Ranch Chicken, Scalloped Potatoes, & Lemon Zest Broccoli

Like I said in my last post, my mom came into town for the weekend. I woke up early Saturday morning to get our day going and sure enough on FoodNetwork, "Big Daddy" was cooking up some delicious-looking broccoli. So, I jotted down the recipe and thought - hey, I've got it all in my pantry so I can give it a shot.

And Okay, I know I cook this ranch chicken a lot, but it's my favorite flavor on the chicken. If you want to mix it up a little bit, bake it with italian dressing or honey mustard on top.

You will need:

1 pound of chicken strips/breasts

1/2 package of ranch seasoning

1/2 cup of ranch dressing

3-4 cups of cut broccoli

3-5 tablespoons of olive oil
(depending on amount of broccoli you have)

5 teaspoons of lemon zest

Lemon Herbs

Garlic Powder

Salt/Pepper

Red Pepper

2 tablespoons of Flour

6-8 Medium potatoes

Shredded cheese

2 Cups of milk

3 tablespoons of butter (optional)

YESSSS, I know this sounds like a lot, but just understand that a lot of these ingredients are totally optional and strictly for a new flavor. You can easily cook the broccoli plain, or with just garlic powder, or with just a lemon herb sprinkle. You don't need it all, but like I said I was just trying something I saw on TV. Also, the scalloped potatoes have a million different recipes. I just wanted to be able to bake them in the oven and have a creamy outcome without actually having a sauce to buy and put on it. So I googled a simple way to do this and it involved flour, salt, pepper, cheese, milk and butter. Again, totally optional. You can easily cut calories, fat and sodium when you leave out half the things I have listed. :)

Let's get started:

1.  Start your potatoes first because they will take the longest > about 40 minutes in the oven @ 375. Slice n dice them into thin pieces. Grease up a big baking dish with butter or a lil oil or even some PAM! To the side in a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Microwave heat 2 cups of milk for about 2-3 minutes. It needs to end up REALLY hot without bubbling out of the measuring cup like I did :)
2. Cover the bottom of the pan with the first layer of potatoes and then sprinkle half of the flour mixture on top. Then add the second layer of potatoes and sprinkle the other half of the flour mixture. Finally, top it with the third layer. Add the 3 tablespoons of butter (optional for taste and prevents burning) and pour the scolding milk over the top. Cover the dish with tin foil and bake. (After about 35-40 minutes, sprinkle shredded cheese on top and let it bake another 5-10 minutes)
3. With the chicken, nothing difficult here. I just stabbed the chicken like I was mad - so the ranch dressing soaks in deep during the baking process. I rolled them around in a tupperware with the dressing for about 3 minutes back n forth. Then I placed the strips on a baking sheet I covered in foil. Sprinkled a little bit of extra ranch seasoning on top which is optional for extra flavor, and baked in the oven maybe 15-20 minutes because my strips were relatively small and thin. Chicken bakes quickly.
4. In a skillet, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and saute the broccoli over medium heat. Sprinkle garlic powder, a little red pepper and lemon herb over the broccoli. Keep shaking and mixing the skillet so nothing sticks and burns too long. For extra flavor, I shaved a lemon down to the white layer of the peel. Just a few teaspoons of the yellow peel will really excentuate the taste. Try not to cook the broccoli longer than 8-10 minutes max just to keep the crunch!

That was a very simple meal. It's all about timing with the broccoli but everything else bakes on its own and when it's done, it's done. It's the kind of meal you can still watch your tv shows while the oven does the work. Broccoli can be saved to cook last because it could get cold if you make it too soon. My first try at this was a success and I'm sure anyone else can pull it off the same, if not better.

