RECIPE: Chicken Florenetine

Johnny was talking about how Olive Garden used to have a Chicken Florentine dish that he really liked. So I did some poking around and, as usual, I came up with my own recipe. It was a little difficult since I'd never had Olive Garden's Chicken Florentine so I didn't really have anything to compare it to. And Johnny said he couldn't even remember what it tastes like...just that it was good. :P So I was totally winging it...but Johnny said it was delicious. :)

Chicken Florentine

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs chicken tenderloins

3 tbs flour

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Italian seasoning

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs butter

2 tsp fresh minced garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup grated parmesan & romano cheese

2 cups baby spinach 

16oz fettucine noodles, cooked according to package 

 Directions:

1. Whisk together flour, garlic salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.  

2. Cut each of the chicken tenderloins into 3-4 equal pieces. 

3. Coat each of the pieces of chicken completely with the flour mixture. 

4. Heat a large skillet on medium-high eat. Add olive oil. Once hot, add chicken. Cook the chicken until brown and internal temperature is 165 degrees. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. 

5. Melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté about 1 minute. 

6. Add wine and scrape the pan to remove any browned bits. Then add chicken broth and cream. Add the grated cheese gradually while stirring. 

7. Reduce the heat to simmer, stirring or whisking often. 

8. Once the sauce has thickened and is smooth, add spinach. Cook about 2 minutes until spinach is wilted into the sauce. 

9. Add chicken back to the pan and stir. Simmer until heated through. 

10. Serve over fettucine noodles. 

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RECIPE: Chicken Fajitas

Tonight I decided to make chicken fajitas in the pressure cooker instead of the way I normally do with the electric skillet. It takes a LOT less time in the pressure cooker...which is the biggest thing I love about using the pressure cooker. :) Also...I use a lot of chicken when I make fajitas because we love leftovers for a couple days. You could use less chicken and everything is still the same as far as cook time, etc. It may take longer to get to pressure, but that's really the only difference. 

Pressure Cooker Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

2 gallon-size Ziploc bags 

6 chicken breast halves
6 packets of McCormick fajita mix

1/4 cup of chicken broth (you can substitute with water)

2-3 bell peppers

1 yellow onion

1 lg package flour tortillas, soft taco size 

favorite toppings: shredded extra-sharp cheddar, shredded lettuce, salsa or diced tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, etc. 

Directions: 

1. Add chicken broth (or water) to the bottom of the pressure cooker. I don't use a trivet for this recipe. 

2. Cut chicken into strips that are about 1/4" thick. Add them to one of the Ziploc bags with 4 fajita mix packets. I alternate adding chicken and fajita mix so it's layered. Once you've added all the chicken and 4 fajita mix packets, shake the bag to make sure all the chicken is nice and coated. 

3. Cut vegetables into strips that are approximately 1/2" wide. Add to the second Ziploc bag with 2 packets of fajita mix and shake the bag to coat everything. 
4. Add the chicken on the bottom of the pressure cooker and then cover with the vegetables. Do not stir. 

5. Close the pressure cooker and set to high pressure for 4 minutes.  

6. Allow to naturally release the pressure for about 6 minutes before quick releasing the rest of the pressure. Once I open the pressure cooker, I stir everything together. 
7. If there is a lot of liquid still in the bottom of the pressure cooker, set the pressure cooker to brown/saute and cook it for at least 5 minutes, tossing with tongs frequently so it doesn't burn. 

8. Serve in flour tortillas with your favorite toppings. 

**I used my 8qt pressure cooker for this recipe

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RECIPE: Taco Braid

It's been a little while since I made a new recipe. This is a pretty easy recipe that I made for Taco Tuesday. Aubry really loved it! I like to use a crescent roll sheet because it's thinner with a slight hint of sweetness, but you can also make it using a pizza dough sheet instead. 

Taco Braid 

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning 

1/4 cup water
1 can refried beans
1 can crescent roll sheet

1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa

2 cups fiesta blend cheese

1 tbs butter, melted

Top with lettuce, sour cream, green onions, black olives, and more cheese. 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

2. Brown ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water. Stir until all mixed together. 

3. Roll out crescent roll sheet into a flat rectangle on a greased cookie sheet. Using a pizza cutter, make approximately 3 inch long cuts along the two long edges of the sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart from top to bottom. 

4. Down the uncut middle of the sheet, layer the refried beans, taco meat, salsa, and cheese. 

5. Fold the cut strips across the middle in a crisscross pattern from top to bottom. 

6. Brush the top of the braid with melted butter. 

7. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees F for approximately 15 minutes or until the top of the braid is golden brown. 

8. Once removed from the oven, you can either top the braid with your desired toppings or let everyone pick their own individual toppings. 

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RECIPE: Cheeseburger Soup

Another new recipe for the new year! This is a new soup in the pressure cooker that I basically just made up as I went. It turned out pretty yummy and it was super quick and easy. 

Cheeseburger Soup 

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef
1/2 tbs fresh minced garlic 

32 oz beef broth
1 small onion, diced 
1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 celery stalk, diced   

1 can petite diced tomatoes, do not drain 

1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 
16oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
16oz elbow macaroni, prepared according to package

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef with minced garlic and drain. 

