away three babysitters.

I'm starting to question if my parenting skills are really that bad or if my twoyear-old Wes is just the sweetest devil you'll ever know. Babysitter #1: I texted her and told her we were on her way home from our date and asked if the boys were asleep (we took baby Gracie with us). She said she "Um...no. I actually had to call my mom because it got that bad." Great. She said in her Southern drawl that Wes had ripped off all of his clothes and was "nek-ked" yelling at her and running around the house refusing to do anything she said. Although embarrassing, it wasn't all that surprising to me. Wes often finds his clothes restricting and tries to get naked whenever we aren't looking. And I can't say it would be the first naked defiant tantrum that he's thrown. He's two and good at it. I chalked up the situation to the inexperience of a 16year-old to handle a grouchy two-year-old and moved on. Babysitter #2: I was really nervous about leaving my baby for the first time but we were headed to a work event for my husband and bringing a baby just wasn't appropriate. The babysitter was a 25-year-old who is a full-time nanny for a family with 3 children so I figured she could handle it. After many discussions about whether she was comfortable watching my three boys and a 5-month old she said "Oh yeah, I can handle it." After being gone for one hour I got a text from her saying, "I can't handle this. I called my mom to come hold the baby." I guess baby Gracie wouldn't stop crying and missed her mama. So I headed home thinking, "Am I supposed to pay her and her mom?" Babysitter #3: It started off well. I didn't dare leave Gracie after the last fiasco so we took her with us with some friends to the movies. She's really good and never makes a peep as long I'm holding her. Halfway through the movie the babysitter calls. "Um...Wes locked me in his bedroom and I can't get out." We switched the door handle on his bedroom so that the lock is on the outside and she had tried to get him in his room to read a book and he locked her and the other boys in there. Smart and mischievous are a bad combination. So that's it. I've decided to never leave the house again. Ever.

These grilled pineapple and chicken quesadillas were definitely my kid's favorite dish from "Get Your Grill On" week. Sweet pineapple with cheese and chicken in a buttery tortilla really is a great combination.

Grilled pineapple is one of our favorite healthy desserts. The natural sugars start to caramelize and it turns into a delicious treat.

Layer your tortilla with chicken and slices of pineapple. Top it with additional BBQ sauce. You could add jalapenos here for some added kick but our BBQ sauce was pretty spicy so it didn't need anything.

Grilled Pineapple and Chicken Quesadillas Source: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients: 8 whole flour tortillas butter 2 cups grilled pineapple, sliced 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts pounded thin or butterflied salt and pepper, to taste 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 3 tablespoons spicy barbecue sauce (optional) cilantro and jalapenos Instructions: To grill pineapple: Cut wedges, stick on skewers, and grill over low heat either on a grill, grill pan, or even a skillet. Cut into slices. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and Cajun spice if you want some heat. Spray grill with cooking

spray and grill on both sides until done, brushing with barbecue sauce after it's finished. Set aside and slice into very thin slices. Warm pan over medium heat and put butter in the pan enough to coat. Slightly warm and toast tortillas on both sides, then remove from griddle and set aside. To assemble, sprinkle four browned tortillas with grated Monterey Jack and arrange chicken slices and pineapple slices evenly over the surface. If desired, add sliced jalapenos and cilantro here. Drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top. Add second browned tortilla on top of each one. (You'll have four complete quesadillas at this point.) Add quesadillas back to skillet to warm, until cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges. Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, and lime wedges.

at 11:53 AM 21 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Cheese, Chicken, Grilled, Lunch, Main Dishes, Mexican Sunday, May 6, 2012 Chicken In Basil Cream Sauce My husband took my boys on an overnight camping trip for our church's father-and-sons outing leaving me home alone with my baby girl. I can't remember the last time I was alone in my house. It was a little weird. The house felt so quiet. I guess the quiet was an early Mother's Day present.

I was stuck in between wanting to do a million things I needed to get done and just lounging on the couch doing absolutely nothing. The house was begging to be cleaned so I did that first and it actually stayed clean for more than ten minutes. I soaked the cleanliness in for a while then Gracie and I headed out shopping.

It was a much needed break from the marathon of responsibilities as a mother. It gave me a chance to recharge and the distance made me miss my boys. They came back reeking of campfire smoke with remnants of s'mores smeared on their clothes and their smiling faces. I asked them what their favorite part about camping was and they said seeing an alligator while canoeing. True story...yikes.

They're funny. I missed them.

I would love if someone made this chicken for me for Mother's Day (*wink*). The chicken all by itself is go-ood. But I guarantee that you will be licking this creamy sun-dried tomato basil sauce off your plate.

Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce Source: adapted from Allrecipes Makes 4 servings

Ingredients: 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup dried Italian bread crumbs

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 3 tablespoons butter 1 clove garlic (1/2 teaspoon minced) 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1/8 teaspoon black pepper Ingredients: Place milk and bread crumbs in separate, shallow bowls. Make sure your chicken breasts are thin. I usually buy chicken from Costco and the breasts are really thick so I fillet each breast in half lengthwise so they are thinner. You can also pound your breasts with a meat mallet to make them thinner.

In skillet, heat butter to medium heat. Dip chicken in milk, then coat with crumbs. Cook chicken in butter, on both sides, until juices run clear (about 10 minutes). Remove and keep warm.

Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds over medium heat. Add the chicken broth to the skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and stir to loosen browned bits from pan. Stir in cream and sun-dried tomatoes; boil and stir for 1 minute. Reduce heat.

Add Parmesan cheese, basil and pepper. Stir sauce and cook until heated through. Remember that for a thicker sauce all you have to do is cook it longer. I like my sauce on the thick side so I cooked it for a while (3-5 minutes).

Serve chicken with sauce poured over the top.

at 9:23 AM 29 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Chicken, Main Dishes Friday, January 6, 2012 Honey Garlic Chicken This time of year everyone is trying to eat healthy and the nonconformist in me wants to do the exact opposite. The more I think about eating healthy chicken or fish with veggies, the more I just want to go eat a Krispy Kreme. The defiant inner teenager inside me wants to rebel and do exactly what I'm not supposed to. I also have it in my head that I have to eat ALL of the junk food in my house before I can properly start to eat healthy. As if it's my duty to eat the whole pound of See's chocolate that my sisters gave me...ahem...before I can start eating healthy. I just think of it as taking one for the team so my husband doesn't have to ruin his healthy eating ways. This crockpot honey garlic chicken is my compromise to the start of eating healthy. Although the ingredients aren't entire healthy on their own if you ate them in their entirety, the chicken only cooks in it and then just a little sauce is eaten with it. This recipe comes from Deborah over at Taste and Tell who shared this as one of her favorite recipes of 2011 so I knew I had to try it. I agree with her that often chicken in the crockpot tends to be dry and lacking flavor that's why chicken thighs are perfect for the crockpot. This chicken reminded me of the Huli Huli chicken we had in Hawaii last year. My husband thought this chicken was even better. Serve it over brown rice and with some broccoli for a healthy meal or shredded over a salad.

Honey Garlic Chicken Source: Taste and Tell

Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 3 garlic cloves, minced or chopped 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce 1/2 cup ketchup 1/2 cup honey (optional) fresh basil, shredded, for garnish Instructions: Place the chicken in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, soy sauce, ketchup and honey. Pour over the chicken and cover. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Be sure to check the chicken periodically. My chicken was done after 5 hours on low. Remove chicken, place on a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Transfer the remaining sauce to a saucepan and reduce down over medium heat until desired consistency is reached. I mixed a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and added it to the

sauce and continued to stir and cook on medium heat until it thickened up a bit. Serve a little sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh basil. Serve chicken over rice with some broccoli or green beans on the side.

at 9:41 AM 23 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Chicken, Healthy, Main Dishes Wednesday, September 21, 2011 Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu Chicken Cordon Bleu was one of the first meals I attempted as a newly married woman. I had never heard of pounding chicken to make it thinner and spent a lot of time in the kitchen violently trying to pound out the chicken and roll all of the fillings up inside. In the end, most of the cheese and filling leaked out while baking and I was left with a dry chicken breast. I boycotted chicken cordon bleu since that experience figuring it was way too much work for me.

When I saw this EASY version of chicken cordon bleu, I thought I would give the dish one more chance. Yum! You know how most things taste better when someone else cooks them? Well, this is one dish that I really enjoyed even though I cooked it myself.

One thing I've learned since I've been in the food world is that people really look down on using cream of chicken and mushroom soups. I'm not totally against them; I believe they have a purpose sometimes and make life easier. But this dish uses a from scratch sauce instead and oh my gosh - it's to die for! This is a great easy dish for company or just for your family. It's comfort food at its best.

