Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

 

I just LOVE one pot dinners or casseroles. They're just so much easier with kids busy schedules. And I also can make them ahead of time, put them in the fridge or freezer then pull them out and bake them whenever I need it. Cause sometimes after the kids come home, there's no saying if I'll have time to spend 30 min to an hour in the kitchen.  This way you get it out of the way and be organized for the rest of the day. 

And besides, this casserole is SOO yummy. And really, who has time to make ACTUAL Chicken Cordon Bleu...definitely not me. It combines chicken, ham and delicious swiss cheese into a perfect marrying of flavors that you get from the real dish, just A LOT easier. I REALLY like this sauce too. I love that it's not a canned soup base. Just so much better. This is also a way you can use your trusty Costco rotisserie chicken. Remember how I never leave Costco without one? It's like my secret weapon that I can whip out at any time for a quick and easy dinner:)

1 rotisserie chicken, cut into cubes (about 5-6 cups)

1/2 pound thinly sliced deli honey ham, cut into smaller pieces

1/3 pound swiss cheese, shredded

Sauce:

4 T butter

4 T flour

3 cups milk

2 T lemon juice

1 T dijon mustard

3/4 t salt (or to taste)

1/2 t paprika

1/2 t pepper

Topping:

1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

4 T butter

1/2 t seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

Put cooked diced chicken on the bottom of the baking dish. Rough chop the ham and scatter it over the top of the chicken. Sprinkle most of the Swiss cheese on top of the ham, leaving about 1/4 cup to spare.

For the sauce:
Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, quickly stir in the flour to form a smooth roux. Do not brown! Once the roux is smooth and bubbly, slowly pour in the cold milk while stirring briskly to make a smooth sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, paprika and pepper. Bring sauce just back to a low boil and turn off heat. Stir in leftover Swiss cheese until melted and smooth. Pour sauce evenly over the casserole, being certain to get some of the sauce around the edges of the pan.

For the topping:
Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium sized microwaveable bowl. Heat it for 30 seconds at a time and stop once it’s melted. Take the bowl out of the microwave and stir in the panko bread crumbs, crushed dried parsley and seasoned salt. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
Bake casserole uncovered for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly throughout and topping has turned a light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes prior to serving. Enjoy!

*Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Hershey's Chocolate Cake with a Mousse Filling

 I'm definitely not going to take credit for this cake. I'm just making sure everyone is aware of how delicious it is:) I put a little twist in there, but for the most part, this cake is Hershey's. They add 1 cup boiling water at the end to stir in. I add boiling hot coffee. You might think this is weird. Well it is kind of weird, but it makes it SO much more chocolatey. And despite what you may think, you can't taste the coffee at all. It just brings out the natural richness of chocolate. I really challenge you to try it!

If you're wanting the BEST chocolate cake there is out there, look no further. This is the definition of the perfect chocolate cake. Dense. Moist. SUPER chocolatey.

 I will, however, take credit for this wonderfully easy chocolate mousse. The best part about it is you can put it in the middle of anything and everything. I sometimes like to fill my chocolate cupcakes with it. It puts them right over the edge.

 

Anyway, this is a knock-your-socks-off kind of chocolate cake. 

Hershey's Chocolate Cake:

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup boiling hot coffee (or boiling water) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-in round baking pans. I also like to line the bottom of my pans with a parchment paper. It guarantees that it comes out clean. In the bowl of your mixer, add the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Turn it on a few times to stir the ingredients together. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat until well combined making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Stir in boiling hot coffee.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pans and let cool on a wire rack. Cool completely. Fill with the Chocolate Mousse Filling then frost with Perfectly Chocolate Frosting.

Chocolate Mousse Filling:

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

Beat heavy cream in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Stir in melted chocolate until completely combined. Lay one layer of cooled chocolate cake on a cake stand. Top with mousse filling. Top with the other layer. Frost the whole cake with Perfectly Chocolate Frosting.

Perfectly Chocolate Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stilck) butter

2/3 cup cocoa powder

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to a spreading consistency. You may want to add more cream to get to your desired consistency. Beat in vanilla. 

ENJOY your chocolate coma:)

*Adapted from Hershey's

Chicken Zucchini Casserole

 Whenever I go to Costco, I never leave without a rotisserie chicken. My mom taught me this. It's SO much chicken meat for only $5. Can't beat it. So when I get home, I take all of the meat off, cut it into chunks and put it in the freezer. There's just so much you can do with that meat! Enchiladas, soups, casseroles, paninis, chicken alfredo...literally endless possibilities.

This casserole is one of my favorites. It's so easy and SO good. It's super good as leftovers too, which is crucial in my opinion:) So head over to Costco and get yourself a chicken!

1 rotisserie chicken, cut into chunks (3 chicken breasts can be substituted)

3-4 small zucchinis, cut into chunks

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

1 box chicken Stove Top stuffing

1 stick butter, melted

In a large bowl, mix together chicken soup and sour cream. Add chicken and zucchini and mix until everything is evenly coated. In a separate bowl mix dry stuffing and melted butter. Add half of this mixture in with the chicken and zucchini. Pour that into a 9x13 dish. Top with the rest of the stuffing mixture. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. At this point the stuffing might be getting really brown, but the zucchini may not be cooked through as much as you'd like, sometimes this happens to me. If that's the case, cover the dish with foil and return to the oven for 10-15 more minutes, until the zucchini is soft enough. Enjoy this delicious easy dinner!!

Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken and Rice Bake

How about that title? Haha!! It’s a mouthful. Just like this casserole. Oh. My. Gosh. This is to DIE for!! It made a whole bunch and we were just fine with that because we ate it for lunch and dinner for almost a week. I love how the sweetness of the honey shines through while still being a savory dish. 

Honey and lime together…a match made in heaven.

I’ve been on a mission to find dinners I can make ahead and bake later or ones that are portable. You’ll probably see a lot of those from me in the next several weeks:) Soccer is in full swing and I’m trying to figure out how dinner works into that schedule. This casserole is a total homerun and a definite keeper!

1 pound chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 1/2 cups long grain rice or brown rice, cooked (measured uncooked)
1 16 oz. bottle salsa verde
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 15 oz. sweet corn, rinsed and drained, or you can use frozen
1 4 oz. can green chilies

10 Minute Marinade
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup lime juice
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
dash - 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
dash - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for more heat)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a very large bowl, whisk together the 10 Minute Marinade ingredients. Add cooked chopped chicken and let marinate at least 10 minutes.

Mix cheeses together and add 2 cups cheese, salsa verde, rice, sour cream, green chilies, and corn to the chicken and marinade. Stir until evenly combined. It will seem a little “wet” which is normal.

Add chicken/rice mixture to a 9 x 13 casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until hot in the center then broil until cheese is golden.

Serve with desired garnishes. Enjoy!!

*From Carlsbad Cravings

Chicken Bacon Pasta

This is good, down home cookin right here! It’s the kind of dish that warms the soul and perfect for a Fall family dinner. I double the noodle/cream sauce recipe for my family of 5 and I recommend doing it even if you don’t have a family of 5 because then you can savor the leftovers the next day:) I also love adding eggs to cream sauces because it makes it oh so creamy. 

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and roughly chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or less if you don't want the heat)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 pound penne pasta
1/2 cup heavy cream (I just use milk)
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 whole eggs
1/4 tsp pepper
2 grilled chicken breast, sliced

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions.

Place cream (or milk) and cream cheese in a small saucepan. Heat over low until cream cheese is melted, and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Add the parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and pepper and whisk until blended. Don’t worry…the heat from the cream mixture will cook the eggs.

Drain pasta (reserving 1/2 cup of hot water) and return to pot. Immediately add the white sauce and toss to coat. Stir in the bacon, and add some reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.  Top with grilled chicken and more parmesan. Enjoy!

*From Plain Chicken

Asian Lettuce Wraps

I was craving lettuce wraps the other day and immediately remembered about after I had Reese and my friend, Emily, brought me dinner. As a 2 day old she developed a severe milk allergy and I had to immediately go off all dairy if I wanted to continue breast feeding. I thought for sure I was doomed because it was appalling at how many things had dairy in it. Emily saved me with these. They were so delicious and flavorful. Who says you can’t eat healthy AND have it be super good! I also loved how the meat wasn’t ground. Usually lettuce wraps call for ground turkey or chicken. I loved how this recipe used whole chicken breasts, diced small. It will sure to be one of your favorites!

Chicken: 3  tablespoons oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1  can water chestnut
1 can mushroom
1/2 onion, diced small
2-3 garlic cloves
4 -5 leaves butter head lettuce (or iceburg is fine too)

Special Sauce 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon hot mustard 
2 teaspoons water
1 -2 teaspoon red chile paste (depending on how spicy you like them)
2 garlic cloves, minced

 Stir Fry Sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

  Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.  Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well. Eventually add your desired measurement (depending on how spicy you want it) of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.

Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan. Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.  Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
3 Keep oil in the pan, keep hot. As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.

When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are. With the pan still on high heat, add another tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to pan. Add stir fry sauce to pan, saute mixture a couple minutes then serve in lettuce leaves. Top with Special Sauce. ENJOY!!!

Avocado Chicken Salad

Made this. Loved it. Then I made it again because I didn’t feel guilty AT ALL because it’s delicious, easy AND healthy:)

1 cup shredded chicken (I use canned chicken and it’s great)

1 avocado, mashed

1 lime

1-2 T cilantro depending on how much you like it

salt and pepper

Add chicken and avocado to a bowl and mix. Add lime, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Eat with crackers, in a sandwich or on my personal favorite, Bagel Thins. Enjoy!

Chicken Alfredo Calzones

I love pizza, I love calzones, I LOVE alfredo. These are the perfect dinner…all packaged into one little pocket. And making it with the Guiltless Alfredo makes it even more delicious. You won’t be disappointed with these delicious calzones!!

8 Slices of bacon
2 chicken breasts
3 green onions, chopped
1lb fresh Mozzarella, sliced
1 recipe pizza dough (found here)
1 recipe Guiltless Alfredo (found here)
2 T flour
2 T butter
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Start by frying the bacon.  Once cooked, remove to a plate lined with paper towels.
Carefully remove the bacon fat from the pan and wipe with a paper towel to remove the excess.  Measure 1 T of bacon grease and put it back into the pan. 

Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Add the chicken to the pan seasoned side down.  Season the other side of the chicken and let cook on medium high heat for about 4 minutes on each side. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and chop into bite sized pieces.  Set everything out for assembly.

Take a large jelly roll (or cookie sheet) pan and dust  with flour.  Take 1/4 of the pizza dough and shape it into an oval. Add a layer of fresh Mozzerella to half of the dough, leaving enough space on the outer edge so you can seal it later. Add the chicken to the top of the cheese.  Add the bacon, green onion, Alfredo sauce and a bit of the parmesan cheese.  Pull the other half of the dough over the ingredients to make a pocket.  Using your fingers pinch and seal the edges.

Take a sharp knife and cut three small slits in the top.  Melt the 2 T of butter in the microwave and brush over the top.  Sprinkle with garlic salt.
Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.  Check to see if it is golden brown, if not add a few minutes at a time.  Ours took about 25 minutes.
Serve with additional Alfredo sauce and enjoy!

*From mrsschwartzkitchen.blogspot.com

Thai Chicken AKA: The Best Chicken EVER

I had this for the first time at my Aunt Mara’s house. I’ve gotten A LOT of my awesome recipes from her and her recipe collections. She suggested we make this chicken and said her family dies over it. When I read that it had peanut butter in it, I was EXTREMELY skeptical. I’m not really into savory dishes with peanut butter in them. Not at all. Well this chicken broke the mold. I LOVE THIS CHICKEN. That’s a fact. After I had it at my aunts, I made it 3 more times in the next 2 weeks. It’s THAT GOOD. Flavorful, moist and perfect. If you’re having people over for a summer BBQ, make this your main dish…people with beg at your feet for the recipe. If you’re having a lot of people over, definitely double the recipe. I actually double it every time because the chicken is perfect chopped up and cold on top of a salad.

