Chicken Parm Casserole

Chicken Parm Casserole

Chicken Parmesan is one of the most popular Italian-American Restaurant entrees around. My boyfriend loves Chicken Parm, I'm Italian, and its a Casserole. {Enough Said}

Confession: Shocker... I'm addicted to Pinterest {worse things could happen}. I stumbled across this recipe that I "pinned" all while drooling. Pinterest for those of you who might not know, is a place where you can pin pictures that ultimately lead to a link on the internet. {Hence the picture leading to this recipe}. It's a place where you can share pictures of motivation for fitness and look at recipes for dessert. If your thinking {painful and unfair - your correct}

I have never heard of a Chicken Parm Casserole before now. Its basically chicken in a casserole with yummy toppings {see below}... instead of breading chicken, throwing cheese on top and adding sauce {although, that's delicous as well}

Basic Recipe {Feel Free to Modify}

Pre-Heat the Oven to 350 - Cook for 30-40 minutes {Depending on your oven}

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

2 cloves of garlic {crushed}

Red Pepper Flakes {enough to taste}

4-6 boneless chicken breasts {enough to cover the bottom of the dish}

2 cups {or more} of Pasta Sauce

1/4 Cup of Basil

8 oz Mozzarella {shredded}

4 oz Parmesan {grated}

1 whole package of Garlic Croutons

Step One:

Pour Olive Oil on the bottom of the pan. Add seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic/onion powder); minced garlic; and red pepper flakes.

Step Two:

{Rinse the chicken} Spread them along the bottom of the pan. {Please wash your hands after - yup you just touched raw chicken and theres NO exception ;) }.

Step Three:

Add the Sauce {spread it out over the chicken} and add the shredded parsley. I was lucky enough {Thanks Nana!} to cut them with my fancy-smancy scizzors that cut with four blades. Good thing I wasn't angry in the kitchen, {the boyfriend knows better}. ;)

 

Step Four:

Add the shredded cheese, along with the croutons {steal a few while no ones looking} and then add parmesan cheese, and more shredded cheese {because no one ever says, "that's enough cheese"}

Bake in the oven and then let it sit for 5 minutes {with how good it smells - that's about all you'll be able to handle} and then EAT AWAY MY FRIENDS. Makes enough for about 4 people but that means leftovers for us ;)

It's-A-Big-A-Pizza-Pie!

                                         Pizza Pizza!

Tonight Ben and I made a Chicken, Garlic, Spinach Pizza. I'm here to share the yummy recipe with you. The best part, It's SO easy! We love "easy recipes" when we work a 40 hour week and have a 3 1/2 commute to boot.

Recipe:
Pizza Dough (store bought) - someday I'll try my own

Chicken Breast

Garlic Minced

Garlic/Onion Powder

Beer

Olive Oil

Mozzarella Shredded Cheese

Pizza Sauce

Preheat the oven to 450*

Step 1: Spread out your pizza dough. I use olive oil to help spread it.

Step 2: Add the sauce, and sprinkle a little Garlic and Onion Powder on to add flavor (optional)

Step 3: Add the mozarella cheese! (choose your favorite)

Step 4: Add the Spinach

Step 5: Add MORE Cheese {"would you look at that"} - youtube the "look at this" video-pretty funny.

Step 6: Sprinkle Minced Garlic

Preparing the Chicken:

Step 1: Add olive oil to the pan

Step 2: Chop the chicken breasts into cubes; add to pan

Step 3: Add in minced Garlic

Step 4: Add beer

Cook until lightly browned on each side (it will continue to cook in the oven)

Add chicken to Pizza, and Wallah! Deliciousness.

Cook for 10-20 min. (depending on your oven)

Cut and enjoy!

Baked Stuffed Haddock

First we made an appetizer.  True story, I'm not a big fan of scallops wrapped in bacon (I'm a picky eater). However, I tried it tonight and I really loved it. :)

Now for the meal:

Easy Baked Stuffed Haddock


1 pound of haddock

Seafood Stuffing

Olive Oil

Handful of Italian Shredded Cheese

Handful of Parmasean Cheese

1 Lemon Sliced Thin




To start line a pan with the sliced lemons and add the olive oil:











Then take a bowl and poor in the seafood mix (you can find this at your local grocery store). You can make your own, but I have to be honest.....you might have a lot of unnecessary time on your hands. Just kidding.











Then we poured it into a bowl and added the two cheeses. We didn't measure it, but just added about a handful of each.







Then we took out the 2 pieces of fish. I always ask the grocery store folks to cut off the skin to make it easier *they are pros after all. He even cut it for two <3.












Then add the crumbs in the middle of the fish, this makes it easy to roll up.















1. Roll it up! :) 2. Add it to the pan with the lemon and olive oil 3.Add more seafood stuffing on top 4. Add the skewer or tooth pick to hold it together:











Then you bake. 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.









Delish! :oP



Enjoy!






Easy Buffalo Chicken Cheese Dip

Recipe:

24 oz of Shredded Chicken

2-8 oz. packages of Cream Cheese

1 Cup of Franks Red Hot Sauce 

1 Cup of Blue Cheese Dressing

2 Cups of Mild Cheddar Cheese

Serve with chips or veggies

To start:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

(You'll need a 9x13 pan)

Add the Cream Cheese, Blue Cheese, and 1/2 cup of the Mild Cheddar Cheese in a large mixing bowl. Then add the red's hot sauce.

