Peanut Sesame Noodles

Although we don't have a little one going back to school I certainly feel like transition is in the air. I am not even going to mention it is Labor Day weekend.  I have said it before and I will say it again. I am so ready for Fall.  That doesn't mean though that I can comprehend where summer went.  Time is flying by.  

We have both been busy traveling for work, finishing up the many started but not complete house projects and entertaining the little one.  Miss O has been soaking up the sun at the play ground and at the beach.  We have a little water baby for sure.  All of these activities mean we look at the clock around 4:30 and think what to have for dinner.  We have a pretty strict schedule with dinner around 5:15 for Miss O.  It is always a race to get food on the table before she freaks out about being hungry. 

I have been craving Thai food lately and do to a mix up at the store I have about 3 different boxes of rice noodles sitting in our pantry. This is my version of pad thai. Or simple peanut noodles.  We had them hot the first time around and then cold for lunch the next day. Both tasted marvelous. 

This time around we had leftover chicken that was a quick add at the end.  You could omit and have a nice vegetarian version as well. The sauce comes together super quick and is really tasty.  We happened to have all of the ingredients on hand - a bit unique but not if you are used to other Asian dishes.  All in all it took about 20 minutes from start to finish. Not bad for a quick meal.

We have tried other peanut sauce noodle dishes before and none have been this delicious.  Due to past failures my husband was a bit skeptical when I said what was for dinner but he was pleasantly surprised by how good it came out. 

Sesame and Peanut Noodles

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: saute chicken pasta peanut butter

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Ingredients (serves 8)

• 12 ounces rice noodles

For the Peanut Dressing:

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Zest and juice of 1/2 lime

For the Salad:

• 1/2 cup loosely-packed chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup carrots, julienned
• 1 cup cooked chicken, sliced
• 1/3 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped skinless roasted peanuts, for garnish

Instructions

Cook the pasta until al dente. Do not overcook. Drain, reserving some of the starchy pasta water, rinse and set aside.

For the peanut dressing: Place the peanut butter in a large measuring cup and microwave to soften, 15 seconds. Whisk in with the soy sauce, vinegar, canola oil, ginger, honey, Sriracha, sesame oil and lime zest and juice in a small bowl. Thin with the starchy pasta water if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time. (Dressing should be thick, but pourable.)

For the salad: Place the pasta in a large mixing bowl and add the cilantro, chicken and vegetables and toss with the dressing. Top with the chopped peanuts, green onions and toasted sesame seeds if desired and serve.

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Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps

Not sure how it came to be Wednesday already.  Where does the time go?  We have so many things going on right now it is no wonder I don't remember the days.  We are in the midst of a bathroom renovation. The demo is complete and now it is time to put everything back together. We started car shopping.  I forgot how much I HATE car shopping.  And then there is the real work stuff with trips in and out of Cleveland every other week. 

With everything going on I am all about quick and easy these days. Oh yes, recipes must also not use the oven.  Connecticut is still hot and humid.  These Asian Beef Lettuce wraps were a way to use up some ground beef without making burgers.  The result was an easy recipe with amazing flavor.  It was a great new week day meal to switch things up a bit. Filling but not too heavy in your stomach. We made it for dinner but you could easily have smaller portions for party appetizers.  

Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: saute entree appetizer ground beef Chinese

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Ingredients (serves 4)

• 16 leaves Boston Bibb lettuce
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1⁄4 cup Hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 bunch green onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Instructions

Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.

In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often. Drain, and set aside to cool.

Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chili pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped green onions, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.

To plate, arrange lettuce leaves on plate and pile meat mixture in the center. Serve with rice if desired. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito.

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Baked Chicken Tenders

Hello Friday! I am so glad it is almost the weekend. This week was super busy at work. Mr. J was gone. I don't know how single parents do it. Between work and managing Miss O on my own the week went by fast but the days were super long. I am exhausted.

To make it manageable with all of the moving parts I tried to simplify and plan ahead as much as possible. This little gem of a dinner was super easy to throw together and was fairly quick with cooking time. Miss O knows that once we are in the kitchen food is coming.  Her waiting time is about 5 minutes. Thus any meal that takes longer than 15 minutes to cook is pretty much a no go unless we can do it on the sly. 

We have been doing a lot of grilling and it was nice to have something baked for a change.   The chicken tenders are dredged in flour, egg bath and then a mixture of flour, breadcrumbs and cornmeal, and then baked on a cookie sheet. The potatoes and green beans were cooked together on a separate cookie sheet.  Two cookie sheets and a complete dinner. This wasn't too fancy but a great meal, comforting meal.

Baked Chicken Tenders

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12-15 minutes

Keywords: bake entree chicken

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Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
• 1 cup flour, divided
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a baking sheet with oil.

Season the chicken tenders with salt and black pepper.