I followed Mel's advice of using fresh bread crumbs. We are already doing things the easy way and fresh breadcrumbs make this dish look and taste gourmet. To make the breadcrumbs I threw the heels of my bread in my little food processor. You are supposed to use dry bread but in Florida that's pretty much impossible since it's so humid. My Oreos, Nillas, and anything that's supposed to stay crisp gets soggy within a day. You can toast your bread to dry it out if you live in a humid climate like me.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe Ingredients: For the Cordon Bleu: 3 large, thick boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise (to make two thinner chicken breast cutlets; you will have 6 total thin chicken breasts) 12 slices good quality deli ham 1 cup bread crumbs (preferably fresh) 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1/2 pound (8 ounces) thinly sliced Swiss cheese For the Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube, crushed)

1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese *Note: Mel saves the heels of her bread and stores them in the freezer until she needs them then grinds them up quickly in a blender or food processor. Instructions: Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and melted butter. Set aside. Lay the cut chicken breasts in a single layer in the 9X13-inch dish. Layer each chicken breast with two slices of ham and top with slices of Swiss cheese, layering across the chicken breast to make sure the entire chicken breast is covered with ham and cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the chicken. Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through completely, the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden. When the chicken is almost done, in a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, whisking constantly. Cook the flour/butter mixture for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking quickly. Stir in the chicken bouillon granules and salt. Whisk mixture constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking. If your sauce is too thick, whisk in some more milk. If it's too thin, simmer longer. Serve each chicken cordon bleu portion with warm sauce. Makes 6 servings.

at 9:21 AM 39 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Cheese, Chicken, Larson Family Favorites, Main Dishes, Pork Thursday, September 15, 2011 Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches For some reason, during this pregnancy half the food I crave is really bad for me.

The other half is really, really bad for me. For example, my husband bought one of those huge bags of chocolate at Costco for his seminary students. You know those big bags of assorted miniature candy bars that they sell around Halloween. He hid the bag, because hello, he's been married 10 years to me and knows better. I, of course, found his hiding spot and snuck a treat for myself and the kids every once in while. I didn't think I did much damage but after two weeks he checked his stash and was shocked to see that all that was left was a plethora of plain M&Ms. Oops. So after a slight reprimanding by my husband on self control, rebutted by me explaining that "chocolate makes me happy and doesn't he want me to be happy?", I headed to Costco to replace his bag of chocolate. I don't know what it is about Costco but I seem to be a magnet there for unnecessary comments. Remember when the checker called me lazy. Well this time as I was checking out, I was immediately stopped by the checker as she said, "Whoa...don't lift any of that. You're going to pop any second." "Nope." I said, still unloading my cart. "I still have 12 weeks." I didn't have the heart to tell her that I actually am a lot smaller this pregnancy than any of my other pregnancies. Which really isn't saying much. "Are you sure?" she said. Oh man, Do I really have to answer that? - I thought to myself. In her defense, I did just eat a Costco sized bag of chocolate. At least is was better than the, "There's no way there's only one baby in there." comment. Doesn't everyone know the only thing you should EVER say to a pregnant woman is, "You look great." These Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches will have everyone saying only good things. I found them on my SIL Kristy's blog and since I trust her taste, I knew I had to try them. I've had a hankering for Chicken Caesar anything lately and these were super easy and hit the spot. The chicken thighs fall apart in the crockpot and are so much more tender than chicken breasts (although you could use those too). My family loved these.

Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches Source: Sweet Treats and More Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs 1/2 to 1 cup of your favorite Caesar dressing (I like Cardini's and Brianna's Asiago Caesar) 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley (if you don't have fresh use around 2 teaspoons of dried parsley) 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce 12 slider buns or 4-6 regular sized hamburger buns Instructions: 1. Place chicken in a 3-4 quart slow cooker with 1-2 cups of water, cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours. 2. Remove chicken from cooker using a slotted spoon and drain the water from the slow cooker. Place chicken on a cutting board and pull chicken into shreds, discarding any fat. 3. Place chicken back in the cooker and pour dressing, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper over the top. I really make sure that I discard any fat pieces so by the time I was done I only used about 1/2 cup

of dressing but you make need more if you have more chicken. Stir until mixed evenly. Cover and cook on high heat for 30 minutes or until mixture is hot. 4. Spoon 1/4 cup mixture onto each slider bun if you are making sliders or more for regular sized buns. Top with extra shredded Parmesan cheese and lettuce to serve.

at 3:40 PM 55 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Chicken, Crockpot, Feeding a Crowd, Larson Family Favorites, Main Dishes, Sandwiches Wednesday, September 7, 2011 Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad My mother is very thoughtful. My husband mentioned to her that he liked beef jerky when we were first married and every since then when we see her she has bags of beef jerky for him. She also knows I love See's chocolates and always has a box in our room by our bed when we come to visit.

My husband always jokes that we should tell her we really like money.

I must have some of my mother's genes because when John told me he loved Frank's Buffalo Sauce, I searched out every recipe I could find that had it in it. But somewhere in between this Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese and making this Buffalo Chicken Dip after every single football game last year, I burned him out on good ol' Frank's Buffalo Sauce.

So I backed off for a while.

But now it's time. Time to welcome Frank back into our culinary lives. I made this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad that I had pinned on Pininterest while my husband was at a work dinner and enjoyed some for dinner by myself. It came together really fast because I used a rotisserie chicken and my food chopper to quickly chop up the veggies. The next day he told me he heated up two plates for lunch and really liked it.