Then add the chicken. I used the pre-made kind so it would save time. (Feel  free to make your own, shred it by hand and add it to the recipe.) After the chicken, add the rest of the cheese and fold it into the mixture.

  Now that the oven has been preheated to 350*, go ahead and put your ingredients in the un-greased 9x13 pan. This will cook for about 25-30 minutes or until bubbling.

Serve Hot and Enjoy! :) Told you it was easy. 

You can always add more or less of a certain ingredient if you don't like it very hot etc.

Yum. 

Thanks for reading.

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta

Last night we went grocery shopping. Honestly, it's getting expensive eating out. So we actually followed through and stocked our fridge (yay!).

Note to self: NEVER go grocery shopping while hungry *sigh*.


Skip ahead, dinner and movie - aka Date Night.

Ingredients:

Chicken:
1 pound of boneless chicken (Cut into Pieces)
1 tsp dry mustard (if you want)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 T olive oil

Pasta:
1 Pound of rotini or (short cut) pasta
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely diced (if you want)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tbs Dijon mustard (if you want)
8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated or shredded
2 cups of milk
1 tbs of thyme (if you want)
1 tps oregano (if you want)
sprinkle of crushed red pepper (if you want)
Parmesan cheese to tasteI'll be honest, I forgot a few ingredient (live and learn right?). In the meantime I'll show you how I prepared the meal, verses how the meal was meant to be prepared.


First step was to prepare the chicken by heating olive oil with salt pepper and mustard. I didn't use mustard but replaced it with powdered garlic and onion. I guess being creative is a large part of cooking right? (Boil the pasta in this stage as well till al dente).


Then add the chicken until it has cooked all the way through. When it's finished, place to the side and cover with tin foil. Here's a picture, and really, there is nothing appealing about raw chicken.

    The next step is to prepare the pasta. In this stage (unless you buy the three minute pasta like I did) your pasta may still be boiling.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in another large skillet over medium heat.

Add wine, garlic, onions and *mustard (or not) - whatever you prefer.

Reduce heat and slowly add milk (okay so you remember from earlier I forgot the milk) so I just added more butter. If you cannot use milk feel free to use a substitute. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until it thickens.

Add the sharp cheddar cheese (I don't know about you but I love cheese). Stir until it melts.

Then the easiest part of all... Add them together! You have dinner in about 15 minutes :).

That leaves plenty of room to snuggle with a loved one and watch a movie. <3

Served with Love...
Sprinkle a little Parmesan or shredded sharp cheddar cheese on it - (yum).

Don't forget the leftovers...

Feel free to wear pants that stretch :)

Thanks for reading!

Garlic Shrimp Primavera

So I'm not a cook. In fact, I'm more of a baker. I year ago I started up Cravings, my little cupcake business out of my home. However, with the new year brings new goals, and one of mine involves learning to cook. To start, I picked something I knew I'd be excited about. Hey, anything that involves butter garlic and pasta ... I'm in. Since I'm motivated to cook a few times a week, I figured I'd share my recipes and what I've learned with you. I've also provided you the luxury of viewing pictures so if your anything like me..it'll make it easier. (A picture's worth a thousand words after-all). PS. Love Instagram, if you don't have it, please download the app.

Before you start with the baby shrimps (or jumbo if you in that kind of mood), start boiling the pasta according to the directions on the box.

First I peeled the shrimp...(just kidding, too lazy for that. I did take off the tails though *round of applause*).

Then I placed the peeled shrimp in a bowl (yes I'm going to break it down for you THAT much) :)

It's a thing of beauty.
It's time to add ingredients... (see amounts at the bottom-use whatever you want depending on how many you plan to feed. This is enough for 2 -awww).

I chopped the Garlic (leave some left over for later), and added Vegetable oil along with Lemon Juice (and zest if you prefer).

BAM! Yup, I said it. Let it marinade all while the pasta continues to boil.

 Then grab a big flat skillet pan, if you didn't have one I would assume you wouldn't be reading this blog. Make sure it's big enough to combine the pasta along with the shrimp at the end.

Yup, butter is amazing (in moderation of course). Add the butter with the remaining garlic and stir until butter foams (~30 seconds).

Then add the shrimp, and stir for 30 seconds or until pink. :)

Now were heating things up.....At this point the pasta should be done. Poor out the exess water and combine the pasta with the shrimp, butter and all of it's goodness. Make sure to work kinda quick so you don't roast your little shrimplings. All together now....

And if it couldn't get any better....add a glass of white wine and a candle for ambiance and I'd say you have a date night. <3

With that being said here are the ingredients (kinda backwards but it'll be okay).

1 lb of Raw Peeled Shrimp (or more if you really love shrimp)
6-12 gloves of Garlic (if you really love garlic) if not use less
3 Tablespoons of Lemon Zest
4 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
1 Stick of Butter
2-3 Tablespoons Basil, Chopped Fine
16 oz Dry Linguine
Grated Parmesan (notice there is no amount - please feel free to load it on both before and after) :)

Enjoy!

Hope you liked my blog, pray that there's more to come..... I hear the fastest way to a man's heart is through his tummy and I plan to keep mine around for awhile ;).