Chicken & Biscuit Casserole *Quick Meal*

2 c cooked, chopped chicken

1 can green beans (or 1 1/2 c fresh green beans, cooked)

1 can cream of chicken
1/2 c Miracle Whip (or mayonnaise)
1-2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp lemon juice
1 can refrigerated flakey biscuits (8 biscuits - I buy the store-brand version of Pillsbury Grands)

Combine all ingredients except biscuits in saucepan over medium heat until cheese melts.  Pour into 9x13 baking dish.  Open the biscuits and try not to have a heart attack when it explodes (I seriously jump every stinkin' time).  Peel each biscuit in half (so they're half as thick).  Place the biscuits side by side on the mixture in the baking dish, 3x5.  Yes, that's only 15... if it's just for your family and doesn't have to look pretty, just squeeze that extra one in somewhere - otherwise, just toss it out (or put it in a pie tin and bake for 8 mins).

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  YUM!!!

This is a recipe Kimi got from a host-family while touring with a choir, so I don't exactly know whom to credit this one to. Thank you to the anonymous creator!!  This quickly became a family favorite - quick & delicious!!

Baked Chicken Taquitos *Quick Meal*

Found a new favorite dinner... these Baked Chicken Taquitos from Our Best Bites are amazing!!  Funny, when my hubby saw me making these, he was positive they wouldn't be good (since they're not fried).  I am a huge fan of the green salsa (never bought it before), but if you don't have any, you could use a can of diced green chilis.  If you cheat and use canned chicken like I did, these are a super quick meal.  Try them - you'll love them!

CREAMY TOMATO SOUP (with chicken, bacon & corn) **Quick Meal**

I have such a hectic week, that I was excited to find a new quick meal from Picky Palate (done in 15 minutes!).  Click HERE for the recipe for this delicious Creamy Tomato Soup with chicken, bacon & corn... mmm.

Enchilada Pie - *QUICK MEAL*

We love Mexican food at our house, and here's one of our quick-dinner favorites: (don't judge this yummy dish by the bad picture... it's not so easy to take a pretty picture of a casserole - especially one that's half eaten before I remember to snap a picture)

Enchilada Pie
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced (or about 1/8 cup dehydrated onion)
2 Tbs taco seasoning (or 1/2 packet)
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz - 14.5 oz - anything around there will work)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
4 small corn tortillas
1 small can sliced olives
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
 
Brown beef with onion, drain fat (did you see my earlier post for discarding fat??  if not, see below).  Stir in taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes.  In a small round casserole dish, layer meat sauce, chopped olives, cheese, then tortilla - Repeat 3 more times.  Sprinkle cheese on top tortilla.

  Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

** Here's my tip for discarding drained fat:  instead of searching for an empty can to pour the fat into, just line a bowl with aluminum foil and pour the grease into it.  When it solidifies, simply throw away the foil for a no-mess solution!!!

2 Ingredient Teriyaki Chicken - *QUICK MEAL*

At least 3 days a week, I run from one job to another and find myself with 15 minutes or less to get dinner prepared before I start job #2 (piano lessons).  Baking time isn't an issue for me - obviously it's prep time.

So here's my go-to dinner on days like that.  I've been hesitant to post this recipe (now I won't be able to take this meal to anyone - they'll know how easy it is), but I've decided to give in and share my 2-ingredient Teriyaki Chicken that is TO DIE FOR!!!!!  This is something that ALL 4 of my kids gobble up - never any leftovers.

Ingredient #1:  Mr. Yoshida's Original Gourmet Sauce (most grocery stores carry it - I got this big bottle from Costco)

Ingredient #2:  Chicken

Ha ha ha - seriously... that's it.  This sauce is killer!!!  You honestly won't need to add anything else.  Just pour some of this sauce over the chicken breasts (make sure chicken is coated and there's 1/2 - 1 inch of sauce in the pan), cover with foil or glass lid and bake at 350.

Those perfectly-sized, perfectly-trimmed frozen chicken breasts from Costco take about 1 1/2 hours.  The thicker variety from your grocery store will take closer to 2 hours.  Serve over rice (spoon some extra sauce on top) with a veggie on the side - broccoli, green beans, or carrots go great with this.  Or you could serve it with stir-fry veggies (again, I use the frozen bag from Costco... hmmm... maybe Costco should start paying me for all of the plugs I give them).

I listed this as *QUICK MEAL* because it takes 2 minutes to prepare.  If you don't have ample baking time, put it on low in the crock pot for 6-8 hours.

White Bean Chicken Chili - Quick Meal

Since I teach piano lessons in the afternoon, I am always looking for yummy QUICK dinners.  Tonight I found a winner.  This white bean chicken chili from Our Family Treat was awesome!  All 4 kiddos ate it right up, even asking for seconds.  I cheated and used canned chicken from Costco, so it was super fast.  It only needs to simmer 20 minutes (told you it was quick!), but since I was going to be tied up until time to eat, I made this ahead of time and let it simmer in the crock pot on low while I was teaching.  Yum!!!

Quick Meal - Chicken & Stuffing Casserole

This Chicken & Stuffing Casserole is what we had for dinner last night. (and might I just add that despite the funny looks and moaning from the kids, once they tasted it, this was an instant hit!)  So quick and simple.

Jamie Cooks It Up! gives instructions for making this in a crockpot or the oven (I didn't think far enough ahead, so I went with the oven version).  I am lazy was short on prep time and didn't thaw my chicken or pound it flat - so I added more cooking time... 1+1/2 hours instead of 1 hour.  Turned out great!

English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas

Now that school's back in session, I feel like we only eat cold cereal for breakfast - if we're lucky.  Some days we have even less time and it's a go-gurt or granola bar.  So I was excited to see this recipe for English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas from Our Best Bites.

This would even make a great quick dinner.  And I'm sure since it has the word "pizza" in it, my kids will love it.  They'll definitely love making them with me.  Can't wait to try this out (on the weekend, that is - no way I'm waking up earlier than I have to tomorrow... just sayin').

Crepes

Yummy!!  I love crepes.  When I was in college my sisters and I use to all work downtown together and every few weeks we would treat ourselves to lunch at this yummy restaurant that served everything in crepes (for the life of me I cannot think of the name of the restaurant).  Thanks to Our Best Bites for the yummy recipe and how-to on making crepes.  I think these will be served for our Father's Day breakfast.

Creamy Orzo with Chicken, Mushrooms and Red Peppers

This picture totally grabbed my attention (doesn't it look delicious?) - but I was totally sold when I read that it takes under 30 minutes to prepare.  Click HERE for the recipe.  So happy I found this cooking blog...thanks to My Kitchen Cafe for the recipe!!

Taco Soup

I realize taco soup is nothing new or fancy - in fact, when I pulled out the ward cookbook tonight, there were 4 variations!  But none of them was exactly what I wanted.  So I made up my own and it was a hit!  The kids devoured it and it was so quick and easy to make.  If you go light on the toppings, it's a pretty healthy dinner, too (protein, fiber, veggies...).  Here's my recipe:

1 pound hamburger
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 16-oz cans dark red kidney beans (undrained)
1 16-oz can corn (undrained)
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 c water

Brown hamburger with onion, drain grease (here's a tip: instead of trying to find a can to pour the grease into, pour it into a bowl lined with aluminum foil.  Once the fat is solidified, just throw the foil away!).

Combine the meat with all remaining ingredients in a large pot.  Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Told you that was fast and easy!  This fed my family of 6 with plenty left over.  If you're only serving 4, you can freeze half for another dinner!

Toppings:
shredded cheese
sour cream
sliced olives
fritos
diced avocado
salsa

Skillet Baked Ziti

YUM!!  I love baked ziti and I LOVE this recipe.  I am all about one-dish dinners.  And 30-minute dinners.  Throw in the fact that I love pasta, and we've scored a winner!!  While you're getting the recipe from Recipe Girl, look around her site - so many great recipes, you'll never wonder what to make for dinner!

Easy Beef Enchiladas

I often buy the canned chicken from Costco to use in a pinch and had always wanted to try their canned beef, but didn't know what to use it for.  Then I came across this fantastically easy recipe using canned beef at Lovin from the Oven.  I'm actually going to use some left-over roast from Sunday this time - until I can make it to Costco.

Perfect Oatmeal

You might be thinking, oatmeal?  But I kid you not- this oatmeal from Kira Cooks is so delicious.  I actually crave it in the mornings or whenever I look in the freezer and see my Costco-size bag of frozen blueberries.  I do omit the butter when I make it (my mom claims I have a phobia of butter) and it's delicious, I can only imagine the yumminess with added butter.  I love recipes from Kira Cooks, anything I've made always turns out exactly right.  Give it a try- you just might discover your love of heart-healthy oatmeal.