Quesidillas on a Sailboat

 

This is another easy prep idea for cruising or camping  as quesidillas can be easily heated up on a griddle, a bbq,  a fry pan or even wrapped in foil and heated over a campfire or in an oven.

Serve with salsa (fresh or from a jar), sour cream and a side salad.

Use rotisserie chicken or grill chicken with seasoning ( chili powder, ground cumin, and dried oregano), grated cheese (monterey jack and cheddar) as the main filling.  Add canned, diced green chilies, avocado, scallions, onions or tomatoes.

Assemble by putting filling on one side of a tortillas leaving room along the edge to prevent spilling out. Fold over into half moon shape.  Grill or warm, cut into serving size and enjoy.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

 Enjoyed this yummy casserole at the Crowsnest Cabin with Gerry and Kathy.  The perfect meal for a cabin getaway as it can be made ahead of time.  It can easily be made GF by using GF mushroom soup and GF corn tortillas.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 can mushroom soup
• 2 to 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 2 cups (or more) chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 fresh chopped garlic cloves
• 4 oz. can green chilies, drained
• 1 tsp. chili powder, or to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 12 corn tortillas (or flour)
• ~ 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Saute onions, mushrooms and garlic till soft.

Add chili powder, green chilies, salt and pepper and chopped chicken.

Combine sour cream and mushroon soup in a separate bowl.

 Add about a cup (+ or -) of the sauce to the chicken mixture, 

just enough to bind ingredients together.

Spread the remaining sauce in a greased 9 by 13 baking dish.

Divide the chicken mixture among the corn (or flour) tortillas.

Fold sides over filling and place seam side down into sauce.

Spread cheddar cheese over.

Bake at 400° till hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Fried Chicken and Waffles

Thanks Amy for introducing us to Tristan's 

favorite birthday meal at the diner.  Cabin made version.

Fry chicken coated with egg and GF bread crumbs.

Prepare waffles.

Prepare gravy (pkg. gravy works great).

Prepare berries.

Layer on your plate...

Waffle

2 pieces of Fried Chicken

Sliced Berries

Add

Gravy and Maple Syrup

Yummy!  A new favorite for Grandpa!

Butter Chicken

6 tbsp butter

2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 yellow onion diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

1 tsp chli powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (or one 14 oz can)

2 cups cream

salt and pepper

lime and cilantro, for garnish

naan bread and rice for serving

Saute onion and chicken in large pan ( Cuisinart cast iron casserole dish works well).  

Add spices and tomato sauce.  

Stir and cook for about 10 minutes.  

Add cream and heat through.  

Use lime and cilantro for garnish or add to mix.

Serve over rice with naan bread on side.

High Five Chicken

Slice chicken breast into five strips leaving them joined
at one end.  Coat in your favorite fashion.
In this case coat with egg wash, panko bread crumbs and your favorite spices.
Cook by  frying in canola oil.

Can be found gluten free or regular.

Chicken/Turkey Pot Pie

This recipe is in two parts, the filling and then a choice 

between a bisquick topping or a savoury pie pastry of your choice.

Filling

1 medium onion, chopped

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 cups cubed cooked turkey or chicken

1 3/4 cup chicken or turkey broth

2/3 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup frozen peas

In a saucepan, saute onion in butter. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually add broth and milk.  Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Add the turkey/chicken, cheese and peas.  Cook until the cheese is melted.  Set aside and keep warm.

To finish either prepare a piecrust of your choice or a bisquick topping as follows.

Piecrust

Line a 9 inch pie plate with a bottom pastry.  Pour hot filling into the crust. Place a top pastry over the filling, trim, seal and flute the edges.  Cut slits in pastry.  Brush top with milk.  Bake at 375 for for 40 or 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Or  Easy Bisquick Dumpling Topping

Mix 1 cup bisquick, 1/2 cup bisquick and 1 egg.  Put hot filling into a casserole dish.  Pour bisquick mixture over filling. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

I used my new fluted ceramic pie plate from 

Mother's Day for today's chicken pot pie with bisquick.

Kathy's Walnut, Chicken and Cherry Quinoa Salad

1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups  water
1 1/2 diced grilled chicken
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup sweet onion, minced
1/2 cup walnuts (pecans) toasted and coarsely chopped
chopped fresh thyme (optional)
(options to add- mandarin orange slices, pumpkin seeds, craisins)
Dressing

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar (or 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, minced
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a medium saucepan; reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 12 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and let cool.

Place the cooled quinoa in a large bowl with the chicken, cherries, celery and onion.  (can prepare the quinoa the day before)

Prepare the dressing.  Whisk together all ingredients and pour over the salad; toss well to coat.  Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

Add walnuts and thyme to the salad just before serving.  Makes 6 servings.

Tip: Replace the dried cherries with halved and pitted fresh  herries when they're in season.

Chicken, Broccoli and Apple Salad

450 g (1 lb) cooked chicken, diced

1/2 large red delicious apple diced

1 1/2 cup broccoli florets, cooked and cooled

1/4 cup raw almonds, chopped and toasted

1/2 cup sliced green olives

1/4 cup organic dried apricots, chopped

4 slices crispy bacon, crumbled

Vinaigrette

1 clove garlic, chopped

the juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup mayo

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

In a small food processor, or with the help of a stick blender, process all the ingredients for the vinaigrette until smooth and creamy.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add cooked chicken, diced apple, cooled broccoli, toasted almonds, green olives, dried apricots, crispy bacon and vinaigrette and mix until thoroughly combined.

Place the salad in the fridge for a few hours before serving to allow flavors to fully develop.  This salad will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container.

Five Spice Roasted Chicken Legs

Marinade

6 cloves of garlic

1 large shallot

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 tbsp agave or sugar

1/4 cup reduce sodium soy sauce (tamari for gluten free)

1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

freshly ground black pepper

6 chicken legs (thighs and legs attached)

Combine the marinade ingredients and blend until smooth.

Place the chicken in a large, resealable ziploc bag or container and pour in the marinade.  Toss the chicken inside the bag to cover evenly with the marinade and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or as long as overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place the chicken on a rack in a foil lined roasting pan.  Create a loose tent over the chicken with foil.

Roast the chicken in the center of the oven 30 minutes: remove foil and continue to cook, basting occasionally until the internal temperature is 165 to 170 degrees F, about 45 minutes longer.

Hong Kong Chicken Curry

This is a perfect "après luge" meal on a cold Alberta winter day.

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 sliced onion

2 tbsp curry powder

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1/2 tsp salt

398 ml can coconut milk

2 large carrots, sliced into coins

2 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Heat a large wide frying pan over medium high.  

Add oil, then onion and curry powder.  

Cook until onion starts to soften, 3 min.  

Sprinkle chicken with salt, then add to pan.  Stir until coated.

Add coconut milk, carrots and potatoes and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium.

Gently boil, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove lid and continue boiling until liquid is slightly thickened, about 5 more minutes.

Stir in peas and cilantro and cook for 1 more minute.

Serve with rice.

Ethan and Grandpa walk up to the top of the luge as Ethan gives Grandpa
advice on how to get a fast, safe ride.

Tristan tells Grandpa "that was a good ride".

Reegan gives Grandpa a hug.

Chicken Pilaf with Spinach and Walnuts

Tried this recipe today and decided it was a keeper.  Grandpa enjoyed it too. I didn't cube the chicken or chop the spinach.   I found that the rice took a little longer to cook than it said. I think next time I will try precooking the rice a bit and see how that works.  I was also cautious with the spices and will be more generous next time.  Overall it was yummy, with a comfort food feel. Easy and a great combination of healthy ingredients.  Thank you Oma and Opa for the saucepan.  It worked great for this recipe.  

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cubed)

(I didn't cubed the thighs)

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup basmati rice or other long-grain white rice

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. ground allspice (nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves as substitute)

pinch of cinnamon

4 cups loosely packed baby spinach, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

On rimmed baking sheet, toast walnuts in 350 degree oven until golden, about 8 minutes, set aside.

Sprinkle chicken with half each of the salt and pepper. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown chicken.  Using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl.

In same saucepan, cook onion and garlic over medium heat until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.  Stir in rice, cumin, allspice, cinnamon and remaining salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Return chicken and any juices to pan, stirring to coat.

Stir in 1 3/4 cups water; bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is tender and no liquid remains, about 20 minutes.  Turn off heat; let stand on burner for 5 minutes.

Stir in spinach, dill and toasted walnuts.

Curried Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

Curried Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

4 cups shredded cooked chicken (equivalent to 2-3 boiled chicken breasts)

1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

1 package (8 – 10 ounces) fresh mushrooms (pre-sliced)

1 can cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken)

1 cup low-fat sour cream

½ cup low-fat mayonnaise

1-2 tablespoons curry powder (to taste)

½ cup pre-cut slivered almonds

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Cook the mushrooms in a sauté pan over medium heat in oil or butter until cooked.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, mushroom soup, sour cream, mayonnaise, and curry powder.  Stir until well-blended.
4. Transfer mixture to a 13 x 9 glass or ceramic baking dish.  Scatter the almonds over the top.
5. Bake the casserole until it is bubbling and the almonds are toasted, about 1 hour.  Check after 45 minutes to see if it needs to be covered loosely with foil to prevent over-browning.
6. Remove from oven and serve at once with rice.

First enjoyed this meal at Jenny's when a friend brought it over as a "welcome Oliver supper".  Grandmaman made the casserole served with rice tonight on a rainy, rather stormy, Alberta summer supper.  Grandpa is thrilled that there is enough for him to take for lunch tomorrow.

Mexican Tortilla Soup

1 tbsp butter

4 small shallots, finely chopped

1 large tomato, peeled and finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

6 cups chicken stock

1 lime, juiced

pinch sugar

2 cups cooked chicken 

(buy half a rotisserie chicken at the supermarket deli, 

remove and discard skin, shred meat)

1 ripe avocado, cubed

Tortilla chips

1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

In a large saucepan, melt butter, then add shallots and sauté for several minutes, until tender.  Add tomato and jalapeno and cook for another 2 minutes.  Pour in stock, then add lime juice and sugar.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add chicken and heat through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, add avocado, a handful of tortilla chips and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro to the soup.   

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Super yummy dinner!  Makes a great drop off meal too!  The recipe is very simple and all the amounts are approximate.  I sometimes double-ish this recipe when I make it to bring to someone, makes a big one to give and makes a small one for us.  Can't really mess up CHEESE CHEESE and more CHEESE!


This was my new baby drop off meal this winter for all the new Mama's here in Ithaca.  Here's to rest and recovery with some delish comfort food.

Sleeping baby!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Large flour tortillas
1 large onion diced
2 TBSP oil
4 oz can green chilies, chopped
10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cups grated mozarella cheese
1 cup salsa
3-4 cups cooked chicken, shredded into large pieces (I just usually buy a rotisserie chicken, unless I remember to cook a couple extra chicken breasts the day before)

Cut tortillas into 6 slices.  Saute onion in oil.  Add chilies, soup and half of the grated cheeses.  Cook slowly until cheese melts.  Line a buttered casserole with tortilla strips.  Then layer salsa, chicken, cheese and cheese sauce with tortillas strips.  Repeat and do as many layers as you want.  Top with remaining grated cheese.  Bake at 325 for 50-60 min.  Let stand for 10 min.  Enjoy!


Sending Love,
Twin A

Chicken and Dates

This is a very unusual paring of chicken, sweet dates and salty olives but it is a winner at our house.  The E-man loves olives so much that he insists on carrying them around when we buy them at the grocery store.  Not kidding, he would rather visit the olive bar at the deli than check out the candy bars at the till.  Weird but awesome at the same time.  If your family doesn't like olives, this recipe is good without them too!

Chicken and Dates

Ingredients:

▪ 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces

▪ 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

▪ 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

▪ 1 tsp paprika

▪ 1 tsp ground cumin

▪ 1 tsp ground tumeric

▪ 1 tsp freshly grated ginger

▪ Salt and cracked black pepper

▪ 1/2 finely sliced lemon

▪ 2 onions, finely chopped

▪ 1 cup of chicken stock

▪ ½ cup green olives

▪ 1 cup  fresh dates, halved and pitted

▪ 1/4 cup fresh herbs, such as mint or parsley (for garnish)

**  Note:  I use the rest of the carton of chicken stock to make my couscous!

Place chicken pieces in a large bowl and drizzle with 3 tbsp of oil. Combine garlic, paprika, cumin, tumeric and ginger and sprinkle over chicken. Season with salt and pepper and turn chicken to coat. Add lemon slices, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400F.

In large skillet, heat remaining olive oil and sear chicken pieces on all sides.  Remove chicken to plate.  Add onions to skillet and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

Transfer onions and 1 cuo of chicken stock to a large casserole dish.. Place chicken on top of onions, turn to coat, cover and bake for 30 minutes. Add olives and dates and bake a further 10-15 minutes or until chicken is tender.

Serve chicken with juices, olives and dates spooned over and top with chopped fresh herbs.  Serve with couscous or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients are standing by.

Chicken marinating with spices and lemon.

Ready to eat.  Just add couscous or mashed potatoes.

T-man couldn't keep his eyes open.  It was a long day full of playschool and playing in the snow.  We let him sleep for a few minutes and then he managed to finish all of his chicken and 4 bites of couscous.  Four bites because he is four!

E-man gobbled up every bite so that he could have MORE OLIVES PLEASE! 

Reegs is still mastering the skill of utensils.  She no longer wants any help and always says loudly "ME DO".  Meals are a very messy situation at our house right now.  She did manage to eat quite a bit, alternating between spoon and fingers.

Another successful meal at our house!

Love,
Twin B
xoxoxoxoxo

What a weekend!?!

We are all trying to recover from a persistent cold bug.  The two littles have been down right miserable.  The big  little recovered from the fever pretty quick, but the lingering faucet for a nose is dragging him down.  The little little is simply a puddle, sleeping only in the Moby wrap (love love love).  Heading to the doctor today to see...  I relish the time that I can hold her close and be cuddly, but I just wish she wasn't feeling so bad.  xxoo

While Daddy was home on Sunday, I took advantage of the extra hands to make a quick dinner.  This recipe brings back tons of childhood memories, the second I get a whiff of the sweet and sour sauce, I'm right back.  We NEEDED comfort food after the weekend we had!

This meal has undergone many many many variations.  We used to eat this exactly as the recipe calls, when Mom made it with chicken wings (great party or potluck item), then in college, we made this often with boneless chicken breasts cut into strips.  Last year I mixed it up again, and instead of frying the battered pieces on a grill pan or frying pan with butter (the yummiest way of course, yay butter!), I decided that since I was making a bunch (for us, and some new mommy drop off meals), that I would instead bake the chicken in the oven on cookie sheets.  Worked out well, didn't get as brown or as crispy of course as when you fry them, but once they are in the casserole dish swimming in the de-lish sauce, who is to know?  The baked version is just as yummy, and seems a bit "lighter" (as far as comfort food goes!).

Twin B's household calls this dinner "The Chicken Meal", we do too!

chicken wings, cut in half with tips removed

OR

boneless skinless chicken breast, cut horizontally then into "strips" or "fingers"

eggs

flour, salt & pepper to taste

butter

The SAUCE!  (double this recipe to have plenty to pour over the rice!)

3 TBSP soy sauce

3 TBSP water

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

Lightly flour chicken pieces, then dip in slightly beaten egg and then back into the flour.  Fry in butter until deep brown and crisp.  Or place on foil lined cookie sheets coated with vegetable spray, and bake in 350 degree oven, turning once.  In either method, place chicken in shallow roasting pan.  Mix all sauce ingredients in saucepan over medium heat, stir until all sugar dissolves.  Poor sauce over chicken.  Bake at 350 degrees until sauce is bubbling and chicken is cooked through.  Baste with sauce during cooking.

We always pair this comfy cozy chicken dinner with dare I say "white" rice.  Brown is good too, but it doesn't soak up as much sauce as the white does (teehee!).  This meal is also very very yummy with any kind of green veggie.  Somehow takes any "bitterness" out of the veggie when you have it along side this sweet and sour dish.  We usually have broccoli, asparagus, fresh brussels or of course peas.  Sometimes I will slice zucchini lengthwise with a vegetable peeler to make "thin noodles" and then I steam them quick, then mix them with some peas etc.  Looks "fancy".

Sending Love,

Twin A

Send us Hand sanitizer and OJ thoughts our way.  A few Kleenex vibes wouldn't hurt either!

Chicken & Sweet Potato Pie

We went on a fall walk down the South Hill Rec Trail here in Ithaca on Sunday morning.  We loaded up the kids and Daddy joined us on our usual walk.  Very beautiful with the arching trees overhead and the golden and glow-y leaves all around.  We walked and walked until we got to the playground, played a bit with the chipmunks, shared a swing and headed on home.  All that fresh air equals three hour afternoon naps, so we had a lazy Sunday afternoon.  The best kind.  We topped it off with a Chicken & Sweet Potato Pie that I had been wanting to try.  This recipe is adapted from one from Rachael Ray.  It is definitively something I would make again, perhaps not my favorite "take" on chicken pot pie, but a fun one because of the sweet potatoes, the "citrus-y" gravy and the crusty cornbread top.  I chose this thinking that my big little "might" try it since he is in love with cornbread.  I got a big "nope", at least he sat in front of it for a while.  Sigh.

Off we go!  We start at the S_T_O_P sign.  The big guy loves to spell.

"Canada leaf"

Haha!

Where are you birds?

The Sibs share a ride.

Giggles.

This is pretty fun!

6 sweet potatoes, 1 inch cubes (you could probably do 4, it was HUGE!)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into fork-sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup pineapple or OJ
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
4 green onions, sliced
1 cup peas
2 boxes cornbread mix
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Boil sweet potatoes.  Add olive oil to pan, cook chicken.  Remove chicken from pan and in same pan, melt butter.  Sprinkle in flour and cook for about 1 min.  Add chicken stock and juice.  Stir and bring to light bubble to thicken.  Add BBQ sauce, scallions, peas, chicken, potatoes and stir gently.  Transfer to a casserole dish.  Prepare cornbread batter and pour over chicken.  Bake about 15 min or until cornbread is puffed and fully cooked.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Oh the days when you could go to a restaurant and order an appetizer and enjoy it without having to worry about spilled milk, opened sugar packets and finger painting with ketchup!  If that is a foreign concept, then make this for dinner tonight!  Enjoy it in your own kitchen, where your kids can be as loud as they want, without getting withering glances from the surrounding tables.  I serve this dish "deconstructed" to my big little.  Remember to reserve some "sauce" on the side to dip pieces of chicken, carrots and lettuce into.
Sending Love,
Twin A

This recipe is adapted from "The Rest of the Best" book, from the Best of Bridge Series, or as we lovingly refer to it as "the brown book"  since the cover is of course brown!

The Sauce
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
1 TBSP honey
2 TBSP water
Juice from one lime
2 tsp sesame oil (I used olive oil because I had it on hand, worked fine)
1 large garlic clove minced
one inch of freshly grated ginger

The Wraps
2 Boneless chicken breasts (make it even easier by using leftover roasted chicken or stop by the store and get a rotisserie chicken!)
1/3 cup grated carrot
2 green onions, diagonally sliced
1 cup dry steam-fried noodles
1/2 cup peanuts (optional, I usually put them on the side)
1 head iceburg lettuce, separated into whole leaves, core removed

In a saucepan, mix sauce ingredients, heat until blended.  Remove and set aside to cool.  Poach chicken in small amount of water.  Cool.  Shread each chicken breast into bite size pieces.  Toss chicken, carrots and green onion with sauce.  Let stand 15 min.  Add noodles and peanuts.
To serve:  Fill lettuce leaves with chicken.  Tuck edges in and enjoy!

Yum, "_ettuce" Mama!

The horses outside our kitchen window this evening.  Can you spot the "fall" in the distance.