Tomato Basil Chicken

Tomato Basil Chicken

Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3-4 chicken breasts

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, minced

2 tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup olive oil

salt

pepper

pasta of your choice

Directions:

1. Salt and pepper your raw chicken breasts and set aside.

2. Mince and chop all your veggies. 

3. Add your oil to your saute pan along with your chicken breasts and veggies. Cook for 8-10 minutes on each side (16-20 minutes total depending on the size of the breast).  

4. Boil your pasta to pair with your chicken. I think a penne or bow tie pasta works well with this dish.

5. Remove from heat and serve immediately. 

This is such an easy dish to make for your family in under thirty minutes! The chicken is moist and flavorful and the pasta helps fill you up. I add pesto to the pasta to add another basil dimension to the meal. Yum yum!

Virgin Mojitos

Virgin Mojito Recipe

Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 liter Club Soda

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

6 limes

50-60 mint leaves

Directions:

1. In a pot, heated to low-medium, add your 2 cups of water, 2 cups sugar, and 20-30 mint leaves. Zest two of your limes into the pot, half the limes, and squeeze the juice in the pot. Let it all simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let mixture cool for at least 3-4 hours. This also can be made the day before and refrigerated. 

2. Slice up the remainder of your limes in quarters.

3. In your pitcher, muddle the remainder of your mint leaves.  Pour in the mixture you made in the pot. Gently squeeze your lime slices as you drop them in the pitcher. Top with the liter of Club Soda. Serve immediately and enjoy!

This is a delicious and has a nice light fizz that helps you forget you can't (or just aren't) drinking an alcoholic beverage. Yum Yum!!

Blueberry Pancakes

Blueberry Pancakes
Yield: 2-3 dozen

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons of melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp white vinegar
2 1/4 cup milk
2-3 cups frozen blueberries

Directions:

1. Separate your eggs, in two bowls, and whisk your egg whites into peaks. Set aside.
2. Melt your butter and slowly whisk it into your egg yolk.
3. Add your vinegar, milk, vanilla, and sugar to your egg yolk bowl.
4. Add in your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and mix well.
5. Fold in your egg whites
6. Heat your griddle to medium and gently ladle out your batter. Sprinkle blueberries into the freshly poured batter. Once you see bubbles, flip your pancake. The pancakes should be a golden color.

I like my pancakes on the thinner side, as you can see from the picture, but if you like yours thick leave out the vinegar and 1/4 cup of milk. I topped these pancakes with a blueberry sauce I concocted. Here is the blueberry sauce recipe:

Blueberry Sauce:

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Put all ingredients in a microwaveable bowl and mix well.
2. Microwave for 1.5-2 minutes until warm.
3. With your fork, gently mash your blueberries extracting all that yummy goodness! Don't mash all the blueberries, but just enough to make your concoction saucy. Drizzle over your stack of pancakes and enjoy!

Baked Rigatoni

Baked Rigatoni

Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 lbs Ricotta Cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella (separated)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 

1 egg

6 cups homemade tomato sauce or sauce of your choice

1 box of Rigatoni

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook your pasta in boiling water for 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. In your mixer, add the ricotta cheese, Parmesan, 1 cup of mozzarella, egg, and a dash of salt and pepper. Mix well with the whisk attachment for about a minute.
3. Detach your bowl and add your cooked pasta to the cheese. Incorporate all that cheesy goodness into the pasta.

4. In a 9x13 dish, add your tomato sauce. Pour your cheesy pasta mixture into the sauce and spread out.
5. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top and cover with tin foil.
6. Bake at 400 F for 30 minutes with the foil on. Take off the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes to get the cheese extra yummy on top!

Yummy!!! So good! 

Seriously, if you love cheese, this is the dish for you! 

Double Chocolate Banana Nut Muffins

My cute baking buddy and taste tester!

Double Chocolate Banana Nut Muffins

Yield: 30-32

Ingredients:

4 very ripe bananas 

2 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup milk 

2 cups granulated sugar

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 bag Ghirardelli chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In your mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, add your bananas, oil, milk, sugar, and eggs and mix well for about a minute.

2. Add in your flour, salt, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, and cocoa and mix well for about 30 seconds. Your batter should be about as thick as pancake batter.

3. Remove your bowl and whisk and add in your nuts and chocolate chips. Swirl the whisk by hand to incorporate the chocolate chips and nuts.

4. Line your muffin tins for easy clean up and because the chocolate chips tend to sink to the bottom.

5. Use a 1/3 cup scoop to fill your cups.

6. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.  

Yummy! Eat up! 

Chocolate and banana go hand and hand together, yum! I pretty much love every variety of banana muffin known to man so double chocolate it is! I love how moist and fluffy they are. Yumm!!!

Caesar Salad

Cesar Salad

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 large head of Romaine Lettuce

1 baguette

1 tablespoon of fresh cracked black pepper

1 oz of anchovies

4 large cloves of garlic

1 lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard 

1/2 cup of olive oil

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

  

Directions:

1. Cut your baguette in half. Set aside one half to go with dinner. With the other half, cut into cubes. Toss them in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, coat well, and then bake at 400 F for 10 minutes.

2. Wash and chop your Romaine. Toss into your salad bowl and set aside.

3. With the rest of your ingredients add to a bowl and blend up well with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. 

4. Toss your salad and add your croutons on top. 

5. Garnish with some fresh cracked black pepper and a sprinkling of  shredded Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan

Yield: Serves two

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts (about 1/2 a pound each)

1 teaspoon of salt

1 egg

3/4 cup of homemade breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon of dry basil

1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

Two cups of homemade tomato sauce

Directions:

1. Heat your saucepan to medium and coat with olive oil.

2. Mix the herbs and breadcrumbs together and put on a plate next to your saucepan.

3. In a shallow bowl whisk your egg and salt.

4. Thoroughly coat each chicken breast in your egg and then move it to your breadcrumbs to coat. 

5. Cook each side of your chicken for about 2 minutes depending on how large. Each side should start to crisp up and turn a golden color.

6. In a baking dish, add your tomato sauce and chicken breasts. Sprinkle your cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake at 450 F for 10 minutes. 

7. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. 

Enjoy your juicy chicken on a bed of yummy pasta! I made this recipe up as I went along. I used my husband and children as taste testers and it was both husband and kid approved! Enjoy!