"Heated it up? It's a pasta salad...you're supposed to eat it cold." I said.

"Nope. It's good hot." So this pasta salad would be a great cold side for tailgating or football parties...or as a warm scrumptious dinner. And I have to agree...it is really good warmed up. And FYI mom, I will never, EVER get burnt out on See's chocolates.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad Source: Snappy Gourmet

Ingredients: 8 ounces small uncooked pasta (such as mezze penne) 1/2 cup Franks hot sauce 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon celery salt 2 cups precooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, chopped 1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese 1 cup carrots, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped (optional) 1/2 cup red onion, chopped Instructions: 1. Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente in adequately salted water. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water (If serving hot don't use cold water). 2. While pasta is cooking, whisk together hot sauce, oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and celery salt in small bowl until well combined. 3. Place the pasta in large mixing bowl. Stir in chicken, blue cheese, carrots, celery, and onion (optional). Slowly mix in desired amount of dressing. You may not want to use all of the dressing. 4. Can be served cold or hot. If serving cold, refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 6-8 Servings. Notes: If you would like it to be spicier, use more hot sauce and less olive oil. If the pasta salad seems dry after being in the refrigerator, add a little olive oil or hot sauce.

at 8:20 AM 23 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Chicken, Main Dishes, Pasta, Sides Monday, May 23, 2011 Hawaiian Grilled Chicken Back in college our friend Jeff was famous for his Hawaiian grilled chicken that was inspired from some tips from his Hawaiian buddy. One weekend Jeff threw a big Kirkland (Costco's brand) sponsored BBQ serving only foods with the Kirkland brand. That's when I tasted this chicken and fell in love. It's honestly one of my favorite grilled chicken dishes to serve a crowd. And grilling season is here! Don't be a chicken thigh hater. I used to be but really the chicken does not soak up the marinade unless you use thighs. I like to marinate this overnight if I have the time so the flavors really get absorbed.

Jeff's recipe is for a ton of chicken so here is my downsized version.

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken Source: Jeff Tibbitts

Ingredients: 3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs 2 cups soy sauce (See Note; the soy sauce and water just needs to be a 1:1 ratio) 2 cups water 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1 bunch of green onions, chopped (reserve some for garnish) 1/4 cup of a white onion, chopped 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon of sesame oil 1 (13.5 ounce) can of coconut milk

Instructions: Note: Jeff says the real key is the soy sauce. Kikomen's is way too salty. He prefers the Aloha Shoyu soy sauce. If you can only find Kikomen at least get the low sodium kind. 1. Trim chicken thighs of any visible fat. Mix soy sauce, water, brown sugar, onions, garlic, sesame oil, and coconut milk in a large bowl. Marinade chicken for at least 8 hours or overnight to make sure the flavor gets infused. 2. Grill chicken at a low heat so that the marinade does not burn for 5-7 minutes per side or until done. If you do not have a grill you can use a indoor grill pan. 3. Serve over a platter of coconut rice and garnish with green onions and a some additional soy sauce. *Coconut rice can be made by just replacing half of the water in your rice recipe with coconut milk. A trick my SIL told me! So good with just the right amount of coconut flavor.

at 11:37 PM 36 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Chicken, Feeding a Crowd, Grilled, Main Dishes, Rice Tuesday, April 5, 2011 Chicken Pillows I'm the youngest of ten kids who are all extremely unique in their strengths and talents. My brother Lance, for example, has always been the adventurer and inventor in our family. Growing up when he wasn't fixing up cars, he was busy inventing anything from solar powered lawn mowers to his successful Lizard Skins bike protection gear. He's also a real life treasure hunter. When we were little he buried my mom's wedding ring in our backyard in hopes to have a treasure hunt later (it's still back there somewhere). Whether he's digging 100 foot hole in the jungles of Costa Rica to find gold or following war veterans to Europe to find their buried treasures, he's always got a story to tell. He even made an award winning documentary, LOOT, documenting some of his adventures. Lance drinks straight from the faucet and is infamous for coming over to my mom's house and going straight to the fridge to see what's to eat before acknowledging anyone in the room. He's a very loud and expressive eater. Do you remember Bill Murray in the movie What About Bob? That's him. He might love food almost as much as I do. The other night I felt like we had my brother Lance at our dinner table. My son Austin was going on and on about the meal I had made. "Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh this is so good. This is the best thing I've ever

eaten. Oh my gosh this is tasty. Brock you gotta eat it, it's going to be the best thing you ever ate. Oh my gosh!"

