Sunday is for Suppers: Convenience Cooking- Quick Chicken Tacos, Crunchy Chicken Strips, 20-Minute Noodle Bowls

We are getting ready for a hurricane.  Yes, Hurricane Sandy is supposed to hit sometime tonight and into tomorrow morning.  It will make landfall mainly by New York and New Jersey, but we will feel the effects all the way down here in good ol' VA.  School has already been closed, so this means my Sunday was full of family time and no blues about work starting back up on Monday.  With that being said, the dinners for this week are kinda up in the air.  We are wondering, are we going to have power?  Luckily, my hubby has learned how to grill just about anything, so the grill is our back up this week. 


We always have chicken on hand-who doesn't?  You'll see that this week's meals are full of chicken since we need to either get rid of it or have something quick to eat.

Quick Chicken Tacos (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens) 
I love cooking with anything that can be turned into a taco!  I love making these because it's basically just assembling the toppings that takes the most time.

Ingredients:
1 16-ounce can refried beans
2 6-ounce packages refrigerated cooked chicken breast strips, cut into bite-size pieces
1 10.5-ounce package 6-inch flour tortillas (10)
2 cups shredded Mexican-style four-cheese blend
2 cups shredded greens or iceberg lettuce
1 large chopped tomato
1/2 cup bottled salsa
1/2 cup dairy sour cream

Directions:
In a saucepan, cook refried beans over medium heat until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat chicken breast strips according to package directions.  Spread about 2 tablespoons refried beans on each tortilla.  Top with chicken, cheese, lettuce, and tomato.  Fold tortillas over filling.  Serve with salsa, sour cream and lime wedges.

Crunchy Chicken Strips (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)
Goldfish and Ranch dressing are two of the ingredients?!  How can you go wrong when you have to cook for kids?

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
7 cups bite-size cheddar fish-shape crackers or 14 cups pretzels (14 ounces)
1 1/2 cups bottled buttermilk ranch salad dressing
2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line two 15x10x1-inch baking pans with foil.  Lightly coat foil with cooking spray; set aside.
Crush crackers (put them in a freezer bag and roll a rolling pin over them) and transfer to a shallow dish.  In another shallow dish place the 1 1/2 cups ranch dressing.  Dip chicken tenderloins into dressing, allowing excess to drip off; dip into cracker crumbs to coat.  Arrange chicken in prepared pans.  Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray.
Bake uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, rotating pans halfway through baking.  If desired, serve half of the chicken strips with additional ranch dressing.
Cool remaining chicken strips for 20 minutes.  Place in an airtight container, cover and chill for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.  To reheat strips, preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Arrange chilled or frozen strips in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake, uncovered, until heated through. (allow 15 min. for chilled and 20 minutes for frozen strips)

20 Minute Shrimp Noodle Bowls(adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)
Very often, we have shrimp in the freezer because our local grocery store always has it on sale.  These are soo so good.  Just thinking about them makes me want to cook them up right now!

Ingredients:
1 14-ounce can reduced sodium chicken broth or lower sodium beef broth
1/2 cup bottled peanut sauce
2 cups frozen stir-fry or mixed vegetables
2 3-ounce packages ramen noodles (any flavor, broken)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
Cooked shrimp

Directions:
In a large saucepan combine broth and peanut sauce.  Bring to boiling.  Add grated ginger.  Stir in frozen vegetables and noodles (discard seasoning packet).  Return to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, for 3 minutes or until noodles and vegetables are tender.  Stir in cooked shrimp and heat through.  Divide noodle mixture among four bowls.

Foil Packet Cooking=AMAZING!

Yeah, I had a baby almost 7 months ago and these last 10 pounds just would not come off.  Luckily, I am surrounded by lots of other ladies who have had babies in the past 4-5 months and were experiencing the same problem.  They told me about this diet called the 17-Day Diet.  It consists of 4-17 day diet cycles that you progress through gradually to get to your goal weight.  I'm in the first cycle which is called Accelerate.  I can eat any vegetable I want all day long, so I have had a salad for lunch almost everyday usually topped with some kind of lean protein:  ground turkey, chicken, tuna, salmon.  For breakfast, I'll eat two eggs with fruit and then dinner is usually some kind of lean protein with lots of veggies!  I wanted to try something different when cooking all this protein.  This is where the foil packets come in.

To make a foil packet,  lay a large sheet of heavy-duty foil or a double layer of regular foil on a flat surface.  Put the ingredients in the center of the foil.  Bring the short ends of the foil together and fold twice to seal; fold in the sides to seal, leaving room for steam.  Place on Grill!

We have used the packets to cook 4 different times this week and we are so hooked!  We keep trying to find excuses to cook stuff in the packets on the grill.  We made the garlic shrimp twice last week.

Garlic Shrimp
Mix 1/2 stick softened butter, 1 cup chopped parsley, 2 chopped garlic cloves, and salt and pepper.  Toss with the juice of 1 lemon, 1 pound unpeeled large shrimp and a big pinch of red pepper flakes.  Divide between 2 foil packets.  Grill over high heat, 8 minutes.

Dijon Chicken Breasts  We LOVED this!  I can't think of any other recipe I've made that made the chicken as moist as this recipe.
Combine 3 tablespoons olive oil with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 3 tablespoons white wine.  Stir in 1/2 tsp. each of onion powder, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning.  Toss 4 chicken breasts with this mixture and place in four separate foil packets.  Grill over medium-high heat, 12 minutes.

Sesame Fish
Combine 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp lite soy sauce, 1 tsp chopped garlic.  Place tilapia on foil and pour mixture over fish.  Sprinkle each fish with toasted sesame seeds.  Grill over high heat, 10 minutes.

On the Menu: Grilled Shrimp and Green Bean Salad, Turkey Burgers with Rosemary and Onions, Fiesta Salad, Baked Chicken and Rice with Black Beans, Twice-Baked Potatoes

Ryan and I often question whether or not we are doing a good job as parents.  When our heads hit the pillow at the end of the day we both know we did our best at raising our children.  There are times where we feel completely rotten, like the other night when Tessa decided to throw a MAJOR tantrum, saying no to everything, throwing her toothbrush on the floor, etc.  I found myself close to tears after all was said and done.  I looked at Ryan and said, "I hate it when she does that.  I hate having to get after her."  It reminded me of times when my sister and I would misbehave and my dad would look at us and say, "Girls, don't make me have to be a parent right now." 

But, then there are the times when Tess will look at us and say (unprovoked), "I love my little family.  I love my little brother, my daddy, my mama, and Riley."  This, of course, melts our hearts.  We pick her up at preschool and even her teachers tell us about how much she talks about her family during the day and how much she loves us.  Ryan and I tell each other we must be doing SOMETHING right.

To all you parents out there:  Here's to making mistakes and hoping for the best!


****This recipe takes a lot of prep, so make it on a relaxing weekend or uneventful day (whatever those are) because the end result is SO worth it!  Tessa told me she loved her dinner when I made this.
Grilled Shrimp and Green Bean Salad adapted from Southern Living Annual Recipes
8 Wooden skewers
1 1/2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
2 lb. peeled, medium-size raw shrimp
Basil Vinaigrette, divided (recipe follows)
6 cooked bacon slices, crumbled
1 1/3 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup roasted, salted almonds (I just had roasted on hand)
Cornbread (optional)

1.  Soak wooden skewers in water to cover 30 minutes.
2.  Cook green beans in boiling salted water to cover 4 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain, pat dry, and place in a large bowl.
3. Combine shrimp and 3/4 cup Basil Vinaigrette in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; seal and chill 15 minutes, turning occasionally.  Remove shrimp from marinade, discarding marinade.  Thread shrimp onto skewers.
4.  Grill shrimp, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350 to 400 degrees) 2 minutes on each side or just until shrimp turn pink.  Remove shrimp from skewers; toss with green beans, bacon, cheese, almonds, and remaining 3/4 cup Basil  Vinaigrette.  Serve over hot cornbread, if desired.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Basil Vinaigrette
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
4 large shallots, minced (feel free to cut back on this-I love shallots, but they can be over powering)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp seasoned pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup olive oil

Whisk together first 7 ingredients in a small bowl until blended; gradually add olive oil, whisking constantly until blended.  Makes about 1 1/2 cups


