Fall baking: Pumpkin Citrus Crescent Rolls

Yum

October started off with a bang.  Fall baking and fall flavors were in so on my mind.  I made this delicious Bakery Style Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake and then bang...vacation time took over.  Not just any vacation, but a tropical one.  Hot, humid, tropical weather, which put me right back in the summer mood.

Well, we're back and we had a fantastic time, but it's taken me a little kick in the butt to get back in the fall flavor swing...until today that is.  We took this week trying to slowly get back into the swing of everyday life, work etc.  It's been rough as I'm still dreaming of the islands.  Last Friday night we decided to go out for a bit and walk around the mall.  I knew I had to stop in my favorite store, Williams-Sonoma, and pick up a jar of Pecan Pumpkin Butter by Muirhead.  Yum! It's full of all natural ingredients such as Pumpkin, sugar, lemon juice, pecans, spices and it tastes so good.  Definitely something to purchase if you get the chance. 

So I had in mind using this as an ingredient in a mixture to spread on to some crescent rolls.  A new recipe was born!  Pumpkin Citrus Crescent Rolls are on the menu for breakfast today.  Taking a cue from my favorite pumpkin pie I whipped up a filling of pumpkin butter, orange marmalade for a citrus zing, and some vanilla.  Put it all in a ready to bake crescent roll dough and you have the best breakfast, or snack, or dessert you will even want on a fall day.

The pumpkin lends the earthiness, and the citrus lightens it up a bit, making this a comfort food treat that will have your house smelling wonderful and your tummy saying "MMMnnn!"  Done in 20 minutes, so this is easy to whip up when you are short on time.  We just loved this recipe which was evident by the 3 rolls I inhaled in 30 seconds and the fight over the remaining rolls with my love, MGG.  Haha!  I think more of these rolls will be made

Note:  You can use whatever pumpkin butter you like best.




Pumpkin Citrus Crescent Rolls

Yield: 8 rolls

1 can of crescent rolls (such as Pillsbury)
2 T pumpkin butter
1 T orange marmalade
1/2 tsp vanilla
Garnish:  ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl add pumpkin butter, orange marmalade, and vanilla.  Stir until mixed well.

Remove crescent dough from the can and unroll.  Separate into 8 individual triangles and place the rolls on a working surface.

Smear pumpkin mixture on one side of each triangle with about 1 tsp of mixture.  (Putting too much will cause the mixture to ooze out when baking.)  Starting at the large end roll dough toward small point until a crescent is formed.  Place on a baking sheet.  Continue until all dough is rolled in crescents. 

Sprinkle a little fresh ground nutmeg over the tops.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 11-13 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.

One Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice

Yum

I'm also on the lookout for good weeknight meals, but I haven't really jumped on the "One Pot" bandwagon yet.  Have you? I've made a couple such as my Chicken and Asparagus dish, and One Pot Pasta.  

I've pinned a lot of them though. So today I thought I'd use up some chicken from the frig and make one of these recipes I've pinned so many moons ago!  #PinterestIsAddicting

The One Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice recipe comes from Tiffany over at Crème de la Crumb.  She's a wiz in the kitchen and has so many great recipes on her site, so make sure to check it out.  I basically followed her recipe with a little addition of some extra spice on the chicken itself. 

One Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice to the rescue!

Where have these quick 30 minutes meals, made in one pot, been all my life?  One pot?  Yes please.  Easy on the clean up and it takes just a tiny bit of prep and you have a tasty dinner on the table in 30 minutes.

Do you love lemon?  Love chicken and rice?  Need a quick weeknight meal?  Then One Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice is the dish for you.  The flavors are bright with lemon and spiced with pepper.  The Italian seasoning lends that fresh herbaceous pop we love, and the rice is just comfort city.  This might be you new comfort food dish for the upcoming fall season.

Enjoy!



One Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice

serves 4

time:  30 minutes

4 thin sliced, chicken breasts, boneless skinless
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 tsp salt
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
2¼ cups chicken broth, low sodium
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon


Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet.  Season chicken with salt, Italian seasoning. and lemon pepper on both sides.  Place chicken in the skillet and cook 2 minutes, until just browned, on each side.  Remove to a plate.

Add the rice to the skillet and toast for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.  Bring rice to a boil.  Return the chicken to the skillet, placing it on top of the rice.  Add any juices that have accumulated from the chicken as well.  Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.  

Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices.  Serve.

slightly adapted from Crème de la Crumb

Skillet Meal: Wild Mushroom Ravioli Lasagna

I love quick meals!

