Cajun Chicken Pasta

So it is well known at work of what a terrible cook I am, and how I almost burn down the house, etc. So my friend Tony at work challenged me to a recipe, before Thanksgiving! But I finally got to it last night. I had to change it up a bit, because I didn't have the exact ingredients, but it turned out good. Rylee didn't like it, she said it was too spicy, but everyone else did.

Ingredients

12 oz Tri-Color Rotini pasta

6 small boneless skinless chicken breast

2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning (I didn't have this so I used my Montreal BBQ spice)

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup of feta cheese

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

• Bring large pot of water to boil. Add pasta, cook for 8-10 minutes.
• Place the chicken and Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat. In large skillet over medium heat, saute the chicken in butter until almost tender.
• Add the lemon and garlic. Then add the cream, feta cheese, and pasta.
• Mix together and serve.

Salmon Pasta with Poppy and Dill

I subscribe to the Rachel Ray magazine and when I saw this recipe, I just knew I had to try it. I will list the recipe as published in the magazine.

salt and pepper

12 ounces egg fettuccine pasta (I used 20 oz. bow tie pasta)

8 ounces salmon fillet

1 TB extra-virgin olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped (I didn't use, cuz I didn't have)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 TB poppy seeds

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream (I used 2 cups cuz I like lots of sauce)

1/4 cup dill, chopped (I just used dill weed)

2 large eggs, hard-boiled and chopped (I didn't use)

1. bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add pasta and cook until al dente.

2. While pasta is working, season the salmon with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the salmon and cook until just opaque, about 6 minutes. Let cool, then discard the skin; flake the salmon into small pieces.

3. In the skillet, heat 1 TB olive oil. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds for 1 minute, then pour in the wine and cook until slightly reduced, 1 minute. Stir in the cream, lower the heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Toss the pasta with the salmon, the sauce and the dill. Season with salt and pepper. Top with chopped egg.

It was ABSOLUTELY to "dine for".

Serve with garlic bread or breadsticks. YUM!

Chicken Pita

This is again, off my P90X diet. I actually know for a fact that Aunt Jill's are much better. Hint-hint-- post your pita recipe!! Anyhow this one is fairly healthy.

• 9 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast (or one canned chicken if you are lazy like me)
• 1 whole wheat pita
• 1 1/2 ounces of low fat feta cheese, crumbled (I couldn't find low fat so I used reg)
• 1/4 cup tomato, chopped (I didn't use this)
• 2 Tb red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup cucumber, pealed and chopped (I substituted celery)
• squeeze of lemon

Grill or bake chicken in dish at 350 for approx 20 minutes

Cool chicken and cube into 1 inch

Place in pita and add all other ingredients. Squeeze lemon over top.

Total Calories: 583 per pita

Crock-Pot Chicken Enchiladas

D1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz sour cream
1 can diced green chilis
1 can black beans
1 box rice-a-roni Spanish rice, prepared as directed
7-8 chicken tenders, cut up in bite sized pieces
4-6 flour tortilla, broken up
Grated colby jack cheese

Mix soups, sour cream, chilis, beans. Spread small amount in bottom of crock pot. Layer 2-3 tortillas, broken up. Add rice and chicken to remainer of soup mixture. Layer on top of tortilla followed by grated cheese. Repeat layer one more time. Cook on low 4-6 hours.

Cafe Rio Pork Salad

This is good over lettuce as a salad or wrapped in tortilla. I make the dressing on its own and eat it on everything.

Dressing:
1 buttermilk ranch packet (make recipe as directed)
2 tomatillos
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice 1 lime
1 jalapeno, no seeds
Use food processor to blend all ingredients

Rice:
3 cups water
4 tsp. chicken bouillon
4 tsp.garlic minced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 onion
3 cups rice
Blend cilantro, green chilies, garlic, and onion in food processor. Bring water to boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered for 30 minutes. (Or use minute rice instead of long grain rice and boil water, bouillon, salt, butter and then adds rest of the ingredients and cook according to minute rice directions.)

