Would you believe I’ve never had frozen taquitos from the grocery store? I feel like that’s one of those freezer foods everyone always talks about, and I was starting to wonder if I was missing out. Then, this past weekend, I made my own homemade taquitos and now I don’t care if I ever taste the pre-packaged ones from the freezer aisle.  These are so quick to make and I can’t imagine the store-bought version comes anywhere close to as good as these taste. They’re crispy on the outside, creamy and cheesy on the inside, and completely delicious. Best of all, they’re very freezer friendly. I made a double batch so that we could keep some in the freezer for future quick meals.

What about you? Have you ever had the pre-packaged frozen taquitos? Ever made your own? Either way, try these and let me know the results! 🙂

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Yield: 10-12 taquitos

Ingredients:

3 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup salsa
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1-2 green onions, chopped
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, etc. would also be good)
10-12 6-inch flour tortillas
Cooking spray
Kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, spices, cilantro, green onions, chicken and shredded cheese. Mix thoroughly until well combined.

Place the tortillas on a plate and microwave for approximately 20 seconds to make them easier to handle. Place a tortilla on a work surface. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the filling mixture down the middle of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly around the filling. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, spacing the assembled taquitos evenly on the baking sheet. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

*Note: These work great as a freezable meal! Before baking, freeze the taquitos in a single layer on the baking sheet for 30-60 minutes. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Bake straight from the freezer, adding a few additional minutes to the original baking time.

from Our Best Bites, via Annies Eats

Meet my new favorite summer meal. I realize I throw the word “favorite” around a lot, but I really mean it each time I use it. This meal is healthy, quick and easy, customizable, and it tastes great. With all of those positives, is it any wonder I just named it a new favorite?

This dish is really a glorified rice pilaf. Take a normal rice pilaf, add some fresh summer vegetables, some leftover cooked chicken, and cheese (anything is better with cheese!), and you have a delicious summer dinner. I used zucchini and carrots from my CSA bag last week, but you could easily substitute whatever vegetables you have on hand. Mike loved this meal and the leftovers, heated up with some extra chicken broth, are wonderful as well. Add this to your menu plan this week and let me know what you think!

Cheesy Vegetable Rice Pilaf

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup orzo pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 small zucchini, chopped
1 carrot, cut into short matchsticks
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 Tbsp lemon zest, plus the juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2-3 handfuls of spinach, chopped
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped cooked chicken, optional

Directions:

Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook until nutty and deep golden-brown.

Add the olive oil, zucchini, carrot, shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Cover and cook to sweat the vegetables a bit, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in the stock, rice, lemon zest, rosemary and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer until the rice is just tender, 16-18 minutes. Fold in the spinach and chicken (if using), then stir in the lemon juice and cheese. Serve immediately.

adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine

I have a budding cookbook obsession. It’s true. I have slowly been collecting more and more cookbooks, asking for them as gifts, checking them out of the library (and inevitably accruing late fines, much to my husband’s dismay). That’s why it was a bad idea for me to join a new cookbook program from Cook’s Illustrated. I actually forgot I signed up for it, but from what I understand, Cook’s Illustrated sends me a cookbook to preview. If I like it, I pay for it and keep it. If I don’t, I send it back. In theory it sounds like a great idea. In actuality it’s not, because I can’t see myself ever sending back one of their cookbooks. It’s becoming an issue.

This 30 minute chicken fajita recipe comes from The Best One-Dish Suppers cookbook that was sent to me to preview. This was just one of the many meals I couldn’t wait to try, and I wasn’t disappointed. It truly only took 30 minutes, was full of flavor, and it was healthy! That’s a lot to expect from a one pot meal. We love Mexican food at our house and this was a great variation from our traditional tacos and quesadillas. It seems a little fancier, and we loved the taste of the lime and cilantro together – two of my favorite flavors in Mexican food!  Next time you’re looking for a quick easy dinner that’s a step up from tacos, give these 30 minute chicken fajitas a try! Clearly I’ll be keeping this cookbook. 🙂

Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

4 (5-6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breats, trimmed and lightly pounded to a uniform thickness
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced thin
1/2 cup water
11/2 tsp chili powder
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar

Directions:

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until well browned on the first side, 6-8 minutes. Flip the chicken, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook until chicken is cooked through, 6-8 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a carving board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest.

Add the peppers, onion, water, chili powder, and 1/2 tsp salt to the fat left in the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, scraping up the browned bits, until the onion is softened, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and cover to keep warm.

Stack the tortillas on a plate and warm in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Mix the remaining 2 Tbsp oil, lime juice, cilantro, Worcestershire, sugar and 1/4 tsp salt together in a large bowl. Slice the chicken into 1/4 inch thick pieces, toss with the lime juice mixture, and serve with the vegetables and warm tortillas.

from The Best One-Dish Suppers

 I am really learning to love skillet meals. They tend to be quick and easy, flavorful, and best of all you only use one pot! A skillet meal is perfect for busy nights when you don’t have much time to cook. My mom sent me this recipe after she and my dad tried it and liked it, and I’m so glad she did. I actually ended up making it twice in one week because it was so easy and so good!

This dish has a lot of flavor from the combination of chicken broth, wine, and parmesan cheese. Plus, anytime you combine chicken, cheese and pasta, chances are it’s going to be a good meal. The second time I made it I used pre-cooked rotisserie chicken I had stored in the freezer and the meal came together in about 20 minutes! It was great re-heated as leftovers as well, and I know this easy dish will make its way into future menu plans.

Skillet Chicken, Broccoli, and Penne

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed and sliced thin
1 medium onion, minced
Salt
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
½ cup dry white wine
8 oz penne pasta
8 oz broccoli florets (approximately 3 cups)
2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (approximately 1 cup), plus more for serving
Ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken, break up any clumps, and cook without stirring until it begins to brown, about 1 minute. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl, cover with foil, and set aside.

Add another Tbsp of oil to the skillet along with the onion and 1/4 tsp salt and cook over medium heat until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, water, wine, pasta, and ¼ tsp salt. Increase the heat and cook, stirring often, for 12 minutes. Add the broccoli and continue to simmer until the pasta and broccoli are tender and the liquid has thickened, about 5 minutes longer.

Return the chicken to the skillet to warm through. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing additional Parmesan separately.

adapted from The Best Chicken Recipes

I am so excited to share this recipe with you! My mom sent me this recipe that she found in the newspaper, saying that both she and my dad had really liked it. Of course, with that glowing review, I had to try it at the next available opportunity. Mike and I aren’t usually huge buffalo chicken fans, but this recipe may have totally changed that. We absolutely loved these sandwiches and the leftovers only got better!

The recipe itself is fairly easy, and the crockpot does most of the work. The meat on its own is pretty spicy, but when combined with the bread and cheese for a sandwich, it was perfect for us. Mike went on and on about how good these were, and is already asking for them again. These were great as sandwiches, but I also think the meat would make a great taco filling, especially when served with sour cream! Let me know if you give these a try, and I hope you like them as much as we did!

Slow-Cooker Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, , cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes (diced tomatoes would work as well)
1/4 - 1/3 c hot pepper sauce, or more to taste (I used 1/4 c and it was not too hot)
3 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T yellow mustard
1 T unsulfured molasses
8 hamburger buns

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken thighs, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring once, until meat is golden brown, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a slow cooker, leaving as much oil behind as possible. Repeat with chicken breasts.

To skillet, add onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until onion is translucent, 6 minutes. Add ¼ cup water and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to slow cooker.

To slow cooker, add crushed tomatoes, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and molasses. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on high until chicken is very tender, 4 hours. Shred chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on buns.

from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food (as seen in the Butler Eagle)

Please tell me – am I the last one to discover the pure comforting bliss of a bowl of chicken stew with dumplings? How have I never tasted this before? Seriously, I took my first bite (straight out of the pot – quality control!) and said to myself “oh my goodness, this is good.” Then I took another bite and shouted into the other room to Mike: “you’re going to be so happy about this!” I hid it pretty well in the picture below, but if you look carefully you might be able to see that one of the dumplings is actually half missing. That’s because I couldn’t stop “taste-testing” the finished result. (I promise, I only do this when it’s just for me and Mike!)

This recipe comes from a Williams Sonoma cookbook and seriously couldn’t be easier. It’s in the 30 minute meal section, and while I initally had my doubts, this actually came together really quickly. There are no crazy ingredients and the result is hands down one of the best comfort foods you can make in such a short time period. It’s warm, creamy, and will have you eating dumplings straight out of the pot. If you’re looking for something to make for dinner tonight, please try this. Then come back and tell me how much you loved it.

Chicken Stew with Dumplings

Ingredients:

Stew:

• 1 1/2 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bit-size pieces
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 4 cups chicken broth

Dumplings:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Melt 2 Tbsp of butter in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add the pot. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the vegetables begin to soften and the chicken is cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Add in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Gradually add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture forms coarse crumbs the size of peas. Add the milk and cheese and stir until combined. Knead a few times until the mixture forms a soft dough.
3. Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough over the top of the boiling stew. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook until the dumplings have nearly doubled in size, 8-10 minutes.

from the Williams Sonoma One Pot Cookbook

I had a fun giveaway post planned for today, but when I looked back at my blog and realized I hadn’t shared this soup with you yet, I knew this needed to take precedence. (Don’t worry – giveaway will be Monday!) If there was ever a soup that would be perfect for turkey leftovers, this is it. It is so good. So good. (sorry…felt that needed more emphasis). Mike declared it the best soup I’ve ever made, we ate it for days straight, and I already want to make more. I made it with chicken, but I’m convinced it would be just as good, if not better, with turkey. As an added bonus, it has such a unique flavor that you don’t feel like you’re eating leftovers!

This soup is the epitome of comfort food. It’s warm, creamy, full of chicken and vegetables, and the unique flavor had me saying “yummm” with a big smile on my face after taking one bite. I found the recipe on Melanie’s site, and modified the ingredients slightly to suit our tastes. You can adjust the creaminess of the soup by how much broth you add and how long you let it cook. You can also play around with the vegetables according to your preferences (although I’d say the mushrooms are pretty much essential). Don’t be nervous about the combination of mustard powder and curry powder (as I was). Just dump it in and prepare for the amazing flavor it produces. Please try this soup. Whether with leftover turkey or with chicken, this is sure to be one of your favorite soups.

P.S. If you like this recipe, you might also want to check out this flavorful, easy to make Pastina Soup or this satisfying and familiar Chicken Noodle Soup!  And don’t forget the bread!  I’d recommend these French Bread Rolls (as pictured above) or you could even go with these soft pretzel rolls as I firmly believe that soft pretzels can (should?) be eaten with anything. 🙂

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• ½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups whole milk

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, celery and carrots and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add the mushrooms and sauté 3-4 more minutes. Then add flour and stir well. Over medium heat, gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Bring the soup just to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer, while stirring, for 5-6 minutes, until it has thickened slightly.
2. Next, add the chicken, rice, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley and ground black pepper. Allow all the ingredients to heat through and then pour in the milk. Let the soup gently simmer (not boil) for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. It will thicken slowly as it cooks. If it gets too thick, add some extra chicken broth before serving.

*Note: If you start with raw chicken just saute the chicken with the vegetables in the first step until cooked through.

from My Kitchen Cafe

If you like what you see, you may want to sign up to get free email updates or subscribe via rss. 🙂

This soup recipe marks the official end of pumpkin week. Although, if you check back in a few days (as long as everything goes as planned) you just might find one more pumpkin recipe waiting for you. No promises. 🙂

In the meantime, I need a break from all the desserts! (Just wait until you see what I’ve got coming up in December!) I made this soup for dinner last night because I was looking for something a little unique to try. It was quick and easy to put together, fairly healthy, and definitely full of flavor. Reminiscent of buffalo wings, the soup gets most of its flavor from Frank’s RedHot sauce. I never would have thought to put this sauce in a soup, but somehow it just works. The result is a warm, cheesy and spicy bowl of soup – perfect to warm you up on a cold evening.  Neither Mike or I are big fans of spicy food, so I only used 1/4 cup of the original flavor hot sauce.  It was still fairly spicy so I toned it down with extra chicken broth and milk. It wasn’t our favorite flavor combination, but it was still a good, comforting bowl of soup. If you’re a fan of buffalo wings, however, you’ll love this soup!

