Playing catch up and Fast & Easy Turkey Joes

I know, I know, I have been truly M.I.A. for the past couple of months. Don't think that the kitchen closed down or anything.  The hubby and I have been starting a new endeavor to raise money for our adoption.  We are now making and selling cake pops and cake ball truffles and no I'm not posting any recipes on here. Why give away my secrets so then y'all won't buy any and help us to bring our baby home?
;-)

Mmmm, now don't those look good? Too bad you guys don't have smell-o-vision because they smell & taste as good as they look! [LOL!] Seriously, though if you guys would like to take a look over at our new site, we've got a lot of goodies, homemade crafts, and jewelry for sale. We've come a long way since our beaded bracelet sale although we do still have those on there too.  The new site is available at www.BringingHomeBabyBurns.org.  Check us out and let me know if you'd like to order something.  You'd get some delicious treats to eat and we'd be a few steps closer to bringing our baby home.

Now, on to today's recipe...
I came home from work on Thursday with no clue what I wanted to eat for dinner. Thursdays are my late nights at work so I knew whatever it was it would have to be quick and easy and something involving ground turkey since that's what I had thawed in the refrigerator.  I went to Monique's blog DivasCanCook and found an easy recipe for Sloppy Joes. We had almost all the ingredients in the refrigerator, so that's what we made. Threw some sweet potato tater tots in the oven and dinner was served, quick and easy, just like I like it...

Now Monique's original recipe for her Fast & Easy Sloppy Joes can be found on the link, but you know I had to modify it. Why? Because that's what I do...  Hubby says that I have problems following directions, but I think I'm just creative and like to put my own spin on things. Besides, who knows better than I do what my taste buds like? Right??? LOL!
So here's the recipe, hope you like it. Let me know if you try it!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound ground beef - extra lean
1/2 pound ground turkey - extra lean
1/2 cup onions - chopped
1/2 cup bell peppers - chopped
1 clove garlic - minced
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp Liquid Smoke
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
8 oz. can tomato sauce

DIRECTIONS
1.  Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Brown ground meat and drain, set aside.
2.  Saute onions & bell peppers in skillet until tender.
3.  Add garlic and saute, stirring frequently until fragrant (approximately 1 minute).
4.  Add meat back to skillet and stir well.
5.  Add all remaining ingredients and stir well to incorporate.
6.  Reduce heat and let simmer for 3-5 more minutes.
7.  Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

So Thursday nights are my late nights at work.  I don't get off until 7pm.  I sent my hubby a text around 5:30 or so asking him if he felt up to making my latest Kitchen Kreation for me or did he want to go get some take out.

He never replied back, so I just thought, oh well, he'll figure it out.

LOL!

So anyway, I came up with this new one and calculated the recipe out on sparkpeople. For 8 small servings, the calorie count came out to 197! For 6 larger servings, the calorie count was 263!  Have I mentioned before how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE figuring out a low calorie meal???  It turned out to be really good, very nutritious and full of vegetables.

INGREDIENTS

6 cups cooked spaghetti squash (1 small-medium sized squash)
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 jar Ragu sauce (I used the Ragu Sauteed Onion & Garlic, but feel free to use your favorite)
2 Tbsp ketchup (optional - more or less to taste)
1 cup onions - chopped
1 cup bell peppers - chopped
1 pound lean ground turkey (93%)
2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt (optional)

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Stab squash several times and put it in the ;microwave on high for 12-15 minutes.
2. While squash is cooking, brown ground turkey.
3. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic. Saute until tender.
4. Drain any excess grease or liquid when done and set aside.
5. When squash is tender, slice the squash open, and scoop out and discard the seeds.
3. Take a fork and start scraping at the "meat" of the squash.
4. Over medium-low heat, place squash and meat in medium sized pot. Add spaghetti sauce to pot. Stir well to combine.
5. Add ketchup, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper to pot. Stir well.
6. (Optional) Top with 1 tsp of Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Hubby said this was his kind of recipe. It was easy and delicious! This is actually only the 2nd time we have tried the spaghetti squash but I believe it's a keeper.

Hope you enjoy!

KITCHEN KREATION: Crustless Spinach & Bacon Quiche

Bonjour, mes amis! I know, I know, I've been gone for a minute. Don't think that I haven't still been cooking my version of healthier foods.  No, I've just been lazy lately about posting my creations on here.

Last weekend I decided to dive into the art of french cooking.  Well, as close as I can get anyway...
I  love love love quiche, but I don't love all the calories that come from the homemade pie crust, the cheese, the butter, the cream, etc etc...
I decided to jump on google to see if there was a recipe online for a crustless quiche. Low and behold I found a couple but I couldn't find any heart healthy versions. So you know what I did, I made my own. With that being said, I realized this morning that this blog is SUPPOSED to be celebrating recipes from around the world. It seems that hubby and I apparently spend a lot of time in Mexico and Italy, however, so it is now time to branch out to the wonderful country of France.

And yes, I do realize that my version is not an actual authentic French recipe, but this is my creation and it turned out good. Let me know if you decide to try it. I think you'll enjoy it!  I'm going to make another one this weekend with turkey sausage and more veggies. I'll let you know how it comes out.

INGREDIENTS
2 eggs
1 cup liquid egg whites
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup Kraft fat free shredded cheddar
1 BabyBel Light Cheese round - shredded
1/2 cup onions-chopped
1 clove garlic - minced
6 slices of turkey bacon - chopped
10 oz. bag of frozen spinach - thawed & drained
salt & pepper - to taste
cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. Microwave spinach according to package directions, drain excess liquid and set aside.
2. Chop onions & turkey bacon, set aside.
3. In medium-sized bowl, mix eggs, egg whites, and skim milk. Whisk until well mixed.
4. Add salt, pepper, onions, garlic, turkey bacon and cheese to mixture. Stir well until combined.
5. Add drained spinach. Stir well.
6. Spray pie plate with cooking spray and gently pour egg mixture into pan.
7. Place in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until center of quiche is firm.
8. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
9. Cut and enjoy.

Our quiche made 6 servings.
According to SparkPeople, that came out to be 121.4 calories/serving!
An excellent source of protein and a quick and easy breakfast for the rest of the week. I just placed the extra servings in a container in the refrigerator. On my protein days (Mon, Wed, Fri), I took one out and microwaved it to have a healthy and quick breakfast with a side of fruit.  Can't get any better (or easier) than that.

Hope you enjoy!

KITCHEN KREATION: General Tso's Chicken

Family, I'm back! Tonight I decided to try my hand at making Chinese at home again. Hubby's favorite dish whenever we go out to eat at a Chinese restaurant is General Tso's Chicken. As a matter of fact, the decision as to whether we will be back or not is primarily based on if the restaurant has a good General Tso's. It has to combine the exact right amount of sweet and spicy in order to score my hubby's affection. If the General Tso's is not up to par, there is a good chance that we will never be back.

The problem with the General Tso's that is sold in the restaurant is that it is battered and deep fried then smothered with a sweet sauce. There might be 2 or 3 broccoli sprigs thrown on just to say that there are vegetables on the plate. The caloric intake of a plate of General Tso's tends to average around 1300 calories with a staggering 3200 mg of sodium! Since hubby is being dragged along in my attempts to make us both healthier, I decided to make his favorite dish at home with my own little spin on it.

To start off, there was no batter anywhere near my chicken. It was also pan fried with about a tablespoon of oil versus being deep fried in oil. I also did not use any MSG and used low sodium sauces as much as possible. Hopefully my version is at least a little healthier. We'll find out when I calculate everything on SparkPeople. Hope you enjoy my healthier version!

INGREDIENTS
2-3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken
12 ounce bag of frozen broccoli
½ onion – sliced thinly
1 clove garlic – minced
½ tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp corn starch
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce

1 cup low sodium chicken stock
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil (stir fry oil)
2 Tbsp cooking sherry
1.5 tsp hot chili garlic sauce
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp cornstarch
water


DIRECTIONS

1. Make sauce by adding chicken stock, sugar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cooking sherry, hot chili garlic sauce, and hoisin sauce to bowl. Stir well until rice has dissolved.
2. Rinse chicken well. Cut into bite sized 1 inch pieces.
3. Pour in ¼ cup soy sauce & 2 Tbsp corn starch. Mix well and marinate for 5 minutes.
4. While meat is marinating, prepare vegetables. Thinly slice ½ yellow onion.
5. Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in hot wok. Add chicken and sauté until browned. Remove from wok and let drain on plate with paper towels.
6. Add another Tbsp of vegetable oil to wok. Add onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute until tender and fragrant.
7. Add chicken to wok and stir well to incorporate flavors.
8. Make thickener slurry by mixing 2 Tbsp cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Should just have enough water to dissolve the cornstarch. Stir well until dissolved and add to sauce.
9. Stir sauce well and add to hot wok.
10. Bring chicken and sauce mixture to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken.
11. Serve with rice and enjoy!

This just in, according to SparkPeople, for six servings, my version only has 301 calories and 1404 mg sodium. That's a big improvement from the numbers in the restaurant, but I will have to tweak this a little more to get the sodium levels down lower. May omit the dark soy sauce next time and the soy sauce used to marinate the chicken. I think next time I will just coat the chicken in the corn starch and saute it up that way. Will keep you posted.

I checked again and if the soy sauce used to marinate the chicken and the dark soy sauce is omitted, the sodium levels drop down to 799 mg. I think I can live with that...


Hubby gave this one two thumbs up and said that if I keep this up, I'm gonna give the local restaurants a run for their money. LOL!!!

KITCHEN KREATION: Unstuffed Pepper Bake

Tonight's menu was inspired by a sample eaten at the grocery store this weekend. The lady at the counter told us that the name of this delicious concoction was the Unstuffed Pepper Bake. It was really tasty, so of course I quickly grabbed one of the recipe cards, looked it over and realized I already had all of the ingredients at home and started plotting how I could put my own spin on this tasty treat.

This recipe was an easy way to get the taste of a stuffed pepper without all the work! I hope you like it, because it was really good.

*NOTE: I used a combination of ground beef & ground turkey and less rice than the original recipe called for. Originally, the recipe was for 1 pound of lean ground beef and 1.5 cups of rice. Since I doubled the meat, I also doubled the seasoning, so if you are going to use the 1 pound of meat, divide all seasoning (including the Worcestershire sauce) in half for your recipe. The tomato, cheese, and 15 oz can of tomato sauce amounts are the same as the original recipe. I also added the additional 8 oz can of tomato sauce since there was more meat included in my version and we didn't want the casserole to be too dry.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground beef – extra lean
1 lb ground turkey – extra lean
1 bag frozen Onions & Three Pepper Blend - chopped
2 garlic cloves – minced
1 tsp seasoning salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
14.5 oz can Petite Diced Tomatoes – drained
1 cup Instant Brown Rice
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp Italian seasoning
8 oz package Finely Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese – divided
15 oz can Tomato Sauce, no salt
8 oz can Tomato Sauce, no salt
Cooking spray


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté ground beef & turkey with the chopped onions/peppers blend and garlic for 10 minutes, or until meat is browned & vegetables are tender.
3. Drain off excess fat and water and season with salt and pepper.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, 8 oz can of tomato sauce, rice, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning.
5. Remove from heat and stir in ½ of cheese.
6. Spray cooking spray into a 13x9 baking dish.
7. Spread mixture evenly in baking dish and top with 15 oz can of tomato sauce and remaining cheese.
8. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes on center oven rack, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.
9. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
10. Enjoy!

Makes 8 servings.
According to the handy dandy Sparkpeople recipe calculator, 1 serving was only 307 calories! Eureka! I think I did a pretty good job adapting this recipe to make it healthier with less calories.

KITCHEN KREATIONS: Ground Beef and Turkey Enchilada Casserole

Off to Mexico we go again, fam! I wanted to try this recipe for Chicken Enchiladas, but when I went to the grocery store, I didn't know if I was supposed to get the green enchilada sauce or the red enchilada sauce. I ended up getting the red enchilada sauce. After watching the food network and a couple of Youtube videos, I learned that for chicken enchiladas you are supposed to use the green sauce. For beef, you are supposed to used the red sauce. So, my menu changed from Chicken Enchiladas to Ground Beef and Turkey Enchiladas. Hey, I can be flexible...

On tonight's menu is the enchilada casserole. We are also having Mexican rice (Zatarain's Yellow Rice + Green Giant Mexicorn), and refried beans. Since I still wasn't able to find the recipe that I was looking for, I decided to free-style it again and make my own. I seem to be on a roll today...

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. ground turkey

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 chopped yellow onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 package McCormick Taco seasoning
1 package McCormick Enchilada seasoning
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 1/2 cups water
8 oz can of tomato sauce
10 oz can of Rotel tomatoes (Mexican)
Old El Paso Mexican flavored 60 second rice (optional)
12 corn tortillas
1 package shredded cheese
4.5 oz. can mild green chilis
2 cans red enchilada sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
Pam's cooking spray
sour cream - to garnish (optional)
green onions - to garnish (optional)

Zatarain's Yellow Rice
11 oz. can Green Giant Mexicorn (drained)
1 Tbsp butter

16 oz. can Fat Free Refried Beans
1/2 tsp dried cilantro
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat olive oil in large skillet.
Saute onions and garlic in skillet until tender.
Add ground turkey & ground beef to skillet. Cook until browned completely.
Drain fat from meat and crumble into small pieces. Return to skillet, reduce heat.
Add Rotel tomatoes, cilantro, water, taco & enchilada seasonings, tomato sauce, green chilis & enchilada sauce to meat.
Microwave 60 second rice. Add to meat mixture. Stir well.
Bring to boil, stirring often. Reduce heat.
While meat is cooking, prepare rice according to package directions. Add Mexicorn. Let simmer together until rice is done. Add butter and cover.

Prepare casserole:
Spray 9 x 13 casserole dish with Pam cooking spray.
Layer meat and sauce mixture in bottom of casserole dish.
Cut tortillas in half or in strips and place over meat mixture.
Add shredded cheese.
Repeat layers as needed.
Place shredded cheese on top of last tortilla layer.
Cover casserole with aluminum foil.
Cook in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and place back in oven for additional 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.

Add 1/8 cup water to microwave-safe bowl. Add refried beans and seasonings. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes until hot.

Enjoy!

KITCHEN KREATIONS: Chicken Parmesan with Angel Hair pasta

MIDWEEK FEAST: Chicken Parmesan with Angel Hair Pasta

So, all week long, I have been having this craving for Italian food. I scoured the internet looking for recipes and finally decided to take their ideas and make my own.

Let me tell you, this has got to be one of my best "kreations" yet. The chicken came out so flavorful and tender. The hubby said that it tasted like something from the Olive Garden (high praise indeed). So, give it a try and let me know what you think.

INGREDIENTS
Thin-cut boneless/skinless chicken breasts
Ragu spaghetti sauce (Your choice. We used Sautéed Onion & Mushroom)
Angel hair pasta noodles
½ cup parmesan cheese
½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
½ cup shredded cheese (Your choice. We used the Kraft Italian blend.)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
Non-stick cooking spray
1 Tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS
1. Rinse chicken breasts.
2. In shallow dish add the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Stir to combine and mix well.
3. Season chicken breasts with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasonings.
4. Spray chicken breasts with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Dip chicken breasts in parmesan/bread crumb mixture.
6. Heat olive oil in skillet and add breaded chicken breasts when hot.
7. Brown chicken breasts on both sides, approx 6-8 minutes.
8. While chicken is cooking, prepare angel hair pasta according to package directions.
9. When chicken is browned, add approximately 1 cup of spaghetti sauce to chicken.
10. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.
11. Add shredded cheese to top of chicken breasts, cover again. Remove from heat.
12. Drain angel hair pasta and return to pot.
13. Add remaining spaghetti sauce to pasta, stir well to combine.
14. Plate and enjoy!

KITCHEN KREATIONS: Chicken Stir-Fry w. Brown Rice (new & improved recipe)

MIDWEEK FEAST: Chicken Stir-Fry w. Brown Rice (new recipe)

So, tonight I wanted to try my hand at making Chinese again. We had some left over chicken thighs from our Chicken Alfredo pizza that I made yesterday. It was so yummy and I had 3 chicken thighs left, so I thought well, what can I make that will be quick and easy and semi-healthy for us. I thought about trying out a Food Network recipe that I found for Chicken Parmigiana, but changed my mind. It didn't seem as easy or as quick as making the stir-fry, so that's what I chose. I thought I would try some of my new Chinese 5-Spice seasoning that I got from the wonderful Soulard Spice Shop located at the Soulard Market in St. Louis, MO. [The link to order online is included, just click on the name. You can get every spice imaginable from them! I will be doing a blog about the Spice Shop another day after going to visit them again to try to get some pictures.]

I also changed the recipe by adding a little ginger to it. It definitely gave the stir-fry a different taste, not better or worst, just different. We both approve. So, I hope that someone out there tries my Stir-Fry recipe and lets me know what you think. Thanks again and have a blessed day!

Ingredients
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1-2 bags frozen stir-fry vegetables (of your choice. We use 2 bags b/c I like a lot of veggies.)
½ medium onion
½ tsp garlic salt
2 tsp cornstarch
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp cooking oil (or stir fry oil)

Sauce Ingredients

1 cup chicken broth
4 Tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp Chinese 5 spices seasoning
2 tsp cornstarch with water (thickener)

Directions:

1. Remove all of the fat from the chicken and then cut each breast into 1 inch pieces.
2. Sprinkle these pieces with the garlic salt and cornstarch and mix it in thoroughly. Then set the pieces aside while preparing the other ingredients.
3. In a large cup, mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce and set this mixture aside.
4. In a small cup, make the thickener by mixing the cornstarch with a little water just until it dissolves and set it aside.
5. Heat a non stick wok on high. Once the wok is hot add the cooking oil and let it get hot.
6. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes to soften.
7. Add the chicken and stir fry it until it browns, about 6 to 8 minutes. To help the chicken brown quickly, let it sit for about 2 minutes on one side, then stir it, flipping it over. Let it sit again for another 2 minutes before stirring once more.
8. Once the chicken browns, add in the vegetables and saute until tender.
9. Add the sauce mixture. Add first 6 sauce ingredients together and let the sauce come to a boil.
10. Once the sauce boils, add in the cornstarch mixture and stir until it becomes thick.
11. Then remove from the heat and serve. This is great with fried rice and white or brown steamed rice.
12. Eat and enjoy!

KITCHEN KREATIONS: Chicken Alfredo Pizza

MIDWEEK FEAST: Chicken Alfredo Pizza

One of the blogs that I follow is named "Cooking with Cynthia". I have been eyeballing one of her recipes for a homemade pizza and I finally decided to make it tonight.

Of course, I had to change and adapt the recipe just a little bit (that's what I do). Let me tell you, I think that Cynthia has made me a convert from the store-bought and restaurant pizza lover to a home-made pizza lover. On top of knowing exactly what is going on my pizza, the amount of salt, etc., I feel like it is a lot healthier. That is probably just a delusion considering the amount of cheese I layered on this thing, but at least I did good and only ate one slice. Hmm, as of this exact moment, I have only had one slice... [LOL]

This pizza is really easy to make and let me tell you, it was delicious! Cynthia's original version can be found here on her Chicken Alfredo Pizza page. For my version of her recipe, here are the ingredients and directions:

Ingredients
4-5 boneless skinless chicken tenderloins (thawed, cleaned, and cut into chunks)
1 can Pillsbury pizza crust
8 oz. bag of shredded cheese (I used the mixed Pizza blend)
1/2 cup Ragu Alfredo sauce
1/2 package frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Pam cooking spray
Seasoning - to taste
(I used Tony Chachere's creole seasoning, Italian seasonings, black pepper, garlic powder, & onion powder - approximately 1/2 to 1 tsp each.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Directions

1. Place chopped spinach in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 4 minutes.
2. Season chicken with whatever seasonings you prefer.
   
3. Saute onion and garlic in vegetable oil until soft and tender.
4. Add chicken and saute in skillet until lightly browned.
5. While chicken, onion, and garlic are cooking, hand roll pizza crust into pizza pan.
   
6. (Optional) Spray pizza crust lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle a light dusting of garlic salt & Italian seasonings onto pizza crust.
7. Poke holes in pizza crust with fork.
8. Spread the alfredo sauce on pizza crust evenly.
9. Add 1/2 bag of cheese (approximately 1 cup).
10. Squeeze moisture out of chopped spinach and use approximately 1/2 of package. Place onto pizza.
11. Add onion, garlic, and chicken mixture to pizza, spreading evenly.
12. Add remaining cheese to pizza (approximately 1 cup).
    
13. Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese has melted.
14. Enjoy!

Again, I repeat, this was super easy to make and came out delicious. Disclaimer: if you aren't a garlic lover, feel free to decrease the amount or omit it all together. My happily-stuffed lab rat (aka my dear hubby) gives this two thumbs and a big toe up! LOL
Hope you enjoy it.

KITCHEN KREATIONS: Chicken Stir-Fry with Rice

MIDWEEK FEAST: Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry with Rice

So today, I was in the mood to try my hand at making my own Chinese food again. So, off to Youtube I went to search for the perfect recipe. I found one with my girl Lila from AsianCookingMadeEasy. I actually combined her Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry recipe with her Chicken in Garlic Sauce recipe. Let me tell you, it came out really good. You should try it. Here’s my recipe.

Ingredients
2-3 chicken breasts
Frozen stir-fry vegetables
½ medium onion
½ tsp garlic salt
2 tsp cornstarch
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp cooking oil

Sauce Ingredients
1 cup chicken broth
4 Tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp cornstarch with water (thickener)

Directions:

1. Remove all of the fat from the chicken and then cut each breast into 1 inch pieces.
2. Sprinkle these pieces with the garlic salt and cornstarch and mix it in thoroughly. Then set the pieces aside while preparing the other ingredients.
3. In a large cup, mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce and set this mixture aside.
4. In a small cup, make the thickener by mixing the cornstarch with a little water just until it dissolves and set it aside.
5. Heat a non stick wok on high. Once the wok is hot add the cooking oil and let it get hot.
6. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes to soften.
7. Add the chicken and stir fry it until it browns, about 6 to 8 minutes. To help the chicken brown quickly, let it sit for about 2 minutes on one side, then stir it, flipping it over. Let it sit again for another 2 minutes before stirring once more.
8. Once the chicken browns, add in the vegetables and saute until tender.
9. Add the sauce mixture. Mix everything up together and let the sauce come to a boil.
10. Once the sauce boils, add in the cornstarch mixture and stir until it becomes thick.
11. Then remove it from the heat and serve. This is great with both fried rice and white steamed rice.
12. Eat and enjoy!

KITCHEN KREATIONS: Chicken with creamed spinach sauce over rice

Sunday Dinner:

So, for tonight's dinner, I thought I would try experimenting on the hubby, my self-proclaimed "happily stuffed lab rat"... [LOL]

A few weeks ago, I was watching my girl Ateyaaa's channel on youtube again and saw a video that she did on Basa fish with Creamed spinach sauce. I watched the video and thought, hmm, that would probably be really tasty with chicken. I modified the recipe quite a bit and made it my own. I'm quite pleased and proud of myself because this is the first time that I have deviated from the recipes given to make my own recipe. So here you go, the first Kesha's Kitchen Kreations recipe. Hope you enjoy! Let me know how it came out...

Ingredients

1 pound chicken tenderloins

1 cup rice

1 can Cream of Chicken & Mushroom soup

Milk

1 box frozen creamed spinach

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

4 oz. cream cheese (½ block)

½ cup chopped onions

1 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbs butter

Nutmeg

Cayenne pepper

Parsley

Preheat oven to 400^o.

1. Wash and season the chicken according to your taste. [I used approx 2 tsp Tony Cachere’s creole seasoning, 2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, & 2 pinches of parsley.]
2. Place chicken in oven-safe baking dish and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes.
3. While chicken is baking, cook rice according to directions.
4. Prepare the frozen creamed spinach according to package directions.
5. Prepare sauce.
1. Melt butter in pot.
2. Add garlic and onions. Saute until tender.
3. Add can of Cream of Chicken & Mushroom soup.
4. Add milk (fill empty soup can with milk and pour in pot).
5. Stir well until integrated.
6. Add the cooked creamed spinach to mixture and stir well.
7. Add ½ of the mozzarella cheese to sauce.
8. Cut up cream cheese into cubes and add to mixture.
9. Add 1 dash of cayenne pepper and 2 dashes of nutmeg to sauce.
10. Stir well until integrated and bring to boil.
6. After 15-20 minutes in the oven, remove chicken and pour sauce over chicken.
7. Place chicken and sauce mixture back in the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes.
8. After done, remove from oven, and add the remaining half of the mozzarella cheese on top.
9. Place over cooked rice and enjoy!

KITCHEN KREATIONS: Chinese Bourbon Chicken with Rice

Sunday Dinner:

Last Sunday, the hubby and I made Bourbon Chicken with white rice.
I am a big Food Network and YouTube food cooking channel fan, so when I came across this recipe via divascancook and on YouTube at Ateyaaa, I had to try it. Let me say that it turned out so good. The sauce was delicious (savory & sweet), the chicken was tender, and the smells coming from my kitchen were amazing!
Definitely check it out, you won't be disappointed!

[Disclaimer: If you follow the recipe exactly as they make it, it doesn't have Bourbon in it, but it is my understanding that you can substitute the water for actual Bourbon.]

Ingredients

3 large chicken breasts

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon ginger

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup of apple juice

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoon ketchup

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 -1/2 cup water

1/3 cup soy sauce

1. Cut up 3 large chicken breast into cubes
2. Heat 2 T. of olive oil in a large sauce pan.
3. Add chicken into the pan and cook until almost done (white on the outside). Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Let's make the yummy sauce!

4. Now in a large saucepan add:

1 clove of minced garlic

¼ tsp. ginger

¾ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

¼ c. apple juice

¹/₃ c. brown sugar

2 Tbs. ketchup

1 Tbs. cider vinegar

¹/₃ c. soy sauce

¼ or ½ c. of water.

(If you want the sauce to be thin like in the Chinese restaurants use 1/2 c. If you want a glaze-like texture use 1/4 c.)

5. Heat over medium heat until sugar has dissolved and everything has combined.
6. Now add the chicken in and bring it to a hard boil.
7. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Serve chicken & sauce over hot rice!

KITCHEN KREATIONS: Mexican Rice Casserole

Sunday Dinner:

Ok, for dinner tonight, I'm going to experiment a little bit with our dinner.
I recently came across an amazing blog called "For The Love of Cooking" and there is a beautiful picture of a mexican rice casserole that I am anxious to try tonight.

So, I am going to adapt it a little bit using ground turkey instead of ground beef and omitting the sliced tomatoes on top. I'll try to post a picture to let you all know how it came out.

UPDATE: Sorry, the hubby and I were so anxious to try this casserole that we forgot about taking pictures until after we were done eating. Here is the picture from her blog. My casserole didn't come out quite as pretty and we left the sliced tomatoes off the top, but it was oh so delish and turned out nicely.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of white rice, prepared per instructions
1 tsp of olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
3-4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (divided)
1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
3-4 tomatoes, sliced thickly
Sour cream (topping)
Salsa (topping)
Guacamole (topping)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare rice per instructions. While the rice is cooking heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Once the skillet is hot, add the ground beef, making sure to break it up into crumbles. Cook the beef for 3-4 minutes then add the diced onion and all of the seasonings.
4. Stir until well combined and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the beef is cooked through and the onion is tender.
5. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly for an additional 60 seconds.
6. Add the cooked rice, drained and rinsed black beans, tomato sauce and a bit of cilantro (reserving some for garnishing) to the beef and onion mixture.
7. Mix the ingredients thoroughly, taste and re-season if needed.
8. Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray and pour the rice mixture into the dish, spreading it evenly.
9. Place the tomato slices on top of the rice mixture then top with cheddar cheese.
10. Spray a piece of tin foil with cooking spray (so the cheese won't stick) and cover the baking dish.
11. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the tin foil. Bake for an additional 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
12. Top with a dollop of sour cream and the remaining chopped cilantro. Enjoy.