Chicken Root Soup #slowcooker

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Root vegetables are often underrated when it comes to being the center of the main dish. What I love most about cooking with a variety of root veggies is how well they take in the flavors you use to cook them. Chicken Root Soup is like a warm hearty hug in a bowl. The beautiful combination of potatoes, carrots, celery, and parsnips is just delicious.

Chicken Root Soup
Chicken Root Soup

It is important to try to get all of the root vegetables cut into roughly the same sizes so that they cook up evenly. And putting the chicken in whole will make sure that it doesn’t dry out while cooking. By chopping it up after it’s cooked, you will get nice and succulent chicken throughout the whole soup.

Chicken Root Soup

This is a rustic soup but that doesn’t mean it can’t be pretty too. The depth of flavor is going to amaze you and your family. A lot of it comes from the slow cooker. By using the Slow Cooker to give the root veggies the low and slow treatment, they stay tender but absorb so much flavor. Tarragon is not one of the most common herbs to be used but it really has an amazing flavor that joins Rosemary and Thyme with perfection.

Chicken Root Soup

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Chicken Root Soup

A variety of delicious root veggies in a hearty chicken soup
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken, chicken soup, crockpot, parsnip, potato, slow cooker, sweet potato
Prep Time 15 minutes
Slow Cooker 6 hours
Servings 6

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb Chicken Breast
  • 2 Russet Potatoes peeled & diced
  • 2 Sweet Potatoes peeled & diced
  • 2 Carrots diced
  • 1 Parsnip diced
  • 2 Celery Stalks chopped
  • 3 Garlic Cloves minced
  • ½ Yellow Onion diced
  • 1½ qt Chicken Stock
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Rosemary
  • 1 tsp Tarragon
  • 1 tsp Thyme
  • 2 cup Heavy Cream
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients.
  • Add all ingredients EXCEPT the heavy cream to the slow cooker. Stir to combine and secure lid. Cook on low for 5½ hours.
  • Remove chicken from slow cooker and chop into bite-sized pieces. Remove half of soup to a separate bowl. Return chicken to slow cooker.
  • Add heavy cream to soup transfered to separate bowl. Use an immersion blender to blitz until smooth. return to slow cooker and stir to combine. Secure lid and let cook for remaining 30 minutes.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

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Simple Grilled Chicken

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Summertime means grilling season at my house! And on a busy weekend or weeknight, this Simple Grilled Chicken is perfect. A few ears of corn on the grill and an easy pasta salad – dinner is done and you can enjoy that nice cold beverage on the deck!

Simple Grilled Chicken

You might think orange juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard sounds like an odd combination – but trust me on this one. The Worcestershire gives it a delicious smoky flavor while the OJ brightens it all up. As listed in the recipe – marinade time needs to be at least 30 minutes (you will get a lot of flavor out of it). I would recommend getting the chicken into the bag in the morning at the start of your day. This lets you both get even more flavor out of the chicken and more time to enjoy your summer day with the fam bam!

Simple Grilled Chicken

This chicken is also great for a bigger backyard party – with some brats and burgers, maybe some wings. And don’t forget the pasta salad, potato salad, or corn salad. I served this with some corn on the cob that I left in the husk and put it on the grill along with the chicken. Leaving the husks on allows the corn to steam while getting a nice smoky flavor from the grill.

Simple Grilled Chicken

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Simple Grilled Chicken

A simple chicken marinated and then grilled up to juicy perfection
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken, grilled chicken, marinade
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating Time 30 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 10-12 Chicken Thighs bone-in, skin removed
  • ½ cup Orange Juice
  • ¼ cup Avocado Oil
  • ¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
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Instructions

  • Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a gallon sized zipper bag. Add chicken to the bag and let marinade at least 30 minutes. A few hours is better. Can be done up to 24hr before.
  • Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Place chicken top side down on the grill. Brush marinade over top of each piece and reserve the rest. Cook for 15 minutes, then flip each piece and brush with marinade again. Cook another 15 minutes. Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Honey Lime Pasta Salad #summersalads

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One of the best ways to get people – especially kids! – to eat their veggies is to mix them into a beautiful, bright pasta salad with a tasty dressing. This super simple Honey Lime Pasta Salad is that little something different that will have the family and friends excited you brought it out to the table.

Honey Lime Pasta Salad

What I love most about this salad is how colorful it is! You get even more colors when you use the mini sweet peppers that come in a bag filled with all different shades of yellows, oranges, and reds. All with the purple of the onion, the green of the parsley, and the bright yellow of corn – you are really eating the rainbow. And the old saying really is true – we eat with our eyes first! So with a dish this pretty you really can’t go wrong.

Honey Lime Pasta Salad

The Honey Lime Vinaigrette works so well in this pasta salad. But you can use it for other things too. I originally come up with it for a chicken burrito bowl (grilled chicken, brown rice, black beans, lettuce, tomato, and avocado). You could also use it on a Southwest-style salad, on tacos, in a wrap. It has such a nice bright flavor to it, you are gonna want to put it on everything.

Honey Lime Vinaigrette

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Honey Lime Pasta Salad

A colorful pasta salad, perfect for every summer night!
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword corn, honey, lime, Pasta Salad, pasta side dish
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Short Pasta farfalle, rotini, penne, etc.
  • 5 Sweet Bell Peppers chopped
  • ½ Red Onion chopped
  • 1 15oz can Sweet Corn drained
  • ½ cup Fresh Parsley chopped
  • 1 cup Honey Lime Vinaigrette see recipe below
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Instructions

  • Start water boiling for Pasta while preparring all the ingredients.
  • Add pasta to boiling water and cook for 1 minute less than time directed on package. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water.
  • Combine cooled pasta with remaining ingredients in a bowl. Toss well to coat. Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving (up to 3 days, covered).
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Honey Lime Vinaigrette

A quick and flavorful dressing that is light and bright
Course Dressing, Sauce
Cuisine American, Mexican, Tex-Mex
Keyword dressing, honey, lime, vinaigrette
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 pint

Equipment

  • Pint Mason Jar w/ Lid & Ring

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup Honey
  • ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Lime zest & juice
  • ¼ cup Cilantro finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Dried Onion
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Parsley
  • ½ cup Avocado Oil
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingedinents.
  • Add all ingredients to a mason jar and secure with lid. Shake, shake, shake until all combined.
  • Keep in refrigerator until ready to use – up to 7 days.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Grilled Apple Burger

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Burgers are a staple in my house. In fact I recently published my second cookbook – Burgers on a Weeknight! It will be full of different burger ideas – like this one. The Grilled Apple Burger brings together the sweetness of an apple with a smoky gouda cheese for a delightful – and filling – burger!

Grilled Apple Burger

I opted for the Honeycrisp apples because they not too sweet and not too tart. They are also a good size to put on a burger. You could probably use a Pink Lady or Fuji apple if you can’t find a honeycrisp. The key is you want it to be tender, not milly and you want it to have that mild apple flavor. When you grill it, you need to stay right there by the grill. If your grill is hot enough, the apples will grill up quickly.

Grilled Apple Burger

If you can’t find smoked Gouda slices (Sargento and Tillamook both carry it) – you could get a block of gouda and slice it yourself or you could swap out for something else. I would suggest a Swiss cheese or Sharp White Cheddar. You need something that has a good contrast to the apple and bacon, something a little “tougher”.

Grilled Apple Burger

For sides on this burger, I did a quick cucumber salad (cucumbers, red onions, oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and Italian Seasoning) and Fennel Parmesan Potatoes (oven-roasted potatoes then pan-fried in butter, fennel seed, and parmesan cheese). You could do a small green salad, fries, onion rings, potato salad, pasta salad….really just about any of the typical burger sides would do!

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Grilled Apple Burger

A delightful crisp apple over a juicy burger with cheese and bacon!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword apple, bacon, burger, burger recipes, cheeseburger, gouda
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 8 Brioche Buns
  • 8 slices Smoked Gouda
  • ½ lb Bacon cut in half
  • 4 Honeycrisp Apples cut in ¼ inch slices
  • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 4 oz Whipped Cream Cheese
  • ¼ cup Italian Dressing

For the Burger

  • 1 lb Ground Beef
  • 1 lb Ground Pork
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Pepper
  • 1 tsp Dried Onion
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Preheat oven to 450deg.
  • In a bowl, combine burger ingredients. Form into 4-inch patties and cook on hot grill for 8 minutes on each side. Remove from grill, place slice of cheese on each patty and keep warm.
  • In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add bacon. Cook until crispy and remove to paper towel covered plate.
  • Brush both sides of apple slices with lemon juice. After patties are grilled, place apple slices on grill and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. (they should still be crisp).
  • In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and italian dressing.
  • Split buns and place face up on baking sheet. Place in oven for 5-7 minutes until lightly toasted.
  • Build the Burger: Smear bottom bun with cream cheese mixture, top with cheese burger, 2-3 slices of bacon and 2 apple pieces. Secure top bun with long toothpick.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Creamy Bratwurst Casserole

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A delicious rosemary cream sauce baked over bratwurst, potatoes, and green beans – comfort food at its finest! The cream sauce is so easy to make but has such a rich and inviting creamy flavor. And the potatoes and green beans cook up to the perfect texture with just enough bite but cooked through.

Creamy Bratwurst Casserole

I actually used leftover bratwurst from two nights prior. So they were cold but cooked when I put them in. If you are cooking them specifically for this recipe, I would suggest cooking them first before prepping the potatoes and green beans. This will let them cool off a bit before you cut them into chunks, and they will retain the moisture better.

Creamy Bratwurst Casserole
Creamy Bratwurst Casserole

I used fresh green beans so that they would stay a little crunchy to provide some texture to the dish. You can use frozen (I would put them in frozen not thawed) or canned (make sure to drain them completely) if you can’t find fresh. After making it, I think you could also sub out the green beans for asparagus if you like that better! I used Yukon Gold potatoes but you could use russets or red potatoes too.

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Creamy Bratwurst Casserole

A delicious rosemary cream sauce with bratwurst, potatoes and green beans.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, German
Keyword brats, bratwurst
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 6 Bratwurst cooked & cut into chunks
  • 1½ lb Yukon Gold Potatoes cut into chunks
  • 1 lb Fresh Green Beans cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
  • 1 cup French Fried Onions

For the Sauce

  • 4 tbsp Butter
  • 4 tbsp Flour
  • 1 tsp Thyme
  • 1 tsp Tarragon
  • 1 tsp Rosemary
  • 2 cup Chicken Broth
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients. Preheat oven to 400deg.
  • In a sauce pan over medium heat, add butter, thyme, tarragon and rosemary. Once melted, whisk in flour and cook for 3 minutes. Then whisk in chicken broth and cook for 3 minutes. Last whisk in heavy cream and cook for 3 minutes.
  • In a 13×9 baking dish, add bratwurst, potatoes and green beans. Pour cream sauce over top and toss to combine. Sprinkle wiht parmesan cheese and french fried onions. Then put in oven to bake for 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Chickpea Summer Salad #sidedish

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Who doesn’t love a summer salad that requires absolutely zero cooking!?!?! In the hot summer months, any meal that I can make entirely away from a heat source is a win. This hearty – protein-packed – Chickpea Summer Salad is so bright and full of flavor. It can also be easily doubled for a crowd and makes an amazing addition to any potluck style meal.

Chickpea Summer Salad

Chickpeas are a great source of protein and fiber, however they don’t exactly check the low carb box for all those keto peeps out there. Chickpeas are also called Garbanzo Beans by some companies and in many places around the world. They truly are the same things – so don’t fret over what the can says.

Chickpea Summer Salad

The Mediterranean seasoning I listed out below is very versatile. You can use it in vinaigrettes, as a dry rub on chicken or beef, add it to soups or a marinade. I actually used it to marinade the grilled chicken I served along with this salad. I added lemon juice and zest, avocado oil, AC Vinegar, and some honey to the seasoning and let the chicken marinate in it for about 3 hours before popping them on the grill.

Chickpea Summer Salad

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Chickpea Summer Salad

A delish and light summer side dish to help you beat the heat and get your protein in!
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Greek, Mediterranean
Keyword chickpea salad, chickpeas, cucumber, mozzarella, red onion, Salad, salami, tomato, vinaigrette
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 2 15oz can Chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • ½ Red Onion diced
  • ½ English Cucumber diced
  • 8 oz Whole Mozzarella diced
  • 8 oz Hard Salami diced
  • 1 cup Grape Tomatoes halved

For the Vinaigrette

  • ½ cup Avocado Oil
  • ¼ cup Lemon Juice
  • ¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Honey
  • 1 tbsp Mediterranean Seasoning see below for recipe
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients.
  • Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a mason jar and secure lid. Shake vigorously to combine. Set aside until ready to add to salad. (You will need to shake again before pouring)
  • Gently combine all of the remaining ingredients in a large bowl (careful not to break up the mozzarella too much). Pour dressing over top, and toss to coat. Place in refrigerator at least 30 minutes. If stored in a sealed container can sit in refrigerator up to 3 days.
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Mediterranean Seasoning

A great seasoning combination for dressings, chicken, steak, pita, focacciathe list goes on and on!
Course Seasoning
Cuisine American, Greek, Mediterranean
Keyword seasoning
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp Oregano
  • 1 tsp Dill
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Dried Onion
  • 1 tsp Basil
  • 1 tsp Parsley
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Thyme
  • ½ tsp Cinnamon
  • ½ tsp Nutmeg
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Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a small bowl. Use your hand to combine them together, slightly crushing the ingredients as you do. Can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Shrimp & Peppers Orzo

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This is a perfect dinner for a hot night – simple and bright and full of flavor. While many say you don’t do cheese and shellfish – but those people are wrong! Yes, I would say cheddar and shellfish are a no-no. But lots of other cheeses are perfect with shellfish – especially goat cheese and shrimp. You get that tang which is similar to the tang of citrus that goes so well with shellfish. Shrimp & Peppers Orzo is a delightful weeknight meal the whole family will love.

Shrimp & Peppers Orzo

Goat cheese is a very soft cheese that melts quickly. It makes a perfect quick sauce that just has to be stirred in to the mix to create a tasty dish. If you cannot find goat cheese (I get it from my Costco), you can substitute cream cheese or Ricotta cheese. But you will want to add a tablespoon or so of lemon juice to it so that you get the same tang.

Shrimp & Peppers Orzo

This is a quick dish to pull together and the timing is crucial to success. You do not want to overcook the shrimp at all. Or let the bell pepper get past the point of still having a bite to them. I did make a quick focaccia-style bread to go with this dish. I just use a simple pizza dough recipe and top it with some oil, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.

Shrimp & Peppers Orzo

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Shrimp & Peppers Orzo

A bright and delightful veggie packed shrimp and pasta.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Seafood
Keyword bell peppers, goat cheese, lemon, orzo, Pasta, pasta dishes, shrimp, shrimp recipes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 2 lb Large Shrimp (Raw) peeled, deveined, tail-off
  • 1 lb Orzo
  • 1 Greean Bell Pepper diced
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper diced
  • 1 Yellow Bell Pepper diced
  • 1 White Onion diced
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • 8 oz Goat Cheese crumbled
  • 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 Lemon zest & juice
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients. Start water boiling for pasta.
  • In a large saute pan, add butter, onion and garlic. Once melted add bell peppers sand saute for 4 minutes.
  • Add orzo to boiling water and cook as directed on package. Drain in a colander and rinse with cool water.
  • Add shrimp, red pepper flakes and salt to peppers. Cook for 7 minutes (until shrimp is no longer pink). Add orzo, lemon zest and juice to shrimp and peppers. Stir well and let cook 3 minutes. Add crumbled goat cheese and gently toss to combine (do not stir to vigorously).

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Grilled Pizza

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If you haven’t made Grilled Pizza before – you are seriously missing out! It comes out so crispy and with just enough of that grilled flavor. I also use a very simple and quick homemade sauce recipe. For this recipe, I used ham, pepperoni, mushrooms, and parmesan. Just like any pizza – you can put whatever toppings you want on it. But I would suggest you stick with the shredded parmesan cheese because it melts at the right rate for this cooking method. If you want to know how good this Grilled Pizza is – my kids requested if for lunch for the next three days after the first time I made it!

Grilled Pizza

I highly recommend using a Pizza Stone for this recipe. If you don’t have one, you can use a baking sheet – but the pizza stone just adds that extra crispiness – and keeps the grill clean – and keeps your baking sheets from getting warped. I have one from Pampered Chef and I love it. I know there are lots of other brands out there. If your family likes pizza and you like to make it at home, it’s definitely worth it.

Grilled Pizza

You’ll notice I specifically say to mix the tomato sauce by hand. There is a reason for this, I promise! You want to break up the whole tomatoes rather unevenly so that you get some bigger chunks of tomato still in there. It’s easy to tell how far you have gone if you use your hands instead of a spoon or something. Plus it’s kinda fun to squish around!

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Grilled Pizza

Delicious Grilled Personal Pizzas with a fresh made tomato sauce
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword Ham, mushrooms, Parmesan, pepperoni, personal pizza, pizza, red sauce, tomato
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Pizza Stone

Ingredients

  • 2 Pizza Dough Recipe uncooked, rolled out and quartered
  • 1 cup Ham Steak diced
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
  • 1 cup Pepperoni diced
  • 1 cup Mushrooms chopped
  • 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • Flour for surface dusting

For the Sauce

  • 1 28oz can Whole Tomatoes
  • 1 tsp Basil
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients. Place pizza stone on grill and preheat to medium-high
  • In a bowl, add all sauce ingredients. Use your hands to break up the whole tomatoes and mix the sauce, leaving some chunks.
  • On a lightly floured cutting board (big enough for 4 pizzas), place the four pieces of dough. Gently fold over the edges of each piece to make a small crust.
  • Add roughly 2 tbsp of sauce to each pizza, spreading to edges. Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of parmesan. Top with ham, pepperoni, and mushrooms. Sprinkle with another tablespoon of cheese and some Italian seasoning.
  • Once grill is hot, transfer pizzas from cutting board to pizza stone (carefully!) and close lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove and let cool for 2-3 minutes before cutting into quarters
  • Repeat with second round of pizza. (NOTE – my stone can only handle 4 pizzas at a time. If you can get more in there, go for it!)
  • ***NOTE*** You can use different toppings for these pizzas – just like any homemade pizza.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Four Cheese Chicken & Rice

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Cheese✔ Chicken✔ Cheese✔ Rice✔ Cheese✔ Broccoli✔ Cheese✔ This recipe really does check all the boxes! Four Cheese Chicken & Rice is a deliciously simple weeknight dinner that your family is going to love! By cooking the chicken, rice, and broccoli all in the same broth, you get so much flavor added to the dish. And who doesn’t love tons of cheesy goodness?

Four Cheese Chicken & Rice

By boiling the rice like pasta, you avoid that sort of mushiness that you get when you steam the rice and then add it to the casserole. You also get to control how cooked it gets – because it will cook some more while the cheese is melting in the oven. The same goes for the broccoli – this method allows it to retain some of that bite.

Four Cheese Chicken & Rice

I used sharp cheddar, pepper jack, cream cheese and parmesan cheese. If you don’t like pepper jack, you could use just Monterey jack cheese instead. If you want even more kick you could use jalapeno cream cheese! I didn’t serve this with a side dish because it has everything – meat, starch, veg – in the baking dish. But if you wanted to stretch it or needed something more I would suggest a nice dinner roll or a simple green salad.

Four Cheese Chicken & Rice

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Four Cheese Chicken & Rice

Cheese✔ Chicken✔ Cheese✔ Rice✔ Cheese✔ Broccoli✔ Cheese✔ This recipe really does check all the boxes!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword broccoli, cheese, Chicken, rice, Rice & Broccoli, Rice Dishes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb Chicken Thighs boneless, skinless
  • 1½ cup Long Grain Rice
  • 2 cups Broccoli chopped
  • 1 8 oz Cream Cheese cubed
  • 1 cup Pepper Jack shredded
  • 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 tbsp Dried Onion
  • 1 tsp Tarragon
  • 1 cup Panko Crumbs
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
  • 4 oz Butter melted
  • 1 tsp Garlic Salt
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients. Preheat oven to 400deg.
  • In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, add chicken, dried onions, tarragon, and garlic cloves. Add water until 2 inches over chicken. Bring to boil and cook for 8 minutes (it will not be totally cooked, but that okay). Remove chicken from pan and reserve liquid (scrape any foamy stuff offtop). Chop chicken into bite-size pieces.
  • Bring chicken broth back to boil and add rice to pan. Continue in a rolling boil for 6 minutes. Add broccoli to boiling rice and cook another 4 minutes. Should have about a cup of liquid left. Transfer rice, broccoli and remaining broth to a 13×9 baking dish.
  • Add chicken, cream cheese, pepper jack and cheddar cheese to rice and brocolli. Stir to combine.
  • Add panko, parmesan cheese, and garlic salt to melted butter. Sprinkle over top of rice and chicken. Place in oven for 20 minutes. Let rest at least 5 minutes befor serving.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Meat Lover’s Mac & Cheese

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Pizza and pasta are always a crowd-pleaser – especially when most of the crowd is teenage boys! So I decided to come up with a way to combine the two into one great dish – and Meat Lover’s Mac & Cheese is the result. I have to say this is one for the books! The hint of tomato in the cheese sauce and the combination of meats gives you the most amazing pizza pasta experience.

Meat Lover’s Mac & Cheese

I used ground hot Italian sausage for this recipe because I think it holds true to a meat lover’s pizza. You can certainly use regular Italian sausage – but when everything comes together it really is not all that spicy. The real key is to use ground sausage and not links. I prefer Johnsonville – which is pork. But you could certainly use a ground turkey variety like the one Jennie-O supplies.

Meat Lover’s Mac & Cheese

This is for sure not a diet or health-conscious dinner item. However, this is a perfect, hearty, stick-to-your-ribs cheat day meal. There is meat and cheese and pasta. But when you make things from scratch from whole ingredients – you at least stand a chance at it not wrecking your whole week of meals. This meal is awesome for the midweek slump when you need something to get you over the hump!

Meat Lover’s Mac & Cheese

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Meat Lover’s Mac & Cheese

A delicious baked Mac & Cheese with a mountain of meat in the flavors of the yummy pizza delight
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword baked mac & cheese, cheese, cheese sauce, Ham, mac & cheese, meat lover’s, Pasta, pasta dishes, pepperoni, pizza, tomato
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Hot Italian Sausage divided
  • 8 oz Pepperoni quartered, divided
  • 8 oz Ham Steak diced, divided
  • 2 cup Mozzerella Cheese shredded, divided
  • 1 cup Parmensan Cheese shredded
  • 1½ lb Short Pasta rotini, shells, elbows, etc.
  • 4 tbsp Butter
  • 4 tbsp Flour
  • 2 tsp Italian Seasoning divided
  • 1 cup Chicken Broth
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 2 cups Cheddar Cheese shredded
  • 1 15oz can Crushed Tomatoes
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients. Start water boiling for pasta. Preheat oven to 400deg.
  • In a frying pan over mediuim heat, add italian sausage. Crumble and cook through. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Add pasta to boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes less than time listed on packaging. Drain in colander and rinse with cool water. Return to pot away from heat.
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter and 1 tsp Italian Seasoning. Once melted, whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth and cook another 2 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream and cook 2 minutes. Add in cheddar cheese and one cup of mozzarella cheese. Once fully incorporated add can of crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine.
  • Pour sauce over cooked pasta. Add ¾ of ham, pepperoni and italian sausage. Stir to combine then transfer to 13×9 baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining mozzerella cheese, ham, pepperoni and italian sauce. Top with parmesan cheese and remaining italian seasoning. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

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