Another score for a mom trying to find something her kids will actually eat. If you live in Utah, you've probably made these a million times over. If you haven't heard of these, they are a great fast and easy staple meal that everyone will eat. They are crescent rolls filled with a chicken cream cheese mixture and topped with gravy. My friend Heather gave me this recipe a couple of years ago. She has four boys so I knew I could trust her judgement. Thanks Heather.

Christy's Tip: When I'm planning my meals for the week, if I notice I have a couple recipes that need cubed or shredded chicken, then at the beginning of the week I cook enough chicken for the week. I usually boil it with some large chunks of onion and salt and pepper. Then you can just shred or dice it, and throw it in the fridge or freezer as needed. It makes those crazy nights a little easier. Chicken Pillows Source: my friend Heather Mueller Ingredients: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened cup sour cream teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper 1 Tablespoons dried chives 1 Tablespoons fresh onion minced 3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (around 3 cups) 2 (8 ounce) cans Pillsbury crescent rolls 1/4 cup melted butter Italian bread crumbs (around 2 cups) Gravy: 1 (14.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup 1 (0.87) package chicken gravy mix water

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a hand mixer or by hand, beat cream cheese and sour cream until well combined. You can do this by hand if your cream cheese is soft enough. Stir in salt, pepper, onion, chives, and diced chicken. Using Pillsbury crescent rolls, take 2 triangular rolls and push together at perforated seam to make into a square. Make sure you seal the perforations well so your filling doesn't come out. Put about 3 tablespoons of chicken mixture in the center of each square. Fold the dough corners to the center over the chicken mixture forming a pillow. Dip each pillow in melted butter on both sides. Roll in bread crumbs on both sides. Shake excess crumbs off. Place chicken pillow on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Make gravy by mixing one package of chicken gravy mix, one can of cream of chicken soup and 3/4 can of water in a small pot. Mix together and heat until warm. Serve chicken pillows with gravy poured over top.

at 8:26 AM 40 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Chicken, Main Dishes Monday, March 7, 2011 Mardi Gras Gumbo Mardi Gras is here! What are you guys doing for it? I'm headed off to the slopes to snowboard but I couldn't go without leaving you with some New Orleans style gumbo. Head over to Tablespoon where I give some tips for making a stellar gumbo and for the recipe. Sausage, Chicken, and Shrimp Gumbo

at 2:01 PM 5 Comments from Food Lovers

Labels: Chicken, Main Dishes, Pork, Seafood, Tablespoon Thursday, March 3, 2011 Skinny Chicken Parmesan URL Update: Hey guys! I switched domains to http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/. Don't worry if you still are directed to http://www.thegirlwhoateeverything.blogspot/ it will direct you to the new URL automatically. But if you are impatient like me and can't wait that extra millisecond, feel free to update your bookmarks.

************************* I love chicken Parmesan because it's a meal the whole family will eat without complaint. I usually make my SIL Kimi's Parmesan Chicken which I've been making for years which is why my picture is terrible of it because I took it way back in the day. Although it's not completely bad for you since it's baked not fried it does use a lot of butter and could be lightened up a bit. I've seen a healthier version of this over at Skinny Taste and have wanted to try this because it's almost identical to Kimi's but healthified a bit down to 225 calories per serving. Gina has tons of awesome healthy recipes so check her out. John didn't even know I had made any changes to our regular dish. I added some garlic and Italian seasonings and served this with a little whole wheat spaghetti!

Skinny Chicken Parmesan adapted slightly from Skinny Taste Ingredients: 4 (8 oz) chicken breast halves, sliced in half 3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 tbsp butter, melted 3/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese 1 cup marinara sauce cooking spray Instructions: Preheat oven to 450. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and Italian seasonings in a shallow bowl. Melt the butter in another bowl. Lightly brush the butter onto the chicken, then dip into breadcrumb mixture. Place on baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken. Lightly spray chicken with a little more cooking spray (this makes it crispy) and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, spoon sauce over chicken and top with shredded cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted and chicken is done. Serve over whole wheat spaghetti or with a salad. Makes 8 servings. 225 calories per serving (4 ounce breast)

at 11:06 PM 17 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Chicken, Healthy, Italian, Main Dishes Thursday, February 24, 2011 Buffalo Chicken Nachos Redemption. I made a horrible dinner the other night. I mean I would rather eat a shoe horrible. Usually I'm the last person to sit down at the table...grabbing condiments, cutting up food for the little minions, or taking garlic bread out of the oven. So when I sat down and actually took a bite of the dinner that I had not yet even taste tested, I was a little shocked at how blah it was.

