Roast Chicken and Parm Potatoes

Citrus Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

1 Whole thawed Chicken

1 orange

1 onion

6 garlic cloves

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Paprika

½ tbsp oregano

½ water or chicken broth

 

Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 350*

2.    Quarter the onion and orange, and peel garlic set aside

3.    Evenly coat chicken in olive oil, and seasoning.

4.    Stuff onion, orange and garlic in the cavity of the chicken

5.    Place in cookie sheet of pan with ridges. Add  1/2 cup of water or broth and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes uncovered. On bottom rack

6.    Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.

 

Parmesan Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 russet potato per person

2 1 stick of butter

Grated parmesean cheese

Seasoned salt

 

Directions

1.    Cut each potato in half and then score (with your knife cut lines in it without cutting through the potato)

2.    Melt butter and coat all potatoes

3.    Place potatoes on cookie sheet flesh side up, season with seasoned salt

4.    Grate parmasean cheese liberally over  each potato

5.    Place in oven with chicken  let cook w 1hour or until potatoes are tener

Taco Pizza, and Bonus Dessert

This week seems to be going by so dang slow I feel like ive been stuck in the middle of the week without the weekend in sight. On the plus side I had a successful grocery shopping trip where I was under budget and somehow got too much food? I like to think that little leprechauns are cheering for me everytime I accomplish such a thing but it just so happens my 1 year old is the only one who gets as excited as I do. I realized this week that my menu’s for this month are really going to take a turn to the fastest and easiest recipes, after two weeks of trying to maintain my normal dinner time routine, im throwing in the towel! Today we had Mexican pizza, which is missing lettuce because someone…who shall remain nameless **cough, my husband** threw it out last time we used it. So lettuce is in the recipe…but not in the pictures J I also have a bonus recipe……a DESSERT. A super simple crowd pleaser. Remember I don’t bake so you know it will be an easy recipe!

Im a firm believer of dessert before dinner J

 

 

No-Bake fruity, cheesecakey….thing.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Crust-

2 cups graham cracker crust

1 stick of melted butter

½ sugar

Filling-

2 packages cream cheese

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 tsp lemon extract

1tsp vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream

Fresh fruit

 

Directions:

1.   Combine cracker crust, butter and sugar until well combined. This recipe makes two 8x8 pans.

2.   Divide in half and press into the bottom of each pan

3.   Whip cream cheese until smooth, add sugar and extracts

4.   On highest setting whip in heavy cream.

5.   Continue to whip for 2 min

6.   Divide and pour into two pans.

7.   Top with yummy fruits!!

 

 

 

 

Taco Pizza

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beed

2 tbsp taco seasoning

2 cans crescent rolls

Rotel tomatoes

Shredded lettuce

Cheese for garnish

1 8 oz cream cheese

 

Directions:

1.   Lay out the rolls of crescent rolls on cookie sheet, and pinch the side together and smooth out with your fingers. ( I think they actually sell crescent roll “sheets’’ but I didn’t have it on hand). Cook according to directions

2.   While you crescent sheet is cooking brown your beef and add the liquid from the rotel. Then add your taco seasoning

3.   Spread cream cheese on the now cooked crescent sheet. Sprinkle beef, then cheese, lettuce and rotel tomatoes.

4.   Enjoy!! J

 

 

 

 

Menu Monday: 11/12-11/18

              My goal this week is pretty simple. Survive. With my husband being in ALS (airmen leadership school) my son having trouble not getting all of daddy’s attention,and my crockpot being broken dinner time is definitely going to be a challenge. I tried my hardest to set up an easy menu until my new crockpot comes in and I can trade in my more time consuming recipes. Fortunately I am finally feeling better and it seems the worst of my bronchitis has now passed and I can breathe again.  In preparation for thanksgiving I’ll probably start posting some of my favorite holiday recipes next week, along with weekly meals.

                The weather here in Arkansas is starting to cool off rather quickly, having our first winter freeze this evening.. I foresee lots of soups and stews in the near future. Until then here is this weeks recipe list!!

Today was a boring day, I didn’t feel much like cooking so we just had some simple cheese burgers J same recipe as the gourmet burgers for the pattys, but I just flattened them out a tad more.

 

Monday: Cheese Burgers

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Taco Pizza

Thursday: Citrus Roasted Chicken and Parmasean Potatoes

Friday: Fried Rice

Saturday: Enchilada Casserole

Sunday: Pizza Pockets

 

Happy Monday!!

