Ground Turkey – 5 Ways!

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If you are looking for ways to make your meals a little healthier, adding Ground Turkey to a recipe that normally calls for ground beef. You can do a straight across trade in your spaghetti, goulash and tacos. A lot of my family’s favorite recipes are made with ground turkey.

5 Ground Turkey Recipes

In some recipes you do have to add a little extra fat to make sure it doesn’t dry out. You can usually accomplish this with an egg or some avocado oil. Ground Turkey has such a mild flavor that you can use it in just about any style of food. Which is clear based on the wide variety of recipes I have collected for you below! It makes great meatballs and burgers too!

Here are five Ground Turkey Recipes for you to try out!

Turkey Quesadilla Burgers

(get the full recipe here!) If you are looking for totally different burger creation – this is it! Instead of a bun, you use two cheese quesadillas. It is a delicious and fun meal the whole family is going to love.

Turkey Quesadilla Burger
Turkey Meatball Farro Salad

(get the full recipe here!) – Farro is a totally underrated grain. It is packed with protein and nutrients and it tastes amazing. It has an almost nutty flavor and pairs well with lots of flavors. This dish is perfect for a hot summer day when you want a cool meal. The cucumbers give it the perfect crunch too!

Bacon Cheeseburger Bowls

(get the full recipe here!) – A super simple way to make a family favorite healthier is to remove the bread. It really is that simple! By taking out the buns, bread and tortillas, you are cutting out so many carbs and a lot of sugar too. The easiest way to do that is turn the dish into a Bowl – like I did with this Bacon Cheeseburger Bowl recipe!

Bacon Cheeseburger Bowl
Turkey Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps

(get the full recipe here!) – I absolutely love Bahn Mi Sandwiches – but the bread is a huge part of the preparation. So I was inspired to turn it into a lettuce cup that would cut those carbs right out! And the result is these Turkey Bahn Mi Lettuce Cups – a healthier version of the traditional Bahn Mi Sandwich.

Turkey Bahn Mi Lettuce Cup
Taco Pasta

(watch the video here!) – this one is going to be a real crowd-pleaser. It is basically a full meal Mac & Cheese with the addition of ground turkey, green chilies and tomatoes to give you a flavors of taco in a pasta!

Taco Pasta

In my cookbook, Homemade on a Weeknight there are eleven recipes using Ground Turkey! Garlic & Parmesan Turkey Meatballs, Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, Stuffed Meatball Pasta, Summer Veggie Skillet, Sweet Pepper Nachos, Sweet Potato Skillet, Taco Pasta, Turkey Bean Chili, Turkey Meatballs with Sun-dried Tomato Sauce, Turkey Patty Melts and Turkey Rice & Beans. Get your copy today if you more Ground Turkey Recipes.

Healthier Chicken Salad

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This is so far from what most people think of when you say “Chicken Salad” – mostly because it is not drowned in Mayo and it has Sweet Peppers in it to add even more crunch. This can be made ahead of time or served right when you complete it. To make the dish really tasty – do not forget to the toast up the bread. My Healthier Chicken Salad is perfect for a hot summer day or a dinner at the practice field!

Healthier Chicken Salad

The really big difference is the dressing – it is much less mayo – and I use avocado mayo to boot! With the apple cider vinegar and lemon juice, it is more a of a creamy vinaigrette. Then when you add in the sweet peppers you get a nutrient packed crunch! This one is sure to be a favorite in your house.

Bread or No Bread?

You can eat this Healthier Chicken Salad all on it’s own or you can put it in a lettuce cup or even on some toasted bread. I always like to toast bread for sandwiches so that it doesn’t get soggy from whatever sauce I have included. It’s one of those quick little touches that can make a meal just that extra bit better. Since this is such a simple dinner idea, I usually keep with that theme and serve it up with some cut fruit and potato chips. Not every dinner has to be a grand gesture!

By the way, this recipe is actually straight from my cookbook – Homemade on a Weeknight: A Family Cookbook. It can be found in the Healthier Fare section along with 19 other healthier versions of classic family meals. If you haven’t gotten a copy yet, now is your chance! You can order it on Amazon in Paperback or eBook (Kindle) versions.

