FLAUTAS AND FUN IN THE KITCHEN...

"the second you put your feet under the table, you're at home."
this quote has always come to my mind when i sit down at my parents' kitchen table.
i hope one day our kids (and others) remember fondly how they feel at home around our kitchen table too.
on any given day it could hold breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, coloring, playdough, painting, and crafts.

one of the recent yummy things we have eaten around this table is baked flautas (recipe below).
although i may not have a picture of the finished dish, i came across this photo that i like even more
(that happened to capture chicken flautas on the menu).

BAKED CHICKEN FLAUTAS

(adapted from healthy-delicious.com)

ingredients:
2 cans chicken (or shredded rotisserie chicken)
1/4 chicken broth
2 C water
1 t paprika
1 t salt
1 t garlic powder
1t ground cumin
1t chili powder
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
3C baby spinach, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
5 burrito-sized tortillas  (9 inches)
6 oz shredded cheese
1T olive oil or cooking spray
salsa, for dipping

directions:
1) preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2) mix the chicken in a bowl with paprika, salt, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder.
3) heat 1/4C (or a little more) chicken broth in a deep pan, then add the jalapeno, spinach, and bell pepper to it.
4) cook all over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach is wilted.
5) cut the tortillas in half. spoon about 1T of the chicken along the long edge of each tortilla half.
6) repeat with the veggie mixture, then top with cheese.
7) roll the tortilla up, starting with the straight edge. place seam-side down on greased baking sheet.
8) repeat with remaining tortilla halves.
9) spray the flautas with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.
10) bake for 10 minutes, then turn over and bake for 10 more minutes (or until crispy).
*serve with a side of your favorite salsa and good conversation.

RANCH: IT DOES A RECIPE GOOD...

many discussions have been had as to why texans love ranch so much.

it seems people feel quite strongly about this white dressing:

"sauces are like using profanity in speech. too much is coarse."

"ranch is this generation's ketchup."

"ketchup, bbq sauce and ranch dressing...

doesn't anyone want to know what their food tastes like anymore?"

there is even a pizza joint in our city,

where its (italian-born, new york bred) owners have outlawed dipping their pizza in ranch,

because "it's a crime against nature" where they come from.

while there are plenty of ranch haters out there,

i'm here to debate the other side:

ranch doesn't have to disguise flavor,

it can enhance it.

take this recipe for example.

go ahead, make it.

it will prove my point and delight your taste buds.

end of discussion.

RANCH OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

1 C plain bread crumbs

1 pkg dry ranch dressing (i use a little extra)

1 C buttermilk

1-2 lb chicken tenders

DIRECTIONS

preheat oven to 400 degrees.

combine bread crumbs and ranch in one bowl.

pour buttermilk in another bowl.

dip each piece of chicken in buttermilk,

then coat with bread crumb/ranch mixture.

place chicken in pan.

drizzle lightly with butter if desired.

bake 20-30 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly.

IF PF CHANG'S FIT IN YOUR CROCKPOT...

there are so many reasons why the timing of when evan and i met was ideal.
there is one big exception though-
chinese food.

you see, the first twenty-seven years of my life i loved the stuff.
on my birthday, when given the choice of where to eat i would choose chinese food every time.
my love for it peaked for a decade straight from around age ten to twenty.
i would eat spring rolls by the dozen and never tired of stir-fry anything.

when evan and i were young in love we would happily dine on take-out dishes together.
all was blissful in our home when it came to asian fare.

then i got pregnant.
the mention of ordering take-out had me running to the bathroom.
suddenly, i couldn't stand the thought of eating anything from such establishments.
it was a sad, sad discovery for evan.

he held onto a glimmer of hope that i would return to normal after delivery.
after i had adelaide chinese food still didn't sound good,
but once i actually started eating it i was fine.
he could at least work with that.

then i got pregnant again.
throughout the 40 weeks ev had high hopes.
he just knew that the craziness of pregnancy hormones would reverse my feelings to asian food again.

he was wrong.
it still doesn't ever sound good like it did once upon a time.
although i have learned to cook it on occasion out of love.

the following was one of those dishes
i made for those in my home that still have an affinity for chinese food.
and even i have to say...
it is quite tasty!

CROCKPOT CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS
(thank you crockpot 365 for sharing this yummy recipe!)


ingredients:
1 lb (approximately) ground chicken5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce 
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 t ginger
dash of allspice (or a dash each of cloves, cinnamon and black pepper)
2 T balsamic vinegar
water chestnuts (optional)
peanuts (optional)
directions:
1) cut chicken and put in crockpot.2) chop up the onions and garlic, then add to crockpot on top of chicken.
3) mix soy sauce, wine, and spices together in small bowl.
4) pour sauce on top of chicken.
5) cover and cook for 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low (stir occasionally).
6) if you like water chestnuts add to the mixture the last half hour or so (added a great crunch).
7) serve over lettuce leaves.
8) top with peanuts if desired (also added more great crunch).

EMPTY OUT THE FRIDGE, EASIEST CHICKEN EVER...

