Boneless chicken breasts are probably the most popular cut of meat sold in America today. They are quick, easy and low fat. But when not cooked properly, they can be dry, tough and stringy.

That’s where I come in. (ahem)

I have a love/hate relationship with chicken. I love chicken prepared by others mainly. When I cook the chicken, I pick on it too much. I rarely feel pleased. It’s overcooked and it’s undercooked. I keep trying though…I’m a trooper.

Something to keep in mind though, when you cook chicken breasts it’s good to have them even sized. You can accomplish this by pounding them with a meat tenderizer. If you don’t have a meat tenderizer, place the chicken breasts into a large Ziploc bag and pound/roll with a can or rolling pin until the breasts are equal in thickness. Now that everything is equal, the chicken breasts have a better chance of cooking evenly.

Tonight I’m trying out some baked boneless skinless chicken breasts with barbecue sauce. Really simple, just lightly salt and pepper each side of the chicken breasts, put them into a preheated 375° oven and bake for 20 minutes. Take the chicken breasts out of the oven and pour an 18 ounce bottle of any barbecue sauce you like over them. Continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes.

I kicked up the heat to 400° during the last 10 minutes of cooking to try to make the coating of barbecue sauce on the chicken thicker, but I guess this sauce just didn’t have the umph. It kept sliding off. And I kept scooping it back on. And it slid off. And I scooped it back on…Fine, fine…be that way. You leave a lovely little glaze upon my chicken breasts’ tops but you are a weakling Mr. Kraft Honey Barbecue Sauce.

Regardless, you tasted yummy Mr. Kraft Honey Barbecue…

I was pleased with the outcome. The chicken breasts were pretty bulky so the meat ended up moist, but also well cooked.

To accompany our tasty barbecue chicken breasts, we had steamed broccoli and saffron* rice.

* The saffron rice is a whole other story, I may go into another time.

For many people, Tuna Noodle Casserole is like a childhood classic. Somehow though, my family never ate this when I was growing up. We had tuna. And we had casserole…but no Tuna Noodle Casserole.

So now I am thinking I better make this. See what all the fuss is about.

There’s a thousand fancy ways to make Tuna Noodle Casserole. Adding chopped celery and onion, pimiento, chopped parsley…cheddar, sliced mushrooms, even broccoli…the possibilities are endless and mouthwatering.

Oh well. I’m going to go about this the old skool way and only the the most basic ingredients are allowed!

I hear you can make Tuna Noodle Casserole with these simple ingredients…

And a really simple recipe, so let’s check it out.

• Tuna Noodle Casserole
  • 1 large can tuna (drained)
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 small can peas
  • 4 C wide egg noodles, cooked
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 C milk
  • 1 C breadcrumbs
  • Grease an 8″ square casserole dish.
  • Flake tuna into the dish.
  • Mix soup with milk and salt then pour into casserole dish.
  • Add noodles and peas and mix all together.
  • Top evenly with breadcrumbs, sealing exposed noodles
  • Preheat oven to 350°F and bake for 30 minutes.

This casserole was really easy to assemble. All that was required was to pre-cook pasta, measure and stir. No knives needed, even. Good deal. Get the kids involved for some harmless, skill teaching fun.

I know you are on the edge of your seat wondering how was it?? Here’s how it looked…

It tasted alright. Tuna Noodle Casserole is what I expected it to be, although I had hoped it would taste better. If I were to bake this again the things I would change would be to use the small can of tuna, instead of large and I would use herb-flavored breadcrumbs, instead of plain breadcrumbs.

Tuna Noodle Casserole is the kind of thing a mom should bring to the table once in awhile. It’s all part of growing up…coming to the table and getting this warm casserole-type-thing on your plate and that’s what’s for dinner. I am proud to be a part of that. Go Tuna Noodle Casserole!

My version of the popular chimichanga involves frying them in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Here’s why - It’s taste, nutrition, and integrity.

Taste is the most obvious difference between olive oil and vegetable oils such as corn, soybean, and canola. These oils are tasteless fats! I mean, you wouldn’t want to eat a piece of bread dipped in vegetable oil, so why add that tasteless fat to the food you prepare?

Nutritionally, olive oil contains more monounsaturated fat than any of the vegetable oils. A tablespoon of olive oil contains 120 calories, 14 grams of fat and no cholesterol. Virgin olive oils also contain the antioxidants beta-carotene and Vitamin E.

Vegetable oils are industrial, processed foods. Vegetable oils are generally extracted by means of petroleum-based solvents, and then must be highly refined to remove impurities. Along with the impurities, refining removes taste, color and nutrients. Ew?

Extra virgin olive oils are not processed or refined. They are essentially “fresh squeezed” from the fruit of the olive tree, without alteration of color, taste or nutrients. Because of the integrity of olive oil, and it’s antioxidant components, olive oil will keep longer than all other vegetable oils.

Olive oil is more expensive than vegetable oil, but it is worth the extra cost to have a healthier frying method that tastes so much better.

