Category Archives: Main Course

Shrimp and Chicken Fajitas

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 24 April, 2014 None comments

I made these for dinner in a pinch not really wanting to make dinner as I have been thoroughly exhausted lately. So much so, that I honestly hate to even mention it. It’s pretty ridiculous how tired I’ve been and how long it’s lasted. I know emotionally and physically I am worn out, but when pushes comes to shove and I have to have coffee all day long and that still doesn’t accomplish my tired soul, I’m not sure what to do. We went on vacation for three days to San Francisco and returning home was a quick reality check on how quickly vacation is over. Once you return home, vacation has left 100%.

Paying for the fact that I left my son at home without us for three days brought him to be cranky with me for the entire day. Thinking he would be so excited to see us, he was thankful we were home and than instantly gave me an attitude that would make me never want to leave him behind again if this is what happens. It was a rude awakening to wake up yesterday morning with no downtime before he woke up. My husband rushed to retrieve him from his crib as he wanted to see him before work. Not thinking this through and the reality that I would be left with this earlier riser was clearly not a priority to my husband.

My gracious parents were here tending to his every need while we were gone. Thankful for them and their amazing help, they took off pretty quickly to return home. In the meantime I had volunteered to help out a gal with her two kids three days a week and today was the official start day; the day I got home from vacation. Oh how quickly my vacation was taken from me. My cranky child along with two more little rug rats kept me from accomplishing ANYTHING all day long. Children are exhausting and if anyone tells you otherwise, than they don’t have any.

In the midst of the chaos dinner quickly approached but with nothing to serve… I literally wracked my brain for anything and everything. After traveling I did not want something unhealthy as eating out three meals a day becomes tiring very quickly so I resorted to Fajitas.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cooked
½ lb shrimp, tail off
1 large red pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp paprika
2 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbsp. evoo
blue cheese dressing, for topping (optional)
Sriracha sauce, for topping (optional)
4 flour tortillas

Cook chicken to desired taste. In a large sauce pan add EVOO, peppers, onions and garlic. Begin to sauté for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.

Add cumin, salt, paprika, and lime juice. Mix well and add raw shrimp. Cook until shrimp is fully pink.

Add cooked chicken and cilantro. Heat through!

Scoop into a flour tortilla and eat as is, or add dressing, sour cream and/or hot sauce. :)

Enjoy!

30 Minute Chicken

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 16 April, 2014 None comments

In the midst of the chaos life still goes on. I knew my family needed to be fed tonight even though I simply don’t want to. Making dinner is the last thing on my exciting “to do” list. So, since we have been eating very little lately and not the greatest food, I decided I would make a 30 minute meal of delicious chicken and lots of veggies.

Our fridge has been packed full of food but since we haven’t been home and haven’t felt like eating, it will go to waste if it isn’t used. We have my parents coming in to town as well and they need to have some meal options and even though I don’t want to prepare anything, I know I need to. Life goes on.

Tonight’s easy meal is Gorgonzola breaded chicken.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
¾ cup mayo
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp celery salt
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 cup crumbled crackers (Ritz, Saltines, or Trader Joes Gorgonzola crackers)

In a small bowl mix together mayo and seasonings. Set aside.

In a greased pyrex pan, place the thawed chicken.

Top with Mayo spread.

Crumble crackers on top and drizzle with EVOO to keep moist. This helps them not burn while the chicken cooks.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve with baked asparagus and Caesar salad.

Open Face Southwest Sandwich

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 11 April, 2014 None comments

One afternoon I simply decided to make these sandwiches without really knowing what I was doing. I was probably in high school at the time. They were so good I called it my “secret sauce” as I didn’t want anyone to know how to make them but to keep coming back asking for more.

I forgot about these as I never really wrote down the recipe except in my brain. I bought warm French bread from the store yesterday because it was $1; can’t beat that. I thought I could use it for delicious French toast but as dinner was approaching I wasn’t in the mood for breakfast and I remembered these glorious sandwiches. They were perfect as it was beyond warm outside and our first 72 degree day of the year! They also were great for a quick dinner as we have been hospital bound the past week and a half to visit my mother-in-law.