I love one skillet dinners!

I'm so excited to share this 20 minute....YES, 20 MINUTE recipe with you today.

I found it one of my many collections of recipe magazines. This one was one pot meals by BHG (love them) and I'm so glad I tried this.  I was a little skeptical because you literally just throw everything in the pot (in stages) and poof!  Dinner is ready in 20 minutes....or less!

The real test though, was the taste.  This says it's a lasagna. Well technically it isn't layered like one, but if you count that the two sides of the ravioli, with stuffed delicious wild mushrooms inside, actually act like layered lasagna, then I guess it is.   Plus you delicately layer little dollops of ricotta cheese mixture over the top.  I love that.  It's not completely filled with cheese so you save on the calories, however you still get that ooey gooey lasagna cheesiness that we all crave.

The taste?  Let's just say this will be in the rotation around here.  And just a little tip from me...make extra if you want leftovers.  Our 4 portion serving didn't last long since I caught MGG eating our lunch leftovers later that night...just sayin'!

The other part, is that this dish uses mainly convenience items, like refrigerated pasta.  I used Rana (Giovanni Rana) Mushroom Ravioli and it was delishhh!  You can use any fresh or frozen ravioli you choose although the mushroom lends a wonderful earthy meatiness to the dish.  You will also need a really good tomato basil Marinara sauce from a jar. Use your favorite that provides you will great flavor.  So don't be worried that you didn't make your own sauce.  This is a 20 minute meal!   If you made the sauce, and the pasta from scratch...phew!  That would take hours.  Who has time for that, especially on a weeknight?  Not me!   There is nothing wrong with using fresh packaged items to make your life easier.


Try this....really, and enjoy!




Wild Mushroom Ravioli Lasagna

adapted from BHG magazine Skillet Suppers

serves 4

1 egg, lightly beaten
7 oz. skim milk ricotta cheese (from a 15oz container)
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 1/2 cups of tomato basil marinara
3/4 cup water
1 family size package of wild mushroom-filled ravioli (I used Rana's brand 22 oz.)
1 cup chopped fresh spinach

In a medium bowl combine egg, ricotta cheese, and the Parmesan cheese; set aside.

In a large skillet or braising pan, over medium heat, combine the pasta sauce and water. Bring it to a boil.   Stir in ravioli and spinach.  Return to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.  Spoon the ricotta mixture into large mounds on top of ravioli mixture.

Simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until ricotta mixture is set and ravioli is tender but still firm.  

Serve immediately.

Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey Tex-Mex Quesadilla

Hi everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with loved ones.

Now, what are you gonna do with all that leftover turkey?  Well you could have the classic leftover Thanksgiving sandwich!  Or you can make my Turkey and Havarti sandwich, or how about some Turkey and Wild Rice Soup?

Each of these dishes are perfect for using up that turkey, but today I have a new version.  A Tex-Mex version of a quesadilla.  I wanted some spice in my life so I opted for a little spicy jack cheese, some green chiles and a whole lot of turkey and refried beans!

This was the perfect quick meal.  Of course you could use chicken in this dish but once you spice up the turkey meat, you or your kids would never know that you are eating turkey...again!

That's the beauty of using your leftovers in completely different flavor profiles.  It gives your ingredients a whole new perspective, plus it tastes sooooo good!

Hope you enjoy this variation on a quesadilla.  It's easy to prepare and your meal will be on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Enjoy!




Turkey Tex-Mex Quesadilla

serves 1-2
1/4 - 1/3 cup refried beans, zesty jalapeno (from a 16 oz can)
2 Tablespoons of green chiles (from a 4 oz can)
1/2 cup cooked turkey meat, shredded
1 1/2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning
1/4 cup water
2  flour tortillas, fajita size
1/4 cup of jalapeno jack cheese
1/4 cup of cheddar cheese

In a small sauce pan over low heat add the refried beans. Add the green chilies and stir.  Cook 2-3 minutes until heated through.  (Can also use the microwave for this step).  In a medium skillet over medium heat add the turkey and sprinkle with the taco seasoning.  Stir about 4 minutes to heat through and incorporated the spices. Add water and continue to stir about 3 minutes until sauce is formed and water evaporates.

To assemble:  On one flour tortilla spread the refried bean mixture.  Top with the turkey meat.  Top with both cheeses and then place another flour tortilla on top.  In a clean skillet over medium heat place the quesadilla.  Cook covered for 1-2 minutes per side.  Remove to a cutting board and cut into triangles.  Serve with sour cream and a dollop of salsa if desired.

