Smothered Chicken Fajita Chicken

This is one of those recipes that just sort of pops into your mind when "plan A" for dinner doesn't quite sound as good as it did earlier in the day. I totally made this up as I went along and we thought it was great! Hope you like it as well.

6 chicken breast tenders

1 large onion, sliced into thin strips

1 large green pepper, sliced into thin strips

cumin....lots of cumin

olive oil for saute'ing

pico de gallo, fresh or store bought, recipe below to make your own

Rotel Cheese dip, 
(I only made a 1/4 of a batch of cheese dip and it was plenty)

Start by sprinkling chicken with cumin. We like a lot, but do what your family prefers when it comes to the amount. Let chicken sit and absorb the flavor of the cumin.

Meanwhile, slice up onion and green pepper into thin strips.

Heat skillet over medium/high heat, then add a couple tablespoons olive oil. 

Saute' onion and peppers in hot oil until they begin to brown up. While veggies are cooking, sprinkle on some cumin to give them a Mexican flavor as well. 

When veggies begin to soften, remove them from the pan to a bowl and set aside.

Drizzle a little more olive oil in the skillet and add chicken, cumin side up. 

Let chicken cook 2-3 minutes until first side is done, then flip over to the other side and sprinkle with more cumin. I told you...we like the stuff!!!

When chicken is done, you're ready to plate your dinner. Start by placing a "bed" of onions and peppers on the plate, top with chicken, rotel sauce, fresh pico de gallo, and dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy! 

Fresh Pico De Gallo

5 whole (roma) Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 whole Large (or 1 Small) white Onion, diced small
1 tablespoon (more or less) diced jalapeno pepper
1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
Lime Juice, 1/2 of a fresh squeezed, or a couple squirts from a bottle
Salt To Taste

Once everything is diced/chopped, throw it all together and gently stir to combine.

Apple Crisp

Such a simple and scrumptious way to use up apples you have on hand. This is really the only recipe for apple crisp I have ever used. When you find any recipe you really like, you better hang on to it!

This particular time, I made individual servings...so sweet and special for the
peeps in your life! 
I also added a scoop of ice cream and a generous drizzle of caramel, WOW!

4 cups thinly sliced tart apples, I have found that whatever I have on hand works just fine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg*

Heat oven to 375*

Arrange apples in a 8X8 inch greased square pan.

Mix remaining ingredients; sprinkle over apples. I always try to completely cover the top of the apples so you get a bite of topping with each bite of apples.

Bake until top is turning a golden brown and apples are tender, about 30 minutes.

Best served warm! If I make ahead of time I always slip it back in a warm oven for a couple minutes to re-warm.

Top with ice cream and caramel sauce if desired.

*Sometimes I omit the nutmeg and use a whole teaspoon of cinnamon.

source: Betty Crocker Cookbook

Rotini with Maria Rosa Sauce

Here is a simple pasta dish that we enjoyed on a Friday during Lent. The sauce is easy, not as easy as opening up a jar of marinara, but easy enough and tasty enough to make it worth a little effort. Just give yourself enough time to let the sauce simmer to enhance all the flavors.

Here's what you need to get started:

rotini pasta, however much you need for your family,
or pasta of your choice, I think penne would work great, too
grated Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top

Maria Rosa Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onions
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian, flat leaf parsley
4 cups canned whole plum tomatoes, about one 35 oz. can
(crush the tomatoes using your hands or chop with a knife before adding to the sauce, or puree them in a food processor if you like your sauce less chunky)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter in the olive oil.

Add carrots, celery and onion and garlic and cook until softened about 8-10 minutes.

Stir in the parsley and tomatoes.

Bring the sauce to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the tomatoes are sweetened and cooked about 45 minutes.

When sauce is close to being done, prepare pasta according to package directions.

Drain pasta and toss with enough of the sauce to thoroughly coat pasta.

Dish up the pasta and top with extra sauce and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

*You could add a pound of ground chuck to the sauce to make a meat sauce for topping pasta. Just add it to the vegetables after they have begun to soften and cook until done, then finish the recipe from that point, adding the tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper.

This was very reminiscent of pasta we would have ordered in Italy. And even though I made it without meat, it was very filling and healthy with all the veggies in it.

We loved it!