Jan
2019

Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole

categories: Casseroles, Chicken, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern
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You’ll love this easy to make Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rigatoni noodles, chicken, corn, black beans, and cheese, baked in a Southwestern flavored sauce!
You'll love this easy Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rigatoni, chicken, corn, black beans, and cheese, baked in a Southwestern flavored sauce!

Can I get a shout out for the humble, yet delicious casserole dishes that have made mealtimes easier for home cooks everywhere? This Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole is a perfectly simple but absolutely lip-smackin’ delicious casserole that will leave you smiling!

I found the original recipe on Pinterest, and loved that you can use pre-cooked (think rotisserie or leftover) chicken. By using pre-cooked chicken, and canned corn and black beans, you’ve already saved yourself some time!

Making this fiesta chicken pasta casserole recipe is as simple as cooking pasta, whisking together a simple Southwestern flavored sauce, stirring in the rest of the ingredients, then baking it! The recipe is really quite simple. Let me show you how to make this yummy meal!

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At The bottom Of The Page

How To Make Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole

The first thing you will need to do is spray a 13×9 inch baking dish with non-stick spray, then set the dish aside.  Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cook the rigatoni pasta in 4 quarts of lightly salted water. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

NOTE: No rigatoni? No problem! You can easily substitute rotini (spiral) pasta or penne pasta in this dish!

Cooking rigatoni for the fiesta chicken pasta casserole.

While the pasta noodles are cooking, mix together salsa, light sour cream, garlic powder, ground cumin, and onion powder in a medium sized bowl.

Mixing together the Southwestern sauce used in the fiesta chicken pasta casserole.

Building The Casserole

When the pasta is done cooking, drain it well, and pour it into a large mixing bowl.  Add the sauce to the pasta in the bowl, and give it a good stir to mix it together. Once the sauce and pasta are combined, add the drained corn, black beans, cooked chicken (shredded or cubed), and ONE CUP of grated cheddar cheese.

Reserve the remaining cup of grated cheddar cheese to use later. Gently stir the fiesta chicken pasta casserole together, until all ingredients are coated with sauce and are thoroughly combined.

Sauce, corn, black beans, cheese and chicken is added to the fiesta chicken pasta casserole.

Time To Bake The Casserole

Pour the fiesta chicken pasta casserole ingredients evenly into the baking dish, and spread out, to cover. Evenly distribute the remaining cup of grated cheddar cheese across the top of the casserole. 

Cover the pan with aluminum foil, and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 25 minutes. About 10 minutes before the cooking time is done, remove the foil and finish cooking the fiesta chicken pasta casserole.

Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole is covered with grated cheese, then baked.

Once the casserole is finished cooking, remove it from the oven. The cheese will be melted, and the casserole will be slightly bubbly around the edges.

Fiesta chicken pasta casserole, right out of the oven, after baking.

To Serve Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole

Garnish the fiesta chicken pasta casserole with some sliced green onions (or chives, as shown), and chopped tomatoes. If desired, you can also add avocado slices for flavor and color. The casserole is now ready to serve! The recipe serves 8 (modest portions), or 6, if serving larger portions!

The baked fiesta chicken pasta casserole is garnished with tomatoes and chives before serving.

The only thing left to do is dig into this absolutely delicious fiesta chicken pasta casserole! It has WONDERFUL flavor, and is not too spicy… trust me! The black beans add additional protein, and together with the corn, help to make this a well-rounded, nice and filling meal! It is SO GOOD!

An individual portion of fiesta chicken pasta casserole is served in a white bowl.

I really hope you will consider trying this fiesta chicken pasta casserole. My husband and I LOVED it! Guess what? The leftovers tasted fantastic, too! I really think you will love this easy to make recipe, too! Have a wonderful day!

Looking For More CASSEROLE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of casserole recipes you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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Original Recipe Source: https://togetherasfamily.com/fiesta-chicken-casserole/

5 from 1 vote
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Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
You'll love this easy to make Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rigatoni noodles, chicken, corn, black beans, and cheese, baked in a Southwestern flavored sauce!
Category: Entree - Casserole
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: fiesta chicken pasta casserole
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 385 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2¼ cups uncooked rigatoni pasta (can substitute spiral or penne pasta
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 cup light sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 15 ounces whole kernel corn (1 can) , drained
  • 15 ounces black beans (1 can) , drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups cooked chicken breasts , shredded or cubed
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese , divided
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, then set aside. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

  2. Cook pasta in 4 quarts of lightly salted water. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

  3. While the pasta is cooking, mix together salsa, light sour cream, garlic powder, ground cumin, and onion powder in a medium sized bowl.

  4. When pasta is done, drain, and pour it into a large mixing bowl.  Add the sauce; stir to combine. Add drained corn, black beans, cooked chicken (shredded or cubed), and ONE CUP of the grated cheddar cheese. Reserve remaining cup of grated cheddar cheese to use later. Gently stir, until all ingredients are coated with sauce and are thoroughly combined. Pour into the baking dish, spreading to cover. Sprinkle remaining cup of grated cheddar cheese across the top of the casserole.  Cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 minutes. About 10 minutes before the cooking time is done, remove the foil and finish cooking.

  5. Remove finished casserole from oven. Garnish with sliced green onions (or chives), and chopped tomatoes. If desired, you can also add avocado slices. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Caloric calculation was calculated based on using light sour cream. Regular sour cream will work perfectly, but will increase calorie count for each portion.

Nutrition Facts
Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/8 of total))
Calories 385 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 69mg23%
Sodium 657mg29%
Potassium 597mg17%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 680IU14%
Vitamin C 5.2mg6%
Calcium 285mg29%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll love this easy Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rigatoni, chicken breast, corn, black beans, and cheese, baked in a Southwestern flavored sauce!


Jan
2019

Oatmeal Cranberry Pecan Cookies

categories: Cookies, Desserts
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Soft and chewy oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies, with a white chocolate drizzle on top, are easy to make, and sure to please kids of ALL ages!
Soft and chewy oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies, with a white chocolate drizzle on top, are easy to make, and sure to please kids of ALL ages!

Do you like cookies? We sure do, at our house!  I recently made a LOT of Christmas goodies to give to all our neighbors, a tradition I have kept for many years! One of the treats I made this year were these white chocolate drizzled oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies!

The recipe was a twist on my standard recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies, which I’ve been making for years. I simply made a few changes to the base recipe, and added a bit of “sparkle” on top, by drizzling each cookie with white chocolate! These simple chewy cookies turned out to be quite delicious, and today I’d like to share the easy recipe with you!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Oatmeal Cranberry Pecan Cookies

You will want to preheat your oven to 350° F. first, because these cookies come together very quickly.

Using a large bowl and electric mixers (or a stand mixer), mix together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy (note: photo below does not show the brown sugar.. Add 2 eggs and vanilla extract to the cookie dough batter. Mix well, to combine ingredients.

Butter and sugar are beaten together to make dough for cookies.

In a separate, medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Once combined, add the flour mixture to the cookie dough batter. Mix well, until all the flour is incorporated into the cookie dough.

Flour and spices are added to oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies dough.

Add the chopped pecans, dried cranberries and old-fashioned rolled oats to the cookie dough.  STIR these ingredients well, until they are fully combined. Now you have the dough ready to make some yummy oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies!

Rolled oats, dried cranberries and pecans are added to the cookie dough,

Drop the cookie dough by rounded Tablespoons onto an ungreased baking sheet. Be sure to leave about 1 inch in between the oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies, because they will spread slightly. NOTE: I made “drop” cookies. If you prefer a slightly “flatter” cookie, you can lightly press down on the tops of the dough.

Oatmeal cranberry pecan cookie dough is placed in spoonfuls on baking sheet.

Bake The Oatmeal Cranberry Pecan Cookies

Bake the oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies at 350° F. for 8-10 minutes, or until light golden brown. Since oven temps vary quite a bit, my advice is to check them at the eight minute mark. When done, take the oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies out of the oven. Leave them on the cookie sheet for a minute, THEN transfer them to a wire rack, to cool completely.

The oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies are baked until done and golden brown.

Make The White Chocolate Drizzle For Oatmeal Cranberry Pecan Cookies

Once the cookies have cooled, make the drizzle topping for the cookies, by melt the white chocolate chips and vegetable shortening in the microwave. To do this, place the white chocolate chips and vegetable shortening in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove and stir.  Put partially melted chocolate back in microwave and heat for another 30 seconds, Remove and stir, until creamy.

The reason for microwaving the chocolate in short amounts of time is so the chocolate won’t burn.  If there are still lots of unmelted white chocolate chips left after two stints in the microwave, place in microwave one more time for 15 seconds, and stir well. Be careful to NOT burn the chocolate!

Oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies, drizzled with white chocolate, on wire rack after baking.

Place a sheet of wax paper, parchment paper or aluminum foil UNDER the wire rack to catch drips (this will help with cleanup). When the white chocolate is smooth, drizzle it over the tops of each of the oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies, using a fork or spoon.

If you want to get fancy, you can place the melted chocolate into a pastry bag and “pipe” the white chocolate on, but in my humble opinion, it’s one more thing to wash!  A simple drizzle (with a fork or spoon) works just fine for me! Let the white chocolate firm up, and then the oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies are ready to eat! Store any leftover cookies in a covered container. YUM!

Oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies on wire rack, ready to eat!

I really hope you will give these oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies a try! They are perfect to munch on, drop in a lunch box, or to serve as an afternoon or evening treat! Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More COOKIE Recipes?

You can find all of my cookie recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. A few of our family’s favorite cookie recipes you might enjoy include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

0 from 0 votes
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Oatmeal Cranberry Pecan Cookies
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Total Time
23 mins
 
Soft and chewy oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies, with a white chocolate drizzle on top, are easy to make, and sure to please kids of ALL ages!
Category: Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies
Servings: 48 cookies (approx.)
Calories Per Serving: 142 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Cookie Dough
  • 14 Tablespoons butter , softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar , packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1¼ teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
For Drizzle
  • 10 ounces white chocolate chips (equivalent to 1¼ cups)
  • 1½ Tablespoons vegetable shortening
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
To Make Cookie Dough:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

  2. Using a large bowl and electric mixers (or a stand mixer), mix together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.  Add 2 eggs and vanilla extract to the cookie dough batter. Mix well, to combine ingredients.

  3. In a separate, medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Once combined, add flour mixture to cookie dough batter. Mix well, until all flour is incorporated into cookie dough. Add chopped pecans, dried cranberries and old-fashioned oats.  STIR ingredients well, until fully combined.

  4. Drop dough by rounded Tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheet.  Leave 1 inch between cookies, because they will spread slightly. NOTE: If you want slightly  "flatter" cookies, lightly press down on the tops of the dough. Bake at 350° F. for 8-10 minutes, or until light golden brown.  Oven temps vary quite a bit, so check them at the 8 minute mark. When done, remove from oven. Leave cookies on  sheet for a minute, THEN transfer onto wire rack, to cool completely.

To Make White Chocoate Drizzle:

  1. Once the cookies have cooled, melt white chocolate chips and vegetable shortening in the microwave. To do this, place white chocolate and shortening in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove and stir.  Put back in microwave and heat another 30 seconds, Remove and stir, until creamy. If there are still lots of unmelted white chocolate chips left, place in microwave for 15 seconds, and stir well. Be careful to NOT burn the chocolate!

  2. Place a sheet of wax paper, parchment paper or aluminum foil UNDER the wire rack to catch any drips (this will help with cleanup). Once chocolate is smooth, drizzle it over the tops of each cookie. Let the white chocolate firm up, and then cookies are ready to eat! Store cookies in a covered airtight container. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Oatmeal Cranberry Pecan Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 142 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 17mg6%
Sodium 85mg4%
Potassium 55mg2%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 115IU2%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 22mg2%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Soft and chewy oatmeal cranberry pecan cookies, with a white chocolate drizzle on top, are easy to make, and sure to please kids of ALL ages!


Jan
2019

Eggplant Parmesan

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals
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Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian meatless dish, with breaded eggplant slices baked with marinara sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian meatless dish, with breaded eggplant slices baked with marinara sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Do you enjoy eggplant parmesan?  Lots of people love this classic Italian dish, and today I am going to show you how you can make it at home! You can read some interesting information about this dish’s origins here.

I found the original recipe on Pinterest, and made this meatless dish for my husband and I several months ago. Every now and then I love to make meatless dishes, and thought this one sounded really good, so I bought a gorgeous eggplant at our local Farmer’s Market.

Eggplant Parmesan has layers of lightly breaded eggplant slices, topped with marinara sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. The eggplant slices are lightly browned, then layered in casserole dish with the sauce and the cheeses.

Eggplant parmesan is baked until cooked through, and all that gooey cheese is melted throughout. Here’s how to make this dish:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Eggplant Parmesan

The first thing you will need to do is let excess water drain from the fresh eggplant. This step helps to reduce “sogginess” in the eggplant slices, by pulling out moisture before cooking.

Cut a large eggplant into 1/2″ thick slices.  Salt BOTH sides of each slice. Put the salted eggplant slices in a large colander in the sink, or over a bowl.

Let the eggplant slices sit and “drain” or “sweat out” the liquid for 45 minutes. Once done draining, lightly brush off the excess salt.

Eggplant is sliced, then liquid is drained out of it before cooking Eggplant Parmesan.

Preparing The Eggplant To Make Eggplant Parmesan

Preheat your oven to 375°F, and place two (shallow) plates on the kitchen counter. Spread the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs out, on one plate. Place the 3 slightly beaten eggs and milk on the other plate. Lightly whisk the eggs and milk together, until blended.

Dip each eggplant slice (one at a time) into the egg/milk mixture, making sure to cover both sides. Let excess liquid drip back onto plate. Dip the eggplant into the breadcrumbs, until both sides are covered, letting excess drop back onto plate.

Continue this step until all eggplant slices are breaded. Place breaded eggplant onto a paper towel covered 9×13 baking sheet in a single layer.

Eggplant slices are dipped in egg, then seasoned breadcrumbs, to make eggplant parmesan,

Browning The Eggplant

Put one Tablespoon of oil into a large skillet. Heat the skillet on medium high heat until hot, but not smoking.  Once the skillet and oil are hot, add a few slices of eggplant at a time to the skillet. I was able to cook 4 at a time.

Cook eggplant on both sides, until they are lightly browned. Once browned, transfer them from the skillet to a paper towel lined baking sheet. Continue this step for all the slices, adding one Tablespoon oil for each group of eggplant slices that are browned.

Eggplant slices are cooked on both sides to prepare them to make eggplant parmesan,

Assembling The Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

Now you are ready to assemble the eggplant parmesan! Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish. The first layer to go in is the eggplant slices. I used a 2.5 quart casserole dish, so I was able to get about 4 eggplant slices in each layer.

Once you have a layer of eggplant slices, add a spoonful of marinara sauce to the top of each slice. Don’t drown the layers in sauce! Top the sauce with a layer of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. This time I used shredded Parmesan cheese, and  slices of mozzarella cheese into my dish, but you can just as easily substitute grated mozzarella (instead of slices), if desired.

Repeat this process for a couple more layers (or until you run out of eggplant!). Make sure to reserve some of the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses to top the entire dish of eggplant parmesan, before baking.

Eggplant parmesan has layers of sauce, eggplant, and cheeses,

Baking Eggplant Parmesan

Bake the eggplant parmesan for approximately 20-25 minutes at 375°F.  When done, all that yummy cheese on top should be melted, golden brown and bubbly! Mine was done at 25 minutes.

NOTE: If you want the cheese to be more golden brown in color, you can always put it under the oven broiler for a couple minutes, if desired. Remember to keep a close eye on it, if you do this step! Nobody wants burned cheese on top, right?

Remove eggplant parmesan from oven, and let it sit for a couple minutes (to let the cheese solidify a bit). The only thing left to do is slice up a piece, serve it hot, and enjoy this classic Italian dish! You can also garnish the casserole with fresh, chopped basil, if desired.

Eggplant parmesan, freshly baked, with gooey melted cheese on top.

I hope you enjoy this dish! For me, it’s always fun to experiment in the kitchen, and try new recipes.  If you enjoy eggplant, be sure to check out my recipe for Baby Eggplant Mozzarella Bites! They’re delicious, too!

Have a wonderful day, please come back again soon, and thanks for stopping by!

Looking For More MEATLESS Meal Recipes?

