Mexican Chicken Bake

Mexican Chicken Bake

 

This one is super delicious. We have it at least 2-3 times per month. Adjust to your desired level of spicy, we're on the medium-high end with this recipe.

 

Ingredients:

4-5 Chicken breasts

Dash or two of olive oil (we used jalapeno infused)

2 TBSP minced garlic

2 TBSP Taco Seasoning (or one packet)

1/2 cup jalapeno slices

1 can pinto beans

1 can black beans

1/4 cup hot taco sauce

1/2 cup hot salsa

Shredded cheese of your choice - 1 cup with 1/4 cup reserved

2 cups water - for rice

2 cups rice

Lime juice, if desired

Tortilla chips

 

 

 

 

1. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Preheat oven to 350. Heat olive oil in pan. Add garlic to pan and let cook for 30 seconds. DO NOT LET IT BURN! It gets very bitter if the garlic burns. Add chicken to pan and cook thoroughly.

2. Add taco seasoning and mix well. May need to add a few sprinkles of water if you don't have much liquid. 

3. Dice jalapenos and add to pan. Let cook for a few minutes. Will get very aromatic! Start water for rice.
4. Add beans, sauces, and salsa. Reduce heat to medium low and cover.
5. When the water for the rice comes to a boil, add the rice. Cook as directions stated on package.
6. When rice is nearly done, add cheese to chicken/bean mixture - save 1/4 cup. Continuously stir so it gets to be a melty mess.

7. Transfer rice into a oven safe container that has a lid. (We use a Le Cruset dutch oven)

8. Sprinkle lime juice over rice and stir. Add the cheesy bean and chicken mixture to the top. Spread evenly.

9. Crush tortilla chips over the top of the chicken. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover. Place in oven at 350 for 15 minutes to melt cheese.

Pierogi Lasagna

Pierogi Lasagna

I failed like crazy to get a picture of this for the last 3 times we have had it. It is so good and I'm usually so hungry I can't wait to snap a pic before I eat. You'll have to deal.

 

Makes 1 13x9 pan of lasagna. Feeds 4 if you're fatties like the two of us and have half a pan for dinner.

 

12 Lasagna noodles

Instant mashed potatoes, milk, butter, and water - for enough potatoes to serve 6 per box

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup chopped chives

2 tablespoons garlic

Olive oil

Shredded cheese

Sour cream

 

1. Boil water and begin to cook lasagna noodles based on packaged instructions.

2. Heat oven to 350.

3. When noodles are 1-2 minutes from being cooked, start mashed potatoes.

4. Remove noodles when finished. Sprinkle with olive oil to prevent sticking. Add cream cheese to potatoes. Continue to stir until all has been incorporated and melted. Add chives and 1/2 cup shredded cheese to potatoes and stir well.

5. Oil pan on bottom and sides well. Place 3 noodles on bottom of pan and sprinkle a little shredded cheese on top. Spread 1/3 of the potatoes on top of these noodles. Add more shredded cheese. Repeat process until all potatoes and noodles are used. Sprinkle more shredded cheese to the top layer of the noodles. Cover with foil and cook for 35 minutes on 350.

6. After removing from oven, take off foil and let sit for 5 minutes. Slice, serve, and top with sour cream. Enjoy!!

 

 

Homemade Spiced Garlic Bread

My inspiration for starting up this "blog"... aka recipe book... was Joy the Baker and she's also the source of this recipe. I made this a few months ago and we both loved it. I ended up giving half of it to our friends who had recently had a baby. It is a very dense bread that does so great with a soup, chili, or pasta. We had it with homemade potato and cheese pierogi.


Amazing Dinner!

Spicy Garlic Bread (from Joy the Baker)
1 cup water
2 and 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
4 ounces butter, melted
1 tablespoon thyme (I used dried)
1 tablespoon chives, chopped (I used fresh)
1 teaspoon chili flakes
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
~4 cups flour
Black pepper
Sea salt

1. Sprinkle yeast over warm water and add sugar, stir.
2. Melt butter, add herbs, chili, and garlic. Stir.
3. Using bread hook, mix flour, salt, and pepper. Add yeast mixture, stir on low until ball forms.
4. Place in greased bowl and allow to rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
5. Heat oven to 450.
6. Knead dough on slightly floured surface for about 2 minutes.
7. Coat a dutch oven with olive oil and place dough in the pot. You want to use a pot that is large enough for the cover to be placed over the dough. Slice an X in the top of the dough and coat with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, fresh cracked pepper, and salt.
8. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 and bake for another 15-20 minutes uncovered.

Blackened Chicken and Veggie Bake

I was in the mood for something a little different for dinner the other day. I checked out the pantry and found a bunch of spices and some potatoes. I decided to make blackened chicken with blackened potatoes and green beans. Holy, it turned out delicious and was so easy!

The green beans got a little dark, but still very tasty!

Blackening Spices (I used all dried spices)
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon fresh black pepper
1/2 tablespoon garlic
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme

Blackened Chicken and Veggie Bake
Blackening spices
4 boneless chicken breasts
3-4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cups fresh or frozen green beans
Olive oil
Cooking spray

1. Combine all of the spices and stir well. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Spray a 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray.
3. Add chicken, potatoes and green beans to pan.
4. Drizzle olive oil over contents of pan.
5. Add spices to top of chicken, potatoes, and green beans. Stir potatoes to ensure the bottom layers get some spice on them.



All ready for the oven!

 6. Bake at 350 until chicken is thoroughly cooked. I used frozen chicken breasts and it took about an hour.