Chicken Parm Paninis - total time 45 minutes

If you live in Ohio, you have probably heard of Melt Bar & Grilled.  Even if you don't live in Ohio, you may have heard about these huge gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches on shows like Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.  The first one opened in Columbus last winter (original is based in Cleveland) and I had a Parma, Italy which is chicken parmesan between two slices of Texas toast with a side of fries.  While it was really, really good... I kind of feel like I might have a heart attack afterward!  So I have been wanting to make a healthier version ever since.

So when Food Network teamed up with Sargento to do the Chopped at Home challenge, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to recreate this sandwich.  I buy a lot of local cheeses, but I also love Sargento and their artisanal cheese wedges.  I also like their commercials about how they are "real cheese people"... that cheese slices shouldn't come wrapped in plastic and I couldn't agree more!

Shredded cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich can get a little messy, but it's the best way to get all of those Italian flavors without tons and tons of cheese.  Some other big differences between my sandwich and Melt's is that the chicken just has a light breading instead of being fried and the sauce is for dipping (kind of like tomato soup) because I hate, hate, hate soggy bread (can't have condiments of any sort actually touching the bread, ew).  With the garlic butter, the bread ends up becoming garlic bread, so this really is a complete Italian meal without the pasta.  Buon Appetito!

Fajita Campfire Packets - total time 40 minutes

You know that perfect spot in a campfire to roast marshmallows?  Right by the red embers not too close to the flame.  It gets the marshmallow gooey and lightly toasted without catching them on fire.  Well, that same spot is the perfect place to cook your dinner too!  Just wrap the ingredients in heavy foil, spray with cooking spray, carefully put the foil packet in that perfect spot, and enjoy some perfectly cooked dinner in about 30 minutes.

I made this dinner while we were camping last weekend.  As soon as I got everything on the campfire to cook, the sky opened up and it started to pour.  We took cover in our Jeep and checked every single weather app on our phones... possible tornadoes.  Eek!  Thankfully the storm passed by pretty quickly.  There were a lot of puddles and the ground was muddy, but the campfire was still hanging in there (thanks to good tree cover)... but only by a little bit.  The rain made the whole fire those perfect red embers for cooking.  Surprisingly everything cooked just right and as the sun came out, we were chowing down on some delicious camp food.  :)

Loaded Shredded Chicken Nachos - total time 20 minutes

So before I started reading about nutrition and really learned how to cook, occasionally I would just make some nachos for dinner which involved some chips, lots of cheese, and a little bit of salsa.  It was quick, of course.  Only about one minute in the microwave.  But had no nutritional value what-so-ever.  

After reading a couple books about digestion and the ways what you eat can cause certain annoying symptoms, most of which you might blame genetics on like unclear skin, stuffy nose, or trouble concentrating... I realized that there was more to food than just tasting good.  Food is really about nourishing your body because it takes a lot just to keep our heart pumping, lungs inhaling, and brain thinking.  I started to make a conscious effort to make sure vegetables always had a spot on my plate for both lunch and dinner.  I started to cut back on meats and gluten.  I tried to limit how much dairy I ate, but I just couldn't give up cheese.  It is little steps that make the difference.  Going to the extreme will leave you hungry and feeling deprived.  Being too strict makes it nearly impossible to enjoy a meal out with a friend.  With most things, a happy medium is best.

It's been several years since those old microwaved nachos days, but sometimes you just want what you want.  I follow a couple bloggers that plan out their meals as well and one of them posted that they were making nachos for dinner one night.  I've been thinking about whether nachos are really dinner food ever since.  I decided to make my version of loaded nachos and it was quite filling and loaded with veggies (and cheese!).  This makes a great quick meal that you eat with your hands.  Perfect for a casual weekend dinner or to have with a couple drinks tailgating.  