Grilled Chicken with Spaghetti Pasta and Arugula

Need a quick 20 minute late summer meal?

Sometimes I just want to minimize my dinner preparations and cook an easy pasta dish.  We went to the farmer's market today and picked up a couple of fresh ingredients such as fresh tomatoes, arugula, and some lemons in anticipation of this meal.

Quick and simple.  That's the plan today.

The bright flavors of these ingredients make this pasta a light late summer meal.  Now you may be saying that it's already fall...well that may be all around the country except is sooo not true for Southern California.  Still singing the hot summer nights here. So this meal is just perfect.

The chicken in this dish is grilled, which you can grill indoor or out.  It provides great flavor to the dish and cooks up quickly when using thin breasts or chicken tenders.

If you want to get a great dinner on the table in 20 minutes this is you dish!  I promise you will love it and so will the family.

Enjoy!



Grilled Chicken with Spaghetti Pasta and Arugula

Serves 4

12 oz spaghetti
6 oz arugula
1 lb chicken breasts, thin sliced, cut into strips
3 T olive oil
3 T unsalted butter
1 T garlic, minced
1 c fresh tomatoes, diced
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c Parmesan, grated

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Brush grate with oil.  Salt and pepper chicken to taste.  Grill chicken covered 4 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.  

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions (about 8-9 minutes). Place arugula in the bottom of a colander, and drain pasta over the arugula. Transfer to a large bowl.

Heat oil and butter in a saucepan over low heat until butter melts.  Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, zest and lemon juice.  Pour over the pasta and toss to coat.  Stir in cheese.  Plate and top each serving with grilled chicken.  



adapted from Cuisine Tonight Fresh & Fabulous Spring 2014 Magazine

Weeknight Wonder: Cashew Chicken and Simple Vegetable Stir Fry

I love easy 20 minutes meals, don't you?

I work hard and really don't want to cook a major dinner during the week. Something quick, tasty, and hearty sounds good so I often turn to stir frys. My blog is full of stir fry recipes so be sure to search for them. I just love that I can throw together a quick meal in 20 minutes. A little help from a convenience item once in a while doesn't hurt either! In this case I used Kikkoman's stir fry sauce, which is very good.

This keeps the meal down to 20 minutes, and you can get a hot, healthy dish on the table in no time.  

The vegetables used are simple everyday veggies from your refrigerator.  Carrots, celery, and green beans.  Items I usually have on hand all the time, but you can use whatever veggies you have.  No fancy veggies this time, which should save you a trip to the store.  Meals like this are great for leftover items you need to use up so grab what you have!

Try this delicious meal soon.  It's the perfect weeknight meal, and better than takeout!

Enjoy!

Cashew Chicken and Simple Vegetable Stir Fry

1/4 c stir fry sauce
1/4 c water
½ 1b boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
¼ c. cornstarch
2 T. canola oil
1/2 c shredded carrots
2 stalks of celery, sliced
8 oz. green beans, trimmed
1/3 c roasted, unsalted cashews
White or brown rice, cooked


Combine stir fry sauce, and water in a small bowl. Set aside.

Place the cornstarch on a plate and dredge the chicken in it to coat.

Heat oil in a wok or skillet. Add chicken and stir fry over medium high heat about 5-7 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove from skillet to a plate. Add carrots, celery, and green beans. Stirring until crisp tender, about 8 minutes. Add chicken and cashews and stir until cashews are toasted. Add stir fry sauce and toss until ingredients are covered.

Serve over hot cooked rice.

Chicken Taco Pizza

I love French bread pizzas.

They bring back memories of mom making them for me when I was growing up.  There is just something about the way the bread gets all crispy when it's cooked.  It's just the perfect vessel for pizza....other than pizza dough!

So today is the day that I re-created my childhood memories.  So digging through the frig to see what I have in leftovers I pull out some shredded chicken, tomatoes and some Mexican cheese I had stashed.  So I decide to mix it up and make this a Mexican flavored pizza. 

Oh my!  This satisfied my pizza craving and it boosted my mood with the Mexican flavors!  Yum!

This is one the kids are sure to love.  Easy to make for lunch as snack, or a quick weeknight dinner.  Make sure to try this soon and keep it in your rotation.
It's that good!



Chicken Taco Pizza

serves 4

1 French Bread loaf
1 cup pizza sauce (or you could use salsa)
1 Tbsp taco seasoning mix
3/4 cup shredded cooked chicken breast
3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese
1 tomato diced (optional topping)
additional toppings optional: olives, green onions, avocado.

Split French Bread Loaf in half crosswise and then spit both pieces in half lengthwise.  

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place bread pieces cut side up on a cookie sheet.  Spread pizza sauce over each slice.  Sprinkle taco seasoning over the sauce evenly.  Divide chicken among the bread slices.  Top with cheese.  Sprinkle with diced tomato.  Add any additional toppings if desired.

Bake 10-13 minutes until bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.  Allow to cool 2-3 minutes and serve.

Garlic Ginger Chicken Asparagus Stir Fy - Recipe and Product Review

It's been a long time since I've done a product review, but when I find an outstanding product that will save you time in the kitchen I feel I must tell you about it...like now!

I just happened to be walking by my favorite store (Williams-Sonoma) and a display of stir fry cookware and food stopped me dead in my tracks. I love a good stir fry, don't you? I've posted many recipes that prove this such as Tangerine Beef and Bok Choy, Cashew Chicken, and Chicken, Brussels Sprouts and Noodle Stir Fry.  

What's not to love? Great flavors, quick meals, and a wonderful weeknight dinner is served!


I quickly told myself it wouldn't hurt to just pop in the store and take a look at the display. Get some ideas of inspiration for a new dish. Hmmm....yea right.

30 minutes later I exit the store with said bottle of Garlic Ginger Stir Fry Sauce in hand. I surprised I had the control and only bought one item as the whole display was so tempting....pans, woks, tools, and the sauces and spices...oh my! To be honest I'm sooooo glad I bought this sauce. It's amazing.

Photo source: Williams-Sonoma.com

Filled with good stuff like, ginger and garlic with peppery chilies, toasted sesame and rice vinegar.  You can purchase yours here.  

I quickly went home and made this wonderful stir fry filled with chicken, asparagus, summer squash, cashews, and of course the garlic ginger sauce.  Oh man...this is some good stuff! (and the recipe is awesome too.)

Note: this is not a sponsored post, just my love of good products.

Garlic Ginger chicken Asparagus Stir Fry

serves 4

2 Tbls. canola oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c cornstarch
kosher salt and pepper
1 bunch of thin asparagus, trimmed
1 summer squash, halved and sliced
1/3 c roasted cashews
1 8.5 oz jar of Garlic Ginger Stir Fry Sauce

Cut chicken in to bite sized pieces. Place cornstarch on a plate and dredge chicken, covering all sides.

Heat oil in a wok or skillet. Add chicken and stir fry over medium high heat about 5-7 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove to a plate and set aside.

If necessary add another tablespoon of canola oil to the skillet. Add asparagus and squash, stirring until crisp tender; about 3-4 minutes. Add cashews and stir 1 minute until toasted brown. Return chicken to the skillet and add the stir fry sauce. Stir constantly until all items are coated and sauce has thickened. Serve over rice or noodles.

Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

It's May...and it's raining today...and it's snowing in the mountains.

This may not be unusual for most places in the country but this is Southern California.  The land of sunshine, and this is just plain weird!

Regardless of the weather I'm still grilling today.  Inside, that is.  I have two favorite grilling pans that I use ALL the time! You can find them here and here.  They are staples for me and make indoor grilling a cinch. One is non-stick and lightweight.  It is easy to use and leaves good grill marks.  The other is cast-iron with superior heat distribution.  Both are excellent pans.  You should definitely get one if you don't have one already.

This light and healthy dish is gonna knock your socks off! The flavors of lime and cilantro are perfect together and when you throw in some California avocados the dish just takes off.  Light and healthy is the theme here.  I served this with some saffron rice and some tropical ice tea.  A perfect way to have dinner in the rain.

So be prepared to wow yourself and your family with this dish.  Guaranteed...there won't be any leftovers.

Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

adapted from CookingLight.com

serves 4

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless chicken breast cutlets
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Roma tomatoes chopped
2 Tbls finely chopped red onion
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado, peeled and cubed

Combine cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Place chicken in a ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken, turning to coat.  Let stand for 5 minutes. Remove from the marinade, discarding remaining liquid.  Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Add chicken to pan and cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until done.

To prepare salsa, combine tomato, onion, lime juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add avocado, stirring gently to combine. Serve salsa over chicken.

Szechwan Beef and Vegetables

Time for a quick and easy meal?

When that's what I'm looking for I turn to stir frys instead of take-out.

Quick and easy to make you can have dinner on the table in about 20 minutes.  Don't you just love that?  And what's even better is this particular stir fry, Szechwan Beef and Vegetables has been made lighter to keep the waistlines in tact!

This dish carries a little heat, being Szechwan and all....so if you want to tone that down a bit to make it more kid-friendly just dial back on the amount of red pepper flakes you use.  Me? I'm all about the heat baby!

Using lean sirloin help keep the calories down and instead of frying this I marinated the meat to infuse flavor and tenderize the meat.  The result?  succulent beefiness...yum!  For veggies I used a combination of cut of bok choy, broccoli, and snap peas.  Lots of greens = lot of nutrients!

All this in a wonderful spicy szechwan sauce...heaven in 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Szechwan Beef and Vegetables

serves 4

 

1 lb lean sirloin, cut into thin slices

1 T sherry

2 T low sodium soy sauce

1 t minced ginger

2 t cornstarch

2 T water

1 T oil

1 lb chopped mixed vegetables like bok choy, snap peas, broccoli

1/3 c whole cashews

1 t minced garlic

¼ c beef broth

2 t hoisin sauce

1/8 t red pepper flakes

Place meat in a bowl and add the sherry, soy sauce, and ginger.  Toss until well coated.  Set aside.

In another small bowl whisk together the cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of water.  Set aside.

Heat a large skillet on medium high.  Add oil to the skillet.  Add half the beef and stir fry quickly until no longer pink.  Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining meat.  

Add vegetables to the skillet and stir fry until tender crisp.  About 4-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cashews, stirring to toast.  Add beef back to the skillet.  Add beef broth, hoisin sauce, and red pepper flakes.  Stir to coat.  Add cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce thickens.  

Serve over rice.

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce + GIVEAWAY

UPDATE:  GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED!

Congratulations to Janine A "I just love the Barefoot Contessa, she makes everything look easy!" on being the winner of Michael Symon's cookbook.  
Contact BillandImyskid@sbcglobal.net to claim your cookbook.

It's my 500th post, and my Blog is going on 3 years!

I wanted to say a BIG "Thank You!" to all that have supported me over these wonderful three years.  It could not be done without all of you.

What better to celebrate than a great recipe and a fun giveaway.

First, let's talk about today's recipe.  

I've been on a roll with Michael Symon this week and today's post is the third chicken dish that I've made from his book Michael Symon's 5 in 5: 5 Fresh Ingredients + 5 Minutes = 120 Fantastic Dinners.  (Lovin' the chicken!)

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce is from the section titled "on a stick".  I love a good kabob, and when it can be a meal or an appetizer it's even better.  The flavors of Thai are prominent but this dish is not blazing hot, which is good for most of us!


Again this was made very quickly as promised.  I used chicken breasts instead of thighs cause that's my preference. You could either cook these on an outdoor grill or use your indoor grill pan.  The results were they were fabulous.  The sauce is excellent, the perfect foil for the chicken.

We loved this dish! 

Now for the giveaway...
Since I was so impressed with Michael Symon's cookbook I wanted to share a copy with one lucky person.  Not sponsored, but just cause I appreciate you all so much!

So I will be giving away 1 copy of Michael's :
5 in 5: 5 Fresh Ingredients + 5 Minutes = 120 Fantastic Dinners.

To enter please leave me a comment below answering the following question.

"Who is your favorite celebrity chef and why?"

The winner will be picked randomly next Friday 11/22/13 and the results will be posted on the blog.

Good luck and thanks for coming along with me on this journey!

Other Michael Symon dishes:
Chicken Amandine
Breaded Chicken & Mozzarella with Basil


Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

slightly adapted from Michael Symon's 5 in 5: 5 Fresh Ingredients + 5 Minutes = 120 Fantastic Dinners

makes 8 skewers
serves 4 for dinner, 6-8 as appetizers

2 T peanut butter
grated zest and juice of 2 oranges
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips (Michael used chicken thighs)
salt and pepper
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat your grill pan to medium high heat.

In a small bowl whisk together the peanut butter, orange zest and juice, jalapeno, soy sauce and olive oil.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  In a medium bowl toss the chicken with half the peanut sauce, mixing well to coat the meat.

Thread chicken onto 8 skewers.  Place skewers on the grill and cook for 3 minutes.  Flip the meat over and cook for another 2 minutes or until done.  

Remove skewers and place them on a platter.  Drizzle with remaining peanut sauce and top with Cilantro.  Serve with remaining sauce.