Easy Dinners Archives — Bless this Mess

October 16, 2018

One Pan Chicken Enchilada Casserole

One pan chicken enchilada casserole made on the stove top with ground chicken, enchilada sauce, veggies, and tortillas in less than 30 minutes.

Long live super easy dinners that are on the table in less than 30 minutes. This is one of those meals that you probably have everything on hand to make. It’s super fast and full of veggies (always a pro in my world!). And you only have to dirty one pan to make it. Put this one on your list to make because it’s sure to become a staple in your house, too.

The ease and speediness of this chicken enchilada recipe is awesome but can we talk about all of the flavors for a minute. Using salsa as one of the main ingredients is always a great idea, because it’s a complex flavored ingredient that is super easy to use. I love the addition of zucchini, too. It’s a simple vegetable that you all know I love, but it adds great texture and color to this dish. Then there’s the enchilada sauce – the real star of the show. Make sure you get a brand that you love because again, it’s adding a lot of flavor to the overall dish (you can also make homemade – here’s my Easy Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce recipe). A few simple ingredients never tasted so good.

This is also a great one because it’s easy to make gluten free. Just sub in and out what you like or have on hand. Serve this with a side of chips and The Best Blender Salsa Ever plus some seasonal fruit and you have yourself one simple meal the whole family will love – in less than 30 minutes. We are winning at life with this recipe.

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October 15, 2018

Instant Pot Shrimp Boil

Quick and easy Instant Pot Shrimp Boil made with potatoes, corn, shrimp, sausage, and just a few simple seasonings.

Have you ever had Shrimp Boil? Sometimes it’s also called Low Country Boil or Cajun Shrimp Boil, too. I love it! I grew up going to the beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama and this was a favorite meal to eat along the coast. Now anytime we leave the desert in search of some ocean waves, I make a point to find a good shrimp boil place. I introduced my kids to the wonder that is shrimp boil this summer and they begged me to recreate it at home for them. I obliged!

Shrimp boil is fun because it’s all spread out on the table or in a big tray and you just pick and eat what you want. You can dip it in delicious butter, add a little hot sauce, give it a squeeze of lemon. It’s just a whole lot of fun eating communally with your fingers. It doesn’t hurt that there’s plenty of shrimp and potatoes involved, too (favorites of my kids).

I loved using my Instant Pot to make shrimp boil because it really helps to infuse the potatoes with lots of flavor, plus, it’s fast and really hands off. The perk of using the Instant Pot is that it’s a set-it-and-forget-it kind of appliance.

So now when you are craving a trip to the beach, but are stuck at home, you can have a delicious fun meal to remind you of the sand and surf.

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October 11, 2018

Homemade Biscuits and Gravy

How to make homemade biscuits and gravy with just a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time; the perfect comfort food.

Fun Fact: this was the first recipe we made in 7th grade Home Economics Class. Over two decades later, I’m still making this recipe regularly; it must be a good one. Biscuits and gravy is a staple in the Hoosier diet and one I’ve been eating, making, and loving since I was a kid. Since I’ve moved out west, I have found that lots of people don’t make it and in fact, they seem a little intimidated by the recipe. I am here to tell you that biscuits and gravy is one of the simplest dishes to put together. If a rowdy class of seventh graders can manage it, so can you.

Biscuits and gravy is celebratory food in our family. We make this recipe for birthday breakfasts, when friends come to stay the night, and even on Christmas morning. I’m so excited to finally be sharing with you something that is a big part of the food culture in my home.

Few things are more delicious and comforting than simple homemade sausage gravy spooned over sturdy buttery biscuits. I hope you make this recipe over and over again like we do.

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October 8, 2018

The BEST Baked Chicken Breast

Here are the 8 secret steps to making the most delicious baked chicken breast known to your kitchen.

Nothing is worse than cutting into a nice piece of chicken breast and finding that you’ve overcooked and it’s dry and tough. I’m sharing with you today my fool-proof way to make the best chicken of your life. It takes a little more time and effort but the results are always worth it in the end. Every time I get lazy and skip a step, I regret it when I sit down to eat. A little planning goes a long way, and it’s worth it when it comes to a perfectly cooked piece of chicken for dinner.

How to make amazingly moist baked chicken breast in the oven:

Step 1: Brine

I know this sounds like a lot of work but it is worth it!!! People are all into brining whole turkeys on Thanksgiving, but we don’t add this important step to our weeknight meals. Just. Do. It. A simple brine can be made by adding 1 tablespoon of salt per cup of water. I wanted to make 4 large chicken breasts one day so I mixed together 4 cups of water, 4 tablespoons of salt, stirred until the salt was dissolved, and then poured my brine over my chicken in a bowl. I popped on the lid and let it sit on my counter for about 30 minutes. 30 minutes is ideal. You can get away with brining for as little as 15 minutes or as long as an hour, but any more or less than that isn’t worth the time or will make the chicken too salty. Brining will make your chicken moist and flavorful, and also helps to bring the chicken to room temperature which is helpful for cooking it. It’s easiest to have the chicken brine in a bowl or a baking dish instead of a plastic bag.

Step 2: Beat it

Chicken breasts are thicker on one end than the other; that’s just how they come. If you want them to cook evenly, then you’ll want to use a meat cleaver (or a rolling pin) to flatten the thickest part of the chicken so that it’s a uniform thickness all over. I put my chicken is a thin plastic bag before whacking it on one end to keep the juices from getting everywhere.

Step 3: Pat dry

Removing any extra moisture from the outside helps the chicken to crisp up nicely when cooked. Just use a few paper towels or napkins to pat both sides dry.

Step 4: Add butter/oil

A little bit of melted butter or oil gives your chicken breast some flavor while helping the outside cook nicely without drying out. It also gives the seasoning something to adhere to. I love to use melted butter because it adds the most flavor. You could also use olive oil. Plan on about one teaspoon of melted butter or oil per chicken breast. Be sure to coat both sides of the chicken.

Step 5: Season

This is the time to make this meat shine! You can go as simple as salt and pepper, or you can make your own seasoning blend. I love 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of paprika (smoked is awesome), and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. This is enough for 4 large chicken breasts or 6 small. I like to mix this together in a bowl and then sprinkle it on both sides of my chicken breast. If you have a favorite seasoning blend (I love Montreal Steak Seasoning on everything), this would be a great time to use it.

Step 6: Cook

Here’s where things get fun! The first 5 steps are the same and then you can decide how you want to cook the chicken breast, adding variety to the dinner table. When I’m prepping a lot of meat for the week, I’ll do steps 1 through 5 for a big batch of chicken (around 4 pounds) and then I’ll bake some, grill a few, and pan sear a few others. I think the cooking method makes them taste different, and I use them in different things.

I highly recommend buying an instant-read meat thermometer. I bought this simple one for around $10 on Amazon and I’ve been using it for 3 years (and I changed the battery for the first time just last month). It’s a life saver! No more guessing if your chicken is done or not, and no more overcooking “just to be on the safe side”.

Step 7: Rest

Make sure when the chicken is done cooking that you wait 5-10 minutes before cutting into it. This give the juices inside the chicken time to redistribute into the meat. If you cut it too quickly all that goodness will end up on your cutting board and you’ll end up with a drier chicken breast than if you had waited. Good things really do come to those who wait.

Step 8: Eat up!

Enjoy the best baked chicken breasts you’ve ever had! A few little tricks like brining, pounding the meat to a uniform thickness, using a thermometer to determine if the meat is cooked through, and letting the meat rest after cooking will really change your chicken game.

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October 3, 2018

Halloween Cheese Board

Fun and festive Halloween Cheese Board made with simple cheese, crackers, pumpkins, and or course, lots of Halloween candy.

Who doesn’t love a cheese board?! Add some candy corn and turn it into a festive Halloween-themed cheese board and you really have yourself a party. I love how easy cheese boards are to put together and how much fun they are to eat! They are great as an appetizer and even better for a casual meal with friends.

When making this cheese board, I tried to pick a color theme – orange and purple. I picked cheese with purple in it (a mild Wensleydale with blueberries in it), purple grapes, black licorice, and olives; lots of orange in the form of candy, crackers, pumpkins, and leaves! It was a simple way to add a bit of cohesiveness to the Halloween theme. The candy really set the tone, though. Who doesn’t love black cat Peeps, candy corn, and Reese’s Pieces?

If you are new to making cheese boards, have no fear. There’s no right or wrong way to do it! As long as you have some cheese, crackers, and a few little nibbles of something sweet and something salty to go with it, you’ll be set. Once you get into it though, I promise you’ll be hooked!

This post is part of a little Halloween event my friend Tara from Tara Teaspoon and I are hosting! We’ve dedicated a few days in a row to sharing our favorite Halloween recipes! Today Tara is sharing the cutest Halloween Chicken Sliders. Seriously how cute are those? I need to make a few of those for my next Halloween party! And I know my kids would love to eat a sandwich with eyes!

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October 2, 2018

Basic Apple Pie Recipe (Using Fresh Apples)

Your go-to basic apple pie recipe using fresh apples in a homemade crust with very little added sugar.

A basic apple pie recipe is simple and the end results are just plain tasty. It’s a recipe that everyone should have in their collection. This apple pie doesn’t use a lot of added sugar and you don’t have to cook the apples before adding them to the crust. It has about an inch or inch-and-a-half of sliced apples inside the crust, which I think is a nice amount. I think apple pies that are 3 or 4 inches high and stuffed with apples are gorgeous, but I like a more even crust-to-apple ratio myself. When you don’t have that many apples in the crust, you don’t have to precook the apples because there are a lot less in there to shrink and put out extra liquid.

Need a crust recipe to make your apple pie? I got you covered!

I wrote a huge post all about pie crust! This basic apple pie recipe is a staple in our house and I hope you love it. You can find this recipe plus SEVEN other pie recipes in one post if you are looking around for something that looks perfect for your Thanksgiving table.

There’s something magical about pulling a pie made from scratch out of the oven. It seems to take you back to a time when life was simpler and homemade pie was standard fare in American kitchens. Today, amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life, taking time to make pie is almost therapeutic. It’s a slower process than opening a box of brownie mix, but there’s so much satisfaction in it. Butter, flour, and sugar are the building blocks of all things good, and making a homemade pie is a pretty great way to use them. Plan to take an afternoon to bake and you just might love how grounding the whole process is for you. And you’ll have a beautiful pie to enjoy after dinner or to share with friends, and that’s a pretty great reward, too.

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October 1, 2018

Easy Apple Spinach Salad with an Apple Vinaigrette

Quick and easy spinach salad recipe with apples, pumpkin seeds, and a simple flavor-filled apple vinaigrette dressing to go with it.

I love finding quick, easy, healthy side dishes because sometimes I get a roast in the slow cooker or some chicken legs in the oven and then I get tired of thinking about dinner. Apple Spinach Salad is one of those quick, healthy, easy recipes that you can pretty much keep everything on hand for because it doesn’t have a whole lot of ingredients and it always tastes great. It’s a really simple recipe to swap out what you love or have on hand too. No pepitas? Great, use sunflower seeds or cashews. No fresh apples? Great, try seasonal peaches or strawberries. It’s so flexible and always delicious.

The start of a really simple salad, in my opinion, is a great salad dressing to go with it. You are going to love this apple vinaigrette! I tried a few different things to get an apple flavor into it and in the end, using apple juice concentrate made the best dressing with the most flavor. It’s just sweet enough (without being a sweet dressing really) and it’s packed with apple flavor. Add in some basic seasoning, apple cider vinegar, and a good quality olive oil and you have yourself one really easy but very impressive dressing.

Add this easy salad to your meal plan this week because you can’t beat fresh apples this time of year!

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September 28, 2018

Easy Pumpkin Cauliflower Curry

Quick and easy pumpkin cauliflower curry recipe made with canned pumpkin, coconut milk, curry paste, and lots of vegetables for one healthy, filling meatless meal.

Few things are more delicious than really good curry. Truth be told, I never had anything like this until well after I was married and a friend (Hi Rivka!) made me my first taste of Thai green curry for my birthday. I’ve been a curry and Thai food fan ever since and have made the point to try lots and lots of different dishes. Sometimes all it takes is one friend introducing you to something new to get you hooked. I think having a friend bridge the gap to something new is such a gift. If curry is new to you, I’ll be the friend you can trust for the introduction. I haven’t led you astray yet!

This pumpkin cauliflower curry is creamy, beautiful, packed with veggies, and so simple to make. You have lots of flexibility when it comes to the veggies you use, too, so make it what you like, using what you have on hand. The pumpkin is very subtle in this dish; I don’t think you’d be able to identify it if you didn’t know it was in there. But it adds a great creaminess, sweetness, and bright color that really makes this dish fun to eat. This is a recipe that I make over and over again, and I can’t wait for you to love it as much as we do.

This pumpkin recipe is part of pumpkin week! A week that I dedicate on the blog to all things pumpkin, sweet and savory alike. I’ve done this every year for a few years now, and I enjoy it so much. I hope it inspires you to get in the kitchen and gives you a few more ideas on how to use pumpkin besides the classic pumpkin cookies.

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September 26, 2018

Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta

Rich and creamy Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta made with ground sausage, pumpkin puree, garlic, sage, and lots of Parmesan cheese – comfort food at its best.

Pumpkin puree in savory dishes is one of my all-time favorite ways to use the stuff! I feel like we think pumpkin recipes and we go straight to those yummy pumpkin cookies and pumpkin bread. I’m here to convert you to pumpkin in every dish, all day long, including dinner!

Pumpkin puree is magical if you ask me. It’s nutritious, inexpensive, easy to find, and easy to use. It adds beautiful color, a subtle sweetness, and a rich creaminess to dishes. One of my favorite ways to use pumpkin is with pasta! When the dish is made, the pasta looks super cheesy and tastes extra rich. But the secret is the pumpkin puree. Sausage and Pumpkin Pasta is one of my favorite dishes to make for company, because pumpkin is such a surprising ingredient. The sausage, sage, and just a bit of cream and Parmesan make this pasta dish a favorite without much work on your end. I can’t wait for you to try it.

This pumpkin recipe is part of pumpkin week! A week that I dedicate on the blog to all things pumpkin – sweet and savory alike. I’ve done this every year for a few years now and I enjoy it so much. I hope it inspires you to get in the kitchen and gives you a few more ideas on how to use pumpkin besides the classic pumpkin cookies.

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September 25, 2018

Easy Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Quick, easy, and healthy turkey pumpkin chili recipe made with ground turkey, canned tomatoes, pumpkin puree, beans, and lots of hearty spices.

Adding pumpkin to chili is one of my favorite secrets to make thick, rich, healthy chili. The pumpkin adds a great texture, a nice sweetness to complement the acidic tomatoes, and a beautiful color to chili. The best part is your family will never know that you snuck a nutrient-packed vegetable into their favorite chili. Pumpkin is my secret ingredient to our favorite Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili as well as this one.

This easy Turkey Pumpkin Chili is on repeat all year long in our house because it’s so filling, healthy, and flavorful. Plus, you can’t beat that it only takes about 30 minutes to throw together and freezes well. I’ll often freeze half of the batch before the pan hits the dinner table so that I know I have a second meal in the freezer. I’ll fill out the meal with our favorite Cornbread Recipe or Mom’s Four Loaf Wheat Bread Recipe, some fruit, our Veggie Box, and some hummus too. It’s a simple, healthy, family-favorite meal that comes together easily. BONUS: you can make this in the slow cooker, too! See the notes under the recipes for instructions and cooking times.

This pumpkin recipe is part of pumpkin week! A week that I dedicate on the blog to all things pumpkin – sweet and savory alike. I’ve done this every year for a few years now, and I enjoy it so much. I hope it inspires you to get in the kitchen and gives you a few more ideas on how to use pumpkin besides the classic pumpkin cookies.

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