Chicken Pasta with Veggies

It seems like I haven't posted in forever!  Probably because I haven't.  I'm finding it harder to come up with new recipes.  Thankfully I found this one on Pinterest.... changed it slightly to add some flavor.   It is a FAVORITE!   I've actually cooked it several times... I'll eat it for three days and not even care that I'm eating the same meal three days in a row!  Now that's a good recipe!!

Ingredients:
8 ounces angel hair pasta
2 cans organic chicken (or about 1lb of cooked chicken... I use can for ease when I can)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 medium carrots sliced diagonally
1 1/2 Cups fresh broccoli
3 tsp Minced Garlic
1 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 tsp dried Basil
2tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Salt

 Directions:
1. Cook Pasta according to package.
2.  In a skillet cook carrots in oil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.   Add Broccoli and garlic, cook 2 minutes longer.  Stir in the chicken, broth, cheese, basil, thyme and salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 6 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
3. Drain pasta;  serve chicken & veggie mixture over pasta... I usually pour some of the broth on the pasta as well.   Enjoy!

Yields about 5-6 servings.  

Cheesy Chicken Pasta & Broccoli Skillet

I'm on a new recipe kick... two more to try.   I'm excited that this one was a huge hit!!!!  Now I'm preggo (and in preggo induced remission) so I stuck with the original recipe.  However, there are a only a couple minor modifications I'll make to it post-baby that I don't think will change the taste much.   Would actually probably lower the calories, ha!!  I'm posting both the original and modified version.   I found this recipe in the Taste of Home Cooking Magazine.   Major props to them!!!!

Ingredients:
4 Cups Spiral Pasta (I used the colored Garden style, I would recommend the regular kind for ICers)
2 Cups fresh broccoli florets
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/4 Cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Cup half & half
4 oz Velveeta, cubed  (unknown if this is IC safe, but it doesn't bother me...feel free to substitute with a cheese you can tolerate )
1 Tbsp garlic-herb seasoning blend (this has a small amount of red pepper and paprika in it.  to be safe, substitue: 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp oregano, 1tsp rosemary, 1 tsp basil, 1 tsp dried minced onion, 1/4 tsp orange peel)
1/4 tsp salt
3 cooked chicken breasts (I cooked mine with a bit of seasoning above)
1/2 Cup shredded mild cheddar cheese (on the maybe list, omit if it bothers you)

Directions:
1.  In a large saucepan, cook pasta according to package directions, adding broccoli during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
2.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk flour and broth until smooth.  In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; stir in broth mixture.  Add half & half.  Bring to a boil;  cook and stir 1 minute or until thickened.  Add velveeta, seasonings, and salt;  stir until mixture is smooth.
3.  Add the chicken and the pasta mixture; heat through, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Let stand covered 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 4 servings.

Hamburger Gravy Over Biscuits

Before you look at the picture and run.... don't!   I know it doesn't look delicious, but this dinner was to die for!!! I must admit, I was skeptical.  I thought the short ingredient list meant this recipe would be bland, but it was soooooo good!!! And a very economical meal at that.   Try it... then thank me.  :)  Found on Allrecipes.com while trying to find a generic gravy recipe.  Such an unexpected find!!!  This recipe is culinary genius I tell you!!!

Ingredients:
1 pound hamburger meat
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cups milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/4 tsp ground sage
salt & pepper to taste (I used about 1/4 tsp salt... 1/8 tsp pepper)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tube refrigerated biscuits of your choice



Directions:

Bake the biscuits per directions.  

Meanwhile, crumble the ground beef into a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Leave the grease (yummy!!) . Add the onions, and cook for a few more minutes. 

Pour 1 cups of the milk into the pan, and stir to scrape up any bits of food that could burn on the bottom of the pan. Mix in the chicken broth, butter, sage, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently

 Slowly mix the flour into the last cup of milk until smooth. Slowly pour into the skillet, stirring constantly. Simmer for a few minutes to thicken. If the gravy is too thick, thin with a little bit of milk. If it is too thin, simmer longer, or add more flour. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.  


Serves 4

Chicken Quesadillas

I wish every recipe I tried turned out fabulous.   It seems alot of recipes I've been trying lately have turned out to be flops.   Including one for Spinach and Feta Quesadillas I found on Pinterest.  Yuck-a-rama!  However, it was not a complete failure because I learned that making Quesadillas is actually really easy and not scary at all... I just needed to adjust the entire filling of the Quesadilla.   Here is what I came up with.  The hubs and I loved them soooo much it's going to be a new favorite and staple in our house.   Love that!

Ingredients:
4 small Flour Tortillas
1 10 oz can of Valley Fresh Organic Chicken Breast in water (or other IC friendly canned chicken)
3 oz of Cream Cheese (brick not tub)
1/2 small Yellow Onion, diced
1/3 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1/3 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1/3 Cup Green Onion, diced
1/3 Cup Black Beans (or whatever bean you can tolerate)
1/2 to 1 tsp Cumin (depending on your tolerance of Cumin... I can handle a full tsp)
1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
1Tbsp Olive Oil
1tsp Butter

Directions:
1)Prepare filling: Drain can of chicken and put in a small pot along with the cream cheese.   Heat on medium/low to melt the cream cheese.  Meanwhile, saute the Yellow Onion, Red Bell Pepper and Green Bell Pepper in Olive Oil for about 5 minutes until onions are clear.   When cheese is well melted and mixed into chicken add the Onion/Pepper mixture to it.   Also add the Green Onion, Black Beans and cumin.  Stir until mixed well and heated through.  Just a couple minutes.  The filling is ready.

2)Melt a touch of butter in a pan.  Place a tortilla into the pan, swirl it around in the butter and repeat with all tortillas (only buttering one side of the tortilla).  Add half the filling to one tortillas and sprinkle with half the Mozzarella cheese.   Cook the Quesadilla butter side down until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes and then flip (Tip: To easily flip the Quesadilla place a plate onto the Quesadilla in the pan and flip it from the pan to the plate and then slide it back into the pan.)  Repeat for second Quesadilla

Makes 2 Quesadillas.

Chicken Penne w/ Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

This was so good and made with a frozen batch of Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.   I always like to make extra so I can whip up a yummy meal on days I don't feel like spending alot of time in the kitchen.

Ingredients:
2 Boneless Chicken Breasts
Penne Pasta
1/2 Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
1 egg
1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp parsley
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Directions:
Prepare Red Pepper Sauce ahead of time.   Cook the Penne Pasta as directed on box.  In a small bowl add whisked egg.  In a second bowl combine bread crumbs, garlic, basil, and parsley.   Dip the chicken in the egg bowl, then the bread crumb bowl and grill on stove top in olive oil.  Cook about 6 minutes on each side, medium/high heat.   Heat Red Pepper Sauce.   Pour sauce over cooked pasta, then add chicken on top.

Serves 2

Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup

So yum and delicious especially on a cold day.  One of my favs and great as leftovers!

Ingredients:
1 pound beef stew meat
2 C beef broth
2 large potatoes, peel and cubed (I buy frozen and just pour in 2 cups worth)
3 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 can kidney beans
1 can green beans
1 can corn
1 can peas
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp minced garlic

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on medium 6-8 hours.   Optional:  Brown meat first in desired seasonings.

Chicken & Rice Casserole

I am so excited about this recipe for three reasons:   1) I made it up all by me-self, go me! 2) It is so easy to make and 3) It was stinkin' yummy!!    A new pantry staple, love those!!

Ingredients:
2 large cans Valley Fresh 100% Natural White Chicken in Water (could probably use one, but I like lots of chicken)
1 c cooked white rice (cooked in chicken broth instead of water to add flavor)
2 c chicken broth
1 small can sweet peas
1 serving cream soup substitute
1 slice kraft american cheese, tore into pieces (could leave out)

Directions:
Cook the rice in the chicken broth.  While rice is cooking, make cream soup substitute.  When done combine rice, chicken, peas, soup,cheese, and mix well.  I sprinkled a little extra salt & Pepper on mixture as well.  Cook at 350 for approximately 35 minutes.

Made 3 servings

Pear Smothered Pork Chops

This was one of the first recipes I cooked that I loved after being diagnosed with IC and is a pantry staple now.   I had no experience cooking with pork before.  Learning how to cook new meats has really offered me variety in a diet that is so restrictive.   I got this recipe from the cookbook, A Taste of the Good Life by Beverley Laumann.  

Ingredients:
 2 center-cut pork loin chops
1/4 tsp ground sage
dash salt and pepper
2 large, firm-ripe pear (original recipe calls for 1, but I like lots of pears so used two)
2 Tbsp. unsulphured molasses
2 Tbsp flour
1 Cup water

Directions:
In a skillet, brown pork chops in olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper if desired.  Remove chops to casserole dish.  Sprinkle sage on chops.  Peel and slice pear, placing slices on top of chops.  Combine flour with small amount of water to make a paste, then add to cup of water (about 2 Tbsp).  Add molasses to water and mix well.  Over low heat, pour liquid into hot skillet, scraping up browned bits of pork chops.  When slightly thickened, pour sauce over chops, cover, and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until done.

Sarah's Chicken Salad

I got this recipe from a good friend who also has Interstitial Cystitis.  It is one of my favorites and I make it all the time.   The original recipe calls for a full brick (8oz) of cream cheese, but I reduced it to save on calories.    It can be served on sandwich, in a tortilla, or with crackers (my fav!).

Ingredients:
2, 5 ounce cans (or 1 large) Valley Fresh 100% Natural White Chicken in Water
1/3 Large Cucumber diced into small squares
1 Cup Blueberries
1/2 Cup Green Onions
4 ounces Original Cream Cheese (Brick not tub due to the preservatives in the tub kind)

Directions:
Drain the water from the cans of chicken very well and place in a bowl.  Add the Cream Cheese and mix with large wooden spoon until spread evenly (takes a while).  Add the Cucumber, Blueberries, Green Onion and stir.  Enjoy!