Kung Pao Chicken is mine and Clark's favorite dish. Ever. When we started dating he introduced me to it, and I haven't been able to get away from it. Since we're trying to continue our "eating better" goals, I was worried it was going to be impossible to make a version of this dish at home successfully.

I'm so happy that I was wrong.

This recipe is easy and, if I may say so, up to delivery-par (in our opinions, that is). If Clark approves of something like this, I feel like a total winner, which is the case with this recipe.


Ingredients:

- 1lb chicken breasts, cut into cubes or strips.
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 1 habenero pepper, sliced
Note: I used this because I couldn't find dried chilis ANYWHERE. If you can find them, slice up 1-2 dried red chilies for a more authentic taste.
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced.
- 3/4 tsp dried ginger
- 1 tbs rice cooking wine
- 1 tsp sesame oil (must)
- 2 scallions, cut into small rounds.
- 1/4 C roasted peanuts.

For the Marinade:

- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp rice wine
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbs egg white, beaten

For The Sauce:

- 1 tbs soy sauce
- 2 tbs sweet chili sauce
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 6 tbs water
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon
Note: You can use 6 tbsp of chicken or vegetable broth instead of the water/bouillon combo; I just typically don't have broth in my house!

Directions:

- Prepare the Marinade. Whisk together the salt, soy sauce, rice wine,cornstarch and egg white. Place into sealed container or ziploc bag with cut up chicken and let sit for 30 minutes in the fridge.

- Next, make the Sauce. Mix together the soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, vinegar sugar, cornstarch, water, and bouillon. Set aside.

- Heat a Wok or large pan over high heat util smoke rises. Add the oil and swirl it around. Add the habenero pepper, garlic, and ginger. Push around until garlic is golden.

- Add your chicken.Turn and toss it for 1 - 2 minutes before next step.

- Add in the rice wine and sesame oil (from first list of ingredients), stirring continuously.

- Add the scallions and continue to stir for a minute or so; the chicken should be almost cooked by now.

- Add the Sauce to the Wok. Continue to stir while it thickens.

- Add the peanuts, stir the mix a few more times, then transfer to a warm serving plate.


I served mine with homemade fried rice. Hope you enjoy!

Recipe adapted from My Kitchen Magazine

This is my new favorite recipe. I get so tired of beef tacos, and for some reason had never really made just plain chicken tacos at home. Well, consider me converted. Nowadays Clark is lucky if he gets beef, because these are awesome and so easy.

The great thing about this chicken, too, is you can use it for so many different things. In tacos, over black beans and rice, as fajita meat. When my dad was here we made fajitas at home (as well as when my friend Linden visited) and it was a huge success. So healthy, easy, and delicious.

Are you sold yet?


Ingredients:
Serves 2-6 people.

- 1-2 lbs of chicken
Note: Spices/taste will be stronger if you only use 1lb of chicken. I made it with 2.
- 1/2 C salsa
- 2 tsp hot sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- juice from one lime

Directions:

- Spray your crockpot with cooking spray and put your chicken in it.
- Pour your salsa, hot sauce, garlic, and spices over your chicken.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 2-3 in your crock pot. Shred your chicken before serving.

Yep. It's that easy.


Recipe adapted from designed by dawn nicole.

I'm ALIVE! We've had a roller-coaster of days and I can't wait to share pictures with you from my family's visit. It just sparked a flame. Being within driving distance of my older sister now is definitely something to be thankful for. The South West is growing on me day by day... as long as it's not 90 outside. But I guess I have plenty of that to look forward to.

I digress.

I wanted an easy meal to make for the hubs before he hit the road after a few complicated recipes when my sister and family were here. I found this on Just a Taste and knew I had to give it a try.


These chicken tenders are easy and delicious. Plus, if you have a toddler who loves cheese, these are perfect! What's better than chicken tenders coated in cheese crackers?

Ingredients:

- Cooking spray or olive oil
- 2 C cheddar crackers (I used reduced fat Cheez-Its)
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 to 2 lbs uncooked chicken tenders (tenderloins)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 C whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour

Directions:

- Preheat your oven to 475. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat it with your cooking spray or brush it with olive oil.
- You have two options for your crackers.

1) Pulse them in a food processor until finely ground.
2) Place the crackers in a plastic bag, seal it, and use a rolling pin to crush the crackers.

I chose the latter because I didn't want to use more dishes. Once crushed, transfer to a shallow bowl and stir in paprika.

- Whisk eggs with Dijon mustard in a separate shallow bowl. Put your flour in a third bowl. Set up your station in this order: Flour, Eggs, Crackers.


- Coat each tender in flour first, shaking off any excess. Next, dip it in the eggs. Lastly, press the tenders into the crackers, making sure to coat them well and as evenly as possible. Place the tender on your prepared baking sheet, spacing them so they don't stick together.


Note: I used 1lb of chicken, which was 8 tenders.

- Bake for around 15 minutes. Turn them in the middle (about 7-8 minutes along) to help them cook evenly.

Serve with more Dijon and expect them to be gobbled up. We didn't have any leftovers.

I pretty much let Clark dictate what's for dinner when he's home. By that I mean I give him certain choices of new and old, and he selects.

I was so glad when he picked this one.


Ingredients:

- 1.5 C salsa of your choice
- juice from one lime
- 1/8 C fresh cilantro, chopped
- homemade taco seasoning or half a package of prepared taco seasoning
*Note: I used the homemade recipe linked above, but did have about 1/3 of the seasoning left over.*

- 1 jalepeno pepper, chopped
- 1 lb chicken breasts


Directions:

- Spray your crockpot and place your chicken inside. Sprinkle your taco seasoning over the chicken breasts (turning them over to fully coat); store leftover seasoning if desired.
- Add all your other ingredients to the crock pot with the chicken. Cook on low for six hours or high for about 3.5.
- Serve with desired sides (we chose rice and beans and salad (not pictured)... yummy!).


So easy and SO good.

Recipe adapted from KeyIngredient.com.

I've never made guacamole before. Not quite sure how that's possible, since hubs and I LOVE it. But when we knew he was going to be home for the Patriots v Seahawks playoff game, I knew it was a must.


Ingredients:

- 2 very ripe avocados
- 1 roma tomato, diced
- 1/4 to 1/3 C red onion, diced finely
- 1/8 to 1/4 C cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp jalepeno, chopped finely
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/3 to 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- juice from one lime

Directions:

- Mash your avocados as you desire. Add all your other ingredients, mixing until well combined.
THAT'S IT! Not only are you keeping your ingredients fresh, but it's so easy and SO delicious.

Perfect for game day or to share with some company!

I love making meals in my crockpot. Let's face it: it is SO easy. I just stick it in there and (usually) don't have to worry about it.

Clark said this is his new favorite. I had to create a human shield to the food to make sure we had some leftovers as I planned. So, be warned.


Ingredients:

- 1 lb. stew meat (or boneless beef chuck roast sliced into thin strips)
- 1 C beef broth
- 1/2 C low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 C brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 tbsp sauce (from the crockpot after dish is cooked)
Frozen broccoli florets (I used about 2 cups)
White, Jasmine, or Brown Rice, cooked (I used brown)

You can also make fried rice to go with it! Check out a recipe here.

Directions:

- In your crockpot, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic. Gently place your beef on top of the liquid, then toss to coat.
- Turn the crockpot on low and cook for four to five hours, or high for two to three. This depends on your crockpot, so check on it near the end. Mine took about 2.5 hours.
- When it's done, in a small bowl, whisk together your cornstarch and 4 tbso if sauce to create a slurry. Pour into the crockpot and stir to mix well.
- Add your broccoli florets (after the slurry), and cook on low for another 30 minutes to thicken up the sauce and cook your broccoli.

Serve over rice. Prepare to be amazed.

This recipe was adapted from Table for Two Blog.

Want more oriental dishes? Check these recipes out!

Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

[Baked] Sweet & Sour Chicken

[Easy] Mongolian Beef

Michael and I have been struggling with sleep... again. While he seems to have a bedtime set(between 8 and 8:30 these days, he's been waking up between four and five determined to get up. I may be a morning person, but even four in the morning is ROUGH. I had success one morning in telling him we weren't getting up, and we slept until seven... but every other morning it's been by five am AT THE LATEST that we were out of bed. Needless to say I sometimes feel like I'm in a bit of a daze.

Easy dinners are my favorite. When using my crock pot I do have to plan ahead, but I love letting things cook all day and not having to really worry about them. When Mrs. Healthy Ever After posted this recipe, I immediately added it to my to-try-list, and boy am I glad.


It's the best. thing. ever.

AND MICHAEL EVEN ATE THE TURKEY!

Enough said... if you love Thanksgiving food, then you'll love this recipe.

Ingredients:

- 1 box of Uncle Ben's Wild Rice (sans seasoning)/ 3/4 C wild rice
- 1/2 to 1 small butternut squash, cut into cubes (I used half because I didn't want to be overwhelmed by the flavor)
- 1 to 2 lbs turkey tenderloin (I just used 1)
- 1 onion (I used white), cut as you like
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3 C chicken stock, low sodium
- 1/4 C dried cranberries
- 2-3 C chopped kale

Directions:

- Put your rice in the crock pot. Top it with your squash, onion, and turkey. Sprinkle with your seasonings (thyme, salt, pepper).
- Pour your chicken stock over it all. Cook on high for three hours or low for six hours, this also depends on how much turkey you use.
- Add your cranberries and kale in the last hour of cooking.


Ready... set... DEVOUR.

Original recipe found at The Fountain Avenue Kitchen.

This pasta is a super easy dish if you haven't figured out your dinner plans. The best thing about it for me was Michael actually ate it! I guess I shouldn't be surprised since it involved pasta and cheese, but he even ate the spinach... and it's not like it's exactly hidden in there.

Ingredients:

- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 to 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5 to 15 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 3/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- dash of red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 lb penne pasta
- 1 to 2 C spinach
*Optional: 1/4 to 1/2 C parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper to Taste*

Directions:

- Cook your pasta according to directions on package.
- While waiting for you pasta, heat your oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add your onion and garlic. Sautee for five minutes or so, until tender and starting to brown.
- Add your tomatoes (with juice), herbs/spices, and tomato paste. Mix and let cook for a couple of minutes.
- Cut your cream cheese into pieces (or scoop it out in sections) and whisk in your tomato mix until nice and creamy. Add around 1/4 of your *optional* parmesan cheese if desires, whisking in to the sauce.
- Add your fresh spinach, gently stirring until it is wilted in to the sauce.
- Last, but not least, add your pasta. (Make sure you've drained it before doing this, of course.) Mix gently so it soaks into the sauce and you don't have any of it flying out of the skillet.


Remove, sprinkle with more parmesan, add some salt and pepper, and serve directly.

I was so excited about this soup. After going apple picking and finding butternut squash at the store, I knew I had to have something that incorporated both. But who thinks of putting apples in soup?! I didn't until I saw this recipe on Parents, and boy did I find myself inspired.

Ingredients:

- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 to 1 C chopped carrots (I used closer to 1 C)
- 1/2 C chopped onion
- 1.5 lb butternut squash, cut into cubes
- 2 medium apples (I used Golden Delicious), cored and cut into pieces
- 3 to 4 C low-sodium chicken broth
Ground black pepper to taste
Whole grain crouton

Directions:

- Heat your olive oil in a large pot over medium/medium-high heat. Add your onion and carrot, cooking for around 8 to 10 minutes (or until tender and slightly brown).

- Add the squash, apple, and broth. Bring to boiling, then reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for around 20 minutes or until squash is tender.

*Note: I used 4 C broth and this made the soup, well, "brothy". If you want it to be a thicker consistency, I would use around 3 C.*

- Puree the soup, in batches if necessary, in a blender or food processor (I used my blender).

Serve with pepper to taste and some yummy croutons. Perfectly for cool, autumn evenings!

I have honestly never had risotto. It's always seemed so delicious, and on TV they always seem to be making it. But I've just never seen the chance or opportunity to make it.

Then I decided I needed to.

So I looked at a few risotto recipes and discovered I didn't really have any ingredients. I mean, I have some Italian sausage I had bought on a whim, and I had some brown rice, and some roma tomatoes... but none of them really looked like they wanted to make "my risotto".

Whether this is "real" or not, this is what I came up with!

Ingredients:

- 1 C rice (I used brown)
- 2.5 C water
- 1 tbsp bouillon
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder

- 1 Italian sausage (you can use Turkey-- I meant to but grabbed the regular in my fleeting moment)
- 4 roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 C spinach
Olive Oil
Dash basil/oregano

Directions:

- Place your rice, water, bouillon, and garlic powder in a larger pot. Cook your rice according to the directions on the bag/box, just with the added ingredients.
- Once your rice is cooked, move to a bowl and place in the microwave to keep warm (or keep it out-- this next step won't take too long.
- Put somewhere between 1 tsp and 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sautee your sausage until it is no longer pink/ is cooked through.
- Add your tomatoes and your spinach; cook until the spinach is just wilted (this should happen under or just around a minute). Add your basil/oregano.
- Stir in your rice. Take it a little at a time. (You may have to serve some, then add more rice, then serve again.) Mix and let sit for around five minutes before serving.


Easy and delicious!

While you are reading this I am on an airplane (or waiting to be on an airplane) with Michael, on our way to visit my parents and see my sweet niece (and my sister and brother-in-law, too, of course). By the way, in case you didn't know, my sister is Katie from See You There. Make sure to visit her site!

This is one of my favorite recipes to make when I don't have a whole lot of time. They aren't time consuming, they're delicious, and if you're craving Italian (and have a love for Basil), then these are for you!

Ingredients:

- 1 lb white ground turkey meat
- 1 small sweet onion, chopped
- 1/8 to 1/4 C freshly chopped basil
- 1/2 C whole wheat bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 jar of your favorite marinara
*Note: If you are serving these over pasta, or to your family, using two jars of sauce doesn't hurt!*

Directions:

- Pour your marinara sauce into a large pot (big enough for all your meatballs). Warm it over medium-low heat until boiling. Make sure to turn it to simmer and cover it AS SOON as it starts to boil. Don't want sauce all over your stove!
- Mix all your ingredients together (except the marinara sauce, of course) in a large bowl.
- Measure your meatballs as you please. I just rolled them in my hands, so I didn't measure them. I'd say around 2 tablespoons of meat or so.

- Put the meatballs into the marinara, spread out as much as possible. Cover the pot and cook for 25 to 45 minutes. Serve on their own or as you please!

Quick, easy, and delicious!

For more meatball recipes, check these out.

Hoison-Glazed Meatballs.


Meatballs & Zucchini "pasta".

Swedish Meatballs.

Butternut Squash is one of my fall favorites. But let’s face it, who wants to always wait around for the season to enjoy it? Not this girl! I was so excited when I found it still available at my local grocery store.

When it comes to serving meatless meals, my ideas are usually vetoed by the hubs. It comes as such a relief when I can throw something together that we will all enjoy and it doesn’t have to contain meat. This stir fry is so filling! If it had much else in it I think we would have busted.

However, if you are a “my meal must have meat” type of person, adding just about anything to this works! See the asterisk for the details.


Ingredients:

- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 green pepper, sliced
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 3 C butternut squash, cut into cubes
- 1 to 2 tbsp(s) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking rice wine

Directions:

- Heat your sesame oil, olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 minced garlic clove in a wok or large skillet over medium-low heat. Sauté until garlic is golden brown.

*If you wanted to add meat, here’s your chance! Toss it in there before you add your butternut squash and cook until golden/brown all around. It doesn’t have to be cooked all the way through just yet since you have a few more steps to go!*

- Add your butternut squash and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender.

- Add your green pepper, red pepper, onion, and the rest of your garlic and ginger. Sauté for another 5 to 10 minutes.

- Mix in your sauces (soy, teriyaki, and Chinese cooking rice wine). If you do not have rice wine, you can substitute cooking sherry or just use extra soy sauce. Let stand for at least another 5 to 10 minutes, mixing occasionally.

- Serve warm on its own or over rice.

Don't forget to VOTE FOR MICHAEL in the Parents Magazine Cover Photo Contest!