So onto the chimichangas…my frying method doesn’t involve completely immersing the them into oil. I find using that much oil to be totally unnecessary. With the proper flipping method you can achieve a pleasing result with about 6 Tablespoons of olive oil and further pleasing, simple clean up after dinner!

• Bean & Cheese Chimichangas
  • 1 Large (30 oz) can Refried Beans
  • 4 Extra Large Tortillas
  • 1 C Cheddar
  • 6 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Heat refried beans according to package directions.
  • Place tortillas on a plate, between 2 slightly moistened paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds.
  • Scoop 5-6 tablespoons beans onto a tortilla. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheddar.
  • Roll into a burrito shape, making sure the sides are sealed. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
  • Heat 6 tablespoon olive oil on med-high heat in a pan.
  • Place burritos, seam side down into pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes or until browned.
  • Place chimichangas onto a paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil and serve.

How to roll a burrito and keep it rolled:

Scoop the beans onto lower edge of tortilla.

Top with cheese or any other fillings you may be using.

Fold outer edges towards the center.

Roll bottom edge up around the beans and tuck under a bit.

Fold the outer edges towards the center once again.

Continue rolling the burrito until you are out of tortilla to roll.

Pretty easy, right?

This recipe will make 4 very nice-sized chimichangas, but since we are a family of three I only make 3. Everyone is full after one. And since my son likes his chimichanga cheeseless, being the health-nut that I am, I upped the cheddar on my husband and I’s chimichanga for a cheesy good time.

Tacos are pretty fun. Especially when you take the easy way out and buy pre-packaged shells.

All those yummy toppings…what to do with them?! Load up your taco, of course. Whether you like to be different and put the cheese under the lettuce and tomatoes or not, it’s okay. There are no rules with tacos…except one…

My personal rule, guacamole is a must! I never thought to try guacamole on a taco, but oh boy! Taste overload. Avocado goodness meshing with the chopped lettuce, cheese and tomatoes…mmm.

If any of you are familiar with Chipotle Mexican Grill, you may know that is a place you can get a big ol’ burrito and many other things with a lot of guacamole. Chipotle is definitely not shy when you want to add some. And why would they be? They have some of the best food chain guacamole around. Even better…I came across the recipe for Chipotle’s Guacamole.

• • Chipotle Guacamole
  • 1 large ripe Hass avocado, peeled and pitted
  • 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
  • 2 T chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 C finely chopped red onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 serrano chili, seeded and chopped
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Mash up avocado with a fork or electric mixer.
  • Add lime juice.
  • Add all other ingredients and blend well.

And now for my fully loaded taco….

Perhaps you’ve noticed, we love the red meats around here. No, eating red meat is not an everyday thing for us, but eyeing through my posts I notice there should be some more white-meat love shown. I will work on that. But for now, back to the red meats.

When eating red meats (beef, pork and lamb) there are few pros and cons that you should consider…

Benefits

• High in zinc, which is important for a healthy immune system.
• Contains more iron than most foods, and it is more easily used by the body than iron from other sources.
• Also a good source of complete proteins
• A high-protein diet based on lean red meat has been shown to help weight loss

Risks

• An increased risk of bowel cancer was found for people who ate more than two servings of red meat per week.
• The Mediterraneann diet, which is low in red meat, has been shown to decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
• Eating red meat every day can double the risk of osteoporosis due to an acid byproduct from digesting very large amounts of protein.
• Red meat is high in saturated fat and cholesterol
• A recent study found that eating more than one serving of red meat per day can double the eisk of breat cancer, especially in young women.

So red meat should definitely be eaten in moderation, but for tonight I’m having steak!

Here’s the marinade of choice that asks for 8 hours of marinading time, but makes your meat awesome in under an hour…

I used the preferred Ziploc bag method and off to the grill they went. Steak fries, warm edamame, and leftover french sub rolls from French Dip Sandwiches spread with butter and garlic and toasted made this a completely filling meal.

What if I told you that you could make pleasing French Dip Sandwiches with three ingredients? What if I said with almost no preparation, you can impress anyone who eats them?

Can you butter toast? Then you can make these very Easy French Dip Sandwiches!

Let’s have a look at what you’ll need…

That’s right…this is it! One 3-4 lb. roast of your choice, (bottom round roast, pictured) one can of got-to-be-mm-mm-good-stuff Campbell’s beef broth, and some French sub rolls. Looking possible already?! Yesss! You, the toast buttering champion can do this!

• Easy French Dip Sandwiches
  • 3-4 lb Roast
  • 1 can Campbell’s beef broth
  • 6 French sub rolls
  • Pam butter flavored Cooking Spray (optional)
  • Place roast in a crock-pot or slow cooker.
  • Pour can of beef broth over roast.
  • Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 7-9 hours.
  • Do not remove lid until it’s done!
  • Preheat oven to 400°F, split French sub rolls in half and spray each half with cooking spray (optional).
  • Toast buns face down in oven for 3 minutes.
  • Spoon broth into glass dishes.
  • Shred or pull meat to fill the sub rolls. Enjoy!

We sure did…

I cannot stress the importance of Campbell’s beef broth enough. Perhaps an accomplished cook may want to add additional flavors, but the wannabe chef (me) can only be truly gratified with the truest beefiest flavor that Campbell’s beef broth will add to this simple recipe. It’s “double rich”, “double strength” and you’ll taste the difference. No one will know you did almost nothing to accomplish this awesome meal.

Its April and barbecue season is upon us. So many steaks to grill…so little time!

Of all the things that are grillable, steaks are definitely the favorite in our house, which prompted me to pick out 3 fine looking boneless New York Strip Steaks at the store for dinner.

Now for something to soak our fine friends in. McCormick’s Grill Mates has several really tasty marinades that hence the name, are perfect for the grill. For this round of steaks I chose the Mesquite Marinade, mixed it up in a large Ziploc bag and put the meat in.

Once the steaks were marinaded, out to the grill they went…

Yum! Those charred edges were GOOD! You won’t find any pink in there…we like our steaks well done, always.

I haven’t had any luck with frozen Crock-Pot meals in the past. This particular bag looked worth a shot though, having the Marie Callender’s name and consisting of ingredients that everyone in my family will eat.

As a bonus, this meal is fairly nutritious with only 150 calories per serving. There are 4.5 grams of fat, 13 grams of protein, 4 grams of dietary fiber, and 50% of your Vitamin A for the day! It’s 550 mg of sodium (23% of daily value) was not so bad either.

The contents of the bag were 1 sauce pouch, 1 potato pouch, and the meat & vegetables.

My initial reaction when I opened the sauce pouch and smelled it was, “Gerber Mixed Vegetables…?” That threw me off a little, but I continued with the package directions placing the potato pouch in the refrigerator, stirring the sauce pouch into hot water and the beef & vegetables into the sauce. Then I turned on the Crock-Pot to low for 8-10 hours. Easy!

In the last 35 minutes of cooking time, I turned the heat to high and stirred in the potato pouch. The potatoes were cut into well-sized chunks. Some larger than others, but all very fresh looking.

The Vegetables - Most of the carrots were in large chunks and some were cut thin. I’m guessing the non uniformity was to make the Beef and Vegetables seem homemade. (but I cut my carrots uniformly for the Crock-Pot, Marie!!) The peas were visible although I couldn’t really taste them. The potatoes were just right.

The Beef - The beef chunks were fairly large. They had a good taste and were equivalent to any beef stew meat I’ve had in a Crock-Pot…sort of fatty, sort of tender, and sort of chewy. My only complaint was the amount of beef chunks in the bag. (I forgot to count) To evenly disperse the chunks to a family of 8 like the package suggests would be difficult.

The Outcome:

The Sauce - The sauce was thick and gravy-like and ended up having a tasty beefy flavor like it should, so I dropped my Gerber thoughts and enjoyed dinner. (with a fork)

It was a hit! A mild hit, but a hit nonetheless. Everyone dished out seconds and no one left the table hungry.

The rib eye or ribeye, is a beef steak from the beef rib.

Here’s a neat guide to what part of the cow different steaks come from. It was interesting to look at, and I see why poor shank steak is shank steak. But back to rib eyes…

When cut into steaks, the rib eye is one of the most popular, juiciest, and expensive steaks on the market. Meat from the rib section is tender and fattier than other cuts of beef. This extra fat makes rib eye steaks and roasts especially tender and flavorful.

Well, with our grill I don’t even trust the juiciest of juicy steaks. I wanted a meat tenderizer that wouldn’t over power the steak’s yummy flavor.

I decided on Lawry’s Tenderizing Beef Marinade. All that was required was to mix it with a small amount of water and mix the two together. Which was a very simple task to complete with a gallon size Ziploc bag. Pierce the meat a 3-4 times on each side and place inside the Ziploc.

Okay - so pierce as many times as you want, depending on the surface size of the steak. The worst that could happen is the marinade flavors invade the whole steak and take over. Not so bad.

Let that sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or longer, flipping once halfway through. Or…leave it in longer for a more invasive tenderized effect.

I passed the steaks on at this point so I could finish up my baked potatoes and start some Pasta Roni.

Here’s what we came up with…

Mmm, steak…

Didn’t feel very creative tonight, so I improvised the best I could with some thin-sliced chicken breasts.

Hmm. The rosemary is always calling to me, so I grabbed that bottle and poured out a handful, crushed it up and sprinkled it evenly over the chicken breasts.

Needs something else, so I shake on about 1 T minced garlic over the tops and bottoms of the chicken breasts and complete with a bit of black pepper.

Ahh, now its ready for the pan. Heat 2 T extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick pan. By the way the chicken stuck to it, I can tell the pan I used was not the right one for the job. Simply cook the chicken on medium high heat until the meat appears half cooked(3-4 mins).

Then flip it and repeat.

When I cook chicken I want to make sure its really cooked. So when the cooking time was complete, I flipped them one more time for extra browness.

Serve with any sides that sound good. I chose some white rice and corn.

And here it is: