Easy Baked Teriyaki Chicken

 

My family was in town this past weekend and my sister marinated some chicken with this glorious sauce.  When I started this blog I was focusing a lot on Semi-Homemade recipes, as time went on I changed things up a bit and was making most recipes from scratch.  The truth is I could make this sauce from scratch and save some money but with two kids and two jobs I prefer to pour!  You can also double the recipe and prepare another meal and freeze.  WIN WIN 

Ingredients:

• 4-6 chicken breasts or thighs
• 1/2 jar Soy Yay Veri Veri Teriyaki
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha, optional
• 1 cup rice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. In a large bowl or Ziploc bag add teriyaki sauce and sriracha and mix together.
3. Add chicken to bag, close and shake
4. Steam rice according to package directions.
5. Place chicken with sauce into a large baking dish.
6. Place in oven for 20 minutes.
7. Remove chicken and flip.
8. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.
9. Serve over rice and enjoy.

Blackberry Pie



WOW, it has been awhile!  It has been six months since my beautiful baby girl Dilynn has joined us.

Had to show her off!

In that six month's I have opened up my own photography business while still working from home with two kids.  GEEZ, I am tired just typing that.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this blog but I am sad to say it will be very limited.  Just think of it as a Surprise gift when I do get around to posting.  With all the craziness in my life, I have been going back to my staples in the kitchen.  I have made some wonderful dishes in the past six months and I promise I will get around to making them again.

Now back to PIE.  This pie is so amazing.  The blackberry filling is perfectly sweet and the crust is perfectly crumbly.  I'm not going to lie, this is the third one of these bad boys I have made in the last month.  My neighbor has a huge blackberry bush and everyday my little guy grabs the bucket and walks to it. I really feel I should bake the neighbor a pie for stealing all the berries.

Ingredients for filling:

• 4 cups blackberries, thawed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup flower
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Ingredients for Crust:

• 3 cups sifted flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Crisco
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons water

Ingredients for crust topping/Dusting:

• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl stir together all ingredients and form into two equal balls. 
2. Chill dough in refrigerator for an hour
3. After dough is chilled preheat oven to 425 degrees.
4. Place dough on a flat surface that is dusted with flour
5. Roll dough into two equal pie crusts
6. Place the first crust into a 10" pie pan
7. In a large bowl add 3 cups of the berries with the flour, sugar and vanilla.
8. Stir together while kind of lightly mashing the berries.
9. Pour mixture into pie pan and top with the remaining berries.
10. Top the pie with the remaining crust either in a lattice pattern or the whole thing.  (make some slits to vent if using the entire crust)
11. Brush the crust lightly with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
12. Bake in oven for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.  Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 45minutes.
13. Remove from oven and let cool.

Walnut Crusted Banana Bread

I have made so many loafs of banana bread throughout the years and I have no idea why I haven't thought of this sooner.  The banana bread is perfectly moist and the walnut crust is divine.  This is definitely my new "go to" banana bread recipe.

Ingredients for Bread:

• 3 ripe bananas
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

 

Ingredients for Pecan Crust:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• dash of cinnamon

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixer beat bananas, butter, egg and sugars until smooth.
3. Mix all remaining dry ingredients into a large bowl and stir.
4. Slowly beat in dry mixture until smooth.
5. Pour mixture into a greased 4x8 loaf pan.
6. Add all crust ingredients into a bowl and mix together with a fork until crumbly.
7. Sprinkle the banana bread batter with the crust mixture evenly.
8. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Creamy Rigatoni Bake

As I have mentioned before, my little one does not tolerate milk well.  However, yogurt and sour cream are a go!  I am starting to get creative in making delicious cream sauces without milk.  I must say that I am really not missing it at all.  He can have cheese so I usually just substitute the milk for chicken broth mixed with sour cream or Greek yogurt.  I don't even think my husband has noticed.

