Food Friday: Cinco de Mayo Favorite Recipes

We love Mexican food in our house. We probably eat some form of it at least once a week, most likely more. Tacos, enchiladas, burritos, taco salad, quesadillas, margaritas, chips and salsa, guacamole, nachos, carnitas, fajitas ... Mmmm. 

In honor of Cinco de Mayo coming up, if you're looking for some delicious recipes to try, here are a few of my favorites: 

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos: I shared the recipe earlier this month, and they are so simple and full of flavor! 

Oven Tacos [via Mommy? I'm Hungry blog]

Oven Tacos: I found this recipe on Pinterest a while back and they immediately became a favorite. I don't usually make tacos with hard shells, but these are too good not to. It's a great recipe to feed a small group, since you use 2 pounds of meat. I use ground turkey for mine. 

Beergaritas: You can't really go wrong with beer and margaritas, and if I weren't pregnant, I would definitely be having one (or two) of these. The recipe is super simple: 1/2 cup tequila, juice of one lime, 1/2 cup frozen limeade and 2 chilled bottles of Corona Light (we've also tried the mini Coronas and they work well too). Cheers!

Guacamole: I don't use a recipe for making guacamole but have a couple secret ingredients that I think make this dip: minced garlic and hot sauce. I usually smash a couple avocados, add diced tomatoes, a little chopped fresh cilantro, a little diced red onion, one minced garlic clove and lime juice, salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste. 

Kim's Chicken Casserole: Lindsey shared this recipe and it's also a favorite in our house. It's full of tortillas, cheese, chicken and salsa. 

Taco Salad: This salad is so easy and versatile depending on what you like/don't like. When I make it, I usually include romaine and/or iceberg lettuce, chopped tomatoes, black beans, corn kernels, avocado chunks, black olives, shredded cheddar cheese, crunched up tortilla chips, and topped with taco meat, salsa and sour cream. It's also great tostada-style on top of flat flour tortilla and a layer of warm refried beans. 

Homemade Taco Seasoning: I no longer buy the packaged taco seasoning and instead make my own. It works for us since we always have these spices on hand, so I just mix it up as needed. Plus I control how much salt we add, since I sometimes find the packaged seasoning to be too salty. 

And here are a couple recipes that I have yet to try but sound pretty good!

Beer Beef Fajitas: This Sandra Lee recipe for Beer Beef Fajitas sounds so simple and tasty! Plus you just put everything in the crock pot and let it cook. One thing I would do differently in this recipe is grill the bell peppers and onions separately instead of letting them cook with the meat. I like my veggies a little crisper. 

Honey Lime Tequila Shrimp Tacos [via Tartine and Apron Strings blog]

Honey Lime Tequila Shrimp Tacos: These shrimp tacos sound so good! I'm sure all of the flavors of the lime, tequila, honey, chipotle, avocado and shrimp are delicious together, can't wait to give this one a try!

What are your favorite Mexican food recipes?! 

Food Friday: Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

We eat a lot of Mexican food in our house. Burritos, taco salad, enchiladas, fajitas and tons of tacos, mostly made with either ground turkey or grilled shrimp. 

This recipe is my favorite for shrimp tacos. I'm a sucker for anything chipotle and the combo of shrimp, chipotle and the creaminess of avocado is so good!

These Chipotle Shrimp Tacos are super quick and easy, pretty healthy and very tasty!

The photos don't do these tacos justice, they are much better than they look in the photo!

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder
Small corn tortillas

Toppings:
Avocado slices
Shredded lettuce
Salsa Verde
*Chipotle Crema (a mix of sour cream, chipotle in adobe sauce chopped into very small pieces, lime juice, salt. I don't follow a recipe, but mix everything to taste.) I have made the tacos with and without this chipotle crema and they taste delicious either way. 

Directions: 
Combine shrimp with seasonings in a bowl and stir until the shrimp is evenly covered. 
In a large nonstick skillet, spray a little Pam (or extra virgin olive oil) and turn to medium-high heat. Add the shrimp mixture and cook until the shrimp is cooked and turns pink. Remove from heat and serve in corn tortillas topped with your favorite toppings!

See, easy right?! Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from a Cooking Light recipe. 

Food Friday: Lemon-Spinach Chicken with Mashed Potatoes & Tomatoes

Every once in a while I'll get a craving for chicken and mashed potatoes, and when I do, this is my go-to recipe, from all-recipes.com. 



The chicken is dredged in a simple flour, salt and pepper mixture, then cooked with chicken broth, white wine and lemon juice. The broth mixture forms a nice gravy and the lemon flavor really soaks into the spinach. The cherry tomatoes add a really yummy burst of flavor too. 

Lemon-Spinach Chicken with Mashed Potatoes & Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1- 10-ounce package of fresh spinach
1/2 flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
Mashed potatoes *(My "recipe" is below)
Grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Directions:

In a large, lightly greased skillet, cook spinach until it wilts, this just takes a couple minutes. Transfer it to a bowl or plate. 
Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken in this flour mixture, until chicken is coated. 
In the same skilled used to wilt the spinach, melt the butter and add the chicken. Cook the chicken about 4-5 minutes per side until chicken is cooked. (You can either remove the chicken or keep it in the skillet for this next step. I have tried both and both tasted delicious.)
Add chicken broth, wine, lemon juice and garlic to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir to loosen the leftovers at the bottom of the skillet. Cook about 2 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the spinach and cook until heated, about a minute.
Serve on a plate of mashed potatoes, add spinach and chicken and top with tomatoes. 

*Mashed potatoes: I don't follow a recipe, but mix ingredients to taste. 

Ingredients: Two potatoes, washed and cut into fourths (skin-on); butter; garlic; Parmesan cheese; milk; salt and pepper

Directions: Boil potatoes until they are cooked (if a fork or knife can easily slide through them, they're done). Drain water and use a large metal spoon to smash the potatoes (you can leave them as chunky as you like). I usually then add a couple tablespoons butter, about 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, a couple cloves of minced garlic, a little less than 1/4 cup milk and continue mashing until it forms the consistency I want. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Happy Friday!

Random Loves: Mocktails, Milkshakes, Florals & The Jungle Book

The weather has been so gorgeous lately here in Sacramento, I’ve been loving lots of spring time things like milkshakes, mocktails, florals and (of course!) pillows.

Raegan has also been loving our afternoon and evening walks outside where she points out every leaf, car, doggie, flower she sees. Her little language is so cute these days, I just love listening to her babble and talk. 

Here are a few other things I’ve been loving lately:

Mocktails — I love being pregnant, but one thing I have been missing lately is a nice cold margarita/sangria/beer (any cold cocktail really!) on the patio. The next best thing is a pretty mocktail in a fun glass with a straw :) I’ve been loving Trader Joe’s Sparkling French Berry Lemonade and their Villa Italia Italian Blood Orange Soda. Both are fruity, sweet and so good on ice. 

Florals — I picked up these really pretty floral placemats (left) at Home Goods last week and I love them. They make me excited to set the table for dinner every night! Alex is not a fan of florals so I have to think of small (and temporary) ways to add them into our house and Alex approved of these ;) I also picked up this gorgeous cloth napkin (right) from Cost Plus World Market with plans to turn it into a pillow. 

Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake — Raegan and I have been making these almost daily they are so good and the perfect blend of sweetness, chocolate, peanut butter and banana. Plus it's healthy! When I’m lucky, Raegan will share a few sips with me before she scarfs it all down herself ;)

Ingredients: one frozen banana (sliced before frozen), about 1/2 cup milk, a large spoonful of peanut butter, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, a splash of vanilla, a pinch of kosher salt, 3-4 ice cubes. Blend together in a blender until smooth and enjoy! 
This makes one but can easily be doubled for two. (Recipe adapted from The Detoxinista)

Animal board books — I've mentioned before how much Raegan (and I!) both love kids books and animals so I ordered two animal-themed board books off Amazon recently and they have quickly become favorites. The Jungle Book is another Baby Lit book (we also love the Alice in Wonderland Baby Lit board book too) but teaches animals, some you won't typically find in kiddo books like a porcupine, wolf and jaguar. Plus the art is so cute — I especially love the bear page with a bear lounging on his back in the water, holding a bear-shaped honey sipping it with a straw! 

Raegan has also been really loving Giraffes Can't Dance, a really cute story about a giraffe who thinks he can't dance, but find he really just needs the right song. The art is really cute in this one too and it's a great one to help kids learn different animals. 

(Any animal board books you love? We're always looking for more!)

Black Dot Ikat Pillow — Since Lindsey & I launched our pillow business (!), I have been "testing" out our pillows all throughout the house and can honestly say I love them all! I am so happy with how they turned out and may have to keep some for myself! ;) One of my favorites is the Black Dot Ikat. Black and white is so classic but these ikat dots make it really fun too. You can check out more of our pillows at our Storenvy store here! 

Food Friday: Chewy Peanut Butter Granola

So Lauren found this recipe about a year ago here on Pinterest* and the granola part has become a staple in her kitchen, my dad's kitchen and my kitchen. Since then we have made some variations to the recipe. If you like peanut butter, oats and honey, you are going to love this simple granola. It's good alone as a snack or my favorite over Greek yogurt with honey and fresh strawberries. Here is the recipe along with some variations we have tried.

Chewy Peanut Butter Granola

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey (I usually don't fill the cup to the rim)
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9X13 pan by greasing it with Pam.

Put honey, peanut butter and vanilla into a medium, microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds until the peanut butter is slightly melted. Wisk together until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to mix in the oats, making sure the oats are thoroughly coated in the peanut butter/honey mixture. Spread the granola into the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes.

Let cool completely before you crumble any large chunks into bite-sized pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks - yeah right it will be long gone by then!

Here are some variations that we have tried. My dad has used almond butter instead of peanut butter and adds dried cherries or raisins before cooking and swears it's better than the original. If you want more of a dessert, try adding chocolate chips before baking. Once I added a handful of milk chocolate chips. I don't know if that was a good idea or a bad idea because I ended up eating most of the batch by that night! And because I am trying my hand at clean eating, this is a very simple recipe to convert. Simply use all-natural peanut butter (you know the kind you have to stir before eating) instead of your typical peanut butter.

*The Pinterest recipe is for a parfait.

**One of the first times my dad made this recipe, he accidently grabbed peppermint extract. We do not recommend this. It tasted awful, but we got a good laugh out of it so maybe it was worth it!

Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Food Friday: Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwich

I’m not sure what it is about chicken, but it’s hard for me to eat it when I’m pregnant. It’s usually not appealing, except for in chicken salad! Yum! 

I made this for dinner one night and it’s so simple, somewhat healthy, and pretty quick to put together. I add a bunch of fruit and goodies in mine, so it has a nice crunch from the walnuts, celery and apple, plus some sweetness from the grapes and cranberries. The butteriness of the croissant with all of the flavors is so good. This is one of my favorite sandwiches, for dinner or lunch. 

Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwich

*This will make enough for about five sandwiches

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded (I bake mine with a little water at the bottom of the pan, without seasoning)

One apple, cored and chopped (I like Fuji)

About one cup of red, seedless grapes, cut in half

Two celery stalks, chopped

1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon mayo

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or fresh, roughly chopped)

salt and pepper, to taste

Croissants

Directions:

Combine all ingredients through cranberries into a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix yogurt, sour cream, mayo and seasoning until combined. Add yogurt mixture to chicken mixture until it evenly coats (feel free to use as much or little yogurt dressing as you like)

Taste-test to see if you need more salt and pepper. 

