Chicken Polenta Lasagna - Update!

You may have seen my previous post about Chicken Spinach Lasagna -- a super delicious, super filling casserole (that my husband and I LOVE!) Well, we've improved it even more!

At first, we tried using zucchini instead of noodles. I've heard this is an easy way to make lasagnas and casseroles a bit healthier. Well, I don't have a fancy tool for cutting zucchini, so they were all different widths, cooked at different rates, and ended up being a dud! Perhaps with the appropriate tools, zucchini instead of noodles would be a great substitution, but it didn't work for us.

We picked up some pre-cooked polent and decided to try layering the lasagna with polenta. Eureka! It was SO yummy, and it actually took less time because we didn't have to boil the noodles. We also cut the recipe in half now, because the full 9x12" pan is just too much food for us.

To make this a vegetarian dish, you could easily take out the chicken and substitute in white beans, tofu or tempeh. You could even omit the chicken without replacing it and use it as a side dish or small meal!

Last week, we actually made the full recipe and divided it into two 8x8" dishes. We stuck one in the over and the other in the freezer, then had it for dinner another night. It freezes really well! I just can't say enough good things about this recipe! Try it! I may even like it better than traditional lasagna. I really, really might!

Here's the new and "improved" recipe:

Chicken Polenta Lasagna

Ingredients:
5oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 can cream of mushroom soup (10.75oz)
1/2 cup sour cream
4oz sliced mushrooms
1/2 tbsp corn starch
1 tube polenta, cut into 1/2" disks
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix first 12 ingredients (spinach through corn starch)
3. Put a layer of polenta disks in the bottom of a greased lasagna dish.
4. Spread half of the chicken mixture over the polenta.
5. Place another layer of polenta on top and spread with remaining chicken mixture.
6. Top with parmesan cheese.
7. Back for 40 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes to set before cutting.
8. Eat it up! So yummy!


I just recycle a photo from my previous post. :)

Zucchini Skillet Dinner

Hello Again!

My apologies for my hiatus from blogging. I'm not sure if I got busy, tired of blogging, or stopped cooking awesome things (okay, it probably wasn't the latter, I'm still cooking pretty awesome things!) :)

At any rate, we are back to it! And my first recipe is sure to please. In my home, meat is king. My husband will immediately dismiss a meal if it's vegetarian. Well, as a former long-time vegetarian, I still enjoy vegetarian meals on a regular basis, so I challenge myself to find tasty dishes that my husband will also enjoy.

Well, I've done it! I discovered this recipe from Ready Set Eat (FANTASTIC website, by the way! Tons of great, simple recipes.) and made a few modifications based on my preferences.

ReadySetEat's picture is so much prettier than mine :)



Zucchini Skillet

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
3-4 small zucchinis, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 diced green bell pepper
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with garlic
2 tsp corn starch
1 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp italian seasoning
1/2cup (or more!) shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese

1 cup brown rice
2.5 cups water

Directions:
1. Start your rice cooker! Add brown rice and water (could use vegetable broth too, for added flavor.)

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add zucchini and bell pepper. This is a great place to get creative! Add some diced red onion, red bell pepper, or mushrooms to add some flavor and color. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add beans, undrained tomatoes and water. Increase heat and bring to a boil.

5. Add cornstarch to water and stir until dissolved. Stir cornstarch water and italian seasoning into skillet.

6. Remove from heat and let stand 2 minutes, until sauce has thickened.
7. Service zucchini mixture over rice, topped with cheese! (We add Tapatio hot sauce too!)

Lime Chicken Tacos

Lime Chicken Tacos

These might be one of the best recipes I've ever made! So, so yummy.

Ingredients:

Marinade

4 split (sliced width-wise) boneless chicken breasts

4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp honey

A pinch of cumin

 

Toppings

2 tomatoes

2 cups lettuce

1 cup shredded cheese

1 Avocado

Sour cream

Corn tortillas

 

Directions:

1. Combine garlic, lime juice, olive oil, honey and cumin.

2. Marinade your chicken in the lime juice mixture for at least an hour -- the longer the better!

3. Fire up the grill, or the indoor grill (like I used)!

4. Turn only once! The best way to grill ANYTHING! Brown the one side perfectly, then flip and brown the other side until cooked through. 

5. I diced up the chicken, but you could also shred it or slice it into long thin slices.

6. I think you all know what to do with the toppings -- dice the tomatoes, chop the lettuce, slice the avocado or make guacamole, and microwave the tortillas!

