Baked Turkey Tetrazzini

It's that time of year again...The wonderful time of year that we all slave over our holiday turkeys for hours and, if you're anything like me, you always end up with more leftover turkey than you know what to do with! I know there are plenty of recipes out there for leftovers but this recipe is one of my all-time favorites. (Is it wrong that I look forward to making this with the leftovers a little more than I look forward to the original turkey feast itself?) So if you're tired of cold turkey sandwiches, then look no further! I'm certain this will be one of your new favorites, too! Enjoy!

Baked Turkey Tetrazzini



What You'll Need: 

1/2 lb spaghetti
2 Tablespoons butter
8 oz package of baby portabello mushrooms
2 1/2 teaspoons Garlic & Herb Seasoning
12 oz jar Alfredo sauce
1/4 cup dry white wine or cooking sherry
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded*
2 cups leftover cooked turkey
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese*
4 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled

*Cook's tip: I've started using block cheese and shredding it myself. One, it's more cost effective and two, the cheese melts and works better in the recipes. Why? Because bagged/pre-shredded cheese has cellulose added to it to prevent clumping/caking. What's cellulose? Oh, just superfine wood pulp. So if you'd rather not eat sawdust and have more cooperative cheese, you should try buying blocks yourself. You won't be disappointed.

Mahi Mahi with Mushrooms

This is a fantastic recipe that I use for Mahi Mahi, but you could easily substitute any mild-flavor white fish. The marinade tastes phenomenal and the mushrooms are good enough to be a meal on their own! I like to serve this with a side of wild rice or couscous. It's especially tasty if you mix the mushrooms in with the starch. (I meant to get this posted prior to the start of Lent but at least it's going up before the end.) Enjoy!

Mahi Mahi with Mushrooms

What You'll Need:

• 1 lb of Mahi Mahi
  (I remove the skin - personal preference.)
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 - 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
• 1 Small Sweet Onion, finely minced
• 3 - 4 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
• 1/2 - 1 Tbsp Three Onion Rub
  (You may substitute onion powder.)
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 8 oz Sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms, washed

Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sliders

I love anything made with Buffalo Sauce and I love cooking with my slow cooker. So obviously, this is one of the tastiest super-easy recipes I have ever made. How easy? Three ingredients placed in the Crock Pot and then shredded and put on some rolls. Done. I made these for a Super Bowl party we hosted and they were all gobbled up so fast! Now it's an easy weeknight dinner or go-to party food. Enjoy!

Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sliders

What You'll Need:

• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless
  chicken breasts or thighs
• 12 oz Bottle of Buffalo Sauce
  (I used Frank's)
• 1 Packet Dry Ranch Seasoning
• 1 - 2 dozen dinner rolls
   (I used King's Hawaiian)
  
  
  

Easy Cheesy Beef & Bean Burritos

My 16 year old sister in law came to visit us last month. Day-to-day life with two toddlers isn't exactly entertaining, so I told her that while she was here I could teach her how to cook some basic, easy dishes. We were brainstorming some ideas of easy dinners and I asked if she liked tacos, to which she replied that she preferred burritos. I looked at a few recipes online and decided on what ingredients we should get. That night we created some pretty delicious burritos! They were basic enough that she could make them all by herself and they were tasty enough that they received rave reviews from the man of the house. Added bonus is that not only are they just as good leftover, they're a perfect hand-held dinner for my husband to take to work. Enjoy!

Easy Cheesy Beef & Bean Burritos

What You'll Need:

• 1 - 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
  (approx 1 cup)
• 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
• 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 1 can Enchilada Sauce
  (7-10 oz)
  (Choose your preferred "heat".)
• 1 can Refried Beans
  (12-16 oz)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
  (I used a 4 cheese Mexican Blend)
• 10 Small Flour Tortillas 
• 1/2-3/4 cup shredded cheese

Slow Cooked Baby Back Ribs

This is by far one of my favorite summertime recipes. Everyone that tries them loves these ribs! The meat is so tender that it falls off the bone and melts in your mouth! I've been making them this way for years and the recipe has been requested by many, so I am finally getting it on the blog. Enjoy!