Ingredients:

1 loaf of French Bread
½ cup mayo (use 1 cup if you omit the Blue Cheese)
½ cup blue cheese dressing (optional)
1 can black olives, chopped
½ pint cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp garlic salt
Dash of black pepper
½ yellow onion, sliced
2 avocado
12 slices of turkey
12 slices of cheese (I used Kerrygold)

In a small bowl mix together mayo, blue cheese dressing, olives and tomatoes.

Slice French bread and layer on a broiling pan.

Spread a small amount of mix on top of the bread

Layer with onion, turkey and avocado

Top with cheese.

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Broil for an additional 1-2 minutes to crisp it up.

ENJOY!!!! You will not be disappointed! The sauce is what makes these killer sandwiches!

Steak Marinade

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 10 April, 2014 None comments

My husband loves to BBQ and we take advantage of it as much as possible. We like to pull the meat of choice from the freezer TWO days before BBQ’ing as we enjoy a good 24 hours of marinating. It doesn’t always happen but when we can, it tastes significantly better when marinated longer.

We took flank steak out the other day and put it in this delicious marinade!

Ingredients:

1 lb flank steak, tenderized
3 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 ½ tsp Backyard BBQ
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp celery salt

In a Ziploc bag, add tenderized meat and remaining ingredients. Let it sit over night for best results.

My husband barbequed the steak until medium rare. In our vegetable basket he tossed asparagus with Grape seed oil and minced garlic.

BLTA Hot Dogs

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 8 April, 2014 None comments

As you’ve learned by all my hot dog recipes, I love to try new things with them. Basically I took all the ingredients I LOVE and compiled them together to make this incredible meal.

Who doesn’t love BACON, LETTUCE, TOMATO, AVOCADO, AND HOT DOGS!?!?!?!?!?!

This meal was so incredible my husband was actually shocked by the look of it. He couldn’t believe he was about to eat hot dogs and bacon together in this delicious tortilla wrap!

For the Sauce:

¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup relish
2 tbsp ketchup
1 ½ tbsp hot & sweet mustard

Mix sauce together in a small bowl.

Add Relish

Add Ketchup

Add Mustard

Mix together and set aside.

BLTA Dogs:

4-6 polish dogs
4-6 tortillas
1 onion, chopped
a avocado, sliced
1 medium tomato, chopped
4-6 slices of bacon
Shredded cheese for topping (optional)

Meanwhile, slice hot dogs lengthwise and broil 2 minutes and flip. Broil another 2 minutes.

After the hot dogs are broiled, broil bacon until fully cooked to your desired crispness.

Place a tortilla on a broiling pan with cheese (add bacon if it was previously made and now cold; this helps it heat up)

I broiled it for 2 minutes until nice and crispy.

Add toppings: tomato, spinach (lettuce), avocado, and sauce mixture.

Fold up and eat! Can be messy but you wont complain once you bite into it!

For less crispy, you can roll up like a burrito, but I like the added crunch. If making for lunch for your wonderful husbands the following day to take to work with them, the less crispy way is easier to send them with.

MMMM enjoy!

Smokey Pork Loin

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 6 April, 2014 None comments

I made a delicious rub for my pork loin the other night and placed it in the crockpot!! Super easy, incredible flavors and makes for a great left over pulled pork sandwich! Can’t beat that!

Ingredients:

Pork Loin Fillet
6 red potatoes, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
Smokely BBQ Rub**
1 clove minced garlic
EVOO

**Smokey BBQ Rub click HERE for recipe!!!

I foil lined my crockpot for easy clean up.

Add the pork

Chop onions and potatoes

Mix the rub together and spread on top and add additional EVOO.

Cook on med-low heat for 6-8 hours or med-high heat for 4-6 hours.

Homemade Combination Pizza

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 4 April, 2014 None comments

I made one of the best pizzas the other night. Michael and I loved it. It was not a deep dish pizza but kind of. The crust was thick and moist with great flavor.

I must convince you all to make your own crust especially this recipe as you can freeze it and have it on hand for those nights you don’t have time for dinner or simply want a movie night with pizza and popcorn.

Baking your own crust is extremely healthy compared to all the pizza crusts out there and restaurants that add multiple ingredients and chemicals to get a desired taste. My recipe is easy, healthy and flavorful. It even has a sweetness in it from the honey. Get my crust recipe here: Pizza-Crust

Ingredients:

Already made pizza-crust, uncooked
½ lb sausage
9 oz pepperoni
Red sauce (I used Trader Joes Basil Parmesan pasta sauce)
Chopped olives
Sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups cheese

Place risen pizza crust in a greased 9×13 pan. The dough should be firm enough that you can pick it up and mold it to the shape of your pan.

Top with red sauce.

Sprinkle sauce with 1 cup cheese and pepperoni.

Meanwhile cook sausage until fully cooked.

Spread on top of pepperoni.

Add olives, mushrooms and *onions.

*If you have a couple extra minutes sauté onions with 1 tsp sugar to caramelize and give added flavor. This simple step changes the taste entirely. :)

Bake at 425 for 18-20 minutes or until crust is fully cooked in the middle of the pan.

Enjoy with a good fresh salad to get your vegetable serving in for the day and to make yourself feel good about your dinner choice with your healthy crust.

BBQ’d Chicken

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 31 March, 2014 None comments

Last night we had my husbands sister and her family over for dinner. They came into town last minute after finding out how quickly their mother had gone down hill with her fight in cancer.

We decided barbequing chicken and burgers would be a great way to spend some time together.

Michael did the marinade for the chicken.

Chicken Marinade:

5 chicken breasts
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
Splash of lemon juice
¼ cup sweet chili sauce
Splash of grapeseed oil
Splash of rice vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 ½ tsp cinnamon

In a gallon Ziploc bag add chicken with ingredients and marinade for 6-8 hours for best results. BBQ when ready to eat!

This chicken is so moist and flavorful! The cinnamon is a key ingredient.

Here are the cousins playing in Cooper’s tent!

Turkey Mac N’ Cheese

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 29 March, 2014 None comments

Turkey Mac n’ cheese helps add a little protein to the meal. I made this for dinner and love the fact that I can make it early in the day while my son is sleeping and then wait to bake it until we are ready to eat. This is how I try and live my life to avoid the hassle of cooking while my toddler runs rampant all through the kitchen. :)

This is a quick, easy meal that provides the utmost comfort meal in the end. I love comfort food, I love easy cooking, and most of all I LOVE tasty food!

Ingredients:

1 lb elbow macaroni
6 tbsp butter
¼ cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
½ tsp paprika
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheese
2 cups cubed turkey
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 sleeve saltine crackers, crumbled

Cook the macaroni according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan melt butter.

Stir in flour and whisk until fully smooth. Add salt, pepper, garlic salt and paprika.

Add milk and bring to a boil, cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Mixture will thicken.

Remove from heat and add the cheese and mix well.

Add turkey and mushrooms and mix well.

In a greased baking dish, add noodles. Top with sauce mixture and mix until fully coated.

Sprinkle with crumbled crackers and drizzle with EVOO.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Cooper has been devouring this meal as he finally began to eat again. Makes mommy so proud! :)

Seafood Alfredo

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 27 March, 2014 None comments

After our lovely Costco Trip I made a yummy seafood pasta dish for dinner the following night. Boy was it AMAZING! My husband absolutely couldn’t stop talking about it. He loved the white sauce and acted as if I have never made this dish before. I was grateful for his happiness but was beyond concerned why he thought it tasted so much better than previously. (I am choosing to believe it’s because our family has been deprived of good food since I refused to shop until our Costco trip)

So here is the delicious recipe my husband can’t stop talking about:

Ingredients: