Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf

recipe from What’s Cookin’ Chicago?

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (Picky Apple Note: I substituted almond meal to keep it gluten-free)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup pasta sauce (homemade or store bought)
• 1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
• minced parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. To not over handle the mixture otherwise it will get tough. Place the mixture in the greased loaf pan and form into a loaf. Top the meatloaf with pasta sauce.

Place filled loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the meatloaf back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted.

Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving/slicing. Garnish with parsley if desired.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Prepare the meatloaf mixture as directed and place in a disposable loaf pan. Cover and freeze. When ready to prepare and serve, defrost the meatloaf completely and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Top with pasta sauce and place filled loaf pan on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the meatloaf back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving/slicing. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Spinach Berry Cucumber Salad

recipe from Trainer Momma

Ingredients:

• 10 oz of fresh baby spinach
• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1 fresh peach, sliced
• handful of dried cranberries
• handful of Asiago cheese, shredded
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup sugared pecans
• White Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing (see recipe below)

Mix all the ingredients. Dress the salad to taste with the most of the dressing (I typically have a little left over) and serve immediately.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

recipe from Trainer Momma

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar  (Picky Apple Note: I just used regular balsamic)
• 1 Tb pure maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 ground black pepper

Just mix all the ingredients in a jar and shake well.

This Pomegranate Hazelnut Holiday Salad with Maple Bacon Dressing is one AMAZING salad!  I’ve thrown this salad together at least 3 times in the last month, and I just can’t get enough of it.  I suppose I’m a little slow jumping on the pomegranate band-wagon: until I made this salad, I don’t think I’d had pomegranate or pomegranate juice.  But now I love those messy little seeds with all my heart!

And then there’s the dressing…made of maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and….wait for it….bacon grease.  It really doesn’t get any better than that.

In order to make this salad a little more filling for a lunch or dinner (and to get some extra protein), I add grilled chicken or turkey (as in the photo, taken shortly after Thanksgiving) and crumbled goat cheese.  I think the goat cheese pairs well with the bacon and pomegranate flavors, but other cheeses would probably work great too!

Pomegranate Hazelnut Holiday Salad with Maple Bacon Dressing

recipe adapted from Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients:

• 8 cups Mixed Greens
• 12 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled (save your bacon grease, see below!)
• ¾ cups Chopped, Toasted Hazelnuts
• 1 whole Pomegranate, Peeled And Arils Removed
• 1 cup chopped grilled chicken or leftover turkey
• 3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 3 Tablespoons Warm Bacon Grease (reserved From Cooking The Bacon)
• 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
• 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

To make salad: Toss greens, bacon, hazelnuts, pomegranate, grilled chicken/turkey, and goat cheese together in a bowl.

To make dressing: Place bacon grease, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper (if using) into a small jar and shake until combined. Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve immediately.

Here’s what I put on my Greek salads: red and green romaine, spinach, red bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, kalamata olives, feta cheese, grilled chicken (using the marinade from this recipe), and pine nuts.  Occasionally I add cherry tomatoes.  Tomatoes are one of those things I’m learning to enjoy more.

A long time ago, my mom showed me how easy it is to make your own Greek Salad Dressing instead of purchasing a bottle of it.  I used to just throw my dressing together with no measuring, but recently I tried the recipe below.  It contains all the ingredients I was already using, but these measurements get the flavor just right.

Greek Salad Dressing

recipe from Make It Paleo

Ingredients:

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a small mixing bowl.  Whisk in olive oil, minced garlic, and oregano.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Parmesan Bake

recipe from Food Wishes Video Recipes via Pinterest

I’ve written out the recipe steps below, but you can also just watch the video

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• hot red pepper flakes, to taste
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 3)
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 8 ounces mozzarella, shredded
• 4 ounces parmesan, shredded
• 1 (5 ounce) package of garlic croutons

In a 9×13″ casserole dish, mix your olive oil, crushed garlic and red pepper flakes.  Spread this mixture out over the bottom of the dish.  Then put your chicken breasts down in the dish.  (Picky Apple Note: I pounded the chicken breasts out so that they were fairly thin…they cook faster this way too!)  Pour 2 cups of marinara sauce over the chicken breasts and spread to cover evenly.  Sprinkle the chopped basil over the sauce.  Then sprinkle 4 ounces of shredded mozzarella and 2 ounces of the shredded parmesan (half of the cheese) over the top.  Next sprinkle the 5 ounces of garlic croutons over the cheese.  Spread them out evenly.  (Picky Apple Note: I smashed mine up very slightly first).  Now sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the croutons (4 more ounces of mozzarella and 2 more ounces of parmesan).  Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through  (if you don’t pound out the chicken breasts or if they are particularly thick, it could take up to an hour.)