I said to John with a plastered smile on my face and sugary inflexion to disguise my disgust, "This dinner is T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E." John said stalling, "Umm..." And this is where being known as a man of few words has its benefits. And John, being the smart husband he is, learned ages ago that less is more when expressing your feelings about a not so good meal. So we that we all sat there and choked down the second worst meal I have ever made. We had already threatened the kids that if they didn't eat we would take away their Wii and hot tub privileges. So what consequences did I get if I didn't eat? No more chocolate? No more Diet Dr. Pepper? These Buffalo Chicken Nachos were all about proving that I still had it in me to make a meal that made my man happy. We had both been lusting after these nachos ever since we spotted them in a copy of Food Network magazine I bought for our flight to Hawaii. I was planning on waiting until March Madness to try these out but today is National Tortilla Chip Day so it seemed fitting.

And just so you know after I took this picture I piled on way more blue cheese and celery.

Buffalo Chicken Nachos Source: Adapted from Food Network Magazine Ingredients: 8 cups Ranch flavored tortilla chips (I used Cool Ranch Doritos) 4 cups cooked chicken shredded 1 1/2 cups Frank's Buffalo Wing sauce water 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese 4 ounces blue cheese crumbles 1 cup chopped celery Note: All these measurements are approximate. As with any nachos, adjust ingredients to your personal preference. Instructions: Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Spread tortilla chips on a rimmed baking sheet or in a shallow dish. Bring wing sauce and 1/2 cup water to a simmer. Add shredded cooked chicken; heat through. Strain the chicken (reserving the sauce) and spread over ranch-flavored tortilla chips. Top with shredded cheddar.

Bake in the upper third portion of the oven until cheese is melted for about 5-7 minutes. After nachos are baked top with blue cheese, chopped celery and the reserved wing sauce.

at 10:37 PM 27 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Appetizers, Chicken, Main Dishes, Snacks Friday, February 18, 2011 Chicken A La King I'm starting to think I have a real problem. I started this Chicken A La King post three weeks ago and never finished it. But it's not just this post...I started reading 4 books and have yet to finish any of them. I love to wash laundry and dry laundry but can never get the folding done. AND I have 5 bottles of shampoo in my shower with an inch of shampoo left in them. Psychoanalyze me. What's my deal? The only thing I can finish is an entire plate of brownies! Do I have adult A.D.D.?

I love having people over for dinner but I started realizing how expensive it was getting every time I ran to the grocery store to get ready for the meal. So I am always trying to come up with easy and inexpensive meals for entertaining. That's the first thing that came to mind when I made this Chicken A La King recipe. It's easy, good, and cheap! Serve it over rice, noodles, toast, or a big fat biscuit like I did!

Chicken A La King Recipe

at 9:55 AM 11 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Chicken, Main Dishes Friday, February 11, 2011 Gourmet Chicken Marsala Wrap In conversations with my friends the book The 5 Love Languages often comes up. The concepts of how we communicate with our spouse and how we like to be loved is very interesting to me.

The 5 Love Languages are: Words of Affirmation Quality Time Receiving Gifts Acts of Service Physical Touch

Some people hate Valentine's Day because it's commercialized. They are entitled to that. But I love it. I don't see anything wrong with a designated day in the year to remember the people you love because sometimes we forget to show it in our everyday lives. But here's the thing...I think often we show love to others how we like to be shown. For example, my love languages are Words of Affirmation and Quality Time. I might leave my husband a note telling him I appreciate everything he does when really he would love it more if I washed his car and gave him a big fat kiss (I think his languages are Acts of Service and Physical Touch). What's your Love Language? What's your loved one's Love Language? (I'm convinced all men are Physical Touch :)) If the person you love is Acts of Service, make them this Gourmet Chicken Marsala wrap. It takes less than 15 minutes and has all of the flavors of the classic Chicken Marsala entree. After I made it I thought, "Where has this been all my life?" I think it's a little casual for a Valentine's dinner since it's a handheld food but perfect for a quick lunch. Pair it with a salad and some crusty garlic bread.

Sautee the onions and mushrooms.

Roll all of the yummy flavors up in a tortilla.

at 4:23 PM 3 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Chicken, Lunches, Sandwiches, Tablespoon Thursday, January 27, 2011 Healthy Sun-dried Tomato and Bacon Chicken Aloha! I'm alive! I know I dropped off the face of the earth. A couple of days ago my husband called me a surprised me with a trip to Hawaii! So I've been running around like a mad woman getting ready. Now that I'm here, I'm relaxed. I did a little surfing yesterday and burned my buns snorkeling today.

Macadamian nuts, cookies, cake, and pineapple we were welcomed with. But I'm not going to leave you totally in the dark. I've been posting over at Tablespoon and here's my latest Sun-dried Tomato and Bacon Chicken that my husband said tastes like pizza.

