As I am settling in to my new work schedule, I am learning what there is to eat around my office for lunch. I work downtown and have several fun places to go. Today, I took a walk over to an area they call the "International Food Court". First stop, Mexican. I was so surprised with how great it was and will definitely be back. I ordered two small chicken soft tacos and they started making them fresh right away. It was a very simple mix of corn tortillas, chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and salsa out of a ketchup bottle. I am thinking of going to each place and giving a review. Check back for Day 2! It is so fun to live in a big city!

As usual our week hasn't gone according to my menu plan but it has been fun! Last night instead of making Gingery Chicken Tikka Kabobs with Minted Yogurt Sauce we ended up going to my in-laws for dinner.

It was so nice to have the night off from cooking and get to relax with family. My Husband's Sister just returned from a work assignment that kept her away since May. It was very nice to all be together and she brought us some amazing looking maple syrup which I am very excited to try.

Now back to the reason I titled this post delish. I ended up making the Gingery Chicken Tikka Kabobs with Minted Yogurt Sauce tonight and it was SO SO good! This will definitely be making an appearance at our house again.

I decided not to make the original pita recipe I linked to because I wasn't going to have enough time to do all the rising it needed. I ended up finding this recipe for pitas on All Recipes.com and they turned out beautifully. I would still like to try the other recipe when I have time. I also want to try this recipe but we will see. Do you have the best pita recipe?? If so please share!

Also if you try this Gingery Chicken Tikka Kabobs with Minted Yogurt Sauce please let me know what you think. I think it is amazing but I would love to hear your thoughts.

Gingery Chicken Tikka Kabobs with Minted Yogurt Sauce
from Working Mother Magazine June/July 2010

Marinade
2 Cups Plain thick Greek Style Yogurt (I used just regular plain yogurt because that is what I had)
1 (2-inch) Piece fresh ginger, peeled and pounded to a pulp
2-3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder (optional)
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 Teaspoon Ground Cardamon
Sea Salt and Fresh Black Pepper to taste
Freshly Squeezed Juice of 1 Lemon

Yogurt Sauce
6 Tablesppons Plain Thick Greek-Style Yogurt (again I used regular plain yogurt)
Freshly Squeezed Juice of 1/2 Lemon
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
Sea Salt and Fresh Black Pepper to taste
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Mint (I know this is a huge difference but I used basil because that is what I had. Still super good!)

2 Pounds Chicken Breasts cut into bite size pieces

In a small bowl, whisk together marinate ingredient. In a large zip close bag toss chicken in the marinade making sure pieces are thoroughly coated. Seal bag, refrigerate and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. I did overnight and then some since we grilled this at 9:00 PM the next day.

To prepare the yogurt sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, lemon juice and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in mint; set aside.

Drain chicken pieces, discarding any remaining marinade. Thread chicken onto prepared skewers and brush with melted butter. (We grilled ours without skewers since I was going to put them in pita bread anyway.)

Prepare a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill. Cook kabobs about 3 minutes on each side, until chicken is nicely browned and cooked through. Serve with minted yogurt sauce on the side for dipping.

I served mine with grilled veggies in a pita with the sauce on top. A perfect mid-summer meal!

I mentioned that one of my favorite cookbooks is Quick Fix Meals by Robin Miller. My husband actually gave it to me for our first wedding anniversary because it was a paper gift. I thought it was cute that he knew what a traditional first anniversary gift was. I have tried many recipes from it and always love them.

Tonight I tried something new from the book, Apricot-Jalapeno Chicken with Sesame Noodles. It has been on my "to be tried" list for quite a long time. It was very spicy to me but still delicious. I never liked spicy food before I got married but somehow my husband has changed that.

I know many of you really wanted this recipe so here it is.

Apricot-Jalapeno Chicken with Sesame Noodles
by Robin Miller (with slight changes made by me)

12 Ounces Soba Noodles
1/2 Cup Sliced Pickled Jalapenos, drained
1/2 Cup Apricot Preserves
1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Teaspoons Sesame Oil
1/2 Cup Chopped Scallions
2 Tablespoons Minced Pickled Ginger (we didn't have any so I left this out)

Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions, then drain.

Coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.

In a blender or food processor, combine the jalapenos, apricot preserves, cilantro, salt, and pepper and process until smooth.

Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish and top with the jalapeno mixture. At this point I marinated mine all day while I was at work. Robin says you can leave it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months just thaw completely before baking.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Toss noodles with soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, and ginger (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve chicken over noodles.

A week ago we went to a downtown restaurant that is known for it's "Chicken and Waffles". I have always heard about this but have never given it a try. The chicken had a sweet glaze over it and the waffle seemed to have a light syrup taste. It was served with mustard on the side. Overall it was just OK. Nothing I would write home to Mom about but blog worthy because its so interesting! Does anyone have any good southern recipes like this that we should try?

Tonight for dinner was curried chicken salad with a side of cornbread. This was a new recipe for me from a cookbook called Panini written by Melanie Bernard. You were supposed to put the chicken salad in between cornbread pieces to make a panini but that didn't work out so well. We just ended up putting the chicken salad on lettuce and having corn bread on the side. Overall, it was nice but it would be better for lunch if left on lettuce. Mix all the following ingredients together.

1/4 cup walnut halves
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dijan mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup cooked chicken breast
3 tablespoons chopped red onions
1/4 cup unpeeled Granny Smith apple
salt and pepper

I didn't add the 2 tablespoons of raisins, 2 tablespoons of coarsely chopped celery, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint that the recipe suggested.

This will be nice and light for going into summer.

A couple weeks ago I put Thai Chicken Fettuccine on my menu plan. The recipe I made was from Taste of Home and boy was it good! I am always looking for ways to use up extra cooked chicken that I have in the freezer. This seemed like a perfect way to get stuff out of the freezer and on the table.

These directions below are right from the Taste of Home website but I am putting them below to keep things easy. Take a look at their site for a better picture than I could ever take.

Thai Chicken Fettuccine

• 1 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
• 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions

• For sauce, in a microwave-safe bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Cover and microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Set aside.
• Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until chicken juices run clear (obviously I didn't do this because I used pre-cooked chicken but if you don't have any than follow these directions). Add red pepper; cook and stir until crisp-tender.
• Drain fettuccine; top with chicken mixture and sauce. Sprinkle with cilantro.

I saw this post last week on Picky Palate for Green Chili Chicken and Lime Soup. I had planned to make pulled pork sandwiches for dinner on Sunday night but this soup kept tugging at my mind. I finally gave in and left the pork in the freezer so I could make a big batch of soup for my husband and I. All I have to say is WOW!

The soup was so good and tasted amazingly fresh. We especially loved the cilantro. I know there are many people, including my Dad, who don't care for cilantro but in this recipe it just added so much.

I am sorry to say that I didn't take a picture of it but if you visit the link above there is a nice picture that is much better than anything I could have taken.

Put this in your menu plan and you will not be disappointed.

Let me first start this post by saying that I have never made such as mess cooking as I did with this recipe! I kept spilling ingredients, my counters were covered in flour and dirty pans, I forgot to add the egg whites, and lastly I did my layers all wrong. In the end, it still tasted really good so I guess that makes it a good one. And, we will be having leftovers for dinner tonight so one less day of cooking is always good : )

Next time I would definitely make this ahead of time and just keep it in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to cook. It takes a little too long to make on a week day if you are working. If you make this one, let me know if it was as messy for you as it was for me!

Cooking spray
1 1/4 pounds skinned, boned chicken breast
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 (2 1/4-ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, drained
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
2 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten or 6 tablespoons egg substitute
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut in half
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup salsa

My husband and I spent our honeymoon on the beautiful island of Maui back in 2006. I can't believe we are already working on our 4th year of marriage. I guess time flies when you are having fun.

On our trip we ate at this place called the Aloha Mixed Plate. It was one of our favorite places so when we got home I tried to duplicate their mixed plate meal of teriyaki chicken, rice and fabulous macaroni salad. I think it has something to do with the cultural past of Hawaii that their mixed plates come with macaroni salad and rice. I know two starches together doesn't sound good but trust me in this meal they are amazing!

When I make a mixed plate at home I always have chicken, rice, macaroni salad, and grilled veggies. I added the grilled veggies to get a vegetable in the meal. The only thing that really takes a recipe is the macaroni salad. For the chicken I use a bottle of teriyaki sauce, marinate the chicken for a while and then we grill or bake it in the oven. My favorite sauce is Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki.

Where the real winner of this meal comes in is the macaroni salad. I found this recipe somewhere online but I can't remember where. It is a perfect replica of our favorite Hawaiian side dish.

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

Large Macaroni (my recipe doesn't have an amount but I usually use 2-2 1/2 cups)
1/4 Cup Grated Carrots
1 Cup Best Foods Mayonnaise (THIS IS A MUST)
1/4 Cup Milk
Salt and Pepper

Cook macaroni until tender. Add grated carrots, mayonnaise, and milk till well coated. Salt and pepper to taste.

So good! Enjoy your Hawaiian dinner!

Well this just doesn't photograph well but it taste delicious and it is super easy. This is another meal I make when I am pressed for time. Today it was a doctors appointment after work so I had very little time to make dinner. Give it a try next time you are in a hurry.

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole
1 Pouch Stove Top Chicken Stuffing (6oz)
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
1 Can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/3 Cup Milk

Mix contents of stuffing mix pouch and 1 2/3 cups water; set aside.