Ultimate Roast Chicken

from Tyler Florence at foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

• 1 (5 1/2 pound) chicken
• 1/2 bunch each fresh oregano, thyme, and parsley
• 1/4 pound unsalted butter, softened
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 orange, halved
• 1/2 head garlic
• 1 medium white onion, halved, plus 1 onion
• 6 strips smoked bacon
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• Serving suggestion: roast potatoes, watercress and gravy

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Rinse the chicken with cool water, inside and out. Pat it dry with paper towels. Divide the herbs, keeping 1/2 of them whole. Finely chop the other half. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the chopped herbs, until combined. Rub the herbed butter under the skin, as well as all over the outside of the chicken. Season the bird all over with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the orange, garlic, 1 onion, and the remaining herbs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a roasting pan. Put the remaining onion into the pan, which will help color and flavor the sauce. Lay the strips of bacon across the breast of the chicken and roast for 25 minutes.

Remove the bacon and baste the chicken with the drippings and cook for another 25 minutes to brown the skin. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (the legs of the chicken should wiggle easily from the sockets too.) Remove the chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes, so the juices settle back into the meat before carving.

Meanwhile, remove the softened onion from the roasting pan. Tilt the pan so the drippings collect in 1 corner, skimming off as much fat as possible, and leaving the drippings. Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium heat and take a wooden spoon to scrape up the flavor from the bottom of the pan. Stir the flour into the drippings to make a roux-like paste. Pour in the chicken broth in stages; continue to stir to dissolve the flour evenly to prevent lumps. Stir in the sherry and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, carve the chicken tableside and squeeze the oranges from the cavity over the meat.

Today would be the perfect day for a big steaming bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup or a cheesy chicken casserole.  Something comforting.  And this roast chicken would be a great to use in a dish like that.  I’m a big fan of roasting my own chicken instead of buying rotisserie at the store.  In the past, I’ve usually cooked my whole chickens in the oven.  Roasting chicken in the oven gets the skin nice and crispy, but sometimes I overcooked my chicken and it was too dry.  And you have to rub butter under the skin and stuff the chicken, which can be a pain.

But did you know that you can also roast a whole chicken in the crockpot?  This method is super easy, and yields chicken that is falling-off-the-bone tender and extra juicy.  The skin won’t get crispy this way, nor will it win any photo contests, but you’ll get some delicious chicken with the ease of your crockpot.  The recipe couldn’t be simpler….put some chopped onion in your crockpot, plop the chicken on top, sprinkle with spices.**  That’s it! No extra liquid needed.  (You’ll be amazed at how much liquid is created as the onion and chicken cook!)  No rubbing butter under the chicken skin (which I know grosses some of you out).  This recipe is virtually foolproof (assuming you remember to turn on your crockpot)!

** A note about the spices: The recipe below includes a homemade spice mixture, but this would also work with practically any seasoning mix: fajita seasoning, grill seasoning, italian seasoning or any other spice mixture you can purchase.

Ready to cook!

Crockpot Whole Chicken

adapted from food.com

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. white pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 large roasting chicken (Picky Apple note: mine was about 3.5 pounds)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• Other optional add ins: lemon juice, garlic, potatoes, carrots and other veggies

In a small bowl, combine the spices.  Clean the chicken and remove the giblets.  Put chopped onion in bottom of crockpot.  Add the chicken.  Sprinkle the spices on top of the chicken.  (Picky Apple note:  I don’t always use all of the spice, depending on the size of the chicken.  If you’ve got some leftover, save it for next time!) Throw in potatoes and veggies, if using.  Cook on low for 4-8 hours, depending on your crockpot.  (Mine takes 5-6 hours)

**Edited 9/16/11: Many food safety sites recommend cooking raw chicken on high for the first hour in the crockpot to bring the crockpot up to a “safe” temperature.  Then you can switch it back down to low for the remainder of the cook time.  I’ve done it both ways and my chicken has been fine (but then again my crockpot is particularly hot).  Just wanted to give you a heads up.  Safe cooking everyone!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

adapted from The Sisters Cafe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken or pork, cooked and shredded
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 cans green enchilada sauce (use mild or medium, your preference!)
• 1 pound (16 ounces) cheddar jack cheese (or use pepper jack for an extra kick!)
• corn tortillas

To Make Sauce: Mix together honey, lime juice, chili powder, and garlic powder.  Add to pork or chicken and let the sauce soak into the meat for about 30 minutes.

