A Twist to Chicken Pot Pie

Who doesn’t love pot pie? I decided to mix it up a little and throw in some vitamin K! I also added chorizo and some chili’s to give it a little kick! This is definitely no ordinary pie, so if you’re afraid of a little spice or something different, you may just want to check out my plain pie recipe.

To get started, you’ll want to boil your chicken for 20-25 minutes, then set aside to cool. You can also use rotisserie chicken which is a little messy, but is easier and takes less time to make. While your chicken is cooling, preheat your oven to 350° (or according to your dough‘s packing directions).

Take a skillet and place on medium high heat. Slice your chorizo keeping the casing as intact as you can. After 2-3 minutes add your onions. Cook until the chorizo is slightly browned on both sides and the onions are translucent. Set aside.

In a medium to large size pot, on medium heat, melt your butter and gradually stir in the flour in bits. Careful not to place too much flour at one time or it will become clumpy. You also don’t want to boil the butter and flour. Once melted and the flour thins, add your milk and half and half. Next add your chicken broth, stir to combine.

Once your chicken is cooled enough to handle (or if you’re impatient and hungry, like I usually am, you can use two forks) and shred the chicken. Place in all of your ingredients except your squash, peas, and spinach. 

To make life easier, I had all steam in bags, so I microwaved my spinach, peas, and squash. Once they’re done place in the pot and stir until incorporated. Careful not to stir too much or your veggies will make the mixture mushy.

Get out your pot pie pan, you can also use a basic square baking dish. Place your dough on the bottom layer, then pour in your filling and place your second layer of dough on top and seal. Take a butter knife and make in four lines to create air pockets. Place in the oven according to package directions of your dough of choice. I like Pillsbury and I also like Whole Foods whole wheat pie crust. After the first 15 minutes take foil and cover up the edges of your pie crust, this prevents it from burning when the rest of the dough isn’t ready to come out yet.

That’s it!! You’re all done and I promise you’ll love the end result! If the chorizo is too spicy for you, I recommend leaving out the chili’s or vice versa. I tend to like the spicier things, so if you’re new to trying spicy foods, I would suggest just starting with the chorizo.

What you’ll need:
1lb boneless skinless chicken breast (or rotisserie chicken if you’re pressed on time)
1 link of chorizo sausage
1/2 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp flour, add more if needed based on sauces consistency (if too thin add more)
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
A dash or so of half and half
1 cup chicken broth
1 square of chopped chili DOROT seasoning (freezer aisle at any natural/whole foods store)
1 tsp each or so (add more to taste) of cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper
Salt & pepper
2 peices of your favorite pie crust or dough

Organic low-fat breakfast sandwiches

I woke up one morning craving a breakfast sandwich and thought… why don’t I make my own healthy version, way better and cheaper than some McDonald’s greasy fattening sandwich! So I went to my local whole foods and bought me some whole wheat english muffin, organic free range eggs, turkey bacon, and organic cheese. This recipe is for 6 sandwiches, there are only 5 in the picture because I ate one and it was lovely!!! I thought it would be nice to write some inspirational quotes on top to give myself a little pep and a smile to start my day! Who knows, one little positive phrase could make your day so much better!

To get started, preheat your oven to 350°. Beat 4 egg whites and 2 whole eggs in a bowl with the spices listed. Don’t freak out about the color of the eggs, the cajun seasoning makes them look a little funky! Grease 6 spaces in the muffin pan with some Pam. Pour evenly in the muffin pan. Next take a baking pan and place the strips of turkey bacon side by side. Place in the oven for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, turn the bacon, then place your eggs to bake for 9 minutes. I ended up putting the bacon on the top rack and putting the oven on high broil for a few minutes to get the bacon extra crispy!

While the eggs and bacon are baking, slice up your muffins.

Next up, get your grill pan or panini press and start to heat it. Assemble your sandwiches. Place as many as you can on the grill and press down on each side to total about 5 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and the cheese is starting to melt.

Once done, set aside and get out your wax paper.

Wrap up your sandwiches with the wax paper. And if you choose to label them or make inspirational sayings, add those now. Place in the freezer.

When you’re ready to eat them, place in the microwave for 2-2:30 minutes or until the middle is warm and the cheese is melted. Pair with some fresh fruit or yogurt and you’ve got yourself a great low fat breakfast! I won’t lie, it felt like I was eating some McDonald’s! Next time I will make some breakfast burritos! I used all organic products, but you can make whatever you prefer to use!

