Categories
Food & Drink

Recipe: Sweet & Sour Chicken

This genius recipe comes courtesy of http://happymoneysaver.com; and I LOVE IT! It only has 5 ingredients, it is easy to make and is a great freezer meal option.

Ingredients
8 Chicken Breasts
475 ml Catalina Dressing
350 ml Apricot Jam
1 package of Dry Onion Soup Mix
*8 Servings of Rice (prepared)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F
Combine the dressing, jam and soup mix together in a 9 X 13 casserole dish; make sure is it mixed well
Add chicken and stir until well coated
Bake for 45 minutes (or until chicken is cooked through)
*Serve over rice

Tip: If am sending this meal with my husband when he goes up north for work; I will portion it out into containers and send a few packages of microwavable Minute Rice with him so he warms both up and adds the rice to his meals the day of.

Categories
Food & Drink

Always In…My Pantry

Over the years we have honed in on our staple ingredients; those necessary to the majority of our recipes, those we love and  those that cut down on frequent trips to the grocery store.

1. Minute Rice
Why: I use my Kraft Kitchen’s Dinner On Hand cookbook A LOT and many of the dishes use rice; so that is why this has become a staple pantry item for me.

2. Canned Tomatoes
Why: These of course are essential for sauces and bases. They are perfect when fresh tomatoes aren’t in season (and therefore ridiculously expensive). And they are flavorful additions to many recipes.

3. Stock/Broth
Why: These come in handy for making soups for fall and winter.

4. Dry Pasta
Why: This is a go to side dish for me; especially alongside Chicken Parm. I also love making pasta salads and baked pastas for potlucks…and we have quite a few at work.

5. Black Olives
Why: I add them to pizza of course and I love taking Greek salads to work.

6. Canned Beans
Why: As a chilli lover; many of those recipes call for beans. Plus I have a killer recipe for a three bean salad that is to die for!

7. Nuts
Why: Most of my dessert recipes call for nuts and even when they don’t I add them. A handful of almonds for example make for a great, healthier snack instead of chips!

8. Tuna
Why: I grew up on tuna fish sandwiches and as I got older I moved on to tuna melts and I love eating it with mini-peppers from Costco.

9. Kraft Dinner Mac & Cheese
Why: I know, I know; this isn’t a healthy food choice but it is a guilty pleasure. I always have a boxes around for when Megan comes to town and we binge watch shows on Netflix.

10. Old El Paso Taco Kit
Why: It is great to have on hand for when my nieces and nephews stop by; it is a great way to get them involved in cooking and spend quality time in the kitchen and around the dinner table.

Categories
Entertainment Food & Drink

Guilty Pleasures

guilt·y pleas·ure

noun

Something, such as a film, a television program, piece of music or food that one enjoys despite feeling that it is not generally held in high regard, or is seen as unusual or weird.

Often it is these unusual or weird things that are the most scrumptious; today I am sharing mine. Feel free to tell me about your guilty pleasures in the comment section below!

1. Grilled cheese sandwich with chipotle aioli dipping sauce
Nothing more familiar or simply delicious than an ooey gooey grilled cheese; it reminds me of childhood lunches. No longer can I order these at restaurants –since they are relegated to the kids menu. I have traded the tomato soup or ketchup for the slight kick of heat from Culinary Treasure’s Chipotle Aioli. It may seem like an unusual combination but…don’t knock it till you try it.

2. Binge watching the Food Network
Nine times out of ten, if the television is on, the Food Network is on. If I was only allowed one channel; this one would be the one. I love watching marathons of Beat Bobby Flay, Pioneer Woman, Cutthroat Kitchen, Chopped and the various baking and cooking championships (both adult and kid versions). Sometimes my husband just shakes his head when he walks in the door to find the Food Network on yet again.

3. Staying in my pajamas all day on Sundays
Although this may seem lazy to some. I LOVE fuzzy pajamas. I love feeling comfy and cozy. So I relish being able to spend the day relaxing, reading, marking or puttering around the house in my PJs. It doesn’t matter if it is fall, winter, spring or summer; you can find me wearing fleece pants and a tank top.

4. Caramel Macchiatos from Starbucks
With a description such as this, “[f]reshly steamed milk with vanilla-flavored syrup marked with espresso and topped with caramel drizzle for an oh-so-sweet finish,“ it is easy to see how this is a guilty pleasure… such a delectable drink with 42 grams of sugar. I refer to it as my “fancy coffee,” which I only get a chance to have when I am in the city with my bestie.

5. Karuna Hydrating + Face Mask
I got this mask in a Fab Fit Fun box last year and I absolutely fell in love with it. Although I may look silly wearing them, they truly work! My skin looks brighter, radiant and smoother. It is like going to the spa in my own home. As, Aziz Ansari’s character on Parks and Recreation used to say: “Treat Yourself” and I most certainly do! A pack of four masks cost $28, and those who know me know that I can be a wee bit cheap when it comes to make-up and skincare products.