Chicken Veggie Lo Mein

Here's the thing with this recipe, the amounts really vary based on how much you want to cook. I'll put in the approx amounts to feed 6 teen/adults. Good hearty portions with a few seconds if wanted. Add in any veggies you want, I've included the ones we like. Can use other meat, or no meat at all too!

Ingredients:

2 bunches broccoli (small-regular sized bunch, don't use the stems) 

1/2 -1 bundle asparagus

1/2-3/4 of a 16 oz bag sugar snap peas

1-2 carrots or baby carrots

About 12 oz noodles - I use a rice ramen noodle. Any ramen noodle, thin spaghetti, or lo mein type noodle will work just fine too.

1 lb chicken, sliced very thin and bite size pieces

Sauce Ingredients:

6 TB soy sauce

2 TB sugar

3 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp Sriracha sauce, or more to taste if you want a little more heat

Mix together with a fork or wisk, then set aside. (You can do more sauce if wanted, but you don't want this to be too liquidly/strong.)

-Chop up all veggies into 1" pieces. Coat with olive oil and then toss in a large wok/fry pan. Put a little bit of water in the bottom of the pan, cover with a lid, and steam/cook veggies until just soft, about 20 min, stirring several times. While veggies are cooking, cook chicken:

-Coat chicken in olive oil and a little bit of soy sauce, then cook chicken in an oiled skillet pan until cooked through. 

-Cook noodles according to directions. I start the noodles while the chicken is cooking. Ramen noodles are done quickly, if you are using a pasta or noodle that cooks longer, start them while you cook the veggies. Drain noodles once cooked, don't over cook them. 

Once the veggies, chicken and noodles are cooked, combine all together in the large veggie fry pan, toss with sauce and serve!

Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps

Ingredients:

Cooked chicken, shredded or cubed

Chopped romaine lettuce

Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Croutons

Caesar dressing

Tortillas

Directions:

Fill tortilla with ingredients, wrap, and enjoy!

You can also mix everything together like a salad and then scoop into tortilla. My kids are picky and like to be able to choose what they want and how much on their wraps. 

You can also add in avocados or bacon. Both are yummy too!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

These are super easy and taste super yummy!  This chicken was so good, my husband kept eating it plain after his 2 massive tacos!

Place 4 trimmed chicken breasts into your crock pot (because trimmed chicken makes better meals...no chewy yucky pieces!)

Combine:
1 1/4 cups *organic chicken broth
1 can Rotel tomatoes (or make your own from scratch)
1-2 TB taco seasoning ( I used this *organic one, and I think the flavor is better and makes this even yummier!)

Pour mixture over chicken and cook on low about 6 hours.  About 30 min before serving, shred chicken in crock pot.  (You can drain liquid before serving, or use a slotted spoon or a fork.)

Serve with cheese, tomatoes, olives, guacamole, lettuce, etc.  And of course, *fresh tortillas are the best!

*organic, fresh ingredients optional.  Substitute as desired.

Chicken Fajita Pasta

2 TB Olive Oil
1 pound chicken breasts
Taco/Fajita seasoning
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cups diced bell peppers
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can Rotel tomatoes
8 oz penne pasta (or similar sized pasta)
salt and pepper

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and season with taco seasoning.  Heat 1 TB oil in a large skillet and cook chicken.  Remove chicken and set aside.

Add remaining 1 TB oil to skillet.  Cook onions and bell peppers, toss with taco seasoning.    Remove veggies and set aside with chicken.

In the same skillet, add the broth, cream, diced tomatoes, uncooked pasta and salt and pepper.  Stir, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 min until pasta is tender.  Add the chicken and veggies back into the skillet.  Stir, and heat through.

Picture credit and recipe adapted from Kevin and Amanda's Recipes

Chicken and Broccoli Almost Alfredo

This sauce isn't really an alfredo sauce......but it is along the same lines!  It's healthier though!