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Healthier Chicken Salad

By adding a few more veggies, and having less mayo involved the calorie count goes way down but the flavor factor goes way up!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken, Chicken Dishes, Chicken Recipes, chicken salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 12 slices Sourdough Bread
  • ½ Red Onion diced
  • 1 cup Sweet Peppers seeded & diced
  • 1 cup Celery diced

For the Chicken

  • 1½ lbs Chicken Breast
  • 2 cups Chicken Broth
  • 2 cups Water

For the Dressing

  • ½ cup Avocado Mayo
  • ¼ cup Avocado Oil
  • ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Oregano
  • 1 tsp Basil
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients.
  • In a sauce pan over medium high heat, add ingredients for chicken. Bring to boil and cook for 10 minutes more. Remove chicken from pot and shred. Set aside to cool.
  • In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and place in refrigerator.
  • Either toast bread in regular toaster or put on baking sheet and toast all at once for 8-10 minutes in 425 deg oven.
  • In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients and chicken. Fold in dressing until well combined.
  • You can serve right away, with a portion between two piece of toast. Or you can cover and chill for up to 3 days.

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3-2-1 Rule for New Foods

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Kids can be very picky eaters – if you let them. I get asked all the time if my kids really eat the foods I make or if I make them something different for them. And let me just make it clear – my kids really do eat what I make and I DO NOT make different meals for them. My home is a “this is what’s for dinner take it or leave it” place. And since I have been doing that since they were little, they are pretty used to it. Having said all that – everyone has foods they don’t like (I can’t stand olives!). So I started the 3-2-1 Rule to help my kids establish those things.

3-2-1-Rule for New Foods

How does it work?

Here’s the break down – You have to try the food at least 3 different times, prepared at least 2 different ways and have at least 1 meal that you picked that ingredient out of but still eat. There are a couple of reasons for this checklist:

  • Sometimes you don’t like the way it was prepared – maybe you don’t like steamed cauliflower but you might like it whipped (check out my recipe for Citrus & Herb Whipped Cauliflower).
  • Sometimes the flavor profile wasn’t good with the rest of the meal
  • As you get older your palate does change, so something you didn’t like when you were 5 could become an absolute favorite as an adult. I didn’t like asparagus as a kid but it is one of my go-to sides now! Like my Asparagus Mac & Cheese
  • Maybe the person that prepared it, just didn’t do it well – it happens to all of us.
  • Sometimes you don’t like a food but not so much that you can’t handle even the hint of it in your meal, so if you can’t handle picking it out then you don’t have to avoid meal with it in.

The real key to the 3-2-1 rule is that you can’t just try something one time and never ever eat anything with that food in it again. And really this works for adults too – I have meet so many people that say Oh I don’t eat this or that. And when I say well what don’t you like about it, they say something like “I had it once at Grandma’s when I was 10 and it was gross.” So you gave up an entire food because 10 year old you didn’t like it….

Remember – It’s only ONE meal!

I am always reminding people that “It’s only one meal”. When you really think about it – eating 3 meals a day for say 40 years…calculating…that’s over 43,000 meals. So if one of those is not perfection – guess what you will survive. I think the chance that you could discover a new flavor or texture or style of cooking is way more worth it than sticking to the same old same old.

When I started to write my cookbook, I had to try out a lot of recipes on my family. In the end – they have all eaten – and mostly enjoyed! – every single recipe in the Homemade on a Weeknight Cookbook! If you haven’t gotten a copy yet, you can order in Paperback or Kindle (eBook) versions through Amazon to get over 100 more recipes developed by me.

Ginger Lime Shrimp & Rice

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When you really need to get dinner on the table in short order – Shrimp is a great protein to start with. It’s pretty versatile and does a great job of picking a huge range of flavors. This is especially true with this super simple but full of flavor shrimp dish – Ginger Lime Shrimp & Rice.

Ginger Lime Shrimp & Rice

In this recipe, I use Large Shrimp, but you can really use whatever size you can get. Just remember to adjust the cooking time so they aren’t over done. Some people prefer smaller shrimp – but in my home we like the big meaty shrimp! My kids are always super excited with they see shrimp on the meal planner for the week. I think it makes them feel fancy!

Some people question the way I make rice – because I never use water. Once you make rice with chicken broth (you can use veggie broth too!) you will never want to go back to plain water. It gives it so much more flavor, adding a depth to the meal.

