A Cook's Quest

On a cold day there is nothing more comforting to me than a bowl of warm soup.  I love making it, I love eating it, and I love the leftovers.  This year I decided to try chicken and dumplings rather than my traditional chicken noodle soup.  I have always avoided dumplings because I thought they were hard to make.  I was wrong, they were easy peasy to make!  As a result,  I instantly fell in love with the tender dumplings, flavorful chicken, and thick broth. On top of easy to make, this recipe is super inexpensive; especially if you make your own chicken broth .  This meal has become one of my quick go to meals because it can be made in about 30 minutes.  I did cut down the portions of the dumpling recipe because I always ended up with too many dumplings, but you can easily increase them if you want a higher dumpling:chicken:broth ration.  ENJOY! Chicken and Dumplings Recipe Source: Eat At Home about 2-3 cups cooked chicken 6...

Can you believe it is Secret Recipe Club time again?  The time is just flying by and I am so sad that I have not had a post in over a month.  I am only five weeks away from a full summer off which means lots of cooking and lots of fun with my family.  I can hardly wait! OK, on to my blog assignment for this month.  I was so lucky to get Prevention RD a blog about healthy eating that tastes wonderful and is EASY to do.  This is my kind of blog I tell ya!  Nicole, who writes Prevention RD, is a registered dietitian so she knows what she is talking about in the healthy food department.  She also knows how to make healthy food taste delicious!  I had such a hard time choosing a recipe to feature from her blog so I had to make three or four before I finally settled on her Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken. Most of you know that I L.O.V.E my slow cooker.  It is such a life saver at times and makes my hectic life much easier. ...

Any dinner recipe that begins with "30 minutes" bumps to the top of my recipe list.  There is such a feeling of relief when I know that dinner can be thrown together quickly and my kids won't "starve" to death during the process, because  you know waiting for dinner to cook is the same thing as "starving." I found this recipe on Pinterest (of course), and I have made it several times with great success.  It is a great combination of sweet and sour that isn't too heavy.  I LOVE lemon and chicken together so the little bits of lemon rind in the sauce are little pieces of flavor just exploding in your mouth...YUM!  Plus, my husband isn't the biggest fan of chicken.  I sort of burned him out on chicken when we were first married because it was cheap, and I knew how to make it.  Now if I make chicken it has to be special and very full of flavor which this dish is. The original recipe consists of a sweet glaze, but we like sauce in our house...

I love orange chicken.  But not just any orange chicken, a delicious sweet and crispy orange chicken that I remember eating when my family lived in Washington.  The restaurant was an old pizza place that had been remodeled into a Chinese restaurant. My mom used to take us there and my memory of the orange chicken leaves me drooling.  Now, as a grown up nothing has quite matched up.  Oh, yes, I have found many an orange chicken dish to try but none left me wanting more.  They were too sweet, not orangey enough, too sour, too gooey/sticky/thickish or simply just not good. So, when I stumbled onto this recipe I was excited for a few reasons.  First, I had all the ingredients (WOOT!).  Second, it cooked in the slow cooker (WOOT! WOOT!) and third, it is much healthier than fried versions (Triple WOOT!).  While it may not be what others deem as the best ever,  I was pleasantly surprised how the flavors came together.  The ...

I have a little confession to make.  There is a certain  national fast food chain that makes chicken nuggets that I will eat whenever I can justify it.  There is nothing healthy or good about them and after reading the ingredient list I should be utterly appalled, vowing to never consume them again.   But, something about how they taste, their crispy texture and the bar-b-que sauce I dip them in makes me crumple and I consume them all along with the fries and a diet soda. Yes, I admit I not only eat the nuggets but I also buy them in a combo meal.   Unfortunately all three of my kiddos also love these bites of fried, over-processed goodness too.  It is not something I am proud to admit. Do I endorse this kind of eating?  Absolutely not. It goes against all the changes I have been trying to make for the health of my family. But what is a girl to do when the nugget craving hits not only her but the entire family?  Well come up with a recip...