Place chicken in 9x13 baking dish or 2 quart casserole dish. Mix soup and milk; pour over chicken. Spoon stuffing evenly over top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Easy easy!

I mentioned I would be making Lemon Chicken with Croutons in my Menu Plan Monday line up and I just wanted to show you the results. It turned out so good! It is really an easy recipe too. It takes a little bit of time in the oven (thus you need to be home) but very little time in the actual kitchen. You must try this! Whole chicken are so cheap too. Wait for a good sale and then put this on your weekly meal plan.

Happy Eating!

Rarely do I cut a recipe out of a magazine and then make it exactly like it says to but tonight I did. The picture looked so good and I happened to have all the ingredients on hand so I went to work on this jerk chicken. My husband commented how good it was even several hours after dinner. He thought it tasted very fresh. I discovered a new kitchen tool I need during this process, a meat tenderizer. It said to pound the chicken to uniform thickness. It would have been much easier with the proper tool. On the list it goes!

Jerk Chicken with Rice, Black Beans, and Pineapple (Real Simple February 2008)

1 Cup Long-Grain White Rice
1/4 Cup Cider Vinegar
1/4 Cup OJ
2 Tablespoons Jerk Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Grated Ginger
4 6-Ounce Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Kosher Salt and Pepper
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 15 Ounce Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
8 Ounces Fresh Pineapple, cut into chunks

Cook the rice according to the package.

Combine the vinegar, rum, jerk sauce, and ginger in a measuring cup or small bowl; set aside.

Pound the chicken to an even thickness. Season it with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and add the vinegar mixture. Return the skillet to low heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Divide the chicken and sauce among plates.

Stir the beans into the rice. Serve chicken with rice bean mixture and pineapple.

This chicken stir-fry was both easy and delicious. I made this meal last night and will keep it in the recipe book for an easy weeknight meal. In total, it took about 40 minutes to make because of the rice. If that is too long, you could substitute the new microwavable brown rice and leftover already cooked chicken and make it in a jiffy. In creating this recipe, I took the traditional stir-fry option and added a few twists to make it my own. Feel free to do the same. Looking back on it, shrimp would have been great! I have calculated the nutrition facts below for those who are interested. Happy cooking!

I had high hopes for today with a spectacular dinner I planned to make for my hubby and I, Chicken and Dumplings. I saw the recipe in Better Homes and Gardens while I was fighting the Swine Flu last week and decided it was perfect for getting better. I started it this afternoon during my lunch break by quartering the chicken, mixing up the dumpling batter, and defrosting some homemade chicken broth. So far so good. When I came home from work I rushed into the kitchen to start cooking and was there for the next 2 and a half hours! Oh my! I didn't see that coming. The dinner was very yummy but like my husband said, "Nothing is good enough to spend that long in the kitchen making." So if you have high ambitions and lots of patience give this recipe a shot. But don't say I didn't warn you.

Classic Chicken and Dumplings
1 Egg
3 Tbsp Cold Water
2 Tbsp Peanut Oil (I didn't have this so I used regular oil)
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1 Cup Flour
1 4 to 4 1/2 Pound Chicken, Quartered (Very proud of myself for quartering my first chicken!)
1 tsp Kosher Salt
5 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Cups Water
2 Stalks Celery
1 Medium Onion, Peeled and Sliced in Half
3 Hard Cooked Eggs, Sliced
2 Tbsp. Cold Butter, Cut Up
1/4 Cup Whipping Cream
Ground Black Pepper

1. For dumplings, in medium bowl whisk together egg, cold water, oil and the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in flour. Mix until well-blended and elastic. Cover. Refrigerate 2 hour.
2. Season chicken, including back and neck, with the 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside. In 6-quart Dutch oven combine chicken stock, water, celery, onion, and pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Add chicken pieces, placing leg quarters and backbone first. Place breast, skin side down, on top. Reduce head to just below simmer. Cover, leaving half-inch opening.
3. Cook 30 to 45 minutes or until breaks are just done; remove. Continue cooking leg quarters 30 to 40 minutes until tender; remove chicken and vegetables. Set broth in pot aside. Discard vegetables. Set chicken aside. Cool. Remove skin. Pull meat from bones, tearing into large pieces. Set aside. Discard bones.
4. For dumplings, turn dough onto well-floured surface. Roll very thin, about 1/16 inch; cut in 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 inch pieces. Return broth to boiling. Season well with additional kosher salt. Add dumplings to broth, shaking pot occasionally. Do not stir. Cook 3 to 5 minute. Add reserved chicken and egg. Reduce to simmer. Add butter, cream, and few grindings of black pepper. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover. Let stand 10 minutes.
5. Enjoy all your hard work and eat!