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless  chicken (either tenderloins or breasts cut in half)

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1/3 cup chunky peanut butter

2 limes juiced and zested

3 cloves garlic

3 T soy sauce

3T brown sugar

1/4 cup cilantro, minced

1 T fresh ginger, minced or 1 t ground ginger

1 T sesame oil

skewers, soaked in water

Combine all ingredients besides chicken in a bowl and whisk together. Combine marinade and chicken and put in a ziploc bag. Marinate in fridge overnight or at least 2 hours. Place each chicken piece on a skewer and grill on a BBQ. Enjoy the best chicken you’ve ever had!!

Chicken With Tomato-Basil Sauce

I came across this recipe and knew it was one I wanted to try. I’m always on board for a new, simple chicken recipe. The hubbs LOVED this and licked his plate clean. I just sat and spooned the sauce into my mouth...yummmmm. A great recipe for something different to put into your chicken rotation. 

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup onions, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (you can use dried)
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup regular cream (I just used milk)
1/2lb spaghetti

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add chicken & grind fresh pepper on each side. Cover & cook until done, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside, keeping covered. (You can also grill the chicken.)

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking 1-2 minutes, just until soft.  With a whisk, add flour and stir. Add tomatoes; stir.  Slowly pour in chicken broth, whisking constantly to remove any lumps.  Add cream, still whisking. Continue whisking for 3-4 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat and let sit; it will continue to thicken, feel free to stir every so often as you cook the spaghetti.

Add fresh basil to sun dried tomato sauce and give it a good stir.
Place spaghetti noodles on serving plates, placing chicken directly on top of noodles.  Spoon as much sauce as you would like over chicken and noodles. Enjoy!  

*From gabbiskitchen.com

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

This is definitely too easy for how good it is. The mixture of crackers with the cheddar cheese is to die for! I think it's a new family favorite.

Chicken:

4 large chicken breasts

2 sleeves Ritz crackers

1/4 t salt

1/8 t pepper

1/2 C milk

1 egg

3 C cheddar cheese, grated

1 t dried parsley

Sauce:

1 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup

2 T sour cream

2 T butter

3 oz cream cheese

Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks. Grind up the Ritz crackers. I do this in a food processor, but you can easily put them in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin, or put them in a bowl and crush them with a bottom of a cup.

Whisk the milk and egg together. Pour the milk mixture, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the salt and pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture to combine.

Dip each piece of chicken first into the milk, then into the cheese. Press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers. Some of it will fall off when you add it to the cracker crumbs, but it all eventually ends up in the same place, so don’t worry about it.

Press the cheesy chicken into the cracker crumbs and press it in. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan. After you have coated all of the chicken and placed it in the baking dish, dump the remaining cheese and cracker crumbs over top of the chicken. Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken.

Cover the pan with foil and bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.

In a medium saucepan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, butter and cream cheese. Stir over medium heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over crispy chicken and garnish with more dried parsley. Enjoy!!

*From jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com

Honey Garlic Balsamic Chicken

I'm on a balsamic vinegar kick. There's just something about it: the tangyness, the sweetness. I just love it. Now pair it with some fresh garlic and a touch of honey, then reduce it into a nice syrupy sauce...mmmm. This is my new favorite chicken because it's so delicious, requires NO prep, and is a super fast dinner.

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons honey

In a bowl whisk together chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and honey.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken to the pan. Cook the chicken until both sides are brown and the chicken is cooked through. During cooking, brush chicken with balsamic sauce several times. Cook about 6 to 7 minutes on each side. Take the chicken out of the pan, and put on a plate and cover with foil.

Add the rest of the balsamic mixture to the hot skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, the sauce will thicken. Use a spatula to get the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. Simmer till thick and syrupy.

Slice the chicken on a bias, and spoon the pan sauce over the top. Then die because it's so good.

