Lettuce Wraps

These come together quickly and taste amazing!

Lettuce Wraps

Menu Managed Original
 
1 ½ - 2 lbs. chicken (preferably dark meat)

½ head iceberg lettuce

1 c. diced red pepper
1 c. diced red onion
1 c. diced baby carrots
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 inch ginger root, diced
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
Cube chicken into ¼” pieces, add to skillet, and season with salt and pepper.
Add vegetables, ginger and onion, and sauté until just tender.
Add soy sauce and heat through.

Cut head of lettuce in fourths and serve.

Pork with Tomato and Spinach Orzo

This was the first recipe I ever made with orzo.

I pretty much love any meal that can be made year round; (this particular photo was taken when I used frozen spinach).

This comes together quickly, has some great flavor combinations, but is also what I consider a 'light' meal.

Pork with Tomato and Spinach Orzo

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

1 lb. pork chops

salt and pepper

olive oil

1 1/4 c. orzo (uncooked)

1/4 c. frozen spinach, drained and chopped

3 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried marjoram

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

Season pork with salt and pepper.

Cook in hot oil until done.

Remove from pan, and tent with foil.

Meanwhile, cook orzo in boiling water for 7 minutes; drain.

Add pasta, spinach, tomatoes, basil and marjoram to skillet that pork was cooked in.

Be sure and scrape up all brown bits from the bottom of the pan, adding more olive oil if necessary to reach desired consistency.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve orzo with pork on top, or cube pork and stir it all together.

No-Bake Chocolate Cookies

One of the easiest and best tasting cookies ever!

(At least if you are a peanut butter lover like me!)

No-Bake Chocolate Cookies

2 c. sugar

1/4 c. cocoa

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. milk

3/4 c. peanut butter

2 Tbsp. butter

2 1/2 - 3 c. oats

Combine sugar, cocoa, salt and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat, and add peanut butter and butter.

Once melted, stir in oats.

Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper and let cool completely. 

Garlic Bead Seasoning

Garlic Bread Seasoning

Recipe from Our Best Bites

1/2 c. powdered Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. marjoram
2 tsp. parsley
Combine ingredients in a jar (preferably one with a sprinkle top) and shake until well combined.

Sprinkle on top of breadsticks or combine 1 1/2 Tbsp. seasoning with 1/2 c. of softened real butter and spread on a loaf of French bread.

Or use to season mashed potatoes!

German Chocolate Cake (Frosting)

German Chocolate Cake Frosting

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. butter

1 c. coconut

1 egg

1/4 c. evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. chopped nuts

Bring sugar, coconut, evaporated milk butter and egg to a boil, stirring constantly.

Cook slowly for 3-4 minutes.

Add vanila and nuts.

Spread on warm German chocolate cake.

Butternut Squash Risotto

We grew butternut squash this year.  I have become quiet attached.  This particular recipe is fabulous!

We served this along pan fried chicken breasts and steamed veggies.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Recipe and Photo from Cheap Healthy Good

 

1 small butternut squash (about 1/2 pound whole)
dried sage

Salt and pepper to taste
4 c. chicken broth
1/2 medium onion, diced small

1 1/2 Tbsp. butter

1 c. Arborio rice
1/4 c. parmesan

Peel squash and dice into 1/4" cubes.

Combine squash, 1 tsp. sage, 1 cup stock, and a little salt in a saucepan.

Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender (but not too soft) about 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove squash with a slotted spoon (leave liquid in pot) and tent to keep warm.

 

Add remaining broth to the pot, and bring to a simmer.

In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. of butter over medium until melted.

Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Turn heat to low, add rice and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, until rice has turned slightly translucent.

 

Turn the heat back up to medium, and add 1/2 c. of the simmering broth.

Simmer the rice, stirring occasionally, until stock is absorbed.

Add another 1/2-to-3/4 cup warm broth, and stir occasionally until new stock is absorbed.

Repeat the process until all the broth has been absorbed by the rice, and rice is tender (you may not need all of it).

This should take about 20-25 minutes.
 

When rice is mostly tender, add cooked squash, parmesan, and the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. of butter.

Cook 3 to 5 minutes, until dairy is melted and squash is heated through.

Salt, pepper and sage to taste.

