Baked Chicken Sandwiches

These baked chicken sandwiches are a crowd pleaser in our house, and even better than that - they freeze really well! I bake them up completely, let them cool then place them into freezer bags. Perfect for future dinners, or leftover lunches! I usually grill or bake up a big batch of chicken, and when I have leftovers I use them for this. If you want to make this recipe even quicker, pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store that's already cooked. 

Crescent rolls typically go on sale in the fall months so I always snag a few extra and make triple batches of these for easy freezer meals. Also check out my recipes for my Breakfast Casserole, which uses the crescent rolls as a bottom crust. And, the Cream Cheese Squares are like a sweet cream cheese danish that is perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning or as a dessert topped with fruit and chocolate syrup. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!! 

Baked Chicken Sandwiches

(Serves 8)

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken

3oz of cream cheese, softened

3-4 tbsp. milk

Salt & pepper to taste

2 cans of crescent rolls

Half a stick of butter, melted 

Italian style bread crumbs

Combine cooked chicken, cream cheese milk, salt and pepper in a bowl. Start with 3tbsp of milk, it should be completely combined and be somewhat moist like a chicken salad. If you need to, add the last tbsp of milk. 

Lay out 8 triangles of crescent rolls from the first can on a greased baking sheet. Evenly spread the chicken mixture on top of each crescent triangle, making sure to get mixture into each corner. Then, top each one with a crescent triangle from the second can, pinching the edges to seal. 

Spread the bread crumbs onto a plate. Brush the top of each sandwich with melted butter, then place that side down into the Italian bread crumbs. Brush the top side of the sandwich and then flip into breadcrumbs to coat. I work one sandwich at a time, placing them back onto the baking sheet. 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden brown. 

I always keep macaroni and cheese and a can of green beans on hand to serve with these for an easy comfort meal! 

Enjoy! 

Drunken Rice Noodles with Pork

This is one of my favorite cast iron skillet recipes from one of my favorite cookbooks The Lodge Cast Iron Classics.  Here is the video of how I tweak this recipe with ingredients I can easily find, and I make it less spicy with a jalapeno instead of a chili pepper so my kids still eat it!  

Ingredients

1, 7-ounce package dried medium rice noodles

¼ cup canola oil

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 Thai chili peppers, chopped (optional)

2 boneless pork chops, thinly sliced and marinated in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce for 5 minutes

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon white pepper

½ cup water, as needed

1 red bell pepper, sliced into ¼" strips

1 cup snow peas, trimmed and cut in half

1 cup fresh basil, plus more for garnish

Directions

Cover noodles with warm water for 10 minutes, or according to package instructions, then drain water, and set aside.

Gradually heat Stir Fry Skillet to medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat for 1 minute. Add garlic and chilies. Use a wide metal spatula to stir until the mixture is fragrant and the garlic starts to turn color, about 1 minute.

Add the pork and stir until cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Add the drained noodles, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, and water. Cook, stirring constantly, until noodles are almost soft, 5-8 minutes.

Stir in the red pepper strips and snow peas. Cook 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the basil, and serve immediately.

This recipe and others can be found at:  https://www.lodgecastiron.com/recipe/drunken-rice-noodles-with-pork

Grilled Pork Chops with Peach and Jalapeño Salsa

I have never had a peach salsa, but let me tell you what - it's amazing!  I've been eating it by itself.  You have this spicy Tabasco sauce, jalapeno and crushed red peppers in it, but then you've got this sweet cilantro and then of course some peaches and onion.  The flavor is AMAZING!  Top off your grilled pork chops that have just been salted and peppered.  

Add a spinach salad as a side to keep it light and healthy - or do like I do most of the time and make it worthy of a country kitchen and serve it with smashed potatoes, cooked down green beans and a crusty roll.  

Either way, you're going to LOVE this recipe.  Have you given up on dry, tough pork chops?  Head to your nearest farm and get some local farm raised pork - you'll change your mind.  They cut with a butter knife.  Get yourself a meat thermometer, it's worth the investment.  Each year we raise pigs, and sell the meat locally to YOU!  I have pork chops left available as of today, so leave a comment below and I'll contact you with pricing! 

**If you can make the Peach salsa at least a few hours ahead of time - even the day before it gives it time for all of the flavors to combine and makes it so much more flavorful!  Here's what you'll need from the store or local farm.

Ingredients

• 2 medium ripe peaches peeled, chopped
• ¼ medium red onion choppped
• 1 medium jalapeño pepper seeds and veins removed, chopped
• ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• ½ tsp. hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco®)
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 raw center-cut pork chops lean, boneless
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Here's how to pull it all together!  

Instructions

1. Combine peaches, onion, jalapeño, red pepper flakes, lime juice, hot pepper sauce, and cilantro; mix well. Set aside.
2. Preheat grill or broiler on high.
3. Season pork chops with salt and pepper.
4. Grill or broil  chops for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness.
5. Top pork chops evenly with salsa; serve immediately.