What you’ll need:
6 Organic whole wheat english muffins
4 egg whites and 2 whole eggs, Organic and free range
A few dashes of garlic, onion powder, cajun seasoning, and pepper
A package of Organic Turkey bacon
6 slices of Organic American Cheese
Pam

Healthified Taco Salad

Most people love taco salad. But let me tell you, just because the word “salad” is in the sentence does NOT mean it’s good for you!! I did some research and on average, a taco salad at your local restaurant will cost you almost 1,000 calories!! Not to mention about 57g of fat and almost 2,000g of sodium!!! If you’re familiar with weight watchers, that’s about 23 points! Absolutely disgusting!! Who needs all of that when you can make a healthier, less calorie and fat version at home? And let me tell you, it will taste better than the one you buy at the restaurant! Not to mention it’s super easy to make and you will save money and have left overs!

To get started, preheat your oven to 350°. Take your shells out to make them closer to room temperature. I chose to use Jimmy Dean‘s sausage turkey crumbles as my meat choice. It’s much lower in fat and I think it has more flavor than ground beef. Once it’s preheated, bake the shells as directed, the instructions are very easy to do! 8-10 minutes (i think mine was closer to 12 because I like my shell crispy, but be careful not to burn it!!)

In a skillet, cook your turkey crumbles, no need for any oil or pam with these. Next add your seasonings, you can use taco seasoning or i use my own mix (pretty much the same as taco seasoning) which is cajun, cumin, cayenne, chili, onion, garlic powders, and pepper. Add your salsa, I also added a little queso for some texture and flavor and a little bit of shredded Monterrey jack cheese last until it melts.

Once your shell is cooked let sit for a few minutes (it’s very hot and you don’t want your lettuce to wilt!) Build your salad by adding your lettuce, then turkey mixture, then a dallop of sour cream on top! My picture is a little messy looking because I was very hungry and I built my salad backwards! Lettuce ended up being on top so then I just mixed it all together. Needless to say I need to start working on my presentations more! You can use your favorite type of lettuce, I chose red leaf lettuce because that’s my favorite! It lasts longer and it carries many more nutrients than iceberg.

I did the math and this salad will run you about 340 calories. This is also depending on how much of the toppings you use, the more toppings the more calories. In my opinion, this salad tastes better, fresher, and healthier than the one you would buy at a restaurant. Not to mention the average calories you would save are about 660! Half of the recommended daily calorie allowance, that’s pretty insane! Now you have room for that dessert you always crave or that glass of wine you now have room for

What you’ll need:

• Azteca taco salad shells (you can find these by the butter and cream cheeses in the refrigerated section)
• Jimmy Dean’s sausage turkey crumbles (in a bag) or your choice of meat 1/2-1 cup
• (I don’t ever measure my seasonings so this is an estimate) 1 tsp each of cumin, cayenne, cajun, chili, garlic, and onion powder and pepper to taste
• your favorite salsa, I use Pace
• Newman’s Own salsa con queso 2 tbsps
• Shredded Monterrey jack cheese a small hand full
• Daisy Light sour cream 1tbsp
• As much as you can fit of your favorite kind of salad, I  used red leaf lettuce (packed with vitamins!)

Chicken Tamale Casserole

I was trying to find something different to make for dinner. My husband was stuck at the navy base for a 24 hour watch and I decided to be a lovely little wife and bring him some dinner! I wanted to make something that would be versatile and easy to bring with me in the car and carry. I decided to stick to casseroles and found this amazing recipe on google search. If you like sweet and salty foods, you will love this!

Like most of my meals, this one is pretty easy! Preheat your oven to 400. The longest part is boiling and shredding chicken. Once that is done, mix 1/4 cup of cheese and the next 7 ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Bake in a 13×9 baking dish and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Once baked, take the dish out and poke holes with a fork all around. Then pour your enchilada sauce over top ( the wholes will help the sauce absorb inside). Then sprinkle the shredded chicken on top. After that pour the cheese over top, I also added some queso on top for some extra flavor (and calories and fat, but who’s counting?!)

Place back in the oven for 15 minutes. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Cut int o squares and serve with a dallop of sour cream and tortilla chips (optional).

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
• 1/3 cup fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• Cooking spray
• 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• tortilla chips for a good crunch!

Triple B Chicken Pizza

Warning: Mouth may water while reading this post.