Serve immediately.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Pizza Dough (my recipes are here and here)

1 chicken breast, marinated in BBQ sauce

2 c. mozzarella cheese

1/2 can tomato sauce

1/4c. BBQ sauce

1/2 red onion, sliced thin

cilantro

Grill marinated chicken breast and cut up into bite sized pieces.

Roll out pizza crust.

Combine tomato sauce and BBQ sauce and spread over pizza.

Top sauce with 1 c. of cheese.

Spread chicken and onion slices over pizza and top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.

Top with cilantro leaves.

Cinnamon Raisin Rice Pudding

My mom would make rice pudding all the time for us growing up,

only... we had it for dinner.

It wasn't until after I got married that my husband informed me that it was a dessert.

Cinnamon Raisin Rice Pudding

2 c. water

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. rice

1 c. milk

1 egg

1/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 c. raisins

Put salt and water in a pan and bring to a boil.

Add rice.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Whisk egg and combine with milk.

Add to rice.

Continue to cook on low until sauce becomes thick, about 5 minutes.

Stir in sugar, cinnamon and raisins.

Chicken and Bacon Fried Rice

Chicken and Bacon Fried Rice

Recipe modified from Marta Webster

8-9 eggs, scrambled

1 1/2 c. rice

1 lb. bacon

2 small chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

2 carrots, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

3/4 c. frozen peas

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. grated ginger root

soy sauce

salt and pepper

Start cooking rice and scramble eggs.

Meanwhile, cut bacon into thin strips and cook until crisp.

Remove bacon with slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

Add garlic, ginger, carrots and onion to bacon grease (you may need to take some out) and fry for a few minutes.

Add cooked rice and cubed chicken to vegetables and fry until crisp.

Stir in peas and eggs.

Add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

Pepper Crusted Acorn Squash

Pepper Crusted Acorn Squash

Recipe from Mary Engelbreit's 'Tis the Season Holiday Cookbook'

1 large acorn squash

1/4 stick butter, melted

kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper (coarse ground)

Cut each squash lengthwise in half.

Scrape out the pulp, then cut crosswise into 1/2" slices.

Arrange slices in a single layer in a buttered baking dish.

Brush with half of the melted butter.

Sprinkle generously with salt and then with half of the pepper.

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, then turn and brush with remaining melted butter.

Sprinkle again with salt and remaining pepper.

Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until squash is tender.

Beef and Spinach (or Broccoli) Lo Mein

I made this with spinach the first time, but my spinach-hating husband really prefers it with broccoli.  It is great either way!

Beef and Spinach Lo Mein

Recipe from Taste of Home

1/4 c. hoisin sauce

2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. water
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. beef top round steak, thinly sliced
6 oz. uncooked spaghetti
4 tsp. canola oil, divided
10 oz. fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. sliced green onions
1 red chili pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (I used jalapeno)

In a small bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, water, sesame oil, garlic and pepper flakes.
Pour 1/4 cup into a large resealable plastic bag; add beef.
Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Set remaining marinade aside.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet or wok, stir-fry beef in 3 teaspoons canola oil in batches for 1-2 minutes or until no longer pink.
Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Drain spaghetti and set aside.
In the skillet or wok, stir-fry onions in remaining oil until tender.
Stir in the spinach, spaghetti and reserved marinade.
Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted.

Return beef to the pan; heat through.
Garnish with chili pepper.
Yield: 5 servings.

Malibu Chicken

This is SO SO GOOD.

And it's pretty easy to make, too!

Malibu Chicken
Menu Managed Original

4 small chicken breasts
4 thick slices of ham (or multiple deli slices)
4 slices swiss cheese
salt and pepper
thyme or rosemary
1 egg
1 Tbsp. water
1 c. cornflake crumbs

Combine egg and water to make an egg wash.
Season chicken with salt and pepper, and thyme or rosemary.
One at a time, dip chicken breasts in egg wash and then coat in cornflake crumbs.

Place chicken on a cookie rack on top of a cookie sheet.
Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, or until done.

Meanwhile, fry ham in a skillet over medium heat until carmelized on both sides.
Once chicken is done, top each piece with a slice of ham.
Put cheese on top and place under broiler until melted.