Pesto Chicken Thighs with Italian Cream Sauce

I have been trying very hard to significantly cut back on the amount of processed foods I serve my family. However, when Philadelphia introduced their new line of cooking cremes, I admit I was intrigued. This curiosity only increased when I saw this recipe on Picky Palate.

My sauce didn't really come out like hers, but this was still a delicious dinner (and the leftovers for lunch were just fab). The flavors just exude summertime, and this meal was filling and satisfying without being heavy.


Pesto Chicken Thighs with Italian Cream Sauce
from Picky Palate

• 1 pound boneless chicken thighs, fat removed
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto sauce
• 2 cups cooked couscous
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme

Place chicken thighs and pesto into a large ziplock bag, seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place chicken thighs onto a large baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Place cooked couscous, olive oil and parmesan cheese into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Reduce to heat to low.

Warm Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme into a small saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed. Reduce heat to low.

To serve, place couscous onto a serving plate and top with chicken. Drizzle with warm cooking cream.

Makes 4 servings

Taffy Apple Salad

I have had this recipe for years... well before my oldest son was born. I make it multiple times each summer for barbeques and parties; I have NO idea why I've never blogged about it before.

I omit the nuts because my father and son are both allergic, but I think they'd be a wonderful addition. Even without, though, it's a refreshing and delicious side dish. The marshmallows somehow melt away to meld with the rest of the ingredients and the fruit combinations are endless. I've subbed fresh pears for some of the apples or canned for the pineapples. Mandarin oranges would work nicely as well - mix it up!


Taffy Apple Salad
from The Pampered Chef

• 1 8oz can pineapple tidbits in juice
• 2 medium red apples, cored and diced
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples, cored and diced
• 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• 4oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup thawed, frozen whipped topping
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• additional chopped dry roasted peanuts (optional)

Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Whisk cream cheese into juice until smooth. Stir in whipped topping; mix until blended.

Add pineapple, apples, peanuts, and marshmallows to cream cheese mixture; mix gently. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle with additional peanuts if desired.

Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff - Revisited

A few months ago, I participated in a really fun blogging event - the March Madness of crockpot cooking, hosted on 365 Days of Slow Cooking. One of my assignments was to make Chicken Stroganoff, and I loved it - but I really wanted to try to find a lighter version.

So, with some help from some ladies on an online forum, I adjusted this a bit to include a little less guilt without losing the flavor. Then, instead of egg noodles, I served it over some Israili couscous. Yum!

• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup low-fat or fat free milk
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 8oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup plain lowfat Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir constantly until the flour is incorporated and the mixture is bubbly and thick. Add the milk and broth and stir until thoroughly combined, heated, and thick.

Combine the chicken, onion, mushrooms, broth mixture, and tomato sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours. Shred the chicken and add in the parsley, yogurt, and and season with salt and pepper. Stir and turn to HIGH. Let sit without lid for 10-15 minutes. Serve over couscous.

Red Velvet Brownies

I loooove red velvet. And I looooove brownies. Put them together and you have a delicious marriage of something simply delectable and wonderful.

I made these soon after I spotted them on my friend Lisa's blog and, while I am usually a boxed-brownie kind of girl, these are worth every extra step.


Red Velvet Brownies
from Lisa's Cooking Adventures; originally from Pink Parsley

• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (1-oz) bottle red food coloring
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp white vinegar

Cream Cheese Swirl

• 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 2 Tbs sour cream
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 large egg yolk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 inch square baking dish with two pieces of aluminum foil, folding ends over the edges. Spray with cooking spray.

Combine the chocolate and butter in a large, microwave safe bowl. Cook 30 seconds at a time until melted, stirring well after each time. Whisk in the sugar. One at a time, add the eggs, whisking well between each addition. Stir in the flour, food coloring, baking powder, salt, buttermilk, vanilla, and vinegar. Combine well, then pour into the prepared baking dish.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg yolk. Drop spoonfuls over the brownie batter, then use a table knife to swirl into the batter.

Bake 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Hot Fudge Marshmallow Monkey Bread

Oh my. This breakfast is not for the faint of heart. Or for those who are just ambivalent when it comes to sweetness. This was absolutely delicious, and my family loved it. This would be awesome to serve for guests - as long as you have some fruit and protein to balance it all out. ;)

Hot Fudge Marshmallow Monkey Bread

from Taste and Tell

• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury Grands Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (8 biscuits)
• 1 can (10.2 oz) Pillsbury Grands Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (5 biscuits)
• 13 large marshmallows
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Cut all 13 biscuits into quarters; set aside.

In large microwavable bowl, place marshmallows, 1/2 cup butter, hot fudge topping and vanilla. Microwave uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once, until melted. Using wire whisk, stir until smooth.

In medium bowl, stir sugar and cocoa until blended.

Carefully place 1/4 of the biscuit pieces into hot chocolate mixture, gently folding in to coat. Add another 1/4 of the biscuits, gently folding in to coat. Using tongs, remove biscuits from chocolate, letting excess chocolate drip off. Drop 1 biscuit piece at a time into sugar mixture; spoon sugar over biscuit to coat. Layer biscuits in cake pan. Repeat with remaining biscuits. Sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over biscuits.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until biscuits are deep golden and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; carefully turn plate and pan over. Remove pan; immediately scrape any remaining topping in pan onto bread. Pull apart warm bread to serve.

BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Pizza

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Oh how I've missed my blog! The end of the school year is always chaotic as I try to write my final exams, clean out my classroom, and read portfolio evaluations. Throw my own two young children into the mix and most days I'm happy just to eat, let alone prepare a blog post.

But! Yesterday, I said goodbye to my 97 favorite 9th graders (well, the ones who showed up) and today I am ready to blow the dust off of this blog.

