Stuffed Peppers

As you may already know, I try and make meals that don't have too much prep or take too much time. After coming home from work and picking up the kids, I usually only have about 30 minutes or so to get dinner on the table while I have a two year old hanging off my leg and a four year old making demands I play with him.  So I have created my own shortcuts when I can.  For this recipe I use jarred sauce and also microwavable rice.  I absolutely LOVE having this rice in my freezer for nights when I just don't have much time and it comes out so nice and fluffy.

Ingredients:
4 small-medium green bell peppers
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey (I usually use turkey)
1 jar sauce (any type you like)
1 cup cooked rice
parmasean cheese for sprinkling

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook rice, you can do this in the microwave or use leftover rice that you have on hand.  Cook ground meat in a skillet and drain off the fat.  Mix in the cooked rice and jar of sauce.  Cut the tops off the peppers and take out the membranes and seeds.  Put peppers in an oven-safe casserole dish and fill with the meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 375 until brown and the peppers are soft, about 30-45 minutes.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken- courtesy of Life as a Lofthouse

I made this for dinner tonight and OMG, it was amazing!  I came across this recipe on pinterest and wanted to try it for awhile, and since I forgot to set up my chicken in the slow cooker for a different recipe, I decided I would go for it tonight and I am so glad I did.  I didn't make the fried rice, instead I had the frozen Jasmine rice that I get from Trader Joe's and keep in the freezer.  This recipe comes from the awesome food blog Life as a Lofthouse.  In her recipe she uses chicken breasts but I used thighs because that is what I had in the house.  I also want to add that I tried this recipe with just cutting up the chicken and skipping the cornstarch and frying part, and it was very dry and not as good.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 beaten eggs with a Tbsp water
1/4 vegetable oil

For the sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
4 Tbsp ketchup
1/2 cup vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt- I didn't have garlic salt so I used a little garlic powder and salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut chicken into small pieces and season with salt and pepper.  Coat chicken in cornstarch and then dip in egg.   Brown chicken in skillet with oil until it is nice and brown, but not necessarily cooked through.  When chicken is cooked put it into a large baking dish.  Whisk together the sauce ingredients and pour evenly over chicken.  Bake for an hour and toss chicken every 15 minutes.

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

Since the weather is getting warmer I like to change up my cooking to lighter meals.  Plus, bathing suit season is almost upon us.  Tonight, at my husband's suggestion, I made fish tacos and decided to make a mango salsa to top it since I LOVE mango salsa.

For the Fish:
Any mild fish filets you like- I used flounder
tortillas
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes worth)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Marinate fish filets in the marinade.  I only marinated mine for about 5-10 minutes.  Then create foil packets and grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side.  Top with whatever fixings you like.

For the Mango Salsa:
1 Mango- chopped
1/2 large tomato- chopped
1/4 red onion- chopped
handful cilantro- chopped
dash of cumin
dash of salt

In a medium bowl, add all chopped ingredients and sprinkle with cumin and salt.  You can add as much or as little cumin and salt as you prefer.

Easter Dinner Menu

I am hosting Easter dinner, as I have for the past four years now.  I thought I would share my menu and some good links to recipes I am using.  This year is a smaller gathering, (my husband's sister rotates between her side and her husband's side) so without their family of five, and my mom going with her boyfriend, there will only be 7 adults and 2 kids.  This allows me to make my favorite....roasted lamb. YUMMY!  Here is my menu:

Appetizers:
Cheese and crackers, plus whatever app my mother-in-law brings

Main Course:
Lamb- Ina Garten's recipe and we just got a new Weber grill
Grilled Chicken Breast for my sister-in-law who doesn't like lamb
Roasted asparagus
Scalloped Potato Gratin- Tyler Florence's recipe
Peas with Shallots and Pancetta- Bobby Flay's recipe
Biscuits

Dessert:
Banana Pudding Gone Amazing, plus whatever dessert my sister-in-law brings

Chicken Cardinale- Kind of

So I had this dish at an Italian restaurant not far from my house, (my plumber's wife actually owns it) and I ate everything on my plate.  I am not normally a member of the clean plate club, but this dish was just so amazing I couldn't stop eating!  I had to try and recreate it, but when I looked up recipes for chicken cardinale they were different from the one I had that night.  So, I did my best to recreate the flavors, and I think I got it.

The night I cooked this I forgot to get red peppers

1 1/2 lb thin cut chicken cutlets
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup olive oil
salt & pepper
1 shallot- chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1 small can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
fresh mozzarella
prosciutto- enough for each piece of chicken
roasted red pepper-enough for each piece of chicken

Heat oil in a skillet, and dredge chicken in flour with salt and pepper.  Saute chicken in oil until browned on both sides.  Take chicken out of skillet and put to the side.  Add shallot to the pan and saute for about 1-2 minutes.  Add in wine and bring to a bubble.  After 1-2 minutes add in tomato sauce and simmer.  Add salt and pepper to taste and stir in water.  Let simmer for about 10 minutes. If sauce gets too thick add more water, if it is too thin, simmer longer.  While sauce is simmering, place chicken on a baking sheet and top with slices of mozzarella.  Place chicken under the broiler or in a hot oven to melt the cheese.  When cheese is melted, take out the chicken and top with prosciutto and roasted red pepper.  Top with sauce and serve.  YUMM!

BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas

This was sooo yummy!  I love the combination of sweet pineapple in a savory dish.  At one of my favorite restaurants there is a dish with shrimp and pineapple and it is delish!  I think that inspired this dish as I was thinking about what I could make that would be quick, but different.  I sometimes get a little bored with the same dishes over and over.  After making these I thought of some other variations, like shrimp, or mango.  YUM!

1 1/2 lbs chicken tenderloins
2-3 Tbsp barbeque sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
1/2 Fresh Pineapple cut into long strips (I am sure you could use canned but if you use canned I would use the rings)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used Monterey Jack, but you can use the Mexican blend they sell)
Tortillas

*optional add-ins: scallions, jalapeno


Coat chicken in BBQ sauce.  You can either grill your chicken or bake it. (I baked mine.)  While chicken is cooking, cut up your pineapple.  Grill pineapple to get nice brown grill marks.  Then cut pineapple into small chunks.  Once chicken is cooked, cut it into small pieces.  Get grill pan nice and hot and place a tortilla on pan, layer cheese, pineapple, chicken and a drizzle of BBQ sauce and top with a little more cheese and top tortilla.  Once the bottom is browned and cheese has melted, flip and grill other side.  When both sides are done, cut and enjoy!  You can top with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

French Dip Sandwiches

This is such a quick and easy dinner.  My daughter loves to dip her foods, so this is a great meal for her.

1-1 1/2 lbs roast beef cold cuts
1-2 baguettes
2 Tbsp butter
1 shallot- chopped
1/4 cup red wine
1-2 Tbsp flour
16 oz. beef broth

Melt butter in pan and saute shallots.  Add in red wine and let alcohol cook out, about 2 minutes.  Add in flour.  Slowly whisk in beef broth.  Simmer for about 10 minutes.  Cut bread in half length wise and dip the inside into the broth mixture.  Then place the roast beef into the broth mixture to warm and top bread.