Tarragon and Chive Chicken Salad

Sometimes when you are a stay at home Mom it's easy to eat the leftover PB&J your kids didn't finish. I make an effort at least a couple times a week to make myself something really delicious. This is a staple lunch of mine.  It is so good.  Really creamy, with such great earthy herb flavors.  I have made this much healthier then the average chicken salad.  It's great on a slice of multi- grain bread or on a bed of lettuce.  It makes a perfect brown bag lunch too!


Ingredients:


3 cups cooked chicken
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 tablespoons chopped and toasted pecans
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt ( I use Greek, it's a bit tangier)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh tarragon, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon chopped chives
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:


Combine all ingredients and toss to coat in a large bowl.  Refrigerate at least an hour. It's even better the next day!


Enjoy!

Simply Perfect Roast Chicken and Vegetables

This is really perfectly juicy, perfectly simple roast chicken.   I love this recipe. *Love it*  It creates a a crisp golden brown crust, moist tender chicken inside, laying on a bed of perfectly seasoned vegetables, floating in a delicious saucy gravy.  Everything is made in one large skillet, so less mess to clean up! Always a plus.  You must try this. (I say that in my sweetest southern voice =)  It will become one of your favorites too.  Serve it with some bread to sop up the delicious sauce in the skillet.

Ingredients:

1 large white or yellow onion, quartered
1 large carrot, peeled, and cut into chunks
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
3 tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
3/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
One 31/2 to 4 pound whole chicken, giblets removed, rinsed and dried inside and out
1 large lemon, halved
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white cooking wine

Directions:

Heat oven to 425. Place rack in the middle of oven.

Combine the onions, carrots, and potatoes in a large cast iron skillet or other large oven safe skillet or casserole dish.  Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables and toss to coat.  Sprinkle with1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.  Place the chicken breast side down on top of the vegetables. Squeeze 1/2 of the lemon over the back of the chicken.  Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Roast for 20 minutes the remove from oven.

Using tongs, remove chicken and set aside.  Pour in chicken broth and wine and stir gently.  Place chicken breast side up back on top of the vegetables.  Squeeze the remaining lemon half over the chicken.  Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Place back in the oven and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes or nice and golden brown and cooked through.

Transfer chicken to a serving platter and tent loosely with foil for 10 minutes. Serve with vegetables and lemon pan sauce.

Enjoy!

White Cheddar and Chicken Penne Pasta

This pasta is so creamy and delicious!  It's one of my go to meals.  The whole family loves it and I can have it on the table in no time.  You can use any short pasta you like and the cheese can be swapped out for your family's favorite too.  I have to say though, the White Cheddar is wonderful in this.  Can't wait for you all to try this!


Ingredients:

4 cups cooked chicken, chopped, (I used a store bought Rotisserie chicken)
1 (16 ounce) box penne pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all- purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
12 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups half and half
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Parmesan cheese to taste

 Directions: Heat water to boil in a large pot for pasta, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente and drain according to directions.
 Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Add chicken broth, garlic, onions, and mustard. Cook about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Reduce heat to low and slowly add half and half, stirring to combine. Cook about 5-7 minutes more until mixture begins to thicken. Add cheese and stir to melt. Add chicken and pasta and toss to incorporate sauce. Add thyme and serve topped with crushed red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

This recipe is linked up at http://tidymom.net/

Grilled Double Cherry Chicken Roll Ups

The state of Michigan is known for cherries.  I know this because my husband is from Michigan and we lived up there for 2 years.  Actually 2 years, 6 months, 5 days, 6 hours, and 18 minutes.  I'm totally kidding.  I did love the summers there, however, the winters were not my favorite.  Most of all I loved the wonderful friends I made up there.  Whenever I make something with cherries in it, I think of them.  This grilled chicken is wonderful.  My husband even said he wasn't sure how much he would like it and ended up loving it.  The Cherry-Orange sauce is so good (recipe below).  A really nice change from the norm.  It would be great as a topper on vanilla ice cream for dessert too.  It has been so hot I have been taking advantage of the grill.  It keep the house a little cooler at least!

Ingredients:

1/2 ( 8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup dried cherries

3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

 Directions:

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, dried cherries, and green onions; set aside.

Place each chicken breast pieces in a large Ziploc bag or between two pieces of plastic wrap.  Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound each chicken breast lightly into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.  spread filling evenly over breast halves to within 1/2 inch of the edges.  Fold in the sides and roll up.  Secure with wooden toothpicks.

For the rub, in a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, and pepper.  Sprinkle mixture over chicken roll-ups.

Preheat grill to medium heat.  Grill over indirect heat for 20- 25 minutes.  Serve with sauce.

Cherry-Orange Sauce

Zest an orange till you have 1 teaspoon orange zest; set aside.  Peel and section an orange over a bowl to catch the juices.  In a small saucepan, combine orange juice and 1/2 cup cherry preserves.  Cook and stir over medium heat until preserves are melted.  Remove from heat.  Coarsely chop orange sections.  Stir orange sections and the 1 teaspoon orange zest into the preserves mixture. Serve with chicken.

Enjoy!

Baked Buffalo Wings with Two Sauces

Ahhh... the quintessential game day food.  Hot wings.  This recipe was requested by a good friend of mine.  He doesn't have a deep fryer so he wanted a baked version.  I love a good food challenge!  Can baked wings be as good as their evil, fried counterparts?  My professional taste tester (my husband) says yes.  That's good enough for me!  We Americans love them.  Even though there is not much meat on those little bones.  That doesn't stop us from sucking those bones dry, does it?  Now days when you go to a wing joint, there are so many flavors to choose from.  Chicken wings are typically fried then coated in the sauce.  I baked mine in the oven and they came out so crispy and delicious.  Then I tossed them in the different sauces.  You'll never know they weren't fried.  That's not to say they are healthy.  Let's just go with it and then run tomorrow.  Actually you run, I hate running.  I'll just eat a couple more sticks of celery. That counteracts it, right?

Ingredients:

5 pounds chicken wings
2 tablespoons neutral oil
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups all- purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil.  Brush oil on baking sheet.

Rinse the wings and pat them dry with a paper towel.  In a large bowl, toss the wings in the flour.  Salt and pepper the wings.  Place the chicken wings on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. With tongs, turn chicken over and bake for another 15- 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Toss in sauce of your choice.

Buffalo Wing Sauce:

1 stick butter, melted
1 cup hot sauce ( I used Frank's Red Hot Sauce)

Heat butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan until combined.

Honey Barbecue Sauce:

1 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons hot sauce
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Simmer together on low while wings bake.

Enjoy!