Tuesday, March 26, 2013

My Version of Mexican Chicken

So we are towards the end of the month and that means our grocery budget for the month is all gone.....so it's time for me to get creative with what we've got.  I've heard of this Mexican chicken before and I remember my mom ordering it several times somewhere for dinner.  I didn't look it up, just used what I remember the chicken having, which somehow I had it all in my pantry/fridge.  I took some chicken breasts and sliced them in half (I always slice the chicken breasts in half because they cook faster and you can taste whatever is on it way better).  I only seasoned it with some garlic powder on both sides and into the oven they went.  When they where completely cooked, I brought them back out and added everything else.  First, I put a layer of cream cheese on top, then some salsa (as much as you like) and lastly shredded Mexican cheese....a lot.  Then, put it back in the oven to melt the cheese and done.  Gabe and I loved it and he wants me to make it again. I asked him if I should post it on here and he said for sure. So here it is! The best part was how easy is was to make and clean up. I just put some non stick aluminum foil on the baking pan and then threw it away.  All I had to clean was the pot I used to make the rice with corn to go with it.  It was really tasty and fun to eat. 

I know, I am horrible at posting recipes. They are just paragraphs trying to explain what to do instead of a real recipe.  The thing is pretty much everything I make is something I put together out of nowhere (like this chicken) or something that I have know for so long that I don't need to measure anything for it, I already know how the dish goes and just do everything by eye (is that even how you say it?). Sorry you guys! 

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 bag spinach,
1 bunch green onion, chopped
6 oz honey-roasted peanuts
1 box bow-tie pasta, cooked 
6 oz craisins
1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/3 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
2 cans mandarin oranges

Dressing:
1 cup vegetable oil (I only put in 1/3 cup)
2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2/3 cup vinegar
6 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix dressing ingredients together, pour over cooked pasta and chicken.  Marinate for 1-2 hours.
Mix in the rest of the ingredients before serving.
 
This is a fast and easy dish. I've done it without the chicken and served it as a side and it's delicious! You can do a bunch of variations on the ingredients and so it's easy to throw in what you have and will taste good without everything in it. Our favorite mix is the pasta with mandarin oranges, craisins, green onions and sunflower seeds.