I don't think I can ever get tired of pasta with cream sauce.  Even on a hot summer day, I can devour a warm, saucy, creamy, cheesy, bowl of pasta.  It is comfort food for me and love trying different variations.  This recipe is ideal, I think anyway, because it can be made ahead and the end result is still the same--a delicious pasta nestled in cheesy cream sauce with bites of tender chicken, crisp broccoli and sweet tomatoes from my garden. Definitely go try this soon, and I would recommend doubling the recipe so you have one for the freezer too.  Enjoy! I'm linking this recipe go check out all the other great recipes people are posting! Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and  Mozzarella Recipe Source: Modified slightly from Mel's Kitchen Cafe *Note from Mel: See the asterisk below the recipe for make-ahead directions. Serves 6-8 Topping: 3/4 cup bread crumbs (store-bought or make your own) 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1...

I am a huge fan of casseroles.  Not only are they a simple way to stretch your food budget but they are tasty, easy to prepare, and most store wonderfully in the freezer for future meals.  Last weekend I made a ham for dinner knowing that it would provide at least three to four meals for my family.  Typically I make a scalloped potato type of dish with bits of ham scattered through out, but this time I wanted something a little different.  I found this casserole recipe and knew it would be great.  Some of my favorite ingredients are matched up, baked together and served as a warm, cheesy, flavorful casserole. Because casseroles are so versatile, you can take this recipe and mix things up a bit.  Use a different cheese, use turkey instead of chicken, or add some steamed veggies.  Anyway you do it, I think everyone in your house will love it. 

In the early days of this blog I shared with readers how much I enjoy vinegar and what it can add to a recipe.  This recipe is defintely one that I will make again and this time uses apple cider vinegar.  This vinegar is used for everything from home remedies, weight loss cures, cleaning, and cooking.  I much prefer it in the later, but I will tell you it does great things for cutting through grease, and mopping floors. This chicken recipe reminds me a little bit of the Onion Chicken in Balsamic Sauce that I made moths ago.  The vinegar, juice and honey pair together creating a sauce that is perfect with the chicken, and even more tasty with mashed potatoes. This is one of those recipes where the family stops talking as they eat, and where I hide the leftovers so ensure I get to eat them for lunch. 

It is slow cooker season at my house.  It seems that when Fall and Winter are here I utilize my slow cooker more than ever.  There is just nothing better for me than coming home to the smell of dinner waiting, especially when the recipe is so utterly simple to make. Kansas City Sue's Slow Cooker Chicken was discovered at My Kitchen Cafe .  The chicken cooks all day in a flavorful, tangy sauce creating a moist delicious chicken perfect for any variety of side dishes.  I did exactly what Mel did and served ours over rice, spooning the extra sauce over the top.  Delicious!

OK, first things first.  Ignore the amount of butter in this recipe and don't judge me too harshly when I tell you I actually doubled the butter when I made it. After you have agreed to ignore those key points proceed to making this recipe, devouring eating it, and hiding the leftovers in the refrigerator so your family doesn't get to them before you do! Another recipe from Mel at My Kitchen Cafe that I don't have to say much about.  It is light and delicious.  The sauce is great with pasta or rice and pairs wonderfully with any vegetable you want.  I served our chicken over pasta noodles cooked in chicken broth and enjoyed every last bite.  My family can't wait to have it again! Breaded Garlic Chicken in Lemon-Butter Sauce Recipe Source: My Kitchen Cafe who got it from one of her readers *Mel's Note: if you prefer more sauce, since this makes a lighter, smaller amount of sauce, consider doubling the sauce ingredients. **Cook's Note-I...

These little babies are simple, flexible, and delicious!  Don't repeat this but I ate three in one sitting. It was only because my family needed to eat their dinners that I didn't eat more.  The recipe idea came from a few different places.  The first from my friend and fellow book club member who brought a version made with crescent rolls, cream, cheese, onion and bacon...can you say mouth watering?!  They were sooooo good!  Then a few days later Mel at My Kitchen Cafe posted a similar recipe using ham and broccoli.  Any combination of meat, cheese, veggies and seasoning can be used.  Next time I think I might do a Mexican style one with cream cheese, salsa, seasoned taco meat etc., or a chicken cordon bleu style with chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese.  I used the french roll recipe in mine because that is what Melanie used but try any favorite roll recipe you have or even refrigerated crescent rolls or the bread dough that can be found i...

I was able to restrain myself long enough to make a recipe with the wonderful roasted tomatoes that I posted a few days ago.  These little beauties add quite the punch of flavor and brightness to anything.  I love tomatoes in cream sauce, I love cream sauce with pasta, and of course they all go well with chicken so I threw this little dish together for dinner, spending more than I normally would but we all wanted something delicious and homey after eating restaraunt food all week. It was a perfect meal for all of us.   Bowtie Pasta with Chicken in Cream Sauce with Roasted Tomatoes Recipe Source: A Cook's Quest 12 ounces bow tie pasta 2 chicken breasts grilled 2 cups heavy cream Roasted Tomatoes (about 1/2 cup chopped) Parmesan Cheese--the real stuff (about 2 cups grated) Parsley for garnish if desired Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta.  While the pasta is cooking chop the chicken that has already been cooked into bite sized pie...

When I ask B2 what sounded good for dinner she told me, "Chicken with creamy sauce and noodles.  Oh, and cucumbers too." Now this mom is never going to say no to vegetables when my kids request them so the cucumbers were in like Flynn; and I will never deny myself the opportunity to enjoy a marriage of pasta and cream cooked into one mouthwatering meal so I was happy to oblige both her dining requests.  Now the problem, what should I do that is different from my usual Alfredo sauce? Since I am not overly creative, or inspired, when it comes to making my own dishes from start to finish, I went where I always go when I need a delicious recipe, Mel at My Kitchen Cafe .  Today I found the perfect dish, Creamy Chicken Fettuccine , it has the flavors of summer with lemon, peas, and fresh basil paired with the garlicky smooth sauce that only heavy cream can create.  I'm telling you we all loved this dish, B1 and B2 declared it better than the usual and this mama ...

My mom recently returned from a trip to Europe and one of the gifts she gave to me was this lovely assortment of goodies:  Are you wondering why she gave me a grater, rocks, a wooden scoop and a bowl?  I sure was!  Then she explained that the rocks were salt from Salzburg .  You, grate the rocks using the little grater, into the bowl and then use the little wooden scoop to get what you need.  My friends have all heard of this rock salt but I must have been living under a rock because I thought it was just the neatest thing ever!  To top it off, the salt makes my food, especially meats, taste amazing.  I've been adding it to everything I can and loving the results. Then while digging through my cupboards I found this little contraption, also a gift, and also from my mom.  I believe it was given at Christmas and I had forgotten about it.  So I instantly knew what I was going to do...I was going to make a rub, using my new favorite salt...

There are many reasons I love this recipe but I will only list a few: 1. It is simple 2. It is cheap 3. It is made in the slow cooker 4. My whole family declared them, "the best tacos ever!" This fabulous dish, like many of my other favorites, came straight from my favorite cooking blog.  It is the blog I go to for inspiration on days that I would just rather go through a drive through, and the days that I think I am so overwhelmed that I don't think I have time to cook anything.  Any guesses? If you said, Mel's Kitchen Cafe you are right my dear readers, it was Mel who posted this recipe and I quickly saved it for the day that I knew everyone in the family would be going in 50 directions all at the same time.  To say it was a hit is an understatement, my entire family loved it, requested it again and very soon thank you very much.  In fact, there would have been no leftovers had I not doubled the recipe in order to have a portion ready to store a...

One morning, as I stood pondering the contents of my freezer hoping that somehow there was a frozen meal  tucked away somewhere in its depths, I had an aha moment. A moment that has changed one of my go to dinners into something even better. There, stacked nice and neatly right under my nose were the chicken and bean burritos I had made in April and frozen for later consumption.  At the very moment I looked at them I remembered the Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas the Melanie posted over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe and I knew that the two were going to come together into one mighty tasty dish.  Oh, I just have to say, they were delicious!  The hearty burritos, topped with a silky smooth, cheesy sauce dotted with green chiles and the smoky flavor of cumin brought happiness and the rare moment of silence at my table as everyone intently devoured their portions.  The family was happy, the cook was happy, and we now have another go to free...

Chicken Cordon Bleu is one of my all time favorite recipes.  I have never made it because it is hard, and time consuming, but I do eat it...whenever I can which isn't often.  It's a c hicken breast , rolled with ham and cheese, often times breaded and then cooked through, and topped with a creamy delicious wine sauce.  When you cut into it, the chees y ooziness spills onto your plate and then dip it in the sauce..oh my...so good.  But, like I said, I've never made it, and have no desire to do so.  When I saw this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine I jumped right on it.  All the flavors are there, but none of the difficulty.  I loved it, the kids loved it, my husband loved it.  There were no leftovers and that, in my book, means dinner was successful! There is no picture, because I made this recipe during the height of my back to school adjustment period and forgot but trust me it is good!  There aren't exact measurements because it...

In a family with three young children, a busy husband and a very picky cook (yes, I am very picky) it is sometimes hard to find a recipe that all five of us love that is also easy to prepare.  These spiced chicken tenderloins are easy to make and even easier to eat.  The whole family loved, not just liked, but LOVED the sweet and spicy combo so much that there was nary a morsel left.  On a love scale, 1 being we loved them enough to make again sometime in the future and 10 being let's eat them for our very next meal, I would rate this a 9.  I got this idea from Our Best Bites , and modified it to my family's liking.  They can be as spicy as you want them to be and as sweet as you want them to be.  The original recipe calls for thigh meat, but I had tenderloins and they worked beautifully.  I used my own spice rub that I made a while back by throwing spices into a bowl until I thought they tasted good, spicy but not too hot ...

There is time in every person's life that surviving on frozen bean burritos isn't such a horrible thing.  They are fast, easy, and convenent.  I will admit that I have bought a package, maybe a couple, OK, a lot of frozen burritos after my married life began.  I would serve them up to my husband for dinner; many of you (you know who you are) have done exactly the same thing.  Lucky for me, he was still at a point in his life that he was OK with sustenance based on a frozen concoction of beans and processed cheeses wrapped in a flour tortilla and served with a side of whichever condiment was in the refrigerator (for him it was mustard, for me hot sauce) and he ate it with a smile. Fast forward a few years and things have changed a little bit.  Sure, I can still eat a frozen processed burrito and not bat an eye, but the thought of serving them up for dinner to my three sweet children who are dependent on me to eat nutritional meals tha...

Even though Spring is finally arriving we still have some cold weather that reminds me how much I love cold weather food.  You know the stuff I'm talking about, hearty, rich, and tasty dishes that "stick to your ribs," and warm you from the inside out.  Last we had a few cold and rainy days and I decided that I had better take advantage of them and make at least one last cold weather dish.  After going through a few recipes I decided a chicken stew would be a perfect choice, only it needed a twist.  I saw a recipe on the Betty Crocker website that used Alfredo sauce with chicken and veggies to make a thick soup, the best part was that it was made in the crockpot--BINGO!  After simmering away all afternoon, a rich, cheesy, flavorful stew emerged that hit that cold weather spot.  It might be the last chance for cold weather food until next fall, but this definitely won't be the last time I make this simple stew!  Serve it with a simple green salad ...