Ginger Lime Shrimp & Rice

There are a couple of items that will make preparing Ginger Lime Shrimp & Rice a little easier. The first is the Skinny Tongs – which I have been in love with since I got them. Some people use extra long chop sticks to turn and flip smaller things while cooking, but I’m just not dexterous enough for that. So I love these skinny tongs that are basically the same thing. The other thing is my absolute favorite shallow pasta bowls. They are the perfect depth to keep the food together but still spread out enough to be a pretty plate! I serve probably 80% of meals in them from pasta to rice to soup to salad. They just let you serve up such pretty meals.

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Ginger Lime Shrimp & Rice

A super fast, full of flavor shrimp dish that is perfect for a busy weeknight
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Chinese
Keyword Garlic, ginger, lime, rice, Rice Dishes, shrimp
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Carrots shredded
  • 1 tsp Parsley
  • 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds

For the Rice

  • 2 cups Basmati Rice
  • 1 qt Chicken Broth
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder

For the Shrimp

  • 1½ lb Shrimp large, peeled
  • 1 cup Flour
  • 2 tbsp Avocado Oil

For Sauce

  • ¼ cup Honey
  • ¼ cup Coco Aminos or soy sauce
  • 2 Garlic Cloves minced
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Ginger minced
  • 2 tbsp Lime Juice
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients
  • In a sauce pan over medium heat, add all ingredients for rice. Cover with lid and let cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat but leave on lid until ready to plate.
  • In a small bowl, combine ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, dredge each shrimp in flour.
  • In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add oil. Cook shrimp, flipping once, for 5-7 minutes. Remove from pan and keep warm. Add sauce mix to pan and let cook for 3 minutes. Add shrimp back to pan and evenly coat with sauce.
  • In a shallow bowl, put in helping of rice. Top with portion of shrimp and then garnish with carrots, scallions, and sesame seeds.

Serving up dinner in a bowl is pretty common in my home. This recipe would fit right into my Homemade on a Weeknight Cookbook in the Soups, Salads & Bowls section. If you want more healthier alternatives please check out my cookbook. It’s available in PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS on Amazon.

I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!

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Bacon Cheeseburger Bowl

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A super simple way to make a family favorite healthier is to remove the bread. It really is that simple! By taking out the buns, bread and tortillas, you are cutting out so many carbs and a lot of sugar too. The easiest way to do that is turn the dish into a Bowl – like I did with this Bacon Cheeseburger Bowl recipe!

Bacon Cheeseburger Bowl

Plating is a big part of this meal – the presentation is going to make it so appealing to everyone, they will forget that they don’t get a bun! For a bowl that has a lot of toppings, and can be very easy customization for each person’s tastes, I like to use the wedge method. I basically divide the bowl into wedges (like a pie) and start at the top moving clockwise around the bowl with each topping. You get a beautiful display of each individual ingredient and then you just drizzle your sauce over the whole bowl to bring it all together.

Bacon Cheeseburger Bowls

A great side dish for these Bacon Cheeseburger Bowls would be so baked Sweet Potato Fries (to keep with the healthier take on dinner) or you could make this burger bowl so that you could do a little splurge on some Beer Battered Onion Rings (get that recipe here!)

Bacon Cheeseburger Bowls
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Bacon Cheeseburger Bowls

All of the flavors of a Classic Bacon Cheese Burger – in a bowl!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword burger bowl, cheeseburger bowl, ground turkey
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Bacon cut in ½-in pieces
  • 2 Romaine Lettuce Hearts chopped
  • 1½ cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese rustic cut shredded
  • ¼ cup Pickle Slices Bread & Butter
  • 4 Roma Tomatoes cubed
  • ¼ cup White Sesame Seeds
  • ½ White Onion thinly sliced

For the Ground Turkey

  • 2 lb Ground Turkey
  • 2 tbsp Avocado Oil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Coarse Black Pepper
  • 3 Garlic Cloves minced
  • ½ White Onion minced
  • 1 tsp Smoked Paprika

For Special Sauce

  • ½ cup Avocado Mayo
  • ½ cup Ketchup
  • ¼ cup Pickle Juice Bread & Butter
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • ⅛ tsp Cayenne
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients.
  • In a frying pan over medium high heat, add bacon. Cook until crispy and remove to a paper towel covered plate to drain grease.
  • For Ground Turkey: In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add oil, white onions, and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes then add ground turkey, salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook, crumbing as it goes, for 8-10 minutes until there is no more pink.
  • In a small bowl combine ingredients for Special Sauce. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
  • Now build your bowl: start with a bed of lettuce. Then working clockwise around the bowl place each of the desired topping – burger, bacon, cheese, tomato, onion, pickles. Top with a drizzle of the Special Sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

I try to make at least two “healthier version” meals a week. That’s why there is a whole section of Healthier Fare meals in my cookbook Homemade on a Weeknight. If you want to try more recipes with a healthier spin – you can get your own copy in Paperback or eBook(Kindle) versions.

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

5 Side Dish Ideas (With Recipes)

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Side Dishes are some often overlooked when it come to meal planning. But when you have a great side dish – it can be the star of the show. I especially like to make sure that I have a few really good side dish ideas when I am making a protein that doesn’t take a whole lot of prep – like grilled chicken or steaks.

5 Side Dishes

1. Cheesy Rice & Broccoli (full recipe here!) – this recipe is simple, quick and goes with just about every protein. It goes especially well with chicken or pork on a busy weeknight. You can even make it a one-pot wonder by adding in some chicken chunks when you add the broccoli.

Cheesy Rice & Broccoli

2. Beer Battered Onion Rings (full recipe here!) – when you buy frozen onion rings, you usually only have the option of the Panko style – which is not my favorite. Making beer battered onions rings at home really isn’t that much work and they are so dang good! These are amazing with burgers or with the ever popular Turkey Club Wraps!

Beer Battered Onion Rings

3. Citrus & Herbs Whipped Cauliflower (full recipe here!) – This side dish is so full of brightness it will knock your socks of. It goes amazingly with a grilled pork chop or a baked chicken breast. You could also serve it up with Cheddar & Spinach Stuffed Meatloaf (recipe can be found in the Homemade on a Weeknight Cookbook)

Citrus & Herb Whipped Cauliflower

4. Spicy Potato Corn Salad (full recipe here!) – yes you read that right – Potato Corn Salad! This side dish bring the tangy of Greek Yogurt and Apple Cider Vinegar together with the sweetness of corn and a little spicy cayenne. And don’t forget the BACON! It would be so very good with Jalapeno Popper Chicken (recipe can be found in the Homemade on a Weeknight Cookbook) or on a picnic with some Turkey Club Wraps

Spicy Potato Corn Salad

5. Lemon Dill Orzo Salad (full recipe here!) – if you are looking for a cold salad or a make ahead side dish – this recipe is just the ticket. The lemon gives it such a bright pop of flavor and the crunchy bell peppers and cucumbers make it a satisfying side dish. This side dish is perfect for a potluck and goes perfectly with BBQ Chicken or Ribs! Probably the best pairing would be with a Turkey Patty Melt (recipe can be found in the Homemade on a Weeknight Cookbook)

Lemon Dill Orzo Salad

You can find a whole section of Side Dish Ideas in the Homemade on a Weeknight Cookbook. If you haven’t ordered your copy yet – you can do that any time from Amazon. It comes in Paperback or Kindle (eBook) versions.

What’s your favorite side dish?

Honey Mustard Chicken – quick dinner idea

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If you need a dinner that is full of flavor but requires next to no effort – then you want to have Honey Mustard Chicken! This is a recipe straight out of the Homemade on a Weeknight cookbook. And it may just be the easiest one in there!

Honey Mustard Chicken

Simple and Delicious are the best words to describe this dish – and it really is all in the marinade. An easy baked chicken breast will almost always win dinnertime – and the honey and yellow mustard marinade will bring it to life. If you end up with any chicken leftover – it makes for a great salad the next day!

Some days you just need something that is so quick and requires very little attention from you. This is that recipe – you will see in the recipe card below that there is only a few ingredients and 3 very short steps. If you wanted to change it up and use Dijon or Spicy Brown Mustard instead of Yellow mustard – it would give the chicken a bit of zing! but still be good.

Side Dish Gallery

To round out this meal you will need a side dish or two. You could do some Roasted Potatoes & Cauliflower (recipe can be found in the Homemade on a Weeknight Cookbook) or you could try a Side Dish Recipes that I have featured right here on the Blog like Citrus & Herb Whipped Cauliflower or Cheesy Rice & Broccoli. You could also do a green salad and some green beans on the side to keep it super simple!

Now let’s get cookin’

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Honey Mustard Chicken

Simple and Delicious are the best words to describe this dish – and it really is all in the marinade. An easy baked chicken breast will almost always win dinnertime – and the honey and yellow mustard marinade will bring it to life. If you end up with any chicken leftover – it makes for a great salad the next day!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword baked chicken, Chicken, Chicken Dishes, Chicken Recipes, honey mustard
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1½ lbs Chicken Thighs boneless, skinless
  • ½ cup Yellow Mustard
  • ¼ cup Honey
  • ¼ cup Avocado Oil
  • ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Coarse Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Parsley
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients. Preheat oven to 400deg.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and let sit for 20 minutes
  • Put chicken on a cooking rack on a baking sheet and brush with remaining marinade. Put in oven for 25 minutes.

This is seriously one of the easiest recipes you can make on a weeknight. It comes right out of my Homemade on a Weeknight Cookbook in the Healthier Fare section. If you want more healthier alternatives please check out my cookbook. It’s available in PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS on Amazon.

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Brew House Nachos!

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Let me start off by saying – these are NOT diet friendly! But if you are looking for a decadent and delicious cheater meal – these Brew House Nachos are for you. When you think of nachos at a brewery – you think of a mountain of deliciousness – and that’s what this is!

Brew House Nachos

There are a number of elements about these nachos that make them different than your typical nachos. It’s what I call a “four burner meal” – which means you will likley have all four burners of the stove going at once. For starters, they use fresh made potato chips instead of tortilla chips. And instead of a gooey orange cheese topping – you get fresh made Bleu Cheese Beer sauce. Then there is the BACON! Are you drooling yet? Because I know I am writing this recipe for these Brew House Nachos

You could of course make these a little simpler – buy using store bought potato chips and precooked bacon bits. But the potato chips you make in this recipe are a combination of crispy true chips and potatoes rounds that are a little softer.

Brew House Nachos

These were inspired by a trip to an amazing Brewery in Bend, OR that we have visited a number of times over the years. They have an ever changing menu but it is always – I MEAN ALWAYS – absolutely delicious.

If you are looking for a healthier nacho recipe you could always try my Sweet Pepper Nachos!

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Brew House Nachos

When you think of nachos at a brewery – you think of a mountain of deliciousness – and that's what this is!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword beef, cheese, nachos, potato, steak
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
  • 1 Jalapeno sliced in coins
  • 1 lb Bacon cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 3 Scallions sliced

For the Potatoes

  • 4 Russet Potatoes sliced into ¼-in rounds
  • 2 cup Cooking Oil
  • ½ cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tbsp Paprika
  • 1 tbsp Parsley
  • ½ tbsp Salt

For the Steak

  • 1½ lb Steak carne asada style
  • 2 tbsp Avocado Oil
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Parsley

For Bleu Cheese Sauce

  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1 tbsp Flour AP or Wheat
  • 6 oz Beer – Lager
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • ½ cup Heavy Cream
  • ½ cup Chicken Broth
  • 1 cup Bleu Cheese crumbled
  • 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients. Heat oil to 400deg.
  • In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove to paper towel covered plate to drain excess grease.
  • In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add oil for steak. Sprinkle steak seasonings over steak and add to pan. Cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Combine brown sugar, garlic, salt, paprika and parsley. Begin frying potato rounds in batches, cooking until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove them to a paper towel covered sheet pan. Then put them in a large bowl and toss with brown sugar mixture until evenly coated.
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and garlic powder. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Still whisking, pour in lager and continue to stir for 2 more minutes. Whisk in chicken broth and heavy cream and cook another 3 minutes then add cheeses by the handful, stirring to incorporate each time. Reduce to low heat until ready to plate
  • Now build the nachos: On a large plate, start with a layer of potatoes. Sprinkle with steak, then ladle on bleu cheese sauce, then bacon then shredded cheese and last jalapenos and scallions. You can make this family style on a large platter or individually on regular dinner plates.

I really love to recreate different meals that I have when dining out – giving them tweaks and changes to make them my own. And that’s where a lot of the recipes in my cookbook Homemade on a weeknight came from. If you want to try more recipes from other cultures – you can get your own copy in Paperback or eBook(Kindle) versions.

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

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

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Some nights you want to feel real fancy but just don’t have the time to put together a labor intensive meal. That’s why I love to create recipes that give you all the flavors of a special meal without the work! Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole is just that!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

This is recipe straight out of Homemade on a Weeknight in the Let’s Get Fancy Section. If you haven’t already gotten a copy of the cookbook – may be it’s time! Chicken Cordon Bleu is pretty fancy meal, that takes quite a bit of time to prepare – not exactly easy on a weeknight. This casserole gives you all the flavors of Dijon, swiss cheese and ham – without all the fuss of the traditional meal.

This casserole is so good all on it’s own, but it is also really good with roasted potatoes and/or cauliflower. The sauce that comes off this is delicious when you dip a tasty garlic roasted potato in it!

Don’t forget the broiling step on this recipe that is how you get the super gorgeous golden cheese on top and it adds just enough crunch to the dish. Swiss cheese has a different melting point than other more common cheese like cheddar or mozzarella. So you need the higher temperature of the broil to get it really start to become the ooey gooey goodness that this meal needs.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Pan

Casseroles are a great way to take something that takes a lot of work to make or create into a quick homemade meal any night of the week. You really just need a few ingredients – meats, veggies, cheeses – that can cook at the relative same rate and a binder of some sort. The binder can be a sauce or broth or more cheese!

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

This casserole gives you all the flavors of Dijon, swiss cheese and ham – without all the fuss of the traditional meal.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, French
Keyword Chicken, Chicken Dishes, Chicken Recipes, Ham, Swiss Cheese
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 2 lb Chicken Breast cut in 1-in Chunks
  • 8 oz Ham Steak cut in 1-in Chunks
  • ¼ cup Butter melted
  • ½ cup Cream Cheese softened
  • 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tbsp White Wine
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • 8 slices Swiss Cheese
  • 1 tbsp Parsley
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients. Preheat oven to 350deg
  • In a 13×9 baking dish, put layer of chicken covering the bottom. Top with ham chunks
  • In a large bowl, mix melted butter, softened cream cheese, white wine, mustard, lemon juice, and salt. Evenly spread over the chicken & ham mixture, then top with swiss cheese slices.
  • Cover baking pan with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and increase oven to broil. Remove foil, sprinkle with parsley and return to oven for 3 minutes to crisp the top.

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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Friendship Friday Featured Asparagus Mac & Cheese this week!

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Amazingly kind words shared about this recipe over on the Create with Joy blog today! And I couldn’t agree more – when I think of comfort food I think of Mac & Cheese too. The Asparagus Mac & Cheese recipe was featured in this week’s Friendship Friday Blog Hop.

This recipe has been one of my favorite to make a video of so far. In case you missed it, here is the video:

And here is the recipe!

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Asparagus Mac & Cheese

Adding Asparagus and BACON to a delicious made from scratch cheese sauce makes this dinner a winner!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword asparagus, bacon, mac & cheese, Pasta, pasta dishes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb Short Pasta rotini, shells, elbows, penne
  • 1 lb Asparagus cut in 2-in pieces
  • 1 lb Bacon cut in 1/2-in pieces
  • 3 tbsp Butter
  • 3 tbsp Flour AP or Whole Wheat
  • 2 cups Chicken Broth
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1½ cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
  • ½ cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tbsp Parsley
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Instructions

  • Prepare all of the ingredients. Start water boiling for pasta
  • In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add bacon pieces. Cook until crispy and remove to a plate with a paper towel.
  • Add pasta to boiling water and cook as directed on the package. In the last 2 minutes of cook time add the asparagus to the boiling water. Drain in colander and rinse with cool water to arrest cooking process then return to pot.
  • While the past is cooking, in a separate saucepan over medium heat, add butter and garlic powder. Cook until butter is completely melted then whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth and cook for 3 minutes more. Whisk in heavy cream and cook 3 minutes more. Add salt and begin to add cheese by the handful, stirring regularly, until all is added. Then stir in parsley.
  • Pour sauce over cooked pasta and asparagus and combine well. Stir in half of cooked bacon. Serve in a pasta dish with a sprinkle of remaining bacon on top.

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