Slow Cooked Baby Back Ribs

What You'll Need:

• 2 racks of Baby Back Ribs
• Dry Rub 
• 1 medium sweet Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
• Aluminum Foil
• Your Favorite BBQ Sauce

Pulled Pork Crescents

When I make pulled pork, there is always plenty of leftovers. While eating leftover sandwiches is delicious, we almost always get tired of it before the BBQ is anywhere near gone. I really hate to see perfectly good food get thrown out. My sister had seen a commercial for Pillsbury BBQ Chicken Crescents and suggested I try using the leftovers in that recipe. I've made this nearly every time I've made my Slow Cooker Pulled Pork. It's easy, only requires a handful of ingredients and it's yummy! Enjoy!

Pulled Pork Crescents

What You'll Need:

• 1 - 1 1/2 cups Pulled Pork BBQ
• 1 can (8 count) Crescent Rolls
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 egg, beaten

Chicken Rigatoni in a Creamy Tomato Sauce

The other day I was trapped under a sleeping baby while my older son was watching Curious George. After Curious George ended, a cooking show came on. I'm always looking for inspiration so I decided to watch it. The woman went on to make a delicious rigatoni dish with chicken, herbs, tomatoes, cheeses and heavy cream. I thought it sounded amazing but I wanted to try to make it just a little bit healthier. So I decided to substitute Greek yogurt for the heavy cream and I was thrilled with the "skinny" results. Enjoy!

Chicken Rigatoni in a Creamy Tomato Sauce 


What You'll Need:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs,
  cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon of Rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon of Savory
• 2 Bay Leaves
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 - 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I used the Fire-Roasted Garlic because I love the flavor.)
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek Yogurt 
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
• Rigatoni pasta, cooked to package directions

Easy Cheesy Tuna Casserole

I figured this was a good recipe to share for all my friends that are observing Lent. This is such an easy recipe and it's so good! This is one of those dishes that I usually have all the ingredients on hand, so it's always an option. My whole family loves it. Enjoy!

Easy Cheesy Tuna Casserole

What You'll Need: 

•   2 cups uncooked macaroni or similar pasta
• 2 cans of tuna, drained
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded cheddar or colby-jack cheese
  OR 8 slices American cheese
• 1 cup French's fried onions

Salsa Chicken Chili

The last time we had Salsa Chicken, my husband ate some of the leftovers with some corn chips. He said the only thing it was missing was some beans. So we decided to use the slow cooker Salsa Chicken recipe as a base to make a white chili. Honestly, all I did different was add a couple cans of beans. The result was just as good as we imagined. Enjoy!

Salsa Chicken Chili

What You'll Need:

• 1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 packet of Taco Seasoning
• 12 oz of your favorite Salsa
• 2 - 15.5 oz cans Cannellini Beans, drained
  (White Kidney Beans)
  

Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki

I had bought some chicken thighs at the store and didn't have a plan for them. I was trying to come up with an idea of what to make when I realized that I had everything I needed to make some chicken teriyaki. Why not make it even easier on myself and throw it in the Crock Pot? We were very pleased with how well it turned out! The whole family loved it. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki

What You'll Need:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 - 6 oz cans pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  (not pictured...oops!)
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup diced green onions
  (for optional garnish)

Oven Baked Chicken Chimichangas

My husband's friend asked if I had a recipe for chimichangas, which I didn't. I'm always open to creating or trying new recipes, so I took it as a challenge to create a homemade chimichanga. His friend requested to make it with chicken, which I would've chosen myself if he hadn't specified. Then he asked if I could bake it instead of frying it. At first I told him that would make it a burrito, because technically, a chimi is a deep-fried burrito. After thinking about it, I realized that if I simply brushed the tortillas with butter or olive oil before putting them in the oven, they would crisp up beautifully. I also chose to cook the chicken in my Crock Pot because the results of slow-cooking are by far the best when you need tender, moist, shredded meat. So here you have my version of oven baked chicken chimis! Enjoy!

Oven Baked Chicken Chimichangas

Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya

In the spirit of Mardi Gras, I made some homemade jambalaya to celebrate. Usually, I just make the boxed dinner but I decided to try a homemade version. We were very pleased with how well it turned out and we're looking forward to eating the leftovers! Enjoy!

Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya

What You'll Need:

• 14 oz Andouille Sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces 
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1/2 large red bell pepper
• 1/2 large green bell pepper
• 3 cloves garlic
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 1 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon celery seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice

Creamy Italian Chicken

This is an easy, hearty meal that is perfect on a chilly fall or winter night. I'm sure I'm not the first person to come up with this recipe but it's an easy combination that I thought up the other night and decided to give it a try. I chose to serve it with whole grain wide noodles, but you could use any pasta that you have on hand or even rice would be good. Again, this is another recipe with only a few ingredients that's quick, easy and delicious! Enjoy!

Creamy Italian Chicken

What You'll Need:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
• 12 oz package wide noodles

Chicken Cordon Bleu

This has been one of my favorite dinners for as long as I can remember. It only requires a handful of ingredients and minimal effort, which is always nice! There are literally thousands of recipes for this out there but none quite this easy. If you wanted to "dress it up", you could make a white wine sauce to serve over it. Enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

What You'll Need:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 8 thin slices of ham
• 4 slices of Aged Swiss cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 Tablespoons of milk
• 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  (regular or Panko, your choice)

Homemade Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

This is another one of our favorite homemade pizzas...the Chicken Bacon Ranch! We love making pizzas at home because not only do they taste better, but we also know exactly what's going in them! Like most of my recipes, this is easy to make and tastes wonderful! Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

What You'll Need:

• 1 can Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough
  (We prefer the whole grain artisan dough.)
• Non-stick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup Ranch Dressing 
• Garlic Powder (to taste)
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 6-8 oz package grilled chicken breast strips
  (You can find this by the lunch meat.)
• 1 - 1 1/2 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced

Country Fried Steak and Gravy

Country Fried Steak and Gravy is one of those Southern dinners that easily falls into that wonderful "comfort food" category. Added bonus is that it's budget-friendly and easy to make. The homemade gravy made from the drippings is what really adds that extra something. We serve this with garlic mashed potatoes, corn and crescent rolls. Enjoy!

Country Fried Steak and Gravy

What You'll Need:

• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs Cubed Steak, cut into 8 portions
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Bad Byron's Butt Rub, plus additional to taste
  
  *You can get Bad Byron's Butt Rub from my friend's shop, Cajun Corner Spices.
  Otherwise, you can substitute seasoning salt.
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
  
  For the Gravy:
• Reserve 2 Tablespoons oil after cooking the steaks
• 4 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Salsa Chicken

As you may have noticed, I'm a huge fan of easy slow cooker recipes. This recipe for Salsa Chicken is probably one of my favorites. It's super easy and only four ingredients! We serve it over a bed of brown rice with a little cheese and sour cream but you could easily put it on a salad or wrap it up in a tortilla. Enjoy!

Salsa Chicken

What You'll Need:

•  1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  *Note: You can substitute frozen chicken and just add an hour to the cook time.
• 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 packet Taco Seasoning
• 1 24 oz jar of salsa

Mushroom Ranch Shoulder Steaks

I ended up making this recipe due to circumstances completely beyond my control. I had gone grocery shopping armed with my planned menu for the week. I was going to make a slow cooker pork chop recipe that I had found online. Unfortunately, when I got to the commissary, there was no pork to be found because the barge carrying the pork and chicken failed to arrive for delivery. Oh, the joys of living in Alaska! After I thought about it for a minute and after looking over the beef selection, I decided to try substituting shoulder steaks into the recipe. The result was fantastic! My two year old exclaimed it was "Good meats!" and my husband said it melted in his mouth "like butter". Pretty good reviews if you ask me! Plus, you only need three ingredients! Enjoy!

Mushroom Ranch Shoulder Steaks

What You'll Need:

• 6 beef shoulder steaks
• 2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
• 2 packets dry Ranch dressing mix
  

Simply Delicious Lasagna

This is a new recipe to our family. My friend Monica asked if I was looking for any new recipes and told me that she had a good lasagna recipe. I took her up on her offer and made it for the first time tonight. It really didn't take long to prepare or cook and it tastes so good! I am definitely adding this to my bag of tricks as my go-to lasagna. Thank you so much for sharing, Monica! Enjoy!

Simply Delicious Lasagna

Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken

This is a fairly simple recipe that requires only a handful of ingredients. It could easily be ready in 30 minutes or less. You have to love an easy weeknight recipe that looks like it took forever to prepare and tastes this delicious! Enjoy!

Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken

What You'll Need:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 thin slices prosciutto 
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
  (packed in olive oil, drained)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and Pepper, to taste