Scrumptious Chicken Scampi

Being on a budget, I'm always looking for ways to re-create my favorite restaurant dishes at home. I recently made a remake of Olive Garden's Chicken Scampi & it was certainly as satisfying as eating out, but also easy on my pocket. The combination of sweet peppers with the lemony, white wine sauce is savory, but also gorgeous over the lightly sauced pasta & breaded chicken. The best thing about this version of chicken scampi is the simplicity of preparation & ingredients. You won't need much to end up with more than enough for this summertime feast!

To enjoy you'll need the following ingredients-- 1 bell pepper, 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper, 1 small red onion, 2-3 cloves of garlic, 3 cups of white wine, 1 lemon(juiced), 2 tbsp. of butter, 10 oz. of angel hair pasta, 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of bread crumbs, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of milk, 1 lb. of chicken breast (pounded into thin pieces), 1/3 cup of olive oil & salt & pepper.

To make, start by chopping the peppers & onion into 1/3 in. slices & finely chop the garlic. Set the peppers & garlic aside. Mix the egg & milk together to make an egg wash, & in a separate bowl mix together the flour & breadcrumbs. Dredge the chicken in the egg wash & then into the flour mixture to coat the chicken. (Remember all you'll need is a light breading, so don't over do it). Heat the oil in a skillet to medium-high heat. Add the chicken when the oil is ready. Let the chicken brown & cook through (about 5 minutes on each side). While the chicken is cooking start the pasta preparation. Once the chicken is cooked thoroughly, set it aside, & start on your peppers & onions. Add 4 tbsp. of oil to a saute pan on medium heat. Once the oil has heated, add the peppers & onions. Cook the peppers for approx. 10 minutes & then add the garlic. Once the garlic has cooked in a bit, add the white wine. Let the wine cook with the peppers & onion for 15 minutes. Lastly add the lemon juice, butter, & salt & pepper. By then then pasta should be ready & drained. Plate the pasta, add some peppers & wine sauce, then top with the chicken. (Shredded parmesan on top is a perfect addition.)

You may think it's complicated to make a resturant style meal at home, but it's much easier than it seems. To round out your meal you could always pick up some garlic breadsticks & salad mix to make your experience even more familiar. I believe Olive Garden sells their italian dressing in small bottles, which can make re-creating your resturant experience at home even better! Good luck on your next adventure in the kitchen even though I know you won't need it. :)

Velvety Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Here's an effortless, full-filling lunch or dinner that will smell up the house a for a little while, but you'll enjoy soon after.  This velvety cauliflower soup can be made within 30 min. from start to finish.  It's rich with cheese & milky smooth, but full of tender cauliflower chunks.  There's no need for an additional sandwich to fill up on either, this soup is sure to hit the spot, right on!

To make the cauliflower soup, you'll need nothing more than 1 head of cauliflower, 1 16oz. jar of cheese whiz, 4 cups of milk, 3 tbsp. of butter, salt & pepper.  Then to make the soup, just chop the head of cauliflower into 1/2 in. pieces.  In a large pot, boil the pieces in 8 cups of water or in enough water to sumerge the chopped head of cauliflower.  Salt the boiling cauliflower with a couple dashes of salt.  Only boil the cauliflower for about 15 min. or until the pieces are tender to a fork.  Drain the cauliflower. To the pan add the butter, the jar of cheese whiz, milk, & a couple dashes of salt & pepper.  Let all the combined ingredients simmer on medium-low for 15 min., stirring occasionally. Some of the cauliflower will break apart into smaller piece, which is what you want it to do.  Once all the ingredients are mixed throughly & the soup is hot, it's ready for serving! 

This recipe for cauliflower cheese soup is extremely easy, but sometimes we need a break from the kitchen without breaking our pockets.  There's enough soup here for 5 family members or for leftovers the next day.  I think I just may make a pot of cauliflower cheese soup myself this week.  All this talk about the rich, creamy cauliflower soup sure does have me wanting a bowl, how about you?

Cinnamonny Rice Pudding

Rice pudding has recently become a favorite dessert of mine.  So of course I started looking for recipes to make on my own.  This "Cinnamonny Rice Pudding" is a variation of a recipe that I found to be fairly simple & fast.  I made this in about 30 minutes, with ingredients that I had on hand.  So if you're at home, craving something sweet & creamy, this rice pudding is sure to satisfy!  There's going to be plenty to share or enough to save for your sweet craving the following day.

To make my "Cinnamonny Rice Pudding" you'll need- 1 1/2 cups of rice, 3 cups of water, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 tbsp of butter, 2 1/2 cups of milk, 1 cup of cinnamon creamer, 1 cup of sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice, & 1 tsp of vanilla.

