Easy Chicken Pitas

I was going to make a different recipe this night but I pulled some chicken out of the freezer to thaw out and it was insanely freezer burnt. It was so weird because none of the other chicken previously was freezer burnt at all. Grrrr. And those were my last chicken breasts.  I got Gray to grab a rotisserie chicken on the way home and this recipe was created!

1 Rotisserie Chicken
1 Recipe of Tzatziki Sauce
1 Cucumber (cubed)
2 Tomatoes (diced)
1 Onion (sliced)
Feta or Mozzerella Cheese
4 Pitas

Shred the chicken and heat.  Toss with cucumber, tomato and onions.  Toss with Tzatziki using as much or as little as you desire. Warm the pita in the oven.  Top pita with chicken mixture and cheese. Serve right away. 

Pasta with Bacon, Zucchini and Cream

I made this recipe a few weeks ago and have thought of it several times since then.  I added tomatoes to the dish and we really loved that addition.  This was a great filling dinner with lots of leftovers (since only two of us eat what I cook) and we both were happy to have it again the next day!  Another winner from Cassie Craves.

1 pound rigatoni/penne/ziti
6 strips bacon (chopped)
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium zucchini (sliced into half-moons)
1 onion (chopped)
2 medium size tomatoes (diced)
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil pasta.  While boiling the pasta cook the bacon until crispy and remove.  Leave 1 tbsp of grease in the bottom of the pan. Add butter and saute the zucchini and onion. Season with salt and pepper.  Cook over medium high heat until zucchini is soft and onion is translucent. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add white wine and stir making sure to get everything off the bottom of the pot. When the wine has reduced add the cream and lower the temperature to medium.  Stir occasionally and cook until the mixture has thickened. Add tomatoes, parmesan cheese and bacon. Add the pasta to the sauce and serve. 

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, my friend Ashley kept telling me I needed to try this recipe. I'll be real here, chocolate chip cookies are not my favorite, don't judge.  If we are at a cookie store I am more likely to pick ginger cookies, molasses cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies or snickerdoodle cookies before I pick chocolate chip.  So even though they aren't my favs I gave this recipe a try and they were fabulous!!!! They really did stay soft for several days. The recipe is from Apple a Day.

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350.  In your mixing bowl with your paddle attachment, mix together the unsalted butter and sugars. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Mix in the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt until fully incorporated.  Add the chocolate chips.  Use a table spoon to drop the batter onto a sheet pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not bake for longer than 10 minutes. The will still look doughy but they are done. Remove from oven and let them sit on the pan for 5 to 10 more minutes then remove from pan to cool.

Turkey Avocado Wrap

This is one of my favorite things to make for lunch. It's quick and easy to throw together and I can even make it earlier in the day and have it later if I know our day is going to get crazy.  This recipe makes 1 wrap.

1 Whole Wheat Tortilla
3 Slices of Turkey Breast
1 Slice of Colby Jack Cheese
Sliced Avocado
Diced Tomato
Lettuce
Onion
Mayo

Spread a bit of mayo on the tortilla. Place the cheese on the tortilla, then the turkey, then layer with the remaining toppings. Roll up the tortilla, burrito style and either wrap in foil for later or eat right away.

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos with Black Beans, Beer and Cheddar

So it was a normal day then I saw this recipe over at Cassie Craves. And I was done. Sold. Wanted them that very night.  I waited and put them on the menu for the next week.  The day came and I put them in the crock pot and as it goes with crock pot meals, the house was smelling delicious hours before the meal was ready.  Finally dinner time rolled around and we DEVOURED these bad boys. Oh yum yum yum. Gray and I both thought these were just fabulous!!!!!

2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup beer
1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 (15 oz) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 cup shredded cheddar
Flour tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, tomato, onion, etc.

Combine the beer with the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  Place the chicken in the bottom of the crock pot and pour the beer mixture on top.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Without draining the liquid, shred the chicken and add the black beans to the mixture. Let cook for 15 more minutes the mix in the cheddar cheese, let cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve on top of tortillas with toppings. 