My goal this week is pretty simple. Survive. With my husband being in ALS (airmen leadership school) my son having trouble not getting all of daddy’s attention,and my crockpot being broken dinner time is definitely going to be a challenge. I tried my hardest to set up an easy menu until my new crockpot comes in and I can trade in my more time consuming recipes. Fortunately I am finally feeling better and it seems the worst of my bronchitis has now passed and I can breathe again.  In preparation for thanksgiving I’ll probably start posting some of my favorite holiday recipes next week, along with weekly meals.

                The weather here in Arkansas is starting to cool off rather quickly, having our first winter freeze this evening.. I foresee lots of soups and stews in the near future. Until then here is this weeks recipe list!!

Today was a boring day, I didn’t feel much like cooking so we just had some simple cheese burgers J same recipe as the gourmet burgers for the patties, but I just flattened them out a tad more.

 

Monday: Cheese Burgers

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Taco Pizza

Thursday: Citrus Roasted Chicken and Parmasean Potatoes

Friday: Fried Rice

Saturday: Enchilada Casserole

Sunday: Pizza Pockets

 

Happy Monday!!

Apple Pork Loin

 

Apple Pork Loin (crockpot)

 

Ingredient:

1 pork loin

2 apple

1 c brown sugar

Cinnamon

Salt-and-pepper

¼ c honey

 

Directions:

1.   cut slits in one side of the pork loin

2.   slice apple and stuff pieces into the slits of the loin

3.   add all other ingredients to crockpot and place loin the crockpok

4.   cook on low for 8 hours.

Rajin Cajun Food!!!! :0

Jambalaya

Ingredients:

3 c. white rice

 2-3 Tbsp. butter

 1 green pepper, chopped

 1 medium onion, chopped

 1 bunch green onions, chopped

 2 stalks celery, chopped

 A lot of garlic (probably 5-6 cloves), minced

 1/2 lb. high-quality smoked sausage

 1/2 lb. ham (you can also substitute leftover Cajun seasoned chicken I use both J.)

 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (you could use another Cajun or Creole seasoning, but this brand is easy to find and cheap) to taste

 

Directions:

1.   cook rice and set aside (see perfect white rice recipe)

2.   dice and cook veggies in olive oil until tender

3.   take sausage out of casings and blend in food processor with ham

4.   add meat to pot and stir until sausage is cooked

5.   add rice and tomato sauce let cook stirring for 5 minutes

6.   add tony’s to taste!!

 

Lasanga Rolls

Spinach Ricotta Lasagna Rolls

 

Ingredients:

1 package of lasana rolls

3 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup cooked spinach

½ parmesan

Fresh mozzarella

Salt

Pepper

½ tbsp. Basil

2 cups pasta sauce

 

Directions:

1.    cook lasagna according to directions

2.    mix  ricotta, parm, salt, pepper, and basil

3.    preheat oven to 350

4.    lay out lasagna noodles and layer cheese evenly followed by spinach

5.    roll up the strip and place in baking dish

6.    repeat until dish is full

7.    pour pasta sauce over rolls and sprinkle with mozzarella

8.    bake for 50 minutes, let stand 20 so they are more firm

Gourmet Burgers

Gourmet Burgers:

Ingredients:

1 lb beef

1 egg

¼ c crushed ritz crackers

1 tbsp Steak seasoning

2 whole onions

Shredded mozzarella

1 avocado mashed

1 tbsp Mayo

 

Directions:

1.    Combine beef, egg, crackers, and steak seasoning until just mixed

2.    Form into 4 patties and make deep indents in the middle set aside

3.    Thinly slice onions and with a little olive oil cook on medium heat stirring constantly until onions are caramelized and a deep brown color, careful not to burn( about 20 minutes)

4.    Get patties and Grill or cook on stove top about 6 min each side

5.    Mix avocado and mayo on a small dish

6.    Once burgers are done spread avocado mix on buns, then add your patties, load with your caramelized onions, and top with shredded mozzarella.

Oven Fried Chicken & Zesty Green Beans

Oven Fried Chicken & Zesty Green Beans

 

Directions:

Chicken-

2 cups flour

Cajun seasoning

1 stick of butter

Paper bag

 

Green Beans-

2 lbs Green beans (or 2 bags)

2 strips bacon

½ onion

2tbsp brown sugar

1tbsp olive oil

Salt-and-pepper

 

Green Bean Directions:

1.   Cut bacon into 1 inch pieces and cook until almost crisp, dice onion and add to bacon

2.   Add all other ingredients and cook on medium low heat until green beans are tender

 

Chicken Directions:

1.   Preheat oven to 400

2.   Melt butter and evenly coat your chicken

3.   Season chicken and let sit for 15 minutes

4.   Pour flour into paper bag and add the chicken

5.   Shake shake shake it up J

6.    Place on cookie sheet and cook 30 min then flip and cook 30 more

Carolina Style Pulled Pork

Carolina Style Pulled Pork(crockpot)

 

Today I made this…and very sadly…my crock pot cracked!!! I was devastated and now I’ll have to get a new one… RIP my 6 quart friend.

 

Ingredients:

1 pork butt or shoulder

1 c apple cider vinegar

1 c coke

½ c brown sugar

Salt

Pepper

Onion powder

Hot sauce

 

Directions:

1.    Season the pork liberally with salt, pepper, and onion powder

2.    Pour liquids in crockpot and add pork

3.    Cook on low for 10 hours

4.    Add hot sauce to your liking

5.     Serve on some keiser rolls or alone with some baked beans (recipe soon to come)

 

Last Week Revisited

I have been MIA this week due to managing to get myself a lovely case of Bronchitis. Even though I was still able to still get in the kitchen and cook most days I was just too darn tired to stay awake long enough to update my recipes! So bear with me as I recap my week of food, the recipes will be a little more brief but I’ll revisit them with pictures when I make them again.

 

x      Carolina Style Pulled Pork

x      Oven Fried Chicken & Zesty Green Beans

x      Gourmet Burgers

x      Lasagna Rolls

x      Jambalaya

x      Apple Pork Loin

 

So that its easier to read I’ll make sure to post them all in separate posts, I’ll be back tomorrow for Menu Monday!!!

 

Southern Saturday, from Breakfast to Dinner

This morning I was feeling a little bit southern, as I often do whenever I feel like being extra nice to my dear husband J So I whipped up his favorite biscuits and gravy! It also went with the theme for dinner which was just south of Arkansas,  some Cajun chicken pasta ( another new recipe this week)

I wasn’t so sure breakfast was going to happen this morning when about 6:30am the tornado child came into our room ready for the day. Luckily he went back to sleep, and since my husband knew I was going to make his favorite he even got up before us all to clean up the kitchen…isn’t he sweet? I was never much of a southern cook, but when you marry a man who is used to his sweet tea and grits in the morning , I had no choice but to learn.  My recipe for biscuits and gravy is half homemade, because like I told ya’ll before….i don’t do baking. SO pilsbury gets the brownie points for the biscuits. But the gravy is all me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1.       Small tube of sausage

2.       ¼ cup flour

3.       3 cups of milk divided

4.       Salt and pepper

5.       1 tablespoon butter

6.       Tablespoon sugar

7.       Can of biscuits J

 

Directions:

1.      Bake your biscuits according to directions

2.      Brown your sausage in deep skillet

3.      Mix flour with 1 cup of cold milk. No lumps! Set aside

4.      Add the tablespoon of butter to the sausage

5.      Poor in milk

6.      Stirring constantly on low heat add milk and flour mixture

7.      Once it thickens season with salt and pepper and add sugar

8.      Pull your biscuits out and spoon the gravy over…mmmm so good

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winner winner chicken dinner!!!

 

I was really excited to try this recipe, ive been on this Cajun kick and my trusty rajun Cajun best friend is always encouraging of my habit J Since I was out of the authentic  smoked Louisiana sausage I had to find a different recipe to fill the spicy void in my stomach, and let me just say Oh My Gosh! I am soooo darn happy I tried this recipe it was so delicious!! It was also so simple! I have this rule that if a recipe takes up all 4 stove burners it qualifies as fancy food, and well this tasted fancy without taking too much of my time. It was great…we all chowed down and there was leftovers which I am so excited for because pasta is always better the next day.

 

Cajun Chicken Pasta

 

Ingredients:

2 chicken breast

3 cups heavy cream

2 tbsp butter

Your favorite Cajun spice blend        

1 box of penne pasta

¼ cup of flour

1 roma tomato

Parmesan cheese for garnish

 

Directions:

1.       Dice the raw chicken into inch size pieces and season with Cajun seasoning( I used tony’s)

2.       Melt  1 tbsp  of butter in on skillet and cook your chicken

3.       In another pot boil your water and cook your pasta

4.       In small sauce pot  add remaining butter, 2 cups cream, salt and cajun seasoning to your liking.

5.       Once the cream mix is bubbling pour into cooked and drained pasta

6.       Mix remaining cream with flour until smooth.  Add to pasta

7.       On low heat stir pasta until it has thickened, then turn off heat

8.       Serve pasta, add chicken on top and garnish with a dash of seasoning, diced tomato and cheese!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 SOOOOOO yummy!