Chicken Skin Bacon

I saw this idea around Thanksgiving time and thought it was an ingenious idea. I used the skin off a precooked rotisserie chicken. The taste is a tiny bit different than real bacon, but it is still delicious and would be a great addition to soups and baked potatoes.

Ingredients

Chicken Skins

Salt & Pepper

Directions

Place skins on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper and bake in 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

Honey Lemon Enchiladas

I'm generally a purist when it comes to Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (a recipe which I'll have to post sometime soon), but this recipe caught my eye and had me intrigued. This flavor combination is such an interesting combination of savory and sweet, my tastebuds are already itching for tomorrows lunch of leftovers. Philip liked it but said it wasn't his favorite. Michaela didn't touch it, but it is so mild that I think kids who don't have an aversion to gloopy textures would really love the sweet notes in this dish.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons Honey

4 tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 tablespoons Chili Powder

2 tablespoons Garlic Powder

12 oz Chicken, cooked and shredded

1 cup Heavy Cream

1 jar Medium Green Chile Sauce (2 cups)

8 oz Cheddar Cheese, shredded

4-5 Flour Tortillas

Directions

Mix honey, lemon juice, chili powder, and garlic powder together. Pour half over chicken and let marinate at least half an hour. Combine the rest of the honey lemon mixture with the cream & jar of green chile sauce. Spread some of the mixture on the bottom of a 8 x 8 casserole dish. Fill each tortilla with some of the meat mixture and shredded cheese, roll like a burrito, and place side by side in the casserole dish. Top with remaining chile mixture and shredded cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Notes

• The recipe this is based off called for lime juice but I didn't have a chance to go to the store. I would love to try it this way some time.
• The chicken I used was just from a pre-cooked rotissere from the grocery store. So convenient!
• I think next time I'll try using homemade green chile sauce instead. Yum!

Real World Wednesday - Healthy Nachos

This recipe was born from one of those evenings where I had an empty fridge and pantry and had no idea what to make. I whipped this together from what I had on hand and it instantly became a favorite of mine and Philip's. It's too spicy for Michaela, so I usually set apart some non-marinated chicken and make a small quesadilla for her.

Ingredients
Chicken thighs, enough for your family
Salsa, enough to cover chicken
Corn Tortillas, 2-3 per family member
Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Directions
Marinate the chicken in the salsa for at least 1 hour. Cut or tear the corn tortillas into 8 triangles and lightly spray both sides with olive oil cooking spray. Lay out on a baking sheet and bake at 4oo for 7-10 minutes or until crispy. Cook the chicken in a skillet and then cut or shred. Layer the tortilla chips, chicken, and cheese on a plate and serve.

Red Velvet Cake Balls

If you've never heard of or tasted Bakerella's cake balls, boy oh boy are you missing out! I first made these a couple of years ago for my birthday party and have been addicted ever since. Here's the thing, these are very addicting and this recipe makes A LOT! So make sure that you make these only when you plan on having lots of company, otherwise you will end up eating them all by yourself.

Ingredients
1 box red velvet cake mix
1 can crean cheese frosting
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
wax paper

Directions
Prepare the red velvet cake according to package instructions. After it has cooled, crumble it into little pieces and mix the cream cheese frosting well into it. Roll the mix into small balls and place on wax paper on a cookie sheet. Cool in the freezer for 2-4 hours or until balls are hard. Melt the semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave. Dip the balls into the chocolate and return to wax paper covered cookie sheet. Freeze for another couple of hours or until the chocolate has hardened.

Notes

• Red velvet is messy! Be prepared for red all over the place!


• Melt the chocolate chips a little bit at a time, otherwise they will harden and cool. Also, don't use a plastic bowl to melt them in, because the bowl will melt. Not that any of us would ever do that or anything. ;P

Not So Texan Texas Chili

According to Philip, this is sooo not Texas chili. I honestly wouldn't know since I've never really tasted any before other than a bite here or there when he orders it at a restaurant. What I do know is that I really enjoyed this meal, found originally on my new favorite food blog. I made the mistake of giving Michaela a bowl of it while it was still a little too warm, so after taking one bite and proclaiming "Hot!" she refused to touch it. It is a very mild chili, so I think I'll try again tomorrow with leftovers.

Ingredients

18 oz ground beef, browned

1/2 onion, finely diced

1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced

1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

10 oz sweet corn

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (or equivalent fresh)

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

8 oz water

Directions

Put all the ingredients in the crockpot, mix, and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.

Real World Wednesday - Toddler Milkshakes

If you have a kid who refuses to eat fruits or vegetables, this is a must-have recipe. After I got this idea from my sister-in-law, I started making this every morning for Michaela. It makes me feel good that even if she refuses all other food that day, she is still getting a few servings of fruit, veggies, calcium and fiber.

Ingredients

1 Banana

1/2 cup fresh Spinach

3-4 Strawberries

2 tablespoons ground flax seed and/or wheat germ

1/2-1 cup yogurt, plain or vanilla

2-3 cups Milk

any other fruits or veggies

Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Notes

• You can really put anything you want in this shake. I have a friend who uses carrots, something I've been wanting to try. I always use bananas and strawberries, then look for seasonal fruits that are on sale to add in.
• It usually takes Michaela the entire day to finish this. I pull this out first along with any meal or snack, then return it immediately to the refrigerator when she's done.
• You can't taste the spinach because of the overwhelming flavor of the banana, however, it does sometimes turn the shake green. Since this can be off-putting to some kids, I would recommend using a cup that you can't see through. I use The First Years Insulated sippy cups, with the rubber valve on top cut out.
• Adjust the amounts to your own taste. Sometimes I make enough for me to have a glass also.

Mac And Beans

I've never been a big fan of boxed mac n cheese. When Michaela was first starting to eat finger foods, I would cook up some spiral pasta and melt cheddar cheese over it. She loved it but for some reason I stopped making it, probably during a phase in which she refused to eat it anymore (kids are tricky like that). Recently I've been looking for a healthy mac n cheese recipe that would please both Michaela and a more adult palate. Since Michaela is hit or miss with meat, I've been drawn to several mac n bean recipes because of the idea of added protein. I'm including a link to the recipe this is based on, even though it is no longer active. Take a look around, the rest of the blog is amazing! Michaela and I loved this, and Philip thought it was ok, which is all I can ask for.

Ingredients

6-7 oz small pasta shapes

1 15oz can Cannelini beans

1 15oz can crushed tomatoes

1 stalk celery, chopped fine

1 carrot, chopped fine

1/4 c onion, chopped fine

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped fine

olive oil

1 c vegetable broth

6 oz cheddar or parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions

Prepare pasta according to package directions and drain. Meanwhile, saute celery, carrot, onion, and garlic in a small amount of olive oil until veggies are translucent. Add tomatoes and beans and cook 5-10 minutes more. Puree the tomatoe & bean mixture with vegetable broth in a blender or food processor. Pour sauce over pasta and top with shredded cheese.