Triple B chicken pizza?? What the heck is that?! Triple B stands for Blackened, Blue, and Buffalo. Ohhh yes, amazing. A few things I love: Pizza, Blue Cheese, and Blackened anything. So I thought, why not put all of these amazing ingredients into one!? I’ve always wanted to try a pizza like this, but my husband isn’t a big buffalo or blue cheese fan (crazy right??) so, like in a previous post, I have been making everything I like that he’s not a big fan of.

I didn’t make the dough homemade, which is something I want to try next time. I bought the dough at Publix and they made it fresh the same day. The dough is absolutely amazing! So fresh and when it was done baking, it had the perfect combination of crispy outside and soft middle. I bought Boar’s Head blue cheese, anything they make tastes great. I blackened the chicken using my grill pan (best invention ever!). Needless to say, I was in heaven when I tasted this pizza! It had the perfect amount of spicy and paired great with a nice cold glass of milk!

To get started, you may have to leave your dough out of the fridge for an hour. Next pre heat your oven according to package directions, mine was 350°. If you have a pizza stone (I highly recommend this if you don’t have one) and place the stone on in the oven while it’s preheating. This will help make that crust that’s crispy on the outside and still soft in the middle.

While the oven is preheating make your blackened seasoning. Mix well and set aside. Before you start cooking the chicken, this may cause a lot of smoke so turn your fan on!! Heat the pan on medium high and place olive oil. Prepare your chicken (cut off any fat and rinse with water) pound the chicken to a flat 1/4-1/2 in thickness. Cover both sides of the chicken, and press down with fingers. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Set aside.

Next, cut your peppers and onion. Set aside. Now take a medium size bowl and pour in your sauce and dressing add some blue cheese crumbles, mix well.  Take your blackened chicken and cut into cubes.

Take your dough ball and place some flour on the surface as well as your rolling pin and hands. Roll dough to desired thickness. Pop any bubbles that may form. Take a large spoon and place the sauce in the middle of the dough, then gently spread outwards leaving some room for crust. Sprinkle your peppers and onions evenly, then sprinkle chicken pieces evenly. Lastly, place your crumbled blue cheese evenly on top. Place in the oven for 18-20 minutes (I ended up having to bake it about 25 minutes, just want to make sure the crust is browned and the bottom is browned but not burnt)

What you’ll need:

Pre made, fresh pizza dough
1-1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken tenderloins
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
For pizza sauce:
1/2 cup Buffalo sauce (I used RedHot)
1/2 cup Blue Cheese Dressing (I used Low fat T Marzetti‘s)
hand full of Blue Cheese crumbles
(You will most likely have extra, but thats ok!)
For blackened seasoning:
Cajun Seasoning
Cayenne Red Pepper seasoning
Ground Cumin
Chili Powder
Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper
(Pour an even amount of each, I used a little more of the cajun, until there’s enough to coat both sides of  the chicken)

Chipotle Chicken Panini

Deep breath… now wipe the drool off your mouth…
and try not to scream in utter excitement when you realize you can have Panera in your home, all from scratch!

Yes… I am serious, and no it’s not difficult!
Panera is seriously an addiction for me. I could eat there everyday and not get sick of it! My favorite sandwich is their Chipotle Chicken Panini. So, naturally I had to try and best them and make my own! And I was very happy with my results!

I’ll tell ya one thing, you will need either a panini maker, or a grill pan. Everything else is easy peasy and most items you will find already stocked in your kitchen! We purchased this amazing grill pan on clearance at Williams Sonoma, it’s Le Creuset brand (aka. very expensive but totally worth the quality!) and worked just as great as a panini maker would.

I started out by making the chipotle mayo. Take your food processor and place mayo (or greek yogurt for a lighter touch), chipotles, adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Process until a mayo consistency results, just a brief moment.

Take your chicken and if you didn’t find cutlets, pound your chicken breasts until they are about 1 inch thick, Take your rub and sprinkle over chicken on both sides and gently rub evenly. Heat your grill pan with some olive oil on medium-high. Wait a few minutes until the grill pan is hot. Take your chicken and grill for about 5-8 minutes on each side.

Take your chicken off the pan, and cut into strips. Cut your bread lengthwise, then cross wise into the size of your desired panini sandwich. Spoon your chipotle mayo on the bread, add your lettuce, then chicken, then cheese. Top with second piece of bread. Drizzle olive oil on the pan and turn the heat down to medium. Place your panini on the pan, take a spatula and press down to flatten the sandwich. Press hard for about 2 minutes, then carefully flip over and repeat for another two minutes on the other side.