In a shallow dish, season 1/2 cup of flour with salt and black pepper.

In another shallow dish beat the eggs.

In a third shallow dish, place the other 1/2 cup of flour, breadcrumbs and cornmeal.

Dredge the chicken tenders in the flour to coat, shaking off any excess flour. Dip the floured chicken tenders into the egg and finally, coat the chicken tenders with the breadcrumbs.

Place the breaded chicken tenders onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.

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Spicy Thai Red Curry Beef #cookinglight

As I got older, married and became a mom and home owner my magazine choices shifted. No longer do I spend my time flipping through Glamour, Cosmopolitan (I really only saw this at the gym for free). Women's Health and Self.  Now I am all about This Old House, HGTV, Parent's and Cooking Light. 

Cooking Light is by far my favorite right now. I still only read magazines at the gym but with Cooking Light reading becomes a page flagging event.  Each recipe that looks good gets a little page flag and then I head to the store with my weekly meal plan getting any ingredients we don't have on hand. 

Its a good week when I have about 2-3 new recipes interwoven with the handy standby favorites. It is not unusual for me to come out with 10 plus recipes I want to try but the June issue of Cooking Light was particularly full of good looking, delicious sounding recipes.

I had a hankering for curry and when I saw their Spicy Thai Red Curry Beef recipe I knew this would be the first recipe to try.  We had all of the ingredients on hand with the exception of the peppers. I was extra excited to be able to use our fresh basil from the garden.  This recipe came together so quick. We prepped the onions and peppers ahead of time during the weekend. Come Monday night Mr. J went to work on the sauce and beef while I played with the baby.  The meal was even easier by using some leftover Chinese takeout rice.  

We also seem to have leftover Chinese takeout rice since we always order fried rice or lo mien noodles with our food.  The rice is always kept for another meal which uses rice.  

The dish was good but not too spicy. In fact making this recipe again would come with a bit of extra spice for us but we tend to like things spicy, including Miss O. 

Spicy Thai Red Curry Beef

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: stir-fry entree curry

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Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
• 4 teaspoons red curry paste
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 1/2 cups sliced red bell pepper
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 12 ounces beef tenderloin, thinly sliced
• 1 cup torn fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups hot cooked brown basmati rice
• 4 lime wedges

Instructions

Spoon coconut cream (thick layer at top of can) into a large skillet; stir in curry paste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add remaining coconut milk, sugar, fish sauce, and red pepper; bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add bell pepper and onion; reduce heat to medium, and simmer 4 minutes.

Add beef; cook 3 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally.

Remove pan from heat; stir in basil, lime juice, and salt. Serve beef mixture with rice and lime wedges.

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Broccoli, Cheddar and Ranch Chicken Calazones

Summer is a bit slower at work but between all of they yard work, vacation, and just general fun going on we are on the look out for quick and easy meals for dinner. Why spend time in the kitchen when you can be playing outside?

This recipe is found in the June issue of Cooking Light. I made a few tweaks that took their easy meal and made it even easier with store bought ranch dressing.  If you are thinking traditional calzones this is not the meal for you.  My husband tends to think if there is no red sauce it is not pizza.  However, this is a super easy delicious meal.  Sure to fill up your family without a lot of fuss.

Broccoli, Cheddar, and Ranch Chicken Calzones

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: bake pizza broccoli cheese chicken

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Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 portion pizza dough (homemade or store bought)
• 1/3 cup ranch salad dressing of your choice
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Dash of kosher salt
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 2 cups small broccoli florets
• 6 ounces shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 ounces reduced-fat colby-Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°.

Cut dough into 4 equal portions for individual servings or leave whole to make one large calzone; cover and let stand 10 minutes.

Steam broccoli 1 minute. Rinse with cold water; drain. Combine broccoli, ranch dressing, chicken, and cheese in a large bowl.

Roll each dough portion into a 6 1/2-inch circle. Place about 1 cup filling slightly off-center on each. Fold dough over filling; crimp edges to seal. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Brush with egg; bake at 450° for 10 minutes.

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Pioneer Woman's Chicken Enchiladas

We made a special treat last week and it was a feast.  Mr. J and I always struggle with tortillas. I like flour. He likes corn.  When you buy corn tortillas, at least for us, you get a ton. They end up getting stale and we have to throw them out.  Wasting food really bothers me.  Even more, I just don't care for the taste.  So occasionally I get them as a treat for Mr. J but most of the time we end up with flour.

Well the other day I was watching Pioneer Woman on the Food Network.  This NEVER happens.  Our Saturday mornings are busy. It is rare I watch any TV let alone a show I actually want to watch.  So I was all excited to see that Pioneer Woman was on and I could plop down on the couch and watch the remaining portion.  She was making these chicken enchiladas.  