Ingredients:

• 1 box Rigatoni
• 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded or diced
• 1 12 oz frozen bag of green beans
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• mozzarella cheese for garnish
• 8 slices provolone cheese
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste

Directions:

1. Boil Rigatoni according to package directions and return to pot with one tablespoon olive oil and chicken.
2. Heat butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saute pan.
3. Cook onions and garlic in butter until translucent.  Add to pot with noodles.
4. In the same skillet melt cream cheese over low heat and whisk in sour cream and chicken broth.
5. When sauce is smooth add all seasonings and whisk in Parmesan cheese until smooth.
6. Pour sauce over noodles and stir.
7. Slowly stirl in whisked egg and green beans.
8. In a grease 9by13 baking dish add 1/2 of the pasta mixture and top with provolone cheese.
9. Add the remaining pasta and top with mozzarella cheese.
10. Bake at 350 degrees covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for 10 minutes.

 

Cookers Note:  This also makes for a fantastic freezer meal.  You can freeze in a large 9by13 or in two 8by8 dishes.  Freeze after step 9 and thaw completely before cooking and follow step 10 above.

Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup

This soup was extremely delicious and filling!  The other day I went grocery shopping without a meal plan and came home with a big slab of ham.  I really had no plans for it at all and after raiding the pantry this came to life.  I will definitely double this recipe next time and freeze the extras for another night.  I also came across a recipe on Pinterest for "Cream of Something Soup" and I had most of the ingredients on hand and came up with my "Cream of Nothing Soup." 

Ingredients for Cream of Nothing Soup

• 1 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup dry milk
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dry basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dry parsley

Directions:

1. Bring 3/4 cup of Cream of Nothing mixture and 1 1/4 cup chicken broth to a light boil.
2. Stir over heat until it thickens.

Ingredients for Soup:

• 2 small russet potatoes, diced in small cubes
• 1 1/2 cups diced ham
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Saute onions, garlic and potatoes with olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
2. In a separate pan saute ham with a little bit of oil until nicely browned.
3. Add ham to potato mixture and stir.
4. Add cream of nothing soup, water and all other ingredients, except cheese and bring to a light boil.
5. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Stir in cheese and serve!

*If you do not want to make "cream of nothing soup" just replace with one can of your favorite cream condensed soup.*

Hummus, Avocado and Tomato Toast

I have seen so many  pictures lately of people eating avocado toast and it looks so yummy!  I decided to give it a whirl and I loved it.  However, I wanted to bulk it up a bit so it would be more of a lunch.  I am absolutely in love with this recipe and it is so filling and delicious.

 

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat toast
• 1 tablespoon hummus, regular or flavor of your choice.
• 1/2 avocado, smashed
• Tomato slices
• Splash of balsamic vinegar, regular or white
• salt and pepper, to taste

 

Directions:

1. Toast your bread.
2. Apply Hummus and top with avocado and tomato.
3. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper.

 



Crockpot Chicken Chili

I rarely go shopping without a meal plan however, this week I did.  I randomly went shopping on a Sunday and was no way prepared for it. Shopping is always reserved for Monday mornings, no LINES!  Without a list I really just picked up some of my basic items.  I came home with chicken and really had no idea what to make with it.  I then realized I had bought a can of Cannellini beans for my lunch salads and decided to make a chicken chili.  This was so good and you don't have to cook anything before hand.  Definitely a keeper and I will double the batch next time for a freezer meal.  I also think corn and a can of green chilies would be AMAZING!

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, uncooked
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cup sour cream, you can always substitute for plain Greek yogurt!
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder, more to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Cholula, to taste
• Avocado, sour cream and green onions for garnish

Directions:

1. Place chicken in a lightly oiled crockpot.
2. Cover chicken with all remaining ingredients, except the sour cream and garnish toppings.
3. Cook chicken on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
4. Remove chicken and shred.
5. Add shredded chicken back to crock with sour cream and stir.
6. Cook on low for an additional 1/2 hour and serve!

To Freeze:
 Leftovers: Freeze cooled leftovers in a ziploc bag.  Thaw when ready to serve and heat in pan. 
Freezer Meal:  Add all ingredients except sour cream and garnish toppings in a large freezer ziploc bag.  When ready to make thaw and empty bag into crockpot and cook with directions above.