Scoop about two large spoonfuls onto a croissant, cut in half and eat!

This recipe is easy to tweak depending on if you like more or less of certain ingredients, but all of the flavors work really well together! I hope you like it! 

Food Friday: Kim's Chicken Casserole

This casserole is so yummy and easy to make! It's great to freeze and makes great left-overs. I mean what could go wrong with chicken and cheese? This recipe come courtesy of Lauren's good friend and college roommate, Kim. It was a regular dinner on the weekly menu then and has become a favorite in our household now.

Kim's Chicken Casserole

5 cups shredded, cooked chicken*
1 cup salsa
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small can sliced black olives
4 ounce can mild, diced green chilies
dash of cumin
10-12 corn tortillas (uncooked)
shredded cheddar and jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except chicken, tortillas and cheese. Once mixed add chicken and stir  with a spoon.

Cut tortillas into long strips (like pasta). Place half of the tortillas on the bottom of a greased 9"x13" pan and spread half the chicken mixture over the tortillas and cover with jack cheese. Repeat the process with the rest of the tortilla strips and chicken mixture and cover with cheddar cheese.

Cook 35-45 minutes or until cheese is brown around the edges. Let set 5 minutes and enjoy.

*To save time I buy a rotisserie chicken and shred the entire thing, which makes about 5 cups.

Give this recipe a try and let us know what you think. Happy Friday!

Food Friday: 5 Super Easy & Quick Dinner Ideas

I am always looking for dinner ideas that are quick and easy for those days (most days!) when I don't have a ton of time to spend in the kitchen. Over the years, these have become some of my favorite dinners to whip up in a hurry. 

Apple Chicken Sausage with Grilled Bell Peppers

This is probably the easiest. I mean it. So easy. And so good. It takes one pan and three ingredients (plus any condiments you like). 

Ingredients: 
Apple chicken sausage (I like Trader Joe's Chicken Sweet Apple Sausages)
Hot dog buns (I like Trader Joe's Multi grain Rolls that come in a four pack)
Red bell pepper
Condiments

Directions:
Slice bell peppers. Add a tiny bit of oil or Pam to your pan. Grill peppers until they are as soft as you like. 
Meanwhile, cut sausages in half lengthwise. Once peppers are done, transfer them to a plate and use the same pan to cook the sausages. (They're already cooked, so you really just need to heat them and brown them a little on both sides).
Place two sausage links on a bun, topped with grilled bell peppers and any condiments (I like mine plain with just ketchup).
We usually eat this with a side of fruit or salad.

 

Shrimp Pasta with Pesto

This one is also so easy, especially if you use store-bought pesto (or any leftover homemade pesto). Plus, shrimp cooks super fast, so boiling the water and cooking the pasta is what takes the longest. This is also one that you can make as much or as little as you like, so I won't include ingredient measurements. 

Ingredients:
Shrimp, deviegned and tail off 
Garlic, minced (I use two cloves since we love garlic)
Extra virgin olive oil or butter
Already-made pesto (if you want to make fresh pesto, I love Giada De Laurentiis' pesto in this recipe, but with about half the amount of olive oil)
Spaghetti
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally until pasta is al dente. 
While pasta cooks, add a splash or olive oil or about a tablespoon of butter to a pan, add garlic and cook for about a minute. Add shrimp and cook until the shrimp turns pink. 
Once pasta is done, add it to a large bowl. Add the shrimp and stir. Stir in as much pesto as you like, until it covers the shrimp and pasta evenly. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve.
(This would also work with chicken) 

Turkey Burgers

Turkey burgers photo bombed by a hungry Alex and Raegan! :)

These burgers are one of my favorites to make. The combo of parsley, red onion and feta cheese is so good in a burger. Plus, it's a little healthier with the ground turkey. A bonus is that this is one of the very few ways we can get Raegan to eat meat! 

Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley,
1/4 cup feta cheese 
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon bread crumbs
Pepper
Hamburger buns
Burger toppings 

Directions: 
Mix ground turkey with all ingredients through pepper. Form into burger patties. Place patties onto greased pan and cook until the turkey is no longer pink and cooked thoroughly. 
Place a patty (or two) on a bun and top with your favorite veggies and condiments. I like to top my burger with a little mayo, lettuce, tomato and ketchup. 

Tacos

This is probably on every one's list of quick go-to meals! It's so easy to customize tacos based on what you like or what you have on hand. Here's how we make ours:

Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
Taco seasoning (I make a big batch of this and use a few spoonfuls)
Water, about 1/2 cup (more or less depending on how much seasoning you like)
Tortillas
Extra sharp cheddar cheese
Lettuce
Tomato
Salsa
Sour Cream
Avocado slices

Directions:
Cook ground turkey until the meat is no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks. Once it's thoroughly cooked, add taco seasoning and water and let it simmer until most water has evaporated. 
Meanwhile, slice veggies and toppings you like, we use lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocado slices, salsa and sour cream.   

Angel hair Pasta with Basil and Feta Cheese

This is a cold pasta salad that is so yummy and so quick. Again, the hardest part is cooking the pasta. The flavors of the red wine vinegar with the feta cheese and tomato is really good.


Ingredients:
One Roma tomato, diced
1/4 cup basil, julienned
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
One garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Angel hair pasta (spaghetti also works just as well)

Directions: 
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally until pasta is al dente. 
Meanwhile, add the rest of ingredients into a large bowl and stir until mixed. 
When pasta is done, drain and rinse with cold water, then add to the bowl with the tomato mixture. Stir and serve.  

There you go, five super easy and quick dinner ideas! If you have some go-to quick & easy dinners, please share them with us! Both Lindsey and I are always looking for more to try! 
Enjoy! 

Food Friday: Caprese Pizza

One of my all time favorite pizza recipes is this Caprese Pizza. It's light yet filling and is really easy to make!

 

 

 

 

Here's What You Need:

1 Boboli Thin Crust Pizza
3 roma tomatoes
grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 large cloves of garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place thawed pizza crust on a baking sheet. Slice tomatoes and place on top of the crust. Cover with as much or as little cheese as you want. I usually use pre-grated mozzarella to save time. Bake pizza until cheese is melted, usually 8-10 minutes. While the pizza is baking, julienne the basil and set aside. In a small bowl mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and minced garlic together with a spoon. When the pizza is done, sprinkle the basil over the cheese and spoon oil mixture evenly over the top. Cut and enjoy!

I hope your family enjoys this as much as mine. Let my know what you think!

Happy Friday!

Food Friday: Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I know there are probably billions of recipes for red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, but these are definitely worth a try. I doctored up a box mix a bit and I also like my cream cheese frosting more cream cheesy, less sugary, so this frosting was perfect! 

So good! 

The perfect last-minute Valentine's Day dessert!

Also, after years of baking, I have finally perfected how much batter to put in the cupcake tin. Finally! :) I used to use a small measuring cup and eyeball it, which seemed to leave my cupcakes either way too full or not full enough. So, if anyone else finds it tricky to figure out how to fill the cupcake tin up about 2/3 of the way, here's my tip: Use a cookie dough scooper. About two scoops makes the perfect sized cupcakes. I just wish I had thought of that sooner! 



A few topping ideas: Sprinkles are always cute, but I also love the simplicity of a single piece of fruit, like a raspberry, blueberry or strawberry or a chocolate chip. Would also be cute topped with a conversation heart for Valentine's Day. 

For those of you waiting for this yummy recipe, here you go and you're welcome! ;)

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 box of red velvet cake mix (I used Betty Crocker) *don't follow the ingredient list on the box
3 eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat all ingredients on low for a few seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl edge if needed. 
Line cupcake tins with cupcake cups and pour batter so each cup is about 2/3 full. 
Bake 18 minutes. 
Let cupcakes completely cool before frosting them. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Directions:
Cream the cheese first, then add the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth. 
*Frosting adapted from Cupcakepedia's classic cream cheese frosting recipe.

I hope you like these cupcakes as much as I did! Enjoy! :)

Food Friday: Merk's Coffee Cake

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day! I love that it can be either sweet or savory. Growing up this coffee cake was our go-to recipe for holidays and brunches alike. It's a great recipe to make ahead of time because it freezes well. Although it's a bit time consuming to make, it's totally worth it for a special event or holiday and I guarantee everyone will love it!

Merk's Coffee Cake

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
6 tablespoons butter - softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla thoroughly. Add eggs one at a time, blending will after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, blending after each addition. 
Grease a 10" tube pan (a spring-form cheesecake pan will also work, but you will need to adjust cooking time) and line bottom with wax paper. Pour half the batter into the pan. Cream softened butter with brown sugar and cinnamon. Add nuts and toss to make crumbly. Place half of mixture over first layer of batter. Pour remaining batter and top with remaining nut mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes* or until cake springs back when lightly touched. *Cooking times may vary depending on you pan.

Food Friday: Oven Beer Can Chicken

Alex & I have wanted to try beer can chicken for a long time, so when we got a beer can chicken holder for Christmas, we gave it a try right away. And it was delicious. 

We followed a rub recipe from Michael Symon of The Chew, but changed it a little based on what we had in the house. 

Oven Beer Can Chicken

4-pound whole chicken
1 12-ounce can of light beer (we used Stella, because that's what we had)

Dry Rub:
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Trader Joes's 21 Seasoning Salute (this is a blend of tons of seasonings)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
pepper
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix all of the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl. 
Once the chicken has been cleaned, including the cavity, squirt lemon juice on the inside and outside of the chicken. Rub the rub mixture over the outside of the chicken. 
You can refrigerate the chicken for a few hours if you'd like. We skipped this step and it tasted great. 
Fill beer can holder with beer and place chicken over the holder, legs down. 
Place chicken in oven, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. This will give the skin a nice initial crisp. After an hour, check the chicken's internal temperature. Once it reaches about 165 degrees, it should be done. 
Take the chicken out of the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes, then serve!

The chicken turned out very moist and full of flavor. It's great with some veggies, like mashed potatoes and carrots or a green salad and rolls.

We used the leftover chicken for chicken noodle soup, which is a great way to use leftover chicken. This is my favorite chicken noodle soup recipe, from Tyler Florence. 

If you give this a try, let me know how it turns out! 

Food Friday: Lasagna Bolognese

This is hands down the best lasagna I’ve ever made. It’s also the best lasagna I’ve ever eaten. It’s that good. 

It’s rich, creamy, meaty, hearty, cheesy — everything you want in a lasagna :)

The only thing that keeps me from making & eating this regularly (besides the health factor) is that it’s a time-consuming dinner. The bolognese, or meat sauce, needs to cook for an hour, and the béchamel sauce (made of butter, flour, milk and cream) needs constant stirring until it thickens. So it’s a dish that’s best for special occasions or when you don’t need dinner in a hurry. 

Usually when I make this, I double the recipe and stick one batch in the freezer. It freezes pretty well. 

A few changes I made to the recipe, which was scanned and emailed from my mom (luckily I found a pdf version online here), in the bolognese sauce I have tried with canned diced tomatoes, drained, to equal 2 cups, instead of fresh tomatoes. I also use no-boil lasagna noodles, which is a huge time saver. 

You can find the full recipe for Lasagna Bolognese here. It's best served with a big glass of your favorite wine and a simple salad!

You won’t be sorry if you try this recipe, I promise :)