Walk away meals!!!

Some days I dont feel like slaving over a hot stove, or I want to go out and do something fun and have a meal when I get back! SSOO....embrace the crock pot! Tonight we are going to the gym to swim laps... this includes Brandon and of course the kids looovee kids club..Elijah has a crush on Miss Sarah haha....Anyways, this is going to be at 5:30 so when we get home at 7 we are gonna be hungry...so about 2pm I started dinner  POT ROAST from the crock pot...

This is soooo eeeaasssyy!!!


I forgot to put the onions in the picture :D

  INGREDIENTS 
 a pot roast that is the right size for your family
seasoning salt
onions (sliced)
  TA DA haha   okay there are a few things to add that are optional
1 14.5 ounce can of beef broth (I have an irrational fear of dry foods haha so sometimes I add a can of broth)
carrots
potatoes (tonight I am making oven roasted potatoes...but you can add them into the crock pot if you would like. )

SO the directions...
slice the onions and put them on the bottom of the crock pot
add the broth
season both sides of the pot roast and add to the crock pot

I set the crock pot for low 5 1/2 hours... which puts dinner time at 7:30  ... at 4:45 when I head to the gym I will add the carrots and let them cook for the last couple of hours ... they will be tender and full of flavor!!



Finished Roast!

 This is one of Brandons favorite meals, but he prefers mashed potatoes ... not tonight though. Tonight I am using a roasted potato mix that I found at Winco..yum!

Roast, Garlic Bread, Potatoes and Carrots....yyyuummmmmm

One of my FAVORITE MEALS!

Okay...So there is this instructor Margie at 24 hour fitness who kicks my butt, however she makes it fun...my mom does it with me so that makes it double fun!!!  Take a water class... and if you can take a friend with you...you will LOVE IT!

  Anyways..tonight is Cornish Game Hens, and Lemon Pepper Green Beans.... The garlic bread is Mama Bella (pre-made) from the freezer at Stater Bros... trust me, delicious!

  Starting with the Game hens, which my son calls baby chickens....

Ingredients

Game Hen (my hubby and I usually share one, but tonight everyone gets their own...)
Kosher Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup butter (melted)

Directions
Remove the hen from the packaging, Rub with Kosher salt and Pepper (this makes a crispy delicious skin) I mix the salt and pepper before I rub the baby chicken.... there is a picture below for reference

Put the chicken breast up in a roasting pan (clean up tip-line the pan with aluminum foil!!)

Heat the oven to 350 and cook for 1 hour or until the juices run clear..sometimes 1 hour 15 minutes.... While the baby chicken is cooking baste with butter every 15 minutes or so... delicious!

Second..the Green Beans
Ingredients
Fresh Green Beans
Lemon Pepper
2 Cloves garlic
Lime juice
Olive Oil




Directions
Cut the tips off the green beans and wash

Cut 2 cloves of garlic

heat 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

Sautee the garlic, then add the green beans, sprinkle with Lemon Pepper

For a little extra tang, sprinkle with lime juice!! YUM!!

Cook them to the desired crisp... I like mine a little crispier but my hubby likes them soft so ours are right in the middle

So that is it... Easy Peasy Fresh and Easy right?? NOW, get to work, enjoy your dinner!!

Swimming and Chicken Parm for all the Moms!

It was soo hot day before yesterday, still in need of a good workout my mom and I hopped into the pool and swam laps for an hour!   The great part is even if you aren't a strong swimmer there are kick boards available to help! It was relaxing but still worked my musculos!! That night I didn't even want to walk I was soo wore out! Since it was also 85 degrees that day the water felt incredible!!!

   So, even though today was mothers day, I still made dinner..haha the hubby has a ton of work to do so I guess that's just the way it is.  It all works out because I love to cook, and I love to watch Brandon clean the kitchen!!  
   What did I make? My favorite dish of course... Chicken Parmigiana!!! YUMMMMM

Ingredients...there are quite a few..


I went with the Italian bread crumbs after I took this picture

 1 small onion chopped (if you have a slap chop..use it..cutting onions is no fun!!)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of butter or margarine
1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes, DO NOT DRAIN
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1/8 teaspoon of salt
Dash of black pepper
1/4 snipped fresh basil
4 skinless chicken breast
1/3 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs(Progresso makes an excellent Italian seasoned bread crumb)
4 tablespoons shredded parm cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 egg beaten
2 tablespoons of milk
3 tablespoons of olive oil or cooking oil... for those of you health conscious people...olive oil is the best choice
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese (about 1 ounce)

Directions:
1. For sauce: in a medium saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot butter over medium heat until tender.  Carefully stir in the undrained tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or to desired consistency, stirring occasionally.  Stir in basil, set aside but keep warm.   (I double my sauce because I serve the chicken over angel hair pasta so I like it a little saucier!)

simmer for 10 minutes or until desired consistency...remember I double my sauce so your pan may not look as full...

2.  Meanwhile, place each chicken breast half between two pieces of plastic wrap.  Using flat side of a meat mallet, pound chicken lightly to about 1/4 inch thick and then remove the plastic wrap.  (Or you can buy foster farms chicken breast fillets.  They are already thin and perfect for this recipe.  In the pictures on this blog however, I had to pound my chicken down)

3. In a shallow dish, stir together bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese and the oregano.  In a second dish, stir together the egg and milk.  Dip the chicken in the egg mixture then in the crumb mixture to coat.


4. In a large skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden.  Transfer chicken to a serving platter

5. Spoon sauce over chicken.  Top with mozzarella and remaining 1 tablespoon of parm.  Let stand about 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

That's it...now here are a few things I do different and you may want to try.   As I mentioned I put my chicken over a bed of angel hair pasta..soo good...  Once I put the sauce and cheese on the chicken, i stick it in the oven..this melts the cheese and makes everything gooey and delicious..trust me..this is one tip you will want to try.  

I also serve with Garlic Bread... mostly because I love garlic bread...   And finally, tonight I had Clos Du Bois Chardonnay to drink... trust me...if you like wine... you want to try this one... actually anything from Clo Du Bois is amazing!

So, to all the mommies out there..HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!   And to everyone who has tried this or any of the recipes I have shared... bon appetite!    (if anyone has tried any recipes, I would love to know what you though.....)



I learned, don't plate on a red plate if you are using a red sauce...it takes something away from the photo :)



What do you do when your husband brings home 20 pounds of apples??

 Okay, so I am not sure it was 20 pounds, HOWEVER! It was a large box of apples that a race director gave him after a race. (For those of you who don't know, after you run a race, you get fruit to replenish your body)  Soo... I have all these apples, what the heck am I supposed to do with them??  Learn to make Apple Pies!!!
    I have said it before and I will say it again, never knock a pre-made item... in this case pie crust.   I have never made an apple pie before today so I figured to play on the safe side and don't attempt a pie crust during my first rodeo.  I chose Pillsbury pie crusts...something about that little dough boy makes me trust Pillsbury! Let me tell you, in this case, it was a good choice.
    SO here we go! APPLE PIE!!

INGREDIENTS

1 box of Pillsbury pie crust (there are two in a box)                   
6 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon of lemon juice (optional, but I recommend it)
3/4 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg ( I love nutmeg)
1/3 cup dried cranberries (optional, I did not use cranberries)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the pie crust into a 9 inch pie plate...

2. Sprinkle the sliced apples with the lemon juice.  In a separate, large bowl stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Add the apple slices and cranberries ( if you are using them) and toss until the apples are coated in the mixture. (I didn't have a lid for my lg bowl, so I used plastic wrap...worked great)

3. Transfer apple mixture to the pastry lined pie plate.  Trim bottom pastry to edge of pie plate.  Cut slits in the remaining pie crust and place over the pie plate to create a seal that will seal in the apples and the sugary goodness :)  I actually rolled the pie crust over the pie and then cut the slits...but to each his own.

4. If desired, brush top pastry with milk and sprinkle with sugar. ( I RECOMMEND THIS!! OH YUMMY) To prevent over browning, cover the crust of the pie with foil.  

5. Bake for 40 minutes and remove foil and continue to cook for 20 minutes until fruit is tender and filling is bubbly.  Cool on a wire rack.  ( I don't have one, My pies cooled on a kitchen towel on the counter... and serve warm. (warm takes cooling for 2 hours... I sucked it up and ate it about 30 mins out of the oven..hahah...)


Here is my first finished Apple Pie..which by the way made a delicious breakfast haha....