Quick and Easy Bruschetta Chicken Casserole

Quick and Easy Bruschetta Chicken Casserole is filled with tender chunks of chicken, fresh ripe juicy tomatoes, garlic, basil, and gooey cheese.  The tastiest and easiest weeknight casserole around!

 

Quick and Easy Bruschetta Chicken Casserole

Quick and easy throw-together meals are my thing right now.  If it can't be on the table in 30-45 minutes I don't even want to attempt it.  With a new puppy I'm all about simple and easy, yet tasty ingredients that pack a punch!  My Quick and Easy Bruschetta Chicken Casserole is that and more.

Tender bite sized pieces of chicken are stir fried then layers in a casserole dish along with fresh ripe tomatoes, garlic, seasonings, mozzarella cheese to meld in the oven. This makes the most heavenly sauce when baked.  Then top it with fresh basil.  Just 7 ingredients!  This is easy enough for a weeknight meal and packs a ton of flavor.  My husband totally raved about this dish, ate 2nds the first night and then took it the next day for lunch.  I love when that happens!  This one is a keeper!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)

• Roma tomatoes - ripe ones

• garlic cloves 

• mozzarella cheese - buy a ball and grate it yourself for the best flavor

• dried oregano

• balsamic vinegar - you want a good quality one that has depth of flavor

• fresh basil - fresh is best for the most flavor punch

Substitutions and Variations

• Not tomato season? - buy Campari or cherry tomatoes that are ripe in the off season.

• Meat variation - use chicken thighs or chicken tenders cubed. 

• Ready-made suggestions -  Leftover sliced chicken or even rotisserie chicken sliced will work.  I would brown it in a skillet for just a minute or two to give it some more flavor.

• Cheese - leave off the cheese or substitute Monterey Jack or a little sprinkling of Parmesan 

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Use an 8x8 pan or a casserole dish like these for this dish

• Use the freshest ingredients for the best flavor

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Quick and Easy Bruschetta Chicken Casserole

serves 4

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced in medium chunks
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 - 1.2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
kosher salt and ground black pepper
fresh basil leaves, chopped



Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir fry the chicken, stirring often, until golden brown on the sides and almost cooked through.

Take an 8x8 baking/casserole dish and spray with cooking spray. Add the chicken to the dish. Top with tomatoes, oregano, and garlic. Stir to combine. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

 
Bake in the oven uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

Spring Fling: Blackberry Swirl Muffins with Crumb Topping - Small Batch

Fresh hot muffins swirled with a blackberry syrup and topped with a streusel topping make these spring muffins crave worthy!

 

Blackberry Swirl Muffins with Crumb Topping

I love when Spring arrives and all the berries are bursting with flavor.  I end up buying berries every week for yogurt parfaits, toppings for waffles, tossing in salads, and addition to muffins.  This week I made a blackberry syrup that I swirled in to my base muffin recipe for a different take on a fruit laden muffin.  If this wasn't decadent enough I added a streusel topping which took it to the next level.

These muffins are so good you are gonna crave them!  Laced with a little cinnamon that totally compliments the blackberries these muffins will bring you warmth and comfort.  This is another small batch of 6 so double the recipe if you want 12 muffins.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• fresh blackberries

• eggs

• low-fat milk

• canola oil

• all purpose flour

• sugar or sugar alternative if using (for Keto, low carb)

• baking powder

• salt

• brown sugar

• cinnamon

• butter

Substitutions and Variations

• Use white whole wheat flour in place of the all purpose flour

• Make mini muffins or small loaves instead

• Doing a Keto diet or want lower carb? Use an alternative sugar of you choice as a substitute. I like King Arthur's sugar alternative.

• Any add-ins (shredded coconut, walnuts, pecans, granola) will work.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• 1st rule of thumb when making muffins is "do not overmix" the batter.  You want it batter to just come together.  Little spots of flour is okay.

• To get high muffin tops turn your oven up to 400 degrees.

• Make sure you are using fresh baking powder.  To test put 1/2 teaspoon into 1/4 cup of boiling water.  If it bubbles, you are good.

• Double the recipe for 12 muffins.

• Muffins can be frozen individually and kept for 3 months.

• Fill the muffin tin almost to the top for nice big domed muffins.

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Blackberry Swirl Muffins with Crumb Topping

Makes 6

Blackberry swirl:

1 cup fresh blackberries

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Muffins:
1 egg
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Crumb Topping:

1/6 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoon butter, melted

1/3 cup flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 6 well muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. 

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat add blackberries, sugar, and cinnamon.  Stir mixture until the blackberries cook down and get syrupy, mashing the blackberries with a spoon as they cook about 5 min. Set aside and allow to cool. 

In a medium bowl add all the crumb topping ingredients and use your fingers to mix together until crumbly.  Set aside.

In a large bowl add the egg, milk, and oil. Mix together using a whisk.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.   Stir just until combined.  Do not over mix.  

Using a cookie scoop, add batter to a muffin tin to make 6 muffins.  Add one teaspoon of the blackberry swirl to each top and swirl in the batter with a toothpick.  Sprinkle each muffin with the streusel topping.  (You may have leftover blackberry swirl and streusel topping.)  Bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the tin. Remove from the pan and serve.

Flatbread Pizzas with Corn and Prosciutto

Amp up your pizza night with my Flatbread Pizzas with Corn and Prosciutto.  Loaded with the flavors of garlic, crispy prosciutto, fresh corn, and gooey cheese. A tasty yet light dinner in a flash!

 

Flatbread Pizzas with Corn and Prosciutto

We love standard pizzas but sometime we want to change it up a bit.  To make pizza quickly and without all the fuss of making homemade dough or rolling out store bought dough I turn to flatbreads for the base.  We have a great brand called Stonefire Authentic Flatbreads that I just love using for so many things.  Usually I get one of their packages of Original Naan to make quick pizzas with but the grocery store was out of them and instead I found that they now make Artisan Thin Pizza Crust.  They are very similar in texture to the Naan but have an 8" round pizza shape and come in a pack of 4.  

You can certainly choose any type of flatbread that you would like for this pizza, but this is a good choice as well.  I decided to give our pizza a summer vibe since the weather is still hot around Los Angeles.  Instead of a traditional pizza sauce base I went with a garlic oil and topped it with fresh corn kernels, mozzarella, and prosciutto that crisps up on the oven and gives you a salty bite.  Once baked, I topped it with peppery arugula and fragrant basil and a douse of olive oil.  I must say this is one of the BEST pizzas I've made.  My husband certainly ate his portion and then some!  

Try a light and fresh pizza that is bursting with flavor for your next pizza night.  It's a winner!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• flatbreads (such as Naan by Stonefire)
• extra-virgin olive oil
• fresh garlic
• mozzarella cheese
• fresh corn kernels
• thinly sliced prosciutto
• arugula
• fresh basil

Substitutions and Variations

• Try chopped baby spinach instead of arugula

• Use frozen corn or cut corn off the cob

• Use any flatbread that your choose

• Grill the flatbreads instead of baking them

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• If using frozen corn make sure to thaw it out and pat it dry before adding it to the pizza

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Flatbread Pizzas with Corn and Prosciutto

serves 4

4 flatbreads (such as Naan by Stonefire)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 ounce thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ cups arugula
½ cup torn fresh basil
¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Preheat your oven to 420 degrees.

Transfer to a large baking sheet. Combine 1 tablespoon oil and garlic in a small bowl.  Baste the flatbreads with the garlic oil.  Top evenly with the cheese, corn and prosciutto.

Bake at 420 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the crust is golden on the bottom and the cheese is melted.

Top with arugula, basil and pepper.  Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

inspired by  https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/258528/prosciutto-pizza-with-corn-arugula/

Summer Fresh Series: Lemon Poppyseed Double Berry Muffins

These grab and go muffins are bursting with 2 types of berries, lemon flavor and poppyseeds.  The perfect use of summer berries!

Lemon Poppyseed Double Berry Muffins

Time for another Summer Fresh recipe!  This series brings you easy recipes that highlight fresh summer produce, and are oh sooooo tasty!

Today the focus is on summer fresh berries.  I stopped by the farmer's market this weekend and picked up some pints of fresh raspberries and blueberries.  They were so plump and juicy you could just eat them like candy.  These are the perfect berries to star in my infamous muffins.  

Ripe, plump and juicy raspberries and blueberries are the star of the show in these muffins but I've also upped the flavor by adding lemon zest and juice along with some poppyseeds for added texture.  Heaven in a muffin!  These came out moist and tender and bursting with lemon and berry flavors.  Absolutely nothing better than a muffin hot from the oven!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• fresh raspberries
• fresh blueberries
• lemon
• poppyseeds
• eggs
• low-fat milk
• canola oil
• all purpose flour
• sugar or alternative sugar 1:1 ratio (for Keto, low carb)
• baking soda
• salt

Substitutions and Variations

• Use white whole wheat flour in place of the all purpose flour

• Make mini muffins or small loaves instead

• Doing a Keto diet or want lower carb? Use an alternative sugar of you choice as a substitute.  I like King Arthur's sugar alternative.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• 1st rule of thumb when making muffins is not to "overmix" the batter.  You want it batter to just come together.  Little spots of flour is okay.

• To get high muffin tops turn your oven up to 400 degrees.

• Make sure you are using fresh baking powder.  To test put 1/2 teaspoon into 1/4 cup of boiling water.  If it bubbles, you are good.

• Double the recipe for 12 muffins.

• Muffins can be frozen individually and kept for 3 months.

• Fill the muffin tin almost to the top for nice big muffins.

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More Muffin Recipes

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins - Lower Carb Version

Pumpkin and Eggnog Swirl Muffins

Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins

Vanilla Chai Muffins

Cranberry Orange Muffins - Small Batch

Mexican Hot Chocolate Muffins

Simple Blueberry Muffins

Lemon Poppyseed Double Berry Muffins

Makes 6-8

1 egg 1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 of a pint of fresh raspberries
1/2 of a pint of fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon poppyseeds
zest of 1 medium lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 6 well muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. (you may need another tin for 8 muffins)

In a large bowl add the egg, milk, and oil. Mix together using a whisk.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, lemon zest, and poppyseeds.  Stir just until combined.  Do not over mix.  Fold in raspberries and blueberries, holding a few back to add to the tops.

Using a cookie scoop, add batter to a muffin tin to make 6-8 muffins. Add a few raspberries and blueberries to the top of each muffin.  Bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the tin. Remove from the pan and serve.

 

Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Margherita Pita Pizza

Margherita Pita Pizza is a quick and easy weeknight meal that makes use of fresh summer produce!

Margherita Pita Pizza

It's June and time to kick off my Summer Fresh recipe series!  This is where I bring you recipes that include fresh summer produce, and are easy, light, and oh sooooo tasty!

Today the focus is on summer fresh tomatoes and basil.  I can't wait each year until summer so I can get my hands on the freshest tomatoes and pick the basil from my herb garden.  We're keeping it simple today and making personal pizzas using Greek style (no pocket) pitas as the base.  My Margherita Pita Pizzas are so easy to make and are a classic using slices of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, your favorite pizza sauce, and fresh basil.  

These can be baked in the oven or cooked on a grill if you prefer.  They're simple and easy, but very scrumptious.  Great for a weeknight dinner, weekend get-togethers, and easy lunches.  You can even make extra and freeze them for another time.  This is one recipe you'll make on repeat.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• mozzarella cheese - shredded or whole
• tomatoes - choose on the vine, roma, or beefsteak
• fresh basil leaves 
• Greek style pita bread
• Pizza sauce - your favorite brand or make homemade

Substitutions and Variations

• Veggie: Mushrooms, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, onions

• Greek: Kalamata olives, tomatoes, feta cheese, marinated artichoke hearts

• BBQ chicken: Chicken strips or shredded, bbq sauce, cheddar cheese

• Buffalo chicken: Shredded chicken tossed with buffalo sauce, & blue cheese crumbles

• Pesto: Pesto sauce, feta cheese, roasted red peppers

• Hawaiian: Canadian ham & pineapple

• Dessert: Smore's anyone? (marshmallows creme, chocolate chips & crushed graham crackers) or Nutella & strawberries

• Try grilling them instead of baking them in the oven

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Buy the best, freshest ingredients available since your have so few ingredients.

• Leftovers:  may be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in sealed bags or containers.

• Freezer instructions:  Wrap cooked pizza (unsliced) in foil and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen at 375 F for 25 minutes or until heated through.

Equipment you will need:

• I use this pizza cutter and it works great!
• A good & sturdy sheet pan is a must.
• For easy clean up, use parchment paper.
• For freezing; freezer bags and aluminum foil.
• A favorite pizza sauce...so yummy!

Margherita Pita Pizza

Yield: 4 personal pizzas

4 Greek-style pitas
2 cups pizza sauce

4 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 cup basil leaves

Preheat oven to 440 degrees F.

Top each pita with sauce and divide cheese among pizzas. Add sliced tomatoes, then add pizzas to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and top with fresh basil leaves.

Cut in to slices, serve and enjoy!