Dijon Chicken Linguine with Mushrooms and Toasted Almonds

I have one word to say about this recipe...AMAZING!!!  It really is simply amazing.  You MUST make this soon...it is fantastic!  There are a few steps, but it isn't hard at all.  It moves pretty quick, so just set all of your ingredients out with all of your measuring spoons and you will be ready to go.  This recipe definitely tastes restaurant quality!  I got it from Rock Recipes and will definitely be back to try more of their recipes.  YUMMY!!

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Dijon Chicken Linguine with Mushrooms and Toasted Almonds

350 gram package fresh linguine, cooked
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I just used 3)
1 cup mushrooms (I used more than a cup because I heart mushrooms!)
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper to season

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed frying pan over medium low heat. Add chicken breasts, garlic, season with salt and pepper and continue to fry the chicken until completely cooked.  (I had to scoop out the garlic after a few  minutes because it was becoming too brown.  Next time I will add the garlic at the very end when the chicken is almost done.)

Remove chicken from pan and hold in a warm oven.

 Add 4 oz white wine to the pan and simmer until volume is reduced by  half.

Then add 2 cups whipping cream, 3 tbsp Dijon mustard and salt and pepper to season.  Simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat a metal spoon.  (This didn't take long.)

 Return Chicken to the sauce, add the mushrooms and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. 

 Serve over cooked linguine. Sprinkle with toasted slivered almonds.

I'll say it again, this is seriously AMAZING! Enjoy!  :)

Chicken Pasta Salad

I don't know about you, but I STRUGGLE with what to eat for lunch every day.  BIG.TIME!  I'm not a sandwich person, unless it is from someplace yummy, so I normally end up eating something random for lunch.  Last week I remembered a recipe that my friend Jessica used to bring to school when someone on our team had a birthday.  It is so yummy and crazy easy.  I decided to make it for dinner one night and then munch on it for lunch for several days.  Best idea ever!  I will definitely be doing this more often!

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Chicken Pasta Salad

1 package rotini noodles cooked and drained (I use the garden kind with the different colors...makes it pretty...because you know, that is important!)

2-3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded

1 can chopped tomatoes, drained

1 can chopped tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic, drained

1 (3 oz) can chopped ripe olives (I'm not an olive fan, so I leave these guys out!)

1 bunch green onions, chopped (I did about 6)

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (I did a full cup)

Italian dressing to taste

Ready for EASY...mix all ingredients together!  Seriously, it doesn't get any easier than that!!  I usually let it sit overnight before serving...it seems to just get better. 

I do have to mention that this makes a TON, so it is great for a lunch with the girls or even a shower.  It lasted us DAYS!  Enjoy!  :)

Halloween Treats!

My son's class Halloween party was today and I was in charge of the treats.  I had fun looking through Pinterest (where else??) to find some cute, different ideas that were a little healthier to fit with the school policies.  I came up with these fun treats that took no time at all to prepare and the kids LOVED them!! 

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First up, banana ghosts.  Too cute!!  All I did was slice the bananas in half, put a Popsicle stick in the flat end, roll in melted vanilla almond bark, and put chocolate chip eyes on them.  Then, I put them on wax paper on a cookie sheet and froze them overnight.  Love them!!

 Jack-o-lantern faces on little cuties!  :)

 A jack-o-lantern and a ghost.  Fun, fun!

 Last, but not least were the witch hands.  HILARIOUS!!  I just peeled carrots and put sliced almonds on the tips with a little bit of cream cheese to make them stick.  Then, I just poured some ranch in the bowl and ta-da!  

It doesn't get easier than that!  Happy Halloween!!  Enjoy!  :)

Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken

I needed a quick chicken recipe this week and found this from Moms Who Think that I had printed off quite a while ago.  There are only 4 ingredients and you might even have them on hand.  It took no time at all to prepare and tasted great.  If you need a quick meal, this is the one for you!

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Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 package Good Seasons Italian Dressing

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

(I cut this recipe in 1/3 and only made two chicken breasts. My 5 year old even loved it!)

Preheat oven to 400.  Mix cheese, dressing mix and garlic powder.  Moisten chicken breast with water; coat with cheese mixture.  Place in shallow baking dish.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

So easy and good...my kind of recipe!  Enjoy!  :)

Giant Banana Bread Muffins...with a Swirl!

My friend Jessica recently shared a Banana Bread recipe with me that I just had to try because it was different!  I love good banana bread, and I'm always up for something with a bit of a twist.  When I got ready to make these I decided to make them into giant muffins instead of making it in a loaf pan, so I actually poured the batter in four round CorningWare dishes.  (Hopefully you know what I'm talking about!)  I ended up wrapping one in a cellophane bag and tying it with cute ribbon with a note about how my son was just "bananas" to have his teacher...forgot to take a picture of that...oops!  Anyway, here's the crazy easy and delicious recipe!

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Giant Banana Bread Muffins...with a Swirl!

3 over-ripe bananas, smashed up

1/3 cup melted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

dash of salt

1 1/2 cups flour

For the swirl:

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter and flour a loaf pan...or four CorningWare round dishes.  Mix bananas, butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla together.  Sprinkle baking soda and salt around on top of the banana mixture.  Then, gently stir in flour.  Be careful not to over-mix.  In a small bowl, mix together the 1/3 cup sugar and tbsp cinnamon.  Add 1/2 the batter to the loaf pan or round dishes and then sprinkle half, or a little more than half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture all over the batter in the pan.  Add the rest of the batter, and then sprinkle the leftover cinnamon-sugar on top.  If you are baking in a loaf pan, the recipe says to bake for 50-60 minutes.  When I baked these in the round dishes, I baked them for around 40 minutes I believe.  Just keep an eye on them!

Yummy!!  These are seriously good and so easy!  Enjoy!  :)

Cilantro Lime Pesto Chicken Tacos

I had pinned these from What's Cooking Chicago a while ago, and finally got around to making them.  Oh my goodness...I should have made them earlier.  They are FANTASTIC!!!  These will definitely be made again..SOON!!

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Cilantro Lime Pesto Chicken Tacos

Cooking spray

2-3 large boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, but in bite sized pieces

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

tortillas

garnishes of your choice

Season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  In a skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute chicken until cooked through.

 For pesto:

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, no stems

2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sliced, toasted almonds

3 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice

1/2 cup shredded asiago, parmesan, or romano cheese (I used romano)

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup chicken broth

Mix all of the above ingredients in a blender on low speed for 2 minutes.

 Toss cooked, seasoned chicken with the pesto.

 Fill tortillas with chicken and top with desired garnishes.  I sauteed some yellow peppers and white onion and then added some avocado slices and sour cream.

These are SO GOOD!!!!  Get ready, they will go quick!!  Enjoy!  :)

Crunchy Herbed Chicken Breasts

I saw this recipe in a recent Taste of Home and am so glad I tagged it to make. This chicken comes out SO CRUNCHY on the outside, but moist on the inside.  It is fantastic!!  As always, super easy too!!  :)

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Crunchy Herbed Chicken Breasts

2/3 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1 Tbsp. minced fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried oregano

1 Tbsp. minced fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil

2 tsp. minced fresh parsley

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 oz. each)

Olive oil-flavored cooking spray

In a shallow bowl, mix the first nine ingredients.  Place flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls.  Dip both sides of chicken in the four, eggs, then crumb mixture, patting to help coating adhere.

 Place on a greased baking sheet.  Spritz tops with cooking spray.  Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

SO GOOD!!!!  My son loved it too, which is always a bonus!  Enjoy.  :)