Chicken Lo Mein

Okay, this isn't exactly Wok Inn but it was still pretty darn good!  I used the leftover chicken breast that I had from the honey-lime chicken recipe for simplicity.  I couldn't find lo mein noodles so I ended up using linguine.  One of the best parts of this recipe is you can use whatever veggies that you have.  In this case, I had onions, a green bell pepper, and some broccoli on hand.

Chicken Lo Mein
(Source and Photo Credit : Modified from Annie's Eats)
Serves: 2


Ingredients:
6 oz. lo mein noodles
1.5 tbsp. oyster sauce
2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
Long squeeze of Sriracha Hot Sauce or Pinch red pepper flakes, to taste
1/2 tbsp. canola oil
1 medium chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
1 cup snow peas
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 large carrot, cut into coins or matchsticks
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. sesame oil

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
2. In a bowl, make your sauce by combining the oyster sauce, soy sauce, chicken broth and hot sauce (or red pepper flakes). Set aside.
3. Bring canola oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
4. Add the chicken and cook until done.
5. Add the vegetables and stir fry until tender-crisp, just a couple minutes. (If you want certain veggies more done, just cook them longer and stagger your vegetable additions.
6. Add the sauce, and then add the noodles. Mix everything together well. If the veggies need to cook longer, cover and steam until done. Drizzle with sesame oil and toss again.  Serve immediately.

Honey Lime Grilled Chicken

Wow!!!  This is a extremely simple and delicious marinade!  I grilled the chicken on the George Foreman (we don't own a real grill, yet) and cut it up to serve over a salad.  Give this marinade a try, you won't use the bottled stuff ever again :).

Honey-Lime Grilled Chicken
(Source: The Piggly Wiggly)


Ingredients:
6 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp honey
Juice of 2 limes (~4 Tbsp lime juice)
3 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp salt (Omit if using regular sodium soy sauce)
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced (I didn't use b/c didn't have)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sesame seeds (I didn't use b/c didn't have)
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

1. 12-24 hours prior to cooking, mix all ingredients together in a bowl or large ziplock bag.  Then place into the refridgerator.
2. 1 hour prior to cooking remove chicken from marinade set aside.
3. Heat grill and cook chicken from about 5-8 minutes on each side.
4. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes then slice and serve.

Jamie's Minestrone

I have a confession to make.  I have a slight love affair with SOUP!  This is the receipe that started my love for cooking it.  And, ever since, I've scoured the internet for different soup recipes to try to make and restaurant soups just never quite seemed to measure up anymore.  Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall I'm making some sort of soup in this house!  They can be relatively healthy (this one is!) and by making it at home, you help control the salt content.  Plus, most soups make LARGE batches and freeze well for quick meals later.  (Note: if you want to freeze this one, DO NOT add the noodles or it'll suck up all your delicious broth!  Only add noodles when ready to serve!).  Give this one a try - it's chock full of veggies and my absolute favorite!

Jamie's Minestrone
(Source: modified from All Recipes)

PREP TIME	35 Min
COOK TIME	50 Min
READY IN	1 Hr 25 Min

SERVINGS says 4 but it makes a whole stock pot full! 

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 5 carrots, sliced
• 4 cups chicken broth (for pure vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth)
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups tomato sauce (or do 1 can sauce, 1 can diced/stewed tomatoes if chunks desired)
• 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
• 1 cup canned kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can green beans
• 2 cups baby spinach, rinsed
• 3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup seashell pasta
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth, water and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better.
3. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside.
4. Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place 2 tablespoons cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. 

Chicken Parmesan Meatball Subs

A little bit behind on posting recent recipe trials.  Chicken Parmesan is one of Chris' absolute favorite meals.  Unfortunately for him, I have yet to find a recipe that I am happy with...probably because I don't like to fry things and that's the only way you can get a truly crisp chicken breast.

This sub version comes from the super fab Rachel Ray.  I forgot to buy ground chicken/turkey so it ended being more of a meatball (used 1lb ground beef and 1/2 lb spicy pork sausage) sub.  I'm sure had I done it "correctly" it'd taste delicious but this version was great, too.  An accelerated version of my normal (Grandma Barrante's) version of meatballs and sauce.

Chicken Parmesan Subs
(Source: Rachel Ray as seen on 30 Minute Meals)

Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds ground chicken or ground turkey (as stated above, I forgot to buy this main ingredient!  Ended up using 1lb ground beef and 1/2 lb ground spicy pork sausage instead)
• 1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup Italian blend cheese
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
• Handful of chopped parsley leaves (1 Tbsp dried parsley)
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for liberal drizzling plus, plus 3 tablespoons for pan
• 2 large cloves garlic, cracked from skin and split (used minced garlic)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Salt & Pepper
• 8 to 10 leaves fresh basil, torn or shredded or 1 Tbsp dried basil
• 4 (6 to 8-inch) crusty sub rolls
• 1-1/2 cups shredded provolone

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place chicken in a bowl and season with grill seasoning. Add egg, half of the grated cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, and a serious drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to the bowl. Mix the meat and form 12 large meatballs. Squish the balls to flatten them a bit like mini oval meatloaves. Be careful not to form the balls wider than your bread. The flattened balls will stay put on your sub, no roll-aways! Bake the meatballs 15 minutes until golden and firm. Switch the broiler on.
3. While the meatballs bake, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and garlic and cook 5 minutes then remove the cloves. Add crushed red pepper flakes then tomatoes and stir in the chicken stock. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and simmer 10 minutes, adjust seasonings and stir in the basil. Reserve a extra sauce for dipping on dinner table.
4. Remove the meat from oven and loosen with a thin spatula. Turn meat balls in sauce.
5. Cut sub rolls making the bottom a little deeper than the top. Hollow out a little bread and lightly toast the sub rolls under broiler. Fill the bottoms of the breads with flattened balls and sauce. Combine the provolone and remaining Parmigiano. Cover the subs with cheese and return to broiler to melt the cheese until golden.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Treats

Anyone that knows Chris knows that he LOVES sweets.  Specifically, anything with peanut butter.  (Though in reality, just anything sweet!)  I saw this online in a blog that I normally read and thought this would be something he may like so I put my domestication skills to work and baked these cookies. 

Sadly, Chris thought they "weren't peanut buttery enough" and he was a bit disappointed because for some reason he thought they would have "molten peanut butter centers".  His brother Justin, however, ate 3 of them in like...a minute.  If I were to make this again, I'd up the peanut butter or maybe even add a mini Reese cup to the center for his tastes.  Personally, I thought they were delicious and tasted like giant things of Puppy Chow! :)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Treats
(Source and Photo Credit: Betty Crocker)

Prep Time: 50 min

Total Time: 1 hour 25 min

Makes: 3 dozen cookies

Cookies
1	pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix
3	tablespoons vegetable oil
1	tablespoon water
1	egg

Coating
1	cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)
1/4	cup butter or margarine
1/4	cup peanut butter
1	teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2	to 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until soft dough forms. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. In small microwaveable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Place 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar in 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag; set aside. Place 12 cooled cookies in large bowl. Pour 1/3 of chocolate mixture over cookies in bowl. Using rubber spatula, toss cookies gently to coat. Place cookies in bag with powdered sugar; seal bag. Gently turn bag to coat cookies. Remove cookies from bag to cooling rack to set. Repeat with 12 more cookies and 1/2 of remaining chocolate mixture; repeat again until all cookies are coated, adding additional powdered sugar to bag as needed.