You can find all my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few meatless favorites include:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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Original recipe source: https://www.tablefortwoblog.com/eggplant-parmesan/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Eggplant Parmesan
Prep Time
1 hr 10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 
Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian meatless dish, with breaded eggplant slices layered and baked with marinara sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Category: Meatless Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: eggplant parmesan
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 624 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 large eggplant , cut in 1/2" slices
  • 2 Tablespoons salt
  • 1½ cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 3 large eggs , lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4 Tablespoons olive oil , or vegetable oil
  • 3 cups marinara sauce
  • 2 cups mozzarella , shredded or slices
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese , shredded
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Cut a large eggplant into 1/2" thick slices.  Salt BOTH sides of each slice. Put the salted slices in a large colander in the sink, or over a bowl. Let the eggplant sit and "drain" or "sweat out" the liquid for 45 minutes. Once done draining, lightly brush off excess salt.

  2. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Place two (shallow) plates on kitchen counter. Spread Italian breadcrumbs on one plate. Place eggs and milk on the other plate. Lightly whisk eggs and milk together. Dip each eggplant slice (one at a time) into egg/milk mixture, covering both sides. Let excess liquid drip back onto plate. Dip eggplant into breadcrumbs until both sides are covered, letting excess drop back onto plate. Continue this step until all eggplant slices are breaded. Place breaded eggplant onto a paper towel covered 9x13 baking sheet in a single layer.

  3. Put 1 Tablespoon oil into a large skillet. Heat the skillet on medium high heat until hot, but not smoking.  Once skillet and oil are hot, add a few slices of eggplant at a time to the skillet. Cook eggplant on both sides, until lightly browned. Once browned, transfer them from the skillet to a paper towel lined baking sheet. Repeat this step for all slices, adding one Tablespoon oil for each group of eggplant slices that are browned.

  4. Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on bottom of casserole dish. The first layer is eggplant slices (I used a 2.5 quart casserole dish, and was able to get about 4 eggplant slices per layer). Onto that layer, add a little marinara sauce to the top of each piece (approx. 1/4 cup). Top the sauce with a layer of shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Repeat this process for two more layers (or until you run out of eggplant). Make sure to reserve some of the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses to top the dish off with, before baking.

  5. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes at 375°F.  When done, the cheese on top should be melted, golden brown and bubbly!  Note: If you want the cheese to be more golden brown in color, you can always put it under the oven broiler for a couple minutes, if desired. Remember to keep a close eye on it, if you do this step!  Remove eggplant parmesan from oven, and let it sit for a couple minutes (to let the cheese solidify a bit). The only thing left to do is slice up a piece, and serve it hot! Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note that 45 minutes of the prep time listed is INACTIVE time (while zucchini drains).

You can also garnish the finished eggplant parmesan with chopped, fresh basil, if desired.

Nutrition Facts
Eggplant Parmesan
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 624 Calories from Fat 324
% Daily Value*
Fat 36g55%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Cholesterol 64mg21%
Sodium 5817mg253%
Potassium 817mg23%
Carbohydrates 44g15%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A 1505IU30%
Vitamin C 14.1mg17%
Calcium 719mg72%
Iron 4.6mg26%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian meatless dish, with breaded eggplant slices layered and baked with marinara sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.


Jan
2019

Chicken Noodle Soup

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes, Soups
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Delicious, homemade chicken noodle soup, made with leftover rotisserie chicken, celery, carrots, garlic, onions and spinach, will warm you up on a cold day!
Delicious, homemade chicken noodle soup, with leftover rotisserie chicken, celery, carrots, garlic, onions and spinach will warm you up on a cold day!

We recently bought a rotisserie chicken at Costco. They always seem to have the best roasted chicken! After a couple days of enjoying it, we were left with a mostly picked over whole chicken in our fridge. About 75% of the meat was gone off the bones, and we had the “skeletal remnants” in the fridge.

A lot of folks would throw out the rest of the chicken, at that point. But did you know the bones and tiny bits of chicken left hanging on for dear life can make an incredible tasting chicken noodle soup? YEP!  I decided not to waste the leftovers, and make a big pot of soup for our rainy night dinner!

The results? A wonderful tasting homemade chicken noodle soup that we enjoyed for a few more days, for dinner and a couple lunches! So the next time you have a leftover roasted chicken  (or have some leftover pre-cooked chicken and chicken broth in your kitchen), make soup! It’s EASY!  Here’s how:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Making Chicken Noodle Soup Using Leftover Roasted Chicken

The photo below shows you what was left of our rotisserie chicken. Poor thing never had a chance! Most of the meat had already been eaten, but there was still some attached to the bones. This is PERFECT for making a delicious broth for the soup!

So, to make a good broth for the chicken noodle soup, place the chicken (or what’s left of it) into a large soup pot, and cover it with water.

Leftover rotisserie chicken in pot of water to make chicken noodle soup.

Add sliced carrots, celery, chopped onions and two smashed cloves of garlic to the pot. The carrots, onion, and celery are considered the holy trinity of cooking, because they impart so much flavor. They will be perfect to flavor the chicken noodle soup base!

Celery, carrots, garlic and onion added to chicken in water, for chicken noodle soup.

Add salt, pepper, and two large chicken bouillon cubes to the soup pot. Bring the water to a boil on medium high heat. Cook for about 35 minutes, then remove from heat. Carefully remove whole chicken from pot, and let it cool a bit.

Once it has cooled some, pick off all the pieces of chicken you can get from the bones, and add them back into the pot. Believe it or not, I ended up with about 2 cups of shredded chicken! Discard the bones once finished. Skim any accumulated grease off the top of the soup, and remove the two smashed garlic cloves.

If NOT Using A Whole Chicken To Make This Chicken Noodle Soup

NOTE: If NOT using a whole chicken, simply cook the veggies for about 15 minutes (to soften), then add two cups of cooked, shredded chicken into the pot. Make sure to add THREE large chicken bouillon cubes to the water, for flavor.

Timesaving Tip For Making Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I made this soup to use up our rotisserie chicken leftovers. HOWEVER… IF YOU WANT TO SAVE TIME, simply use 4 quarts of store bought chicken broth with your veggies and precooked chicken. Then there is no need to make your own chicken broth, and it will still have lots of flavor!

It will end up costing you a bit more to make the soup, but will save you time, if that’s an issue!

Holding a ladle full of chicken soup (without noodles)

Put the chicken noodle soup back on the stove on medium high heat. Bring the soup to a full boil, then add the uncooked rotini pasta. If you don’t have rotini pasta noodles, add your favorite! Stir, and cook the noodles for the time stated on package (typically this is between 11-13 minutes).

Uncooked rotini pasta is added to boiling chicken noodle soup in pan.

Chicken noodle soup in a ladle is almost done cooking.

When the noodles are finished cooking, add 1 Tablespoon of butter to the pot. Stir in the thawed and drained chopped spinach. Continue cooking the soup for a couple minutes, until chicken noodle soup is heated through. Take a small taste, and add salt and/or pepper, as desired.

Spinach has been added to chicken noodle soup in pot.

A ladle, full of the finished chicken noodle soup.

And there you have it! Instead of throwing away the remnants of a whole rotisserie chicken, you have used it to make a delicious pot of homemade chicken noodle soup!

A big pot, full of homemade chicken noodle soup.

Who’s Ready To Eat Some Chicken Noodle Soup?

All that’s left to do is ladle up a bowlful of hot soup, and serve it to those you love!  It’s really quite easy to make a delicious, filling pot of chicken noodle soup very inexpensively! The best part is that this soup, filled with chicken, pasta, spinach, carrots, onions, celery and a wonderful tasting broth TASTES SO GOOD!

A bowl of hot chicken noodle soup is ready to eat!

Sure hope you will consider trying this recipe for homemade chicken noodle soup! I think it’s fun to get a huge pot of delicious soup using only a few simple, common ingredients!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all my soup recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few favorites of ours include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a wonderful day!

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Chicken Noodle Soup
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 
Delicious, homemade chicken noodle soup, with leftover rotisserie chicken, celery, carrots, garlic, onions and spinach, will warm you up on a cold day!
Category: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken noodle soup
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 152 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked chicken
  • 4 quarts water , to cover chicken
  • 2 cubes chicken bouillon , large cubes
  • 2 large carrots , peeled, sliced
  • 1/2 cup onion , chopped
  • 2 stalks celery , chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves , peeled, smashed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1½ cups uncooked rotini pasta , or pasta of choice
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup chopped frozen spinach , thawed & drained
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
If Using Rotisserie Chicken Carcass (to make soup base)

  1. Place the chicken carcass (what's left of it) into a large soup pot, and cover it with water. Add sliced carrots, celery, chopped onions and two smashed cloves of garlic to the pot. Add salt, pepper, and two large chicken bouillon cubes. 