2. Combine beef broth, ground beef, onion, carrot, celery, paprika, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce in the pressure cooker pot and stir. 

3. Pour the diced tomatoes in the pot then topped with the cubes of Velveeta cheese. Do not stir.

4. Set the pressure cooker to "Soup" and cook for 5 minutes. Carefully quick release the pressure when finished. 

5. Stir in elbow macaroni and serve. 

You can serve topped with crackers, corn chips, or whatever else you like! The picture below is of Johnny's bowl...he likes to add a lot more pepper. ;) 

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RECIPE: Sloppy Joes & Cheese Peas

This is a recipe from my childhood...this is how my mom has always made it. I just finally got around to actually measuring ingredients this time. :P  Usually I just dump some in and go. They're SUPER easy to make and they taste delicious!

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

3 lb ground beef
1.5 cups ketchup
1 tbs dried onion

Directions: 

1. Brown hamburger and drain. 
2. Return hamburger to pan. Combine ketchup and dried onion with hamburger and stir. 
3. Simmer until heated through. 

Cheese Peas

Ingredients:

1 can young sweet peas, drained
1 pouch Velveeta cheese sauce

Directions: 

1. Pour peas into microwave-safe bowl. 
2. Pour Velveeta cheese sauce on top of peas. 
3. Heat peas in microwave for 2 minutes. Stir. 
4. Heat peas in microwave for 1 minute. Stir and serve. 

And that's it! Super easy! 

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RECIPE: Salisbury Steak

Johnny has been asking for Salisbury steak forever and I just never get around to making it because I'm not a huge fan of it in general :P But I had leftovers to eat tonight, so I decided to surprise Johnny and make it for him. He thought it was very much worth the wait. ;) Aubry was actually awake when I finished making dinner and she had some...she liked it, too. However...I forgot to take a picture! So I'll have to take a picture next time and then I'll add it to this post. :)

Salisbury Steak

Ingredients:

STEAK

1 lb ground beef

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 tsp ketchup

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 tsp ground mustard

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tsp French onion soup

GRAVY:

1 can beef broth 

1 tbs cornstarch 

remaining can of french onion soup 

1 tsp worchestershire sauce 

1 4oz can sliced whole mushrooms

Directions:

1. Combine all the steak ingredients together in a bowl. Shape into 4 oval patties about 1 in thick. 

2. In a skillet on medium-high heat, brown the steak patties for about 1-2 minutes on each side until browned on the outside. Remove from skillet.   

3. Mix 1/4 cup of beef broth with the cornstarch in a small bowl. 
4. Pour remaining can of beef broth into skillet. Pour in cornstarch mixture. Stir over medium heat until slightly thickened.

5. Add French onion soup, Worcestershire sauce, and mushrooms. Stir then add steak patties to the gravy. 

6. Cover and heat for about 7 minutes, then flip steaks and cook for another 7 minutes or until middle of patties register at 160 degrees. Turn off heat and serve over mashed potatoes.

RECIPE: Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken Chili

We have a tendency to just eat a lot of the same recipes that I already have...so I hadn't come up with a new recipe in awhile. Johnny was wanting something different so I came up with this and made it for dinner tonight. It did not disappoint and will definitely make it into the rotation of regular recipes. :) Johnny thought it would even taste good over pasta or white rice...so we may have to try that sometime.  

Cheesy Chicken Chili 

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 cans chicken broth

1 pkg ranch dressing mix 

1 can red kidney beans in mild chili sauce (not drained)

1 can pinto beans (drained) 

1 can whole kernel corn (drained) 

1 can petite diced tomatoes (not drained)

8oz cream cheese or 16oz of sour cream

2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Pour the chicken broth and ranch dressing mix into the pressure cooker and stir. Add chicken (I use a trivet with handles so it's easy to remove and shred). 

2. Add both cans of beans, corn, and diced tomatoes to the pressure cooker in that order. Do not stir. 

3. Cube the cream cheese and set on top of the tomatoes. (If using sour cream, don't add the sour cream until you add the shredded cheese).

4. Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. 

5. Once finished cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure. 

6. Remove chicken from the pot. Add shredded cheese (and sour cream, if using) to the pot and stir. Turn the pressure cooker to sauté and heat the soup for about 8 minutes while stirring frequently to melt the cheese. 

7. Shred chicken and return to pot and stir. 

Serve topped with your choice of garnish such as tortilla chips, fritos, sour cream, green onions, jalapenos, more cheese, cornbread...whatever sounds good! 

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*This recipe was made in the 6qt Viva Instant Pot

RECIPE: Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken

So...I had a few leftover chicken breasts from a package I used to make Chicken Milanese a couple days ago as well as leftover mashed potatoes, corn, and gravy that we had with it. I ran out of Ritz crackers so I used breadcrumbs that I had leftover from the meatloaf that I made last week. So I decided to use the breadcrumbs on the last few pieces of chicken and it came out really yummy! I forgot to take a picture though. Maybe next time I make it, I'll remember to take a picture and I'll come back and post it here. :P

I made this in the PowerXL 12-in-1 Air Fryer Grill. 