Enjoy!  Come back and let me know how you like it!  And, if you have any other great pork chop recipes I'd love to try them! 

(Recipe from Beachbody On Demand)

Cherry Cola BBQ Pork

Dinner by 10 is the rule I live by to keep our budget in check.  I love to cook, but after long days I'm tired, my brain is tired and my children are tired.   The last thing I want to do is to prep dinner - especially when my children are in their "needy" time of the day.

My rule is to have dinner planned and prepped by 10am.  When I used to work full time it would be 10pm the night before.  I chop all the vegetables I can, measure out all ingredients I can and have as much mixed as I can so when dinner time comes around it's just pulling it all together.  It makes after dinner dishes much easier too!

This recipe is adapted from the Southern Cast Iron Magazine from May 2018.  Here is how I prepped it to have my dinner ready by 10am.

First, let's prep those Picked Red Onions and get them in the refrigerator.



In a small bowl, or I used a mason jar - fill with 2 cups of thinly sliced red onion.  Then, on the stovetop combine 2 cups of water, 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, cook for 1 minute and then let cool completely.  Pour over the sliced red onions, cover and place in refrigerator up to 5 days. 

Pork Rub:
 1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Now, let marinate the meat.  The longer it sits, the better it tastes! In a small bowl combine salt, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper and ground coriander.  Rub into the pork, cover and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.

BBQ sauce:

Combine:
3 cups Cheerwine or Cherry Cola
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard


Here are your cooking options.  I usually throw into the crockpot because it just makes my life so much easier on busy days.

Cook on low 6-7 hours in a crock pot - pork should easily shred with two forks when its done. If possible, I add the sauce about halfway into cooking - giving it plenty of time to thicken.

If you're not able to add in the sauce, cook sauce on stovetop for about 20 minutes, then when ready to eat combine sauce and pork.

And, lastly if you have the time and a good cast iron dutch oven pot - you can throw the pork in there and put in the oven at 450 degrees for about 45 minutes.  Then, turn the oven down to 325 degrees and continue to cook for about 2.5 more hours.  Pork should register to 185 degrees and easily fork shred.

Shred your pork and add your sauce!

To assemble sandwiches, start with a good crusty hamburger bun, top with pork, sauce, pickled red onions, pickles and enjoy!  

Hearty Crockpot Chili Mac

Tonight's dinner was so good I just had to share it! I love finding meals that we all eat, including my two year old and four year old. The best part? With one recipe we have a ton of leftovers! Leftovers do my budget good! 

I will give you the link to the recipe I used. I didn't change much. I used a can of crushed tomatoes instead of the tomato juice just because I had it on hand, but then I cooked my noodles separately since it was a little thicker. I brown my beef right in my crockpot before I add any other ingredients as well. Serve it up with some crusty rolls and you've got yourself a great meal! This is definitely going on my winter dinner rotation. 

Get the recipe at http://www.julieseatsandtreats.com/hearty-chili-mac/

Quick & Easy Meatball Subs

Here is a GREAT recipe for homemade meatball subs!  I love meals that have a bunch of leftovers that will create a meal later in the week as something totally different, and this is one of them!  The homemade marinara sauce and meatballs are perfect for spaghetti night later in the week!

Total Time:  52 min

Prep:  20 min

Cook: 32 min

Yield: 4 servings (with spaghetti night leftovers)

Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup (3 handfuls), Italian bread crumbs

1 medium onion, chopped fine

4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons (several drops) Worcestershire sauce,

1/4 cup (a couple of handfuls) flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

1/4 cup (a couple of handfuls) grated Parmigiano or Romano

Coarse salt and black pepper

5 Minute Marinara Sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, (2 turns around the pan)

4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

A handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, about 2 tablespoons

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 (28 ounces) can crushed tomatoes

1 (14 ounces) can chunky style crushed tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 semolina crusty sub rolls, with or without sesame seeds

1 (10-ounce) bag (2 1/2 cups) shredded provolone or Italian 4-cheese blend

Shredded basil (sweet) or shredded arugula (spicy) leaves, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place ground sirloin in a large mixing bowl and punch a well into the center of meat. Fill well with the egg, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire, parsley, cheese, and a little salt and pepper. Mix up meatball ingredients until well combined, yet not over-mixed. Divide mix into 4 equal parts, roll each part into 4 balls and space equally onto a nonstick baking sheet. Place meatballs in oven and roast about 12 minutes. Break a meatball open and make sure meat is cooked through before removing from the oven.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and garlic. When garlic starts sizzling, add herbs and crushed pepper. Allow oil to infuse for half a minute, then stir in the tomatoes and season sauce with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a bubble, reduce heat, and simmer until meatballs are removed from oven.

Combine meatballs and sauce and pile into sub rolls, 3 meatballs per sub. Top with shredded cheese and place under subs under broiler to melt cheese. Top with shredded basil or arugula and serve with a pile of oven fries.