Chicken Casserole: Mushrooms and Carrots

Wow, how many variations on chicken casserole could there be? As many as the hair on our heads? As many as the sand on the seashore? Only the Lord knows. But here's one of 'em.

Start by sauteing some sliced mushrooms for about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and return the pan back to the heat. To the pan add 1 Tablespoon butter. Once it melts, sprinkle in a couple of Tablespoons of flour, and allow it to cook out for a minute, stirring constantly to make sure it doesn't burn. Whisk in about 1 cup of chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Dice up a few carrots into very small pieces and add to the thickening broth. After about 7-8 minutes, throw the mushrooms back in, along with 1 cup of cooked, shredded chicken. Stir it all together and pour into a casserole dish; top with crushed whole wheat Ritz crackers. Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes.


Enjoy!

Black Bean and Mushroom Quesadillas

Here's a quick, meatless, throw-together meal for a busy weeknight...

Slice up a bunch of mushrooms and throw them in a hot oiled skillet. While they saute, drain a can of black beans and dump into the food processor along with a few shakes of chili powder and cumin, and a clove or two of minced garlic. Puree until smooth.

Assemble your quesadillas by spreading the bean mixture over a whole wheat tortilla; then sprinkle some cheese over the beans, and finally add a spoonful of mushrooms to 1/2 of the tortilla.


Fold over and heat in skillet, turning once, until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is a little brown on each side.



Quick, easy, delicious! Enjoy!

Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs

Confession: I did not measure anything in this meal. It was literally a run-around-the-kitchen-and-throw-a-bunch-of-stuff-in-bowls-and-pots-and-pans meal. So, I'll just give you the ingredients and let you play around with the amount.

1. The meatballs

Start with a pound of lean ground chicken. Put the meat in a bowl and add a generous amount of soy sauce (maybe 1/2 cup???) and a dash or 2 of Worcestershire sauce. Then add some ground ginger (1/2 Tablespoon?) and a little bit of red pepper flakes. Pour in some breadcrumbs until the mixture is nice and not so sticky that it sticks to your fingers. Make16 meatballs, put on a baking sheet, and put in a 400 degree oven for oh, 15 minutes or so.

2. The veggies

Thinly slice 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow squash, and 2 zucchini. Saute in olive oil until tender. DONE.

3. The noodles

Cook in boiling, salted water until tender. DONE.

4. The sauce

In a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/8 cup sugar, and some ground ginger. Whisk 1/2 Tablespoon of corn starch into 2 Tablespoons of water, and add to the sauce. Heat until thickened (about 3 minutes). DONE.

To serve: noodles on the bottom, veggies next, drizzle of the sauce, and meatballs on top.

DONE.


Enjoy!

Pineapple Chicken

*Inspired by a recipe found in Everyday with Rachael Ray

Looking for a way to add another serving of fruit to your day? Just throw some pineapple in with your chicken! It's the obvious solution!

In a skillet, brown 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks and seasoned with salt and pepper. Remove the chicken and then saute one red bell pepper, thinly sliced, in the same pan. 5 minutes later, add a package of mushrooms, sliced, and saute for 5 more minutes. Then add a 20 oz can of pineapple chunks, drained (but reserve the juice!)


In a small bowl, whisk together 4 Tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 cup pineapple juice (reserved from the can), and 1 Tablespoon of corn starch.

Return the chicken to the pan, and then stir in the liquid mixture. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Serve over rice and with steamed broccoli.


Enjoy!