Honey mustard chicken recipe

I hope everyone had a FABULOUS holiday! I have had quite the break from posting anything due to the ice storm that knocked out my power for a few days. But I am back and have LOTS of things to share.

So I am going to let you in on my strategy for picking recipes to try.

• When I find a recipe online the first thing I do is check the ingredient list. If there are more than like 4 items that I don't have in my kitchen I am usually turned off to it because I don't want to break the bank making a meal every night. That is where things start getting expensive. It is much more cost effective to utilize the ingredients that you have in creative ways so you are not getting bored of the same flavors and still not buying outlandish ingredients that you are only going to use once and then will go bad in your pantry.
• The next thing I look at is the comments. This is where you are going to get a pretty good idea about whether this recipe is going to be successful. If there are a lot of negative comments about how they couldn't get the recipe to work or it didn't turn out chances are there is something wrong with the recipe, not the cooks. This is also where you can find good ideas of ways to alter the recipe. It is a great way to get inspiration for customizing the recipe to your taste as well as what works and what doesn't.

Moral of the story: I really urge, if you find a recipe that looks good, check out the comments and do your research. It can really save you some time and possible kitchen disasters.

Without further rambling, I give you Honey mustard chicken!

What you'll need:
1/4 cup grainy mustard
1/4 cup smooth dijon mustard
1/2 honey
3 tsp olive oil
1 drop 100% pure rosemary essential oil (optional)
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 lbs chicken tenderloins
3-4 springs fresh rosemary

1. In a small bowl combine the mustards, honey, 2 tsp olive oil, and rosemary oil.
2. In a saute pan or cast iron skillet add 1 tsp on olive oil. It make it easier if you can use a stove to oven dish for this. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Place the chicken tenderloins on top of the onion and garlic mixture. sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the honey mustard mixture on top of the chicken and arrange the rosemary springs around the pan.
4. Bake the chicken covered at 400 degrees for 20 minutes then remove the cover, baste the chicken with the sauce and continue to cook and additional 20-30 minutes uncovered or until the chicken is browned on top and cooked through.

So, as I read this recipe I thought "wow, 50 minutes baking at 400? That is way too long, that can't be right." What do I do? Read the comments! Turns out the recipe creator really crowds her pan and it took an extra long time to cook. Other than that, there were MANY comments of people that actually made the recipe and said it was perfect. So there you have it. Do your research and you will be way more prepared when you walk into the kitchen.

I made the spinach stuffed chicken!

So let me set the scene for this...I was in a terrible mood, it was such a long day at work. Then I call Eric and he says he is fishing and will be home in an hour and a half and that we could order a pizza if I wanted (he could obviously tell I was having a mood) which I thought was just a great idea, until I realized I had no money. So I go up to the kitchen and it was almost like autopilot that I made this dish! It came together so quickly and easily and was actually really fun to make! (Sorry my picture is blurry)

I made all of the changes that I thought I would in the original spinach stuffed chicken recipe, so I guess I do know myself well!




What you'll need:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, filleted so you have 4 thin pieces of chicken
1 cup thawed spinach or wilted fresh spinach
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten







1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking dish lined with tin foil and sprayed with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl mix together the spinach, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of each salt, pepper, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning (I used Mrs.Dash). Give it a good mix. Also prepare your breading station. All you need is one bowl with the beaten egg and one shallow bowl with the breadcrumbs.
3. Heat a skillet on med-high heat with about 1 tbsp olive oil. Place a heaping spoonful of the spinach mixture onto the chicken breast and spread to cover in a thin layer. Then roll the chicken from end to end so the mixture is wrapped inside. Take the rolled chicken and dip it into the egg and then roll through the breadcrumbs to coat. Set the roll into the hot skillet
seam side down, allow it to sear shut then flip to get a crust on the other side, about 5 minutes per side. Once you flip the rolls over you may need to use a toothpick to ensure the roll stays secured.
4. Place the chicken rolls into the prepared baking dish and put into the oven for about 20-25 minutes until the chicken is crispy on the outside and the inside is reading at least 170 degrees. Top with a sprinkle of shredded cheese about 15 minutes into the baking process if desired.

I served this up with some instant mashed potatoes, because lets be honest, I had already outdone myself for the day.