Start by bringing 3 cups of water to a boil, in a medium saucepan.  Add 1 & 1/2 cups of rice, 1/2 tsp. of salt, 1 tbsp of butter, & stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.  In another pot, combine 2 cups milk, 1 cup of cinnamon creamer, sugar & vanilla. Cook over medium-low heat until warmed (10-15 min.).  Next, beat 2 eggs, then SLOWLY add some of the warm milk mixture to the eggs, to bring up the temperature before adding it to the mixture & to prevent making scrambled eggs.  :)  When the rice is finished cooking, fluff, then add it to the milk mixture & stir together completely.  Then little by little, add the beaten egg & milk to the rice mixture.  Once completely incorporating the eggs with the rice, add the 1 tbsp of cinnamon & the 1/2 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice.  Lastly, let the rice pudding cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.  Then serve warm or chill in the refrigerator over night.  If serving cold, add 1 cup of milk the next day, before serving, to loosen up the rice pudding & to give it a smoother consistency.

If there's something in the recipe that you don't have on hand, such as cinnamon creamer or pumpkin pie spice, you could certainly work without it.  Just replace the creamer with another cup of milk or use extra cinnamon if you're without pumpkin pie spice.  I used Truvia, a sugar substitute, & fat free milk.  The taste wasn't lacking at all.  This recipe is open to variation.  Try it like it is or omit what doesn't work for you.  Either way, all the basic steps to a perfect rice pudding are there!  Enjoy!!

Tinfoil Dinners

Tinfoil dinners, also known as hobo dinners, or campfire dinners, are one of the most simple dinners that I've ever made.  The end product is always delicious & the clean-up, or lack there of, can't be beat!   My mom used to make these dinners for my family growing up.  Over the years I've known a few other families that have had tinfoil dinners too, but incase there is someone out there who hasn't, this is for you! 

To make your own tinfoil dinners you'll need nothing more than a few sheets of tinfoil, 1 lb. of ground beef (will make 3 dinners), 1/2 head of cabbage, 3 potatoes, 3 carrots, 1 small onion, Allegro marinade or worcestershire, salt & pepper.  To make, start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees.  Get 3 sheet of tinfoil, about 1 1/2 ft. long.  Divide the ground beef into 1/3 lb. hamburger patties.  Place the patties in the middle of the sheets of tinfoil.  Cut the potatoes into 1in. cubes, the carrot into 1/2 in. slices, the onion into rings, & the cabbage into small pieces.  Place all the vegetables around & on top of the burger patties.  Then pour a few dashes(or as much as you'd like) of Allegro marinade or worcestershire over the entire tinfoil dinner.  Salt & pepper to taste.  Wrap the tinfoil up into a packet, tightly.  Place the tinfoil packets onto a baking sheet & then they're ready for the oven.  Bake for 45 min. or until the beef is done & the vegetables are tender. 

These tinfoil dinners can be made into several different variations.  The last time I made them, I made 1 extra with a chicken breast instead of beef.  You could also try these at your next cook-out or bon fire get-together.  My son enjoys to eat his with a side of A1 steak sauce.  I believe it's my sister who prefers her's with ketchup.  I think they're perfect just the way they are!  But you decide for yourself.  I hope you & your family enjoy them as much as our family has!

Jerk Chicken & Vegetable Skewers

If you're looking for a way to spice up boring chicken, I may have found just the thing for that.  I've tried lots of different marinades, but one that does the trick, for giving an extreme amount of flavor without needing a lot of prep time, is KC Masterpiece's Caribbean Jerk marinade.  It's packed with sweet & tangy flavors & goes great on both chicken & vegetables.  The marinade is a 30-marinade, but I've found that if you're short on time, the marinade's flavor comes through without having to wait out the 30 minutes.  Which is ideal for a quick & easy dinner option.

My favorite way to enjoy the Caribbean Jerk marinade is on grilled chicken & vegetable skewers.  I love using the vegetable combination of squash, zucchini, onions.  The prep time takes just minutes & the ingredient list is super simple.  All you need is 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast, 2 squashes, 2 zucchinis, 1/2 onion, 1 & 1/4 cup of KC Masterpiece's Caribbean Jerk marinade,  & skewer sticks.

Start by heating a grill, or if using a grill pan, heat to medium-high heat.  Then you'll need to prep your ingredients.  Cut the chicken breasts in half, then into 1 in. cubes.  Do the same with the vegetables.  Once all the chicken & vegetables are diced, pour 3/4 cup of marinade on the chicken & 1/2 cup of marinade on the vegetables (keep the vegetable separate from the chicken).  Then assemble your skewers.  Keep the chicken on one skewer & the vegetables on another, due to the fact of different cooking times.  You'll want to leave a little space between the chicken, on the skewers, to give each piece room to cook.  Spray the grill or grill pan with non-stick spray, then lay the skewers across the grill.  Sear each side of the chicken & vegetables, then let them cook until the vegetables are tender & the chicken is white throughout.  If you're using a grill pan, turn the heat down to medium heat to prevent burning or over-cooking.  The finished product goes great along side of some of my spicy spuds!  :)

This is a sure way to give plain chicken & vegetables a flavor jump start!  If zucchini & squash don't sound appealing to you, switch out those veggie's for something more to your liking.  Such as bell pepper, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes.  Whatever you choose to make your skewers from, the KC Masterpiece marinade is sure to pack the punch you may be looking for to spice up a simple chicken dinner.

My Quiche Lorraine

A quiche is enjoyed as a breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  It's simple to make & is definitely rewarding afterwards.  I recently made a couple of quiche for my family to enjoy over the holidays & am making more for a teachers breakfast this week.  Another great thing about quiche is it's one of those meals that you can turn into anything you want.  While I enjoy a traditional quiche lorraine, you may want to make a spinach quiche, or another one that my mother-in-law enjoys to make is a green chili & mushroom quiche.  There are an endless amount of  ways to make the perfect quiche just for you.  Just follow the recipe below, changing ingredients where you want, or you may enjoy this quiche just as it is.

For my quiche lorraine- I use 1 store bought 9 in. pie crust, 3 eggs, 1 cup of half & half, 3/4 cup of shredded white cheddar cheese, 1/2 pkg of Oscar Mayer bacon bits, 1 green onion & 1/8 cup of yellow onion, 1 tsp. of both salt & pepper & 1 tbp. of flour.  Start by pre-heating the oven to 400 degrees.  Cover the edges of the pie crust with tinfoil to prevent burning, then bake the crust for 7 minutes.  Reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees & then start on your filling.  Whisk the eggs together as you would for scrambled eggs.  Next add the half & half to the eggs & mix together.  Mix the flour in with the shredded cheese.  Then stir in the cheese, bacon bits, onion, & salt & pepper to the eggs & milk..  Place the pie crust on a baking sheet before adding the egg mixture, to prevent spillage when transferring the quiche to the oven.  Pour the filling into the pie crust & slowly put the quiche into the 325 degree oven.  Let it bake for 35-40 min. or until the top is browned & the quiche is completely set.  Remove from oven & let it set for at least 10 minutes before serving.

We found that the longer the quiche sat the more flavor it had, so feel free to make more than one at a time.  You could freeze them to have on hand when needed.  Just bake them, from frozen form, for 30 min. @ 350 degrees.  I had purchased quiche for years from the frozen section at the grocery store, but once you see how easy it is to make your own you won't go back to buying frozen.  The variety for quiche is really endless.  Try you own & see what quiche is just right for you.

Tortellini Primavera with Chicken

This recipe was an unexpected, fantastic dinner that I prepared within a matter of minutes.  The ingredients were meant for something else, but at the last minute I decided to whip up something new & there wasn't any regret!  This pasta dish is full of vegetables, along with cheese filled pasta & grilled chicken. It's lightly seasoned, then tossed in a simple marinara sauce.  This light, but full-filling meal is a perfect way to incorporate your protein, starch, & vegetables all into one dish.

The recipe for my primavera pasta is as followed- 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 pkg. of cheese-filled tortellini, 2 zucchini, 2 squash, 1/2 red onion, 1 1/2 cups of traditional marinara sauce, garlic powder, Montreal chicken seasoning, 3-4 tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, salt, & pepper.  Start by cutting the chicken into 1/2 in. pieces. Then dice the zucchini, squash, & onion into 1/2 in. pieces. If you have a grill pan then spray it with non-stick spray & start grilling the chicken. If not, use a frying pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil to coat the pan, then start cooking the chicken on medium-high to medium-low (You'll need to adjust the heat as it cooks).  Season the chicken with a few (approx. 3) dashes of both garlic powder & chicken seasoning as it cooks.  Next you'll need to start sauteing the zucchini, squash, & onion.  Add the vegetables to a saute pan, cover them 1/2 way with water, 3 tbsp of olive oil & a few dashes of the garlic powder & Montreal seasoning as well. Cook the veggies on medium heat, for 15 minutes or until they're tender.  During that time, boil the tortellini as directed on package, drain, & set aside.  Once both the chicken & vegetables are done, discard any excess liquid from the pans, then combine them with the pasta. Add the marinara, salt, & pepper to the mix & gently toss together on low heat. Lastly, sprinkle the mozzarella over the entire dish & viola- an exquisite dinner in no time!

Honestly, this "Tortellini Primavera with Chicken" dish is fantastic!  I'm glad to have taken the chance on preparing this dinner.  It was well worth the risk!  I received much praise from my husband, who sometimes can be hard to please.  It made my day to hear how much he enjoyed it.  If your a chicken, pasta, or veggie lover you'll definitely want to try this recipe!  And if you like all 3 things, this is sure to be a much enjoyed treat!