Doin' Some Cookin'... Honey Teriyaki Chicken

With school back in session and it being our first Thursday night NFL game I didn't want to be in the kitchen cooking dinner this evening and missing out on the game. Football is priority for Little Man and I and we clear everything off our plate (pun intended) until February.

This morning before work I pulled out the slow cooker, threw in a handful of ingredients, and knew the only thing I'd have to do for this Honey Teriyaki Chicken when I got home was shred the chicken and heat up a bag of rice in the microwave then serve it up in some bowls and sit our butts down in front of the TV.

Not what I'd consider Game Day food but we did enjoy this healthier take out version of Little Man's favorite Asian dish, teriyaki chicken.

You will end up with a lot of leftovers. My plan for the chicken is to top an Asian cabbage slaw which will get it ate up over the weekend. Again, not Game Day food but it'll be ate while we watch college ball on Saturday and pro ball on Sunday.

Honey Teriyaki Chicken

Adapted From: Plain Chicken

Makes 8 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cup honey teriyaki sauce
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 3 tbsp brown sugar

And Action:

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 6 hours. 

Shred chicken and serve over rice. Enjoy!

Freezer Meal:

Place all ingredients in a gallon sized Ziploc and freeze. When ready to cook thaw chicken and follow the same steps above. Enjoy! 

Doin' Some Cookin'... Oven Fried Parmesan Chicken Tenders

I don't know why but whenever I see an "oven fried" recipe I start to dread the egg wash flour dredge process. I also know part of the problem is I don't enjoy sticking my fingers in food. I can't stand them being caked in batter and breadcrumbs. Imagine my cringe face when I make meatloaf and the only way to really incorporate the ingredients is for me to suck it up and get in there with my hands. Ick!

When I came across this recipe for Oven Fried Parmesan Chicken Tenders and the dredging wasn't part of the instructions I bookmarked it without hesitation and added the chicken tenders to my grocery list.

(My toughest taste tester, love him!!!)

So glad I did because when Little Man and I sat down for dinner less than 30 minutes later we both loved these tenders and he requested I make these again sometime.

I know your family will enjoy this healthier take on classic chicken fingers. Double the batch if desired for leftovers and to use the tenders for a delicious protein for your salad for your work lunches.

I served these Oven Fried Parmesan Chicken Tenders with some steak fries, watermelon, and carrots with some ranch. These tenders would be delicious with some honey mustard too or ketchup as Little Man prefers.

Oven Fried Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Adapted From: Thriving Home

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp old bay seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb chicken tenders

And Action:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cover a metal sheet pan with foil for easy clean up. Place the pan in the oven while it is heating up. 

Place flour, Parmesan cheese, old bay seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a quart size Ziploc. Zip it up and shake well to mix.

In another quart size Ziploc add the chicken tenders and olive oil. Zip it up and shake it well to coat the chicken with the oil.

Using a fork, transfer the chicken tenders to the flour mixture. Zip it up and shake it well to coat.

Remove the hot pan from the oven and generously coat with nonstick cooking spray. Lay the chicken tenders on the pan making sure to leave room between each one.

Bake for 15 minutes turning once halfway through. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Breakfast Quesadillas

Breakfast Quesadillas come together quickly if you prep your ingredients ahead of time and each quesadilla can be customized to suit each person's taste. It's also a great way to use up any meats, cheeses, and veggies at the end of your week.

To save even more time you can assemble the quesadillas, pop them in the freezer and thaw the night before for those mornings when you need something quick and easy. It'll literally take a couple minutes to heat up in the skillet and you can be out the door in no time at all.

We filled our quesadillas with bacon, ham, hashbrowns, and a spinach/arugula mix. These quesadillas make for a hearty meal and will keep you and your kids full of hours.

Breakfast Quesadillas

Adapted From: Thriving Home

Makes 2 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 4 flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 fried eggs
• 1 cup spinach/arugula mix
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• ham, cubed and cooked
• 1 cup hashbrowns, cooked
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp butter

And Action:

Lay out two tortillas on parchment paper and sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese on each. Add an egg, spinach/arugula mix, bacon, ham, and hashbrowns evenly between the two. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup of cheese on top of the ingredients and lay a tortilla on top. 

Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt 1/2 tbsp butter. 