From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Scallops: 10 Minutes

Yep ~ I finally did it! Mom came to town so I figured I would splurge a little and make some bacon wrapped scallops, a lil more asparagus and some fresh grown sweet potatoes from Dad's garden! Oh and I can't forget the salad I always feel the need to create :)

For this awesome dinner, you will need:

Bacon

Fresh scallops, not frozen ;\

Toothpicks (which I almost forgot)

Asparagus

Sweet Potatoes

Aluminum Foil

A lil butter

A lil brown sugar

I'm totally skipping the aspargus preparation and the salad... because I post those all the time now

*** First *** you must know the sweet potatoes take a long time so if you want these, get them started way early. Foil wrap the sweet potatoes and bake in the oven @ 375 for about 40 minutes

1.  Pre-heat the bacon for a minute or two in the microwave covered with paper towels
2. Cut the bacon in half and wrap each scallops, then toothpick them so it WORKS
3. Spray Pam the baking sheet and broil on HI for about 3-4 minutes on each side.
   DO NOT FORGET TO FLIP THEM!! You will burn them silly!
4. When you're sweet potatoes are finished, I like to heat up a little bit of butter and brown sugar in the microwave for about 45 seconds (or until it's melted) and top it on the potatoes ~ Yum

That is alllllll it takes for this meal. Side note: Scallops are great topped with a little black pepper (but I don't even like that stuff.) Also teriyaki goes great with scallops, but I'm just trying to cook without.

                                                From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Crispy Ranch Chicken: 20 Minutes

Flash Roasted, Cripsy Ranch-Flavored Chicken

One of my other favorite meals, and most often cooked is a ranch-flavored chicken. I make this meal several different ways. I have fried ranch chicken on the stovetop using eggs, flour and ranch seasoning. I have baked the chicken soaked in a ranch dressing = very moist outcome. But the most recently experimented recipe is the flash roasted chicken, which creates a cripsy outside without frying it.

You will need:

•  1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  (maybe less if you have a small crowd)
• 1 can of Cream of Chicken campbell's soup
  (Fat Free)
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 package of ranch seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups of crushed tortilla chips
• Pam Cooking Spray

1. Using a baking pan, line it with aluminum foil for an easy clean up. Grease the pan up with Pam olive oil or margarine so the chicken won't stick.
2. Using a small bowl, mix the milk, can of soup and the ranch seasoning package together. Dip the chicken breasts in the mix and reserve a cup or two on the side for a sauce topping later.
3. Coat the chicken with the tortilla chips and place the chicken onto the baking pan and bake in the oven @ 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink.
4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat up the reserved sauce. When the chicken is cooked and ready, top it off with the sauce and serve.

This meal is a great crowd pleaser and very simple. It goes great paired with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and maybe some wild rice. Easy meal, cheap ingredients and a quick creation.

From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Tilapia, Salmon, & Asparagus: 45 Minutes

           PREP TIME: 10-15 Minutes

           You will need:

• Salmon
• Lemons
• Black Pepper
• Tilapia
• Tomatoes
• Baby Spinach
• Onions
• Lemon Herb Spice
• Asparagus
• Garlic Powder
• Pam Olive Oil Spray
• Salad:iceberg, baby spinach, carrots, cranberries, feta cheese, candied walnuts, pecans, cucumbers and poppy seed dressing

Tilapia:

1. In an 8X8 inch baking pan, spray pam around the bottom
2. Pan-sear baby spinach for about two-three minutes in a small amount of water
3. Add tilapia, spinach, chopped tomatoes and onions
4. Cover the dish with aluminum foil
5. Bake in the oven @ 350 degrees for about two minutes

 Salmon:

1. Spray pam on your cooking dish (again)
2. Add a few sliced lemons along the bottom of the pan
3. Place the salmon on top of the lemons
4. Add a few more lemons around the sides or on top
5. (Optional) Sprinkle Lemon Herb Spices on top (McCormick "Perfect Pinch") 

Asparagus:

1. Cut spears in half
2. Place them into a medium or large pot with a small amount of boiling water
3. Boil at medium heat for about 5-7 minutes for crunchy texture
4. Leave them in longer for a soft texture
5. Sprinkle with garlic powder ~ YUM  

 

 

 

From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Taco Salad: 10 Minutes

Tacos are one of my favorite foods :)

I didn't have any taco shells or cheese, but that's totally fine ~ I improvise and make it a salad.

I still had some homemade tortilla chips left over from the Super Bowl party, so it's pretty much the same thing.

