Cajun Chicken Fettuccine

If you just read the ingredients this recipe might sound gross, but it actually tasted really good! Dave ate a lot and said that we should keep this recipe.

This recipe makes 8 servings, so I halved everything, and we still had enough for two meals for Dave and I.  Instead of adding the Cajun seasoning to the peppers I just had Dave sprinkle a lot of seasoning on the chicken when he was grilling it.  Then I sprinkled a little more on top of the rest of the mixture.  We also only cooked it uncovered for about 20 minutes instead of covering and uncovering and it turned out fine.  Just cook it long enough to melt the cheese.

8 oz uncooked fettuccine
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 medium green pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
4 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 jar (15 oz) Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1.Cook fettuccine according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion and peppers in oil until tender.  Add the chicken, Cajun seasoning and garlic; heat through.  Transfer to a large bowl.  Drain fettuccine; add to chicken mixture.  Stir in Alfredo and spaghetti sauces.
2.Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheeses.  Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.  Uncover; bake 10 -15 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Quesadillas!!!! Say it with an accent it's more fun!

So the Rosemary chicken recipe was really yummy!! My favorite recipe from last week was the quesadillas we made. They were super fast and easy, but still really delicious and filling!

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (we used a pizza blend)
1/2 cup prepared fresh salsa
2 tsp. canola oil, divided
1 ripe avacado, diced
Tortillas (I like to use 8 inch)

Mix beans, cheese, and salsa together and fill tortillas with mixture.  Fold tortillas in half and press together.  Add some oil to the skillet (butter works too, but the outsides will be more flaky). Cook quesadillas on each side until golden brown. 

We used the avacado to make guacamole, and put a little sour cream and salsa on top too!  I also wanted a quesadilla that was a little more filling so added rice.  I like to use minute rice, but instead of using water for the liquid like it says I like to use chicken broth (or beef).  This gives it a little more flavor.  We just covered half of the tortilla with the mix and then added a layer of rice on top.

Marinated Rosemary Chicken

This is one of the recipes I found today on the Tase of Home website.  I'm excited to try it out at the end of this week. I plan to use frozen chicken breasts instead of a broiler chicken, and I probably won't microwave it before I grill it. 

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. dried rosemary
1 3-lb. broiler/fryer chicken, remove skin and cut up

Directions
1-Combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, oil, garlic, and rosemary.  Pour 1/2 cup into a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken.  Seal bag and trun to coat.  Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.  Refrigerate remaining marinade for basting.

2-Drain and discard marinade.  Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coad the grill rack.  Prepare grill for indirect heat using a drip pan.

3-Place chicken in an ungreased 13 X 9 inch microwave safe container.  Cover loosely and microwave on high for 6 minutes, rotating once.

4-Immediately place chicken over drip pan and grill covered, over indirect medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear, basting occasionally with reserved marinade.

Lately...

Lately I have been struggling to find new hobbies, and to make time to try new things and to re-try things I used to enjoy doing a lot.  I've thought about things I like to do, and the most obvious answer is that I like to spend time talking on the phone to friends.  During recent conversations frequent topics of discussion have been focused on food and more specifically the question "What do I make for dinner tonight?"  It seems like that is the question on my mind as well.  I was blessed to have a mother that did a lot of cooking and utilized food storage and spent a ton of time teaching me how to cook delicious food--for eight people.  Now the struggle is knowing how to cook for two people.  Today I realized something amazing...trying new recipes is a new hobby I have discovered over the last few months!!!  I think half of the fun is in finding new recipes!  I know that some of you don't agree, so that's why I'm going to combine my two hobbies of trying new recipes and talking to friends.