What actually occurred?  The morning meeting was cancelled.  The Littlest Apple threw up on me.  He complained about having a headache for the first time EVER in his life.   I cancelled The Littlest Apple’s fun day with the grandparents.  We got in the car, running late already for his last minute doctor’s appointment, only to discover the gas tank was empty and in need of gas.  The pediatrician took one look in his nose and throat and diagnosed him with a sinus infection and strep throat  (she even went so far as to say that his throat looked really awful…no swab test required.  I’m feeling super guilty that I had NO CLUE he was that sick!).  Lunch plans were cancelled.  I had a carpal tunnel flare up preventing me from gripping a pen or typing.  Productivity came to a screeching halt.  I made a huge smoky burned mess in the oven while cooking dinner.  I went to bed without doing the dishes.  Oh, and last night I realized that I forgot to go get my allergy shots.

I am giving myself a huge pat on the back for being very go-with-the-flow about it.  I am NOT a go-with-the-flow person so that was a big accomplishment.  Which is good, because that’s about all I accomplished yesterday.  Ha!

All of that to say…..”Things are nutty around here.  I haven’t had time to work on the longer blog posts I had planned for this week.  Here’s a recipe post I had ready to go.”

How’s that for a recipe intro?

I LOVED the sauce in this recipe, and I think it would be delicious with chicken, shrimp, beef, OR pork.  It’s just that good.  Ours was a bit on the spicy side, so I’ve included some adjustments to the recipe below.  Just make sure you find some salsa verde that is labeled “mild.”  I’d also suggest using every last bit of the dry rub on the meat for the bigger flavor.  This one’s definitely a keeper!

Mexi-Chicken Pasta

adapted from Picky Palate

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pasta (original recipe used campanelle, I used spaghetti, any will work)
• 1/4 teaspoon ancho chile pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse grind black pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup finely chopped white onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 cup finely chopped sweet peppers (I used one banana pepper)
• 1 cups Salsa Verde, mild
• 1 cup petite diced tomatoes from can
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and run under cold water to stop cooking.

Place ancho pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper into a small bowl, stirring to combine.  Sprinkle over both sides of chicken, then rub.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.  Add chicken cooking until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes each side.  Place pot in oven and continue cooking for 25 minutes.

While chicken is cooking heat 2 tablespoons oil in another Dutch oven or medium pot over medium heat.  Add onions, garlic and sweet peppers, cooking and stirring until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add salsa, tomatoes, cream and cilantro, stirring to combine.  Add cooled pasta back to original large pot and pour sauce over top, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to low, stirring often.

When chicken is cooked through, remove and let rest for 5 minutes.  Cut into slices.  Spoon pasta in serving bowls and top with slices of chicken breast.  Garnish with a sprig of cilantro if desired.

To go with the Jambalaya, I made Oven Baked Beignets for dessert, but the beignets were a complete FAIL.  So disappointing, because I love beignets!  In the past, I’ve baked a King Cake.  Since the beignets didn’t work out, I’m going to try a different King Cake recipe today- one with cream cheese filling-  and if it works out, I’ll share it later!

Jambalaya

from Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces chicken, diced  (if you like shrimp, you could use 4 oz of chicken with 4-6 oz of shrimp)
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning, recipe follows
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 3/4 cup rice
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 5 ounces Andouille sausage, sliced
• Salt and pepper

In a bowl combine shrimp, chicken and Creole seasoning, and work in seasoning well. In a large saucepan heat oil over high heat with onion, pepper and celery, 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Stir in rice and slowly add broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. When rice is just tender add shrimp and chicken mixture and sausage. Cook until meat is done, about 10 minutes more. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning.

Creole Seasoning

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme