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Archive for January 19, 2012
Recipe Exploration: Cheesy Bacon, Chicken, and Avocado Quesadillas
January 19, 2012
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Name: Cheesy Bacon, Chicken, and Avocado Quesadillas
By:Renee (from kevinandamanda.com)
By:Renee (from kevinandamanda.com)
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 10
Servings: 8 (half a quesadilla is a serving)
Ingredients:
- 4 medium-sized flour tortilla shells
- 1 lb chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup scallions, diced
- 8 strips of bacon, cooked & crumbled
- 1 avocado, diced
- 3 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp butter
Directions:
- Arrange bacon on a cooling rack (like for cookies) and set it on top of sheet pan. If you don’t have a cooling rack, you can just put the bacon straight on the sheet pan. Or in a 9×13 baking dish. Either way will work. Place bacon in a cold oven, turn heat to 400, and cook 15 mins per side.
- Add 1/2 tbsp bacon drippings to a skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and saute about 2-3 mins until softened. Add the chicken in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 mins or until chicken is golden and cooked through, flipping just once during cooking. Remove the chicken and scallions to a plate and rinse out the skillet.
- Add about 1/2 tbsp butter to the skillet over medium heat. When foamy, add a tortilla and swirl it around to get it nice and buttery. Layer one side of the tortilla with chicken, bacon, avocado, and a little cheese. Use tongs to flip the other half of the tortilla over and press down. Cook the tortilla for about 1-2 mins on each side or until golden brown and crispy.
- Repeat with the rest of the tortillas, adding a little more butter for each tortilla as needed. Eat & enjoy!
Notes:
- I used the bacon pieces used for salads and made them crispy in the microwave. Was a lot easier. But if you don’t have extra bacon grease handy, it’s good to make the bacon yourself.
Categories: Recipe Exploration
Avocado, Bacon, cheese, Chicken, Quesadilla, scallions, tortilla
Recipe Exploration: Cajun Chicken Pasta
January 19, 2012
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Name: Cajun Chicken Pasta
By: Renee (modified from All Recipes.com)
By: Renee (modified from All Recipes.com)
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces linguine pasta
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 fresh baby bella mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 4 stalks of green onion, minced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguini pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
- Meanwhile, place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl, and toss to coat.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, saute chicken in butter until no longer pink and juices run clear, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add green and red bell peppers, sliced mushrooms and green onions; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat, and stir in heavy cream. Season the sauce with basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper, and heat through. Add more Cajun Seasoning if desired.
- In a large bowl, toss linguini with sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. If sauce is too thin, let the bowl sit until sauce thickens.
Notes:
- Can also use rotisserie chicken cut up into pieces. That works out well!
- If sauce is consistently too thin even after sitting, you can add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with or water to thicken.