mmmmm: pesto chicken quinoa

a doctor recently told me i am gluten intolerant. i'm not sure what exactly that means except that i have been told to stop eating gluten. this is really, i mean really hard for me. bread and i have had a long standing love relationship. give me some bread and pasta and i could be pretty happy on a deserted island. so, now with my new news, i am learning to love new grains and foods that make me feel better. one of those great foods is quinoa. i've just started experimenting with this fun little grain. here is one of my new favorite lunchtime (or anytime) treats for myself. i cook a ton of this and then it is lunch for a couple of days. love it!


pesto chicken quinoa

3 grilled chicken breasts, chopped into bite sized pieces (i like to grill up several chicken breasts at the beginning of the week. i use them in recipes like this one, throw them on a salad, or just eat them alone. if i have them on hand, i'm less likely to grab something unhealthy to eat. i season them with a little salt and lemon pepper.)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 red or green bell peppers, chopped

1-2 cups chopped white onions (i like onions so i used closer to 2 cups)

1 cup uncooked rainbow quinoa

1 cup water

3/4 cup chicken broth (i use the no-fat, low sodium broth)

1 cup basil pesto (for a great recipe to make your own, click here. store bought pesto works great too!)

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1/2 cup mozzarella or parmesan cheese to garnish


if the chicken breasts are not already cooked, do this first and set aside. place the water and chicken broth in a pot with the quinoa to boil. once the mixture is boiling, reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes. turn off heat and let sit for five minutes more. 

while quinoa is cooking, put the chopped bell peppers and onions in a pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute until soft and the onions are semi-translucent. set aside. roast the pine nuts. you can either do this by putting them in the oven on a cookie sheet at 400 for about 6 minutes or by putting them in a skillet on high heat and letting them roast.

once everything is ready, put all the ingredients except the cheese in a large mixing bowl and mix well. if you prefer the quinoa as a side, leave the chicken breasts uncut and serve the chicken along side the quinoa. either way tastes great. garnish with some cheese. enjoy!

mmmmm: crockpot white chicken chili

it is cold outside. i mean a high of 37 degrees yesterday cold. i know, those of you in other states are looking at a high of 5 degrees and are wondering what i'm complaining about. here in the south, we don't typically do cold. i pretty much want to stay in pajama pants and drink warm beverages all day long. this crockpot recipe is all things comforting. it's also about as easy as they come. grab the ingredients and throw it together this week. this recipe is enough for two large families. make the extra and give dinner away this week. people will love it!

crockpot white chicken chili

4 tablespoons of butter

2-3 cups chopped white onions (about 1 1/2 bags of frozen-chopped onions)

4 tablespoons minced garlic

6 chicken breasts 

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups sour cream

3 cans cannellini beans (or navy beans or great northern beans)

3 cans diced green chilis

1 box (4 cups) chicken stock

4 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons oregano

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 cups monterey jack cheese

put all of the chicken breasts in a large pot. cover with water and boil for about 15-20 minutes. (note: i usually add garlic and a little chicken base to the water to flavor the chicken). remove from the water, cool and chop into bite sized pieces.

put cannellini beans (or other white bean) in the crockpot. add the chicken, green chilis, onions, butter, garlic, salt, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes. cover the ingredients with the chicken stock.

cook on low for about 4-6 hours. (you can cook it longer...won't hurt a thing). about an hour before serving, mix in the sour cream and cheese. allow to cook for one more hour. serve with tortilla chips and top with some extra cheese and sour cream.

heaven! enjoy!

mmmmm: lemon chicken quinoa soup

it's fall and, to me, that means comfort food. today's comfort food came in the form of soup. i am trying to incorporate quinoa into as much as possible--i love that it feels like i am eating a carb but am getting loads of added protein in my diet. this soup turned out stew-like and amazing. it makes for wonderful left-overs and freezes really well too. enjoy! 

lemon chicken quinoa soup

ingredients
4 chicken breasts (or 2 rotisserie chickens)
2 cups lemon juice (usually 6-8 lemons)
3 tablespoons lemon herb seasoning (the trade winds brand from smart & final is amazing)
3 qt chicken broth
3 eggs (beaten)
3 cups of cooked quinoa (i used the tri-color quinoa)

directions
boil the chicken in 2 quarts of water for approximately 15 minutes.

