Sweet BBQ Chicken

One of the nice things about living in a drive through farming is that the local meat markets are flipping amazing! If you follow me on Instragram (and you if you don't you should I'm flipping amazing like that) you might have seen this picture

10 lbs of ground beef and 10 lbs of chicken for under $40. 

I'm happy to be using my grill again. Being able to grill is my favorite thing about summer.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breast, cook in half
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1-12oz bottle of Open Bit Original Barbecue sauce

Directions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a Ziploc baggie.
2. Let marinate over night. (I actually put some of these in the freezer and when I pulled them out they tasted just as good.)

Enjoy,

Over and out,

A Engineer in the Kitchen

Easy Chicken & Gravy

I guess it's nothing when I say sometimes I fail as a blogger...

I throw this meal together so fast that I didn't take any pictures. Oh well, hopefully you guys forgive me. I will try to remember to take pictures next time I make it.

This is a really easy chicken crock pot meal that takes only a few minutes to throw together. When I was ready to eat I did take some of the juices out and to thicken it for gravy. I am a gravy person.

Anyways, throw some chicken breast or tenders into a crock pot (mine were still frozen), add quartered potatoes, two cans cream of chicken soup, two cans of chicken stock, sprinkle with salt, pepper, Accent, parsley and a pinch of cumin.

Took for 8 hours on low. When ready to serve scoop out some of the juices to make gravy using cornstarch.

The chicken was so juicy and fell apart it was so good.

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast
• Quartered Potatoes
• 2 cans Cream of Chicken
• 2 cans of Chicken Stock
• Salt, pepper, Accent, parsley as desired
• Pinch of Cumin

Directions:

1. Throw all the ingredients into the crockpot.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours.
3. When ready to serve scoop out, juices and use cornstarch to make gravy.

Enjoy,
Over and out,
A Engineer in the Kitche

Chicken Potatoes & Beans

I've been trying to meal plan a little more, which means that we eat more at home then we do out. This is great it saves us a lot of money and it's better for us. It is kind of hard though mainly because with me back in school I don't get home on Tuesday and Thursday night until after 7, I then have to be back up at 10pm to be to work at 11pm. This is usually what happens, hmmm take an hour to cook, eat and clean up get an hour and half of sleep or get McDonald's and get two and half hours of sleep...can you see what usually wins? 

I've have been trying to make up some simple meals that I can make the night before and either have Big-D through in the oven when he gets home from work or in the crock pot before he goes to work. 

Place 3 to 4 chicken breast, potatoes and green beans in a oven safe si

Add butter and Italian dressing. 

Bake at 350° for one hour. 

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 Chicken Breast
• 2 cans of green beans
• 3 potatoes cubed
• Butter
• Italian dressing

Directions:

1. Place chicken, green beans and potatoes into oven safe dish.
2. Add butter and Italian dressing.
3. Bake at 350° for one hour.

Enjoy,

Over and out,

A Engineer in the Kitchen

Fajita Salad

I live with a some what picky eater, he will eat just about any meat I put in front of him but when it comes to vegetables I struggle. I mean he doesn't even like potatoes. When my mom found this out when were first dating, she asked how I could go out with someone that doesn't even like potatoes...I have a confession to make I am addicted to mashed potatoes and gravy, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for a reason! Anyways, I told Big-D that this year we are going to start eating a little bit healthier, I have a lighter class load since I am almost done with school, (when I say lighter I'm taking 15 credits instead of 18...) which means more time for cooking. My goal is to cook four meals a week and pack leftovers for lunch. 

At first I tried the whole, if you don't eat your salad you don't get to play...but that wasn't any fun for me so that went down the drain kind of fast. Then I tried, well I'll just put a vegetable/fruit on the table with every meal, this seems to work sometimes but he is picky and only eats certain vegetables and fruits. I have since asked point blank "What vegetables do you like so I know what to buy?" His answer "Green beans." That's its guys he likes green beans, the only vegetables that I can get the man to eat is green beans, I've tried corn and peas and he won't eat them. My cupboard is now stocked with green beans.

Then one night was I was lying in bed, that's where I do my best thinking it came to me, it came to me that he will eat the majority of the vegetables that I cook in something. I was quite successful in getting Big-D to eat most of a salad the other night.

(Because I am awesome I even made homemade tortilla chips.)

Combine salt, chili powder, cumin and chicken into a Ziploc and shake until evenly coated. Add oil and chicken to a skillet.

Once the chicken starts to brown, add onions.

Next add peppers, I choose green and orange. 

Cut up some lettuce and tomatoes, top with chicken.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into strips
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 orange pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes

Directions:

1. Combine salt, chili powder, cumin and chicken strips into a Ziploc baggie and shake until evenly coated.
2. In a large skillet, add oil and cook until the chicken starts to brown. Add onions and green peppers. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink the middle and the vegetables are tender. Make sure to stir frequently.
3. Top lettuce with chicken and tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips. 

Enjoy,
Over and out,
A Engineer in the Kitchen

Chicken Lasagna

It has been a while since I have posted about cooking, actually its been a while since I have cooked something other than macaroni and cheese, raman noodles, and all the other prepackaged meals. Either I cook something really simple or we bum something off his parents because my mom doesn't cook that much anymore. She actually hasn't cooked that much since my senior year in high school. The whole all her kids grew up and moved out so she has no one to eat what she cooks.

Anyways as one of my new years resolutions I wanted to cook more often and eat out less, we tend to eat out a lot more when I get in my lazy don't want to cook mood.  I also wanted to pack our lunches at least four times a week to help save money.

To kick off the new year I started with Chicken Lasagna, I am not a huge lasagna person but this turned out pretty yummy.

Big-D even said it was cook it again good, which is always a good sign.

Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/2 chicken breast
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 (10.7 oz) cans of cream of chicken soup
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 2 packages of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. First I cooked the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions.
2. Next I diced and cooked the chicken.
3. In a large mixing bowl, I combined the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, onion, and cooked chicken.
4. In a 9 x 13 casserole dish, layer four noodles then using half of the chicken mixture and a third of the cheese. Make a second layer the same way and top with a third layer of noodles and cheese.
5. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350° F.

Opps forgot to take a picture of the goodness before we started eating it. I had a hungry man on my hands and he isn't always patient enough to let me take a picture of the yummy dinner.

Hopefully I will have a "new" kitchen very soon so I will be able to cook more easily without having to use someone else kitchen.

Over and out,
A Engineer in the Kitchen