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
2 cups cooked broccoli
8 oz small pasta (rotini, shells, bowtie, etc.)
2 TB EVOO
Onion and Garlic (I just use a small amount of both, can omit too)
2 TB flour
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup milk (regular or almond)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in skillet and cook garlic and onions for about 1 min.  Add in flour and whisk together.  Slowly whisk in chicken broth, then milk.  Turn heat to low and simmer until thickened, 3-5 min.  Stir in parmesan cheese until melted.  Turn off heat.  Add chicken to sauce.  Pour sauce mixture over cooked pasta.  Add cooked broccoli.  Can add water/milk if it's too thick.  Serves 4-5.

Chicken cashew lettuce wraps

Another Mel's Kitchen Cafe recipe! These lettuce wraps are amazing! Every time I make them we go crazy (well, maybe not the kids, but that's ok because there's more for us). They're so, so good!

1 T olive oil

1/2 c. chopped onion (or less, I always like less!)

1 c. chopped carrots

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

salt, pepper

1 lb. chicken, cut into small pieces or cubed

3 T soy sauce

2 T syrup

1/2 c. cashews

lettuce, washed and peeled to cups/wraps

chopped cucumbers & tomatoes

(the cucumbers make this dish!)

In a skillet, cook onion, carrots, and garlic in oil until they start to soften (couple minutes). Add chicken and cook all together until done (6 minutes or so), adding salt and pepper to your taste. Add soy sauce and syrup and simmer another 2-3 minutes until it's all soft and combined. Add cashews at the very end and cook until warm. Scoop mixture into lettuce cups and add chopped cucumbers and tomatoes.  

Chicken in Creamy Parmesan Gravy

I found a recipe for this online but made a few changes. It's one of our new favorites and comes together super quick.

6-8 chicken tenders
2 T. butter
salt & pepper
garlic (fresh or garlic salt)
parsley (I have a garlic/parsley blend I use and love)
minced onion (to taste)
dried basil
3 T. flour
2 1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. parmesan

Melt 2 T. butter in a large saucepan. Add salt and pepper, then add chicken. Brown on both sides, then remove chicken. Add all seasonings and 3 T. flour. I just shake in garlic, parsley, basil, salt and pepper until it looks and smells right. :) Whisk together until it bubbles, then whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Add chicken back in and simmer for 10 minutes. It should be pretty thick and the chicken should be cooked completely. Add 1/2 c. milk and 1/2 c. parmesan and continue to simmer until it's creamy and thick enough to your taste. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Ingredients

1 Costco Rotisserie Chicken (or about 4 chicken breasts, cooked)
1/2 pound good quality deli ham (I like black forrest ham)
6-8 slices swiss or provolone cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
2/3 cup milk
1/2 package fine seasoned stuffing mix (not the cubes)
1/2 cube melted butter

Shred up chicken and place in the bottom of a 9x13 dish.  Slice ham into smaller pieces and layer on top of the chicken.  Top with cheese slices.  Mix together the cream of chicken soup and the milk.  (If you are like me, you can also strain out the nasty chunks of nasty chicken in the soup.  Did I mention those are nasty?)  Pour mixture over everything.  Mix the stuffing mix with the melted butter, and sprinkle on the top.


Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min, until hot and bubbly.

Serve over rice.

Oven Baked Chicken Tostadas

These are very easy and so very yummy!

Ingredients:
Chicken, cooked and shredded (Use rotisserie for a very easy meal!)
Refried Beans (optional, if you want both varieties)
1 package of small flour tortillas (I like the Mission fajita size)
Mexican blend cheese (or whatever you like)
Limes
Chili powder
Toppings: lettuce, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, tomatoes


Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Mix the chicken with some cheese and the juice of 1 lime.  Sprinkle with chili powder, and combine.  
Lay the tortillas out on a cookie sheet.
Top with chicken mixture.
Can also top some with refried beans.
Sprinkle some additional cheese on the top.
Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes, until the tortillas are crispy and meat is heated through.
Remove from oven, and top with desired toppings.

