busy busy

Cooking hasn't really been on my priority list lately. With working 50 hours a week, getting my life license and summer school, I'm lucky if I get 7 hours of sleep at night. Anyways....

So I work at a gas station called QT that sells taquitos buy the boat load, literally; we are close to the lake. So to put it mildly, I won't touch a taquito from there with a 10 foot pole. That's mildly. However, when I saw this recipe, I knew I was making it.

Baked Chicken Taquitos
adapted from: The Girl Who Ate Everything.
serves: 3
prep time: 15 minutes

Here's what you need:
-3oz cream cheese, softened to room temp
-1/4 cup tomatillo salsa
-juice of 1 lime
-1/2 tsp cumin
-1 tsp chili powder
-1/2 tsp garlic powder
-3 tbsp chopped cilantro
-2 chopped green onions
-2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
-1 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
-6 tortillas - fajita size
-cooking spray

Here's what you do:
1. Mix the first 10 ingredients together, thoroughly so there are no lumps.

2. Throw some mixture into that tortilla and stop, drop and roll.
3. Place all 6 taquitos on a baking sheet and spray the tops with oil.
4. Cook at 350 for 10-13 minutes, until toasty. Put in your mouth.

questions

Do you like spending copious amounts of time in your kitchen? Then this recipe isn't for you.
Do you like running around your grocery store looking for wicked weird ingredients? Then this recipe isn't for you.
Do you like feeling lost and like crying while cooking? Then this recipe isn't you.

Do you actually have a life? This recipe is for you.
Do you like easy things? This recipe is for you.
Do you like Italian food? This recipe is for you.

Yes my friends, I have found it. The easiest recipe. Ever. Literally it took me five minutes.

Italian Chicken and Rice Casserole
adapted from: Eat at Home
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4-6

Here's what you need:
-3 large, cooked, shredded chicken breasts
-1 cup uncooked rice, not the minute kind
-1 bell pepper, diced
-16oz chicken broth
-1 can cream of celery soup
-1/2tsp basil
-1/2tsp Italian seasoning
-1tsp cayenne pepper
-black pepper to taste
-2 cups mozzarella cheese

Here's what you do.
1. Spread the cooked chicken on the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish
2. Sprinkle the rice and bell pepper over the chicken.
3. Mix together the next 6 ingredients in a bowl. Pour over the chicken mixture.
4. Sprinkle the top with cheese.
5. Bake for 1 hour. Put in your mouth.

Look at that golden, cheesy goodness! Mmmm...so good!

i failed kindergarten...

Ahhhhh...Summer time. Can't get enough of it or melding. It really is quite great. Or ranch. Anything smothered in ranch is truly ideal. Right? Right! Ranch is unhealthy you say? Well the veggies I'm eating it with aren't, so hush your face. Also, can we just talk about how I can't follow the directions very well?! Ya, I suck at it, elementary school was the worst, I would always get in trouble for not following directions because um, hellooo, my way is better!!! Anyways, f you look at the original recipe, you'll see why.

Summer Tortellini Ravioli Salad
from: My Sister's Cafe
Served: 3-4
Prep Time: 10 minutes

-1 package of frozen ravioli/tortellini {I used the lobster stuffed kind, soooooo goood!!}
-1 carrot
-1 stalk of celery
-1 medium zucchini
-1 bell pepper
-1 roma tomato
-1 clove garlic
-4 tsp of dried parsley
-1/2 cup ranch dressing
-1 large shredded, cooked chicken breast

1. Cook frozen pasta according to directions.
2. Chop up all veggies.
3. Combine everything together. Stir well.
4. Let meld for 3-4 hours. Put in your mouth.

sometimes i swear i'm a genius.

Remember my plea for a reverse crockpot?! Well, I found one... Sort of. Let me introduce to you; The Refrigerator. Yes, that's right, that big thing right in the middle of the kitchen that is cold! No, I am not joking. Of course, you may be wondering how such a thing works. Let me introduce to you salads that must "meld" before being eaten. It is awesomeness. And solves all the problems in the world.

Cilantro Pesto Pasta
by: Summer Recipes
Serves: 6-8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Meld Time: 4+ hours

Here's what you need:

-1 lb small pasta - I used penne
-1/2 cup olive oil
-1 cuo cilantro
-2 cloves garlic
-1 tsp oregano [i used italian seasoning]
-1/4 cup pine nuts [i omitted]
-1/2 cup black olives, roughly chopped
-salt and pepper
optional items that I threw in
-1/2 lb chicken breast, cooked
-a few sprinkles of parmesan cheese

Here's what you do:
1. In a food processor/blender, puree the olive oil, cilantro, garlic and oregano.
2. Cook pasta according to box.
3. Mix 1 and 2 thoroughly.
4. Add the pine nuts, olives, chicken, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Let MELD in the fridge for 4+ hours. Stir again, put in your mouth.

Here's the thing about this; that one cup of cilantro made about 3 tablespoons of pesto, if that. You are going to want to possibly double that part of the recipe, especially if you add some chicken.

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.

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.

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.