2 hrs., 30 mins.

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30-35 minutes

Tired of "Taco Tuesday"?  Well I'm never really tired of tacos, but one night I just didn't feel up to making them lol.

I was 37 weeks pregnant, and didn't feel like going through the extra steps and prep.  So, I made these DELICIOUS Chicken Fajita Foil Packs...ready in 32 minutes and no extra mess to clean up!

What You'll Need:

6 sheets of heavy duty foil (I doubled regular foil)

1.5 lbs - boneless/skinless chicken tenderloins

2 cups - instant rice

2 cups - hot water

1.5 packets taco seasoning

1 each - green & red pepper cut into strips

1 small onion cut into strips

Mild Salsa

Taco/Mexican flavored shredded cheese

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

*Layer foil sheets on top of each other to make the assembly process much easier. 

*In a medium bowl, mix the rice, taco seasoning, and hot water together until completely combined. 

*Begin layering your foil pack - rice mixture, 1 to 2 chicken tenderloins, peppers & onions, salsa, shredded cheese. 

*Fold the foil to create a packet, and place in a baking dish. Continue until each pack is made. 

*Bake for 30-35 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked. (I made 6 packets and they cooked for 32 minutes.)

*Upon removal from the oven, cut slits in the foil before opening packets to avoid being burned by steam.

Can be served with sour cream on top.

~Recipe adapted from kraftrecipes.com - I made a few minor changes to the original recipe to be more fitting for my cooking style & my family.~

40 minutes

So since the fall season began, my sister and I have been on a "soup" kick!  I recently posted the "7 Can Soup" recipe...and I got this recipe from my sister*.

It is so simple & quick to make.  The hardest part was peeling and cutting the potatoes lol!

Here's my version, you can make adjustmenst as needed to fit your taste!

Ingredients

8tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/4c all-purpose flour

4c milk, or more as needed

4 Russet Potatoes, peeled & cubed

4 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled & cubed

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1-1/2c shredded cheddar cheese

1/2c sour cream

1/4c bacon bits

salt & pepper to taste

{I also seasoned with Morton's Nature Seasons, garlic powder, & onion powder - excluding the salt}

Begin by preparing your potatoes, rinse them clean, peel, and cube them.  Place potatoes in a bowl of cold water to keep them from browning.

Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Once melted, add flour, and whick unti browned...happens quickly, within 1 minute.  Gradually pour in milk, whicking constantly, unti slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.  Add in potatoes, green onions, bacon bits, and seasoning; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.  

If soup becomes too think, you can add more milk along the way until its just as you want it!

I served mine garnished with cheddar cheese, bacon bits, green onions & sour cream!

ENJOY!

*Recipe adapted from damndelicious.net (who got it from centercutcook.com lol)*

25 minutes

In the spirit of the Fall season, I decided to make a hearty soup for one of our Saturday night dinners.  I saw an episode of "The Pioneer Woman" and she prepared a simple soup, which of course, was made with 7 cans from her pantry!  Here is my take on her recipe:

Ingredients

1 - 15.25oz. can corn w/ red & green peppers

1 - 15oz. can meat-only chili

1 - 15oz. can kidney beans

1 - 15oz. can pinto beans

1 - 15oz. can black beans

1 - 15oz. can diced tomatoes

1 - 10oz. can diced tomatoes w/ green chiles

8oz. block cheddar cheese

12oz. diced grilled chicken

Empty each can into a large pot over high heat.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.  

Add the pre-cooked diced chicken, and allow to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Dice the cheese, and stir into the soup until melted.  Serve with out or without sprinkled cheese & sour cream on top!

ENJOY!

Here is the original recipe by Ree Drummond: www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/7-can-soup.html

30 minutes

I wanted to prepare a quick and easy weekday meal that would be both kid-friendly & filling...and I came up with a "Chicken & Broccoli Bake"!

It's quick and easy to make!  30 minute prep time, 30 minute bake time (estimated lol)

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

1-2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 box "Rice-A-Roni" Broccili Au Gratin

1 box "Rice-A-Roni" Long Grain Wild Rice

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 12oz package frozen broccoli

*This recipe can be altered to fit your families needs!  I kinda doubled it to feed my family (1 husband & 5 kids lol)...next time I may quadruple it to allow for leftovers!*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Start by preparing each box of rice per the cooking instructions on the package.

