tried and true.

You can tell I am not a professional foodie picture taker. But at least it tastes good. Each week in my Relief Society's newsletter they spotlight someone and have them include a favorite recipe. This past week this recipe was included and it looked good. I gave it a shot and Matt gave it a 4.5.

Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas Lasagna 

For the sauce:

- 1 Tbsp. butter

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-1 Tbsp. flour

-1 c. chicken stock

-1 tsp. cumin

-1/4 tsp. salt

-1/4 tsp. pepper

-1 c. medium salsa verde

-1/2 c. sour cream

For the enchiladas:

- chicken, cooked and shredded

-monterrey jack cheese, grated

-1/2 onion chopped

-1 or 2 avocados, cubed

-8 to 10 corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 375*. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and add garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Stir in flour and constantly stir for 2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken broth, cumin, salt, and pepper and bring to a low boil. Once boiling, whisk in salsa and sour cream. Remove from heat.

Spray/grease 9x13 pan. Cover bottom of dish with sauce. Layer tortilla, chicken, cheese, onion, avocado, and sauce. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Top off with sauce and cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.

MY NOTES: Next time I would saute the onions. They were a bit strong. I didn't mind them but I know Matt would prefer them cooked down to be softer and smaller. I used a smaller baking dish and it worked fine. You can make it as spicy as you want depending on your salsa. I even sprinkled some crushed red peppers in the sauce to give it an extra zing. Yum!

tried and true.

Brushetta Chicken Bake

- chicken breasts

- 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes

- 2 cloves garlic

- 1 box of chicken Stove Top stuffing

- 1/2 c. water

- dried basil

- grated mozzarella cheese

-Place thawed chicken breasts in a greased baking pan. Sprinkle with basil and cover with cheese.

- In a mixing bowl, add tomatoes with liquids, minced garlic, stuffing, and water. Stir till stuffing is covered in liquids.

- Pour over chicken.

-Bake at 400* for 30 minutes uncovered, or until chicken is cooked through.

*MY NOTES: It took longer than 30 minutes for my chicken to be cooked. But at 30 minutes I checked it and the topping was getting crispy. So I covered it with tin foil and then took it off for the last few minutes to let it crisp up again.

Matt gave this a 4.5. Pretty good of a score. We both enjoyed it and would definitely make it again. Super quick and easy.

Enjoy!

tried and true.

This weeks recipe is what I made for my family and friends gift. I am not a baker so the idea of making cookies or any other treat was out of the question.  So this year I made cinnamon sugared almonds. They were delicious. If you want an easy and addictive treat that will make your house smell divine, then this is for you.

Cinnamon Sugar Almonds

- 1 1/2 c. sugar

- 3 Tbsp. cinnamon

- 1/8 tsp. salt

- 1 egg white

- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

- 3 1/2 c. whole raw almonds

Mix the sugar, cinnamon, and salt in one bowl and set aside. In another bowl whisk the egg white and vanilla together until foamy. Add the almonds to the egg white mixture. Coat the almonds in that. Then add the sugar cinnamon mix and stir together. Put the almonds in a crock pot on low for 2 hours. Stir the almonds every 25 minutes so they don't burn.

Pour almonds onto foil and let cool.

Enjoy!

MY NOTES: Matt and I definitely give these a 5! Beware they are addicting. Also you really need to watch them and make sure they don't burn in your crock pot. I have an insanely hot crock and the first batch I made was a fail. I burnt about half the batch. Other than that they are so super easy and delicious!

tried and true.

Tortellini Soup

-2 cloves of garlic

- olive oil

-2 cans of tomato soup

- 1 1/2 c. milk

- 2 c. half and half

- 2 c. chicken stock

- 1 t. onion powder

- 1/2 t. salt

-1/2 t. pepper

- 2 t. italian seasonings

- 1 package of cheese filled tortellini

- parmesan cheese

Saute garlic with olive oil in large pot over medium heat until golden brown. When the garlic is done, add tomato soup, milk, half and half, chicken stock, and spices. Bring to simmer. Once simmering, add tortellini. Cook according to the package. Serve in bowls and top with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Matt gave this meal a 4.5. He said he would have it as often as we would have grilled cheese and tomato soup. If you need something quick and easy this recipe is for you. I would probably make this a lot during the winter except the dang tortellini is a bit pricey. But its yummy so it's worth it.

tried and true.

Tonight's meal was sort of a cheat, but I am counting it. We have had this meal once before and then I started this little series and wanted to put it on so I made these pork chops again tonight. Matt and I both gave them a 5. This time around they were made even better. Super easy if you want to make a nicer and different meal.

Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Chops

-boneless pork chops

- 1/4 c. brown sugar

-1/2 t. garlic powder

-1/2 t. paprika

-1/2 t. salt

-1/2 t. pepper

-2 T. olive oil

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub mix all over the pork chops, using the entire mixture. Heat olive oil in a skillet. After the oil is hot, cook the pork chops for about 5 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through.

MY NOTES: I cooked them on each side for like 6 minutes. Then I put the pork chops in my preheated oven at 350*. This allowed them to cook all the way through without burning the outside. Make sure you don't have your stove on too hot so you don't burn the rub before the chops have time to cook. We had them with mashed potatoes and veggies.

Enjoy!

tried and true.

I don't quite know what to say for our dinner tonight. It was good, but I just felt like there was some taste missing from it. Don't know. Matt gave it a 3.5 saying yes he would have it again, but he noted my prep time might not be worth it. The prep time took a hour and a half!!! It took forever to prepare; thankfully Benson was asleep or this would have been impossible. So while yes it was good, I wouldn't tell you to stop what you are doing and make this right now. Lots of time, lots of dishes, lots of food. See my notes for more thoughts on the recipe.

Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and Smoked Mozzarella

Topping: 3/4 c. bread crumbs mixed with 2 Tbsp. butter

- 1 bunch of fresh broccoli, stalks cut, florets only

- 12 oz. penne pasta

- 2 Tbsp. olive oil

- 1/2 medium onion, minced

- 3 cloves of garlic

- 1 tsp. dried thyme

- 1/4 c. flour

- 2 c. chicken broth

- 1 c. heavy cream

- salt and pepper

- 2 or 3 chicken breasts cut in bite size pieces

- smoked mozzarella

- sun dried tomatoes

-In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and butter and set aside. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot, bring the water for the pasta to a boil. Stir in one tablespoon salt and the broccoli. The broccoli cooks quickly so stay close! Cook the broccoli for 1 minute, until it is bright green. Quickly remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon to a plate. Return the water to a boil and add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than how you would eat it normally (it will cook a bit more in the oven while baking). Drain the pasta in a colander and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Leave it in the colander and set it aside.

-Wipe the pot dry. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown. Stir in the garlic and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the flour, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth and cream; bring to a simmer, whisking often. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and smoked mozzarella.

-Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce; stir to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the casserole is bubbling and the crumbs are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

*MY NOTES: The sun dried tomatoes I got were disgusting and chewy. Gave the meal color but we didn't dare eat them. I could not find smoked motz at the store so I used regular. It worked fine, but maybe the smoked would give it that extra flavor it needed. This recipe has you cook it all in one pan. I think that is why it took so dang long to make. If I ever make it again I will definitely use multiple pans.

tried and true.

Tonight I made curry. I have never made such a thing nor did I think I would like it. But it was good. Matt gave it a 4.5. He would have given it a 5, but he said to make it a 5 he would want some naan bread to go with it. Next time. I thought it was good too. The color of the curry creeped me out a bit, but the flavor was good.

Curry Chicken

2 chicken breasts, diced

2 medium potatoes, diced

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup chicken broth

4 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. curry powder

salt and pepper

Place chicken, potatoes, and carrots in crock pot. Add all remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 4-6 hours.

Serve over hot rice.

MY NOTES: Obviously this is a crock pot meal which means super easy. You will want your chicken thawed out before you put it in because you need to cut it in chunks. I didn't even bother measuring anything out, just poured in. Also forget the time recommendations on the recipe. I think I have a mega cooker of a crock because my food always cooks so fast. I switched back and forth between high and low and it was done in like 2 - 2 1/2 hours. It sat on warm and off for like 2 hours before it was time to eat.

tried and true.

This week instead of a main dish I made some artisan bread. 3 ingredients is all it takes. Super easy to make, you just have to plan and prepare ahead of time to have it. My grandma found the recipe and I can't wait to do some variations...think garlic and rosemary or white chocolate and pecans. Matt and I both give it a 5/5.

Crusty Bread

In a large bowl, mix 3 cups of white unbleached flour. To the flour, add 1 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of rapid rise or instant yeast. Mix together and add 1 1/2 cups of water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it set for 12-18 hours on the counter top. Do not refrigerate. Dough will rise and be super sticky.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. As soon as it has heated place your pot with the lid in the oven and pre-heat for 30 minutes. 

Right after you put the pot in the oven, dump the dough onto a heavily floured surface. Shape dough into a round ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.

Remove pot from oven and carefully pick up dough and drop it in the pot. Put the lid on and put it in the oven for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes.

Cool bread completely on a cooling rack.

*MY NOTES: I didn't have instant yeast so I had to activate my yeast beforehand. Just add the yeast to a 1/4 c. of warm water. Let sit and then add to flour/salt mixture. I set my oven to 425 because my fire alarm goes off every time and I am not tall enough to wave a towel high enough to cool it and Matt wasn't home so I didn't want to deal with it. Because of that the center was very slightly doughy so next time I will bake it at the right temp and when Matt is home. Also make sure you have a serrated knife to cut it. I don't so my slices weren't the best. Enjoy!

tried and true.

Last night's dinner was a total shot in the dark, but it turned out pretty good. Matt gave it a 4 again. Probably because tomatoes aren't his favorite, but they were easy to pick out. I thought it was good, easy to make, and had a nice kick to it.

Creamy Caprese Quinoa Bake

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 cup of your favorite pasta sauce

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

grape tomatoes cut in halves

1 large bunch of basil, cut into ribbons

1/2 tsp. crushed red peppers

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 350*. Heat tomato sauce and tomato paste over low heat in a large saucepan. Once warm, stir in heavy cream, parmesan, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the quinoa. Fold in half of the mozzarella cheese and half of the tomatoes, then chop up some basil leaves and add them in too. Once combined, spray an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and pour the entire quinoa mixture into dish. Top with rest of mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes and then turn on the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil ribbons. Allow to sit for five minutes and then serve.

* MY NOTES: I wish I would have gotten some fresh motz to put on the top. Since we are not huge tomato fans, next time I may just put tomatoes on top and not inside. They were a bit mushy and I am not a fan of cooked tomatoes.

tried and true.

I am starting a new little series here called tried and true. I have decided to try one new recipe a week. I will then post about it with the recipe. On a scale of 1-5, Matt and I will rate them. If it looks good to you, then you are welcome for the new menu idea. Tonight was our first week of this and I would say it was a success.

Ham and Swiss Roll Sandwiches

1 12- pack of King's Hawaiian rolls

1 lb. ham

12 slices of Swiss cheese

3/4th stick of butter

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried onions

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Slice the rolls in half. Line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with the bottom halves of the rolls. Spread the ham over the rolls, and then layer the swiss cheese on top. Place the other halves of the rolls on top. Set aside.

In a small sauce pan, combine the butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and dried onions. Over medium heat, stir until the butter has melted to create the sauce. Pour equal parts of the sauce over top of the rolls, and then sprinkle the tops with the poppy seeds. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, and then refrigerate for at least three hours.

When you're ready to bake: Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the covered baking dish in the oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese has finished melting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*My changes: I couldn't find the King's Hawaiian rolls so I just used regular rolls and they were just fine. No need to measure the poppy seeds, just sprinkle them all over the tops of the rolls.

Matt gave it a 4 due to the tiniest taste of the dijon that he didn't even know was in it until the end. Super easy to make, super fast, and quite tasty. Enjoy!