Desi's Bacon Chicken Pasta

My friend Desi made this pasta for me one night when Jim was out of town.  It was SOOOO yummy and I craved it for weeks after  eating it.  So, I finally put it on my meal plan and bought the ingredients.  I made it on a night that I had to be somewhere when Jim got home so I wasn't around when Jim ate.  When I returned Jim told me how good it was.  He said when he went to dish some up he thought it looked like a normal pasta and chicken dish, then he tasted it and thought to himself "This is really good, what is that flavor?"  Then the lightbulb when one, "Bacon!"  He was so happy that he sent me a text message telling me how good it was!  Ha ha.  This dish is definitely an indulgence with lots of naughty ingredients, but it is very much worth it!

Desi's original post is on her awesome cooking blog Oh So Delicioso and can be found here.  

16 oz farfalle pasta (bow-tie)

4 chicken breasts

1 12 oz bottle of Lawry's Mesquite marinade with lime juice

3/4 cup butter

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 TBSP ground black pepper

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (not the powdery stuff)

1 LB bacon (previously cooked and crumbled) **must be real bacon, not "bacon bits" or "real bacon"

(Optional)

1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes 

1 cup peas

1. In crock pot cook chicken in marinade on low for 6 hours.  Remove from marinade and cut into bite sized pieces.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and return to pot

3. In a small saucepan melt butter.  Add garlic, pepper, cream, cheese, and bacon.  Whisk for 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in chicken and pour mixture over cooked pasta.  Stir to coat.  Top with a sprinkle of extra cheese.

Corn Dog Muffins

(I snagged this picture from google since I didn't take a picture of mine)

These are such a hit with the kiddos! There are several recipes swarming the internet but it's pretty basic. It is what it looks like. Cornbread with hotdogs in the middle.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter (or 1/4 cup butter + 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8-10 all-beef hot dogs, cut into 1″ bites

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine butter and sugar in a bowl, and whisk to combine. Add eggs and whisk to incorporate. Add buttermilk and whisk to incorporate.
2. In a separate bowl, combine baking soda, cornmeal, flour, and salt, and stir to combine. Whisk into wet ingredients in two batches.
3. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray or use liners, and spoon 1 Tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup. Place one hot dog bite into the middle of each cup.
4. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until cornbread is golden brown. Cool in mini muffin tin for 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, and re-heat for 20-30 seconds before serving.

OR...

You can do what I do and use a box of Cornbread mix. Yes, I cheat. The box usually only needs water added and then follow the rest of the directions and it's pretty simple. Takes about 5 minutes. We also like to use the beef franks with cheese in the middle. And my husband and I like the spicy jalapeno hot dogs in the middle. Delicious for the whole family!!

Apple Juice Brined Turkey

• 2 quarts apple juice
• 1 gallon cold water
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 5 pounds ice cubes

1. Line a cooler with a large food safe bag. Combine the apple juice, water, and salt in the bag; stir until the salt is dissolved; add the garlic.
2. To use: Lie your turkey into the brine with the breast-side down; add more water to submerge turkey completely if needed. Pour the ice over the turkey. Seal the bag and close the cooler; allow to sit overnight.

Crock Pot Hawaiian Chicken

Recipe source here.

4-6 Boneless Chicken Breasts (mine were still frozen)

1 Bottle Archer Farms Hawaiian Style Barbecue Sauce (from Target)

1 20 oz. can Pineapple Chunks, drained

Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray for an easy clean-up. Place frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot and cover with sauce.  Empty can of drained pineapple chunks on top.  Cook on High for 2-3 hours or Low for 4-6 hours.  Shred chicken with two forks while still in the crock pot so the chicken will be well coated with sauce.  Serve over rice and top with tomatoes, olives, etc...

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Source: adapted slightly from Skinny Taste
1 Roll = 224 calories and 6 WW Points Plus (adjust if you add chicken)

9 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
1 (15 ounce) container fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
salt and fresh pepper
(optional) 1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
32 oz tomato sauce (I used spaghetti sauce)
9 Tablespoons part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°. Make sure you drain the spinach well. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, Italian seasonings, chicken, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry by patting them with a paper towel. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over a noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 Tablespoon of mozzarella cheese. Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.
To serve, ladle a little sauce on the plate and top with lasagna roll.