Don't worry. I have a line up of Super Bowl recipes that you are going to love!

at 1:26 PM 12 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Chicken, Healthy, Main Dishes, Tablespoon Sunday, January 9, 2011 6 Tips to Eating Healthy and Shedding those Pounds and Fiber-One Parmesan Crusted Chicken I have friends visiting and have been super busy but I posted a couple of tips over at Tablespoon today that I use when I'm trying to slim down and a recipe for Fiber-One Parmesan Crusted Chicken. Tastes a lot better than it initially sounds. My husband thought I had fried chicken and my kids smelled it and thought I was cooking chicken nuggets. Everybody is a winner!

at 9:59 PM 11 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Chicken, Healthy, Main Dishes, Tablespoon Friday, November 5, 2010 Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole I don't know what it is about eating Halloween candy that makes me crave Mexican food but it does. Something about the sweet and salty combination. My self control with the Halloween candy around here has actually been pretty good until the last couple of days. The leftover candy is sitting by our front door so every time I go to preschool, get the mail, or get something out of my car I grab one or two pieces. Austin was a Star Wars Jedi for Halloween. Every time he scored some chocolate while trick or treating he would run over to me and say. "MOM, I GOT YOU SOME MORE CHOCOLATE!" Sigh, I've trained him well. Proud mama right here. I'm starting to wonder if he is my child though. He doesn't like chocolate or candy. Sure he'll eat it every

once in a while but he will have it on his dresser for months without touching it. If he didn't have John's apple bottomed booty and the same dimple in his chin as I do, I would have to get a DNA test. This casserole is quick and has a ton of flavor especially for how easy it is. It's a great weeknight meal that can be made ahead of time. I thought it might be too spicy for the kids but the sour cream balances it all out and they loved it.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole Source: adapted from Sister's Cafe; recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients: 2 cups diced or shredded chicken breast meat (or for extra lazy days use a rotisserie chicken) teaspoon ground cumin teaspoon ground coriander teaspoon garlic powder 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chili peppers, drained 1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce

8 (6 inch) corn tortillas 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese 1 (8 oz) container sour cream Instructions: Preheat the oven to 375. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and spray with vegetable cooking spray. Saut chicken with cumin and coriander until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and green chili peppers. Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11x7 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream. Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas. Cover dish with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the cover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with sour cream. Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

at 8:16 AM 16 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Beans, Casseroles, Chicken, Main Dishes, Mexican Friday, October 8, 2010 Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

This is "Man Food" at its best. Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese. This may be a Denney favorite. My husband is a little obsessed with buffalo chicken anything and then throw it with creamy mac n' cheese... heaven. It is a little spicy so you can adjust according to your family's taste. I just made half of this recipe and it was more than plenty for my family. Although it takes a little prep work, it is yummy and will be well appreciated by all the men in your life watching football this weekend.

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese Source: Adapted from the Food Network

Ingredients: 7 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 pound (16 oz) elbow macaroni 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 stalks celery, finely chopped 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 2 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 cup Buffalo wing sauce (preferably Frank's. If you are worried about the heat factor add half the amount) 2 tablespoons flour 2 teaspoons dry mustard 2 1/2 cups half-and-half 1 pound (16 oz) yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups) 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups) 2/3 cup sour cream 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (found in the grocery store next to regular breadcrumbs)

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half and add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth. Combine the chicken mixture, cooked pasta, and cheese sauce and toss to combine. Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Best served immediately. Makes around 8 servings.

at 7:49 AM 24 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Cheese, Chicken, Feeding a Crowd, Main Dishes, Pasta Tuesday, October 5, 2010 Swiss Chicken I'm back. I survived the St. George marathon. It was brutal. It was unusually hot for this time of year and the heat sucked the life out of me. My Ipod froze right from the get go. It's happened once before and decided to happen once again at the start of the marathon. I was stuck on two ABBA songs for the whole race. Uggghhh! "Dancing Queen" isn't exactly the best song to get you motivated. Guess I can check marathon off the bucket list. Check. A lot of you guys emailed me and said you were running it too. How did you guys do?

My sister Shelly, my nephew Scott, and me I swore at mile 24 that I would never run again. But...now I'm thinking of all the things that I could have done better and how I can shave off time next time....so I guess my marathon days may not be over.

Yes. I know. I need my head checked.

Since I still can barely walk because I'm so sore, I was thinking of an easy dinner that still tastes good. Even I can hobble around the kitchen to make this easy swiss chicken. It's so simple but has great flavor. My sister has been making it for years but I saw it over at Real Mom Kitchen and was reminded of its yummy simplicity.