  2. Bring the water to a boil on medium high heat. Cook for 35 minutes, then remove pan from heat. Carefully remove chicken carcass from pot, and let it cool a bit. Once it has cooled some, pick off all the pieces of chicken you can get from the bones, and add them back into the pot. Discard bones, once finished. Skim any accumulated grease off the top of the soup, and remove the two smashed garlic cloves.  

  3. Put the soup back on the stove on medium high heat. Bring the soup to a full boil, then add uncooked rotini pasta. Stir, and cook the noodles for the time stated on package until done (typically this is between 11-13 minutes).

  4. When noodles are finished cooking, add 1 Tablespoon of butter to the pot. Stir in the thawed, drained chopped spinach. Continue cooking soup for a couple minutes, until it's heated through. Take a taste, and add salt and/or pepper, as desired. Serve, and enjoy!

If Using Pre-Cooked Chicken And Store Bought Chicken Broth (TIMESAVER)

  1. Cook the veggies (carrots, onions, celery, garlic) in the boiling broth (4 quarts) for 15 minutes, then add shredded chicken and pasta (etc.) and cook per instructions above. Once noodles are cooked, add butter, spinach, and season with additional salt/pepper as desired. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Caloric calculation is based on "made from scratch" method (using leftover chicken and bones).

Nutrition Facts
Chicken Noodle Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/8 of total))
Calories 152 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 30mg10%
Sodium 220mg10%
Potassium 264mg8%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 5410IU108%
Vitamin C 3.4mg4%
Calcium 45mg5%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Delicious, homemade chicken noodle soup, with leftover rotisserie chicken, celery, carrots, garlic, onions and spinach, will warm you up on a cold day!


Dec
2018

Mini Zucchini Loaves with Browned Butter Icing

categories: Breads, Breakfast
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Mini zucchini loaves (with creamy browned butter icing) are a delicious treat or snack. This easy recipe makes 2 mini loaves, which are perfect for gift-giving!
Mini zucchini loaves, with creamy browned butter icing are a delicious treat or snack. Easy recipe makes 2 mini loaves, perfect for gift-giving!

This past Fall, I saw a recipe for a zucchini cake that had amazing looking frosting on it, and knew I had to try it! The twist to the original recipe came when I decided to make mini zucchini loaves out of the recipe (instead of a cake), but still use the creamy frosting!

The recipe was very easy to make, and yielded two very moist, absolutely scrumptious mini zucchini loaves. My husband and I shared a loaf over the next couple of days, and we gave the second loaf to one of our neighbors.  Oh YUM… what a great tasting treat!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Mini Zucchini Loaves

The process is very easy to make this bread. Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F. Stir the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Set the bowl with these dry ingredients aside until later.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs well. Add the granulated sugar to the eggs, and beat well again, until combined and sugar has dissolved. Stir vanilla extract and vegetable oil into the egg mixture, until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the egg mixture, and stir the ingredients just until the mixture is combined.

Mixing dry ingredients, then adding eggs, sugar and vanilla to better for mini zucchini loaves.

Add the chopped walnuts (or pecans) and the grated, drained zucchini to the batter (see tip below for “draining” zucchini). Gently stir the zucchini and nuts in, until combined. This is the batter for the mini zucchini loaves. See how EASY that was?

Adding dry ingredients, zucchini and nuts to batter for mini zucchini loaves.

TIP For “Draining” Zucchini

You can easily “drain” the shredded zucchini between layers of paper towels, to help absorb a lot of the moisture from the veggie. Trust me, you don’t want wet, soggy zucchini in your mini zucchini loaves!

To do this, lay out several layers of paper towel, and place all of the grated zucchini on top.  Add a couple layers of paper towels on top of the zucchini, and press down to absorb lots of excess moisture. Who knew zucchini had so much moisture in it? You will be glad you did this!

Draining shredded zucchini between layers of paper towels, to absorb moisture.

Baking The Mini Zucchini Loaves

Once you have your batter prepared for the mini zucchini loaves, it’s time to BAKE!  Divide the batter evenly into 2 greased mini sized bread loaf pans. Bake the mini zucchini loaves in a preheated 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes. Since oven temps vary greatly, be sure to check the loaves at 35 minutes, then 40, to make sure they are completely “done” .

To test their “doneness”, simply insert a toothpick into the top center of a loaf. If the toothpick comes out “clean” (with no wet batter hanging on for dear life), the loaves are done. The mini zucchini loaves should also be nice and golden brown on the outside. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool completely before covering them with browned butter icing.

Baking mini zucchini loaves in oven and 2 finished loaves, out of oven.

Making Browned Butter Icing For Mini Zucchini Loaves

To make the browned butter icing, melt 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter in a skillet on medium low heat. Cook the butter on this temperature until the color starts to change slightly to golden brown.

Turn the temperature down to low heat.  The milk solids will begin to turn into brown specks in the liquid (see middle photo below).  Continue cooking, taking care to not let it burn, until butter is a nice brown color (photo on right, below). Remove skillet from the heat.

3 photos showing how to brown butter for the icing for mini zucchini loaves.

Let the browned butter cool for 5-6 minutes, then add the powdered sugar.  Add cinnamon and vanilla, and then thin the icing out by adding the milk. Stir to combine. If necessary, add a tiny bit more milk (if needed), to create a spreadable consistency for the icing for the mini zucchini loaves.

Powdered sugar and cinnamon are added to icing mixture for mini zucchini loaves.

Evenly divide the browned butter icing between the two mini zucchini loaves. Spread as much (or as little) as you want onto the loaves. I used it all on the two loaves, and the icing was nice and thick on top!

Two mini zucchini loaves are topped with browned butter icing.

Time To EAT!

Let the mini zucchini loaves sit for a few minutes, to give the icing a chance to firm up a little bit. The only remaining step left is to slice a nice piece… and EAT IT! YUMMY! The mini zucchini loaves are very moist, full of cute little pieces of zucchini and chopped nuts, flavored with cinnamon and taste WONDERFUL. The browned butter frosting takes it OVER THE TOP to Flavor Town! Enjoy!

A slice of one of the mini zucchini loaves is held in hand before eating!

Sure do hope you will consider trying this recipe for mini zucchini loaves, with browned butter icing. Pour yourself a hot cup of coffee or tea, and enjoy a slice (or two). Have a GREAT day!

By the way, if you are looking for more homemade sweet bread loaf recipes, I hope you will check out a few favorites. These and ALL my recipes can be found in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Adapted From: https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/end-of-summer-zucchini-cake-with-browned-butter-frosting/

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Mini Zucchini Loaves with Browned Butter Icing
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Resting Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 

Mini zucchini loaves (with creamy browned butter icing) are a delicious treat or snack. This easy recipe makes 2 mini loaves, perfect for gift-giving!

Category: Bread/Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: mini zucchini loaves
Servings: 10 servings (2 mini loaves)
Calories Per Serving: 385 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Bread:
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pinch baking powder
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini , drained and packed into cup
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
For Browned Butter Icing:
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar (powdered)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons milk, to thin , plus additional if needed
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Stir the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

  2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs well. Add the granulated sugar to the eggs, and beat well again, until combined and sugar has dissolved. Stir vanilla extract and vegetable oil into the egg mixture, until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the egg mixture, and stir the ingredients just until the mixture is combined. Add chopped walnuts (or pecans) and the grated, drained zucchini to the batter. Gently stir zucchini and nuts in, until combined. TIP TO DRAIN ZUCCHINI: Lay out several layers of paper towel, and place grated zucchini on top.  Add a couple layers of paper towels on top of the zucchini, and press down to absorb lots of excess moisture.

  3. Divide batter evenly into 2 greased mini sized bread loaf pans. Bake in 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes. Since oven temps vary greatly, be sure to check the loaves at 35 minutes, then 40 etc., to make sure they are done. To test "doneness", insert a toothpick into the top center of a loaf. If it comes out "clean" (with no wet batter hanging on for dear life), loaves are done. Transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool completely before removing from pan and covering with  icing.

To Make Browned Butter Icing:

  1. Melt butter in a skillet on medium low heat. Cook the butter at this temperature until the color starts to change slightly to golden brown. Once golden brown, lower the temperature to low heat.  The milk solids will begin to turn into brown specks in the liquid.  Continue cooking, taking care NOT to let it burn, until the butter is a deep brown color. Remove skillet from the heat.

  2. Let the browned butter cool for 5-6 minutes, then add powdered sugar.  Add cinnamon and vanilla, then thin the icing out by adding milk. Stir to combine. If necessary, add a tiny bit more milk, to create a spreadable consistency for the icing. Evenly divide the browned butter icing between the two mini zucchini loaves. Let the loaves sit for a few minutes, to give the icing a chance to firm up.  Slice each mini loaf into 5 pieces, serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Mini Zucchini Loaves with Browned Butter Icing
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 385 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Cholesterol 9mg3%
Sodium 229mg10%
Potassium 75mg2%
Carbohydrates 55g18%
Sugar 44g49%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 130IU3%
Vitamin C 2.2mg3%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Mini zucchini loaves (with creamy browned butter icing) are a delicious treat or snack. This easy recipe makes 2 mini loaves, perfect for gift-giving!


Dec
2018

Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla

categories: Chicken, Lunch - Quick and Easy, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern
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You’ll love this easy, tasty, grilled Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla with salsa verde, corn, and cheddar cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.
You'll love this easy grilled Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla with salsa verde, corn & cheddar cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.

I don’t know about you, but we LOVE Mexican food in our home. We especially love tacos, enchiladas and quesadillas!  Sometimes people tend to think of quesadillas only as melted cheese on a flour tortilla, and call that a quesadilla.

While that type of quesadilla tastes okay, we like to serve them loaded with more ingredients at our house, to really make it a MEAL!  We’ve enjoyed these so many times over the years I can’t even begin to count! The cooking process for cooking a plain or loaded quesadilla is the same. I really think you’re gonna like eating this filling chicken black bean quesadilla a whole lot MORE than a plain one!

Occasionally I change up the recipe a bit, depending on what we have in the pantry at the moment. However, the core recipe I came up with over 30 years ago almost always stays the same.  I am glad to share it with you today!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make This Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla

Quesadillas are simple to make, taste absolutely delicious, and are a super simple dinner to throw together after a busy day! You can save time by using leftover cooked chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken!

For each chicken black bean quesadilla, place grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onions and cooked chicken breast chunks onto ONE HALF of the flour tortilla. Once you have all the filling ingredients ready to go, it’s amazing how quickly you can throw several of these quesadillas together!

Cheese, chicken and green onions are placed on a flour tortilla half for chicken black bean quesadilla.

Evenly distribute the corn, black beans and a spoonful of the salsa verde sauce to each chicken black bean quesadilla.  Remember to leave one half of the tortilla bare.

Black beans and corn are added to tortilla for chicken black bean quesadilla.

Green sauce (salsa verde) is added to chicken black bean quesadilla.

Grilling The Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla

The empty half of the flour tortilla is folded up and over the toppings for the quesadilla. Each of the quesadilla halves are placed onto a lightly oiled grill (or large skillet) on medium low heat. NOTE: If using a large skillet, you may need to cook these in batches.

Cook each chicken black bean quesadilla for a few minutes on medium low heat until golden brown on the bottom.

Carefully turn each quesadilla to the other side using a spatula. Continue cooking until the bottom side has turned nice and golden brown as well. When done, the cheese should be melted and the other fillings should be heated through.

Each chicken black bean quesadilla is folded in half and place on griddle to cook.

Each chicken black bean quesadilla is turned to other side when golden brown during cooking.

Slicing The Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla

Once the chicken black bean quesadilla is done cooking, carefully remove two halves (at a time) to a cutting board or surface.

It’s been my experience that a pizza cutter (or a really sharp knife) works really well to slice the quesadilla into serving portions. Slice the quesadilla similar to how you would cut a pizza, into 3 slices per half.

Each chicken black bean quesadilla is sliced using a pizza cutter, when done.

Each chicken black bean quesadilla half is sliced into three pieces.

Garnishing The Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla For Serving

In the photo below I placed 2 quesadilla halves on a plate all together, to garnish and photograph the finished meal. It sure looks GOOD once it is “prettied up” a bit, right?

The grilled, sliced chicken black bean quesadilla is garnished with additional grated cheddar, shredded lettuce, diced fresh tomatoes, salsa verde sauce, and a dollop of sour cream! A typical serving would be 3 slices per person, but if you’re REALLY hungry (and don’t mind the extra calories), go for the whole thing!

Chicken black bean quesadilla is garnished with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and salsa verde.

You can see the chunks of chicken breasts, melted cheese and black beans inside a slice of the chicken black bean quesadilla! This is one great tasting quesadilla, whether you pick up each slice like pizza OR use a fork for each bite! Yum!

Side view of a slice of chicken black bean quesadilla.

I really hope you will give this recipe for a delicious chicken black bean quesadilla a try! The quesadillas are really easy to make, and they sure do taste GREAT! Have a fantastic day, friends. Make it a good one!

Looking For More Tex-Mex Recipes?

You can ALL of my recipes using the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. Some of our favorite Tex-Mex recipes include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a GREAT day!

Author's signature

Recipe Source: my hungry brain…

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

5 from 1 vote
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Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Total Time
16 mins
 
You'll love this easy grilled Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla with salsa verde, corn & cheddar cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chicken black bean quesadilla
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 394 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts , pre-cooked
  • 1 stalk green onions , white and green parts
  • 6 Tablespoons whole kernel corn (canned) , drained
  • 6 Tablespoons black beans (canned) , drained
  • 4 Tablespoons salsa verde sauce , or substitute red salsa
  • cooking spray or vegetable oil , for grill or skillet
For Garnish (OPTIONAL):
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 1/2 cup fresh tomato , diced
  • 4 teaspoons salsa verde sauce
  • 4 Tablespoons sour cream
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. For each quesadilla, place grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onions and cooked chicken breast chunks onto ONE HALF of a flour tortilla. Evenly distribute corn, black beans and a spoonful of the salsa verde sauce to each quesadilla.  Leave one half of each tortilla bare.

  2. Fold empty half of tortilla up and over the toppings. Place each quesadilla half on a lightly oiled or sprayed flat grill (or large skillet) on medium low heat. NOTE: If using a large skillet, you may need to cook these in batches. Cook for a few minutes on medium low heat until golden brown on the bottom. Carefully turn each quesadilla to the other side, and continue cooking until the bottom is golden brown. When done, cheese should be melted and filling heated through. 

  3. Transfer each quesadilla to a cutting board. Slice each half into 3 pieces. Garnish with cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa verde, and a dollop of sour cream! Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Caloric calculation is for three quesadilla slices, and includes all garnish toppings (salsa verde, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream).

Nutrition Facts
Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla
Amount Per Serving (1 (3 slices))
Calories 394 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 84mg28%
Sodium 822mg36%
Potassium 507mg14%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 27g54%
Vitamin A 795IU16%
Vitamin C 4.4mg5%
Calcium 368mg37%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll love this easy, tasty, grilled Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla with salsa verde, corn, and cheddar cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.


Dec
2018

Apple Cream Cheese Pastries

categories: Breads, Breakfast, Doughnuts/Pastries
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Apple cream cheese pastries are easy to make baked puff pastry sheets, topped with a sweet cream cheese spread, apple pie filling, and vanilla icing!
Apple cream cheese pastries are easy to make baked puff pastry sheets, topped with a sweet cream cheese spread, apple pie filling, and vanilla icing!

A few years ago I made some puff pastry tarts that had a variety of flavored jams on top, and we really enjoyed them a LOT! Last year I wanted to experiment a bit with my original recipe. I made a couple very slight changes to my original recipe for Fruit and Cheese Danish Pastry, and used some of my own home-canned apple pie filling, to create a NEW version!

A sweet friend of mine named Grace had knee replacement surgery just over a year ago, so I took dinner over to her home while she was recuperating. I also took her family some of these apple cream cheese pastries, for dessert (or a quick breakfast treat)!

The results turned out wonderful, and she told me they loved them, so now I am FINALLY getting the recipe for these dessert OR breakfast treats on the ol’ blog! Better late than never, right? They are fairly simply to make! Here’s how:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Cream Cheese Filling

In a medium sized bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and milk (or half and half) together, using an electric mixer. Mix the filling for 2-3 minutes, until mixture is very smooth and sugar has dissolved. Set this mixture aside, once spreadable.

Cream cheese filling in bowl, used for apple cream cheese pastries.

How To Prepare Pastry Dough For Apple Cream Cheese Pastries

Remove a sheet of puff pastry from the freezer, and let it thaw slightly (for about 15 minutes) before unfolding it. While the dough is thawing, preheat your oven to 400° F.

Once the dough has slightly thawed, gently unfold it. Press the dough together where any line perforations may be, to form one large piece of dough.

Cut the pastry dough into 8 rectangles. Do this by cutting the dough in half, then cut each half in half. Finally, cut each of the 4 squares in half once again. You should end up with 8 equal sized rectangles. I use a pizza cutter for nice even cuts!

Cutting puff pastry dough to make individual apple cream cream cheese pastries.

Place the 8 rectangles of dough onto 2 parchment paper lined baking sheets. Place 4 pastries per baking sheet, and make sure to leave a couple inches between each pastry.

Scoring A Border On The Pastry Dough

Using a sharp knife, score a border all the way around each of the pastries, about half an inch from the outside edge. By cutting this border in the dough, the edges will rise up and hold the filling in better! Don’t forget to do this step! IMPORTANT: Make sure to NOT cut all the way through the dough to the bottom!

Evenly distribute the cream cheese filling into middle of each of the apple cream cheese pastries. Use a knife or small spatula to spread the filling over the dough, BUT STAY INSIDE THE BORDER!

Placing the cream cheese filling onto pastry dough, for apple cream cheese pastries.Cream cheese filling is placed onto puff pastry rectangles.

Add The Apple Pie Filling

Place approx. 2 Tablespoons of apple pie filling onto the cream cheese filling. Gently spread the apple pie filling over the cream cheese, to cover most of  the apple cream cheese pastries!

Apple pie filling is placed on top of cream cheese on pastry.

Mix the egg yolk in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg yolk mixture around the outer border of each pastry. While the dough is still wet, lightly sprinkle the outer edge of the dough with a tiny bit of sugar.

Egg yolk is brushed onto edges of apple cream cheese pastries before baking.

Time To Bake The Apple Cream Cheese Pastries

Place the baking sheets into the preheated oven. Bake the apple cream cheese pastries at 400°F. for 13-14 minutes. The pastries should turn a beautiful golden brown, and be slightly crispy around the edges, and will have risen a bit, when done.

Remove the baking pans from the oven. Using a spatula, carefully transfer the apple cream cheese pastries to a wire rack, to cool.

Apple cream cheese pastries are baked, then cool on a wire rack.

Prepare The Sweet Icing

While the pastries are cooling, mix powdered sugar, water, and vanilla for icing in a small bowl. TIP: If icing is too thick to drizzle, add a few more drops of water. Too thin? Add more powdered sugar.

Powdered sugar glaze is prepared, to drizzle on top of apple cream cheese pastries.

Once the apple cream cheese pastries are completely cool, use a spoon and drizzle the glazed over the pastries from side to side. TIP: Cleanup is really easy if you put a piece of plastic wrap, foil, parchment or wax paper UNDER the wire rack before doing this step! It will catch any drips!

Apple cream cheese pastries are drizzled with powdered sugar glaze.

Close up photo of apple cream cheese pastries with glaze, on wire rack.

Let the pastries sit while the icing firms up, then the apple cream cheese pastries are ready to be served!

Apple cream cheese pastries, on red platter, ready to serve!

I sincerely hope you will consider trying this recipe! The pastries are REALLY GOOD! Have a blessed day, friends. Make it a GREAT one!

Looking For More PASTRY Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several pastry recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

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Apple Cream Cheese Pastries
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
13 mins
Total Time
38 mins
 
Apple cream cheese pastries are easy to make baked puff pastry sheets, topped with a sweet cream cheese spread, apple pie filling, and vanilla icing!
Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple cream cheese pastries
Servings: 8 pastries
Calories Per Serving: 318 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Pastries:
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
  • 4 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon milk , or half and half
  • 16 Tablespoons canned apple pie filling , approx. 2 T. per pastry
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 8 teaspoons granulated sugar
For Icing Drizzle:
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered)
  • 2 Tablespoons water , or more (to thin)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. In a medium sized bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and milk (or half and half) together, using an electric mixer. Mix filling for 2-3 minutes, until mixture is very smooth and sugar has dissolved. Set mixture aside, once spreadable.

  2. Remove a sheet of puff pastry from freezer, and let it thaw slightly (for about 15 minutes) before unfolding it. While dough thaws, preheat oven to 400° F. Once dough is slightly thawed, gently unfold it. Press dough together where any line perforations may be, to form one large piece. Cut pastry dough into 8 rectangles. Do this by cutting dough in half, then cut each half in half. Finally, cut each of the 4 squares in half once again. You should end up with 8 equal sized rectangles. I use a pizza cutter for nice even cuts!

  3. Place the 8 rectangles of dough onto 2 parchment paper lined baking sheets. Place 4 pastries per baking sheet, and make sure to leave a couple inches between each pastry. Using a sharp knife, score a border all the way around each of the pastries, about half an inch from the outside edge. By cutting this border in the dough, the edges will rise up and hold the filling in better! Don't forget to do this step! IMPORTANT: Make sure to NOT cut all the way through the dough to the bottom! Evenly distribute the cream cheese filling into middle of each of the apple cream cheese pastries. Use a knife or small spatula to spread the filling over the dough, BUT STAY INSIDE THE BORDER!

  4. Place approx. 2 Tablespoons of apple pie filling onto cream cheese filling. Gently spread apple pie filling over cream cheese, to cover most of  the  pastries! Mix the egg yolk in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush egg yolk mixture around the outer border of each pastry. While dough is still wet, lightly sprinkle the outer edge of the dough with a tiny bit of sugar.

  5. Place baking sheets into preheated oven. Bake pastries at 400°F. for 13-14 minutes. The pastries should turn a beautiful golden brown, and be slightly crispy around the edges, and should have risen a bit, when done. Remove baking pans from oven. Using a spatula, carefully transfer pastries to a wire rack, to cool.

  6. While the pastries are cooling, mix powdered sugar, water, and vanilla for icing in a small bowl. TIP: If icing is too thick to drizzle, add a few more drops of water. Too thin? Add more powdered sugar. Once pastries are completely cool, use a spoon and drizzle the glazed over pastries from side to side. TIP: Cleanup is really easy if you put a piece of plastic wrap, foil, parchment or wax paper UNDER the wire rack before doing this step! Let pastries sit while icing firms up, then the pastries are ready to be served!

Nutrition Facts
Apple Cream Cheese Pastries
Amount Per Serving (1 pastry)
Calories 318 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 32mg11%
Sodium 159mg7%
Potassium 67mg2%
Carbohydrates 44g15%
Sugar 26g29%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 120IU2%
Vitamin C 0.5mg1%
Calcium 29mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!These delicious apple cream cheese pastries are easy to make baked puff pastry sheets, topped with a sweet cream cheese spread, apple pie filling, and vanilla icing!


Dec
2018

Quick Easy Cornbread Stuffing

categories: Holidays!, Side Dishes
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Make this flavorful, quick easy cornbread stuffing as a side dish for the holidays (or any MEAL)! This savory dish, which pairs well with turkey, chicken, pork or fish can be made in 10 minutes, which is a real timesaver!
Make this flavorful, quick easy cornbread stuffing as a side dish for the holidays (or any MEAL)! This savory dish can be made in 10 minutes, a real timesaver!

Do you enjoy stuffing, served at Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other day of the year? We do!  Many people cook their Thanksgiving turkey with stuffing inside the bird, but many others serve stuffing as a side dish, cooked separately.

When I was growing up, we always had stuffing served as a separate side dish for Thanksgiving. No stuffed bird for our family! It was ALWAYS on the side!

Thanksgiving Day was full of excitement as the meal was lovingly prepared. My sisters and I would watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV while our parents made the stuffing and got the turkey and yams ready to put into the oven. Oh, the yummy smells that came out of our kitchen as they cooked!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

My Mom and Dad Always Made HOMEMADE Cornbread Stuffing

I grew up with the cornbread stuffing cooked as a side dish. My Texas born and raised Mom and Dad called it “dressing”. There are some wonderful holiday memories of my Mom and Dad getting up early on Thanksgiving morning to make their “southern-style” dressing.

Mom would make homemade cornbread a few days before Thanksgiving and let it sit out to get dry and stale. My parents would break up all the dry homemade cornbread in pieces. They would mix up the dressing in a big plastic tub, because my Mom wanted a LOT of dressing for leftovers (it was her favorite dish)!

Mom BAKED Her Cornbread Stuffing

They would add the broth, celery, onions, eggs, and the many spices needed to the dry cornbread pieces. Mom and Dad would each take turns taste testing, mixing, and adding more spices and broth as needed. Once they got it “right”, and the mixture was the right consistency and taste, they would BAKE it for quite a while! Boy, did it smell good!

They did this every year together, and it remains one of my most vivid, wonderful memories! This process took quite a while, but the results were always delicious!

Why I Choose To Make Quick EASY Cornbread Stuffing

Once I started making stuffing for our family (and all the other dishes for the holidays), I realized I could save time by just as easily BUYING a box of inexpensive stuffing mix (with the bread already dried out and all the spices included).  I tried this one year to save time, and have never gone back!

I decided I could just as easily add celery and onions to the convenient box of stuffing mix ingredients.  Guess what? It ended up tasting very much like the traditional stuffing side dish I grew up with. Plus… it only takes a few minutes to make this easy cornbread stuffing! A WIN-WIN!

Because holidays can be so busy preparing traditional dishes, I like to think of it as a wonderful, timesaving “HACK” of a beloved traditional dish.

Here’s How Easy It Is To Make Quick Easy Cornbread Stuffing

In a large sauce pan, place the water, butter, chopped onion and celery. Bring the water to a boil on medium high heat, which will melt the butter and cook the celery and onion. Cook on medium high for 4-5 minutes.

Cooking onions, butter and celery for quick easy cornbread stuffing.

Cooking the veggies and broth to add to the easy cornbread stuffing mix.

Adding The Stuffing Mix To The Liquid

I use the Stove Top brand of stuffing mix, because I love the spices they use. The flavor also reminds me of my Mom’s homemade stuffing! No, I am not paid to endorse this product… I just really love the spices they use!

Add the stuffing mix to the liquid and veggies in the pan, and stir the ingredients to fully combine.  Remove the pan from the heat. Place a lid on the pan.

Using pre-dried stuffing mix makes this a really easy dish to prepare!

Two boxes of stuffing mix are stirred into the veggies and broth for easy cornbread stuffing.

Once the dry stuffing mix has been mixed into the liquid, you will see that it begins to rehydrate the dry cornbread pieces. Let stuffing stand (covered) for 5 minutes, because it takes a few minutes for the dry cornbread in the mix to fully rehydrate.

When the easy cornbread stuffing has rested for 5 minutes, fluff it up with a fork. The cornbread stuffing is now ready to serve! See how easy that was?

Easy cornbread stuffing is fluffed up in pan, after absorbing the broth.

Transfer the easy cornbread stuffing to a serving dish, and serve!  The stuffing tastes great, because the celery and onions add color, texture and additional flavor to this simple side dish!

Easy cornbread stuffing is transferred to a serving dish.

Close up photo of easy cornbread stuffing in serving dish.

Quick Easy Cornbread Stuffing Is A Great Side Dish!

We ALWAYS have quick easy cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving (and often for Christmas, too). We have it occasionally through the year for other meals, as well. It is inexpensive and very easy and quick to prepare.

The cornbread stuffing is a perfect side dish, served alongside other traditional family favorites, like Pecan Praline Yams, Green Beans, and Strawberry or Lime Pineapple Jello Salad.

Easy cornbread stuffing is served, along with green beans, yams, and jello salad.

Easy Cornbread Stuffing Is NOT ONLY for The Holidays!

This easy cornbread stuffing is not just for the holidays, though! This can be served any time of the year, with turkey, chicken, pork or fish!  It’s a great tasting side dish, because the flavors of celery, onions, and spices in the stuffing mix pair with these variety of meats very well.

I hope you will consider trying this simple side dish! I posted it on my blog, so that long after I’m gone from this earth, my family will know how I made my easy cornbread stuffing each Thanksgiving! They’ll be surprised at just how easy it really was (wink, wink). Hope you enjoy a wonderful day, filled with encouragement, and love.

Looking For More Side Dish Recipes?

You can find all my side dish recipes in the Recipe Index at the top of the page. A few favorites include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

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Quick Easy Cornbread Stuffing
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Make this flavorful, quick easy cornbread stuffing as a side dish for the holidays (or any MEAL)! This savory dish can be made in 10 minutes, a real timesaver!
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy cornbread stuffing
Servings: 12 servings
Calories Per Serving: 162 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 3¼ cups water
  • 6 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup celery , sliced
  • 1/2 cup onion , chopped
  • 12 ounces Stove Top Stuffing Mix (cornbread) , 2 (6 ounce) boxes
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. In a large sauce pan, place the water, butter, chopped onion and celery. Bring the water to a boil on medium high heat, which will melt the butter and cook the celery and onion. Cook on medium high for 4-5 minutes.

  2. Add the stuffing mix to the liquid and veggies in the pan, and stir the ingredients to fully combine.  Remove the pan from the heat. Cover the pan with a lid.

  3. Once the dry stuffing mix has been mixed into the liquid, you will see that it begins to rehydrate the dry cornbread pieces. Let stuffing stand (covered) for 5 minutes, because it takes a few minutes for the dry cornbread in the mix to fully rehydrate. When the easy cornbread stuffing has rested for 5 minutes, fluff it up with a fork. The cornbread stuffing is now ready to serve! Transfer to a serving dish, serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Quick Easy Cornbread Stuffing
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 162 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 451mg20%
Potassium 90mg3%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 195IU4%
Vitamin C 0.7mg1%
Calcium 32mg3%
Iron 1.1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make this flavorful, quick easy cornbread stuffing as a side dish for the holidays (or any MEAL)! This savory dish can be made in 10 minutes, a real timesaver!


Dec
2018

Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites

categories: Appetizers, Holidays!
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Make these colorful & delicious Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites for your next party or get together! These EASY bite sized appetizers are made in 15 minutes!
Make these colorful & delicious Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites for your next party or get together! These EASY bite sized appetizers are made in 15 minutes!

Recently I hosted a Christmas get together for former co-workers. Several of us hadn’t seen each other in 12 years! It always seems like the holidays are a great time to renew friendships and enjoy spending time with those you love!

I made a couple simple desserts, provided beverages, and asked everyone that came to the party to bring an appetizer to share! It was a lot of fun, and there were some nice food choices we all enjoyed!

Getting ready for Christmas party where Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites will be served.

The appetizer I decided to make was this recipe for Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites.  I originally found the recipe on Pinterest, from Jessica (at The Novice Chef), and decided to try it!

The recipe is super easy to make, and the results? Fantastic! Creamy, slightly sweet cheese balls, are coated in dried cranberries, fresh parsley, and chopped pecans. These colorful (green and red) tiny bite size treats were a perfect appetizer for the holiday season! YUM!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites Filling

Place the goat cheese, cream cheese, honey and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to fully combine these ingredients until blended and smooth.

Once the goat cheese mixture is smooth, add 1/2 cup of the chopped pecans, reserving the remaining pecans (1 cup) for later. Stir the 1/2 cup of chopped pecans into the cheese mixture until combined. This will be the filling for your cranberry pecan goat cheese bites!

NOTE: I “dry-toasted” the pecans in a skillet (no oil, etc.), stirring for a few minutes to slightly toast them before using them in this recipe. I then let the pecans cool before adding them to the cheese mixture. THIS STEP IS COMPLETELY OPTIONAL (but good!).

Ingredients for cranberry pecan goat cheese bites are mixed together in bowl.

Covering The Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites

Place a sheet of parchment paper on kitchen counter. Put the remaining 1 cup of chopped pecans, dried cranberries and chopped fresh parsley on the paper.

Gently combine the pecans, cranberries and parsley. Spread them out a bit on the parchment paper.  Grab a cookie scoop (or a Tablespoon measuring spoon), and get ready to create these cute cranberry pecan goat cheese bites!

Chopped parsley, pecans, and dried cranberries are mixed to garnish cranberry pecan goat cheese bites.

Place a scoop of the goat cheese mixture on top of the cranberry/pecan/parsley mixture.  Make sure the cheese mixture is rounded into a ball. Roll it around in the topping, until the cheese ball is covered on all sides. When done, place the cranberry pecan goat cheese  ball on a large plate or platter.

Repeat this process (one at a time) until all the goat cheese mixture is gone. The recipe will yield about 18 cranberry pecan goat cheese bites!

Cranberry pecan goat cheese bites are rolled in parsley, cranberries and pecans, to cover.

The cheese balls will need to be refrigerated, for peak flavor and texture. They will firm up a bit as they chill. They are at their best, when served cold, right from the refrigerator! You can make these cute and festive little appetizers up to 3 days in advance, which is really a great timesaver! They need to be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed, airtight container.

Close up photo of cranberry pecan goat cheese bites, on plate.

Don’t they look colorful? Perfect for the Christmas holidays! And… since they are so easy to make (and can be made ahead of time), this appetizer is PERFECT for such a busy time of year!

Cranberry pecan goat cheese bites are on a plate.

Serving The Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites

Right before serving the cranberry pecan goat cheese bites, I transferred them to a pretty Christmas serving platter. Gently insert a stick pretzel into the center of each cheese ball, to serve. That step is completely optional, but it made it very easy for my guests to pick up the cranberry pecan goat cheese bites to put on their plate!

A pretzel stick is inserted into cranberry pecan goat cheese bites, to serve.

I received several compliments on these colorful and yummy appetizers! They are GOOD! Sure do hope you will consider making these for your family, friends, a holiday party… or ANY time of the year! Have a wonderful day, friends. Make it a GOOD one!

Looking For More Appetizer Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index located at the top of the page.  A few favorite appetizers (that are wonderful for parties) are:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Source: https://thenovicechefblog.com/cranberry-pecan-goat-cheese-truffles/

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Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Make these colorful & delicious Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites for your next party or get together! These EASY bite sized appetizers are made in 15 minutes!
Category: Appetizers
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry pecan goat cheese bites
Servings: 18
Calories Per Serving: 150 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 10 ounces goat cheese (chevre)
  • 6 ounces cream cheese
  • 3 Tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1½ cups pecans , chopped and divided
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place goat cheese, cream cheese, honey and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to fully combine ingredients until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans (reserve the rest for later). Stir the pecans into cheese mixture until combined.  NOTE: I "dry-toasted" the pecans in a skillet (no oil, etc.), stirring for a few minutes to slightly toast them before using them in this recipe. I then let the pecans cool before adding them to the cheese mixture. THIS STEP IS COMPLETELY OPTIONAL (but good!).

  2. Place a sheet of parchment paper on kitchen counter. Put remaining cup of chopped pecans, dried cranberries and chopped fresh parsley on the paper. Gently combine pecans, cranberries and parsley. Spread them out on the parchment paper.  

  3. Place a scoop (using cookie scoop or Tablespoon) of the goat cheese mixture on top of the cranberry/pecan/parsley mixture.  Make sure the cheese mixture is rounded into a ball. Roll it around in the topping, until the cheese ball is covered on all sides. When done, place the cranberry pecan goat cheese  ball on a large plate or platter. Repeat process (one at a time) until all the goat cheese mixture is gone. 

  4. The cheese balls will need to be refrigerated, for peak flavor and texture. They will firm up as they chill. They are at their best, when served cold, right from the refrigerator! You can make these appetizers up to 3 days in advance, which is a great timesaver! They need to be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed, airtight container. Serve as is, or gently insert a stick pretzel into the top of the cheese ball right before serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 150 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 12mg4%
Sodium 103mg4%
Potassium 73mg2%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 360IU7%
Vitamin C 2.3mg3%
Calcium 47mg5%
Iron 0.7mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make these colorful & delicious Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites for your next party or get together! These EASY bite sized appetizers are made in 15 minutes!


Nov
2018

Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Pork
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Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi in a creamy Alfredo sauce, is a simple, delicious Italian comfort food dish that can be ready to eat in about 20 minutes!
Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi in a creamy Alfredo sauce, is a simple, delicious Italian comfort food dish that can be ready to eat in about 20 minutes!

Do you like gnocchi? We have really enjoyed trying this little “potato pasta” with several different recipes over the past couple of years. They are known primarily as Italian potato dumplings. Did you know the word “gnocchi” actually means “lumps” in Italian? Yep. There are numerous ways to use gnocchi. These little “lumps” of potatoes and flour can be baked, fried, boiled, etc., and taste amazing when paired with a variety of sauces!

A couple months ago I bought a package of gnocchi at the grocery store (usually found in the pasta aisle).  I decided to create my own recipe for Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi, and used a sauce I’ve made a bazillion times to tie all the ingredients together!

The Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi ended up tasting wonderful. Creamy alfredo sauce was the perfect sauce to coat the pillowy soft gnocchi, bacon and fresh baby spinach leaves! The added bonus is that it was a very simple (and quick) dinner to make!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi

The first thing you need to do is to cook the bacon.  If you cut the raw bacon into thin strips, it will cook a lot faster (thanks, kitchen scissors)! Cook the bacon in a skillet until it is fully cooked and crispy.

Remove the crisp bacon from the skillet; transfer to a paper towel to drain. Leave any bacon drippings in the skillet (there shouldn’t be too much!). This will help give flavor to the sauce!

Bacon is cooked until crisp for the Bacon Parmesan Spinach Quiche,

Cooked bacon for bacon parmesan spinach quiche draining on paper towel.

Making The Sauce For Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi

Using the same skillet (undrained), add the butter and cook on medium low heat until melted. Once the butter has melted, add the heavy whipping cream and garlic powder. Stir well, to combine the ingredients. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce in the skillet. Whisk or stir the sauce until the ingredients are fully blended together.

Continue to cook the sauce on medium low heat, until the alfredo sauce has thickened slightly and is heated through. Be careful to not let the sauce come to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat once the sauce has thickened.

Butter and whipping cream in skillet to make sauce for bacon parmesan spinach quiche.

Parmesan cheese is grated into the sauce for bacon parmesan spinach quiche.

The alfredo sauce for the bacon parmesan spinach quiche has thickened.

Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling water according to the package instructions. Once the gnocchi is cooked, drain it well in a colander or strainer. Do not rinse the gnocchi.

Gnocchi for the bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi has cooked and then is drained.

Finish The Gnocchi For Serving

Place the drained, hot gnocchi back into the saucepan. Pour the alfredo sauce, fresh baby spinach leaves and crumbled bacon back into the pan.

Stir the ingredients well, to fully coat everything with the alfredo sauce. Turn the heat to low, and continue to heat the bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi until it’s heated through. It only takes a couple minutes to heat through, and the spinach will wilt down as it cooks.

Cooked gnocchi, sauce, fresh spinach and bacon is mixed for bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi.

Bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi, on a wooden spoon, ready to eat!

Once the bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi is heated all the way through, it is ready to serve!  Portion out the gnocchi to individual serving bowls or plates. Top each serving with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve the bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi while it is hot… and enjoy every bite!

Bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi is served in a white bowl.

We truly did love this Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi! The creamy flavorful gnocchi is Italian comfort food at it’s best!  I sincerely hope you will give the recipe a try, because I think you’re gonna love it, too! Have a wonderful day.

Looking For More Recipes Using Gnocchi?

I have a few recipes using gnocchi on my blog that you might also enjoy! They include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

0 from 0 votes
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Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi in a creamy Alfredo sauce, is a simple, delicious Italian comfort food dish that can be ready to eat in about 20 minutes!
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 742 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 strips bacon , cooked until crispy
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
  • 17.5 ounces gnocchi
  • 2 cups baby spinach leaves (fresh)
  • Parmesan cheese , optional for garnish
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Cook bacon in skillet on medium heat until fully cooked/crispy. TIP: If you cut the raw bacon into thin strips before cooking, it will cook a LOT faster! Remove crisp bacon from skillet; transfer to a paper towel to drain, then crumble (if not already cut into small pieces). 

  2. Using the same skillet (undrained), add butter; cook on medium low heat until melted. Once the butter melts, add heavy whipping cream and garlic powder. Stir well, to combine. Add grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce in skillet. Whisk or stir sauce until the ingredients are fully blended together. Continue to cook sauce on medium low heat, until it has thickened slightly and is heated through. Be careful to not let the sauce come to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat once the sauce has thickened.

  3. Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling water according to package instructions. Once the gnocchi is cooked, drain it well in a colander or strainer. Do not rinse the gnocchi. Place the drained, hot gnocchi back into the saucepan.

  4. Pour the alfredo sauce, fresh baby spinach leaves and crumbled bacon into the pan of gnocchi. Stir well, to fully coat everything with the sauce. Turn heat to low, and continue to heat gnocchi until heated through. It only takes a couple minutes to heat through; the spinach will wilt down as it cooks. Once gnocchi is heated all the way through, it is ready to serve! Transfer gnocchi into individual bowls or plates. Top each serving with more grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve hot... and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 742 Calories from Fat 477
% Daily Value*
Fat 53g82%
Saturated Fat 31g194%
Cholesterol 166mg55%
Sodium 1256mg55%
Potassium 200mg6%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 3g13%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 3120IU62%
Vitamin C 4.7mg6%
Calcium 438mg44%
Iron 5.1mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi in a creamy Alfredo sauce, is a simple, delicious Italian comfort food dish that can be ready to eat in about 20 minutes!