shred the chicken with a fork into bite sized strips.
(or you can buy 2 rotisserie chickens and simply remove the meat and cut into bite sized strips)

add chicken to a large pot (either the shredded chicken you cooked or the rotisserie you didn't).

add lemon juice, chicken broth and lemon herb seasoning. bring to a boil.

take some of the hot broth from the pot and SLOWLY add to the beaten eggs, stirring constantly. (this brings the eggs closer to the temp of the soup).

add the eggs VERY SLOWLY to the hot soup mixture, stirring constantly so that the eggs don't clump.

add the cooked rice and return the soup to a boil.

serve and enjoy!

mmmmm: gluten-free crock pot apricot chicken

i don't know about you, but i am all about great tasting, easy to prepare meals. with school back in session and days busier than ever, it is wonderful to throw ingredients into a crock pot (slow cooker) in the morning and return home to an already cooked meal that the entire family loves. this is a favorite in our home and i hope you enjoy it as well. 


gluten-free crock pot apricot chicken

ingredients
--11 oz jar of apricot preserves 
--1 teaspoon dried minced onion flakes 
--1 tablespoon dijon mustard 
--1 tablespoon soy sauce (tamari is gluten-free) 
--1/4 teaspoon ginger 
--1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional) 
--6 chicken breasts (we prefer boneless, skinless)

directions
--drop the chicken into your crock pot. 
--in a small bowl, combine the other ingredients.
--pour evenly over the chicken cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours 
  or high for 4-6
--serve over rice and with fruit/veggies. 

mmmmm, mondays: crock-pot southwestern chicken

we love crockpot recipes...can't get enough of them! here's one of the easiest one's we have found. it's so good and is really good for you (except for the chips part, and maybe the sour cream...) enjoy!


ingredients:
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts 
1 can black beans
1 can of corn (or equivalent of frozen corn kernels)
1 jar of salsa
sour cream
tortilla chips
rice


directions:
in a crock-pot, add: chicken, beans, corn and salsa. 
cook on low all day, about 8 hours. 
serve over cooked rice, with sour cream and tortilla chips. 

mmmmm, mondays: chicken enchiladas

i can remember my mother cutting recipes out of magazines to try on us when i was a little girl. this recipe is one of those successes. it has been in our family for probably 30+ years...and is just as good today. it is easy and delicious. ready for some mexican goodness tonight?


chicken enchiladas


1 cup chopped white onion


2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil


1 teaspoon each: chili powder, cumin and garlic powder


8 ounces cream cheese


3/4 cup bottled salsa (keep it mild if your kids aren't fans of spicy)


6 cups shredded cooked chicken


3 cups shredded cheddar cheese


1/4 cup chopped olives


16-20 corn tortillas


4 cans enchilada sauce




preheat the oven to 350 degrees. have two 9 x 13 pans ready. in a large saucepan, cook onion in oil for five minutes or until translucent. stir in chili powder, garlic powder and cumin. add cream cheese and cook over low heat until cheese is melted. add chicken and salsa. stir over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until hot. remove from heat. stir in half of the cheese and the olives.


heat tortillas, wrapped in foil, in the oven for 10 minutes until warm and pliable. spread 1/3 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of each baking dish. spoon 1/3 cup chicken mixture in the center of each warm tortilla. roll tortilla and arrange seam side down in the baking dish.


to serve: top with the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. bake for 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbly.


note: these can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to two days. if you are refrigerating your enchiladas, increase cook time to 35 minutes.

enjoy!

mmmmm, mondays: arroz con pollo

arroz con pollo

arroz con pollo, or rice with chicken, is a classic spanish one-pot meal. this casserole is super easy to make and is a favorite in our house. (note: it also freezes really well if you want to make ahead).

ingredients:
1 cup uncooked rice
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
6 (4oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 cup marinara sauce
½ cup red bell pepper, sliced
½ cup scallions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup shredded cheese (i sometimes use more. who doesn't love *more* cheese?!) :-)

directions:
spray 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

prepare the rice according to package directions. 


spread the rice over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. 


layer the beans, corn, and chicken over the rice and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. 


set aside. 


in a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients minus the cheese. 


pour the mixture over the chicken. 


sprinkle with cheese.

for dinner tonight... preheat the oven to 350 F. bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the internal temperature of the chicken breasts reaches 165F.

if you want to make ahead and freeze: before baking, cover the dish with foil. label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before cooking as directed above.

