confusing...

Today was a weird day. I work a weird shift and then laid by the pool for what seemed like 20 minutes but it was really 2.5 hours. Then some unexpected guests came over. Then dinner time came along and I got even more confused and made the wrong thing. But it sure was a delicious mistake that I do not regret at all.

Quesadilla Pie
Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Here's what we need:
-1 lb hamburger
-1 clove garlic
-1/3 packet taco seasoning
-3 tortillas pie
-1 can refried beans
-2 green onions
-1/8 cup cilantro
-1 can green chiles
-1/4 cup pepperjack cheese
-1 roma tomato, diced

Here's what you do:
1. Cook hamburger, garlic, and seasonings until done.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 10 inch pie pan and put one tortilla down. Spread half can of beans on tortilla, layer on meat, and half of cheese.
3. Layer on second tortilla and spread on the other half of the beans. Layer on the veggies and cheese. Add on the top tortilla and spray with cooking spray.
4. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes and put in your mouth.

menu monday.

monday: Mexican Chicken Salad

tuesday: Cilantro Pesto Pasta Salad

wednesday: Quesadilla Pie

thursday: Crab Mango Salad

Bam.

cheesy goodness

We all know I'm easy..Oh, wait, no. We all know I like cooking easy thing. Yup, thats what I meant. We also know that I'm a sucker for cheese filled things. Mmmm. Cheese. That's why this recipe is appropirate for yours truely. Easy. Cheese. What else do you need? Well, besides shopping; but thats another story for another blog.

Chicken Tortellini Skillet
loosely adapted from A Taste of Home
Serves: 3
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Here's what you need:
-2 cups frozen tortellini
-1/2 pound chicken breast, cubed
-1 jar of sketti sauce, I used Sundried Tomato Alfredo
-1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Here's what you do.
1. Add tortellini to boiling, salted water. Cook according to directions.
2. While the pasta action is going on, cook chicken in a large skillet.
3. Drain the tortellini, add to skillet. Add the sauce, sprinkle with cheese. Let cheese melt for 3-4 minutes. Put in your mouth.

soup in the summer perplexes me

Working late will be the end of me, I swear. It's dumb to get off at 10 then come home and make dinner hence why I use my dun dun dun dun... CrockPot. Complaint number 2: Crockpots kind of suck in the summer time. Warm soups and hearty meals are not really ideal here in the 110 degree whether, especially when all I want to do is lay by the pool and eat popsicles. Anyways, since I don't want my kitchen destroyed by hungry boys looking to stuff their faces, I'm still sticking with the CrockPot for dinner. So I guess what I'm really getting at is; can someone invent the reverse CrockPot please? Thanks.

Chile Chicken Chowder
adapted from Pillsbury
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-8 hours

Here's what you need:
-1 1/4 pound cubed, uncooked chicken
-1 1/2 cups frozen hashbrowns
-1 1/2 cups chicken broth
-2 cloves diced garlic
-1 tsp cumin
-1 can cream style corn {I also added about 1/2 cup corn, just cause I can}
-1 can cream of chicken soup
-1 can green chiles
-1/2 cup half and half {I used heavy cream}

Here's what you do:
1. Combine all of the ingredients in your CrockPot; stir.
2. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
3. Stir in half and half, heat through, put in your mouth.

Mycamera cord is lost in the sea of crao that is my house, but this sooup was delishious. No joke. Throw some cheese on top, and eat like there is no tomorrow.

sometimes i get confused...

Hi, my name is Rachel Ray and I make 30 minute meals. That means in the time it takes you to read this blog post.... Oh wait, my life isn't a t.v. show, huh? Hmmm. Oh well...Like I said, our house is a disaster. A disaster with a 2 inch layer of dust over it. Delicious, right?! We literally spent all day Saturday and Sunday working on the concrete. And we STILL. AREN'T. DONE. So cooking doesn't really take president over much else but with this dish, it's easy, peasy, lemon sqeezy.

Chicken and Orzo
adapted from Pillsbury
Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Here's what you need:
-1 tbsp of veggie oil
-1 pound uncooked chicken, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
-1 clove of garlic
-1 3/4 cup of chicken broth
-1 cup of uncooked orzo
-1 can Italian style stewed tomatoes
-1 medium zucchini
-1/4 tsp italian seasoning
-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
-parmesan cheese

Here's what you do:
1. Cook the chicken and garlic in the veggie oil until brown and crispy. About 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the chicken broth and pasta and heat until boiling, reduce to medium heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and zuchini and let cook for another 5-10 minutes.
4. Sprinkle on your parmesan cheese and put in your mouth.

menu monday

This weekend the hubs and I decided to stain our floors.

Waaaaay more work than I was anticipating and things are still covered in dust and we are not done.

