Family Favorite: Montery Chicken and Skillet Potatoes

Chicken, potatoes

Becca had her last football game today. Cheer is over for the year. I am happy and sad. While we will still probably take a night or two tumbling class in a few weeks, we are not having to go to practice 2-3 times a week and a game every Sat. anymore. Becca LOVES cheering, so I am a bit sad that she doesn’t get to strut her stuff and cheer her heart out each week.

Meal planning has been pretty M.I.A. Our life is unpredictable. Full time working parents (sort of), 3 kids (one is VERY ill), and many other life challenges thrown our way…
But family dinner is still important; the girls, hubby, and I still love a nice home cooked meal.

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Copy Cat Monterey Chicken

Spicy Chicken and Veggie Risotto

grains, Leftovers/ Freezer Meals, Side dishes...veggies, potatoes, grains

It seems lately I have been on a spicy kick. I have been adding hot sauce, red chili flakes, and jalapenos on just about everything. Maybe it is the cool weather rolling in that makes me want to spice it up? In any case, I felt like adding a punch to my dinner last night. Everyone was doing their own thing and going in different directions, so it was either have straight up leftovers or create something out of the leftovers from the fridge. I decided to create something new from something old.

Spicy Chicken and Veggie Risotto

Ingredients

1/2 rotisserie chicken, finely chopped or shredded
3 tablespoons butter or oil
half a can of tomato paste
3/4 opened stock in a box
half an onion, chopped
handful of mushrooms, quartered
can of green chilies
about 1/2 cup rice
1 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup parm cheese

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium sized pot over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté until beginning to soften and brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Add 1 more tablespoon of butter. Add rice and stir 1 minute. Add in tomato paste and green chilies. Mix together well. Add 1 cup broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining broth by 1/2 cupfuls, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Continue to cook until rice is just tender but still very creamy, stirring gently and often, about 10 minutes longer (about 25 minutes total cooking time). Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and chicken. Stir to warm the chicken through, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl and serve with additional Parmesan cheese. You could make this vegetarian by leaving out the chicken and using veggie stock or water.

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Crockpot Pork Ragu

Crockpot /Make Ahead Meals, Leftovers/ Freezer Meals, Pasta, Pork

I have made pork ragu a few times on the blog. I have made it with different forms of pork and varied the recipe each time to what I had in the cupboard with what I thought I should buy and add in it. It is a really special meal. It is not hard, but it still takes time and love to create. I recently found a nice pork butt in the freezer and wanted to use it in a new and creative way. I had wanted to cook it yesterday, but we went to the zoo and didn’t get home until late in the afternoon. No time to cook it for dinner, so I thought maybe I could make it in the crock pot instead. I wasn’t sure I could pull it off, but it was a big hit at the house. Tons of leftovers, so that is a plus. Seriously, you have to try this!

Crock Pot Pork Ragu

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
large handful of mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1-2 cups beef broth
red wine-optional

Pork Butt seasoned with…
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, italian seasoning, fennel seed,

Directions

The night before, I brown the pork on all sides (seasoned with the herbs and other seasonings) in a dutch oven. I had to cut my pork in half so it would fit. I actually cooked all the veggies and sauce for just a bit so they could cook down a little to fit in the crock pot. Then I put the meat in the crock pot and covered it with the sauce. I refrigerated it over night. Then I cooked it on low all day. When I got home, my house smelled amazing! Serve over pasta, rice, polenta, mashed potatoes… Always serve with crusty bread for dipping and sopping up all the meaty sauce!

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Steak Tacos

Beef, Mexican

Hey guys! Hope you all had a great weekend! Here is a super fast meal that was a bit hit with the family.

Steak Tacos

1 flank steak (you could use this rub on any steak)

Steak Rub-
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Rub your steak with the mixture. Grill the steak on a screaming hot cast iron grill pan. Cook for 8 minutes on the first side. Flip over and finish cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on your desired doneness. Remove from the grill to a cutting board and let rest, lightly covered, for 5 minutes.

Add your meat to some tortillas and add your favorite toppings!
Plenty of leftovers for another meal or two.

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Spicy Veggie Pasta

Pasta, Side dishes...veggies, Vegetarian

Last night we had a whatever you want/clean out the fridge/breakfast for dinner kind of night. I made this for myself using leftover veggies, less than half a container of thin spaghetti, and the end of the parmesan cheese. I even had plenty of leftovers to bring to work for lunch and share with a couple of work friends.

Spicy Veggie Pasta

1/3 package of thin spaghetti
1 onion thinly sliced
1 container mushrooms, quartered
handful of baby carrots chopped
1 container of spinach.
1 teaspoon, or more, of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
tablespoon or more of parm. cheese
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions

Heat your olive oil and add onions, mushrooms, and carrots. Cook down until tender. Add your spices. Mix well. Add in your wine. Reduce. Add in your spinach and a little more olive oil. Cook the spinach down and mix with the rest of the veggies.

Meanwhile, cook pasta. Add your pasta to the veggies when the pasta still has a bit of a bite to it. Add in about a cup of pasta water- a little bit at a time to your desired consistency. Add in your cheese and mix well! Enjoy!

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