Chili Cups

This recipe is based off of the bbq cups recipe from the Country Cook!  We thought these little guys were awesome

1 cup Mrs. Kathy's Hot Dog Chili
1 Can of Biscuits
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar

Spray a muffin tin with baking spray. Press the biscuits down in the bottom and around the edges of the muffin tin.  Top with chili and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 until done.

Garlic Dill Dressing

I love homemade dressings, they are really a step above the bottled stuff but I rarely take the time to make them.   This dressing was so easy to throw together.  No one in my house but me eats dressing so this is 100% my opinion but I really enjoyed it.  It's heavy so I don't think I would make it a ton but it's a great creamy dressing.  It went well on my salad that was loaded with veggies and egg.  The recipe is from Sweet Basil.

3/4 Cup Buttermilk
2/3 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Light Mayonnaise
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1-2 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
1/4 Teaspoon Dry Parsley
1 Teaspoon Dried Chives
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Dill
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Pinch of Pepper

Whisk together buttermilk, sour cream and mayonnaise.  Add all the seasonings and whisk more. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Best if made 24 hours in advanced. 

Chicken, Broccoli and Brown Rice Casserole

This is my own creation.  I made this a few weeks ago and then the other night I was going to make something similar but Gray requested that I make this again.  It is so easy and I love that it's all we need in a meal!  If you have a family larger than ours (2 people) you might want to double this recipe!

1 Chicken Breast (cooked and shredded)
1 Cup Brown Rice
2 Cups Broccoli (cut)
1 Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 Cup Milk
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheddar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350. Cook the brown rice as directed on the box.  In a bowl mix together the chicken soup and milk.  Add the chicken, broccoli and rice once it is cooked.  Stir in 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar.  Season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a greased 8x8 baking dish.  Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

Foodie Pen Pal Reveal

This month I participated in the Foodie Pen Pal! First of all, if you have no idea what this is head over to The Lean Green Bean. Lindsay heads this up and it is awesome!  I sent a package to Anika at Dogs, Dishes and Decor. Megan at Delightfull Dash was my pen pal that sent me a package. We are actually "neighbors" in way, we live in the same metro area just on way opposite sides! It's been fun to talk to her about all things DC.  And then I got my package in the mail, check out these goodies:

Are you drooling?  So what is all of that. Well there was a cheddar garlic biscuit mix, soft pretzel mix, veggie dip mix, chesapeake bay seafood seasoning, tailgating pasta, a jar of cookie butter, 2 peanutty dark chocolate kashi bars and 2 apple banana fruit wraps, beef jerky strips (for our dog) and a monster truck. She also sent several pamplets and magazines from the places she got our items! So cool! 

I don't even know where to being. We are saving the pretzel mix and the tailgate pasta for football season. Isn't the pasta the cutest?  A went nutty over the shapes and keeps begging us to cook it, I really want to save it though. He might wear me down before football season if he keeps it up! Haha. 

We are headed to the beach in a few weeks and I am saving the veggie dip and biscuit mix to take on vacation with us. The kashi bars and fruit strips were stolen by Gray and they are gone!  And the cookie butter, ohhhh the cookie butter! I have some plans for it soon so be on the look out!  We keep meaning to get some crabs too so we can use the chesapeake bay seasoning, there is a man that sells crabs on the side of the road not too far from us, I just keep forgetting when I am making our menu plan.  Plus I have never cooked crab before. Eek! That should be an adventure.   And how sweet was Megan to include something for Rivers (our dog) and that little monster truck for A.  He loves monster trucks and was so excited for his treat!  We have spent many days rolling that truck over his hot wheel cars ;) 

Thank you again, Megan! We love everything!!!!! 

Mrs. Kathy's Hot Dog Chili

Mrs. Kathy is one of my parents good friends and her hot dog chili is my absolute favorite.  Whenever we make hot dogs, I throw together this chili.

1 lb Ground Beef
1 Can Condensed Tomato Soup
2 Tbsp Ketchup
1 Tbsp Mustard
1-2 Tsp Chili Powder
1 /2 Cup Chopped Onion
Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown the ground beef and drain off the grease. Add the condensed tomato soup, ketchup, mustard, chili powder, onion, and salt and pepper.  Let cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through. Serve on hot dogs right away.