You will need:

• Chips (optional)
• Tomatoes
• Lettuce (baby spinach and/or iceberg)
  I use a mixture of both for the crunch I like and the nutrition I deserve from a salad haha
• hamburger meat cooked in a taco seasoning
  (substitute deer meat for a more lean and healthy meal, or chicken)
• Sour cream

1. First, start your hamburger meat in a large skillet over medium heat, and using a spatula - gradually break up the meat as it cooks. Once it is browned, add the taco seasoning as a final touch.
2. Chop up the lettuce and spread it over at plate of chips.
3. Add the sliced up tomatoes
4. Add the taco seasoned meat
5. Top it with a little sour cream and your plate should look like mine! I'm pretty big on the presentation, so your plate is entitled to look a little messier. :)

From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!







Super Bowl Sunday

So, the Saints didn't make it to the Super Bowl. . . instead of decorating for my team, I cooked :)

The friends brought chips and delicious, homemade dips, so hopefully their recipes can get posted later as an attachment. As everyone knows, parties are best for finger foods so we kept it pretty simple.

This blog posting will be a little bit different because most of what I made needed no recipe anyways.

What we made & put together:

Boiled shrimp

Mild cocktail sauce

Celery & Carrots with

Buttermilk ranch dip

Pepperoni pizza rolls

Pretzels

Tostito chips or make your own chips using corn tortillas (not flour tortillas):

Using these, we cut them into quarter slices, brushed a few strokes of oil over them and baked them in the oven @ 350 until golden brown. I rotated the trays and flipped the chips after about 10 minutes.

Tricia brought:

homemade mac n cheese

chili cheese dip

Alisha brought:

buffalo chicken dip

Mike brought:

a spicy sausage cheese dip in a crockpot

Logan brought:

minature weiners baked in a crockpot with barbecue sauce and grape jelly

We had a great food selection, an awesome game, two televisions (thanks to Shawn and Frankie) and a bunch of stuffed bellies. Thanks so much to everyone who came and pitched in. Had a lot of fun with a great crowd.

From our party to yours, Enjoy!!

Breakfast @ 4pm: 5 Minutes

Ham, Eggs, Cheese & English Muffins

Yessss, I said it! 4:00 in the afternoon on a Saturaday!

After a lonngg night and a late, late morning - I was starvin marvin. My roomie walked in the front door on the exact same page as me - she had just woken up too haha. We were both hungry but individually didn't have much to choose from. (I haven't been to the grocery store in about two weeks.) Buttttt, we both love scrambled eggs. She had the cheese and ham, I had the whole wheat Enlgish Muffins~ Let's get started.

You will need: everything I've already listed, some butter, and a toaster.

Hopefully, everyone knows how to scramble eggs in butter over medium heat without burning the eggs, or letting them stick to the pan. Chop up some ham and cheese and toss it in the mix before the eggs are finished. Toast your muffins last and make an awesome sandwhich!

This is the perfect quick and easy meal to hit the spot.

From our kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

It's 11pm and He's Hungry: 30 Minutes

Deer Tenders, Mashed Potatoes, Jasmine Rice

So, the boyfriend came over tonight and after looking over my other recipes and photos, he decided he was starving at 11pm. "Can you please cook me up something? Do you have any food?"

I said "yeah sorta, but you're gonna have to help me find something you want..."

Finally after searching around the kitchen, we decided on deer meat sent from dad, the last bit of jasmine rice (my favorite) and some potatoes. At first I was going to bake them, but then I found the chicken gravy in the pantry, which is a great topping for mashed potatoes.

So, I got started on filling his belly :)

For this simple, mid-night meal, you will need:

• 1 pound of deer tenders
• Dale's marinade
• 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 2-3 baked potatoes > 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 package of McCormick chicken gravy mix
• 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 cup of jasmine rice
• 1 and 1/2 cups of water

*Before you get started, just know you will use your entire stovetop tonight = 4 pans

1. After thawing out the meat, which you can easily substitute any beef for the deer (I know a lot of females who won't eat it) marinate it in the Dale's sauce. It is alawys better to pre-marinate way before you want to get started, but like I said, he was "starving." LOL
2. Bring water in a big saucepan to a boil and add the sliced potatoes (when they're sliced they cook much faster)
3. Bring 1 and 1/2 cups of water in another saucepan to a boil. Stir in the rice slowly, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Don't forget to stir it frequently so the rice won't stick.
4. In another very small saucepan, add the 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of milk to a medium heat. Whisk in the chicken gravy mix and stir it frequently.
5. In your 4th, large skillet over medium heat, add the marinated meat and cover. Cook until browned and stir the meat frequently. I added vegetable oil mid-way through cooking it so the meat wouldn't stick but it isn't really necessary if you marinated the meat in enough sauce. Deliccciiiouuussss
6. Lastly, once the potatoes are fully cooked, add about a 1/2 cup of milk and mash them away.

That's pretty much it :) Just remember to keep everything on a medium heat and stir it all frequently so nothing burns, sticks, or gets clumped (chicken gravy.) This can be a quick meal for a hungry boy and stuff him super fat for bedtime.

From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Grill Out: 45 Minutes - 1 Hour

Grill Out
Turkey Burgers, Blackened Shrimp, Grilled Corn on the Cob and Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce, Deviled Eggs, and Mixed Green Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Carrots and Balsamic Vinegrette Dressing

You will need:

Salad:

·        Pre-bagged Lettuce or a head of iceberg and baby spinach

·        shredded carrots

·        cucumbers

·        diced tomatoes

·        balsamic vinegrette

Blackened Shrimp:

·        1 pound of peeled shrimp

·        blackening seasoning

·        package of skewers

Turkey Burgers:

·        2 pounds of turkey burger

·        Dale’s marinade sauce (low sodium)

·        cheese to top it

·        burger buns (whole wheat)

Deviled Eggs:

·        6 eggs

·        mayonaise

·        dill pickle relish

·        paprika (optional)

Asparagus

• hollandaise sauce packet:
• 1 cup of milk
• ¼ cup of margarine/butter

Corn on the Cob

1.    Prepare the turkey burgers and marinate in Dale’s sauce 20-30 minutes before you get started with the grill

2.    Peel shrimp and stick them on the skewers, sprinkle blackening season on top

3.    Start boiling water in a saucepan and then add your eggs. Leave them boiling for 15-20 minutes

4.    Go ahead and prepare your salad next for those of you who eat it first before the meal. Your guests will appreciate the timing. Mix the greens, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes and then toss it with the dressing.

5.    Whisk hollandaise sauce mix and 1 cup milk in small saucepan. Add 1/4 cup margarine or butter and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened. For a lower fat sauce, feel free to use non-fat milk.

6.    Pre-boil the corn so it grills relatively fast (10-15 minutes) Wrap the corn in tin foil before you start grilling it.

TIME TO FIRE UP THE GRILL

If you don’t have access to a grill, the burgers and shrimp can be pan seared on the stovetop, and all the veggies can be boiled or pan seared also.

1.    Burgers should be grilled 10-15 minutes, flipped occasionally of course, don’t forget this. Add cheese once you take them off the grill.

2.    The shrimp cooks very quickly so put it on late and flip occasionally.

3.    Add the corn (pre-wrapped) 10 more minutes

4.    Asparagus is great on the grill, let it set for about 3-4 minutes on each side.

**Just make sure as you multi-task and grill these things all at once that you pay attention to each thing and flip/rotate them enough so they don’t burn. Simple J

When you get back inside with all your awesome cooked veggies and meats, you can whip up the deviled eggs really quick.

1.    They are already boiled, so drain them in the sink and add ice water so they peel easily.

2.    Crack the shells gently, peel the eggs and then cut each of them evenly in half.

3.    Hollow out the yolks into a bowl and add a little bit of mayo and a little bit of relish. Don’t overdo the mayo because you can always add more but you can easily ruin your batch with too much.

4.    Stir it all together and then add more of mayo/relish if needed. Spoon the mix back into the eggs and top them off with a little paprika. Yum Yum

Now your meal is complete. When you make your awesome plate, don’t forget to top off the aparagus with some hollandaise sauce. This meal is perfect for holidays like July 4^th/ Labor Day/ Memorial Day. Super bowl is coming up Sunday, great occasion to grill this up.

From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Asian Beef Teriyaki: 30 Minutes

We all love our occasional visits to the hibachi grill

with a big group and a bigger appetite. We wait all day and eat as little as possible so we can make it through each appetizer and still be able to touch our meal.

I love those places but I never love how I feel once I'm finished and stuffed. That's because over half of those restaurants use artificial food additive fillers (MSG) commonly labeled as a "flavor enhancer."

Here is an easy way to cook a delicious asian meal at home without all the extra stuffing. You can easily substitute organic ingredients, lower sodium sauces, and no butter at all to reduce fat and calories.

All you will need:

• 1 pound of boneless meat
  (beef sirloin steak, chicken, pork, shrimp, or for a leaner, healthier meal - deer steak tenders)
• 1 pound of mixed vegetables
  (Suggestions: broccoli, carrots, zucchini, chopped asparagus, sprouts, baby corn, water chestnuts,  snow peas, shitake mushrooms, onions and/or red peppers)
• 1 cup of rice
  (white rice, jasmine rice, or for a healthier meal - brown rice)
• 1-2 tablespoons o vegetable oil
• Teriyaki - Low Sodium or
• Soy Sauce -Low Sodium/No MSG
  ***IF YOU LIKE the white, shrimp, "yum-yum" sauce served at most japanese steakhouse restaurants, you first need to know it must be made the night before so it can refrigerate overnight. Second, it is mayonnaise based and Hellmann's mayonnaise is the best brand to use. Trying to use a low fat mayo or another brand is fine, but just know it changes the outcome significantly. For this particular home recipe you will need:
• 1 & 1/4 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 teaspoon of tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon of melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of paprika
  (Mix them altogether)
  White Sauce Recipe

OKAY LET'S GET STARTED!!!

1. Get your vegetables cooking in a pot of boiling water for about 10-15 minutes before you get started on the rest of the meal. That way they will be finished when you want to add them to the meat and sauce.
2. Then go ahead and get your rice started in a pot of 1 & ½ cups of boiling water. Stir in the cup of rice after the water is at a full boil and then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally so rice doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn. (Add salt if you like, but the teriyaki or soy sauce will have plenty of sodium for taste.)
3. In a medium, preferably a full-sized skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced beef and stir-fry until meat is browned. When you use a full-sized skillet, it will be easier to add everything for the mixture in one dish.
4. After your veggies are cooked, your meat is browned and your rice isn’t mush – add them in the skillet with the meat. Top it off with teriyaki sauce to your taste and mix it altogether. (Low-sodium soy sauce can be a great alternative.)

I’ve made this dish too many times to count and it’s definitely a crowd pleaser. The white, shrimp sauce is a great addition on the side but totally fine without. This meal only takes about 20-30 minutes max and the fortune cookies are sold separately. J

From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie: 25-30 Minutes

 Welcome to Summer Cookin

As you may already know, I am starting a blog for young, college students who may not have very much experience in the kitchen. I have had the pleasure of living with great roommates who taught me a few things, and then living with new roommates who I could share my experiences with. Hopefully I can share some new dishes and easy preparations that can branch you away from ramen noodles and the campus "Russell House" cafeteria.

Okay, so we all remember the tiny, frozen chicken pot pies we used to microwave and eat. In fact, I know some of us still eat them. Why not? Pop one in the microwave, and 5 minutes : 30 seconds later you have an elementary-style lunch.Well, let's step it up a notch and take the familiar microwave meal to a new level.

All you will need:

• 1-2 cups of chicken or turkey
  (depending on your preference and how much you like in your dish)
• 2 cups of mixed vegetables (fresh, canned or thawed)
• 1 Cream of Chicken Soup can (Campbell's)
• 1 cup of an all-purpose baking mix
  (or muffin mix for a cornbread covering)
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 egg

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees before you get started preparing the dish.
2. Use an 8in X 8in baking-friendly dish (something you would use for brownies:) to mix the veggies, the chicken or turkey and the can of soup
3. In a seperate bowl, mix together the milk, the egg and the baking mix, and then pour it over the chicken and veggies in the baking dish.
4. Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the top is crispy brown.

This will make about 4-5 servings. If you may be eating alone because you got stood up or your roomies never came home, you can always freeze the rest for a late-later date or use tupperware until tomorrow.

That's it for my first posting. I really hope y'all try it and enjoy a great dinner! Keep coming back for updates and more tips, and I will try my best to impress you in the kitchen.

In the words and the voice of Julia Child - Bon Appétit!