Crockpot Parmesan Garlic Chicken with Orzo

Another fantastic dish, I would even serve this to company! I ate the leftovers for days afterwards, couldn't help myself from taking a forkful everytime I passed the fridge. Leftovers may be a little dry - add some olive oil as needed. We used broccoli.

Crockpot Parmesan Garlic Chicken with Orzo

Chicken Broccoli Bacon Ranch Foil Packets

So, so delicious. And super easy for a weeknight! Feel free to sub in Real Bacon Bits if you don't have time to make bacon.

Chicken Broccoli Bacon Ranch Foil Packets

Crockpot Orange Chicken

Another slow cooker meal! This may be the last for awhile since warm weather has arrived and I associate slow cookers with warm, comforting winter meals. Although maybe not if I find something I absolutely have to make!

As I was making this in my 4-quart slow cooker, I was thinking, "There is not nearly enough food in here, it is going to burn". And sure enough, the chicken got a little bit tough, so much so that Chuck asked "What kind of meat is this?" To properly cook food in a slow cooker, it should be one-half to two-thirds full or else the food will dry out and burn. So if you are going to make this I would suggest doubling or even tripling this recipe for a 4-quart slow cooker and the meat should turn out just right. I liked the flavor of this but if you don't like a strong orange taste, just decrease the amount of orange juice concentrate.

As you can see, I served this over brown rice and mixed it with some steamed broccoli. I didn't change anything from where I found this on Sweet Tea in Texas so here is the link:

Crockpot Orange Chicken

Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Orzo with Broccoli

Since I love pasta and orzo is my current summer obsession, this dish looked delicious and easy enough to throw together on a weeknight. I love the lemony, garlicky sauce with a hint of butter along with the shrimp and bright green pieces of broccoli. This will definitely be made again in the Cooking This and That household!

Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Orzo with Broccoli
slightly adapted from Dinners for a Year and Beyond
Makes 2-3 servings

1 cup orzo
1 broccoli crown, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste
scant tablespoon butter
about 1 pound of large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2-3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add orzo and cook until al dente, 8-9 minutes. During last 2 minutes of cooking, add broccoli to the pasta water. Drain orzo and broccoli, set aside.

In large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

Add lemon juice, zest, and wine/broth to saute pan. Bring to boil and then reduce heat; simmer for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in butter and stir until melted.

Add shrimp to saute pan, cook until pink and cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Add orzo and broccoli, parsley, and Parmesan cheese to shrimp mixture; toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta

This was a great one-dish meal; and perfect for a night on the couch watching basketball! If you are making it from scratch, it does take a few pots and pans, but if you have leftover chicken or vegetables, it is a snap to make. I halved all of the amounts below and it was just enough for Chuck and I to have a hearty portion plus leftovers. Get ready to enjoy a fantastic cheesy pasta dish!

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta
from Katie of Good Things Catered
Makes 6 hearty servings

1 pound rigatoni
12 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
4 tablespoons butter, cubed
big splash of milk
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 broccoli crowns, cut into pieces
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup bread crumbs (I used panko for more crunch)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray.

Wipe off chicken with a damp cloth, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Heat a little bit of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through. Remove from pan and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add broccoli and cook until bright green, about 2-3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and plunge into a bowl of ice water.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook rigatoni until al dente, about 8-9 minutes. Drain and place back into pot.

Add Velveeta, butter, and milk to rigatoni and cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until almost melted completely. Add 1 cup shredded cheese and stir to melt until completely smooth.

Remove from heat, add garlic powder, paprika, chicken, broccoli, and stir to combine. Transfer mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese and bread crumbs.

Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through. Place under broiler for 3-4 minutes or until top is crispy and golden.

Zesty Broccoli Casserole

I wanted to make a nice Sunday night dinner so I decided to make my first ever roast chicken. I really don't know why I was afraid because once I got past my initial fear of the whole bird, it was easy and delicious. I am still working on some tweaks of the recipe so posting that may take awhile. But when thinking of sides, mashed potatoes came to mind as well as this delicious casserole that Sarah had brought to our Christmas get-together.

I made the recipe the way that Sarah suggested it - she made a few modifications after she found out about it from Jenn and it was really good! I halved the recipe for Chuck and myself so I will give you those amounts below. Chuck thought it was a little too saucy (although I can never have too much cheese) so if you like it with a lot of cheese sauce use two broccoli crowns and if you want a little more veggie with your sauce, use three crowns. I also didn't use the water chestnuts but I think they would be a fantastic addition and give a nice crunch!

Zesty Broccoli Casserole

from A Taste of Home Cooking, modified from Cooking Light

Makes 3-4 servings

2-3 broccoli crowns, cut into bite-size pieces

2 tablespoons butter, divided

3/4 cup milk

1 1/4 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

1/4-1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 medium onion, chopped

1/2 can (8-ounce) sliced water chestnuts, drained

6 tablespoons panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 1 1/2 or 2 quart casserole (depending on how much broccoli you use) with cooking spray.

Melt one tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat then add flour. Cook for 1 minute, then add milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, whisking constantly. Remove from heat.

Add cheddar and cream cheeses; stir until smooth. Stir in mayonnaise, onion, and water chestnuts. Spoon cheese mixture evenly over broccoli.

Melt remaining tablespoon butter. In small bowl, combine panko with butter. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over broccoli mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble and breadcrumbs brown.

Rigatoni with Salmon, Broccoli, and Sundried Tomatoes

Ok, so this is not the most concise name of a recipe - but it certainly lets you know what to expect! We have been trying to eat a little healthier (during the week at least!) around the house lately, so when Chuck requested fish and/or pasta for dinner, I went scouring my recipe files for something that included both.

I couldn't find anything that really stood out to me that didn't involve a heavy, creamy sauce; so I just decided to combine some of our favorite ingredients with an easy white wine sauce. We were pretty happy with the results - although I do recommend adding all of my "optional" garnishes because they really do add more flavor. If you don't like broccoli, you could easily swap it out for another green veggie like asparagus!

Rigatoni with Salmon, Broccoli, and Sundried Tomatoes
from Colleen's Kitchen
Makes 3-4 servings

3/4 pound salmon filet
1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
kosher salt and coarse ground pepper
1/2 pound rigatoni
3 cups broccoli heads, chopped into bite-sized pieces (about 2 broccoli crowns)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
Parmesan cheese to garnish
red pepper flakes, optional

Heat oven to broil, adjust oven rack to about 6 inches from flame. Place a wire baking rack on a baking sheet covered in foil. Spray rack with cooking spray and place salmon filet on rack. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over filet, rub into fish.

Broil until fish flakes easily with a fork and is cooked through. (Allow for 4-6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness. My filet was about 2 inches thick and it took about 16 minutes.) Remove from oven and chop into bite-sized pieces once it's cool enough to handle. Set aside.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Cook rigatoni to al dente, about 9 minutes, remove from saucepan with slotted spoon, reserving water. Set pasta aside.

Bring water back to a boil and add broccoli, cooking until bright green, about 2-3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and plunge into a bowl of ice water.

Meanwhile, heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sundried tomatoes, cook 1 minute more.

Add wine to saute pan, cook until almost absorbed, 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth, bring to a boil, and simmer until reduced by almost half, about 5 minutes.

Add broccoli and salmon to saute pan, then add reserved pasta. Toss mixture together until everything is coated and heat through.

Serve with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

Divine Chicken Divan

When Chuck looked at the recipe for this while I was cooking, he thought that he wasn't going to like it. But after tasting the rich creamy, cheesy flavor, he declared it a winner! I think he was nervous because it looked very "casserole-y" (my own word, thankyouverymuch), which it is in a sense, but there is no condensed soup in here. You basically are making that from scratch and then adding delicious and comforting ingredients to it.

My final dish was a little heavy on the sauce, but that's because I didn't use the full amounts of chicken and broccoli. I would suggest that you follow the recipe as stated, and I have added approximate amounts of the meat and vegetable so that you don't have to guess. And make sure you steam the broccoli and cook the chicken first! If you are making this in a broiler-safe dish, I think that a few minutes under the broiler at the end would make this even crispier and more delicious!

Divine Chicken Divan
from Dinners for a Year and Beyond
Makes 6 servings

1 1/4 cups rice, either white or brown
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups of broccoli florets, steamed (about 3 broccoli crowns)
4 cups of cooked chicken, shredded in large chunks (about 3 chicken breasts, or 1 1/2 pounds)
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook rice according to package directions. Place cooked rice in a 2-quart baking dish. Set aside.

Heat a medium sized saucepan to medium high and add olive oil and onions. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute. Add the chicken broth and milk and bring to a boil.

Combine the cornstarch and wine in a small bowl and whisk into the saucepan. Cook until sauce thickens, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add the cheddar cheese and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in broccoli and chicken.

Spoon chicken mixture over rice. Combine panko and Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over chicken and rice. Cover baking dish with foil.Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 8 - 10 minutes or until top is browned.

Note - This dish can be assembled ahead of time, unbaked, and covered and refrigerated. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake dish for 30 - 35 minutes covered with foil. Then uncover and bake an additional 8 - 10 minutes. It can also be frozen. Thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours, then follow the refrigerated baking directions.

Spicy Garlic Roasted Broccoli

The list of vegetables that Chuck likes and the way he likes them prepared is pretty short; hence I am always looking for new ways to prepare them! He like broccoli and he likes garlic, so when I saw this recipe I knew I wanted to try it.

And yes, you are reading the recipe right, it calls for FIVE cloves of garlic in about 3 servings of broccoli. But don't worry - garlic is much less potent when you slice it, it's the mincing of it that really lets out that garlic flavor. And the fact that it is roasted just leaves all these little yummy, brown, garlic tidbits surrounding the broccoli.

Seriously, do not fear the garlic. You will not be sorry.

Spicy Garlic Roasted Broccoli
from Erin's Eats
Makes 2 servings plus leftovers

2 large broccoli florets
olive oil
4-5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
crushed red pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
lemon pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Trim the stem of the cleaned broccoli. Cut the broccoli into large chunks and place on a baking sheet.
Coat the broccoli with olive oil. Add the garlic slices, crushed red pepper, salt and lemon pepper. Toss to coat.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the garlic begins to lightly brown.

Pasta with Chicken, Broccoli, and Sundried Tomatoes

After a long, busy week and before a long, busy weekend; I wanted to make a substantial meal that Chuck and I could enjoy together. I found this recipe over on Celeste's blog and after tweaking it a bit came up with the meal that I was looking for.

The original recipe does not call for white wine, and I did not use it when I made this, but after tasting the sauce I realized that it needed a little more depth and flavor. Be generous with the wine if you would like, just make sure that you simmer down accordingly. Also be generous with the cheese, if you want it creamier, then go crazy with the type of cheeses you use! A combination of Asiago, Parmesan, and mozzarella can never go wrong.

This has a lot of steps and takes a bit more time than say, salsa chicken, but the end result is worth it. A light, garlicky sauce over a bright array of vegetables, chicken, and pasta!

Pasta with Chicken, Broccoli, and Sundried Tomatoes
adapted from Sugar & Spice
Makes 3-4 servings

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt and coarse ground pepper
1 teaspoon plus one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 ounces oil-packed sundried tomatoes, patted dry and sliced into 1/4 inch strips (you can buy them julienned)
5-6 medium garlic cloves, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 pound broccoli crowns, cut into one-inch pieces
8 ounces rotini pasta
2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1/4-1/2 cup Asiago cheese, grated
Parmesan cheese, grated

Bring two quarts water to boil in medium saucepan for broccoli and pasta.

Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned on first side, about 5 minutes. Flip chicken over and reduce to medium-low heat. Add 1/2 cup water and cover, continuing to cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. An instant read thermometer placed in the thickest part of the chicken should read about 160 degrees.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board. When cool enough, cut into bite-size pieces and set aside.

Pour off any water left in skillet and add onion, sundried tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and pinch of salt. Turn heat to medium and cook until onions begin to soften, about 4 minutes.

Stir in broth and wine and continue to cook, covered, until tomatoes have softened, about 2 minutes. Remove lid and simmer on medium-low heat until mixture has thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes; cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, stir pinch of salt and broccoli into boiling water. Cook until broccoli is bright green and tender, but still crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer broccoli to a large paper towel lined plate, set aside to cool.

Return water to boil, stir in pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of pasta water.

Gently stir chicken, broccoli, basil, and Asiago cheese into sauce mixture. Stir in pasta, adding pasta water if necessary to loosen sauce. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Broccoli and Pork Stir-Fry

So I have had this bottle of rice vinegar sitting in my fridge for awhile now:

This is not an ingredient I use often, so when I saw this recipe in Everyday Food this month, I decided to try it. I really like using pork tenderloin in things (in fact, it's one of the only cuts of pork I like at this moment in time), and broccoli always sounds good to me, so that cemented it's place on our weekly menu.

This dish was fairly easy to prep and cook - although all of my cooking times were a few minutes longer than detailed in the original recipe below. I browned my pork on both sides before taking it out of the pan the first time, since the low cooking time made me nervous. I also used only broccoli crowns and the green parts of the scallions.

The orange zest and juice really add a lot to the flavor of this dish. However, not being the fruit-at-dinner lover myself, next time I may reduce the orange juice by half and sub more soy sauce in there. I served this over brown rice.

Broccoli and Pork Stir-Fry

Everyday Food, September 2008

Makes 4 servings

1 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound), quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
1 head broccoli (about 1 pound), cut into bite-size florets, stalks peeled and thinly sliced

In a medium bowl, combine orange zest and juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch; set stir-fry sauce aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium. Working in two batches, cook pork until browned on one side, 1 to 2 minutes (pork will cook more in step 4). Transfer to a plate and set aside; reserve skillet.

Add remaining teaspoon oil, garlic, and scallion whites to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broccoli and 1/2 cup water; cover and cook until broccoli is crisp-tender and water has evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes.

Add pork (with any juices) and stir-fry sauce to skillet. Cook, stirring, until pork is cooked through and sauce has thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with scallion greens.