Enjoy with a side of chips or apple and you’re practically in Panera!

Next time I will try a take on a Pick Two Soup and Half Sandwich so stay tuned!!

Things you’ll need:
 Chipotle Mayo:
1 cup mayo (or greek yogurt)
2 chipotles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1/2 juice of a lime
1 clove of garlic
pinch of salt & pepper

Panini:
2-4 boneless skinless chicken cutlets (or breasts, pounded with a tenderizer) 
Chipotle or spicy rub
Chipotle Mayo (see above)
Lettuce 
Cheese of your choice (I used Boar’s Head Chipotle Ghouda.. amazing!)
French Bread 
Olive oil for grill pan 

Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetables

Well kids, it’s been a while since my last post, I have a great excuse though and that is that I just got married!!! I did lots of DIY projects and planned the whole thing by myself. I will definitely be posting DIY how to’s in the next week or two so stay tuned!!

Asian food is one of my favorites, and this teriyaki sauce is outstanding! Way better than the bottle you can buy at the store. Once you make this homemade, you will never want to buy a pre-made bottle of teriyaki sauce again!

Start while making your rice, I would use long grain white rice. If you don’t have a rice maker you can use the stove top. Follow the package directions.

To make the sauce, you whisk soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger in a large bowl. I make two separate batches and pour one in a large baggy with the cubed chicken to marinate for a few hours. The other batch you put in the saucepan to warm while the chicken is being fried on the skillet. I found the marinating the chicken prior makes it taste so moist and flavorful verses just using the sauce on top.

After the marinating and the sauce is being warmed on the stove top, start frying the chicken. Take a flat skillet and coat the bottom with either Vegetable or Peanut Oil. Get the pan nice and hot before placing any chicken on it. Take a flat plate or curved plate and pour your flour, salt and pepper and mix well. Take your eggs and beat well, then place on another flat or edged plate.

Dip your chicken in the egg then the flour mixture, (make sure to coat the chicken all over with the flour then pat excess flour off before placing in the skillet); place carefully on the skillet. I like to use tongs for this because the oil will be very hot and you don’t want to get burnt! Believe me, it’s happened to me before!

Take the chicken out once it has a nice brown color to it. Place the cooked chicken on a few paper towels on a plate to the side. Keep dipping the chicken in the egg then flour and placing on the skillet, and aside once cooked. Once all of the chicken is done, oil a small skillet and place your vegetables and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Turn your oven on 450. Place 1/4 cup of your warmed sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Take your chicken and pour into the baking dish, pour the rest of the sauce on top of the chicken evenly. Place in the oven for 5 minutes and after those 5 minutes turn the pan around and leave in the oven for another 5 minutes.

Place in a bowl your rice, vegetables, chicken and then pour the sauce over top. All that’s left is to enjoy with a nice glass of wine or SAKI!

Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Caribbean Rice

I just grilled out for the first time ever and I am so proud of myself!! We had a charcoal grill left at the house we moved into and I have been excited to use it ever since! I have made the Caribbean rice before and it is amazing, it literally tastes like Jamaica, I honestly have never had rice with this much flavor!

I bought pre-marinated Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin, and I highly suggest you buy this brand of rice for your Caribbean rice! I know it says Spanish, but adding the coconut milk and raisins gives it that Caribbean taste!

Get your grill ready by stacking up the charcoal in a pyramid. Leave the grill open while it’s heating up, the more air you have the hotter the charcoal gets and the faster it will be ready! Once all of the charcoals look gray with red embers underneath, flatten the pyramid to a flat level. Take your pork tenderloin and place it in the middle of the grill rack. Close the lid.

While your tenderloin is grilling, start your rice! Combine the coconut milk, chicken broth, raisins, and jerk seasoning, cover and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover and reduce to low, cook for 22-25 minutes (make sure to keep the lid on the whole time!!)

While your rice is cooking, now is a good time to check your pork! I turned mine over after 10 minutes in the grill. It should look dark brown and pretty much amazing! Cook for another 10 minutes.

Back to the rice, after the lid has been on and cooking for 22-25 minutes, stir in the peas, cover and cook another 4-5 minutes or until the peas are heated through. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve!!

Your pork should be ready after grilling for 20-30 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, insert into the thickest part of the pork, the temp should read 145º F.  Take a look at this beauty!

It was perfectly grilled, juicy and tender! The rice was perfect with the teriyaki pork!  I hope you enjoy this dish and picture yourself in the Caribbean!