TERIYAKI BBQ CHICKEN

what do you do when you have a close to expiring bottle of bbq sauce and some leftover teriyaki sauce in your fridge? make this recipe stat!

INGREDIENTS
1 bottle bbq sauce (app. 18 oz)
1 bottle teriyaki sauce (app. 18 oz)
1 can lemon-lime soda(app. 12 oz)
6 chicken breasts(boneless and skinless)
DIRECTIONS
1) preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) pour sauces into baking dish or dutch oven.
3) add chicken.
4) pour soda on top.
5) cover with foil or lid.
6) cook 30-45 min. (until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear).

(recipe from this awesome cookbook)

still deciding if i'm a creative mom or deceptive mom...

i like to call this dish "sweet chicken" when serving it to that sweet tooth girl of mine.
as for both the sweet tooth and nonstop chattering, she got it from her momma.

that's BRAISED not BRUISED...

even after cooking this recipe, i still don't really know what braised means.

i'm going to use context clues though and guess it means chicken cooked in a yummy way.

if that is the correct definition, then i can testify that braised is the perfect adjective for this chicken.

*prior to trying this recipe, all members of our family would have told you we disliked radishes.
however, there was not a leftover radish to be found after we ate this dinner. they taste great in it!

i also added some red bell pepper that i had in the fridge. 

i bet you could add just about any veggies and they would work well.

**i have only made this in a dutch oven, but before i had one i would have used our large pot instead.

i think the important things are for it to be large enough to hold everything and have a lid.

now finally, how about the recipe:

BRAISED CHICKEN AND VEGGIES

from my favorite magazine of all-time- real simple

INGREDIENTS

1 T olive oil

8 small bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds)

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 C chicken broth

12 medium radishes, halved

4 carrots, cut into sticks

(*and any other veggies if you choose)

1 t sugar

2 T chopped fresh chives

(i halved all of this as you might notice in the pictures)

DIRECTIONS

1) heat the oil in a dutch oven (**or large pot) over medium-high heat.

2) season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook until browned (about 7 minutes per side).

3) move the chicken to a plate and pour off any fat.

4) return the pot to medium-high heat and add the chicken broth.

5) stir in the radishes, carrots, and sugar.

6) put the chicken on top of the veggies and simmer partially covered,
until the chicken is cooked (about 20 minutes).

7) sprinkle with the chives, then serve!

FAUX GRILLING...

something to put on your menu-

OVEN-BAKED-BACON-CHICKEN-SHISH-KEBABS

i love veggies fresh off the grill more than a lot. but sometimes when it's raining or when the temperatures are approximately two thousand degrees it just isn't the right time to cook outside. so this recipe works nicely for faux grilling...

INGREDIENTS

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
veggies of your choice (i used bell pepper, mushroom, and pineapple)
1 package bacon
2/3 C brown sugar
2 T chili powder

DIRECTIONS
preheat oven to 350 degrees.
cut chicken into bite-sized chunks.
cut bacon strips in half.
wrap the bacon around the chicken and put on skewers.
alternate with veggie chunks (tossed lightly with olive oil, pepper and salt).
mix the brown sugar and chili powder.
sprinkle the mixture generously over skewers with the mixture and place in pan.
bake for 30-35 minutes.
mmm, mmm!

THE MAKING OF A STAPLE RECIPE...

STAPLE RECIPE (noun)

1. a recipe made and consumed on a regular basis.

2. a recipe that is requested to stay on the permanent rotation upon trying one time.

ex: some "staple recipes" at our house are chicken tacos, meat cupcakes,

ravioli with sauteed zucchini, our favorite soups, and cheesy chicken crescents,

and now thanks to this blog we have another "staple" recipe to add to the rotation.

ONE DISH CHICKEN

that's right, you only have to wash one dish after this meal! well, that and a cutting board, a bowl in which you melt the butter, and maybe a couple of plates and forks.

ingredients:

2-3 large potatoes (thinly sliced)4-6 chicken breasts

2 cans french style green beans (drained)

1 pkg good seasons herb and garlic dressing mix

6 Tablespoons butter (i use a little less)

shredded parmesan cheese

(*i half the recipe when making it just for us)

directions:

1) place chicken in center of long, glass casserole dish.

2) put beans on one side of chicken and potatoes on the other.

3) season chicken and veggies (we use black pepper, a little salt, and tony chachere's seasoning)

4) melt the buetter and mix with the dressing pkg.

5) pour over chicken, green beans, and potatoes.

6) sprinkle parmesan cheese over all.

7) cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

disclaimer:

some pint-sized members of our family

might not declare this a staple recipe yet.

but that's only because they would rather

chew on their own hands,

or eat candy for every meal.

soon enough they will join their parents

in their love for this recipe.

DON'T BE A CHICKEN, GO AHEAD AND TRY THIS...

this was one of the first recipes i tried from the pages of real simple. now there are many of our weekly favorites that came from that magazine, but this one still remains one of our very favorites.