My go to enchiladas involve ground turkey and  black beans, flour tortillas. Ree's were chicken and corn tortillas.  I wasn't 100% sold on the corn tortillas for all the reasons stated above but I thought the enchiladas looked so delicious.  I figured I would just go for it and we made a massive dish of chicken enchiladas.

I am glad we did because they tasted just as delicious as they looked on TV.  Love it when that happens. We still have a lot of corn tortillas. Mr. J better get on that soon because I think Miss O picked up my distaste for corn tortillas. She wasn't a fan of the enchiladas.

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Enchiladas

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: bake entree chicken Cinco de Mayo Mexican

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Ingredients (serves 6)

• 10 to 12 corn tortillas
• 6 Tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• Three 15-ounce cans enchilada sauce (prefer red)
• 3 cups grated Cheddar Jack cheese, plus more if needed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

One at a time, hold the tortillas over the stove top burner (heated to medium heat) to brown slightly, about 30 seconds per side. Set the warmed tortillas aside.

In a bowl, mix together the taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with the spice mix.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken on both sides until done in the middle and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Set aside on a plate to cool, then shred finely with a fork.

Throw the onions into the same skillet, stir them around and cook until deep golden brown and caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes; set them aside on a plate.

Pour the enchilada sauce into the skillet and reduce the heat to low, allowing it to warm through.

To assemble the enchiladas: Pour 2 cups of the sauce into a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish and leave the rest in the skillet. Dip a tortilla into the sauce in the skillet, then lay it on a baking sheet or plate. Sprinkle some cheese down the middle, followed by some chicken and finally, some of the caramelized onions. Roll it up tightly, then place it seam-side down in the casserole dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Pour the rest of the sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle on the rest of the cheese. 

Bake until hot and bubbly, 30 minutes. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Serve the enchiladas topped with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of diced tomatoes, a sprinkling of cilantro and a wedge of lime.

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Skillet Bacon Chicken

Happy rainy Monday! After a weekend of gorgeous weather I woke up to rainy skies and lots of clouds. Mondays are hard enough on their own but when it is dark and grey I just want to stay in bed. 

We had a pretty good morning wake up with Miss O. Everything was on track and smooth until I realized Mr. J had left without her bag for daycare, bottles included. Good thing I noticed shortly after he left and manged to call his cell phone before he even pulled off our road. Crisis averted. 

Hopefully soon (I know it will be) we will be experts at getting out the door with baby.

Now for the chicken. This dish was pretty darn amazing. We have been getting chicken thighs once a week. A large value package that feeds us for many, many meals. With the warm weather most of the time we cook them up on the grill but this night we opted for the oven. The hands on time is a bit of effort early on but then you stick the whole thing in the oven and wait. 

Maybe it is because we have been living off the same five meals or take out for the last few months. Maybe it is because I was donning a glass of wine as we ate, or maybe it was because I was just plain tired and this was warm food, but I don't think so. 

This is restaurant quality chicken. Damn good chicken. And I cannot wait to make it again. 

Skillet Bacon Chicken

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Keywords: saute bacon chicken

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Ingredients (serves 6-8)

• 3 slices bacon
• ½ cup flour
• salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoon herbs de Provence
• 8-10 chicken thighs with skin
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large ovenproof Dutch oven or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn down the heat and remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the hot bacon grease in the pan. (If the pan is really greasy you may want to carefully blot some of the fat up with a paper towel, leaving just enough to cook the chicken.

Mix the flour with salt and pepper and the herbs de Provence. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture and transfer to the hot pan. Fry the chicken in the bacon grease for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown (but not cooked through). Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on plate.

Add the shallots to the pan with the olive oil (if needed). Saute for 5-10 minutes, until softened and fragrant and golden brown.

Deglaze the pan by slowly adding the wine, stirring to get all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock and let everything cook until it reduces slightly, about 5-10 minutes.

Add the chicken and bacon back to the pan and bake for 40 minutes, stopping ever 10 or 15 minutes to baste the chicken with the pan sauce.

Remove from oven when the chicken skin is crispy and the chicken is fully cooked.

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Chicken Spaghetti

Well we made it through the first two days of day care. Thank goodness I didn't have a full week to go back to work. After Thursday and Friday I was exhausted. So was Miss O. It was great to have two days off this weekend.  Boy was it gorgeous. 

We are still trying to get a bit of house and yard work done every chance we get in between naps, feedings and play time. It is hard but it always amazes me how much we can get done. 

I made muffins and bread this weekend along with this killer dinner. I am a bit behind on the whole chicken spaghetti dish. Spaghetti has always been with meatballs and red sauce. However, after seeing recipe after recipe on chicken spaghetti and the rave reviews I knew we had to try it out. 

There are several similar versions. I made this on the stove top but I have also seen some for the crock pot.  We also added green chilies and cumin for some Southwestern heat. And don't forget the cheese. I love me some cheese. 

We made a huge pot with a full box of uncooked pasta and it lasted for a few days as leftovers just great. Ready made lunch is just what we need for our busy days with baby. 

After one making I am ready to put this on the regular meal rotation. 

Chicken Spaghetti

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Keywords: saute entree chicken pasta

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Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 small can mild diced green chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 chicken breasts, about 1 lb.
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3/4-1 lb. cooked spaghetti
• 3 cups grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

Place onion, bell peppers, green chilies, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large saute pan with 1 Tbsp vegetable oil. Cook for 5-8 minutes on medium high until softened.

Add chicken, mushroom soup, chicken broth and 1 cup of grated cheese. Stir to mix ingredients. Cover and simmer on medium for about 20-25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

While the chicken is cooking boil pasta according to box directions.

Remove chicken breasts, shred and return to pan. Pour in cooked spaghetti and remaining cheese. Toss to coat pasta in sauce and melt cheese. Add additional chicken broth if necessary to get sauce consistency you want. 

Cook another 5-10 minutes covered on low.

Serve immediately.

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Bartenhagen Chicken or Creamy Chicken and Rice Bake

Not to be too cliché but boy does time fly with a newborn. Was Easter only last week?  My mom came Sunday night and has been here all week. She has been a big help. We cleaned and organized some thing that have been sitting around for weeks (before Olivia arrived) and were really starting to bother me.  Even with the extra hands though the days have flown by and I feel like haven't gotten nearly as much done as I would have expected.  Extra snuggle time is OK with me though. 

One of the things she has been in charge of this week is dinners and dishes.  One of the meals she made wasn't something I was going to post because it is pure comfort food and requires a lot of bake time.  Not a dish I would think one needs mid April however the weather has not been cooperating. At least we haven't had snow.

Bartenhagen chicken is a family name and I am not really sure what else to call it...Creamy chicken and rice bake?  It comes from way back when in Iowa.  A good old church cookbook recipe.  Those recipes are tried and true, feed a crowd, and never seem to turn out badly. 

This is not a health food but warms the belly and the soul. You can put it in the oven with under 10 minutes of prep time and after slow cook in the oven dinner can be on the table.  My mom loaded this serving up with tons of chicken but you can vary the amounts and cuts based on your own needs. 

Bartenhagen Chicken

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Keywords: bake entree chicken rice winter

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Ingredients (serves 6-8)

• 1 cup rice (white or brown)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 1/4 milk
• 6-8 pieces of boneless, skinless chicken (I use a combination chicken thighs and breast.)
• 1 packaged dried onion soup mix

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with cooking oil.

In large bowl mix together milk, cans of soup and rice until combined. Pour into prepared baking dish.

Place chicken, spaced evenly into rice mixture. Tops of the chicken will still be showing.

Sprinkle the dried onion soup mix evenly across the top of all the chicken and rice mixture.

Cover with foil and bake for 2.5 to 3 hours. Rice will be soft and liquids will be bubbling. Cool slightly before serving.

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Creamy Mac and Cheese with Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Trying to stay warm with this creamy stove top mac and cheese topped with crispy Brussels Sprouts.

Yesterday was by far the coldest day yet. And we had snow. I had already planned for a day of nothing. Sitting by the fire was my main objective. Let's just say I accomplished that and managed stay in my pajamas all day long. 

The one activity I did get done was to make this gigantic pot of mac and cheese. I was feeling like we have been lacking veggies lately (with the exception of potatoes) so I added some Brussels Sprouts. These were baked in the oven at a high temperature so they were all crispy, adding a nice texture to the creamy mac and cheese. 

Mr. J got a huge bowl full after he finished shoveling the driveway. We only got about 4- 5 inches but it was so windy and cold even being outside for 30 or so minutes was brutal. This was the best way to speed up the warming process. 

Creamy Mac and Cheese with Crispy Brussels Sprouts

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30-40 minutes

Keywords: saute bake entree cheese pasta brussels sprouts winter

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Ingredients (serves 6-8)

• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 1/2 cup butter, (1 stick) unsalted
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 4 cups whole milk
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the Brussels Sprouts:

• 12 oz Brussels Sprouts, cleaned and cut in half
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425. Place Brussels Sprouts in a small baking dish so they lay in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30-40 minutes until browned and crispy.

While the Brussels Sprouts are baking, cook macaroni according to package directions. Set aside when done.

In a 4 cup liquid measure cup, measure out milk and cook in microwave until just warm, about 1-2 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper until thick and smooth.

Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon.

Stir in cheese until melted and smooth. Stir in mustard if desired.

Drain macaroni; add to cheese sauce and stir to coat.

Dish each serving of mac and cheese into a bowl. Top with crispy Brussels Sprouts and serve immediately.

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