Penne With Chicken

I made this for the first time this week and my husband loved it! He said it was probably his new favorite dish.

3/4 pound boneless chicken breast

1 1/2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 c. green onions chopped

3 garlic cloves crushed

28 oz. Italian Tomatoes with juice

12 fresh basil leaves - chopped

1/2 can olives sliced

1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes crushed

10 oz penne or other tube pasta

3 oz mozzarella cheese diced

1 Tbs fresh parsley chopped

1/2 cup fresh parmesan grated

Chop up the chicken in bite size pieces and cook in a frying pan with the oil. Add the onion and garlic until softened. Add hot pepper flakes and tomatoes and juice and olives. Cook about 30 minutes over medium heat until sauce thickens. Add basil and parsley. Combine the noodles, sauce, and cheeses. Then serve.

Greek Chicken Kabobs

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup KRAFT Greek Vinaigrette Dressing

2 Tbsp.  ATHENOS Greek Strained Nonfat Yogurt

1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1   red onion, cut into thin wedges

1 lemon, halved

 

MIX dressing and yogurt in medium bowl Add chicken; stir to evenly coat. Refrigerate 20 min. to marinate (or longer for more flavor to soak into the meat). 
 
HEAT grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Thread chicken and onions alternately onto skewers. 
 
GRILL 8 to 10 min. or until chicken is done, turning occasionally. Meanwhile, place lemon, cut-sides down, on grill grate next to kabobs; grill until heated through. 
 
PLACE kabobs on plate. Squeeze lemon halves over kabobs.  

BBQ Quesadillas

1/3 C black beans
1 cup diced cooked chicken
1/3 C corn
2/3 C diced tomato
3 Tbs sliced green onion
1 1/2 C shredded cheese (any type or combo you like)
1/4 C bbq sauce
6 small tortillas (fajita size, about 6″)

Combine ingredients in tortilla and place in a hot skillet until browned and cheese is melted.

Creamy Alfredo Sauce

I have been a the lookout for a really good alfredo sauce recipe because I don't really think any of the store varities are that good.  I found this one and have been going back to it time & time again.  It's much less fattening than most other recipes I found but still has a yummy, rich flavor.  We love it best served over penne pasta with tomatoes and grilled chicken.  Enjoy!

 

Ingredients: 

3 TBSP butter

1 1/2 -2 TBSP flour

2 cups whole milk

Half a block of cream cheese {cut into chunks. Low-fat varieties work just as well!}

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese *(I generally add a tad bit more until I get the consistency I like)

1 teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste)

salt & pepper to taste

 

Directions:
Melt butter in a saucepan on medium-low heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour. Gradually add milk, whisking to combine as you go. I generally add it about 1/2 cup at a time, whisk, then wait for the milk to heat up and thicken a bit before adding more.

Once all the milk has been added and it's hot {do not boil!} add the cream cheese. Whisk to combine. Heat the sauce back up before adding the Parmesan cheese. Simmer this until all is melted, and mixed well. Add salt, garlic powder and pepper to taste. Serve over noodles, with chicken, in a pizza, or however you like it!

Hot Wings

We absolutely love these. This recipe is similar to Wingers wings.

1 bottle Franks Red Hot Sauce

1 Cup Brown Sugar (Use more or less depending on how sweet you like it)

8 Chicken Legs (I use chicken legs instead of wings because you get more meat on them and they are easier to eat)

In a large saucepan put chicken legs in with about 1 cup of water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. In bowl, combine hot sauce and brown sugar. Pour over the chicken. Rotate chicken every once in a while. Cook for about 30 more minutes or until chicken is done. Sauce will thicken.

Tastes great with a macaroni salad. Mmmm. Now I want to go make some!