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and cook in a skillet using olive oil (1-2 tbs.), and seasoning of your choice.  {I used Nature's Season, black pepper, garlic powder, & onion powder}

Once the chicken is done cooking - no visible pink - add the broccoli to the skillet and mix completely.  Now add the cream of chicken soup.

By this time both rice flavors should be complete.  Transfer the chicken mixture to a baking dish, followed by each of the rice flavors.  Mix everything completely, adding 3/4 of the cheese...saving 1/4 to melt on the top.

Cover with foil, and bake for approx. 30 minutes.  {Baking allows for everything to heat throughout.}  After 25 mins., remove from oven, cover with remaining cheese, and place back in the oven for the last 5 mins., uncovered, to melt cheese.

Allow the dish to cool for a couple of minutes...HOT cheese!

ENJOY!!

Here are 4 extremely tasty, healthy, and easy smoothie recies which ALL use bananas!

*All of my smoothie recipes yield 2 servings.*

Apple Banana

1 Med Apple (I prefer Gala apples)

2 Bananas

3T Peanut Butter

1C Ice Cubes

Bluberry Banana Orange

1 Banana

1 Med Orange

2C Frozen Strawberries

1C Frozen Blueberries

1C 2% Milk

Mixed Berry Orange

1 Med Orange

1C Rolled Oats

1 Banana

2C Frozen Mixed Berries

1-1/2C 2% Milk

Strawberry Banana Oatmeal

2C Frozen Strawberries

1 Banana

3/4C Rolled Oats

1T Honey

1-1/2C 2% Milk

Try them out, send me a note and let me know how you liked them!

Benefits of the peach: supports digestive health, controls blood pressure, reduces inflamation, maintains body weight, promotes skin health...and much much more!  So of course I had to incorporate it into one of my morning smoothies!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C Fresh Spinach

1 1/2 C Frozen Peaches

1 Medium Banana

2 Kiwifruit

4 T Gruond Flaxseed

1 C Almond Milk 

Add all ingredients to your blender or NutriBullet, blend and ENJOY!!

*This makes either 1 - 24oz. smoothie, or 2 - 12oz. smoothies...I usually split what I make with my husband.

Approx. 30 mins.

My version of the ever so popular pull-apart sweet treat!  I came across a few different recipes online and decided to create my own...so simple and BIG hit with my family!

Ingredients:

Bread

2 cans Pilsbury Grands! biscuits (I used Homestyle - Honey Butter)

1 8oz. package of cream cheese

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 tbsp melted margarine/butter (I only had margarine on hand - worked great!)

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish (I used glass) with cooking spray.

In a gallon size storage bag (i.e. Ziploc/Hefty), combine the sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon...shake to make sure it's all mixed well.

Open the package of the cream cheese and cut into 32 bite-size pieces...they don't have to be exact, as long as you have 32!  Because the biscuits will begin to rise as soon as they "pop" out of the can, open them one at a time.  Cut each biscuit in half and flatten out using your fingers.  Place one piece of cream cheese in the middle of the flattened biscuit, fold the sides up, roll into a ball and set aside.  Continue for each biscuit until you have 32 balls (both cans) completed.

Place 4 dough balls (more than 4 and they tend to stick together) in the storage bag, and shake until each one is thouroughly covered in the sugar mixture, then arrange closely in the baking dish.  Continue until all 32 dough balls are complete and in the baking dish.  Pour the melted margarine/butter over the buns, and sprinkle with 1-2 tbsp of the cinnamon sugar mixture (from the bag).

Bake for approx. 30 minutes, or until golden brown and firm.

While sticky buns are baking, mix the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside.  Once the buns are done and fresh out of the oven, drizzle the icing over the top.

FYI:  Center of buns will be extremely HOT, so do allow time for them to cool slightly...I know they look & smell tempting, but do you really want to risk burning your tongue for sweet gooey goodness?!?!