Asian Meatballs

I found this recipe on Pinterest a few weeks ago and it peaked my interest, so I thought I would give it a shot! I love meatballs, however normally I serve them smothered in spaghetti sauce with noodles. This is like a 'summer' version of a meatball. And it is DELICIOUS! I served ours with a side of asparagus and fried rice and it was a wonderful summer meal!

Asian Meatballs

2 lbs ground chicken (or turkey)

1 tbsp minced ginger

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 cloves garlic

3 green onions, chopped finely

Preheat oven to 375'

Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.

Scoop into medium sized balls, then place onto a tinfoil lined cookie sheet.

Bake for approx. 25 minutes, or until cooked through.

ENJOY!

Bacon Wrapped Pork with Mango Salsa

Now the title of this recipe MIGHT sound a little complicated...but the actual recipe is FAR from!! And it is delicious!! I mean, you just can't go wrong with bacon wrapped ANYTHING as far as I'm concerned. This is a perfect weekday meal as it can be ready in about 30 minutes. PERFECT!

Bacon wrapped Pork with Mango Salsa 

What you need:

4 pork chops (boneless)

4 slices bacon

1/3 cup zesty Italian dressing

2 mango's, chopped

1/2 cup red pepper, finely chopped

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh cilantro

2 tbsp lime juice 

Wrap one bacon slice around the edge of each pork chop. 

Use a tooth pick to secure it in place

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat on high.

Add the pork. Cook, partially covered on medium heat, for 25 mins. Turning after 15 minutes.

While the meat is cooking, combine the dressing, mango, red pepper, onion, cilantro and lime juice.

Mix well!

Remove the pork from the pan and discard the toothpicks.

Serve the pork topped with the mango salsa!

ENJOY!! 

Bacon Wrapped Pork with Mango Salsa!

Mediterranean Chicken

This meal was DELICIOUS!! I remember being forced strongly encouraged to eat cooked spinach when I was a child and I thought it was the most awful thing EVER! I'm not exactly sure when I out grew that sentiment, however I am glad I did! Especially because the cooked spinach that goes with this chicken dish is AMAZING! This meal was quick, easy, and pretty healthy as well!  A perfect score in my books!

Mediterranean Chicken

What you need:

3-4 chicken breast (boneless/skinless)

1 bag fresh baby spinach

1 small basket 'grape' tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese 

In a large bowl combine;chicken, tomatoes, spinach, and oil.

Toss to coat everything with the oil.

In a separate smaller bowl combine; garlic,Italian seasoning, oregano and salt.

Sprinkle this mixture over the chicken/spinach mixture, coating well.

Arrange the chicken and spinach mixture in a single layer on a foil lined baking dish.

Bake at 450' for 22 minutes.

Remove from oven, and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Serve and ENJOY!

Soooo...

I was right in the middle of preparing this meal a few weeks ago and the bowl was sitting on the counter ready to be put in the pan and into the oven. Damian had just gotten home from work and looked at the bowl of food, and then very concerned and confused asked me 'Why did you put RAW chicken in the salad?!' Ha ha! I had to explain to him that, no, I was not trying to poison him and that I would in fact, be cooking all of that together! Nothing like a raw chicken salad?! ha ha! Ick!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I am a total creature of habit. If I find something I like to eat at a particular restaurant, I will without fail, order it every.single.time! I am NOT an adventurous eater AT ALL. Despite my husbands encouraging!! And almost every meal I make/eat has the main ingredient of chicken. Which became a slight problem for my first 3 months of pregnancy with Sophia, as I could not even look at chicken, let alone EAT IT! Thank goodness that that was just a preggo phase that disappeared after my first trimester! One of my favourite 'go to' restaurants is Joey's, and they make the BEST lettuce wraps! Whether I am out for lunch, dinner, or just a snack, I am ordering the lettuce wraps. Since having Sophia we haven't been eating out as often, thus I was majorly missing my beloved lettuce wraps!! After looking at a bunch of recipes and a little bit of trial and error, I think I created my own tasty version of the lettuce wrap! We have had them twice in the last three weeks! ha! Give them a try! I don't think you will be disappointed! 

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

What you need:

2 tbsp olive oil

3 boneless chicken breasts, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 white onion, diced

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp fresh grated ginger

1/2 cup water chestnuts, diced

2 handfuls chinese noodles

1/4 cup peanuts

salt/pepper to taste

1 head of lettuce (I used romaine)

Heat olive oil in frying pan.

Add chicken, cook until no longer pink.

Add garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine venegar, and ginger.

Cook until onions are translusent.

Add in water chestnuts, peanuts, and salt/pepper.

Remove from heat and add chinese noodles.

Scoop into lettuce and ENJOY!

Mexican Lasagna

This is one of the most requested dinners in our house these days! Damian LOVES this Mexican Lasagna!! And I LOVE it because it is very easy to prepare...which is key these days now that we have a newborn in the house!! 

Mexican Lasagna

What you need:

1 lb ground chicken 

(extra lean ground beef or turkey work as well!)

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups salsa

1 package taco seasoning

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed

3 large flour tortillas

2 cups shredded cheese 

Preheat oven to 400'

Brown the ground chicken and onion in a skillet.

Add the salsa, taco seasoning, corn and beans. Mix well.

Let simmer for 5 mins.

Spray the baking dish with Pam.

Place one tortilla on the bottom of the baking dish. 

(you may need to rip it to make it fit depending on the shape of your dish!)

Add a portion of the meat mixture to cover the entire tortilla, followed by a layer of shredded cheese.

Repeat all layers twice, or until ingredients are gone!

Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes.

Serve with shredded lettuce, sour cream, and salsa!

ENJOY!

ENJOY!

Perogy Casserole! YUM!

In my family we LOVE perogies! We are your typical Ukrainian family that would probably eat perogies 5 nights a week if we could!!This next recipe was actually found by my Dad in the 'What's Cooking' magazine and was a BIG hit at there house...so I decided we better try for dinner one night at our house. And let me just tell you...It was DELICIOUS!!! And better yet, it was SUPER easy to make!! It puts a great spin on just your regular plain perogies! ENJOY!

Perogy Casserole

What you need:

2 tsp oil

1 diced onion 

1 tub Philadelphia Herb and Garlic Cooking Creme

1/2 cup skim milk

16-20 frozen potato and cheddar cheese perogies 

2 cups chopped ham

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup marble cheese, grated 

Heat oven to 350'

Heat oil in large frying pan on medium heat.

Add onions and cook until tender. Remove from heat.

Add cooking creme and milk to onions. Mix well.

Layer perogies,ham, and then peas in a large glass baking dish.

Pour the milk/onion mixture over the perogies.

Top with shredded cheese.

Bake for 40 minutes.

ENJOY!

And the final product...YUM!

Are you feeling hangry?!

Today I am sharing an easy peasy, healthy 'weeknight' meal. I consider any meal that can be made and to the table in 30ish minutes a 'weeknight' meal. And this is very important to me because when I get home from school at around 5:00 I need to eat STAT! 

Or I get a little 'hangry' as my husband puts it...ha ha 

I seriously need this pillow!!

Anywho...back to my 'weeknight' recipe...

Teriyaki Chicken Thighs & Greek Quinoa Salad 

What you need:

1/2 cup Asian Sesame Dressing (I used Kraft)

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp minced ginger root

2 tbsp honey

2 cloves garlic, minced

6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs 

Preheat oven to 350'

Whisk together the first 5 ingredients.

Pour over chicken in a plastic bag, turning evenly to coat.

Pour chicken and sauce into a glass baking dish.

Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. 

ENJOY! 

Whisk all the ingredients together!

Throw it into a bag and mix!

Into a glass baking dish, and bake!

What you need:

1 cup quinoa, uncooked

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup cucumber, chopped

1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese, cubed

1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped 

1/2 cup greek salad dressing (fresh or store bought)

Bring water and quinoa to boil over high heat,cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. 

Cool quinoa in the fridge while your chopping your veggies.

Prep all your veggies and the feta cheese into bite sized pieces.
Combine the cooled quinoa, veggies, feta, and greek dressing. Mix thoroughly.
ENJOY! 

Prepare quinoa!

Chop the veggies and feta cheese!

Combine Quinoa, veggies and
 greek dressing!

And there you have it!

 A quick, easy, and healthy dinner in 30 minutes! 

No excuses to get 'hangry' now... ;) 

What's for dinner? - Balsamic Chicken

I love chicken. I love balsamic vinegar. I love quick. I love easy. 

So when I came across this recipe I knew it would be something that I would LOVE. And I was right! This chicken dish was super easy to make and tasted delish! It was a prefect weeknight meal!! 

Balsamic Chicken

What you need:

4 Chicken breast

5 cloves garlic

1 cup fresh basil

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 water

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 small can sliced black olives

1 cup grape tomatoes

1/2 cup red onion 

Preheat over to 375'. 

Brown the chicken breast in a pan, with about 1 tbsp olive oil.

In a blender place the garlic, basil, olive oil, and water. Blend well.

Place the browned chicken in a baking dish and cover with the basil mixture. 

Top with the mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and black olives. 

Bake for 35 minutes.

ENJOY!

** I am thinking next time I make this dish I will try adding some feta cheese on top! YUM!*

Brown chicken in olive oil

Prepare mushrooms, onions, tomatoes
and olives.

Blend the basil, garlic,
balsamic vinegar and water.

Cover browned chicken with basil mixture.

Top the chicken with all of the
veggies and bake!

Served with rice! YUM!!