Turkey Tacos - total time 20 minutes

I can't believe it is already the end of June!  Where did the month go?!?  I need to get out of the office earlier so I can really enjoy the summer.  Whether it's late nights at the office or you just want to get dinner on the table quickly, taco night is always a great solution.

What's funny is as often as we have taco night around these parts... I've never made ground beef (or ground turkey) tacos.  I have made chicken (of course), fish, veggie, fajita, and shrimp tacos... probably even some more that I can't think of off the top of my head.  But the default taco at every Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant is always ground beef.  Likely because it is the less expensive meat (but not always).  Maybe it's because the original Mexican taco was made with beef.  Who really knows!

So... I thought I would give these tacos a try.  The thing about tacos is really getting the spices right.  You don't need a prepackaged mix... you don't know what is in that thing and you can't customize it either.  I always keep a few spices on hand; chili powder and red pepper flakes.  Those two combined give anything the right amount of flavor and spice to make taco night a success!  And don't worry, for those of you adverse to spicy foods... regular chili pepper isn't really spicy (though chipotle chili pepper is, I breathed in steamy chipotle air by accident and my lung felt like they were on fire!).  The recipe below is spicy enough to keep you reaching for your water but not make you sweat.  And of course you can adjust how much you add depending on how you like your tacos (the beauty of not using a mix)!

Not So Sloppy Joes - total time 40 minutes

Oh boy, I am such a messy eater.  My husband can always tell when I've been getting into something sweet because I somehow end up with chocolate on my face.  I really have no idea how it happens, but he always notices!  I swear it's happened when I haven't had anything with chocolate...

So if it happens with a bit of chocolate, you can imagine what happens with something like wings or... heaven help me... sloppy joes.  You don't even want to see the damage afterward.

As a result, I have steered clear of the sloppy joe sandwiches.  The occasional exception needs to be open-faced with fork and 10 napkins in hand.

But what if you could make it less messy?  Why not make it encompass all of the sloppiness?  My husband called these sloppy joe hot pockets... but I would like to think these are of higher quality than a microwaved, processed, pocket of heat.  It really is just sloppy joe made from scratch (although I just ran out of my own canned tomatoes) and just like you would eat a normal sloppy joe, just all wrapped up!  Perfect for lunches and days your short on napkins.  :)

Taco Bread - total time 40 minutes

I know I'm one of the anomolies that has cooked or baked just about everything on their food-related Pinterest boards, but there are still some recipes on there that I'm just not sure about.  Most of the foodstuff I pin look and sound delicious, with a couple tweaks, it's perfect for my somewhat picky pallet.  Other recipes look amazing, but sound much less appealing.  

That's how I felt about this taco twist that pinned over six months ago.  I love stombolis and I love tacos, but mixing the two together seems sacrilege.  I guess if I can do it to stuffed shells, I can do it to stromboli.  So, inspired by Bev's raving review, I checked another recipe off my Pinterest board.

Taco bread is basically begging to be dipped into something, whether it be guac (my fav), salsa, sour cream, or queso dip... the bread makes it nice and sturdy so you don't lose anything when you make your dunk.  The egg wash give the crust a good crunch with a fluffy inside and a savory filling.  I don't know what I was afraid of, taco bread is delish!

Get Your Greens Yakisoba - total time 25 minutes

If you're like any college student ever, you have probably had your fair share of Ramen noodles in your life.  Probably to the point of never wanting to see a pack of those noodles again!  But then a couple years ago, Ramen noodles came back in a more sophisticated, trendy way with chunks of fresh salmon and cute little restaurants.

As the Ramen goes, so goes the Soba noodle.  Maruchan used to make a yakisoba kit available in the refrigerated section next to the wonton and eggroll wrappers.  It had instructions on how to prepare vegetables to go along with your soba noodles and "yaki" sauce pack.  Several years ago, they got rid of that option and opted for a version just like those Ramen noodles we loved to hate in college.  Added in more preservatives to give it a shelf life of forever and has about a teaspoon of dried veggie pieces to try to pass as real yakisoba.  Ugh.

