Lime Chicken Fajitas

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I'm not usually one to think of Fajitas as an option for dinner--they just never really pop into my mind.  I think I've had them maybe a total of three times in my life.  But I've been trying to think outside the box lately and I realized I just so happen to have the ingredients for these fajitas on hand. THEY WERE DELICIOUS!  John and I were both so surprised at how much we like them.  They were so easy, too, and super healthy!  I think these puppies are a new addition to our rotation.

{What you need}

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips

1/2 cup lime juice

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 large onion, cut into rings

1 large green pepper, sliced into strips

1 large red pepper, sliced into strips

2 Tablespoons butter

flour tortillas

{other}

guacamole

salsa

cheese

sour cream

Combine the chicken, pepper, garlic salt, and lime juice in a tupperware and secure the lid tightly.  Shake the container so that the chicken gets evenly coated in the seasons.  Let sit as long as you can, up to several hours in the fridge if you have time.  In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the vegetables.  Saute for about 4 minutes, or until the onions start to caramelize.  Remove the vegetables and add the chicken.  Cook until no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes, then add the vegetables again and heat through.  Serve over warm tortillas with your choice of condiments.

(Inspired by the recipe 'Family Fajitas' from "Favorites")

Best Mac and Cheese

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Warning: I think I gained 3 pounds just reading this recipe for the first time.... But you better believe it holds true to its name.  Holy kaw.  Pinterest is making me fat.  Crap.

{What you need}

8 oz. cooked pasta

2 Tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

6 cups sharp cheddar cheese

2 cups bread crumbs

1/2 butter, melted

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a large sauce pan.  Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.  Add the onion powder and stir.  Whisk in the flour and milk and stir until it thickens a little.  Add 3 cups of cheese and stir until cheese is melted.  Add the cooked pasta and mix until it is all thoroughly coated.  Add the rest of the cheese.  Pour into a large baking dish and set aside for a moment.

Combine the bread crumbs, melted butter, and salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle evenly over the noodles in the baking dish.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.  Serves up great with sliced fresh tomatoes, or as a side to steak.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

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This was delicious, even thought it has the word "casserole" in the title!  And super easy.  However, if you don't like chicken, "contaminated" rice, and casserole {Dad...} it may not be for you.  We're not typically casserole people but this really hit the spot.  And it was easy to throw together with stuff I already had on hand.  It was inspired by this recipe I found on Pinterest.

{What you need}

2 cups cooked rice

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

1 cup cooked bacon, chopped

1 cup shredded Swiss or Havarti cheese

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

10 saltine crackers, crushed

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon parsley

1/4 cup bread crumbs

Grease a 9x13 casserole dish and layer ingredients in the following order: Rice, chicken, bacon, cheese.  Mix the soups, milk, sour cream and mushrooms together and pour over the cheese.  Mix the seasonings, crackers, and bread crumbs together and sprinkle on top of the casserole.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, or until heated through.

Biscuits and Gravy

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We're not really the 'biscuits and gravy type,' but we thought we'd be adventurous and just go for it.  We were both surprised at how delicious these turned out!  We should have known, though, because we are both suckers for Brinner {breakfast for dinner...}.  We served it up with hash brown potatoes.  It would be great with scrambled eggs, too.

{What you need}

Biscuits:

2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons melted butter

{or just go for the Pillsbury on a busy night...}

Gravy:

1 pound sausage {or turkey sausage}

2 Tablespoons butter

6 Tablespoons flour

3.5 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Combine milk and butter and incorporate into dry ingredients just until blended.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a medium saucepan over medium heat, until there is no pink left.  Add the butter and stir until melted.  Sprinkle the flour over the sausage mixture and gradually add the milk, salt, and pepper.  Stir over medium heat until it thickens to desired consistency.  Serve over warm biscuits.

(compliments of Darlene Brenden)

White Sauce Pizza

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This was just a last-minute, throw-it-together type of pizza that happened to rock our world during dinner time last night!  We had everything on-hand and with a quick google of "white pizza sauce" we had an amazing (and amazingly beautiful!) pizza on our hands.  And in our tums.  The white sauce made all the difference for me, but John still wanted regular pizza sauce on his half.

{What you need}

2 boxes Jiffy Pizza Crust mix 

(has anyone else discovered this gem yet????? I'm in LOVE.)

1 cup hot tap water

{white sauce}

2 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tablespoons dried basil

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I get a big bag at Costco and use it all the time)

{from here}

{toppings}

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken breast, seasoned with salt and steak seasoning

1 cup pre-cooked bacon, diced

1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed enough to sprinkle on pizza

1/3 cup canned mushrooms

1 clove canned artichoke hearts

1-2 cups parmesan cheese

for the sauce:  Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat.  Add flour and stir until thoroughly mixed.  Gradually whisk in milk and blend, then add the rest of the sauce ingredients.  Will thicken upon standing.

Prepare the pizza crust according directions on the box.  Spread white sauce as liberally as you like over the crust.  Put desired toppings all over the sauced crust, just as you like it.  Sprinkle the cheese on top of all the toppings and bake according to crust box directions.

Oatmeal Cake

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I've posted this recipe before, but I made it again this past weekend and remembered how absolutely incredible it is.  So I decided to re-post it for you all so you don't miss out on it.  This might be my all-time favorite recipe ever. I got it from a dear mission friend, Johna Jarnagin. She got me through some hard times on the mission by feeding my face with delicious food. This was my favorite of all the delicious food that she fed my face with.

{What you need}

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup margarine

1 1/3 cups boiling water

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

Mix oatmeal, margarine, and boiling water. Mix sugars and eggs into mixture. Sift flour and spices. Put in a 9x13" pan. Bake for 30 min at 350.

{topping}

1 cup brown sugar

1 cube margarine

1/2 cup canned milk

--boil these ingredients together--

add:

1 cup chopped nuts {I left these out}

1 cup coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla

--pour hot mixture over baked cake--

Be warned that although this has oatmeal in it, it is not the most figure-friendly cake on the block. But it is sooo moist and rich. It really will change your life. Eat with a huge glass of cold milk.

Taco Soup

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Such an easy recipe.  We had pretty much everything on hand already, and it all came together quite nicely for an impromptu dinner party.  It was a major hit, everyone went back for at least seconds!

{What you need}

2 pounds ground beef, browned with the fat drained

3 cans stewed tomatoes

2 cans kidney beans

2 cans garbanzo beans

1 can pinto beans

2 cans corn, drained

1 can green chilies

1 packet taco seasoning

1 packet ranch dressing mix

1 Tablespoon onion powder

1 cup water

{toppings}

sour cream

shredded cheese

tortilla chips

guacamole

Combine all ingredients {including the juices of the canned beans--don't drain them} and heat on medium-high until heated through.  Add more water if you want it "soupier."  We served it with this cornbread, this honey butter, this fruit dip, and an assortment of fruits for dipping.  It was such a great meal!