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

I got this recipe from Skinny Taste and it turned out really good! My only addition was the red pepper flakes, which you could omit if you don't like spicy food.

1 tsp oil
4 scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 oz light coconut milk
2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add scallion whites and red curry paste and sauté one minute. Add shrimp and garlic, season with salt and cookabout 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk, fish sauceand mix well. Simmer about 2-3 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through. Remove from heat, mix in scallion greens, red pepper and cilantro. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Spicy Asian Glazed Chicken

This dish is a simple *Spicy* one. Goes great with steamed rice or veggies.

8 medium chicken tenderloins
Pam spray oil
1 cup water
1 tbsp hot sauce (more or less to taste)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tsp or sugar
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 tsp sesame seeds

In a heavy large saucepan, brown chicken on high for 3-4 minutes with a little spray oil. Add water, balsamic, soy sauce, agave, garlic, ginger, hot sauce and cook on high until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and bring heat to high, allowing sauce to reduce down, about 8 minutes until it becomes a thick glaze, turning chicken occasionally. (Keep an eye on glaze, you don't want it to burn when it start becoming thick) Transfer chicken to a platter and pour glaze on top. Top with sesame seeds and serve.

Beef & Cheese Enchiladas

This is really a non-recipe recipe. Simple ingredients, simple preparation - and great results!

This is so easy that I wouldn't even call in a recipe...but it is go-to in our house for those busy days when you want a warm comforting meal.

Ingredients

1 LB Lean Ground Beef

2 15oz cans tomato sauce

1 envelope enchilada seasoning

2 cups montery jack cheese, grated

6-8 flour tortillas

Directions

1. Brown beef, drain fat. Add tomato sauce and seasoning - cook until warm and thickened.

2. Spray a cake pan with non-stik spray.

3. With a slotted spoon add beef from tomato mixture (About 4 TBPS) to tortillas, topping with cheese. Roll up and place in pan. Continue until beef is gone from mixture and pan is filled. Top with remaining tomato mixture and cheese.

4. Bake is a 375 degree over for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Dr. Pepper Meatballs

Yes, you read that right.  DR. PEPPER meatballs!  I was browsing allrecipes.com and ran across it and it surprisingly got great reviews so I gave it a try (being the Dr. Pepper addict that I am) and surprisingly, it was SOOOO good!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups dry bread crumbs
• 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, minced
•  
• 1 (12 fl oz) can Dr. Pepper®
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Place the turkey, egg, bread crumbs, ranch dressing mix, and 1 tablespoon of the Worcestershire sauce into a mixing bowl along with 3 tablespoons of the minced onion, and 3 tablespoons of the minced bell pepper. Set the remaining onion and bell pepper aside. Form the turkey mixture into 2 inch meatballs, and place into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. While the meatballs are baking, stir the remaining onion and bell pepper in a bowl along with the Dr. Pepper®, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, diced tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Once the meatballs have cooked for 15 minutes, remove them from the oven and pour the sauce overtop. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and return to the oven.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven and allow to stand 15 minutes before serving.

Oven Roasted Pesto Shrimp Skewers

Oh wow, these are delicious as an appetizer, or an entree! They are quick, simple, and easy to make and the results are so tasty!

Ingredients
1 package frozen uncooked peeled and deveined medium shrimp - about 60 total.
1 container prepared pesto
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Wooden Skewers

Directions
1. Position oven rack in the upper third of the oven and pre-heat to 400 degrees. Soak skewers in water for 10 minutes.
2. In a bowl combine shrimp and pesto. Thread 2 shrimp onto each skewer.
3. Arrange the skewers in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Sprinkle with red pepper. Roast the shrimp until opaque - about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to serving platter.

Chicken Cacciatore

Yet another recipe from the Our Best Bites website & again, another winner.  I think this might now be my most favorite pasta dish ever!

Chicken Cacciatore

1 lb. chicken breasts or chicken breasts and thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 c. white flour

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. olive oil

1 onion, roughly chopped

5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and either crushed or halved

1 6-oz. can tomato paste

1 c. white wine (you can also use apple or white grape juice mixed with 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar)

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. marjoram

1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using cooking wine; you may shrivel up and die if you add the salt in addition to cooking wine because cooking wine is treated with salt to make it undrinkable)

1 bay leaf

1 c. sliced mushrooms (or more if you love them. Mushrooms are divine in this dish!)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and garlic and stir frequently until onions are tender and garlic is fragrant. Remove with a slotted spoon (this is why you need to keep the onion and garlic pieces big), shake off excess oil (you don't have to go crazy here, a little olive oil never killed anyone!), and transfer to your blender. Increase heat to medium-high.

In a large Ziploc bag, combine flour, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. black pepper. Add chicken pieces, seal bag, and shake to coat pieces with flour. Dump the entire bag into the hot pan and stir quickly to prevent pieces from sticking together. Saute until chicken is golden. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Turn off the heat under the oil, lest you start a grease fire. I am NOT speaking from ANY kind of firsthand experience here... ;)

While chicken is draining, add wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, thyme, and marjoram to the onions and garlic in the blender. Blend until smooth. Place chicken and bay leaf in your slow cooker and then pour the sauce over the chicken. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 3.5-4 hours. When you have about 1/2 hour to go, add the mushrooms and the chopped green pepper. Cook until mushrooms and pepper are tender. Remove bay leaf and serve over pasta.

Vegetarian Enchilada Bake

This time of the year, I always seem to have so much zucchini that I don't know what to do with it. I don't really like it fried, but I found this recipe and it became a big hit in our house.

2 c. shredded zucchini
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp. Olive oil
1 1/2 c. frozen corn
1 1/2 c. black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 c salsa
4 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro
8 corn tortillas
1 c. shredded cheese
Sour cream, optional

In a large skillet, saute the zucchini and garlic in oil. Add the corn, beans, salt and cumin; saute 2-3 minutes longer. Stir in salsa and cilantro.
Place 1 layer of tortillas on the bottom of an 8X8 in pan, coated with cooking spray. Spread with part of the vegetable mix. Sprinkle with cheese. Continue layering until mix is gone.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream if desired.

Chicken & Pasta with Peanut Sauce

This is sooooo good! As a bonus it is terribly easy! The only thing you have to cook is the pasta! This has been a long time favorite at our house!

Ingredients

6 ounces dried fettuccine or linguine

1 cups snow peas

1 cup cooked chicken strips (I like to use part of a roitisserrie chicken)

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh pineapple or one 8-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained

1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Place the snow peas and chicken in a large colander. Pour hot cooking liquid from pasta over pea pods and chicken in colander; drain well. Return pasta, pea pods, and chicken to the hot pan. Add pineapple.

2. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan stir chicken broth into peanut butter. Heat and stir with a whisk until peanut butter melts. Stir in soy sauce, lime juice, red pepper, and garlic; heat through.

3. Add sauce to the pasta mixture. Gently stir to coat pasta with sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken and Noodles

This is one of those homey, creamy, feel-good dishes.

Ingredients

4 chicken breast tenderloins

2-1/4 cups water

14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed (optional)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup sliced carrot

1/2 cup diced onions

1 cup diced celery

10 oz dried wide noodles

1 cup milk

1 cup loose-pack frozen peas

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large pot, combine chicken, the water, broth, bay leaf, dried thyme (if using), salt, and pepper. Add carrot and celery. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Discard bay leaf.

2. Remove chicken from pot; cool slightly. Chop or shred chicken; set aside.

3. Return vegetable mixture to boiling. Add noodles; cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the milk and the peas.

4. In a screw-top jar, combine remaining 1/2 cup milk and flour. Cover and shake until smooth. Stir into the noodle mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken and fresh thyme (if using). Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through.

Makes 6 servings.

Crockpot Chicken & Gravy Over Rice

I always ask my mom to make this when I visit...it reminds me of home - simple, yummy, and comforting.

4 chicken breasts

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 envelopes of chicken gravy mix

hot steamed rice

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Before serving break the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. Serve over hot steamed rice.