Cooking is not really on my priority list seeing as my house looks like a dust storm raged through it but I will push through, mainly because I like to eat.

Monday: Chicken and Orzo, with a twist, and garlic bread

Tuesday: Chile Chicken Chowder

Wednesday: Chicken Tortellini Skillet

Thursday: Black Bean and Corn Salsa Chicken Taco's

something healthy, something not.

We are not big Chinese people and when I say "we" I mean me. Sure, give me Panda Express anyday and I'll have a smile on my face that rivals a four year old with a lolly pop. Other than that, Chinese food and I just really arent friends. However, some ambition took over and I decided eggrolls were the way to go tonight. Besides, they are healthy and healthy and I are trying to make our relationship work. Thats why I served these eggrolls with this easy fried rice recipe. I just added a few frozen veggies to it. Sha-bam!

Chicken Baked Eggrolls
from A Taste of Home

Here's what you need:

{8 Servings}
-2 cups shredded carrots
-1 can brean sprouts, drained
-1/2 cup water chesnuts, diced
-1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
-1/4 cup green onions, diced [I left this out]
-1 clove garlic
-2 cups finely diced, cooked chicken
- 4 tsp cornstarch
-1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- eggroll wrappers

Here's what ya do:
1. Saute the first 6 ingredients for about 3 minutes in about a  tbsp of olive oil. Add the chicken, heat through.
2. In a small bowl, combine the next 6 ingredients. Stir well. Add to the stir fry mixture and mix well. Remove from heat.
3. Lay about an eggroll wrapper and spoon 2 big spoonfuls of the chicken mixture on to the wrapper. Fold the bottom over the mixture tightly, fold the sides in and roll. Place on a greased baking pan seam side down. Repeat until the mixture is gone.

4. Spray the tops of the eggrolls with spray oil and baked at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes until nice and crispy.
5. Put in your mouth. Actually, you may want to wait a few minutes, these suckers get hot!

deliciousness in a taco shell

Taco's are a favorite in out house, no matter the variety. In fact, I'm sure I could pull a Filly-B's and throw some dog meat in there and they would still be a favorite. Of course, I would never cook my dogs, they don't get that annoying. I'm just sayin'. Anyways, where was I? Oh yes, Taco's. We love them.

I love them when they are easy to make because it gives me more time to lay by the pool clean. Yep, that's it.

Salsa Verde Chicken Taco's

Here's what you need:

-A crockpot
-2 Chicken Breasts
-About 1/2 a jar of salsa verde
-A squeeze of lime juice

Plus your favorite taco fixin's. These are ours. Plus refried beans that didn't make it in the picture. You could also add tomatoes, onions, cilantro, ya know, taco stuff.

Here's what you do:

1. Place 2 frozen chicken breasts in your crock pot. Add the salsa. Add the lime.

2. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.

3. Shred and put into taco style setting. Put in your mouth. 

See? Soooo good.  So easy. Can you tell I love avocados? I do.

pasta sauce with an intense name

I know what you're thinking; homegirl is crazy. But I assure you, I am not!... Well in this instance anyways.. This sauce really has no other name. I've tried shortening it and it feel just wrong. Plain ol' wrong. You can't condense it, otherwise, it will be passed over. And no one likes that. Now let me introduce...

Spicy Squashy Sausage Pasta Sauce
{I told you it was crazy}


Here's what you need:

-Olive oil
-2 cloves of garlic, minced
-1 zucchini squash, diced
-1 yellow squash. diced
-2 spicy sausage links, out of the casing
-Spicy marinara sauce
-Pasta, cooked

1. Saute the garlic in the olive oil for about a minute then add the diced squash and sausage. Cook for about 10-15 minutes

2. Add the marinara sauce. Heat.

3. Pour over the pasta, put in your mouth!

See?! Long name, eeeeeeeasy dinner!

Menu Monday, working late edition

I work till 10 twice this week, hence my crockpot = BFF.
You know this, we've discussed this.

Monday: Chicken Pot Pie

Tuesday: Salsa Verde Chicken
Wednesday: Eggrolls and Fried Rice
Thursday: BBQ Chicken Dinner, Crockpot style

Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy.

menu monday

Monday: BBQ Chicken Tenders with mashed taters.

Tuesday: Baked Creamy Chicken Taquito's with Sour Cream Rice

We'll be in California for the rest of the week so no cooking for me!(:

sometimes things make me mad.

For instance, I like that cheap frozen chicken pot pie you can get from the grocery store. Sure the chicken is sick-nasty and I pick it out but it's good none the less. HOWEVER, if you don't want it soggy and completely disgusting instead of just 25%, the damn thing MUST go in the oven for 45-50 minutes. Are you freaking kidding me?! I can make my own in that amount of time with chicken I'll actually eat.

Chicken Pot Pie
adapted from Carrie's Sweet Life

Here's what you need...

1 pie crust
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup of finely diced onion {I hate onions so I used corn and garlic instead}
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/2 cup finely diced celery
2 cups of cooked chicken
1/4 cup flour
2 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
Frozen peas
fresh thyme {I used dried}
salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter in a large skillet and sauté the onions, carrots, and celery. Add the chicken and stir and then sprinkle the flour over the mixture, stirring constantly. Add chicken stock and cream.

Bring to a slow boil and allow mixture to cool and thicken for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and also the thyme.

Add mixture to pie crust and cover with top. Cut some vents at the top and bake for 30 minutes.

This dish was freaking delish. Make it and your life will be complete.

" you make martha stewart look like a bitch"

That is a direct quote from Jeran Brands,one of Drew's friends who is over for dinner often. That comment pretty much completed my life. Okay, not pretty much, it did. But, I digress.

Happy Cinco de Mayo {a day late} aka the best holiday of the year!! Why? Because I can eat chips and salsa for breakfast, lunch and dinner and not look like a complete lunatic...well almost. But really, chips and salsa is a main food group for me, I guess it's a good thing I didn't stick with Nutrition in school...

What I made for dinner however, has nothing to do with salsa, but I only say this loosely because I smother it in salsa anyways.

Cilantro-Lime Chicken Taco's
loosely adapted from For The Love of Cooking

Here's what you need..

2 chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
juice of one lime
2 tbsp fresh cilantro
2 cloves of garlic
Your favorite taco fixin's

Chop up the chicken, cilantro and garlic. Marinate all three in the olive oil for 20-30 minutes.
Add the lime juice and marinate for 10 more minutes.
Cook. Put chicken in taco like setting. Put in your mouth.

Sorry for the whole 'no picture' thing. When food is devoured while you are looking for your camera, it makes that option a little difficult..

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love my crock pot. We are pretty much BFF's. In fact, I love it so much, my bread maker often gets jealous and boycotts my kitchen. But that's another story for another day. Normally on Tuesdays, I'm in class until 7:30 and everyone is already home and digging through closets and cupboards with that crazy look in their eye. You know, the one that a rabbit squirrel has while scrounging through the garbage. That's a true story folks. And the reason why I use my crockpot almost every Tuesday.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
by: Eat at Home Cooks

You'll need:

32 oz chicken broth
2 cans diced tomatoes {I used a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes and a 4 oz can of green chiles}
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
6 oz tomato paste
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups cooked chicken
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp chili powder {I probably used double this, we like it spicccccy]
Corn tortillas
Cheddar Cheese

Mix all of the ingredients except the tortilla and cheese in the crock pot. Cook on high for 4-5 hours. SET IT AND FORGET IT!!! Oh wait, this isn't a cheesy informaercial, huh? Things just got a little awkward didn't they?...

Back to food...for the tortilla strips, slice up the tortillas in strips and fry.

Top the soup with the tortillas and cheese. Put in your mouth.

Disclaimer: This made SOOO much soup. I am freezing half of it for later.

Toasted Ravioli

Let me just say this; Fried + Italian = Awesome. That's why this recipe called to me. That, and I thought about Olive Garden all day, but who doesn't do that, right?! Right!! Anyways, these were so good, I debated on going tot he store and buying more ravioli to make more right then and there. Serious warning: please do not get addicted, I don't want that on my conscious.

by: Jolene's Culinary Adventures

Here's what you need:

-2 tbsp milk
-1 egg
-3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
-1/2 tsp garlic powder
-1/4 tsp dried oregano
-1/4 teaspoon dried basil
-1/4 tsp dried thyme
-salt and pepper
-12 ounces frozen ravioli
-vegetable oil for frying
-1 tbsp parmesan cheese
-Marinara sauce for dipping





Then...
Combine the milk and egg in a small bowl and the breadcrumbs and spices in another shallow bowl.

Put the ravioli in the egg mixture then the bread crumbs.

In a pot, pour the oil in. Heat it up and add the ravioli until it turns brown on both sides.

Let it drain on some paper towels and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Dip in the hot marinara sauce and put in your mouth.

first post and an explanation

Menu Monday

Sha-Bam

Monday: Toasted Ravioli and Marinara Sauce

Tuesday: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Wednesday: Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken with mashed potatoes

Thursday: Chicken Pot Pie

I used to do this on my family blog but then got jealous of all the other bloggers who had their very own blog about food. I wanted to take pictures of my food and post it everyday! (Of course I said this like a 4 year old that wanted a candy bar.) Anyways, let's getting something straight here. I love food. It should have it's own website. So, I remedied that situation right quick.