare to your liking. I usually add about a tablespoon of butter, some milk and onion powder along with a dash of cayenne powder. Mash them up until they are nice and smooth.
Grate your cheese, or you can go easy, which I normally do, and buy pre-shredded cheese. Cuts out a lot of time. 

Now you are ready to build your pie.

Step 1: Put all of the chicken mixture into your dish.



Step 2: Layer the cheese on top of the chicken.



Step 3: Add the potatoes on top of it all. Smooth the potatoes so it's all one level.





Pop your completed pie into the oven uncovered and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Or if you are in a hurry you can stick it in the microwave for 8-12 minutes, possibly less.





This dish is full of yummy goodness that my entire family enjoys.

What do you do when baking goes wrong

Why you improvise of course. I tried a new cookie recipe the other day and while it was very similar to my regular one, somehow they didn't quite turn out as I had hoped.

I used the same cookie sheets I always use but for some unknown reason they came out like this!

So not wanting to waste about 30 cookies I cut off the tops on all of them in attempts to save them.

It's like muffin tops except cookie tops LOL

And then being the crafty type that I am I flipped these cookies like pancakes trying to prevent the remaining batch from burning.

So if you ever encounter this problem, don't fret and throw them all away, just grab a knife and cut off the tops while they are still warm. If they fall apart during that process don't worry, you can always use them as toppings on ice cream!