Well, now soba noodles are getting trendy and I'm loving this Japanese fast food!

In this recipe, we're piling on the veggies and they happen to be all green (with at least one serving of green veggies per plateful, you're mom approves of this recipe).  The sesame oil makes this dish a real treat with tons of flavor.  And it truly is fast food, taking less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

Rosemary Chicken - total time 20 minutes

Do you ever have those moments where you learn something that seems like it should be common sense and it changes the way you think about everything?  Basically like there must be a better way to do everything... I just don't know it yet.  

That's how I felt after watching one of Jamie Oliver's 15-minute meal episodes.  

After having issues cooking chicken breasts all the way through (you know, there's the thinner side that's done in seconds and the thicker end that can sometimes seem to take an eternity to cook)... I started buying cutlets or actually using my cooking mallet (I have no idea if that's what it is actually called).  And of course, I always season my chicken.

The new-to-me, crazy easy trick... pound the seasoning into the chicken while your flattening it out!  Seriously so simple and the flavor is so much more pronounced.  Wish I would have had this moment years ago!

Lasagna Rollups Recipe Reboot - total time 1 hour

Just like the Dark Knight movies, sometimes classics need a reboot to make them cool again.  Lasagna is a classic dinner in my family for sure.  We have even had lasagna for Thanksgiving meals... you know... with ground turkey for Turkey Day.  And it never fails, when my husband is at an Italian restaurant, he orders the lasagna.  You might call him a lasagna aficionado. 

I've tried making lasagna a lot of different ways (with butternut squash, spinach & artichoke, pesto chicken, broccoli chicken, and the classic rollup that we're improving upon today)... this recipe is the best.  You don't have to make it all rolled up either if you prefer regular pan style.  I like the rollups because they make the perfect serving size and you don't have to worry about cutting it up and layers sliding around... plus they look cute!  And if you wanted to make extra, the rollups freeze well... perfect for individual servings to heat up in the microwave or freeze a tray of them for a weeknight dinner or busy friend.

So what makes this recipe so cool now after it has been rebooted?  I think it is the sun-dried tomatoes.  A little bit goes a long way for flavor with these babies!  Also, adding some of the sauce to the rollup filling just makes sense when you look at regular pan-style lasagna.  

This recipe will be in heavy rotation at our house, especially while it is cold out... it's the perfect Italian comfort food.  Hope you enjoy it too!

Roasted Chicken to Use All Week - total time 1.75 hours

Many nights we aren't eating dinner until 8:00 or 9:00 at night.  Not really ideal, since you really don't want to sleep with a full stomach.  You should have at least three hours active digestion so your body can focus on resetting itself while you sleep.  That means we wouldn't be getting to bed until after midnight on weeknights... which is actually closer to average than we would like it.

I'm not a morning person (which that midnight bedtime probably doesn't help), so I go into work later than most and then leave later as well.  Most of my recipes take about an hour from start to finish. That combination is the reason we are eating so late.  So in an effort to get dinner on the table quicker, it means planning ahead even more than weekly meal plans... it means doing some of the prep on Sunday.

I've seen those pins on Pinterest about buying rotisserie chickens from the grocery store and using them throughout the week.  It's a great idea, but who knows how long that chicken has been sitting there and what they used to roast it.  

I'm fortunate that the Kroger down the street from me carries local, antibiotic free chicken.  For $8-10 I can get a full chicken, roast it myself, and have about eight servings of chicken to use throughout the week.  There is very little prep involved in roasting a chicken, you just need to be home to take it out of the oven, really.  And then you can make chicken stock afterward to use as a base for a soup in your meal plan.  Now that is using the while bird!

There are probably hundred of ways to use this chicken, but we made tacos and sandwiches.  I a small mixing bowl, we mixed the chicken with some chipotle salsa and chipotle chili powder and heated it up for our tacos.  Then we made some pulled chicken sandwiches by heating of up the chicken and mixing in some barbecue sauce (which allowed mine to be sweet BBQ and his to be spicy BBQ).  And then some buffalo chicken wraps.  Each meal took less than ten minutes to get to the table!

Chicken, Bowties, and Vodka Sauce - total time 30 minutes

You might have noticed there aren't really any red meat recipes on this blog.  That is because I rarely eat it.  I just don't care for it.  There are several reasons for not eating red meat, or any meat in general.  I find that most of these ideas are a little extreme.  

For example, the health claims that red meat is bad for you.  Yes, it might have more cholesterol and fat than other foods, but it also has more protein and iron.  Or maybe you have seen PETA videos about the treatment of animals in CAFOs.  But thanks to journalists and authors for bringing issues like this to the public, grass-fed, free-range, organic options are available at nearly every grocery store.  This change also essentially eliminates other worries (Mad Cow disease, "pink slime", or other recall issues).

So when I saw Food Inc posted this article on Facebook defending Publican's Quality Meats against PETA, I was a little confused at first.  But after reading the article, I realized their point was exactly the same point I took away from their documentary.  It's not that eating meat is bad, it's a natural thing for most of the animal kingdom, it is about doing it with a conscious.  This means voting with your dollar by purchasing that grass-fed, free-range, organic meat or going to restaurants that serve it.  If everyone made this change, but our current quantity demand remained the same, there wouldn't be enough land to raise enough livestock.  So, it also means reducing that quantity in favor of quality.

To all of those vegans and vegetarians out there, more power to you!  I know I could do it, but I also don't want to know what is in that mock meat.  I like to keep my options open so I don't feel bad about indulging in a hamburger on occasion or trying something new (like Anthony Bourdain) while still trying to be conscious about my decisions and keeping produce and grains the bulk of each meal.

With that being said, here is another chicken recipe!  The pasta and chicken are pretty standard, it's the sauce that has a bit of a twist.  Vodka sauce was new to me a few years ago.  After having regular marinara all my life, the creamy, cheesy goodness became an instant favorite.  If you remove the cheese and use fresh cherry tomatoes, you keep the flavor and make the dish a little lighter.

Chicken with Creamy Dijon Sauce - total time 20 minutes

I love to cook (...obviously).  And the more fresh, whole ingredients involved in the recipe, the more time I am willing to commit to making dinner.  Kind of like a return on investment, I expect the more time put into dinner the better it should taste.  Most nights, dinner can take an hour or more to prepare (especially stopping to take photos along the way).  But some times you find those recipes that defy this logic and it is always a surprise when dinner is on the table before 7:00!

Everyone is always looking for a new, fast chicken dinner.  Something a little more flavorful that grilled chicken and steamed broccoli, but quicker then something that requires marinating, slow cooking, or a lot of extra ingredients.  This recipe is so simple, so fast, and so delicious.  The wine deglazing the pan utilizes all of the caramelized  browned butter.  Dijon mustard adds that slightly spicy complexity.  And the cream adds richness.  Finishing off the chicken in the sauce while it thickens only helps incorporate the flavors even more!

Turkey, Cheddar, and Apple Panini - total time 15 minutes

We haven't had deli meat in our house for a while.  When I realized how much was added to make deli meat what it is, it made my stomach hurt.  I have always wondered why we eat things that doctors recommend pregnant women to avoid.

No deli meat certainly does not mean that we don't eat sandwiches at home!  We frequently have shredded chicken leftovers in our fridge.  This time we had some turkey leftover from a turkey tenderloin I made earlier in the week (so this would make a great sandwich for you leftover Thanksgiving turkey).  

In the past I have been wary about adding fruit to savory meals.  I never really understood adding fruit to salad (except tomatoes).  But now I rarely make a salad without some kind of fruit, whether its is dried cranberries, fresh strawberries, or sliced apples.  I felt the same way about sandwiches... I mean adding cheese to an apple didn't seem like a flavor combination I would enjoy.  But I wanted to try it, and this sandwich changed my mind!

The crispness of the apple, the creamy, sharp cheese, and the savory, tender turkey makes this sandwich the trifecta of textures and flavors!

Sticky Drumsticks - total time 45 minutes

Everyone likes a good chicken recipe (well, except vegetarians).  Too often we only use chicken breasts though.  Yes, it is a very meaty portion and has the least amount of fat, so in that sense it is the best cut to use.  But that only makes up a quarter of the chicken (or even less), what happens to the rest?  If we're going to eat meat, we should eat it responsibly, not just by choosing free-range chickens, but also using the whole chicken.

When I saw the Novice Chef's recipe on Pinterest using chicken drumsticks, I knew I wanted to try it.  But knowing we don't like things too sweet, I had to make some edits.

These drumsticks are kind of like a teriyaki glaze, sweet from the honey and a little salty from the soy sauce.  Perfect combination!  Don't forget the wetnaps... you're going to need them!

Broccoli Stuffed Chicken - total time 35 minutes

I used to buy those premade stuffed chicken breasts from the freezer section of my grocery store.  That used to be one of my "I'm in the mood to cook so I'll put these in the oven with some potatoes and we'll have a gourmet dinner that I slaved over a hot stove for".  How times have changed!  I don't even want to know what all was in those little plastic pouches.  I'm sure it was still better than going to a fast food place, but I would rather spend a little more time and energy on what is fueling my body.  Plus, I get to pick the filling... and I pick gouda!

This really is pretty easy.  If you start out with chicken cutlets, you really just lay out the chicken and filling, roll it up, and tie it closed.  I like to use really thick freezer bags covered in a towel to flatten meat... it keeps everything nice and clean.  And then another trick... instead of using toothpicks which can be hard to find once cooked and easy to find when you're taking a big bite... use baker's twine.  At the end you just give it one snip and the twine is easily peeled off.  Plus, it is usually in bright colors and easy to see once cooked.

This recipe is pretty versatile too.  Try it with turkey, pork, of fish.

Zucchini Recipes & Stuffed Zucchini - total time 1 hour

Right now is about that time of year when everyone is looking for zucchini recipes.  Whether your garden is full of them, you couldn't pass them up at the farmers market, or you're preparing for sneak some zucchini on your neighbor's porch day, you may be a little overwhelmed.  A couple of my friends have already been offering up their zucchinis!

I can't believe that only a 10 years ago I had never even heard of zucchini, much less ever ate it.  Which is why I try to make it a priority to try new foods and cook new things nearly every week.  It is easy to get into a routine of the same ten or so meals... but just think of all the things you might be missing out on... like me and zucchini!  

Zucchini is such a versatile vegetable.  When I first started cooking it, it was usually just a quick saute as a side dish or baked into bread.  As I try new recipes, there are many entrees that include zucchini...

A couple recipes where zucchini is the star of the entree...
zucchini enchiladas (my favorite)
stuffed squash blossoms (well, this is before the zucchini is a zucchini)
zucchini fritters
creamy squash casserole   

A couple recipes where zucchini is the supporting role...
veggie sushi rolls
beer braised sausage & veggies
vegetarian stuffed peppers
veggie jambalaya

Buttermilk Ranch Chicken - total time 20 minutes

Can we talk about the easiest chicken recipe ever?  It is fast, simple, few ingredients, flexible... and delicious!

We usually do not have salad dressing in our house, because frankly, we prefer olive oil or just cheese topping our salads.  But recently I bought some buttermilk ranch dressing because people were over for dinner, salad was part of that dinner, and I know most people like a little dressing on salads.  Maybe it is a Midwestern thing, but everyone seems  to love ranch dressing.  I know a few people who put it on everything.  But those few people were not at dinner that night, so of course we didn't finish off a whole bottle in one dinner.  I don't like having half full bottles in my fridge for too long... so I thought... if the main ingredient was buttermilk, it might make for some good pan fried chicken!

While I don't have any doubt that buttermilk ranch pan fried chicken would be delicious, we already had the grill ready to go while I was trying to figure out what to throw on it.  So we ended up trying it two ways... the first way was coated in ranch then covered in bread crumbs and the second way was just ranch.  The breaded one had a bit more ranch flavor, so I'll claim that one as the winner this round!

Oh, and as the runner up recipe... try subbing two tablespoons of ranch in your mashed potatoes instead of sour cream.  Holy moly!

Guinness Pulled Chicken - total time 5 minutes prep & 4 hours cook

Pretty sure this could not get any easier!  I came home for lunch the other day and threw all these ingredients in my slow cooker in about two minutes... went back to work and then came home and dinner was ready to eat!  I may have to do this every time I come home for lunch.  The chicken is so tender.  I think the bed of onions might be the trick though.  Maybe having the chicken lifted away from the pot makes it taste better.  Or maybe the onions are caramelized on the bottom.  Or maybe it is the mix of ingredients for the sauce.  Whatever it is, it is the perfect mix...

Broccoli Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Rollups - total time 1 hour

I have developed a Nat Geo addiction over the past week or so.  Last weekend I watched too many hours of The 80s: The Decade That Made Us which I thought was fascinating.  Two things kept crossing my mind while I stared at the screen... 'how did I not know any of this was going on while I was growing up?' and 'wow, I can't believe we lived without ___ 20 years ago'.  Things I take for granted now, like computers that fit on a desk, internet, cell phones, etc.  Now I do remember the progression of all this technology... the green and black computer screens, getting on the internet for the first time in fourth grade, using my dad's cell phone for the first time in eighth grade... but it is hard to think of life without these things now.

And now Nat Geo has me hooked on Brain Games and I am sure I'll get hooked on The Numbers Game.  Can't multi-task and watch these shows... they take you're full attention. At least one network has something interesting to watch.  I used to default to Cooking Channel or Food Network (are you surprised?), but now those channels are full of reality cooking/baking crap.  I tried to sit through an episode of Cupcake Wars (while doing other things, mind you) and had to change the channel... 

Any way... here is a recipe that you can prepare on a night you have time to cook and save it for a night you don't want to or don't have time to cook but still want a home-cooked meal!

Make Ahead Mexican Stuffed Shells - total prep time 20 minutes

Ugh, it has been a rough week with some late nights at work.  It is easy to come home and not want to cook.  Since we're trying to limit processed foods in our diet, not wanting to cook doesn't leave a lot of options.  So after seeing a pin on Pinterest about freezer meals, I thought about having a 'backup' meal ready to go from fridge to oven to table.  In fact, I could even call my husband ahead of time and have him put it in the oven and it could be ready by the time I got home (and then we aren't eating after 9pm).

So I thought about what I could make that could sit in the fridge a few days before being completely baked and I think this works for most noodle dishes (just remove any raw eggs from the recipes and make sure to completely cook the meat).  I decided to go with the disposable/recyclable tin pans because I didn't want anything to break going from a cold fridge to a hot oven (and my husband doesn't have a good track record when it comes to cooking).  

My first go at a make ahead (or fridge-to-oven) meal was a success!  I wasn't even home when the mexican stuffed shells were made or even eaten.  I say a home cooked meal is definitely better than the Taco Bell run or frozen pizza that would have happened if it was not available.  :)

It took about 20 minutes to boil the noodles, brown the ground turkey, cook in the additional ingredients, and stuff the shells.  I ran cold water over the noodles to stop the cooking process and let the filling cool down a little.  After stuffing the shells and topping with cheese, I covered the tin pan with aluminum foil and wrote the baking instructions on top.  So simple!  I'm definitely planning to prepare one of these every week for that night that inevitably comes where I just don't want to cook.

What do you do when you don't want to cook?