***These are good for you and yummy!  Don't leave out the rosemary-it totallymakes this recipe!
Turkey Burgers with Rosemary and Onions adapted from Southern Living Annual Recipes
1 pkg. lean ground turkey breast
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tbsp butter, divided
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
1 tsp chopped fresh or dried rosemary
Vegetable cooking spray
1 package goat cheese, sliced (I use Swiss, but you can also use blue cheese or Gorgonzola)
6 whole grain white hamburger buns
Toppings:  lettuce, Dijon mustard, tomato slices

1.  Gently combine first 4 ingredients.  Shape mixture into 6 thin patties; cover and chill 30 minutes.
2.  Melt 1 tbsp butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and rosemary, and saute 10 minutes or until onion is tender and golden.  Remove onion mixture from skillet.
3.  Melt remaining 1/2 tbsp butter in same skillet over medium heat.  Cook patties 6 mintues on each side or until no longer pink in center.  Place on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet or broiler pan coated with cooking spray.
4.  Top each patty evenly with onion mixture and 1 cheese slice. Broil 6 inches from heat 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.  Serve on hamburger buns with desired toppings.
Makes 6 servings.


***I had a get together with my co-workers and I was asked to bring a side dish for our Mexican themed meal.  This was a great addition!
Fiesta Salad adapted from Southern Living Annual Recipes
10 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato or cherry tomato halves
2 avocados, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup tortilla chips, crushed

Toss together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.  Top with crushed tortilla chips.  Makes 8 servings

***This looks so pretty in a bowl.  Ryan looked at it and said, "This has almost every vegetable imaginable in it."  Carrots sound a little odd, but make sense once you try it.  I even had the leftovers the next day for lunch in a tortilla.
Baked Chicken and Rice with Black Beans adapted from Southern Living Magazine Feb. 2009
1 (10 oz.) pkg. yellow rice mix (I used white rice b/c that's what I had!)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (or red!)
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
2 cups (8 oz) grated Monterey Jack cheese (I used a combo of cheddar and Monterey Jack)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare rice according to package directions.
2.  Meanwhile, saute onion, bell pepper, and carrot in hot oil in a medium skillet over medium heat 10 minutes or until tender.
3.  Combine hot cooked rice, onion misture, chicken, beans, diced tomatoes and chiles, and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a large bowl.  Spoon into a lightly greased 3 qt or 13 x 9 inch baking dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
4.  Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

***My new favorite thing is twiced baked potatoes.  You can add so much to them if you want to.  I have even added cauliflower puree to the potato pulp to add an extra nutitional umph to them.  No, I wasn't trying to be sneaky!  Ryan knew I had done it and you couldn't even taste the difference!
Twice Baked Potatoes adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook 15th edition
4 medium baking potatoes
1/2 cup dairy sour cream or plain yogurt
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
milk (optional)
3/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 tbsp snipped fresh chives (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Scrub potatoes thoroughly with a brush, pat dry.  Prick potatoes with a fork.  Bake for 40 to 60 minutes or until tender. 

Let potatoes stand for about 10 minutes.  Cut a lengthwise slice off the top of each baked potatos; discard skin from slices and place pulp in a bowl.  Scoop out potato pulp; add to the bowl.
Mash the potato pulp with a potato masher or an electric mixer on low speed.  Add sour cream, garlic salt, and pepper; beat until smooth (If necessary, stir in 1 to 2 tbsp milk to reach desired consistency)  Season to taste with salt and additional black pepper.  Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese and, if desired, chives.  Spoon the mashed potato mixture into the potato shells.  Place in a 2 qt baking dish.
Bake uncovered in the 425 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake for 2 to 3 minutes more or until chese melts.

On the Menu: Barbecue Shrimp, Oven-Fried Chicken with Crunchy Broccoli Slaw, Beef and Noodle Toss, Sesame-Coated Pork Chops, Pesto Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage

The blog hasn't been updated because maternity leave came to an end and I am back working full-time.  My long term sub did an amazing job and my "school babies" miss her, but were happy to see me.  Teacher Appreciation week was this past week and my class surprised me with a binder of recipes.  How sweet is that?!  I can't wait to try them and post them on here! 

They both love to wear headbands!  My sis was in town this past week spending time with my parents.  She came to my classroom on Friday as our Mystery Reader.  She sent in 5 clues for me to read to see if the kids could guess who was coming to read.  They never did guess and her clues really threw them for a loop.  Her clues were:  I love plane rides.  I love my niece and nephew.  I am a doctor.  I have one sister.  I help people walk.   They asked her questions like, "What kind of doctor are you?"  "Where do you live?"  "Are you married?"  "Do you have kids?"  They thought she was so cool!  One little girl said, "She is such a cool sister!"  Sis and I then went to go pick up Dempsey Boy and Miss Tessa.  She spent the night with us and spent the day on Saturday celebrating my graduation.  My mom made a cute cake that looks like an open book.

I am hoping to do some more cooking this week.  The hubs is cooking dinner tonight for Mother's Day with assistance from me.  Here's his meal he's going to make:

Barbecue Shrimp adapted from Southern Living
1 1/2 lb. unpeeled jumbo raw shrimp
1 large lemon, cut into wedges
1 envelope Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place shrimp and lemon in a 13 X 9 inch baking dish.  Stir together dressing mix and butter.  Pour butter mixture over shrimp, stirring to coat.  Bake, covered, at 425 for 25 to 30 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink, stirring once.  Remove shrimp mixture from oven, and sprinkle with parsley.

Ryan and my dad love my mom's potato wedges.  Ryan prides himself on now being able to cook these himself.  He wants to make these as a side for Mother's Day dinner.
Baked Potato Wedges with seasoned salt adapted from Bon Appetit
8 large Russet potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Cut each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges.  toss in bowl with butter, oil, and seasoned salt.  Arrange in single layer on 2 bakign sheets.  Bake until tender and golden, turning potatoes and rotating sheets halfway through baking, about 45 minutes. 

Oven Fried Chicken with Crunchy Broccoli Slaw adapted from Real Simple
Canola oil, for the rack
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
salt and black pepper
2 3/4 pounds bone-in chicken parts, skin removed
1 cup crushed buttery round crackers
1/4 cup reduced fat mayo
1 tbsp cider vinegar
3/4 pound broccoli, chopped, about 4 cups
1 large carrot, coarsely grated
1/2 small shallot, chopped

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and lightly coat with oil.  In a shallow baking dish, combine the paprika, 1 cup buttermilk, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.  Add the chicken and turn to coat.  Place the crushed crackers in a shallow bowl.  Remove the chicken from teh buttermilk mixture and coat with the crackers, pressing gently to help them adhere.  Place the chicken on the rack and bake, turning halfway through, until crispy and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees in the center of the thickest piece of chicken 40-45 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the mayo, vinegar, the remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Add the broccoli, carrot, adn shallot and toss to combine.  Serve with the chicken.

Beef and Noodle Toss
8 oz. lasagna noodles
12 oz. boneless beef sirloin, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pint grape tomatoes
8 oz. sliced crimini or button mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 14 oz. can beef broth

Break noodles in half; cook according to package directions.  Drain.  Meanwhile, season beef with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.  Toss with flour.  Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add meat, andy remaining flour, and the tomatoes to skillet.  Cook 3-4 minutes or until beef is well browned, stirring often.  Add mushrooms and garlic.  Cook 5 minutes more.  Add broth; cook 3 to 4 minutes more or until beef is done and liquid is slightly thickened.  Add cooked noodles to skillet; stir gently to coat.  Heat through. 

Serve with steamed green beans or broccoli.

Tangy Sesame-Coated Pork Chops
4 6-ounce lean center-cut loin pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
4 tbsp. Dijon mustard, divided
1/3 cup each:  dry bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tsp dried parsley OR 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
cooking spray

Trim away excess fat from pork chops.  Spread 1 tbsp mustard on sides of each pork chop.  Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, parsley and garlic powder in shallow bowl.  Coat pork chops and place in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until chops are tender. 

Nutrition:  297 calories, 36g protein, 9 g carbohyrate, 13 g fat, 82 mg cholesterol, 1g fiber, 454 mg sodium

Pesto Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage adapted from Real Simple
12 ounces orecchiette
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp olive oil
8 ounces fully cooked Italian-style chicken sausage links, thinly sliced
1/3 cup pesto
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the green beans and peas during teh last 3 minutes of cooking.  Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and vegetables and return them to the pot.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 6-8 minutes.  Add the sausage, pesto, Parmesan, and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and vegetables and toss to combine.  Add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry.

I hope you enjoy these meals with your family!