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth, plus extra if needed
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups cooked and cubed chicken
1/8 cup Frank's RedHot sauce
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Directions:

Saute onions and celery in butter until tender. Stir in flour until smooth. Slowly add milk and broth. Heat and stir on medium until soup starts to thicken. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cheese has melted.

adapted from All Recipes

*Disclosure: I was asked to make a recipe containing Frank’s RedHot sauce and was compensated for my ingredients and time. I chose the recipe myself and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

On Friday I saw the first snow of the season. To be honest, it was a little depressing because I know the cold weather is here to stay. Then I remembered that cold weather means hot chocolate, comfort food, and hot satisfying meals. That helped cheer me up. 🙂 This is one of those warm comforting meals that is perfect for dinner on a cold evening.  It’s chock full of vegetables, to keep it healthy, but the cheesy sauce makes it seem like it couldn’t possibly be good for you.

I saw this meal on Made in Melissa’s Kitchen, and it looked so good I immediately added it to my menu for the following week.  I made quite a few changes based on our personal preferences and what we had on hand, and I’m sure there are countless ways you could adapt this dish. I already had some leftover cooked chicken and some rice in the freezer, which made this a 30 minute meal.  Mike took one bite and said “This is my kind of food.”  You can’t beat a meal like this on a busy weeknight!

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1.5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 Tablespoons fresh minced garlic
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 Cups shredded, cooked chicken breast
• 2 Cups steamed white rice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Cheese Sauce:

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/8 Cup all purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Cups chicken broth
• 2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil into a medium pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots and broccoli until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken, rice, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Reduce heat to low.
2. To prepare cheese sauce melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper then slowly pour in chicken broth whisking continuously. Whisk until thick and nearly boiling then stir in 1 cup cheese until melted.
3. Pour cheese sauce into rice mixture then transfer to a 2 qt casserole dish or 8x8 inch baking dish. Top with additional cheddar cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted through. Serve hot.

adapted from Made in Melissa's Kitchen

I think I’m going to start counting how many times I write about how much I love to eat soup in the cold weather. What can I say – I tend to talk about what I like. One thing I love about soup as an evening meal is that not only is it generally pretty healthy, but it’s also usually pretty inexpensive. Although the one exception to that rule seems to be chicken broth. I didn’t realize how expensive it was (to get the good stuff) until I started making soups that called for at least 6-8 cups of chicken broth.

So what’s an aspiring “make everything from scratch and keep it as cheap as possible” cook supposed to do? Make chicken broth at home of course. One problem. I seem to have no free time for long, laborious, stand over the stove recipes. Enter: The Slow Cooker. This has revolutionized my soup making.

(*Note: I have absolutely zero idea if this is the “correct” way of making chicken stock. I read about it on numerous blogs, have tried it myself successfully, and have made some delicious soup. I’m speaking from experience and nothing else).

This really couldn’t be easier. I like to start with the bones of a chicken – most likely a roasted chicken I bought from the grocery store (although my mom is teaching me to roast a chicken this weekend! Updates soon). We generally have chicken for dinner that night, then I pick the rest of the meat off to freeze for future recipes. Once I’m left with the bones of the chicken the steps are as follows:

1. Put chicken carcass (ha, who uses the word carcass in a recipe?) in the crockpot
2. Add whatever seasonings you want and cover with water – I usually add some fresh thyme, oregano, parsley, and some salt and pepper. I also read that if you add some vinegar to the pot at this point and let it sit, it helps get all the minerals into your broth. Sometimes I remember, sometimes I don’t.
3. Add your vegetables – I usually add carrots, celery, and onion. You can also add these halfway through, but again, I tend to forget, so I just add everything at once.
4. Cover, turn crockpot on high until it comes to a boil and skim off whatever comes to the top.
5. Turn crockpot to low and simmer for 12-24 hours.
6. Let the broth cool and strain it into containers to freeze. I like to strain it into a large bowl, then place it in freezer bags in 2-cup quantities. Freeze the bags flat on a cookie sheet so that they’re stackable in the freezer.

It seems complicated, but it’s really not. And the best part is that the broth just cooks away while I’m doing something else. I like to start it on a Friday evening after dinner, let it cook all night, and then deal with it on Saturday morning.

Homemade broth really does make the best soups, and best of all you can control the ingredients in it. It’s cheap, healthy, easy and delicious. This is what works for me.

Inspired by Donielle at Naturally Knocked Up

If you like what you see, you may want to sign up to get free email updates or subscribe via rss. 🙂