main dishes Archives - Page 10 of 16

Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes from Alida's Kitchen

Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato #WeekdaySupper #FamilyDinnerTable

October 18, 2013 ·

Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato is a delicious combination of tangy-sweet barbecue chicken with a sweet potato, topped with green onions (and optional cheese). This super easy dish is perfect for a weeknight!

One of our favorite summer meals is to grill barbecue chicken, served with a side of sweet potato fries and a green vegetable or side salad. Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato is kind of a spin on the meat and potatoes of that meal, only simplified. Instead of peeling and cutting the sweet potatoes, just scrub, poke and bake. For the chicken, I typically utilize one of three go-to options: 1) The easiest option is to use any leftover Baked Barbecue Chicken; 2) Poach and shred chicken breast; or 3) Pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred it. With whichever method is used, just toss the shredded chicken in a sauce pan with additional barbecue sauce to warm up and moisten the chicken.

Last Sunday, the Sunday Supper Movement partnered up with American Family Insurance as they launch their Back to the Family Dinner Campaign. The theme was big Sunday Supper meals that make leftovers to be reinvented into Weekday Suppers. Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato is one of my favorite recipes for using up leftover Baked Barbecue Chicken, and I am pleased for the opportunity to share this with you for this Weekday Supper!…

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: barbecue, dinner, easy, quick, sweet potato

Baked Barbecue Chicken ~ easy and healthy!

Baked Barbecue Chicken #SundaySupper #FamilyDinnerTable

October 13, 2013 ·

Baked Barbecue Chicken is a quick and easy recipe for enjoying a classic favorite, made in a healthy way. For some reason, Barbecue Chicken always makes me think of summer, but we enjoy this dish no matter what the weather is outside – even when there are several feet (!!) of snow on the ground! Perhaps it’s a little too early to be discussing snow…

The concept of Baked Barbecue Chicken is not new to the blog. I have made a few tweaks to the previous recipe to simplify the process and yield a shorter cooking time ~ all with great results. This recipe is very easy. You can make your own barbecue-style sauce (like this easy pantry sauce or this one if you like some spice). If you prefer, a store-bought sauce also works great. The recipe can easily be adjusted to yield more or fewer servings to fit your needs. I like to make plenty of extras because barbecue chicken is so versatile and leftovers can be transformed into something different for a quick and easy weeknight supper….

Filed Under: Admin, gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: baked, barbecue, chicken, dinner, easy, quick, spicy

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili #SundaySupper

October 6, 2013 ·

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili is a chunky, spicy chili with a hint of sweetness that combines two superfoods into an easy, healthy, one-pot meal. {vegan, gluten-free}

As the temperatures get cooler, we tend to gravitate toward warm comfort foods, such as baked pastas, soups, and chili. This is one of the many reasons that Fall is my favorite time of year for cooking and baking! On Sundays, I love to make a big pot of chili or a pan of baked tortellini to have leftovers for lunches or easy dinners throughout the week.

While I have several favorite old standby recipes, I am am always looking to find new recipes to try. This Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili will definitely become part of the regular rotation. Sweet potatoes and black beans are two of my favorite superfoods that go so well together; there are lots of vegetables; there is plenty of spice to warm you up; and this recipe is very simple to make in under 45 minutes using just one pot. (which also means easy clean up!)

The theme for Sunday Supper this week is one pot recipes. Since one pot meals are typically easy recipes, this theme is right up my alley! The group is sharing recipes for slow cookers to desserts and everything in between that can be made in one pot or pan or dish, you get the idea. Be sure to check out what everybody made below. …

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, soup, vegan, vegetarian Tagged With: black beans, chili, dinner, easy, low fat, quick, sweet potato, vegan, vegetable

English Muffin Grilled Cheese

October 4, 2013 ·

English Muffin Grilled Cheese sandwich is a fun twist on a traditional childhood favorite…and a clever solution for my picky eater!

