Skillet Balsamic Chicken & Rotini

Happy Friday!  Here is another quick and easy weeknight meal to add to your rotation.  It's a skillet version of my Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken over Pasta.  There is a lovely hint of sweet and tangy flavor, but it's not overpowering.  I served this with some freshly steamed broccoli.

Pan-Fried Cod with Farro Salad in Champagne Vinaigrette

My husband and I celebrated 11 years of marriage this past Valentine's Day!  We look forward to a romantic getaway every year, but once the celebrating is over, we come to the grim realization that we have to endure the long, bitter winter that just seems to go on and on... and on and on... like a bad run-on sentence.  You know it's brutal out when the school districts are closed because of the low temperatures.  The frigid weather sends me into complete hibernation mode, and all I want to do is bundle up all day with a hot cup of tea.  I'm happy to report that I've already gained my usual 5-pound winter weight, and I justify it by telling myself that the only practical thing to do is embrace the extra layer of insulation.  It takes everything in me to muster up motivation for exercise this time of year.  My daydreams have ever increasingly consisted of playing tennis under the hot son, or running on the trail next to my little sous chef.  

Speaking of running, I enrolled my daughter in Girls on the Run!  It's a program that "inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running."  Once it's completed, she and I will run our first 5K together!  More about that another time.

Because my exercise routine is rather unstable this time of year, eating healthy is a must.  Once a week, I incorporate fish into our meal rotation, and I'm always looking for different ways to present it to my family.  I've been experimenting with farro recently, and I decided to pair the two for dinner.  Farro is a wonderfully chewy and hearty grain that has a delicious nutty flavor.  It holds up well in soups and stews, and is a great substitute for pasta.  Farro is high in fiber, a rich source of vitamins B and E, and can stimulate your immune system and lower cholesterol.

This farro salad is dressed in a delicious champagne vinaigrette and seasoned with thyme, parsley, and rosemary.  A touch of freshly squeezed orange juice is added to brighten up the flavor.  Fresh tomato and artichoke are tossed in along with some minced onion for a little crunch factor.  This is a delicious salad that's hearty, healthy, and full of flavor.  It can can be enjoyed warm or cold.  I can't wait to use farro in my Tuscan Soup next time!    

Busy Weeknight American Goulash with Turkey & Whole Wheat Pasta

I'm still here and still cooking every day!  I've had quite a few things on my plate (pun intended!) this past month, so I've had zero time for blogging.  Correction.  Any time that I did have for blogging, I used to work on things like my daughters 10th birthday party, my dad's surprise 60th birthday party, Thanksgiving stuff, Christmas stuff, etc.  I'm definitely not complaining, though.  I have been blessed with so many people in my life that I love and cherish who also happen to take up a lot of my time!   

With everything that's been going on, I wanted to pause and share with you one of my easy & tasty recipes that I whip up on a crazy weeknight.  Now, I don't always use ground turkey, and I don't always use whole wheat pasta.  Sometimes, I'll use a beef/pork mixture with regular pasta; sometimes, I'll use cooked shredded chicken - it all depends on what I have on hand!  That's the beauty of this recipe.  Just toss in whatever you have!  For the tomato sauce, we used our homemade sauce from the garden tomatoes this year.  

Trottole with Seafood & Smoked Gouda Alfredo

I lied.  In my previous post, I promised to start sharing recipes weekly, but it's been exactly two weeks since I've posted anything.  I had a good reason to lie, though.  We ended our summer with a much-needed beach vacation.  It was a magical time.  Yes, I'm happy to be back home and sleep in my own bed again, but I sure would love to go back for some more of that fresh seafood!  

While visions of sea scallops danced in my head, I splurged a little at the grocery store without a second thought.  I gently cooked shrimp, crab, and scallops in a simmering smoked Gouda Alfredo sauce.  I then poured that delectable, creamy mixture of goodness over cooked organic trottole.  It was so rich and creamy, it had to be a sin!  I served it with steamed broccoli and Tums.  Everything in moderation!  

Skinny Skillet with Turkey Sausage, Summer Vegetables & Gemelli

This savory summer skillet is satisfying, skinny and speedy.  Try saying that 5 times fast!  Turkey sausage is sauteed with fresh summer vegetables and then tossed with a little red wine, fat free milk, Parmesan, and gemelli pasta.  It's a delicious meal that is low in calories, low in fat, and ready in under 30 minutes.  That's pretty perfect for summer!

So, I've been holding fast to cooking with only organic ingredients.  I've also been trying to stick with non-GMO whenever possible.  Thankfully, we have stores like Whole Foods, Landis, and Target nearby that have a great variety of organic ingredients to choose from.  Trader Joe's is next on our list to try, so I'll keep you posted.  It has definitely been a fun and rewarding process.  As if food wasn't already always in the forefront of my mind, it has made me even more conscious about the ingredients that I'm using and the decisions that I'm making.  Yes, I've spent a little extra in grocery money, but I've actually seen some savings in it!  Instead of planning just my meals for the week, I'm also thinking about my husband's lunches.  So, instead of packing my husband the usual two days or so out of the week, I've been packing his lunch 100% of the time.  Ordering out for lunch can be so expensive!  Another savings that I can already see is with not wasting food.  Yes, we would try our hardest to not waste anything, but sometimes we'd find something way in the back of the fridge that would go unnoticed.  If I'm spending the extra cash on organic ingredients, I'll be darned if one crumb of our food goes to waste!

Fun Whole Foods Finds:  The mild turkey sausage used in this recipe is made fresh at Whole Foods.  It's $6.99/lb., but I only use 1/2 pound (two links) of it at a time, so it ended up costing $3.99 for this meal.  It has lovely hints of anise and fennel, and, even though it's labeled "mild", it has a little spicy kick to it that we just love.

Rotelli with Chicken & Asparagus in Tomato Cream Sauce

Busy day?  Mine certainly has been!  We all need at least a few go-to recipes in our repertoire that are quick and easy but satisfying and delicious at the same time.  This is one of those meals.  Here's to a delicious meal at the end of a crazy day that can be ready in under 30 minutes!  

Chicken Parmigiana Pasta Casserole

Along with spring cleaning our diets, we've been working hard at spring cleaning our budget.  We'll be moving to a new house next year, God willing, so cutting corners with spending has definitely been a priority.  We've worked hard to maintain a debt-free life, so one of the most logical ways for us to cut corners in our budget is (please hold for a second while I cover CookingCreation.com's ears) in the food department.  *gulp*  I really, really, really love to splurge at the grocery store, so this takes a lot of commitment and sacrifice on my part.  Challenge on!

On average, we enjoy a rotisserie chicken about once every week or so for dinner.  It's so delicious on its own for a meal, but I love that I always end up having leftover chicken to use in a meal another night that week.  It definitely saves me both time and money.  I wanted to try to stretch out the leftover chicken even more and make two additional meals out of it.  First, I made a yummy Chicken & Vegetable Soup from scratch using the chicken carcass and skin to make a homemade broth (step-by-step recipe to come!).  That was delicious!  I also took 1 cup of the remaining chicken to make a second meal, this Chicken Parmigiana Pasta Casserole.  It's so easy to make and so flavorful!      

Baked Ranch Macaroni & Cheese

We've been hammered with snowstorm after snowstorm this winter and, once again, we found ourselves snowed in.  I decided to make some comforting, warming macaroni and cheese for my family with a fun little twist.  The ranch flavor deliciously shines in this dish, but it isn't overpowering.  Definitely give this one a try!  

Quick Bolognese Sauce

It was Friday evening.  I asked my little sous chef, "If you could have anything in the world to eat, whether I cook it or we go out, what would it be?"  Within a split second, her answer was, "Spaghetti and meat sauce!"  Unfortunately, my favorite recipe takes about 3 hours from start to finish and it was already 4:00 PM, so I asked her for a second option.  As she was contemplating what she wanted, I thought to myself, why don't I just come up with a quick version of the recipe?  I got to work and came up with this gem.  It not only cuts down time (it was ready in under 30 minutes!), but we all agreed that we enjoyed this version even more!  Hooray for small victories!

Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Pot Pie

We all evolve over time.  We try to better ourselves and learn new things.  Sometimes we fail but we pick ourselves up, shake off the dirt, learn from the experience, and move on.  I can see it in my life as a wife, as a mother, as a follower of Jesus, as a friend, as a neighbor.  I can even see it in my cooking.   I look back and smile when I think about my reaction to three little words and how that reaction has drastically changed over the last nine years.  "What's for dinner?"  Nine years ago, it was panic that set in immediately.  I feel sorry for that little girl.  She didn't know the first thing about cooking and all she wanted to do was cook a nice meal for her husband when he came home from work.  The fear of the unknown, however, evolved into a desire to master the skill.  After trial and many errors, the desire to master the skill evolved into a passion for and love of cooking.  

I originally learned how to make Pennsylvania Dutch chicken pot pie from my mother-in-law.  Just as most things do, this recipe has evolved over time.  It is a family favorite - hearty, comforting, delicious and perfect for a chilly fall night!   

Notes:  

If you would like to make your own noodles, I have included instructions at the very end.  

I make this dish sometimes using leftover roasted chicken (and leftover turkey after Thanksgiving).  If you are doing so, skip the first step and start out with 7 cups of chicken broth.  Continue to follow the directions and reduce the potatoes to 4 medium, reduce the corn to 1/2 cup, and reduce the pasta to 6 ounces.  Also, use 1 1/2 to 2 cups of leftover cooked chicken (or turkey) at the end.

Chicken Florentine Casserole

On chilly days like these, this hearty Chicken Florentine Casserole bathed in a delicious white wine cream sauce is a perfect comforting meal to come home to after a long day.  My family absolutely loves this dish and I hope you will, too.  It's one of my go-to meals whenever I have leftover cooked chicken.  Oh, and it's even better the next day!  

Crab Macaroni & Cheese with Ritz Cracker Topping

We finally have our first vacation planned out this year and are anxiously counting down the days until it's go time.  I can't wait to smell the salty ocean air, feel the hot sand between my toes, listen to the waves crashing, and indulge in some freshly caught seafood.  My longing for the ocean was the inspiration for this meal.  The succulent crab comes through beautifully but isn't overpowering and it adds a lovely texture.  You know you want to sink your fork into this decadent dish!  

Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoni & Red Wine Vinaigrette

Whenever I am asked to provide a pasta salad, I typically make my husband's favorite Italian Vegetable & Shrimp Pasta Salad but I wanted to try something new for a Memorial Day picnic.  I stumbled across a recipe from Food.com that sounded good and received excellent reviews.  I made a few changes to it and it really did turn out to be delicious!  This pasta salad only gets better with time, so make it one day in advance if possible.  

Happy Memorial Day!

Skinny Macaroni & Cheese

Cutting down the calories and fat definitely does not compromise the flavor in this Skinny Mac n' Cheese!  Yes, it is possible to enjoy a delicious, cheesy macaroni and cheese with a lot less guilt!  Pureed potato is used as a thickening agent in place of butter and flour, and fat free milk along with reduced fat cheeses are also used.        

Note:  As always, the actual calorie total depends on the quality/brand of ingredients you use, so I included that information as well in the ingredient list.  

Homemade Whole Wheat No Yolk Pasta

Making your own pasta is incredibly easy and rewarding.  I experimented over the weekend with dough and wanted to make it healthier by omitting the egg yolk and also incorporating whole wheat flour.  The results were fantastic!  

Sausage, Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Stuffed Shells

Woohoo!  This recipe made DailyBuzz.com's Top 9!

http://food.dailybuzz.com/extra-onions

The holidays are over, school is back in session, businesses spring back to life, and the dieting begins!  2012 was a year full of love, good health, and joy in my family and I am hopeful for an even better 2013 for my family and for yours as well.

On to the recipe.  Let me tell you, there is just so much goodness packed in these shells!  They will have your family reaching for more... and more.  Caramelized onions really do take quite a bit of time to make.  If you're feeling ambitious, you can make them ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator until you're ready to use them.  If that isn't an option and you're pressed for time, you can just cook the onions until they are tender.  The results won't be as good, but they will be good!    

Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini & Penne Rigate

Need a meal that's just as delicious and satisfying as it is fast and easy to prepare?  Well, this recipe is for you!  It is one of my family's favorites meals and can be made in 15 minutes!  Serve with crusty bread and a glass of wine.  

Pad Thai with Chicken, Shrimp & Tofu

Tied for my number one food weakness in life are sushi and pad Thai.  Whenever I absolutely love a certain dish at a restaurant, I always work to recreate it at home.  Recreating sushi is easy but pad Thai has been another story for me.  I have tried many variations of pad Thai but they have all fallen short of my favorite Asian restaurant's version... until now.  While all of the ingredients have their own important roll in the sauce, I think it is the ratio of the coconut milk, peanut butter and fish sauce that makes this so good!  

Creamy Chicken Alfredo Pasta

This delicious chicken alfredo pasta is rich and creamy and can be ready in under 30 minutes.  It is one of my go-to recipes after a busy day and is a family favorite.  I serve this with a side salad and crusty bread.  I also substitute the chicken with shrimp, scallops or crab, depending on what I have on hand.  

Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken over Pasta

This delicious pasta dish is hearty, healthy and full of flavor.  My family loves the rich, tart and sweet taste of balsamic vinegar - it's definitely a favorite!  If you're unsure about how much balsamic vinegar is right for you, start off by using 2 tbsp.  You can always add more once it's done cooking.  In addition to the amount called for in the recipe, I tend to drizzle about 1/2 tsp more on top of my plate.  Yum!