What you’ll need:
Teriyaki marinated pork tenderloin
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup raisins
1 1/2 tsp jerk seasoning
1 (10 oz) package of yellow rice mix (I suggest the one pictured above!!) 
1 cup frozen sweet green peas

Chicken Bullsh*t

This post is in honor of my uncles wonderful mother who has sadly passed recently. She was a very kind lady and will be missed by many! I received this recipe from my aunt and the only way to describe it is “thanksgiving in a bowl!” RJ and I both thought this was the best way to explain these amazing flavors.

This dish is super easy to make, and cheap! It is also a very quick meal, under 30 minutes! Let’s get started

Prepare the stuffing per box or your homemade version recipe. Mix the soups and the broth until smooth.

Spread half the soup mixture on bottom of a 9×13 glass dish, add the shredded chicken then top with the stuffing. Pour remaining soup mixture over top. Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 and uncover for an additonal 15 minutes.

If you want to add the Panko crumbs on top, the last 15 minutes, mix a cup of panko crumbs and a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper as well. Once mixed, sprinkle evenly over top of the dish and place back in the oven. To get the crusty browned top, but the oven on high broil and turn the dish every few minutes until the panko crumbs are brown.

What you’ll need:
Meat from a rotisserie chicken (I used Lemon Pepper)
One box of stove top stuffiing prepared
One can cream celery (98% fat free)
One can cream of mushroom (98% fat free)
One cup chicken broth (lower sodium)
1/2 cup sour cream (low fat or fat free)

For the panko topping:
1 cup of Panko crumbs
drizzle of olive oil
salt & pepper 

Pesto Sun Dried Tomato & Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

There are some days when you just have absolutely no clue what you want to cook until you get into the grocery store and “wing it”.

Yesterday was my day.

So, needless to say what I thought would be a quick trip turned into over an hour of walking around with a billion different ideas jumping in my head. However, it was   totally worth it! I had decided that I wanted to make chicken, then my eyes fell on some sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese… Lightbulb!! I grabbed some asparagus and red potatoes and voila! Dinner was finally discovered.

As I was getting my plate together, RJ yells from the other room, “This..is..the..best..chicken..ever!!” I am proud to say that it was quite delicious.

To start the roasting process preheat your oven to 425°F. Drizzle a large metal cookie sheet with olive oil. Place your potatoes on the sheet, drizzle over top with more olive oil, then add garlic salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, onion powder, and a little bit of cajun seasoning. (I like my seasonings!) Place them in the oven and after the first 15 minutes you’ll want to stir them around and shake the pan to place all of the potatoes evenly on the pan. Place back in the oven and set your timer for another 15 minutes.

At this time you can get your asparagus ready. Snap the ends of each stem and wash with water. Dry them and drizzle a little olive oil on the same type of pan but smaller if its available for you. Add salt and pepper and stir until evenly mixed. Place on the top rack of the oven.

While the veggies are cooking, take an egg and beat it in a small dish. On another plate, pour a cup of panko crumbs, a handful of shredded pecorino romano cheese and pepper. Mix well. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together sun dried tomatoes, pesto, and goat cheese. Add a tiny bit of pecorino romano (If you don’t like goat cheese, you can use mozzarella or another favorite cheese!)

If the 15 minutes are up, mix your potatoes again and by now they should have some brown on them but not quite enough, but please cook to your liking. Also make sure to mix your asparagus, I like to cook them until they are crispy on the tips. If you like yours a little soft, you may only need to bake them 15-20 minutes.

Take your chicken cutlets and lay them on a flat surface. Place your filling in the middle and roll up the chicken just like my previous post steak involtini. Secure the filling in the chicken with skewers. Dip the outside in the egg, then dab in the panko crumb mixture. Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat, sear each side until golden brown, then place in the oven. They should be cookied within 5-10 minutes. You don’t want to overcook chicken cutlets because they tend to dry easily, but mine turned out perfect and they sauce inside kept the juices locked in!

Trust me, you’re taste buds will be having a party with this meal!! I hope you enjoy

 What you’ll need:
4 chicken cutlets
1 -1 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
handful of shredded pecorino romano
cracked black pepper
1 egg, whisked
1 tbsp pesto (draining olive oil in jar)
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced thinly
crumbled goat cheese with garlic and herbs
1 bunch of asparagus, ends snapped and rinsed
1 lb red potatoes, rinsed, and cubed with skin on
olive oil
salt & pepper
garlic salt, rosemary, thyme, onion powder, cajun seasoning