Down-home macaroni & cheese recipe

Alright everyone, I am on the hunt for a GREAT homemade mac and cheese recipe. This is one that I found that I thought sounded really good. There are, of course, some changes I already know I would make but for the most part this sounds really good.

I tend to feel a little skeptical about recipes from this Kraft foods magazine because I think maybe there are tastier ways to make things but they use specific recipes because they can sneak in AS MANY Kraft products as possible. I found this one to be a good exception to that, even though the did sneak in 3 products, I really think this would be a great pan of mac n cheese.

What you'll need:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
8 oz Velveeta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (Kraft)
2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (Kraft)
6 Ritz crackers, crushed (Kraft)




1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt 3 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 3 minutes stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk and bring to a boil, cook and stir about 3-5 minutes until thickened. Add velveeta, cook 3 more minutes until melted. Stir in macaroni
3. Spoon into greased casserole dish and sprinkle top with cheddar cheese. melt remaining butter toss with cracker crumbs and sprinkle over macaroni.
4. Bake for 20 minutes until heated through and browning on top.

So my only changes are that I think I would add some salt, pepper, and maybe a little bit of cayenne for some zip. Besides that I am excited to try this!

Pesto chicken stuffed shells recipe

My cheese bread post got me thinking about the first time I ever made it. I was making a birthday feast for my roomates, it was a tradition throughout college that we would do for eachother. Although I usually got the most into the cooking part haha. Anyway, that night to serve after the cheese bread I made these pesto chicken stuffed shells and they were DEVINE. I have made them many many times since and for many different people and they have always been the perfect dish.




These are a little bit labor intensive compared to my usual meals, but if you grab yourself a nice tall glass of wine before you start I promise it will be a breeze.

What you'll need:
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded off the bones  (or package of already shredded, or cook and shred your own whatever is easiest for you)
3 tablespoons pesto (homemade or store bought, but to you)
1-2 cloves garlic
1 box jumbo shell pasta
1 package mushrooms
1 small onion
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, room temp
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Start a large pot of water to boil for your pasta, drop it in once the water is boiling and cook according to package. Also start pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Chop your mushrooms and onion and sautee them with some olive oil and garlic until they just begin to cook through.
3. In a large bowl combine your cream cheese, chicken (shredded), sauteed veggies, pesto,  about 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. (Can you tell I love cheese?) I also like to add a pinch of pepper into the mix. You can give it a taste before you move on to see if it is seasoned to your liking, it usually does not need additional salt or garlic because of the pesto.
4. Drain the pasta once it is cooked, it can be slightly al dente. Then stuff about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into each shell and place them into a well greased baking dish. Top the shells with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan (or more if you would like!). Bake for about 15-20 minutes until your cheese is brown and bubbly.

The last time I made this it was as a thank you to my family and Eric and Carly for taking such good care of me while I was in the hospital. Unfortunately, I couldn't move my arms so I had to have my mom cook it all as I instructed her so it wasn't much of a thank you. But they forgot about all that once these tasty treats hit their lips!

My mom also contributed to that meal by making her Pampered Chef inspired garlic rolls. OMG they were good, and SO simple. She just put a couple of tablespoons of melted butter in the bottom of a pie tin and about a teaspoon of minced garlic so it was coating the bottom of the pan. Then she took a roll of some Pillsbury dinner roll dough and tore it off in bite size chunks laying it in a single layer in the tin and then baked according to the package instructions. They were devoured!




Thanks mom, you're the BEST!

Bruschetta chicken recipe

It has been quite some time since I have made this recipe because it is a chore to make Eric eat anything with tomatoes involved. I personally LOVE all things bruschetta though and I LOVED this chicken.

I am sure at this point you are beginning to see a theme...everything I make is with chicken. From about my sophomore year in highshool until about my junior year in college I ate almost no meat. I don't think that this would have changed either except once my "meat and potatoes" man came along our meals were just was not conducive. So I began experimenting with cooking meat (which was disastrous for a while) but chicken was just the best transition for me. It was much less intimidating than a big hunk of steak. Still to this day I tend to stick with chicken and tofu as my main source of protein but I do enjoy some good red meat every once in a while.

Back to the bruschetta chicken!