*From bakedbree.com

Jalapeno Popper Chicken

My husband is ALL about jalapenos. If they are an option to put on any dish, they MUST go in. I don't know why this is...so weird:) But anyway, when I saw this recipe I knew it would be his new favorite. It's basically like a jalapeno popper stuffed into a chicken breast, breaded then fried and baked. I'm pretty sure it's every manly man's dream. Hey, I even enjoyed it!

4 slices bacon, diced (I just used crumbled bacon in the bag)
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I recommend sharp)
2 whole jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely minced
4 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 T garlic powder, plus more to season chicken
Salt and pepper
1 cup bread crumbs (I recommend Panko)
vegetable oil for frying

Stir together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, and jalapenos in a small bowl.

Season both sides of chicken breasts with a dash of garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cut a pocket horizontally through the thickest side of each chicken breast and fill with some cheese mixture. Secure with toothpicks.

Add the 2 teaspoons garlic powder, salt and pepper to the bread crumbs and mix.

Roll the chicken breasts in bread crumbs to coat. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken breasts about 3 minutes per side until golden brown.

Finish cooking chicken breasts in a 425ºF oven for about 10 minutes or until cooked through.

*From Tasty Kitchen

White Chicken Lasagna Roll-ups

I knew I wanted to try these as soon as I saw them. Anything that is covered in Alfredo sauce is right up my alley:) And definitely don't hesitate to make this homemade Alfredo sauce because it's lower in fat and is super delicious. It's my go-to now and I always have the ingredients on hand. These roll-ups are so delicious and look fancy too, so go ahead and impress your guests with your beautiful food!

1 lb chicken breasts, shredded
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzerella chees, plus more for topping
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Alfredo sauce (Delicious Homemade recipe here)
8 lasagna noodles, cooked and cooled slightly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, mix the cooked shredded chicken, ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, parsley and garlic until combined.

Spread a ladle or two of Alfredo sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.

Lay out one lasagna noodle on a cutting board, spread about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture along the noodle and roll up the noodle from one end to the other. Lay the roll seam side down in the pan on top of the alfredo sauce.

Repeat with remaining noodles and filling, laying each on top of the sauce. Top with more alfredo sauce and as much mozzarella cheese as desired.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until heated through and cheese is browned slightly on top.

*From Tasty Kitchen

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This soup is the perfect fall dinner. It's so hearty, yet light. The flavor is to die for and it's easy-peasy to make. It might be my new favorite dish:) If you want to warm up this winter, try this soup.

2 T butter
2 T olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 whole large carrots, peeled and cubed
6 cups chicken broth
¾ pounds chicken breasts (cubed)
1 box Uncle Ben's Long Grain And Wild Rice (6 Oz.)
1-½ cups milk

1/3 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste

In large pot, heat butter and olive oil. Sauté onions, celery and carrots on medium low heat for 10 minutes to soften. Season vegetables with salt and pepper.

Pour in chicken broth and cubed raw chicken. Raise temperature to medium high heat to poach chicken in cooking liquid. Once chicken has cooked and become opaque, pour in rice and the seasoning packet that came with the rice. Cover and reduce heat to simmer lightly for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, whisk cold milk with flour until smooth. Pour into the soup pot and reduce heat completely to low. Cook 10 minutes or until rice is softened completely and soup has thickened slightly. Taste and season accordingly. Serve hot.

* From Tasty Kitchen

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

I'm so tired of eating the same thing over and over and over...aren't you? Maybe it's because for the past 4 months I've been making the same thing. Well, that's over now. And I'm dying to eat new and exciting recipes! This was SO good to me. I was even surprised with my 18 month old shoveled it in her mouth by the handful since she's on a hunger strike now. The hubby even loved it even though he despises corn. It's just a great balance of flavor and turned into an awesome, fast fall dinner.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
11 oz frozen sweet corn (you can sub canned corn)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 package cornbread stuffing

Make stuffing according to package directions. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper and lay chicken breast in the bottom of a baking pan. Saute pepper, onion and garlic in about 1 T olive oil till tender, about 3 minutes. Spread evenly over chicken. Mix corn and cream of chicken soup. Spread evenly over chicken and peppers. Top with prepared stuffing. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 for another 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Enjoy!!

Tuscan Chicken and Wild Rice

Have you ever had this rice? I recommend it. It's so hearty, flavorful and delicious. I use it for MANY of my dishes and it just completes it. Pick it up at your local Costco:) Now to the recipe. This is so incredibly delicious and simple that you must make it! It's hearty, yet light. Love it.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup wild rice
10 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, diced

2 cups water

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken in the crock pot. Add rice, garlic, red peppers. Mix water, lemon juice and oil in a mixing bowl. Pour mixture over rice and chicken. Stir once to coat chicken. Cover and cook on medium low for 4-6 hours.

Pesto Stuffed Chicken

I was in the mood for something different. You know, not the same old-same old chicken. I get tired of that every now and again. So I came up with this. What a new and refreshing way to eat chicken! I love how moist and flavorful it is and just how purely delicious it is. Eat your pesto in a new way and you won't be disappointed!

4 large chicken breasts

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1/4 cup honey mustard

1 small jar pesto sauce (or your favorite homemade)

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

bread crumbs (I use Texas Toast croutons finely crushed)

1/4-1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Place chicken breasts in a ziploc bag with the 2 mustards and marinate overnight or at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix the pesto with the ricotta cheese. Take a chicken breast and cut a "pocket" into it making sure to not cut all the way through the bottom or sides. Fill with pesto mixture until stuffed full. Mix bread crumbs with parmesan cheese. In a large skillet heat 2 T olive oil on medium-high. Coat stuffed chicken in bread crumbs and place in skillet to brown and crisp the outside making sure to only turn the chicken once. Once the outside is good and crispy place on a cookie sheet and place in the oven to finish cooking for about 20-30 minutes (depending on how thick your chicken breast was to start.) Enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Bake

This is the perfect weeknight dinner. It tastes just like enchiladas with half the work. I love twists on classic recipes and this is one of them. You won't be disappointed!

2 cups white rice
2 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 (15oz) can mild green enchilada sauce
1 (4oz) can sliced black olives
1 (15oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1 t cumin
1 (15oz) can black beans, drained ans rinsed
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Cook rice according to package directions. Place chicken, enchilada sauce, olives, tomatoes, sour cream, salt, pepper and cumin into a large bowl, mixing to combine. Pour cooked rice into prepared baking dish and layer beans on top of rice. Pour chicken mixture over rice and top evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until cheese is melted and rice is hot.

*From Picky Palate.

Alfredo Pasta Bake

This is a perfect, easy dinner that your family is sure to love. Come on...it's a creamy Alfredo sauce!! I made it meat-less because sometimes I just love to go against the norm and personally, I don't love meat. You can definitely add some cooked, diced chicken if you feel the need, but I really feel it's great on it's own! It does have bacon so maybe you could count that as meat:) I also love how by adding the tomatoes it gives it a feel of adding a red sauce to a white sauce, which is one of my favorite things. It's so delicious and sure to please your picky eaters.

16 ounce package uncooked radiator pasta
1 cup butter
1 cup whipping cream**
1 1/2 cups freshly shredded Parmesan Cheese (I used Asiago)
4 oz cream cheese
pepper
1 1/2 cups uncooked, fresh broccoli
1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled bacon
1 cup shredded mozzerella (I used shredded provolone)

In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package directions. With 2 minutes remaining, add the broccoli and green onions to the pasta. Meanwhile in another sauce pan over medium to low heat, heat the butter and whipping cream until butter is melted, stirring constantly. Add cream cheese, parmesan and pepper and stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Drain the pasta, broccoli and green onions. Add to cheese sauce. Add tomatoes and bacon. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish and top with shredded mozzarella (or provolone.) Broil under high heat until cheese is melted and bubbly.

** Note: evaporated fat free milk can be substituted for whipping cream for a lower fat option.

*Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen