I have a bunch of hot peppers from my garden this year (one of the few things that the deer don't like to munch on!) so I try to incorporate them into as many meals as possible. I really like how this dish is different then your typical stuffed chicken breast!












Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
1 cup Jalapeno Popper Dip (recipe to come in next post)
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 egg, beaten

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Butterfly the thickest section of the chicken breast to create two halves. Place each breast in a Ziploc bag and pound it with a meat mallet until 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic. Add cheese stuffing (however much you would like to!) on one half of the chicken breast. Fold other half of chicken breast over. Coat with egg and breadcrumbs and place in a well greased baking pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Martha Stewart recipes never fail! This pasta dish is full of creamy goodness and will leave you full and satisfied!














Ingredients
6 tbsp butter, plus more for baking dishes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1lb penne rigate
1 tsp olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup plus 2tbsp flour
4 gloves garlic, minced
6 cups whole milk
10oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, oil drained and sliced
6oz shredded provolone
4oz grated Parmesan

Directions
Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2 quart baking dishes. Cook pasta three minutes short of al dente in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain pasta and return to pot.

In a large skillet, heat oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook three to five minutes on each side until no longer pink in the middle. Remove from heat and thinly slice.

In a large pot, heat butter over medium heat. Add flour and garlic. Whisk for one minute. While whisking, add milk and bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook for one minute and add cheese. Add chicken and pasta and season with salt and pepper. Divide between two dishes and top with remaining cup of Parmesan.

Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Let stand five minutes before serving.

Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps

I was inspired by this wrap when I saw it advertised at a local restaurant. It's quick to whip up and is a crowd pleaser!















Ingredients
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 lb chicken, grilled and sliced
Caesar dressing (recommends Trader Joe's Caesar Romano dressing)
1 cup croutons
Wraps (any kind)

Directions
In a bowl mix together lettuce, cheese, chicken, Caesar dressing (enough for your liking) and croutons. Top on a wrap and enjoy!

Mexican Rice

Mexican rice is the perfect side to go with my many Mexican recipes. It tastes like something from a restaurant and meets my requirement of being easy to make!

















Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup rice
1 tsp chicken bouillon
2 cups water
1/2 cup corn


Directions
Saute onions and garlic in a olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook about five minutes, stirring frequently. Add in spices. Mix in rice. Add in water and bouillon. Bring to a boil and then simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in corn. Serve.

Beef Quesadillas

I have had my quesadilla maker for years and it's one of my favorite cooking tools. Typically I make chicken enchiladas but I'm glad that I tried out beef ones. They are great!

Ingredients

4lb boneless beef chuck roast
2 tbsp taco seasoning
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, chopped
1/2 cup water
Tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese


Directions
Place beef in crockpot. Add in all other ingredients (not tortillas and cheese yet). Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred meat and return to juices. Place meat on tortilla and top with cheese. Place second tortilla on top and place on quesadilla maker. Cook for five minutes.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

I don't eat tuna so I used chicken instead and it still tasted great. I thought that I would miss the Cream of Mushroom soup that is used in so many tuna casserole receipes but this from scratch version is even better!

















All Recipes
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
8oz egg noodles
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stalk of celery, finley chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
8oz mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cans tuna drained (or chicken!)
3 tbsp bread crumbs
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese



Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Butter a medium baking dish with 1 tbsp butter. Bring a large pot of lighty salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles. Cook for 8 minutes until al dente and drain. Melt 1 tbsp butter in skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery, and garlic and cook five minutes until tender. Add mushrooms. Cook another five minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Melt 4 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually mix in milk. Continue cooking 5 more mintues until sauce is smooth and thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in mushroom mixture, noodles, tuna/chicken, and shredded cheddar. Transfer to a baking dish. Melt remaining butter and mix with bread crumbs. Top casserole with bread crumbs. Bake 25 minutes.

Focaccia Bread

Finally I am back to blogging! The first trimester did wonders for my taste buds and the blog suffered as a consequence. Now I'm feeling better which means I'm back to cooking and blogging!

I love making bread and wanted to switch it up a bit from my typical loaf. I am amazed at how delicious this bread is AND easy! The aroma filled the house and the bread tasted just as good. It's perfect as a side to an Italian meal!

All Recipes

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp white sugar

1 tbsp active dry yeast

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp basil

Pinch black pepper

1 tsbp vegetable oil

1 cup water

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsbp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add in flour, garlic, oregano, thyme, basil, pepper, and vegetable oil. When dough has pulled together, knead until smooth and elastic. Oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl, and cover once to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for thirty minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Punch dough down. Place on a greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch rectangle. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 15 minutes. Cut into rectangles and serve warm.