Chicken, Avocado and Pesto Panini

I love sandwiches. They are so yummy. And there are so many different ways to make them. My wonderful step mom and dad got me a panini press. I LOVE it! It is amazing I tell you! I keep trying to think up new ideas of what I can press between this contraption that instantly makes food wonderful! This sandwich was no disappointment. A soft sandwich roll stuffed with pesto, grilled chicken, tomatoes, cheese and avocado......ahhh yes please. This is one of those recipes where you can make as many or as little as you want!

Ingredients:

high quality bread or soft rolls

sliced mozzarella cheese ( provolone or monterey jack would be great too!)

sliced tomato

cooked chicken breasts, sliced horizontally to make two thin pieces

sliced avocado

pesto, store bought or I have a quick way to make your own (and cut out calories and fat)

1. First lets talk pesto. It is delicious. You can buy premade pesto at your grocery store or make it fresh from a bunch of basil (which is great in the summer when I have basil) or cheat like me and make it THIS way. Buy a packet of KNORR pesto mix. Don't pay any attention to the actual instructions. Get out a small sauce pan and dump the packet right in there. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of water and whisk away. Turn your heat to medium. You will continue to add water until you get to a spreadable consistency. You don't want it super thick or super thin.....somewhere in between. Ok, pesto is done..... lets assemble.

2. Spread both sides of your bread, hogie, or rolls with your yummy pesto. Next, add your chicken, cheese, tomato and avocado. Top with your other half of bread.

3. Place it on your panin press and let it grill. If you don't have a panini press, do not fear. You can simply cook it like a grilled cheese. When you sandwich is cooking place another pan on top of your sandwich to slightly flatten it. A cast iron skillet works great but any pan will do. Just use your muscles to squish it.Then flip it and press again until done.

4. When your sandwich is done cooking, slice it in half and dig in! Serve it with fruit salad, baked chips, or a salad and you will have one tasty meal.

Apple Pie Enchiladas and a baby!!

I am back! Finally! We have been busy......

This little sweet girl joined our family almost 2 weeks ago and we have been in baby heaven ever since! We are getting into the routine of having 4 (!) girls around here and I love it! I have been so busy with getting ready for baby that I have been slacking on my food blogging but I am ready to start up again! So to kick off the weekend here is a yummy dessert (I found on pinterest) that you should most definitely make!!

Ingredients:

5-6 apples, peeled and cut into cubes (you could use apple pie filling if you want)
3 tablespoons sugar with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon mixed in

6 (8 inch) flour tortillas

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1. Put your cut up apples into a sauce pan and add a splash of water. Cook at medium/high heat for about 5 minutes until they start to get nice and soft. Add in your 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon to sweeten them up and give it a stir. Take off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

2. Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray.

3. Spoon a heaping pile of warm apples in the center of your tortilla. Start to roll it up while tucking the sides in as well forming a nice little roll. Place seam side down in your pan. Repeat with the next 5 tortillas. You should be able to fit 4 tortillas side by side and two and the top of the pan.....if that makes any sense.

4. Ok, now for the sauce. In a medium sauce pan combine butter, brown sugar, white sugar and water. Bring to a boil and STIRRING constantly. Turn the heat to simmer and cook for 3 more minutes.

5. Pour the sauce over the enchiladas and let stand at room temperature for 45 minutes.

6. Turn your oven to 350 and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Now serve with vanilla ice cream and spoon some of the yummy sauce right on the top!

Food blogging problems!

I am sorry to all my followers out there that it has been sooooo long from my last post. I am super frustrated with blogger because it will not allow me to upload any photos at all!! I am one of those girls who loves a good photo with a recipe so I know what I am making. If anyone has any suggestiongs on how to fix this problem, please let me know! I will be up and blogging as soon as I can! Thanks!

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

This may be the best tasting pasta dish I have ever made!! No kidding!! It was so good! The flavors were amazing. It is a bit spicy and creamy and just the right balance of everything. And it is light! I am trying really hard not to make it again right now :) We all loved it and I found it on Pinterest from a blog, Skinny Taste. You HAVE to make this and then make it again because it is amazing!

Ingredients:

          8 ounces uncooked spaghetti

          1 pound chicken breast strips, thawed 

          1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)

          1 tbsp olive oil

          1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced

          1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

          8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

          1/2 onion, sliced

          3 cloves garlic, minced

          2 medium tomatoes, diced

          1 cup fat free sodium chicken broth

          1/3 cup skim milk

          1 tbsp flour

          3 tbsp light cream cheese

          fresh cracked pepper

          2 scallions, chopped

          salt to taste

          Smart Balance cooking spray

Directions:

1. Cut and slice all your vegetables. My husband isn't a fan of peppers or mushrooms so I left them out. So ours was basically a lot of tomatoes and onions, but SO good!! Ok, next in a small blender make a smooth mixture by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set that aside. Season your chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.

2. Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.

3. Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle a bit of olive oil and add your chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done. Set  aside. I put mine on a plate and covered it in foil to keep warm.
4. Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes.
5. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

6. Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in your creamy mixture, stirring about 2 minutes.

7. Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste and cook another minute or two until hot. Next add your pasta and toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!

* great with salad and garlic bread or bread sticks!
* excellent leftovers too :)

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

I made these on Saturday morning for a fun breakfast and they turned out great! I love my donut pan but you could definitely use a mini muffin tin to make little pumpkin poppers! I glazed them with a cinnamon glaze and then we dunked them in hot cocoa.... perfect for a cold fall morning! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

1/2 cup vegetable oil ( I was OUT of applesauce so I did use oil, but normally I would do 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup applesauce)

3/4 cup egg beaters

1 1/2 sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 3/4  cup + 2 tablespoons flour

Glaze

powered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

 milk

dash of cinnamon

1. Mix everything BUT the flour together until all combined. Next add in the flour and mix until smooth. Lightly grease your donut pan or mini muffin tin.

2. Fill about 3/4 full and bake the donuts for 15-18 minutes. Mini muffins will be done a bit sooner so check them at about 8 minutes. You will know they are done when a tooth pick comes out clean and they spring back when pressed.

3. Pop them out after about 5 minutes and let them cool on a cooling rack. While they are cooling you can make the glaze.

4. I don't have a perfectly measures glaze recipe. I always start with a 1/2 cup powdered sugar and add in the vanilla and cinnamon. Next I start with about 2 teaspoons of milk and give it a stir. Then I just add more milk of sugar depending on how thick I want the glaze. Easy peasy.

5. After they have cooled for a couple minutes just pick them up and dip them in to coat the top of the donuts. Just put them back on the cooking rack to let the extra glaze drip off. (I put a piece of wax paper under my cooling rack for easy clean up)

6. Next, you must make hot chocolate and dip these yummy donuts in and enjoy!

*found this yummy recipe on pinterest from King Arthur Flour

Creamy Chicken and Veggies

This was a great meal to have at the beginning of fall. It was warm and comforting. It is a crockpot meal, which I love. I love when dinner is ready whenever you want to sit down and eat!

 Ingredients:

4 chicken breast, thawed and halved
3 cups cubed potatoes
3 cups baby carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
2 packages McCormick Chicken Gravy Mix
1 cup water
1 teaspoon season salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 cup light or fat free sour cream

1. Place your potatoes, carrots and onions in a slow cooker. Top with your chicken, overlapping slightly if needed.
2. Mix your gravey mixes, water season salt, thyme and poultry seasoning in a bowl.
3. Cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high or until the chicken is cooked through and veggies are soft and tender. I cooked mine on high and it was done in 4 hours.
4. Take your chicken and veggies and place them on a serving dish. Stir the sour cream into the drippings in your slow cooker with a whisk. Creamy gravey! Put your gravey into a dish and put on the table to pour over your chicken and veggies.
5. Serve with rolls or muffins and enjoy!

Egg and Sausage Breakfast Pockets

This dinner was a hit. Just yesterday at dinner, eating something completely different, my 5 year old daughter asked me when were were going to have breakfast pockets again. When she asks questions like that, I know I have done something right!

These are a really easy weeknight meal or a fun Saturday breakfast. I love that all the yumminess is on the inside so even little hands can hold these. Nice and warm from the oven, you have to try these!

Ingredients:

3 cups Heart Healthy Bisquick
1 cup fat free/low fat milk
6 eggs, beaten, scrambled and cooked
salt and pepper (for eggs)
1/2 lb. turkey sausage, crumbled and cooked
grated cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, or pepper jack

1. This is nice and easy. First, mix up your bisquick and milk. Once it has formed a dough, plop it onto a floured counter and  roll out into a nice big rectangle. Make sure your surface is good and floured because you don't want these sticking when you are trying to assemble them. You want your dough to be fairly thin. If not when they cook up you will have a TON of biscuit and not enough filling. They puff up :)
 2. Next, you are going to cut your dough into smaller rectangles. About 4x6 inches. You should be able to make 8-9 pockets. Now you are going to fill them. Add a bit of cheese, sausage, and egg right to the middle of your rectangle. You are now going to bring up all the edges and sides and pinch them in the center. Keep your fingers floured so you don't have a sticky mess, too. Flip it over and place it on a greased cookie sheet. It is ok if they don't look beautiful, they will once they are cooked.
3. Assemble the rest of your pockets and put them in a 450 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
4. My family loves dipping them in ketchup but they are great on their own. Add a fruit salad and smoothies and you have dinner.... or breakfast!

* it would be great to make a batch and keep them wrapped in the freezer for a quick breakfast too!