Italian Chicken

This is the chicken that I usually make to go with the Alfredo sauce. Its quick and easy since the Sauce take a little more effort and the flavors mix nicely.  There are no measurements with this recipe so you can adjust it to your own serving needs.

- Chicken (I prefer the smaller tenderloins so they cook up fast but you can also use chicken breasts.  If you cut the chicken breasts into strips they will cook faster.)
- Italian Dressing
- Parmesan Cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Place chicken in a cooking dish.  Preferably, one that is just the right size for the amount of meat you are cooking up.
3. Pour dressing over the chicken.  Enough to give it a nice coat but it doesn't need to cover the chicken.  
4. Cover with foil and bake until cooked.  I usually let mine cook for 20-25 minutes.  It depends on the size of your meat though. 
5. Uncover and top with cheese if using
6. Cook uncovered for a few more minute to brown/melt the cheese

This chicken is great served with any type of pasta or rice. It has a nice hint of flavor that compliments many meals.  

Egg Muffins

Egg Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
(recipe created by Kalyn with inspiration from The South Beach Diet book)

15 eggs (for silicone muffin pans, use 12 eggs for metal muffin tins or individual silicone cups. You can use less egg yolks and more egg white if you prefer.)
1-2 tsp. Spike Seasoning (I made mine without and they still tasted yummy)
1-2 cups grated low fat cheese
Optional, but highly recommended, 3 green onions diced small.
Optional: chopped veggies such as blanched broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. (Using veggies will reduce the fat content)
Optional: diced Canadian bacon, lean ham, or crumbled cooked turkey sausage

Preheat oven to 375 F. Use regular or silicone muffin pan, 12 muffin size. If using silicone pan, spray with nonstick spray. If using regular muffin pan, put two paper liners into each slot, then spray liner with nonstick spray.

In the bottom of the muffin cups layer diced meat, if using, vegetables, if using, cheese and green onions. You want the muffin cups to be about 2/3 full, with just enough room to pour a little egg around the other ingredients. Break eggs into large measuring bowl with pour spout, add Spike, and beat well. (I used to add a bit of half and half or milk, but lately I like the way they turn out without it.) Pour egg into each muffin cup until it is 3/4 full. I like to stir slightly with a fork. Bake 25-35 minutes until muffins have risen and are slightly browned and set.

Muffins will keep at least a week in the refrigerator without freezing. Egg muffins can be frozen and reheated. For best results, thaw in refrigerator before reheating. Microwave on high about 2 minutes to reheat.

I used some leftover ham cut up into small chunks.  The salt from the ham  and the cheese added plenty of flavor without needing to add any additional seasoning.  Between Brett and I we had a hard time leaving any for leftovers.  But we saved a few and they worked great!

Easy Parmesan Knots

This recipe was adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

Easy Parmesan Knots

• 1 tube (12 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuit
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (I did use the green can stuff)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1. Roll each biscuit into a 12-in. rope and tie into a knot; tuck ends under. Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; brush the warm knots with the mixture. Yield:10 knots.

I didn't have any oregano, so I used my Mrs Dash's Garlic and herb mix.  I didn't realize I was out of Oregano until after I had added the garlic powder.  Ours turned out a little too garlicy so next time I'll either follow the recipe or only do the Mrs Dash by its self.  The topping also made a lot, and I probably could have halved it and had plenty.

Mini Monkey Bread

This Monkey Bread Recipe comes from  from Ryan via The Pioneer Woman.  I reduced the recipe  by about 1/3 and made them in a muffin pan instead of a bundt pan.  It yielded 12 "muffins."

3 cans Buttermilk biscuits (not the flakey kind)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2-3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 sticks butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Open up all three cans of biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters.
3. Next, combine the white sugar with 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon. 3 will be really cinnamon-y. Dump this mix and the biscuits into a gallon size zip lock back and shake it up really well.
4. Drop all of the biscuit quarters into a bundt pan (or muffin cups).
5. Melt the butter with the brown sugar in a sauce pan over medium-high heat until combined. Once the brown sugar butter has become one color, pour it over the biscuits. 
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes (or 20 minutes for the muffin cup ones) until the crust is deep brown on the top.

I should now say that you should let it cool for about 15-30 minutes, but that’s practically impossible. Just tear you off a piece, blow on it for a minute and stick it in your mouth.

Oh man, it’s good.

These were easy to make, and super yummy!  As I said above, I only used 2 cans and it filled 12 regular muffin cups with about 6-8 in each cup.