Cracked Out Chicken Noodle Soup

This is my third post in my "blog comeback". I type this as Dan has bath duty with Miss P.

Wait, scratch that. I waited too long to start typing this. Bathtime is over and the daunting task of brushing her hair is about to begin. I have a feeling this post is about to be on hiatus.

I never make soup, with the exception of my shrimp and corn chowder. Dan will only eat that and thick clam chowder. And since Dan eats next to no vegetables, most soup recipes are skipped over. With this one I figured I had a shot. He'll eat celery if it's small enough and cooked soft enough. Everything else in the soup he likes, and this was meant to be a thick, cheesy soup. This is the soup version of Cracked Out Chicken Noodle Casserole. We love the casserole, so as long as the broth was thick enough there might be hope.

He loved it. Well, WE loved it! The only thing I would change is that I had wide egg noodles already, so I would definitely stick with the thinner ones. The wide ones absorb so much broth, making the soup thicker than intended. The first bowl (yes, we had more than one) was great, but as the soup sits a little longer, the broth continues to thicken, so when the noodles absorb too much our last serving was pretty thick. Not that we minded, it was kind of like noodles with a cheesy sauce at that point!

But yeah, use smaller noodles. Other than the prep of chopping some chicken and veggies, I love how quick this was. Only two steps for the cooking, so I can throw everything in and walk away for 20 minutes until I have to put the noodles in. In under 10 minutes after that, it's done. And it is PACKED with flavor.

Dan ate so much of it that I don't have any to take to lunch tomorrow. Now I have to plan a lunch....

Cracked Out Chicken Noodle Soup
From Plain Chicken

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
2 carrots, sliced thin
2 celery stalks, sliced thin or diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken broth
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 cup milk
1 packet ranch dressing and dip mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. thin egg noodles

1. In a large stockpot, add chicken, veggies, garlic, broth, cheese soup, milk, and ranch mix. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then bring to a simmer for 20-25 minutes until vegetables soften.
2. Add the noodles and cheddar cheese and cook 5-7 minutes until noodles are cooked.
3. Serve!

Brown Sugar Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

I made these a few nights ago because they're pretty quick. The original recipe is to be made in the crockpot, but my morning was a little hectic so I decided I'd bake them at night instead. While the recipe is pretty quick to throw together, I still had to stop prepping a few times to get juice, change a diaper, and stop a dog from taking a diaper out the trash! So, realistically I'd say this takes 20 minutes max to get ready, but it took me around 30 or so.

Chicken thighs. Anyone who has read enough of my posts knows that I'm super, super picky about meat and poultry. It's not that I don't like dark meat, it's juicy, flavorful, but the "weird stuff" is near the dark meat. The fattier parts that are harder to chew through...you know, those parts. I pretty much exclusively cook with chicken breasts, but I figured I'd go for thighs this time since that's what the recipe was and Dan loves dark meat. This recipe is delicious, but I found myself cutting apart far too much of my chicken to fully enjoy it. That's my issue though, not a chicken issue. Anyone else this picky or is it just me?

I personally think the best part of this recipe is the brown sugar. The caramelizing of the sugar, with the saltiness of the bacon, give it amazing flavor. I wish I had added more brown sugar, but then again, maybe I could try and be a little healthier (with me choosing a fattier part of the chicken, thick cut bacon, and sugar to begin with).

You know what's great? When for no reason, your computer closes out of the internet and everything you just typed didn't save. Everything above this paragraph was started 2 days ago (remember, I'm on mom time). I just added a whole bunch more and started writing out the recipe. Put the laptop to the side to grab a Band-Aid for a mysterious cut that just showed up on P's foot, and came back to the window closed out and my task manager open...wonderful.

Anyways, what I had tried to add was that I bought a family-sized pack of chicken thighs because it was more economical to do so. So, I tried to sacrifice my chicken issue for savings, but I ate two of these and Dan had the rest. The pack had 14 thighs. I used 8 for this recipe and baked the other 6 plain so Dan could do what he pleased with them. He and P ate them for other meals. I think I'll stick to chicken breasts moving forward, I found that I wasted far more with the thighs due to my pickiness. Below is my preparation of the recipe.

Brown Sugar Bacon Chicken Thighs
adapted from Dinner Then Dessert

8 chicken thighs
16 slices bacon
3-4 cloves garlic minced
salt & pepper
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Lightly (very lightly, there will be bacon grease!) grease a cookie sheet. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken thighs. Spread a little of the minced garlic on each thigh. Wrap two slices of bacon around each thigh.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar over each thigh.
4. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Every oven is different, mine took just about 40, but I also used thick cut bacon.

And that's it! Add some sides for a quick and delicious meal!

Now to finish my grocery list, head to store, and try and make dinner for tonight. Maybe I'll even get to post it tonight.....

Chicken Cordon Bleu Rolls

Having a 2 year old and a 7 month old has really changed my blogging life. I haven't posted in over a year. It's not that I haven't made any new recipes in over a year, but some coveted time to sit here on my laptop almost doesn't exist. As I type this now, my eyes dart back and forth from the screen to my tiny gentleman, Cal (oh my goodness, I never even updated on the fact that I had the baby!), who is rolling around my living room, squealing and putting anything he can find into his mouth. This is also while hearing the words "Mumma, juice" on repeat as I tell Peyton "No". Seriously, part of my life is tracking juice intake to ward off diaper rashes and awful diaper messes. That part of my life is taking over my blogging part. All the other parts are taking over my energy and free time (the seriously small amount I have). My "free time" is catching up on Facebook on my phone at the end of the night, trying to keep up with some journaling, or going to bed leaving half a glass of wine that poured myself 3 hours ago on the coffee table.

No joke.

But, let's back track a second here. The last time I blogged I had found out I was pregnant about a month before that. It was quite the pregnancy, not as easy as my pregnancy with P, a few minor complications, but Callan Francis arrived 3 weeks early and is cute as can be. Being pregnant with a toddler at home makes it that more exhausting and also made it go by in the blink of an eye. P is wonderful with him and is an excellent big sister, so we at least don't have to add sibling jealousy to our chaos...yet...

Anyways, like I said before, finding time to cook new and exciting meals isn't really there, so nevermind if I do find the time for that, there's no time for blogging.  This post is a great example. I started this post last night. Then bedtime rolled around for P, which is a nightmare, and by the time that was done I put myself to bed. I have a little extra time tonight because she is at Disney on Ice with her Grammy (thanks mom!). I better just get to the recipe before Cal gets to fussing. I saw this on Pinterest but then never pinned it, so I just kind of recreated what I remember reading. Below is my version.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Rolls

1 can crescent rolls (I highly recommend the seamless ones)
3-4 slices deli ham
3-4 slices deli chicken
1 cup of shredded cheese of your choice
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. honey

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Roll out your crescent rolls onto a lightly greased surface. If you are using regular rolls like I did, pinch all the seams together to make a large rectangle.
3. Mix the mustard and honey together and spread over the dough.
4. Place your slices of ham down and top with half the cheese.
5. Place your slices of chicken down and top with remaining cheese.
6. Roll the dough into a log (the long way!).
7. Cut into 8 or 9 pieces and place into a greased pie plate.
8. Bake for 20 minutes until dough is golden brown.

I threw mine together quickly, and slightly overstuffed it, so the seams busted open making it messier, but no less tasty. Use the seamless dough if you can to avoid that!

Three-ingredient Orange Chicken

I have not blogged since JULY.....July.....

August is the start of cheer season, so once that picked up and then school started back up, life was a whirlwind for Hubby and I. There were a lot repeat meals you all have seen before, or quick chicken and pork chop meals as well, as we lived on such different schedules. As cheer season came to an end in November, we also found out some exciting news...

Drumroll....

Baby Richter #2 is on their way! Hubby and I are super excited to announce the arrival our next little one in July! Currently 13 weeks pregnant, my first trimester saw lots of morning sickness and back to back viruses for Peyton and I, so energy and overall morale was low in our house. Dinner fell mostly on Dan, while I nibbled here and there with not so much of an appetite. Now that I have finally hit my second trimester, I am on an upswing and feeling better, and getting a little energy back. 

Also, thrown into the mix was the opening of a breakfast restaurant my parents purchased. I have been helping out on weekends serving breakfast there since early December. So, between that and the holidays, I have been one busy (tired) mama.

Back to what you're all here for though, and that is the food! Easy recipes is the name of the game lately when I'm home from work, exhausted, and wrangling in a toddler. This recipe fits that perfectly. Other than the few extra minutes it takes to coat all the chicken pieces, this recipe is a breeze to throw together. This sauce also comes out nice and thick, the way you want an orange chicken sauce to. I'm always let down when an orange or sweet and sour sauce doesn't come out with the consistency you're looking for.

Three-ingredient Orange Chicken

from Crafty Morning

3 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup flour

oil for frying

For the sauce:

1 cup barbecue sauce

1 cup orange marmalade

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1. In a saucepan, combine the barbecue sauce, marmalade, and soy sauce. Heat over low heat to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. While the sauce cooks, place beaten eggs in a shallow dish.

3. In another shallow dish, combine the cornstarch and flour.

4. Dredge chicken pieces through the egg mixture, then the flour mixture.

5. Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium-high heat.

6. Cook chicken 3-5 minutes per side, until cooked through and golden. Transfer to a plate with a paper towel to soak up any oil.

7. In a large bowl, combine chicken and sauce and toss to coat chicken pieces.

8. Serve with veggies, rice, or however you would like!

Cheesy Kielbasa, Broccoli, and Rice Skillet

Another recipe I made a few weeks ago and have yet to post. I was going to post this earlier, but I got sidetracked with cheerleading business, which is soon to take over my life once the season starts in a month. Trying to gather up some volunteer coaches and get them certified is more work than you think...

Anyways, I love easy dishes where you can pretty much throw everything in a pan and give it a few stirs and have dinner ready in about 20 minutes. This was easy, flavorful, and inexpensive. That checks off all the boxes for a busy and budget-conscious family!

Cheesy Kielbasa Broccoli, and Rice Skillet
From Mom on Time Out

1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 Kielbasa (I used a pork and turkey one), sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add Kielbasa and brown for 3-4 minutes per side.
2. Remove with a slotted spoon and add onion and pepper and saute until translucent. Add rice to the pan and stir for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes.
4. Without disturbing the rice, add the broccoli on top of the rice, recover and cook another 5-7 minutes.
5. Stir in Kielbasa and 1 cup of cheese to combine.
6. Top with remaining cheese, recover, and let cook 2 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Tacos

I can't believe I haven't posted in over a month. June was a pretty busy month here in our home. To begin, Baby P was sick for about 2 weeks, so Hubby and I spent most of our time comforting her and eating small meals whenever we could, like soup sandwiches, and mac and cheese. No impressive recipes there. Then, school was ending on June 17th, so I had a lot going on at work as I prepared for the summer, which I have off to spend time with P. Now, with summer underway, and Baby P back to normal (minus fighting sleep something fierce....) I'm hoping to get back into trying some new recipes.

This recipe is from about 2 weeks ago and it was great! Leftovers don't end up so great with this recipe, as the taco shells get soggy and reheating them makes them even soggier. I recommend this for when you know they will all be eaten right after you make them. I adapted it slightly by using a rotisserie chicken for convenience and using the Sweet n' Smoky rub we love to use to season the chicken rather than just using paprika and pepper.  My preparation is listed below. If you want to use chicken breasts, just click the link for the original recipe and follow that. I topped mine with lettuce and blue cheese dressing to help cut some of the heat since I'm a wuss when it comes to hot foods.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Adapted from Gal on a Mission

2-2.5 cups cooked shredded chicken
2.5 tsp. Sweet n' Smoky rub seasoning (or seasonings of your choice)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce
8-10 taco shells
Shredded cheese of your choice

Taco toppings of your choice (I used blue cheese dressing and shredded lettuce)

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, combine the cream cheese, butter and hot sauce and stir. Heat until cream cheese is melted and everything is smooth.
3. Mix the seasoning with the chicken to coat the pieces, then add the seasoned chicken to the pan of hot sauce. Stir to combine.
4. Arrange taco shells upright in a 9x13 baking dish and evenly distribute chicken amongst the shells. Top with shredded cheese.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted.

Banana Bread Truffles

I stumbled across a Pinterest post about different types of banana bread the other day. This was perfect because I had 4 browning bananas sitting on my counter. I love flavored banana breads. I know, banana is a flavor, but it's not fancy enough for me. When I use up old bananas I make things like:

Cream Cheese Stuffed Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Banana Butterscotch Cream Pie Cupcakes

Banana Butterscotch Cream Pie

Kahlua Caramelized Banana S'More Bread

Red Velvet Banana Bread

Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Blondie Cake

I like banana stuff...

Plain old banana bread is great, but it's better when you add more to it. So, in this list of type of banana bread were cookies, bars, banana bread in a jar etc. When I saw the truffles I knew it was something easy enough to make so I took a stab at it.

They are easy to make, but I've ever really made truffles before. My chocolate was really thick which made it hard to roll the banana bread in, and made for a thick chocolate shell. I'll have to work on that. Other than that issue, they're pretty good. I don't think I'll be going into the truffle/candy business anytime soon however.

You can take any banana bread recipe you have and whip it up. I'll include my super simple one I used yesterday from Martha Stewart.

Banana Bread Truffles
 From Inquiring Chef

Banana bread:
3 ripe bananas mashed
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup melted butter
1.5 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 bags milk chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, mix together the banana, sugar, egg and butter. In a different bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Add the flour to the banana mixture and stir until just combined. Place into a greased 9x5 dish and bake for 55 minutes at 325 degrees. Let cool completely.

2. When the bread is cooled, slice off the edges that touched the pan that are crustier. We're talking like just a little sliver off the edges. Then crumble up the banana bread into a bowl so it's all small crumbs.

3. Add the cream cheese and mix until fully combined and creamy. Roll the mixture into small balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour to overnight. I let mine chill for 5 hours.

4. Melt one bag of chocolate chips in the microwave at 30 second increments until melted and stir until completely smooth.

5. Dip the banana balls into the chocolate to coat and use two forks to help let the extra chocolate drip off and place on cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Chill in the refrigerator until set and enjoy!

My truffles aren't pretty whatsoever. I need some practice on how to make good truffles. But, they do have that homemade with love look, and that's perfectly fine with me. Plus, they taste amazing which is all that matters. I know this, because I've eaten about 6 of them......