Air Fryer Parmesan-Crusted Chicken 

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup real mayonnaise
1/2 tsp garlic salt 
1/2 tsp paprika
3/4 cup breadcrumbs

3 tbs parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning 

Directions:

1. Remove fat from chicken breasts and pat dry. 

2. Mix flour and pepper in shallow bowl. 

3. Mix mayonnaise, garlic salt, and paprika in a shallow bowl. 
4. Combine bread crumbs, parsley, Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt in a shallow bowl. 

5. Coat chicken completely in flour, then the mayonnaise, then the bread crumb mixture. Set each piece on the grill plate. 

6. Set to Air Fry at 385 degrees F for 10 minutes. 

7. Flip the chicken over, then set to air fry at 375 degrees F for 10-18 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts (until it reaches 165 degrees F). 

RECIPE: Grilled Chicken Sandwich

I haven't posted a new recipe in awhile! I've mostly just been making the same recipes that I already have but Johnny requested something new tonight so...here it is! I served these on Brioche buns with real mayo (Ashlyn had Miracle Whip) and you can add lettuce, pickles, or whatever toppings you like. :) Also, I made this recipe in my PowerXL Grill Air Fryer Combo but you could make it out on the grill (it's too hot outside for me...I prefer the air conditioning). ;) These tasted amazing. Even picky Ashlyn ate her entire chicken breast! She and I cut ours in half to make two sandwiches.  

PowerXL Grill Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients:

3 chicken breast halves, trimmed and pounded to uniform thickness

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup pickle juice

1 tbs powdered sugar

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp black pepper 

1 tbs vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Whisk together milk, pickle juice, powdered sugar, garlic salt, and black pepper in a 1 gallon freezer bag. Place chicken in bag and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 

2. Place the grill plate in the PowerXL. Set to grill setting at 450 degrees and let preheat for 10 minutes. Coat the grill plate with the oil so the chicken won't stick.  

3. After it has preheated, add the chicken to the grill plate. 

4. Cancel the grill function and turn the PowerXL to Air Fry at 400 degrees for 5 minutes and press start. Set to Air Fry at 400 degrees for 8 minutes and press start. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. 

5. Remove the chicken to a plate and let it sit for 5 minutes. 

6. Make your sandwiches! :) 

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RECIPE: Grill Air Fryer Combo Meatloaf

I realized that I actually don't have a meatloaf recipe on here! I actually tried meatloaf in my PowerXL Grill Air Fryer Combo last night for the first time and it was PERFECT. Honestly, I make it so much better in there than in the oven. I can cook it in the oven for two hours and it still comes out pink in the middle. Drives me CRAZY. But...I've since bought a digital thermometer with a probe that you can leave in the meat while cooking...and it's a game changer. I highly recommend one. I got mine for less than $20 on Amazon. You can even set an alarm that will beep at you when it gets to the desired temp. No more under/over cooked food! I forgot to take pictures the first night we had it...so I took pictures of my leftovers. Still yummy! :)   

PowerXL Grill Air Fryer Combo Meatloaf 

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tbs dried, minced onion 

2/3 cup bread crumbs

1/2 tsp garlic salt
Glaze:

1 cup ketchup 

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp worcestershire sasuce 

1/2 tsp ground mustard

Directions:

1. Mix together all of the ingredients together for the meatloaf.  

2. Form into a square "loaf" and place on a plate and put in the fridge. 

3. Turn the PowerXL on and set to bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees and press start. Let it preheat with the empty grill plate. 

4. Once preheated, remove the meatloaf from the fridge and carefully place it on the grill plate. Close the air fryer lid. It will still say "add food" until you press start again.

5. I checked the meatloaf after about 20-30 minutes and covered it with aluminum foil as it was getting too brown on top. 

6. I use a thermometer with a probe that I can use inside the air fryer while it's cooking to keep track of the temperature. 

7. Mix all the ingredients together for the glaze. 

8. When the thermometer reads 150 degrees, top the meatloaf with the glaze. Continue cooking until the temperature in the middle reaches 160 degrees. 

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RECIPE: Beef and Mashed Potato Bake

I made another recipe last night and we're having leftovers tonight for dinner. :) As usual, it's a super easy recipe. Johnny actually had two big helpings of it. He said it's a lot like his tator tot casserole...just with mashed potatoes. Needless to say, he loved it. Ashlyn didn't even try it. :P Oh and I made this all in my Copper Chef pan because I could just use one pan for the stovetop and oven. 

Beef and Mashed Potato Bake

Ingredients:

2 lb ground hamburger
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 can mixed vegetables, drained

2 24oz packages of Bob Evans Original mashed potatoes 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Brown hamburger and drain. 

3. Open a corner of both Bob Evans mashed potatoes. Heat them both at the same time (side by side) in the microwave for 5 minutes. Remove film and stir. 

4. In an oven-safe dish, combine ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, garlic salt, and mixed vegetables. Stir well then flatten and smooth the top with the back of the spoon. 

5. Top the mixture with the mashed potatoes in a single layer. I also smoothed the top of the mashed potatoes. 

6. Heat in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. 

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