What you'll need:
1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup crushed seasoned croutons
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tomatoes
3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and get your baking dish ready by greasing it. Put the flour into a large bag, the beaten eggs in one shallow bowl. Put chicken into flour and shake to coat then dip into eggs and put in the baking dish. In a separate bowl combine croutons, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil then sprinkle the mixture onto the top of the chicken breasts.
2. Loosely cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is browned and cooked through.
3. While the chicken is cooking prepare your bruscetta topping. Chop tomatoes and combine with about 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic, and basil. Spoon the mixture over the chicken. You can do this and put it back in the over for 5 minutes to heat the tomato mixture or you can serve it fresh. I prefer fresh!

*Some two for one recipe action here: the tomato mixture is the same recipe I use to make regular bruschetta but I like to add a little bit of garlic salt. Serve that over some toasted baguette slices and you are going to be oneee happy camper!

Crispy onion chicken recipe

Ok guys...this is one for the books. You are never going to look at breaded chicken the same after this. It is time to stop limiting French's crispy onions to a holiday staple and start putting them on your grocery list all year round. They literally cannot make a package of these things that is big enough, I have to buy like 3. This recipe makes the ULTIMATE in crispy crunchy flavorful breaded and baked chicken. There is always something to disappointing to want some crispy breaded chicken, but doing it in the oven to try and cut some calories. Although this may not be the most figure friendly recipe, it is light while still providing that "fried chicken" taste.


What you'll need:
1 package boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 large bag of crispy onions (I found meijer makes these in a zip top bag and you get way more for your $ and they are just as good)
2 eggs
2 tbsp Frank's Red Hot (optional)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup shredded cheese (whatever kind you have on hand)
Kickin' Chicken seasoning, or your favorite chicken seasoning (optional)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. I pound out my chicken breasts or fillet them so they are about 1/4 in thick, but it is up to you.
2. Begin breading by putting 1 cup of flour into a large bag along with a pinch of salt, pepper and garlic salt. Put in your chicken and shake to coat. Now put your 2 eggs and Franks red hot into a bowl and whisk to blend. The hot sauce is optional, I just think it adds a great zip to the chicken. Also crush up your french's onions so they are in fine crumbles and put those into another shallow bowl. At this point you will also want to get your pan ready. Place a bakers rack on a sheet pan and grease the bakers rack. This will help to get the chicken really crispy all the way around. If you don't have a bakers rack put the chicken directly on a baking sheet that has been greased well.
3. Now bread your chicken by first dredging your floured chicken in the egg and franks mixture and then press it into the crushed onions. Try to press in as much of the onions as you can get to stick. Place them on the bakers rack. This is when I like to give them a sprinkle of kickin chicken!
4. Put your chicken into the oven for about 25- 30 minutes. Top with cheese if desired and serve with ranch or BBQ sauce to dip.

Your taste buds will be begging you for this one at least once a week once you try it!

Spinach stuffed chicken recipe

This recipe comes from Taste of Home magazine. I haven't made it yet but I thought it was a perfect thing to add into the rotation. It seems fairly simple and the ingredients are definitely things I have in my pantry already, I like that!

What you'll need:
3 garlic cloves
1/3 cup butter (I would sub for olive oil)
1 pkg fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 pkg boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
2/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1. Saute garlic in 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet until tender. Add spinach and cook just until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in ricotta cheese and a pinch of salt.
2. Fillet your chicken so they are about 1/4 in thick. Spread the ricotta cheese and spinach mixture over the center of each chicken breast. Roll up and secure with toothpicks.
3. Place egg in a shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs in a separate shallow bowl. Dip the chicken in egg, then coat it with crumbs. Brown chicken in 2 tbsp butter (this is where I would use olive oil instead of butter) in a large skillet. Place chicken, seam side down, in a greased baking dish.
4. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25-30 mins.

Like said above I think I would 86 the butter and go for olive oil, just as calorie cutting measure. I also don't love having a creamy filling in things so I think I would try this without ricotta cheese and would just make the filling with some shredded mozzarella cheese instead and would top with some cheese too. Lastly, I never have fresh spinach, but I ALWAYS have some frozen on hand. I think that would work just as well so knowing myself that would most likely be all of my personal touches.

This sounds delicious in every way. Try it out and let me know how it goes!