I've been making my own pizza on Fridays (I have many more to come!) and I am loving the tradition. I recently purchased a round stone from Pampered Chef and it has changed my life. My dough comes out so much better now, and I'm actually planning to buy a second (and maybe a third!) so that I can do double duty. My husband and I love trying new variety, but the kids keep asking me for "regular" pizza.

Anyway. This BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Pizza has been a favorite for sure. What a delicious flavor combo! It's so perfect for this time of year, and it's so easy to put together (especially if you cheat like I did and use canned pineapple).


BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Pizza
slightly adapted from Sing for Your Supper

• 1 batch pizza dough
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 2 chicken breasts, fully cooked and shredded
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, plus more for brushing on the crust
• 1/4 cup ranch salad dressing
• 1 can crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits
• fresh cilantro, chopped, about 1/3 cup (I omitted)
  

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Stretch dough across pizza stone or tray and bake for 7 minutes.

Toss the cooked, shredded chicken breasts with the BBQ sauce. Set aside.

Brush the pizza crust with a thin layer of BBQ sauce, then spread on the ranch dressing. Top with the cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese, then the chicken and pineapple. Bake for about 15 minutes, until all the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. Top with the chopped cilantro. Makes 1 pizza.

Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes

It's grilling season! I'm not as huge of a fan as most people are, but I definitely enjoy using it this time of year when it's not really hot out yet. So I was pretty excited to learn that "grilling" was the theme for my most recent recipe exchange.

My friend Melanie submitted these awesome Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes, and I all but inhaled them. I added couscous to the mixture to give it an extra boost, and I'm glad I did. I ate two of them for dinner, and only let my husband eat one so I could take the other one for lunch the next day. Sorry, babe.


Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes
slightly adapted from The Novice Chef

• 4 medium tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of your favorite breadcrumbs
• 1 cup cooked couscous
• 2 tbl butter, melted
• 8 basil leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded (plus more for sprinkling)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Parsley for garnish

Slice off top of tomato, hollow out (leaving 1/2 inch thick shell), and chop pulp and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine bread crumbs, couscous, butter, basil, salt and pepper. Next stir in cheese and tomato pulp. Fill each tomato shell, top with extra cheese, and then wrap each tomato individually in foil.

Grill, or bake (at 400 degreeProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0

29 for 10 to 15 minutes, until cheese is completely melted. Garnish with parsley and serve hot!

Funfetti Waffles

I'm fairly certain I have adequately stated my affinity for anything funfetti. I've made cake, cupcakes, ice cream, cookies... as far as I'm concerned, anything with sprinkles is automatically awesome.

I never would have thought, however, to bring the fun (ha) to my breakfast table, but Chef Mommy sure did. This was a great excuse to bust out the dinosaur sprinkles from Danny's birthday party; I think it would be so much fun to use holiday themed sprinkles throughout the year!

The whole family loved these - Ryan was so excited to be eating sprinkles at breakfast time!

In case you couldn't tell, this is an elephant from my awesome circus waffle iron!

Funfetti Waffles
from Chef Mommy

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups warm milk
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sprinkles

In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar; set aside. Preheat waffle iron to desired temperature.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, butter and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture; beat until blended.

Ladle the batter into a preheated waffle iron. Add the sprinkles on top. Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Serve with whipped cream and additional sprinkles on top.

Overnight French Toast

I love making fun breakfasts for my families on holidays, but I also don't want to spend my mornings in the kitchen when there are stockings to dig into or eggs to find. This Overnight French Toast was just perfect; I threw it together the night before Easter and then put it in the oven in the morning. By the time the last egg had been uncovered, breakfast was ready!

I can't even begin to articulate how amazing this is. I think it's going to become a permanent brunch staple for me. I was afraid it would be too soggy or sticky, but that's not an issue at all. The texture is mushy, but not in a bad way - in a delightful way!

Overnight French Toast
from Bite This!; adapted from Pillsbury

• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup maple-flavored syrup
• 1 tablespoon margarine or butter
• 10 (1-inch-thick) slices Challah bread
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamondash of nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar1
• 1/4 cups sliced strawberries (optional)

Spray 13x9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. In medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, syrup and margarine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute.

Pour syrup mixture evenly in bottom of sprayed pan. Arrange bread slices in even layer over syrup mixture. Set aside.

In large bowl, combine eggs, milk, vanilla and salt; beat with wire whisk until smooth. Pour evenly over bread in pan. Cover; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

To bake, heat oven to 350°F. Uncover pan; bake 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned.

To serve, top each serving with 1/4 cup sliced strawberries; sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Chicken and Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese

You already know that I'm a huge mac and cheese fan. Look over there to the left - I have a whole tag full of variations, and though I definitely have my favorites, I'm always up for trying something new.

This Chicken and Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese was adapted from Cooking Light, but I'm not really sure what's so light about it. Sure, it could be a lot worse, but this doesn't really scream healthy dinner to me.

Anyway, fat content aside, this was a seriously delicious dinner that both of my children gobbled up. I doubled it, which left plenty for leftover lunches for a couple of days. I also took Danielle's suggestion and added broccoli.

Chicken and Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese
adapted from Dinner with Danielle, who adapted from Cooking Light

• 8 ounces uncooked Fusilli pasta
• 3 slices pre-cooked bacon, cut into small pieces (reserve 1/3)
• 8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 breast)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 12 ounces skim milk
• 1 can condensed 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
• 4oz shredded cheese
• 3 teaspoons Ranch dressing mix
• 1 steamer bag of broccoli florets, cooked
  
• Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

Cook chicken in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon to the pan and warm through. Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155°. Add cheeses and dressing mix, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in broccoli, pasta and chicken.

Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake covered for 10-15 minutes; remove cover and bake for another 10.