Sesame Chicken Salad

I'm sick. Actually I feel a lot better after eating this sesame chicken salad. The best part was that it took just a few minutes to throw together and it was just a matter of looking at what I had in my fridge that might make a tasty lunch.

When I'm sick, eating healthy, clean, and substantial foods makes me feel better. So this was a combo of leftover rotisserie chicken, some hearts of romaine, carrots, and whole wheat pasta. I will definitely make this again, sick or not!

Sesame Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
1/2 lb whole wheat pasta, cooked
2 c chopped Romaine
1/2 c carrots, julienned
1 c rotisserie chicken, cubed
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1 t garlic powder
3 T sesame oil

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients and toss well.

Enjoy!

Enchiladas

My MIL is a fabulous woman. She cycles, quilts, knits, cooks and so much more. Whenever she comes to visit, she takes requests from us on what we'd like her to cook. My husband always asks for enchiladas.


Enchiladas were planned this past visit but we didn't get around to them. She offered to make the enchiladas and then freeze them for us, but I told her it was ok. I knew she really wanted to spend time with the kids instead if cooking.

So here it is, 2 weeks later, and I'm finally making them. Not quite like the way my MIL makes them, but still tasty.

Enchiladas

Inspired by S.M.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 T oil
1 t cumin
1/2 t salt
1/4 t garlic powder
3/4 c cheddar cheese, shredded
20 corn tortillas
1 28 oz can enchilada sauce

Directions:

1. Heat oil and sauté chopped onion until translucent and slightly brown.
2. Add ground beef and brown. Drain fat and add salt, cumin, and garlic powder and cook for 2 more minutes. Set aside.
3. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pour 1/3 of a 28 oz can of enchilada sauce into a 13x9 baking pan.
4. Heat an iron skillet until smoking, then reduce heat to low. Place a corn tortilla in the center and place a heavy pot on top of the tortilla. Heat for 20-30 seconds, until tortilla is soft and pliable.
5. Remove tortilla and place on a plate or cutting board to assemble enchilada. Sprinkle some cheddar cheese and a spoonful of the ground beef in the center of the tortilla. Roll up the tortilla, then place seam side down in the baking pan. Repeat until the pan is full.
6. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until bubbly. Turn on broiler and place under for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.
8. Serve warm.
9. Enjoy!

Lemon Rosemary Slow Cooker Chicken

I've had this recipe from A Sunshiny Day bookmarked for some time now.

Last night, after the kids were asleep, I rubbed a fryer chicken with salt, pepper, and crushed garlic. I cut up 3 ribs of celery, along with some rosemary, and put that in the cavity. Then, I squeezed half a lemon over the top. I put the chicken into a gallon ziploc bag and stuffed it back into the fridge.

This morning, I slid the chicken out of the bag and into the crockpot, then left it to cook on low all day while we were out. Easy!

The dark meat - wonderful and juicy. The white meat, ok. I wonder if I put the bird breast side down it would turn out juicier. Flavor - delicious.

Lemon Rosemary Slow Cooker Chicken

adapted from A Sunshiny Day

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
1 t garlic, crushed
4 sprigs rosemary
1/2 lemon
1/2 t pepper
1 t salt
3 ribs celery, diced

Directions:

1. Place the whole chicken in the crockpot.
2. Rub chicken (inside and out) with crushed garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Cut 3 celery ribs and place inside cavity, along with 2 sprigs if rosemary.
4. Place 2 more rosemary sprigs on too and Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon over the chicken.
5. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Enjoy!

Corn Soup

Both kids are sleeping.  There are piles and piles of laundry to fold and put away.  I'm gonna cook some corn soup and write a post.  This will make me happier and more relaxed than folding laundry.  Besides, the clothes are clean, aren't they?  That's half the battle.

So, let's talk corn soup.  This was once my most favorite thing to eat ever.  What's not to love?  Warm, creamy, and it's full of corn!  This is how I know Mr A must be my son.  He loves corn.  This kid can eat a whole ear of corn and would eat more if I let him.

I had 3 leftover ears of corn in the fridge.  Normally, I would use frozen cut corn, but fresh corn on the cob works too.  There's just an added step of cutting the kernels off, which went very quickly with just 3 ears to do.

I used imitation crab stick, which I believe is actually fish paste, though upon consulting Wikipedia, uh-oh!  It probably contains egg.  I didn't know that!  Fail on my part!  Mr A is allergic to egg.  Great, I just took something that he enjoys so much and turned it into something he cannot have.  Bad mama!

Oh, well.  It's still tasty and looks like I have to eat it all now.

One last tip...  Watch your soup pot carefully after adding in the milk.  Don't get caught with your hand in a bag of TJ cheese crunchies while your soup boils over.  Not that this happened.  Just sayin' - keep an eye on your soup, people.

Corn Soup

Ingredients:
2 c corn kernels
1 14.5 oz low sodium chicken broth
1 c milk
3 crab stick, diced
2 green onions, diced
2 T cornstarch
3 T water
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a soup pot, bring corn kernels and chicken broth to a boil.  Simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Add milk and return to boil.  In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water to make a slurry.  Slowly pour in cornstarch slurry while stirring the soup.
3. Add diced crab stick and diced green onions and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Remove from heat and serve.

Enjoy!

Beef Stew

Man, I'm not doing so good here. Starting a food blog sounded fun (and it is!) but now that school is in full swing, this food project is taking the back burner.

I mean, here's a post I wrote 2 weeks ago and there is no evidence of it left in my fridge, which means I should have posted this a long time ago. But I didn't. And the pictures I took - I have no idea where they are.  Oh well. I'm not going to get too caught up in this. I'm going try to post here and there. I've got The Lean Green Bean's Foodie Penpals coming up too. Maybe that will be just what I need to get going again.

In the meantime, one pot wonders. I need more in my life.

Beef stew is a cook it and forget it. Throwing it in the crockpot works too. It makes a bunch so there are leftovers. Growing up, we always ate it over rice. A great comforting meal with meat, veggies, and a grain.

Beef Stew

Ingredients:
3 T vegetable oil
1 lb chuck roast
1/2 yellow onion
4 stalks celery
1/2 lb baby carrots
1 c grape tomatoes
1 large potato (waxy)
1 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced
14.5 oz can low sodium beef broth
1/4 t salt
1/8 t black pepper
1/4 t garlic, crushed
3 T Worcheshire Sauce

Directions:

1. Chop chuck roast and vegetables into similar size cubes.
2. In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat vegetable oil. Sauté onions over medium high heat until edges are slightly browned.
3. Move onions towards outside edges of the pot. Add cubed chuck roast in the center if the pot. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Cook until meat is browned.
4. Add grape tomatoes to the pot and cook 2-3 minutes, or until soft and can be smashed.
5. Stir in beef broth, Worcheshire, and crushed garlic, then bring to boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Add remaining vegetables and bring to boil. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.
7. Serve over rice.

Enjoy!