Baked Chicken Chile Rellenos

So... this was supposed to stuffed poblano peppers but I broke 2 out of the 4 peppers when I was peeling them in too big of a hurry.  What happened instead was a very yummy surprise.  

Let's Get Crafty!
Preheat oven to 500

Rub olive oil on poblano peppers and broil on a baking sheet at 500 for about 10 minutes (checking and turning often) until the skin is blackened:

4 large poblano peppers

Put the peppers in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap for about 20 minutes 

(this will make peeling the peppers a cinch.)

If you're going to bake it right away rather than freezing it:  Don't turn off the oven after roasting the peppers instead shift the temp from 500 down to 350 and the oven will be ready for you when you're ready to put the casserole in.

Combine together:

1 1/2 tablespoons dry cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

In another bowl - combine together:
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken

1 egg

1/2 of the cornmeal mixture 

1 1/2 cups cheese (we used a triple pepper blend and some cheddar)

Peel the peppers and layer them with the chicken sprinkling in the dry cornmeal mixture and adding an extra layer of cheese at the end.  I used an 8x8 foil pan to freeze with an extra layer of aluminum foil over the top.  

This recipe worked beautifully as a frozen meal.  When you're ready to bake it - Thaw overnight in the fridge and then the next night at dinner time - preheat the oven to 350 and bake for 20-30 minutes.  You'll most likely need to adjust the cooking time depending on if the meal fully thawed.

If you want to bake it right away - bake it at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day.  

Sausage and Peppers with Orzo

I haven't cooked a lot with orzo and this recipe makes me want to use it more in our kitchen.  This dish brings out a creaminess that I didn't expect.  Don't be alarmed by how big the salad looks next to the main dish.  I totally had to go back for seconds on this one.

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 tablespoon EVOO

3/4 lb Italian sausage

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons butter (divided)

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 cup mozzarella cheese (divided)

1 1/2 cups orzo pasta

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cups chicken stock

Let's Get Crafty!

Preheat the oven to a low broil

Saute until tender:

1 tablespoon EVOO

1 onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

Then Add to the Veggies and cook until fully cooked through:

3/4 lb Italian sausage

While that is cooking - combine and set aside:

1 tablespoon melted butter 

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 cup mozzarella cheese 

To the veggies and sausage - add and stir together until the butter is melted:

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups orzo pasta

Then add:

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cups chicken stock

Heat to a boil - reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked  (about 10-12 minutes.)  You'll want to keep an eye on it and stir occasionally.  You may need to add more chicken stock or water.

Pour into a baking dish and top with the panko and cheese mixture

Low broil for around 5 minutes - keep your eye on it so it doesn't burn

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you have a great day.

Baked Oatmeal

We eat a lot of oatmeal in our house.  I should probably rephrase that - the ladies in our household really like oatmeal and eat it frequently.  The gentlemen do not.  :)  

Although... Mark had some on his recent hunting trip to Alaska out of necessity and I think he might admit now that he doesn't dislike it as much as he thought he did.  

This recipe is delicious and freezes so nicely!  The best way I've heard it described is a warm oatmeal cookie.  Yes! I really like the change in textures with the diced apples and the craisins.  

Ingredients:

3 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup craisins

1 large apple

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

cinnamon sugar (optional... but so delicious!)

Walnuts or pecans (optional... we didn't add any nuts)

Let's Get Crafty!

Preheat the oven to 350

Mix together:

3 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup craisins

1 large apple, diced into small pieces

2 ripe bananas, smashed

Mix together in a separate bowl:

1/2 cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil

2 large eggs, whisked

1 cup milk

Combine the wet ingredients with the oat mixture

Pour into a greased 8x8 foil pan (if you want to freeze) or into an 8x8 baking dish to cook right away.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if you so desire (you totally should!!)

Cover with foil if you want to freeze or pop it right into the oven to cook right away.

Ours baked for 35 minutes when we had it in the fridge overnight and cooked it the next morning.  From the freezer after thawing it took closer to an hour because it wasn't fully thawed.  I recommend setting your timer for 25-30 minutes and then checking it.

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you have a great day.

Chile Relleno Casserole

Fall time is in the air and chiles are reaching their prime.  This recipe is packed with green chile flavor.  The big discussion in our house each year about this time is whether or not the chiles will be hot.  I really like hot food but a chile full of flavor means more to me than little flavor and super hot.  My husband is a true believer that hotter is always better.  

Let's Get Crafty!
Preheat oven to 350

Coat a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray

Ingredients:

2 cups of shredded cheese
2 cups of green chiles
2 T of flour
12oz can of evaporated milk
4 eggs

Layer 1/2 the green chiles in a 9x13 pan then 1/2 the cheddar cheese and repeat each layer one time

Whisk together the flour, evaporated milk and eggs then pour over the top of the chile and cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 mins (ours needed another 5 minutes)

Heading in the oven.  

I love it when there are red chiles peeking through.

Hot from the oven!

Let it rest for a few minutes to set up and be easier to cut.

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you have a great day.

Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer - Bone In

These are perfect for a hot day where standing in front of the grill is the last thing you want to do at the end of a day.  This was a game time decision for us.  We had planned on grilling and decided to give the air fryer a go instead. These chicken thighs stayed very juicy while having a crispy skin.

Let's Get Crafty!

We seasoned up the chicken thighs just like if we were going to grill them.  I added a small amount of EVOO to each piece to help it crisp up in the air fryer.

When you're ready - preheat the air fryer for a few minutes at 400. 

Then air fry at 400 for 15 mins and then 350 for 10 minutes

You'll want to make sure it is cooked through.  You're shooting for a temperature of 180.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you have a great day.

Potato Salad Using the Instant Pot - GAME CHANGER!

Oh my goodness!  This is a game changer in the potato salad world.  If you're planning on making some potato salad over this holiday weekend - I highly recommend using your Instant Pot to cook your potatoes and your eggs at the same time.  

Let's Get Crafty!

Here's the game plan:

Put your peeled and diced potatoes into the bottom of the instant pot with 4 eggs on top along with 1 cup cold water.  Set your instant pot to the manual setting for 4 minutes and do a quick release.

I diced my potatoes a little bigger than normal so that when I'm stirring them with the other ingredients they don't lose all their texture.

Then you just prepare your potato salad using your favorite recipe.

Hope you give this a try and love it!  Thanks for stopping by. 

Low Carb Cheeseburger Casserole

I love it when I stumble across a recipe that the whole family likes.  This came together quickly on a weeknight and everyone went for seconds.  

Let's Get Crafty!

Preheat to 350

Brown the hamburger and onion - adding in the minced garlic and seasoning salt in the last couple minutes:

2 lbs ground beef

1 onion, diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon seasoning salt

Add to the beef and gently mix until well combined:

4 oz cream cheese

1/3 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons mustard

Optional layers:

Jalapeno slices

Bacon (we didn't do this today - but we will another time!  Because... well... BACON!)

Dill pickle slices

Whisk together eggs and 1/2 and 1/2 - then stir in cheddar cheese

3 eggs

1/2 cup 1/2 and 1/2

1 cup cheddar cheese

1 cups shredded cheddar cheese - evenly over the top

Layer it up:

Beef mixture

Optional layers you want to add

Egg mixture

Top layer of cheese

Bake for 20-25 minutes

We'll be having this again very soon.  Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you have a great day.