Slide the quesadilla in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. While cooking on one side, butter the uncooked side of the tortilla before flipping. You'll get a really nice crispy tortilla. 

Transfer to a plate and cut into quarters. Enjoy!

Freezer Meal:

Assemble the quesadillas and freeze just before cooking. You can layer multiple quesadillas in a gallon size ziplock wrapping each one in parchment paper to keep them from sticking together. Thaw and cook as noted above.

Doin' Some Cookin'... California Spicy Crab Stuffed Avocado

One craving I get often is for sushi but that proves to be a problem on occasion when I can't find a riceless option when I'm following Whole30. When I finally get my hands on some sushi I end up eating so much of it in one sitting I overdose on it and don't want it for quite some time.

The same thing happened when I made this California Spicy Crab Stuffed Avocado. Even though the portion wasn't too big if definitely filled me up and I got my fill to satisfy my sushi craving.

It was much cheaper to make at home and the best part is that I was left with enough crab meat for another 2-3 servings for those future cravings freezing the leftover crab in small portions.

This recipe makes for a flavorful low carb lunch. An avocado half gets stuffed, well really stack high with a spicy crab mixture with cucumbers and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and drizzled with soy sauce.

For further cost savings you can substitute the crab for tuna.

California Spicy Crab Stuffed Avocado

Adapted From: Skinnytaste

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 1 tbsp mayo
• 1 tsp sriracha
• 1/2 tsp chives, chopped
• 2 oz lump crab meat
• 1/8 cup cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1/2 small avocado, pit and skin removed
• 1/4 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp soy sauce

And Action:

In a small bowl, combine the mayo, sriracha and chives. Lightly toss the crab and cucumber with the mayo mixture until well combined. 

Place the avocado half on a plate and spoon the crab mixture filling the avocado hole and stacking it on top. 

Top with the toasted sesame seeds and drizzle with soy sauce. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Chicken Parmesan Casserole

If you are looking for a kid friendly dinner that comes together super quick and bakes up in under 30 minutes then look no further. This Chicken Parmesan Casserole was a big hit with Little Man. He requested a second serving and also wanted more the following night for dinner.

If you are following a low carb diet feel free to leave the pasta out and serve the chicken over zucchini or other veggies instead. It's delicious on it's own.

This casserole became an instant family favorite and new comfort food.

Next time I'm going to serve this with a caesar salad. Already looking forward to making this one again.

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Adapted From: Thriving Home

Makes 8 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1 lb cooked chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 (28 oz) jar marinara
• 4 cups cooked bowtie pasta
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• handful of fresh parsley, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste

And Action:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Grease an 8x8 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. 

Toss the chicken, noodles, and marinara in the casserole dish until incorporated. Top with both cheeses until the top is covered.

In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper. 

Sprinkle the seasoned breadcrumbs on top.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden on the top and bubbling on the sides. Enjoy!

Freezer Meal:

Put the casserole together following the steps above and freeze before baking. Make sure the casserole dish is freezable. 

When ready to bake, thaw in the freezer overnight, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and bake for 20-25 minutes. 

Doin' Some Cookin'... Grilled Steak with Tomatoes, Red Onion and Balsamic

Hurricane Harvey hit the Houston area hard and the start of the school year has been pushed back almost two weeks. With the start of the school year right around the corner this means Summer has unofficially ended. Due to this horrific storm, delayed start to the school year, and Labor Day we are firing up the grill to enjoy one more Summer meal by topping grilled steak with balsamic tomatoes and red onions.

Dinner will be on the table in less than 30 minutes.

If you have leftover Balsamic Tomatoes and Red Onions you can use the mixture to top toasted baguettes and crumble feta over the top. That would make for a deliciously simple lunch.

Grilled Steak with Tomatoes, Red Onion and Balsamic

From: Skinnytaste

Makes 8 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 2 lb flank steak
• Sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and garlic powder, to taste
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup red onion, chopped
• 3-4 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh herbs, such as parsley, oregano, and/or basil

And Action:

Pierce steak with a fork and season generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine onions, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Let the onions sit a few minutes with the salt and balsamic mixture to let them mellow. Combine tomatoes and herbs. Taste and add more herbs if needed.

Grill steak on high heat for 7 minutes each side for medium rare. Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. 

Slice thin on a diagonal and top with the tomatoes and serve. Enjoy!