Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce

Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce
recipe and image from : Favorite Family Recipes

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup milk
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
4 chicken breasts cut into halves (8 pieces)
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups whipping cream
1 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup grated parmesan cheese


DIRECTIONS:
Optional: I like to pound and flatten the chicken out a little so it cooks evenly throughout.
1. Place milk and bread crumbs in seperate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in milk, then coat with crumbs. 
2. In a skillet over medium heat cook chicken in butter until browned on both sides. Remove chicken from skillet and keep in a 9x13 pan in the oven on warm. 
3. Add chicken broth to skillet and stir to loosen up browned bits from pan. Stir in cream, basil, and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and whisk in parmesan cheese. 
4. Pour sauce over the chicken and serve.


*I have made this before but forgot to post it. This chicken is SO delicious. I really, really like how simple it is and how flavorful it is! Yum! Last time I served the creamy chicken with pasta but this time I served it with wild rice and a big salad. Again, delicious! 

Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef
from: Six Sisters' Stuff

INGREDIENTS:
2 tsps vegetable oil
1/2 tsp ginger, minced
1 TB garlic, chopped
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
vegetable oil, for frying
1 lb flank steak
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large green onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Sauce:
Heat 2 tsp. of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat.  Don't get the oil too hot.
Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches.
Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then increase the heat to medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove it from the heat.

Beef:
Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4" thick bite-size slices. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts.  Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef.  Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.  As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (you may also use a skillet for this step as long as the beef will be mostly covered with oil). Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking. Add the beef to the oil and sauté until brown. Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly.  After a couple minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels.  Dab excess oil off meat with a paper towel and add to medium saucepan with the sauce in it.  Put the pan back on the oven over medium/low heat.  Add chopped green onions and let sauce simmer until warm. Serve over rice.


*I have been wanting to make my dad's Mongolian Beef recipe for a while but found this simple one and decided to make it. It was really yummy! 

Chicken Parmesan Sliders

Chicken Parmesan Sliders
from: Dinners for a Year and Beyond


INGREDIENTS:
4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 cups panko
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper
about 1/4 cup olive oil

marinara sauce (make your own or use store bought)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
16 mini buns



DIRECTIONS:
To make chicken:


1. Place chicken on a cutting board and slice lengthwise into 2 thin cutlets.  Slice each cutlet into 2 smaller pieces. 
2. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet and set aside.
3. In three separate shallow dishes place (1) panko, (2) eggs, and (3) flour, Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, and a 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  
4. In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add the olive oil.  
5. Dredge the chicken pieces first in the flour mixture then the eggs and finally the panko.  
6. Pan fry the chicken for about 2 - 3 minutes per side or until lightly browned and the chicken is cooked through. 
7. Remove to cooling rack and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Continue frying chicken in batches until all have been cooked.

To assemble the sliders, leave chicken on the baking rack on top of the baking sheet and top each piece with about 2 tablespoons each of the marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.  Bake in oven until cheese is melted; about 3 - 5 minutes.  Remove chicken from oven and place in buns.  


I don't remember what slider recipe I used but I didn't love it. Next time I will try this one!
*I cut this in half only using 2 chicken breasts, making 8 sliders. This was a fun, delicious dinner!! I served the sliders with chips and a big salad.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken

recipe from Get Off Your Butt and Bake

INGREDIENTS:

2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 beaten egg

4-6 TBS cornstarch or flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup vinegar

7 TBS ketchup

2 TBS soy sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt & pepper. Let stand for 5-10 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Dip chicken in beaten egg, then in cornstarch or flour. (cornstarch makes chicken crispier).

3. Brown in hot oil. Place in baking dish.

4. Mix sugar, vinegar, chicken stock, catsup, and soy sauce in medium bowl. Pour over chicken.

5. Bake uncovered for 1 1/2 hours. Turn chicken once or twice.

This chicken was so simple to make and very yummy! I served it over white rice with stir-fry vegetables.

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

recipe from Real Simple

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound trimmed green beans
• 8 small read potatoes, quartered
• 4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3 1/4 pounds)
• 
  
• DIRECTIONS:
• 1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.
  3. Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates; divide the green beans and potatoes equally. Serve warm.

Pork Chops with Pineapple Fried Rice

Pork Chops with Pineapple Fried Rice

from The Pioneer Woman

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 whole Pineapple, Cut Into Spears And Skewered

2 cups White Or Brown Rice, Cooked

6 whole Pork Chops

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Tablespoon Peanut Oil Or Canola Oil

1 whole Large Onion, Sliced

6 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (more To Taste, Or If More Liquid Is Needed)

1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Honey

1 Tablespoon Sriracha, Or Other Hot Sauce

Salt To Taste

3 cloves Minced Garlic

2 whole Eggs

1 jar (small) Drained Pimentos (I used red pepper)

1-1/2 cup Frozen Peas

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (additional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook rice according to package instructions. Set aside.

2. Grill or saute pineapple spears until they have good marks/color on the outside. Slice, then set aside.

3. Heat butter and oil over medium high heat, then add the pork chops to the pan. Saute on both sides until they have nice color.

4. Throw in the sliced onions and work them into the crevices between the chops. Shake the pan and move the onions around and let them cook for a good couple of minutes.

5. When the onions are starting to soften, add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, and hot sauce. Shake the pan, stir it around, and let it cook and bubble up for a good couple of minutes until the pork chops are completely cooked and the sauce is thicker. Remove the pork chops to a bowl, then let the sauce bubble up and cook for another 30 to 45 seconds. Pour it over the pork chops. Set aside.

6. Add a small amount of oil to the same pan (without cleaning it) and return it to the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir it around, then crack in the eggs and immediately stir them to scramble them a bit. Add peas, pimentos, and a couple of tablespoons (additional) soy sauce. Add cooked rice and stir it around to cook for a couple of minutes.

7. To serve, pile rice on a plate, then top with a pork chops and onions from the sauce. Drizzle a little bit of sauce over the top.

*This dinner was so delicious! So, so delicious! It was pretty easy to make too. :) I will definitely be making this more often!

Broccoli cheddar chicken braid

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Braid

Recipe and image from Food Family Finds

INGREDIENTS:

2 cans Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls

2 cups chicken chunks, cooked

2 cups cheddar cheese

2 cups broccoli, frozen, steamed, and chopped

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1 egg yolk

fresh rosemary

DIRECTIONS:

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

2. On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, spread both cans of crescents length wise to form a long rectangle. 3. Press each of the seams to form a single layer of dough.

4. In a large bowl, combine chicken, cheese, broccoli and mayonnaise

5. Spread mixture over the center of the croissant dough evenly to create a log.

6. Using a sharp knife, cut horizontal strips 1 inch apart down each side of the crescent dough.

7. Fold the dough strips over the top of the chicken mixture, alternating left and right to create a braid.

8. Brush the top of the braid with a beaten egg yolk and sprinkle fresh rosemary on top.

9. Bake for 28 – 30 minutes until golden brown.

*This was really yummy! What a great weeknight meal. It would be fun to try and make my own dough next time rather than use the Pillsbury dough.