Kids’ tastes in food are one of life’s great mysteries. Take cheese, for example. For the first three years of Adam’s life, cheese was one of his favorite foods. He had cheese broiled on an English muffin for lunch almost every day. These days, he has a ‘thing’ about cheese. He says he doesn’t like cheese, but sometimes he wavers. He still loves English muffins though. So I decided to try an experiment….

Filed Under: kid-friendly, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: cheese, dinner, easy, quick, sandwich, whole wheat

Garlicky Spaghetti with Roasted Broccoli #WeekdaySupper

October 1, 2013 ·

With 10 cloves of garlic, Garlicky Spaghetti with Roasted Broccoli is garlic lovers dream! This easy recipe is quick to make, healthy and perfect for a weeknight.

When pressed for time, pasta one of our go-tos for a quick and easy dinner. While it can be simple, pasta is also versatile enough to allow for creativity…or at least some variety. Whenever I try a new recipe, I look at the garlic amount and typically double it. Not necessary with Garlicky Spaghetti with Roasted Broccoli. It has 10 cloves of garlic! I wondered if the garlic might be overwhelming, but it is tempered when sauteed and nicely balanced with the cheese and crushed red pepper. Roasted broccoli adds a wonderful little crunch as well. …

Filed Under: healthy, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: broccoli, cheese, dinner, easy, garlic, pasta, quick, vegetable

Tortellini Primavera - a quick and healthy pasta dish made on the lighter side!

Tortellini Primavera #WeekdaySupper

September 24, 2013 ·

Tortellini Primavera is a creamy, cheesy pasta dish made with with lots of vegetables. It is quick, easy and healthy ~ perfect for a weeknight!

Like most people, we are always looking for quick and easy recipes for weeknight dinners. While frozen pizza or takeout seem like a quick fix for those busy nights, we always prefer something healthier, tastier, and homemade. But like I said, it has to be easy, right? This Tortellini Primavera is all that, plus it’s super tasty! With all the vegetables, the cheese, the creaminess, the cheese-filled tortellini, and being easy to make, you really can’t go wrong. …

Filed Under: healthy, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: cheese, cream cheese, easy, light, low fat, mushrooms, pasta, quick, spinach, tomatoes, vegetable

Baked Pumpkin Pasta #WeekdaySupper

September 4, 2013 ·

Baked Pumpkin Pasta is a quick, healthy pasta dish made with pumpkin, zucchini and ricotta cheese. This simple comfort food is perfect for a weeknight dinner.

I’ve said it many times before, and I’ll say it again: Fall is my favorite time of year for cooking and baking. Mainly because I love pumpkin recipes! While I typically prefer to use pumpkin in baked goods, this Baked Pumpkin Pasta made for a delightful, easy and healthy weeknight dinner. …

Filed Under: healthy, kid-friendly, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: baked, cheese, easy, pasta, pumpkin, quick, vegetable, zucchini

Cheesy Broccoli Penne Pasta

August 8, 2013 ·

Cheesy Broccoli Penne Pasta dish is made on the lighter side with a light cheddar and Parmesan sauce and fresh broccoli. A quick and healthy stove top meal, this is a great weeknight dinner!

We love cheesy pasta dishes, and generally the more cheese the better, right? In summer months we tend to gravitate to lighter meals, leaving our beloved cheesy baked pasta dishes by the wayside. They can be a bit heavy, and while I love baked pasta, I don’t always love to turn on the oven when the temperatures rise. That’s where this Cheesy Broccoli Penne Pasta dish is perfect. It has a light cheddar and Parmesan cheese sauce ~ just enough to coat the pasta and broccoli. And it’s all made on the stove top in under 30 minutes. You can’t beat that!…

Filed Under: kid-friendly, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: cheese, cooking light, cream cheese, easy, pasta, quick, vegetable

sunflower seed butter buttermilk waffles

Sunbutter Waffles

June 27, 2013 ·

Sunbutter Waffles are whole wheat, buttermilk waffles made with sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter (or other nut butter), making them a nut-free alternative. While perfect just as-is, we also enjoy them topped with additional sunbutter, berries or maple syrup.

We have had a waffles iron for years, but for whatever reason it hasn’t been used much…well, until recently. If you’re a regular reader, you know how much my Adam loves pancakes. At least once per week, I make his favorite kind(s) of pancakes to load up the freezer and/or just to have on hand. Sometimes I would end up making a double (or triple!) batch. On my small little griddle, this exercise could take hours. A labor of love I guess. These days, with a newborn in the house, it’s a bit tricky to devote that much time to cooking or baking anything. On a whim, I decided to try my hand at waffles. Due to Adam’s peanut allergy, I opted to transform my beloved peanut butter waffles into sunbutter waffles. I was pleased to discover cooking waffles is much quicker than flipping pancakes. And Adam had 5 waffles for breakfast that day. Operation waffle was a success!

For another recipe using sunbutter, try these Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars. They make a great snack!

Sunbutter Waffles

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

1¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
¼ cup canola oil
6 tablespoons sunflower seed butter
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a medium bowl, with a hand mixer, beat oil and sunflower seed butter until smooth. Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla and stir until incorporated.
Add buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until combined. Let mixture sit for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat waffle iron. Cook waffles according to the manufacturer directions for your waffle iron.

Notes

Note: Store leftovers in the refrigerator and toast to reheat. These also freeze well.

Adapted from Everyday Food

Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: baby/toddler, brunch, buttermilk, easy, freezer friendly, quick, sunflower butter, waffles

Jalapeno Popper Pasta

June 18, 2013 ·

Jalapeno Popper Pasta is a cheesy, spicy dish where comfort food meets an appetizer favorite. This grown-up mac ‘n cheese dish is filled with tasty jalapeno peppers, topped with garlic breadcrumbs and is made a little lighter too!

While Mike and I were pretty sure we would enjoy Jalapeno Popper Pasta, because I mean really…between the cheese and garlic breadcrumbs and a nice kick from the jalapenos…it’s a safe assumption, right? Well, this is how it typically goes down when I want to photograph our dinner for the blog. I load up a plate for photos and head over to my photo spot. I tell Mike to go ahead and start without me, but he always says he wants to wait. (He might sneak a bite or two). Photos take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes depending on various factors, and then we eat! These photos didn’t take long, maybe 5 minutes. I went to the table, and Mike had already finished. He just smiled and went to load up for seconds. It’s that good!

If you’re lucky enough to have a garden full of jalapenos, this Jalapeno Popper Pasta is a delicious, new and different way to use them up.

Jalapeno Popper Pasta

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

8 ounces pasta (rotini, gemelli, or any other similar shape will work)

For the Garlic Breadcrumbs:

¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
pinch salt

For the Sauce:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 jalapeno peppers, minced (to yield approx ¼ cup)
6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, cut into 6 pieces
1 cup skim milk
1 cup Monterey jack cheese
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

COOK PASTA: Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente. Drain and set aside.
MAKE BREADCRUMBS: Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium, nonstick skillet and add breadcrumbs and (1 clove) minced garlic. Stir frequently until breadcrumbs begin to brown and garlic is fragrant. Add a pinch of salt, remove from heat and set aside.
MAKE SAUCE: In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add peppers and cook for 3 minutes, or until onion and peppers are softened. Add garlic during the last minute, cooking until fragrant.
Reduce heat to medium and add cream cheese to onion mixture. Stir until melted. Add milk, stirring until incorporated. Add cheese and chili powder and stir until melted and smooth.
PUT IT TOGETHER: Remove sauce from heat. Add cooked pasta to sauce and toss until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
SERVE: Divide on serving plates and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of garlic breadcrumbs. Top with jalapeño rings for garnish (optional).

Notes

Adapted from Rachael Ray

It’s my favorite time of month again…the Eating with the Alphabet Challenge hosted by Brenda from Meal Planning Magic! This month we were to showcase a recipe using a fruit, vegetable or grain that begin with the letters I or J. I obviously went with J for jalapeño.

The past few months, I have been able to knock out several recipes from my bucket list with this challenge, and each of these recipes have become household staples. Gotta love a 3 year old who can’t get enough of roasted chickpeas (we go through 1 can every 1 to 2 days!)