source: dream dinners....life just got easier! by stephanie allen and tina kuna
*this book has over 100 recipes that all freeze well too. it is quickly becoming one of my favorites. enjoy!*

friday fun finds: margarita madness

in honor of tomorrow's cinco de mayo holiday we have compiled some truly fabulous margarita inspired madness. enjoy!

honeydew cucumber margarita popsicle from endless summer

strawberry margarita jello shooters from bakers royale

margarita cupcakes from brown eyed baker

skinny margarita from skinny taste

pomegranate margarita from teroforma

pregnant margarita (mocktail) from bleubird

margarita chicken skewers from the food network

blackberry margarita from sweet life

have any margarita recipes that you love and we missed? please share!

mmmmm, mondays: chicken pesto pizza

this pizza combines two of my loves, pesto sauce and pizza. it is super easy, especially if you have made homemade pesto sauce made from your herb garden last fall. if you haven't tried to make your own pesto before, now is the time to start thinking about things for next year. soon we'll have a post about getting that herb garden started for the summer. if you don't have your own pesto sauce made, don't let that stop you from making this pizza. there are some amazing pesto sauces available at your grocery store. this is by far my favorite pizza of all time, rich and savory. i hope you love it too!

chicken pesto pizza

homemade pizza dough

3/4 cup homemade pesto sauce (or store bought if you don't have any pesto frozen)

1 jar store bought alfredo sauce

1 rotisserie chicken (i just purchase a chicken already cooked from the grocery store)

1 cup chopped white onion (1 bag of frozen chopped onions if you can find these)

1 cup crumbled goat cheese

1 cup fresh mozzarella

1 cup grated parmesan

1 cup graded mozzarella

roll out the pizza dough on your favorite pizza pan. if you like crisper crust, pop the dough in the oven at 400 degrees for about five minutes before adding the toppings. mix the pesto sauce and the alfredo sauce together. you can add more pesto sauce to the mixture if you like a stronger pesto taste. spread the sauce over the pizza dough. shred the chicken into bite sized pieces and layer the pieces over the sauce. slice the fresh mozzarella into thin slices and place over the chicken. crumble the goat cheese and sprinkle over the fresh mozzarella. sprinkle the remaining cheese over the other toppings. bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and pizza crust is golden brown. slice and enjoy!

mmmmm, mondays: spicy sausage, chicken and bean pot

you can thank rachael ray for this yummy "soup". it is hearty and absolutely delicious...perfect for a cold winter day.

spicy sausage, chicken and bean pot

2 tbs. evoo (extra virgin olive oil)

3/4 pound hot italian sausage (i used 1 pound)

3/4 pound andouille sausage (i used 1 pound)

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks

salt and black pepper

1 large onion, chopped (i used frozen chopped onion)

2 carrots, peeled and shredded (or just buy a bag of shredded carrots from the salad section)

4 celery ribs, thinly sliced

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

2 (15 oz.) cans of white beans (cannellini)

5-6 fresh sage sprigs, thinly sliced (i used rubbed sage - about 2 tbsp)

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups chicken stock

1 loaf italian bread or 1 bagette (chopped into cubes or coarsely chopped in a food processor)

8 tbsp. melted butter

fresh flat leaf parsley

3-4 fresh thyme sprigs, chopped (i used dried thyme and added garlic powder and black pepper)

heat the evoo in a large pot over medium-high heat. add the italian sausage, crumble into large pieces with a wooden spoon and cook until it begins to brown, two to three minutes. add the andouille and cook until crisp at the edges, two to three minutes. remove the browned sausages to a paper-towel-lined plate and add the chicken to the skillet, seasoning it with salt and pepper. lightly brown the chicken for a couple of minutes on each side, then add the veggies, bay leaf, and more salt and pepper. cook for seven to eight minutes more to soften the veggies. add the sausages back to the pan with the beans and sage. pour in the wine and stir to deglaze the pan, then stir in the stock.

turn on the broiler and set the rack in the middle of the oven.

drizzle the bread chunks with the melted butter. add the parsley, thyme and salt and pepper and stir to combine. place the bread chunks on a cookie sheet and broil for about 6 minutes, checking often. pour the chicken and sausage into bowls and top with the seasoned bread.

so good!

my rachael ray go to cook book for fun new recipes to try is here: rachael ray: just in time. try it...you won't be disappointed.