7. Serve it up and enjoy! This was SO GOOD!!

Lemon Artichoke Tuna

Lemon Artichoke Tuna

This dish surprised me. I pulled the recipe because the term "lemon artichoke" sounds incredible. I wasn't so sure about the tuna steak, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised!

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 6.5oz jars artichoke hearts, drained and halved
1 lemon, cut into 8 sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp thyme
1 1/2 lbs fresh ahi tuna steak, cut into 1" cubes
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Cook the quinoa according to package directions.
2. Head 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan over med-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened -- 3 minutes.
3. Add artichoke hearts, lemon, garlic and thyme. Cook until heated through, about 3 more minutes. Move this to a place.
4. Season the tuna with the salt and pepper. Heat the other tbsp of oil in the skillet and toss the tuna. Brown all sides for about 3 minutes, until it flakes easily.
5. Return artichoke mixture to the pan and toss together.
6. Serve over quinoa!

Turkey Poblano Chili

Turkey Poblano Chili

Sorry for the posting delays. I've been sticking to my GF diet, and I've still been photographing my dinners. I just haven't been blogging. I'M SORRY, OKAY?!

This was SO GOOD! Wear gloves when you cut the poblano or wash your hands a dozen times, because if you touch your nose or eyes or any family members, there will be rage in your home!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
2 15.5oz cans kidney beans, drained & rinsed
2 cups water
salt & pepper
1 lbs ground turkey, cooked

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large pan over med-high heat. Add onion and poblano and cook until soft, 4-6 minutes.
2. Add the cumin, tomatoes (with juice), beans, water, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, 12-15 minutes.
4. Add turkey and cook until heated through.
5. Enjoy with a spoon or a tortilla chip! Add some cheddar cheese, sour cream, tapatio to really kick it up a notch!

Remember how I said this was SO GOOD? Well, it really was, and my husband and I ate it so quickly (it also smells amazing) that the only photo I got was a super close up after I was already halfway done with mine. Sorry again!

Curried Rice with Shrimp

Curried Rice with Shrimp

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, choppy
2 tsp curry powder
1 cup long-grain brown rice (or white, just use 1/2 c less water & simmer less time!)
salt & pepper
1lb peeled, deveined shrimp
1/2 cup fresh basil (eek! I skipped this and tossed in a tsp of dried basil. If you can use fresh basil DO IT)

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large skilled over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until mostly soft. Don't worry if they're not totally soft. They'll have plenty of opportunity to finish cooking.

3. Add the garlic and curry power and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir frequently!
4. Add the rice, 3 cups water (if using white rice, use 2 1/2 cups water) and 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes (more like 15 minutes for white rice). This time will vary! My recipe said it would take 12-15 minutes, but it took more like 35 minutes. Just check your rice after 20 minutes and continue to check on it until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
6. Season your shrimp with salt & pepper and stir them into your cooked rice.
7. Cover and cook until the shrimp are opaque, about 4-5 minutes.
8. Fold in the basil (or add the dried basil).

9. Enjoy! I added some salt & pepper again, as well as a dash of hot sauce.

The leftovers!

I'm so embarrassed -- I forgot to take a photo! My mom was over, and I was so distracted that I just served it up and ate it up. I did snap a photo while I was putting away the leftovers, so it'll have to do :)

Rosemary Onion Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

GF Day 2, and everything is going well so far! I'll admit, I've been craving a donut since 7am, so maybe it's good that I can't have it! Tonight's dinner was spectacular. Wyatt gobbled up every piece of chicken on his plate, and Stuart kept telling me how good the potatoes were. Success!

Rosemary Onion Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
1.5lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (I had 2 large sweet potatoes)
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
2-3 boneless chicken breasts (I use two medium-sized ones and sliced them in half width-wise)
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 tbsp dried rosemary

Directions
1. Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and add enough cool water to cover. Bring to boil.
2. Add 1 tsp salt, reduce hear, and simmer until tender (about 14 minutes). Keep 1/4 cup of the cooking water, drain the rest, and mash the potatoes using the reserved cooking water.
3. While your potatoes are boiling, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
4. Cook chicken until golden brown and cooked through. With my thinner chicken breasts, it only took about 10 minutes, flipping once. So perfectly browned, I had to take a picture! Move your chicken to your plates.

5. Wipe out the pan and heat 2-3 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, rosemary, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
6. Stir! Stir! Stir! Cook until onions are tender.
7. Serve the chicken with the potatoes and "drizzle" with the rosemary onion mixture.

Yum! We had ours with sugar snap peas :)