Pork:
Cook 2-3 pound pork loin roast in crock pot (8-9 Hours) Shred meat. Add 1 cup brown sugar, 1 can coke, 1-15 oz bottle taco sauce. Mix together and heat through.

Toppings:
Romaine lettuce
Tortillas
Cheese
Tomatoes
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Pinto Beans
Black Beans

Easy Crockpot Lasagna

1 (28 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (25 oz) package frozen cheese ravioli
1 (16 oz) carton small curd cottage cheese
1 (16 oz) package shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Pour half of sauce and half of ravioli into crockpot. Mix well. Spread half of cottage cheese on top. Sprinkle with half of mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cook on low 4 to 6 hours.

Non Screw Up Crockpot Chicken

I had to go for a 2nd attempt, since my enchilada's weren't a success. Again, this isn't pretty, but its good and easy!

• 1 package frozen chicken breasts
  
• 2 cans of cream of chicken soup
  
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup


• dash of salt and pepper

Throw everything in together. Cook on medium for 5 hours. Drizzle soup mixture over chicken when done.

Crockpot Enchiladas

Crock pot recipe's don't look very pretty. And I don't think I would call this one a success, but I don't think it was a disaster, so I guess that makes it a "non-disaster," so I am going to go ahead and post it. I bought the wrong kind of beans, that were not pre-cooked, so the crunchy beans did not fare to great with the kids and hubby. And it was slightly dry so, so if anyone makes it I would double the water, or add some kind of juices. Other than that... it had potential to be good. It almost turns out looking like a pizza, the way it is layered, so if someone gives it a try, let me know!!

• 1 lb ground beef


• 1 c. chopped onion


• 1/2c. chopped green pepper


• 1 can pinto or kidney beans


• 1 can green chili


• 1/3 c. of water


• 1 tsp. chili powder


• 1/2 tsp. salt


• 1/4 tsp. pepper


• 2 c. fiesta mix cheese


• tortillas

Brown beef, onions and peppers. Add beans, chili, chili powder, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, cover for 10 minutes. Tear tortillas into medium size pieces. In crockpot layer tortilla, 1/2 the mixture and then 1 cup of cheese. Repeat. Cook on low 5 to 7 hours.

Easy French Dip Sandwiches

Pork Loin Roast
2 packages Au-jus
Rolls of your choice. (we like submarine rolls)


Make six cups Au-jus according to package directions. Put pork loin in crock pot and pour hot au-jus over roast. Cover and cook on low until pork shread (approx 8 hours). Butter sliced rolls and toast under broiler. Fill rolls with shredded pork and ladle Au-juice in individual bowls.

Italian Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts, cut up

2 cans cream of chicken soup

8 oz sour cream

1 package dry Italian dressing

Throw it all together in crock pot, cook on low for 3-4 hours and Voila!

Serve over rice, pasta or mashed potatoes (shown).

Jerk Nachos

• 3 cups of shredded Cheese
• 3/4 cup of sour cream
• 2 teaspoon of Jamaican Jerk Rub
• 1 can of chicken
• 2 avocados

Combine 2 cups of cups of cheese (save the other cup to sprinkle on top), sour cream, chicken, and 1 teaspoon of Jamaican Jerk rub (save the other teaspoon to sprinkle on top).

Do layers of chips, and nacho mix.

On the top sprinkle remaining cheese.

Put in oven, bake of high broil 3-5 minutes. (Watch it closely because it can brown and burn fast)

After I take it out, I sprinkle the remaining jerk rub on top. Cut up avocados and put on top.

This is my version of the Pampered Chef recipe, and I bake my nachos in my stoneware, which I love! My sister-in-law Ashley (ash on this blog) sells Pampered Chef, so I am adding her email to the side bar. Call her if you want to order anything!