What I cooked on Sunday

We had a few nights out or late night meetings this past week, so I actually made the proper amount of food for once!  Usually we have tons of leftovers, because it's hard to cook for just two people.

Here is what I cooked on Sunday:

Corn Chowder - recipe - made this for lunches throughout the week and froze some. Super yummy!

Poached Chicken - part of this recipe

Baked Ziti with Spinach and Chicken - recipe - I used half of the poached chicken in place of the veal in this recipe.  It wasn't all that great, and my sauce wasn't thick enough, but with some changes, I might make it again

Minestrone Soup - recipe -  We had this on Monday and then I froze the rest.  I used the stock from my poached chicken as the base and flavored it up.  The hubby thought it needed noodles, but I enjoyed it just the way it is.

I finished off my day of cooking by making Chocolate Chip Cookies - recipe.  Yummy!

It was a very long day in the kitchen, but my nights after work were easy peasy and I didn't really have to cook a thing!

Do you cook on one day during the weekend in preparation of the week?

Wok this Way!

My mom and I recently took a cooking class called Wok this Way.  

No, it wasn't taught by an Asian Steven Tyler.  HA HA!

I really wanted a Wok, so my mom got me one for Christmas, along with a cookbook, and bought this Wok class that was being offered by the city she lives in.

Let me just tell you I was blown away by the recipes she cooked.  She made a wilted spinach salad, ginger glazed carrots, fried brown rice, stovetop taco casserole, and chicken cordon bleu stir fry.  All of this for $14 per person and an $8 food fee the night of the class.  Plus a copy of the recipes plus about 10 more and we all took some food home. 

Well, I had chicken leftover from my Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie I had prepared on Sunday, so I used the extra chicken for the Taco Casserole I made on Thursday.

Super easy!

You will need:

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey (again I used my leftover shredded chicken)

1 large onion, chopped

1 sweet pepper, chopped

1 c. each chunky salsa and taco sauce

2 t. cilantro

1 T. chili powder

2 t. each cumin and oregano

tortillas or tortilla chips

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 (4oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained

1/2 c. sliced black olives 

1 c. sour cream

So, in your wok over medium high heat cook meat until no pink is visible.   Remove and drain off excess grease.  Return pan to heat and stir-fry onion and pepper until the onions are translucent.  

Return beef to pan (this is when I added my cooked chicken) and add the salsa and taco sauce.  Stir in seasonings and stir over low heat until heated through.  Sprinkle the cheeses over the top, then the chiles and olives and cover.  Cook until cheese is melted.

Serve rolled up in tortillas, like a burrito, or spoon over a handful of tortilla chips.  

(this would also make a yummy dip)

Dollop with sour cream, if desired.  Serves 4 - 6

This was delish and really easy to make.  It's a nice twist to a Taco Tuesday or a Mexican themed night.

Pour yourself a margarita and enjoy!

XOXO

Rachael Ray dinner anyone?

So, I LOVE Rachael Ray.  I have her cookware, cooking utensils, bubble and brown bakeware, and nearly all of her books.  I have also discovered her new show Rachael Ray's Week in a Day on the Cooking Channel.  Lucky for me they also play it on Food Network since we don't get the Cooking Channel yet.  

Can I just say I am a HUGE fan of this show?!?

Anytime I can make meals ahead of time for the week AND have leftovers, just call me hooked!

So, I decided to make her Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie Recipe (found here)

They have you poach a chicken, which I have never done.  

It was so easy and my kitchen smelled AMAZING!

I prepared this on Sunday and we ate it on Monday.

Here's a look at it when it was done and out of the oven.  (Yes, there was already a spoonful missing)

The only thing I had to prepare on Monday was the biscuits!

The best part was that there was enough chicken for a round two meal (I love Sandra Lee too) which I used for Chicken Enchiladas in my Wok!  Yes, in my Wok!

I will post that recipe tomorrow!

Roasting Chickens were on BOGO sale at Giant Eagle a few weeks ago.  

So, I picked up two more and will be poaching another chicken this coming weekend.

Yummy!

So go get yourself a chicken and get to cooking.  You won't be sorry!

XOXO