Chicken Pot Pie

For the filling:
Chicken, cooked and shredded (of course I use a rotisserie chicken!)
3 Tbs butter
3 small potatoes, diced
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
chopped onion or dried onion to taste
1 (1 lb.) bag mixed vegetables (in the freezer section; has peas, carrots, green beans, corn)

For the sauce:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
Dash of Worcestershire
Dash of garlic powder
Salt and pepper

For the topping:
1/2 cube butter, melted
1 cup self rising flour (must be self rising)
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan.

To make the filling, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots and potato (and onion) to the pan, and sauté for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Once the vegetables are finished cooking, turn off the heat and mix in the chicken and the bag of mixed veggies. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While veggies are cooking, make the sauce. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth (it will be sort of a paste). Whisk in the chicken broth and cook over medium heat until it thickens to the consistency of a cream soup. Mix in the cream, the Worcestershire and season with garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the cream sauce over the chicken and veggie mixture and stir to combine well.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

Combine melted butter, flour, and buttermilk to form topping. Spoon topping over top and spread to cover.

Bake for 30-35 min, until golden brown.

Chicken Kabob Marinade

This marinade is seriously so yummy!!

I don't know where it's from originally so I can't give props to the original owner.

If I find it I'll note it!!

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 tablespoons whole grain mustard

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 lime, juiced

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

6 tablespoons olive oil

ground black pepper

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Mix all ingredients together and add chicken to marinade.

ENJOY!!!

Copy-Cat Winger's Sticky Fingers

Recipe and picture from here

1 pkg. frozen breaded chicken strips (We've used Tyson brand and the Smith's ones by the meat counter.  We preferred the ones by the meat counter.)

6 Tbl. Frank's Hot Sauce (It has to be Franks Hot Sauce, no other sauce will taste as good)

4 Tbl. water

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

Chicken:

 Prepare the chicken strips as directed on the back of the package.

Sauce:
 Heat hot sauce, water and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, until sugar is dissolved.

Pour sauce over chicken, and enjoy!
Serve with ranch dressing for dipping.

*I actually put mine in a tortilla with cheese.  It was really yummy.

**We also served them with these fries.

Cranberry Chicken

20 chicken breasts**
1 bunch green onions
4 tbsp. oil
1 ½ c. brown sugar
3 c. ketchup
3 c. cranberries

Preheat oven to 375. Bake chicken in pan for 20 minutes. While baking, soften onions in oil. Add brown sugar, ketchup, and stir to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries and stir. Take chicken out and spoon sauce over chicken (I drain chicken drippings). Return to oven and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

**can lessen chicken breasts to whatever quantity needed. I do not lessen the sauce amount though. Same sauce, less chicken for my family!!

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

(From allrecipes.com)

I've been making this for years but realized I have never posted it here! These are really fast, really flavorful chicken tacos. We love them. The kids especially like them made into quesadillas. I don't keep green onions on hand so I hardly ever add those, but otherwise I follow the recipe.

• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed
• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 
  Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, garlic and oregano. Simmer for an extra 10 minutes. Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese and salsa.

Fajitas

Quote from "Our Best Bites" recipe site:
"The secret really is in the marinade. And my little trick is to reserve just a little of it to drizzle on at the very end for an extra punch of flavor. You can use your choice of meat; boneless chicken breasts work great, as do chicken thighs or tenders. Flank steak is also awesome. We often do both chicken and steak. Grab whatever colors of peppers and onions you have around and grill them up."

So I did just what she said, I made the marinade, reserved a little, and grilled up the chicken and veggies. MMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Make sure you buy the LIQUID SMOKE. It wouldn't be the same without it!!! Since I sliced up all my veggies and meat ahead of time, I used our grill basket to cook them on the BBQ grill. Perfection.....Delicious......You should buy one if you don't have one! See this link for pictures!

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or steak (I pre-sliced mine before adding to the marinade)
2-3 bell peppers, stem and membranes removed and peppers quartered
1 large onion (any color/variety) sliced into 1/2″ slices
Marinade:
1/4 C fresh lime juice
1/3 C water
2 T vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
3 t vinegar
2 t soy sauce
1-2 t liquid smoke
1 t salt
1/2 t chili powder, or chipotle chili powder
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t ground black pepper
1/4 t onion powder
*If you’re not familiar with liquid smoke, you can find it near the bbq sauces. Don’t make this without it! It’s definitely one of the key components. It makes things yummy and smoky and super flavorful. And if you’re wondering, it actually is real smoke in liquid form. Interesting, eh?

Place meat in a zip-top bag or shallow dish. Place vegetables in another. In a medium bowl, combine all marinade ingredients and whisk well. Reserve 3-4 Tablespoons of marinade for later use. With remaining marinade, add a splash to the vegetables (enough for a light coating) and the remaining to the meat. Marinate for 4-6 hours and up to overnight.

Preheat bbq grill (my preference), indoor grill pan, or large skillet. If you’re using a grill, place everything on at the same time. If using a skillet, slice peppers and onions first. Cook chicken for a few minutes on each side until cooked through and remove from pan. Cover with foil to keep warm. Add vegetables and cook until crisp tender.

Remove vegetables from cooking surface and slice. Slice meat. Toss with reserved marinade and serve along side any or all of the following:

Flour Tortillas
Black Beans/Pinto Beans
Lime-Cilantro Rice
Pico de Gallo
Salsa
Diced avocado
Guacamole
Sour Cream

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Update from Stacie:

Carrie made these last week and posted the recipe, and I had bookmarked the recipe several months ago. I don't know what took me so long to try them! I just made these tonight and had to add that we LOVED them. One of the best things I've ever made for the family, in fact.

Here's the rest of the post from Carrie:

I found this recipe (and borrowed her picture, I forgot to take one before we snarfed them all down!) on Our Best Bites. Click HERE for the link to their page, with more pictures, etc. of the recipe. Let me just say, these are super easy, and even more super good! I changed a couple things, mostly to use what I had on hand. See their site for the original recipe. They really are so good! For me, this made 7 Taquitos on regular sized flour tortillas.

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C salsa (I used my homemade regular salsa. Original recipe calls for a green salsa)
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin *(I used Mrs. Dash "Table Blend" seasonings in place of all individual seasons listed)
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro *I omit, I hate cilantro!
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated cheese, mozzarella, pepper-jack, or your favorite. I used mozzarella.

small flour tortillas *I love the fresh, uncooked ones. (and actually, corn ones are good as well)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Cook your tortillas on the stove top and set aside. If using pre-cooked tortillas, work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip them in salsa, sour cream, or guacamole! Yumm-O!

Chicken Pot Pie Crumble

I know I've posted a chicken pot pie recently, and Carrie made some changes and posted a new form of it as well. And then Mel from Mel's Kitchen Cafe went ahead and posted this similar recipe that I knew I would be trying.

It was awesome. It was also time-consuming. Just warning ya.

Also, it did not re-heat well. So the next time you need a big 9x13 pan full of food and have family or friends over, this would be great to ensure it all gets eaten up. (Again, assuming you have about 2 hours to prepare it that day.) Or if you're taking dinner in to someone, you could split the recipe into two 8x8 dishes.

The best part of this recipe is the cheesy crumble/biscuit topping. I fell in love with it. I think it would also be a great topping over a cheesy veggie soup or creamy chicken noodle soup. Lots of possibilities there.

I made two changes: First, I added potatoes. About three small potatoes, peeled and cubed. Second, I cooked my chicken in the oven on low for a few hours and used fresh chicken broth in the recipe. I have a hard time adding the same chicken broth I've just cooked the chicken in to a recipe. Totally grosses me out.

Here you go. Don't say I didn't warn you about all the steps to this one:

Chicken and Sauce:
1 ½ pounds chicken (about three medium-size chicken breasts)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced (about 1 cup)
2-3 stalks celery, chopped (about ½ cup)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
½ cup flour
1 cup milk
3/4 cup frozen peas

Crumble Topping:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream

To prepare the chicken, place the chicken and broth in a large Dutch oven or pot and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Cook the chicken until it is just done (don’t overcook or it will dry out) – about 10-12 minutes. Alternately, if you are planning in advance, you can place the chicken and broth in a slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours. Transfer the cooked chicken to a medium bowl. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a liquid measuring cup and reserve. Return the pot to the stovetop (no need to wash if you used it to cook the chicken).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Sprinkle the chilled butter pieces over the top of the flour. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Add the cream and stir until just combined. Crumble the mixture into irregularly shaped pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the crumble topping until fragrant and starting to brown, about 15 minutes, tossing halfway through. Set aside.

For the filling, heat the olive oil in the now-empty pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes. While the vegetables are cooking, shred the chicken into small bite-size pieces. Transfer the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the chicken; set aside.

Over medium heat melt the butter in the empty pot. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the reserved chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer and stir occasionally until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes, taking care not to burn the bottom. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat and stir the chicken, vegetables and peas into the sauce.

Pour the mixture into a 9×13 pan. Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the filling. Place the 9X13-inch pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until the topping is well browned, about 15-20 minutes. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Penne with Chicken and Broccoli

This recipe was on Mel's Kitchen Cafe a few days ago, and I immediately bookmarked it. We had it tonight and LOVED it. I had to make a few changes as I went. For example, I could not for the life of me find smoked mozzarella. Same with sun-dried tomatoes in a jar. Maybe it was just the grocery store I was at. Still, this was really, really amazing. Creamy and cheesy and heavenly! And the breadcrumb topping is what sends it over the top, so don't omit it!

*My notes are in bold

Topping:
3/4 cup bread crumbs (store-bought or make your own) (I used panko)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
I added:
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese (like from the green can)
Mrs. Dash garlic & herb (1/2 tsp.)

Filling:
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds), stalks cut off, florets trimmed into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced (I didn't use, so I added seasonings to the bread crumbs)
6 medium garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press (same)
1 teaspoon dried thyme (same)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used 2 tsp. chicken granules + 2 c. hot water)
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3), trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces (I used a rotisserie chicken from Costco- so good!)
3 ounces smoked mozzarella, shredded (I used 1 c. fresh grated mozzarella)
8 ounce jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped into pieces (couldn't find)

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 and make sure the oven rack is placed in the middle of the oven. 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.

(Because I used already cooked chicken, I skipped ahead to the flour+broth+cream. )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, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the flour 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.

*The casserole can be prepared in advance with the following steps: after the broccoli is removed from the boiling water, plunge it into a bowl of ice water and cool completely. Assemble the casserole following the directions in the recipe. After the casserole is spread in the prepared baking pan, let it cool for 5-10 minutes before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating for up to 8 hours. To bake, preheat the oven to 375 and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Chicken Tikka Masala

This recipe took food bloggers by a storm last year. Do you remember seeing it everywhere? I finally got around to trying it out. It was really, really yummy. It's different, and has more of a definite Indian/curry flavor (probably because that's exactly the type of dish it is). I don't know that it's one I'll make over and over, but that's not because it wasn't good. It's creamy and flavorful and really great. Just not an everyday meal.

(My notes are in bold)

1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (I used about 1/2 tsp. paprika instead)
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (I didn’t have this on hand so I left it out)
1 teaspoon salt
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and refrigerate for one hour. Grill or cook chicken in frying pan. Discard marinade.

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped (I omitted this)
2 teaspoons ground cumin (I just shook a little in because 2 tsp. seemed really strong)
2 teaspoons paprika (I omitted this since I had added it to the marinade)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for one minute. Season with cumin, paprika and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over hot rice.

Nois Chicken

Chicken breast or Chicken tenderloins
Corn starch
Soy Sauce
Sugar

Coat chicken in corn starch and fry in pan on stove.  When chicken is cooked thoroughly coat chicken in equal parts soy sauce to sugar mix.  Serve over rice.
Use remaining soy sauce/sugar mix as sauce to pour over top.
Serve warm.