Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken:

Something about stuffed chicken always looked so cool and "fancy" to me!

Like something you would make for a special occasion

(I have no clue why I thought this!)!!

When I really looked into them, I realized that they were actually not all that hard to make at all.

In fact, they are actually really easy! 

And relatively fast!

AND very fun!

AND a great stress-reliever, because you get to pound out chicken!

Anyways, so since being married, I have tried a couple different stuffed chicken recipes.

This is the very first one I tried, and we loved it!

It is a little spicy, but I mean, "Jalapeno" is in the title, so I'm sure you already guessed the spicy part! But it's really good, and the inside is so creamy, and just good!

Now, these don't look fantastic, but they really were good!

We used Turkey bacon, but you can use whatever you want.

We baked ours, but you could grill them instead. That would add an awesome smokey flavor, and great color too!!

Hope you try it out! 

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons diced, pickled jalapenos

1/4 cup (2 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature

4 slices pepper jack cheese

8 slices bacon

You can either butterfly the chicken, or pound the chicken into 1/4 - inch thickness; set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese and jalapenos - I use a hand mixer with a whisk attachment, just to make sure they are thoroughly mixed, and the cream cheese is as smooth as possible.

Place a slice of pepper-jack cheese onto each chicken breast.

Divide the cream cheese mixture into fourths. Place 1/4 onto each piece of chicken, in the center on one side (just like a burrito or something).

Carefully roll up like a tortilla - fold in the sides, and roll from top to bottom as tightly as you can.

Secure the end of one piece of bacon with a toothpick, and wrap the rest of it around the chicken, securing the other end with another toothpick. Repeat with another piece of bacon.

Repeat this process with the rest of the chicken and bacon.

Place on a baking sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper, but that's optional), seam side down.

Bake at 400 degrees F, for 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F in the chicken. Place under the broiler for a few minutes, if you want the bacon to be more crispy.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving!

Enjoy!

Note:

-Grill over medium heat for 20-30 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

-You can also get these totally ready up until the baking stage earlier in the day. Refrigerate until ready to cook!

Martha White Gluten-Free Mixes:

 

I don't know how everyone else is, but when it comes to trying new gluten-free products,

I am the whimp of WHIMPS!!!

I am generally pretty adventurous when it comes to food...I just enjoy food and will at least try most everything once.

So, it's weird that gluten-free products scare me away! 

I think it's because when I first went gluten-free, my family tried a lot of different types of flours, and mixes, etc., and to be perfectly honest - they were GROSS!!!!

I literally got to the point that I didn't care whether I had another cookie, piece of bread, or cracker again in my life. If they were going to taste like that, I could DEFINITELY live without.

And so we did.

For a long time.

It just wasn't worth it.

However, that was over 10 years ago now. 

And a lot has changed in the gluten-free world during that time! 

Thank goodness!!!

I love seeing all these different, new, awesome things on so many grocery store shelves now, and knowing that there are so many more options out there!

But I'm still scared!!!!!!

Before we got married, we were FaceTiming one night (well, I mean, not just one night, we did it every night, but anyways!), and Bradley was eating these delicious-looking, little blueberry muffins that he had just made. And he was like "oh yeah, these are so good. And they're from a gluten-free mix you know."

Ummmm, NO! I did not know! 

He showed me the mix that he used, and I had never heard of it before.

Turns out they are a relatively popular brand that has been around for a long, long time, and now have gluten-free options as well!!!

I am a sucker for muffins, and when he said they were good, I felt brave all over, and couldn't wait to try them!!

So, that is literally the very first thing we made in our house when we got back from our honeymoon. 

We made the Blueberry mix and the Chocolate mix.

Both are incredible!!

And just FYI: spread a little peanut butter on top the chocolate ones while they are hot...

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!

So in case you haven't heard about this brand before, 

I wanted to tell you that it's out there, 

it's amazing, 

and I hope you try it out!!

Where I am living now, I have seen them at Walmart and Bi-Lo grocery stores.

They are on Amazon as well.

And be sure to check out the Martha White website, as well!

You can purchase online there, and also read their cool story!

{Crock-Pot Lasagna}

I am a big fan of Lasagna. I am a big fan of Crock-Pots.

However, for some reason, putting those two things together, just didn't appeal to me all that much.

I don't know why, it just didn't sound good.

But thankfully, something made me just break down and try it one week.

And I am so glad that I did!

I think I may actually like it better than our regular, oven-baked Lasagna!

It was fast and easy to put together, and had such a great flavor.
I was worried about the texture being mushy and runny, but it was nice and thick and perfect!

I hope you try it out!

1 pound ground beef

36 oz. spaghetti sauce (about a jar and a half)

1 (16 oz) container cottage cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 & 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 box lasagna noodles, uncooked

2+ cups mozzarella cheese

Brown ground beef until no longer pink; drain well. Mix with spaghetti sauce; set aside.

Mix together cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, and Italian seasoning.

Line a crock-pot with a crock-pot liner or spray with cooking spray.

Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce mixture across the bottom of the crock-pot.

Break a few of the noodles into large pieces to cover the top of the sauce.

Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles.

Sprinkle with a layer of mozzarella cheese.

Repeat layers with 1/3 of the meat sauce, noodles, remaining cottage cheese mixture, and mozzarella cheese. Top with a final layer of noodles, and the remaining meat sauce.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Or

Cover and cook on low for 2 & 1/2 to 3 hours. During the last half hour, sprinkle another thin layer of mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook until noodles are tender when poked through with a fork, and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve!

Note:
-I used ground turkey in mine, and it worked great!
-I also used a Mexican blend cheese, which gave it more color, and the flavor was perfect!

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Wraps:

Okay, here we are for round 2 of recipes coming from OUR kitchen!!!!!!
Not that this is the second thing we made. I should have posted them in order, but I was not that organized! The very first thing we made, were these amazing muffins that Bradley had found a mix for. We made blueberry ones and chocolate ones. Oh my, they were good!
That is one awesome mix, and I will be sharing all the details about that ASAP!!

The second thing, was he made me Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta!!
Homemade.
With no recipe.
And he had never made it before.
And it was amazing!
Seriously, he got the short end of the stick in this deal!
Unfortunately, I will neither be sharing pictures or recipes for that right now...
or anytime soon, actually...because I have neither.
How sad is that. People - take a picture of your first big meal, okay?
Okay.
Anyways,  I don't remember what any of that had to do with anything!
BUT, I am still married to the most amazing man on earth, in case you were wondering!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anywaysssssssssss!!!!!!!!

So, wraps are fun.
You can put just about anything in them, and personalize them to your taste.

This one might sound a tiny bit strange, and you might think that some of the ingredients don't go together all that well, but please don't knock it till you try it!

They are super easy to make, and we both loved them!
I hope you try them out!!

2 teaspoons olive oil

salt and pepper

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

1/2 - 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, depending on your taste

Canned Pineapple (crushed or chunked), drained well

Chopped Onion

Lettuce or Spinach

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Gluten-Free Flour Tortillas

Heat the oil over medium heat in a small skillet or saucepan.

Add the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir for a minute or so, to combine.

Add BBQ sauce (more or less depending on how saucy you like it). Cook and stir until heated through.

To serve, place desired toppings in the center of a tortilla.

Gently fold in the sides, and then roll tightly.

Enjoy!

Note:

-My very favorite Gluten-Free Flour Tortillas come from HERE.

-If you don't have time to cook and shred some chicken, a rotisserie chicken from the deli would work perfect for this.

-We used Sweet and Spicy BBQ sauce from Kraft, but I'm sure it would be good with any kind!

-We prefer spinach in ours, but lettuce is awesome too!

-Get adventurous and try whatever cheese you have on hand!

{Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas}

So, I would like to start out by saying this is a very exciting post for me.

Not only because it's a great recipe that I can't wait to share with you

(although, don't get me wrong, because it definitely is!).

But mainly, 

because this, my friends, is a milestone post in my life! 

THIS, is the very first recipe I am sharing with you being 

MARRIED!!!!!!! 

To my best friend, by the way!!!

AND............straight from MY kitchen!!!

*****Oh.My.Goodness!!!*****

Like, I'm married, y'all!!!!!

 And I have a kitchen!!!!!!!!

That is mine!!!!!!!!

Well, it's Bradley's too, so okay....this is from OUR kitchen, then!!!!!!!!!

WOW!!!!!

I'm trying not to be more excited about that fact, than the recipe itself, but........

YEP!!!

SO not working! 

Sorry!

Married life is just the best, you guys!!!

Anyways!!! 

Attempting to move on now!!

This recipe was great!

I mean, not as great as being married to your best friend but,

like maybe if you didn't have a best friend, then this dish could be your best friend or something!!

It's pretty much that good!!

Pretty much!

I always got Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas at this Mexican restaurant while visiting my brother in New Mexico. I just couldn't get enough of them, they were so good!

But, I have never seen them in any other Mexican restaurant, and I was pretty bummed about that.

But not anymore! 

These were super yummy, and very quick and easy to make!!

If you are looking for super spicy, I would had another can of green chilies.

But if you just want a bare hint of heat, then stick with one can.

Okay, I'll stop talking now so you can go make these!!

And so that I can go eat the last two that we have leftover!!!

And probably also kiss my best friend, too!!!!!!!

I hope you enjoy them!!!

(enjoy the enchiladas, I mean. Because you are so not kissing my best friend, sorry!)

10 white corn tortillas

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

2 cups shredded cheese, divided

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, divided

salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons butter

4 & 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup sour cream

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies 

Note:

-You can use whatever cheese you like. A mexican blend would be fabulous. I used a provolone/mozzarella mix.

-It works great to let your chicken cook in the Crock-Pot. It keeps it really moist and then shreds super easy when it's done.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and set aside.

In a medium bowl,
combine chicken, 1 cup of the shredded cheese, 3 ounces of the cream cheese, and salt and pepper. 

Mix together. Honestly, your hands are going to be your best choice here!

Lay out the tortillas and divide the chicken mixture evenly between all of them. 

Gently roll up each tortilla and place seam side down in prepared pan

(I usually get 8 going down the middle, and then one on each side).

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. 

Add cornstarch and whisk until smooth.

Add chicken broth; cook and stir until it reaches a boil.

Stir in the remaining 5 ounces of cream cheese, and whisk until melted.

Remove from heat; add sour cream and green chilies. Stir until well combined

Pour sauce over the tortillas.

Sprinkle the top with remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes or until hot through and bubbly around the edges.

Place under a broiler for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese starts to turn golden brown.

Let stand 3-5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!