Indian Chicken and Rice

The other night, I asked Hubby what sounded good for dinner. He was craving Indian food and wanted  brown rice and slightly crisp vegetables. With that in mind, I came up with this.

Indian Chicken and Rice

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, cut into half-moon slices
2 medium zucchini, cut into half-moon slices
3/4 cup of chopped mushrooms
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups shredded chicken (from the freezer)
Big splash of soy sauce
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp onion powder (or a small onion, chopped)
3 cups cooked brown rice

In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add broccoli and carrots. Cook about 5 minutes. Add other vegetables and garlic and cook for 3 minutes more. Add chicken, soy sauce, and spices. Stir and cook until vegetables are at desired tenderness. (I cooked it for about 8 minutes.) Mix in brown rice. Serve warm.

I was amazed at how much the boys liked this. They each had 2 plates full and cleaned their bowls at lunch the next day!

Italian Chicken Casserole

Dinner has become more stressful since starting my internship. I've found myself compromising my ideals for our diet for just getting something on the table. I've let it slide for the first month until we get into our new routine, and that's fine, but it's time to get back to "real food." My new challenge is to make real food, real fast. Casseroles are the ideal weekday supper. They're delicious and require few pots and pans. Once mixed, they get put in the oven for about 30 minutes (enough time to get kids transitioned, bags unpacked, and the table set).

Here is a casserole I came up with on the fly using what I had on hand. (Sorry about the lack of pictures. It was a crazy night, and I didn't know it would be so good.) It's not a prefect dish, but it's darn good and more "real food"- like than what we've been eating. Fair warning, this makes a big casserole. We had leftovers for both Hubby's and my lunch for 2 days. Next time, I might make it 2 casseroles; one for dinner and one for the freezer.

Italian Chicken Casserole

1 box of whole wheat pasta (rotini, penne, ziti, or some other short pasta)
3 cups shredded chicken (from the freezer)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 medium bell peppers, chopped (I had a red and a yellow on hand, but any color will do.)
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
2 jars of pasta sauce (I'll use my sauce from the freezer in the future.)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Cook pasta, leaving it slightly undercooked.
2. In a separate pan, cook the onion until it begins to soften. Add the peppers and the mushrooms to the pan. Add chicken. Season with salt, pepper, oregano.
3. Add the sauce to the chicken and vegetables.
4. Drain the pasta and combine with the vegetable mixture.
5. Pour into a 13X9 that has been sprayed with oil. Top with mozzarella cheese, and bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Babyzilla and I made a quick salad (I cut the vegetables, and he added them to the bowl), and dinner was ready. It was a huge hit with the kids and the adults! The leftovers were great, even cold.

Hamburger and Potato Casserole

This is one of Hubby's favorite dishes from his childhood. I made a few changes from the original to make it more health and budget friendly. Serve it with a salad or some green beans for a complete meal. This recipe makes enough to feed 2 adults, 2 hungry toddlers, and leftovers for lunch.

Hamburger and Potato Casserole


6 medium gold potatoes, cut into 1/3-1/2 inch slices (Any kind of potatoes should work, but we use golds.)
2 cups cooked ground beef (from the freezer) OR meat-free crumbles if you don't eat meat
1/2 pound (2 cans) of pinto beans or white beans, such as cannellini 
2 cans of tomato sauce - 14.5 oz each (I get organic tomato sauce from Costco.)
1 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a 13X9 dish, layer potatoes, then meat and beans. Top with tomato sauce. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and top with cheese. The heat from the casserole with melt it. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes to let it set and cool slightly.

Zucchini and Beans with Pasta

One of my favorite things about summer is the bounty of available fresh vegetables at low prices. Our farmers' markets are full of zucchini and yellow squash. The beans and pasta in this recipe make a complete protein and a cheap, delicious meal.

1/2 pound of dried Great Northern beans
6 cups sliced zucchini
2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (any color)
1 large garlic clove, smashed
1 29 oz can of tomato puree
3/4 cup water or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
4-5 fresh basil leaves OR 1/2 tsp dried basil
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes (more if you like extra kick)
1 pound elbow macaroni or other small pasta
Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese (optional)

Prep: Soak beans overnight
1. Cook beans according to package directions. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
2. Start heating heavily salted water for pasta.
3. In a large pan, on medium heat, cook the onion in the olive oil until it begins to soften. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add zucchini and saute, until slightly softened.
4. Add tomato puree, water or broth, reserved bean broth, salt and pepper. Bring to bubbling. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add beans and basil. Cook 5 more minutes. If it is too thick, add water.
6. Place cooked and drained macaroni into a serving bowl. Spoon 3/4 of the sauce over the pasta and mix. Pour remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle with grated cheese, if using.

Cranberry Pork Roast

When we got married, Hubby had a book called 101 Things to do with a Slow Cooker. Almost every page has casseroles made with cream soups or packets full of MSG. I try to avoid using preservative laden ingredients whenever possible, so I considered throwing the book out. Then I read through it. I found two recipes that I use fairly often. Cranberry Pork Roast is one of them.

Medium pork roast (2.5-3 pounds)
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can of natural whole berry cranberry sauce (NOT jellied)
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp grated orange peel
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1) Place roast in greased cooker. Season with salt and pepper.
2) Combine other ingredients and pour over roast.
3) Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours or until pork is fully cooked
4) Let stand 10 minutes before slicing

This should work with chicken as well, but I've never tried it.

Salsa chicken and peppers

This is a great busy day dish. I'm a very busy lady, so my slow cooker is one of my best friends in the kitchen.

Salsa chicken and peppers

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch strips
Flour for coating chicken, about 1/4 cup
2-3 bell peppers, cut into 1 inch strips (any colors will do but red and green are a very good combination)
One yellow onion, sliced into 1/2 inch slices (half moon style)
1 & 1/2 cups of tomato salsa (Type depends on your family's tastes. We use medium.)
1 & 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (optional)

1. Coat chicken strips in flour and place in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Cover with peppers and onion.
3. Stir together salsa and spices. Pour over chicken and peppers. Cover with lid.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
5. Stir before serving and top with cheese, if using.

I usually serve this over brown rice, but it is also great in tortillas. Corn or black beans would be a great addition to this!

S&P Chicken

S&P (salt and pepper) chicken is a staple in our home. It's easy and delicious.

Ingredients:
1 boneless, skinless chicken breasts per person
Salt
Black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F

Cover a baking sheet with foil.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken breasts and place on foil.
Cook for 20-25 minutes or unti chicken is cooked through.

Variations:

• Add herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc
• You can squirt some lemon juice or top chicken breasts with a slice of lemon.

Tips:

• Make extra for chicken salad, chicken stir-fry or to go on homemade pizza.
• Forgot to thaw the chicken? Just cook it for an extra 20 minutes. Still tastes great.