CHICKEN TACOS
makes 4 servings of deliciousness

1 rotisserie chicken (any flavor)
2 cups red salsa (or green salsa)
8 taco shells (or tortillas)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or monterey jack)
fresh cilantro (chopped)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 avocado (chopped)
1 lime (quartered)


1) remove the meat from the chicken and shred.
2) heat the salsa in a skillet over medium heat.
3) add the chicken and heat until warmed through.
4) fill the taco shells (or tortillas) with the chicken mixture and top with the cheese and cilantro.
5) serve with sour cream, avocado, and squeeze lime juice on top.

HOT CHICKEN SALAD, COMING RIGHT UP!

i like chicken salad
on crackers,
on crossiants,
on wheat,
on white,
or by the spoonful.

i like it
with or without fruit,
with or without nuts,
with any kind of dressing,
and with any kind of flavor.

in fact the only chicken salad i don't like,
is the family cat named "chicken salad sandwich."
(and the only cat related thing i do like is this video, which by the way you have got to watch!)

there's some special ladies (and gentlemen) in my family that have been crazy about my grandma hazanne's "hot chicken salad" for as long as i can remember.
my friends, i really, really like chicken salad, so i wonder, why have i never stopped and tried this delicacy each time she makes it?
is it because i am always too stuffed from the other yummy things i dine on while in abilene?
is it because i was deterred by the temperature of it?

who knows what kept me from it for so long, but recently i finally stopped and tried the hot chicken salad.
now i know why it's been raved about for years.
it really is "that" good.

so without further ado, i'll let you in on a hot family recipe.

HOT CHICKEN SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
2C cooked, diced chicken (i used the can kind)
2C sliced celery
1/2C sliced almonds
1/2t salt
2T lemon juice
2t onion flakes (or grated onions)
3/4C mayonnaise (not salad dressing!)
1/2C grated cheddar cheese
1C crushed potato chips

DIRECTIONS:
preheat oven to 375 degrees.
combine all ingredients in bowl (except the cheese and chips, set them aside for later).
pile the mixture lightly in a baking dish.
then top with cheese and potato chips.
bake 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees F.
serve hot!

HOW DO YOU MAKE A ROTISSERIE CHICKEN EVEN BETTER?

by turning it into QUESADILLA PIE!











serves 4-6

ingredients:
1 10 oz can green or red enchilada sauce
1/4 C heavy cream
4 flour tortillas (8 inch)
2 C grated monterey jack (plus a little extra for the top)
1 rotisserie chicken (3/12-4 lb) shredded
1/2 small red onion finely chopped
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 C salsa
1 avocado, diced
1 C fresh cilantro leaves

directions:
heat oven to 400 degrees F.
in a small bowl, combine the enchilada sauce and cream.
spoon 1/4 C of the sauce mixture into the bottom of a shallow 2-quart casserole or 9-inch springfrom pan.
top with 1 tortilla and a 1/3 each of the cheese, chicken, onion, and zucchini.
repeat twice to form a total of 3 layers.
top with the remaining tortilla, sauce mixture, and cheese.
cover loosely with foil and back for 20 minutes.
uncover and bake 10 more mintures more.
slice into wedges and serve with the salsa, avocado, and cilantro.

*for a vegetarian version of quesadilla pie, replace the chicken with 2 cups frozen corn that has been thawed and patted dry.

I'VE NEVER MET A CHICKEN SALAD I DIDN'T LIKE...

but this one is especially good.

to prepare for summer afternoons a good summery menu is a must. i whipped up a batch of
sunni's chicken salad for lunches. and to go with it we have had cup after cup of miss judy's summertime tea. enjoy!

CHICKEN SALAD
2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
(i just used 2 cans of chicken)
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
combine all ingredients.
chill. then serve on croissants, lettuce, or crackers.

SUMMERTIME TEA
1 small can yellow lemonade
1 small can limeade
1 1/2 c sugar
7 or 8 small tea bags
in a large pot boil 4 cups water.
steep tea bags in water for 5 min.
pour tea, lemonade, limeade, and sugar in large pitcher.
add 10 cups water.

CHEESY CHICKEN CRESCENTS...

back in '98 i met my friend megan in nelson dorm at acu. i thought she and her roommate were the coolest because the first week at college they planned a mixer for our hall in their dorm room (i think they might have even appointed themselves our hall social directors, a title i'm sure they deserved). over the next 3 semesters i loved spending time with meg. the fall of our sophomore year i was so very excited that her boyfriend derek proposed to her, but so very sad that she would be moving all the way to california with him. while mourning the fact that she was moving away, i went through my mom's recipes and copied them into a recipe box i gave to her as a wedding present to start using in her own married girl kitchen. 5 years later when i was getting hitched myself i received a recipe box from meg with different tried and true married girl recipes that she had collected. this is one of those recipes she gave to me, and around here we love it!

CHEESY CHICKEN CRESCENTS
from the kitchen of megan thurman











INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. cream cheese
4 T melted butter
4 C cooked chicken (or 2 cans chicken)
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 cans crescent rolls











DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients together.
Unroll crescent rolls and separate into squares.
Press seams together so they stay squares.
Put a glob of mix in the middle of each square and fold (like a hot pocket).
Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes.






















Enjoy the SIMPLICITY and TASTINESS of this recipe!