Chicken Florentine Casserole

Anything "florentine" is always fun at the Florence home. This is a new winner at our table and a great thing about this recipe is you can make it in advance!

Once you have everything in order, this casserole comes together in a snap. If you're pressed for time, you can use store-bought cooked chicken, pre-shredded cheeses, and defrosted chopped spinach.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE CASSEROLE

ADAPTED FROM: CHIPS THAT PASS IN THE NIGHT

SERVES: 6-8;   PREP-TIME: 35 minutes;   TOTAL TIME: 50-60 minutes
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INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 lb small pasta (I used ritoni)
• 1 Tablespoon Salt
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons of olive oil 
• 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 6 oz baby spinach, chopped
• 1 1/2 package of cream cheese (12 ounces total)
• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• About 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken broth and chicken pieces into a medium/large saucepan (liquid should cover the chicken).  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce to a low simmer and cover.  Poach until chicken is cooked through (a leave-in digital thermometer is helpful). 

2. Transfer chicken to a plate and cool completely.  Once cooled, chop the chicken into small pieces. Cover and chill until ready to use. 

3. If cooking right away, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

4. Heat 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil in a stock pot set over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add the onions.  Cook until the onions are tender. 

5. Reduce to a low heat and add garlic to the pot for about 1 minute. Add the spinach to the pot and return to medium heat.  Cook until the spinach leaves have wilted (about 1 minute longer). Transfer mixture into a separate bowl.

6. While you prepare the sauce, cook the pasta according to manufacturer directions, adding 1 tablespoon of salt and olive oil to the cooking water. Drain and set aside. 

7. Combine cream cheese and heavy cream in the pot.  Set over medium-low heat.  Whisk until the mixture is smooth and heated through.  Stir in the salt, pepper, 1/4 cup parmesan and tomatoes. 

8. Add the drained pasta to the pot with the cream mixture.  Toss to coat.  Stir in the spinach mixture and the chicken.

9.  Pour the mixture into a 9" x 13" baking dish.  Top with the mozzarella and then the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan.

10.  Bake until the mixture is hot and bubbly.  Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler.  Broil the casserole until the top is spotty brown.  Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve!

*To make ahead, prepare through step 9.  Let mixture cool, then cover and chill until ready to cook! Chilling will add an additional 15 minutes or so to the cook time.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

This is my favorite recipe of all time! No, it's not a dump everything in a crock pot and only spend 20 minutes on dinner, but the steps are pretty simple and the results are real tasty!

Also, the recipe is really small, and because this is my favorite recipe, I always triple, if not quadruple it. I love left overs :)

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

SERVES:  2;   PREP-TIME: 5-10 minutes;   TOTAL TIME: 45-60 minutes
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INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Large Bell Peppers
• 1/4 pound ground beef
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 7 1/2 (ounce) can tomatoes, diced
• 1/3 cupe long grain white rice
• 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Halve peppers length-wise, remove seeds and stem.  Immerse them in boiling water and cook for 3 minutes.  Invert on paper towels, drain well, and sprinkle insides with salt.

2. In skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is browned and onion is tender.  Drain fat.

3. Stir in undrained tomatoes, worcestershire sauce, basil, 1/2 cup of water, and rice. Salt and Pepper to taste. Bring to boiling, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until rice is tender.

4. Stir in 1/4 cup of cheese. Fill peppers with meat mixture and place in a baking dish.

5. Bake in a 375 degrees oven for about 15 minutes, or until heated through.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Let stand for 1-2 minutes then serve and enjoy!

Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry

My mom shared this recipe with me, and it's been adapted from a few variations already. Not all veggies are mandatory to make this dish great, and I would highly recommend throwing in what you like best or whatever sounds good to you!

A wok is optional when making this dish. I don't have one, and the recipe is still a 2013 family favorite!

CHICKEN & VEGETABLE STIR FRY

MAKES ABOUT 4-6 SERVINGS;   PREP-TIME: 20-25 mins;   TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Fresh Ginger (I use the fresh ginger paste you find in the produce section, and you can add more if desired)
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 2 small-medium heads of broccoli, chopped
• 1 small package of mushrooms, sliced
• 1 baby bok choy, chopped
• About 4-5 medium carrots, cut into strips
• 1 white or yellow onion, chopped
• About 4 green onions, diced
• About a handful of snow pea pods
• 1/4 cup of Soy Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon of sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of White Rice Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon of Sesame Oil
• 1 Teaspoon of Szechuan Sauce (optional)
• 1-2 Teaspoons of Peanut Sauce (optional)
• Salt & Pepper to taste

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare all veggies and meats, so they're chopped and ready to go. One of my least favorite things when cooking is juggling so many things at once, so it helps when everything is organized. :)

2. In your wok/deep frying pan, saute chicken in vegetable oil, ginger, and garlic. Cook until chicken is cooked through.

3. Add soy sauce, sugar, white rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Immediately add broccoli, carrots, bok choy, and snow pea pods. Stir together, coating everything in the sauce and cover for 2-3 minutes, steaming the veggies a little bit.  

4. Uncover, and add mushrooms, onions, and specialty sauces. Stir together and cover once more for another 10 minutes or so. Once I see that all veggies are cooked through and tender, I uncover the pan let some of the extra juices simmer off for about 5 minutes.

5. Serve over white rice and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

Sorry it's taken so long to finally post this recipe! I served this as one of the meat selections for the taco bar at my son's 2nd birthday gathering, and a few have asked for it.  It's fantastic and super easy to put together!

Plus, it's always fun to serve something different when you're planning to make tacos or burritos.  Beef can get boring, right?

Anyway, here you go:

SLOW COOKER CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN
SOURCE: ALL RECIPES

MAKES ABOUT 6 SERVINGS;   PREP-TIME: 10 mins;   TOTAL TIME: 4 hours 10 mins
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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (16 ounce) jar of salsa
• 1 (1.25) package of dry taco seasoning mix
• 1 lime, juiced
• 3 Tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon of garlic, minced
• 3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the salsa, taco seasoning, lime juice, cilantro, onion, and garlic in a slow cooker, and stir to combine. 

2. Add the chicken breasts, and stir to coat with the salsa mixture.

3. Cover the crock pot, set to high, and cook until the chicken is very tender, about 4 hours. If desired, set cooker to low and cook 6 to 8 hours.

4. Shred chicken with forks, then serve and enjoy!