Swiss Chicken Source: Real Mom Kitchen

Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts 6-8 slices Swiss cheese 1 can cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken) 1 cup milk 1 box Stove Top Stuffing 1/4 cup butter melted Instructions: 1. Pound chicken breast to even out the thickness of the chicken. You can place the chicken between to layers of saran wrap and use a rolling pin or a meat mallet if you have one. If I buy the Costco chicken breasts I just slice them in half horizontally and skip the meat pounding step. 2. Place chicken breasts in a sprayed 9 x 13 inch baking dish. 3. Top chicken with the slices of Swiss cheese. 4. In a small bowl, mix soup and milk until well blended. 5. Pour soup mixture over chicken. 6. Top the chicken with the dry stuffing mix. Drizzle stuffing with melted butter. 7. Baked covered with foil at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5-10 minutes longer. Serves 6-8.

at 8:20 AM 18 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Casseroles, Chicken, Main Dishes Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Chicken Broccoli Alfredo It happened. I'm finally full. Didn't know it could actually happen. But it did. Have you ever eaten so much that if you ate one more bite you knew you would literally be sick? That was me last night. We had dinner and I checked my self control at the door. Shrimp, salad, and a filet topped with lump crab meat and butter sauce. For dessert, a piece of carrot cake that was as big as my face. Trust me, I measured as I was shoving it in my face. If you want to be my friend, you have to love to eat. That's why Heidi and I were such good friends. She made this one night for us at her house. So good and supposedly this is a knock off of the Chicken Con Broccoli from Olive Garden. I know I've been making a lot of pastas lately but hey, that's the best part about running...carbo-loading the night before my long runs.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Source: Heidi Clark

Ingredients: 2-3 cooked chicken breasts, diced 1-2 cups fresh chopped broccoli, cooked and hot fettuccine, cooked according to package directions. (I used penne because it's what I had) Alfredo Sauce: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 2 cups heavy cream 1/8 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon (1 clove) minced garlic 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Instructions: Cook chicken in method desired. I just cooked mine on the stove. Add chicken and broccoli to Alfredo sauce and heat through. Serve over hot, cooked fettuccine.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic with the butter. Add cream, garlic powder, and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Trust me, it will thicken. When sauce has reached desired consistency, stir in Parmesan cheese. Use for Chicken Broccoli Alfredo, or just serve as is over fettuccine. Serves 4-6.

at 11:24 PM 3 Comments from Food Lovers Labels: Chicken, Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Sauces Monday, September 13, 2010 Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells I ran twenty miles yesterday. Twenty. It's the longest I will run before my marathon in a couple of weeks. It was hard. Really hard. I have no idea how I'm going to do 6.2 more miles for the marathon.

Here's the breakdown: Mile 1-13: Feeling good.

Mile 14-17: Starts raining. Pouring. Great. Awesome.

Mile 16-18: Some 20 year old kid starts following me on a bike..going really slow because I'm...well...going really slow. He kept trying to make conversation as I kept trying to breathe.

"What's with this rain?"

I gave a slightly annoyed, out of breath, "I don't know."

What I wanted to say was are you serious right now? Are you trying to get with this sweaty mess? Do you realize I'm in the middle of mile 17? He continued to follow me for another mile. I wasn't scared because by this time I was in my development with tons of people walking around me. I was just irritated and baffled.

Finally I said, "Buddy. You GOTTA keep moving."

Mile 19: I think I'm going to die and I have to use the restroom. Again.

Mile 20: Made it. Collapse in my cool air conditioned living room. Go take a shower. Almost throw up. Then whine to John about how much my body hurts.

So that was my weekend. How was yours?

You're gonna love this dish. This meal is great when you have to take dinner to someone because it makes two pans and freezes well. I made one for my family and one for a friend who just had a baby. John comes home with food from work sometimes and often brings bland stuffed shells for the kids. When he took a bite of these he said, "Wow. These have a ton of flavor." Enough said. Sounds like a keeper to me.

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells Source: posted by Sisters Cafe; original recipe by Paula Deen Ingredients: 1 (12-ounce) box uncooked jumbo pasta shells (if all of yours survive the boil this is enough, to be safe you may want 1 1/2 boxes) 2 cups chopped cooked chicken 2 cups fresh chopped spinach 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese 2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened (I think you could get away with one package) 1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 cups) 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1 (26oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce (this was just enough. If you like it saucier use more) Instructions: 1. Cook shells according to package directions. Be careful not to overcook them or they will tear easily when trying to fill them. Drain and set shells out individually on a cutting board or baking sheet so that they dont stick together. 2. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease two 9x13 baking dishes. 3. In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon into shells. *Tip: For easier filling, fill a gallon ziplock baggie with the filling and snip a quarter size hole off the corner of the bag. Then you can just pipe the filling into the shells. 4. Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. If you are freezing one of the 9x13 prepared pans, freeze it after this step. Include a baggy of the remaining mozzarella for when you cook it. 5. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes. Makes 8-10 servings.