Chicken and Broccoli Noodle Casserole

I don't know much about casseroles. My mom wasn't really into making them. We were more of a meat, starch and veggies as separate entities kind of family. But when Paul announced that he really loved broccoli I knew I needed more recipes that incorporate broccoli.
When I came across this recipes on Skinny Taste I knew I had to give it a try.

Chicken and Broccoli Noodle Casserole

 6 oz egg noodles
2 tsp oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
12 oz fresh broccoli florets, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 medium shallot, minced
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1-3/4 cups fat free chicken broth
1 cup 1% milk
12 oz cooked shredded chicken breast
4 oz shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar
cooking spray
3 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
2 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs

Cook noodles in salted water until al dente, or slightly undercooked by 2 minutes. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook on medium heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli and a little salt, sauté and cover the broccoli for about 3 minutes on medium heat until the broccoli begins to soften. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Lightly spray a 9 x 12 casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a large pot, heat butter over medium-low heat, when melted add the shallot and cook until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add the flour and a pinch of salt and stir well, cooking an additional 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat.

Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until well combined over medium heat; whisk well for 30 seconds, then add the milk and bring to a boil. Simmer on medium heat, mixing occasionally until it thickens (about 6-7 minutes). Remove from heat and add reduced fat sharp cheddar and 1 tablespoon of the parmesan cheese; mix well until the cheese melts.

Add the shredded chicken, noodles and broccoli to the sauce and mix well until evenly coated.

Pour into a casserole dish and top with parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Spray a little more cooking spray on top and bake for about 20 - 25 minutes. Place the casserole under the broiler a few minutes to get the crumbs crisp and golden (careful not to burn).

This is another recipe that I love to use the crockpot shredded chicken that I mentioned in my previous post. The hardest part of this recipe is making the cheese sauce. Once you get that trick down its a breeze. Its an easy, hearty, healthy and tasty weeknight meal.

If you had some non-broccoli fans in your house you might try swapping it out for some peas or green beans. Or maybe even spinach. Every vegetable tastes better smothered in a cheese sauce!

So ditch the cream of whatever casserole starter and cook up something fresh for your family and yourself!

Southwest Chicken Chili Mac

Back when I first started browsing pinterest I was mostly into finding ideas for dinners. Now I have a whole folder full of ideas for food stuffs and another full of ideas for sweets. I love moving a pin from one of those folders into my "tried" folder.
One of the reason I made a "tried" folder was so that I could remember that I loved this recipe for Southwest Chicken Chili Mac. I was so easy and tasty I knew that I had to put it on my list of things to make again and again.

Southwest Chicken Chili Mac
by Picky Palate

8 ounces wagon wheel pasta noodles (I have also used just macaroni noodles)

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped white onion
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet peppers (or bell peppers)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
10 ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes, mild
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup corn, fresh or canned
1/2 cup white beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dry Ranch seasoning from packet
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
cheese for topping

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cool water to stop cooking. Heat oil in 9 inch deep cast iron skillet. Add onions and peppers, cook stirring until softened about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook stirring for 1 minute. Add chicken, tomatoes, broth, corn, beans, 1 cup wagon wheel pasta, chili powder, cumin, Ranch seasoning and cilantro. Stir until well combined. Reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve.

It might look like a lot of ingredients but they are all pretty common, low cost items.

Another tip for this post is a how to make the shredded chicken for this meal. Throw a few thawed or frozen chicken breasts in your crockpot cook on low 6-8 hours. You can add spices like cumin, garlic powder or chili powder too. Then shred with a fork. So easy.
Sometimes I'll plan to make this and another meal that requires shredded chicken in one week, that way I can cook up a few breasts at once and then have the protein ready to go.

This meal is differently an easy crowd pleaser. Try it for kids or even some picky adults.
This post is reminding me how much I like this recipe. I might just have to put this on the menu for next week! Enjoy!

Bacon egg muffin

So just for fun a few Sunday mornings ago I decided to combine a couple of ideas from pinterest and make a special breakfast for Paul. I made a concoction that I am dubbing a Bacon egg muffin.
I unfortunately did not write down any specific measurements for this recipe. Mostly because I was just playing around in the kitchen.

Bacon egg muffin

Bisquick mix
milk
2 slices bacon, cooked and cut up
2 scrambled eggs
cheese

Cook bacon and scramble eggs. Chop up bacon and let the bacon and eggs cool a bit.
Use the instructions on the Bisquick box to make drop biscuits. I made them a bit thinner by adding a little extra milk. Pour into a greased cupcake tin. Top with the eggs, cheese and a few bits of bacon.
Bake them per Bisquick instructions. Just keep an eye on them. Remove from tin and serve warm.

They were so cute and tasty. My batch made six. So we each got three which was a pretty big portion.
This recipe would be really fun for overnight guests in the morning. Especially if they are hitting the road as soon as they get up.
I actually forgot the cheese but I want to add it the next time I make these.

You could modify these in lots of ways. Syrup for more of a pancake muffin. Or salsa and spicy cheese for a Mexican muffin.
Why not give it a go? I love to play around in the kitchen. Sometimes that's where the best recipes come from.
Breakfast is a fun and easy meal to cook. The only problem is waking up early enough to make anything before lunch!