8 Simple Rotisserie Chicken Recipes

Trisha Novotny
24/7 Moms Founder

Now you can look as if you have spent hours in the kitchen with these 8 recipes using pre-cooked store bought Rotisserie chickens.

1. Chicken Wraps - Shred the chicken onto tortillas, add hoisin sauce and coleslaw, then roll it up for a simple yummy meal

2. Chicken Pizza - Create a pizza using refrigerated pizza dough, salad dressing for the sauce and rotisserie chicken, pizza cheese mixture. Add additional toppings of your choosing. Bake 425 for 20-25 minutes.

3. BBQ Chicken Sandwich - Shred chicken, add desired amount of BBQ sauce. Place in slow cooker on warm. Serve on hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls.

4. Chicken Tacos- Shred chicken place in frying pan with taco seasoning ( follow package instructions). Use as meat filler for your tacos. Serve corn and /or flour tortillas with shredded lettuce, grated cheese, diced tomatoes, and other things your family enjoys in their tacos.

5. Chicken Pot pie - Shred chicken combine with condensed cream of chicken soup and frozen mixed veggies. Pour into a prepared 10" pie shell, cover with a 2nd pie crust and bake at 365 degree's for 45 minutes.

6. Chicken pasta salad - Make rotinni pasta and cool; toss shredded rotisserie chicken with pasta, and salad dressing. Add in toasted almonds or walnuts, diced celery , apples or other veggies..

7. Chicken and Cheese quesadilla- Shred chicken place in frying pan with taco seasoning ( follow package instructions). Place a flour tortilla in an empty frying pan then scoop on the chicken mixture along with shredded cheese place a 2nd flour tortilla on top and heat over medium heat flipping from time to time until cheese is melted and tortilla shell is a little crispy.

8. Chicken Hobo Pack - Use one sheet of aluminum foil for each serving ( person) about 12"x 8". In the center place bite-sized red-potato chunks, shredded chicken, and veggies ( onions, zucchini, carrots, peppers etc) Top with three tablespoons BBQ sauce, then close the hobo packets by sealing sides and tops together, folding to close tightly. Place packets over medium heat on a grill and cook until potatoes are cooked.


Do you have a SIMPLE meal you create using a Rotisserie chicken? Leave us a comment or email it to us at trisha@247moms.com

24/7 MOMS Create Simple Meals

This week we have been chatting about Creating Simple SUMMER Meals and we asked our 24/7 MOMS Live viewers, Facebook friends, and Twitter Followers to share some of their SIMPLE recipes.

Ready for some great yummy REAL MOM recipes? Over the next few days we will share our collected 24/7 MOMS recipes with you.


Valerie's Hawaiian Chicken
By : Valerie http://mamalovelock-lifeinthetrenches.blogspot.com/

Indgredients:
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts, fresh or thawed out
1 Bottle of Lawry's Hawaiian Marinade
1 16 oz bag of frozen Sugar Snap Peas (I prefer Bird's Eye Steamer bag)
1 Can of chunk pineapple (optional)
1 Can of chicken broth
Brown rice (as much as your family eats)
Directions
1. Turn crock pot onto the warm setting, cover the bottom of crock with chicken broth. You only actually need a half of a can. Pour about 1/3 of the bottle of marinade into the chicken broth, stir and cover with lid.

2. In a mixing bowl, cover the chicken breasts with marinade (don't use it all, but most of what is left). Make sure they are coated, cover bowl and place in fridge for about an hour.

3. After the hour is up, put chicken and the marinade from the bowl into the crock pot. Make sure the chicken is covered in juice. If it's not then add a little more broth. Cover.

4. Turn up crock pot up to high. Cook on high for one hour.

5. Turn crock pot down to low and cook for two more hours.

6. At 45 minutes before the chicken is done, steam the sugar snap peas in the microwave. Drain the water and pour steamed veggies into the crock pot. At this time add the can of pineapple (if you choose, just as yummy without it) and the remainder of marinade.

7. Cook your brown rice.

8. Serve chicken mix over the rice! YUM!!

Now, there are some variations to this. If you need more chicken (more people to feed) then use two bottles of marinade and a whole can of broth. You can also cook the chicken on low the whole time you just need to add about a hour and a half to your cook time. Enjoy!!



Becca's Ginger Peanut Chicken
Submitted by: Shonda Knowlton
Happy and Healthy
www.knowltons.usana.com

Ingredients
4 T soy sauce
4 T peanut butter
4 T olive oil
2 T sugar or Splenda
2 tsp. ginger
6 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks

Directions
Stir together in a bowl the first 5 ingredients.
Place chicken in a large frying pan.
Pour ingredients over chicken.
Cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked through about 10-15 min.
Stir occasionally.
Serve over rice.

Goes great with a salad.


Grilled Salmon with Orange Butter Sauce
by Patricia Mendez
Easy Entertaining for Beginners
www.ezentertaining.net

Ingredients
Serves 8
2 1/2 pounds salmon fillets

2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut in to pieces

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt, to taste

freshly ground pepper to taste


Directions


Light an outdoor grill or stove-top grill and spray with cooking spray. Brush the salmon with olive oil and salt and pepper. Grill the salmon (skin-side down) over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Turn over and with spatula or knife, remove skin from salmon and discard. Grill for 3-4 minutes more. Remove from grill, cover.

Place the orange juice concentrate in a bowl and heat over a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and whisk in the zest, butter and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the grilled salmon to serve.


NOTE: The salmon should be pink and flaky with just a slight bit of pinkish red in the middle. After you remove it from the grill, either cover it with aluminum foil or an inverted plate. It will continue to cook from it's own heat while you are preparing the Orange Butter Sauce. The result will be perfectly cooked salmon!

Submit your REAL MOM recipes to us at trisha@247moms.com.

Let's Make a Meal Mondays

Create 5 Simple Meals with Rotisserie Chicken

Have you surfed the Food Network web site? http://www.foodnetwork.com/ is a mouthful of cooking information from recipes to video cooking demos to cooking with kids and so much more.
My favorite find on the Food Network site was 5 simple meals to create using the pre-cooked rotisserie chicken you can purchase at your local grocery store, Costco or Sam’s Club. I personally purchase mine at Costco, because they are less expensive and tend to be a little bigger than the grocery store ones. With my hungry family of 7, bigger is better.

Mango Honey Chicken with Mango Slices
Recipe courtesy of Sandra Lee

Glaze:
2 cups honey
1 cup mango juice
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 (3 to 4 pound) whole rotisserie chicken
2 mangoes, peeled and sliced 1-inch thick
Toothpicks, soaked in water for 10 minutes
1 bunch basil, for garnish

Preheat oven to 450°.

For the glaze: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the honey, mango juice, brown sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
Place chicken on a nonstick cookie sheet. Using a pastry brush, coat chicken with a generous amount of glaze. Place mango slices over breast meat to create a zebra stripe. Insert toothpicks to secure slices into chicken.
Bake chicken just until warmed throughout, about 12 minutes. Remove chicken and discard toothpicks. Garnish with fresh basil.


Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches



1 tablespoon canola oil


1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium tomato sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

5 tablespoons molasses

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 whole rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat shredded into thin strips (about 4 to 4 1/2 cups)

6 whole-wheat hamburger rolls

6 large green lettuce leaves

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, vinegar, molasses, pepper and liquid smoke and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add chopped chicken, return to a simmer, and cook an additional 10 minutes.

Split rolls. Place a leaf of lettuce on each roll, and then pile on 3/4 cup of the chicken mixture onto the roll.


Fastest-Ever Enchiladas

Recipe courtesy of Ingrid Hoffman, 2008

Salsa:
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with chiles, drained


2 scallions, light green and white parts only, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

1 lime, juiced Pinch salt

Enchiladas:

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded (skin and bones discarded)

2 cups grated cheddar

1 cup sour cream

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 (8-inch) flour tortillas

To prepare the salsa: Combine the tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice in a mixing bowl. Add a healthy pinch of salt and set aside at room temperature until ready to cook the enchiladas.

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9x13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

To prepare the enchiladas: Place the shredded chicken in a large bowl. Add half of the grated cheese, sour cream, and onion; season with salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.

Place the tortillas on your work surface. Spoon about 1 cup of the chicken mixture across the center of each tortilla. Roll them up to close and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. Pour the salsa over the tortillas. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 40 minutes.

Remove the foil and sprinkle the enchiladas with the remaining 1 cup of grated cheese. Return the baking dish to the oven until the cheese is melted and edges of the tortillas are just beginning to get crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Serve hot


Curry-in-a-Hurry Rotisserie Chicken Salad

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

1 pound rotisserie chicken meat, skinned, boned and diced
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 cup shredded carrot, a couple of handfuls
4 scallions, chopped on an angle
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons curry powder or 2 rounded teaspoons mild curry paste
Salt and pepper
8 ounces mixed baby greens
2 tablespoons mango chutney, found on condiment aisle, plus some to pass at table
1 tablespoon rice wine or white vinegar, eyeball it
3 tablespoons vegetable, canola or safflower oil, eyeball it
1/4 cup (2 ounces) sliced smoked almonds

Combine meat, celery, red grapes, carrot and scallions. Add yogurt and curry to the salad, and toss to evenly distribute the curry. Season the salad with salt and pepper, to your taste.

To dress the greens, add salad to a bowl. In a second bowl, combine chutney and vinegar. Whisk in oil. Drizzle dressing over greens and toss.

To assemble, pile dressed greens on a plate. Using an ice cream scoop, place 2 scoops of chicken salad on greens. Garnish with toasted almonds.


Quick-Fix Chicken Chili Mole





1 tablespoon vegetable oil

5 teaspoons Pre-Chopped Garlic (recipe follows)

1 large onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
3 canned jalapeno peppers, diced
1 packet chili seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 bottle beer
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, shaved
2 scallions, chopped, for garnish
Cheddar, for garnish

In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add red bell peppers and jalapenos and saute for 5 more minutes, until soft. Stir in chili seasoning packet and cinnamon and cook until spices are fragrant. Add tomatoes, pinto beans, shredded chicken, and beer. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in chocolate just before serving. Garnish with grated cheddar and chopped scallions, if desired.

Pre-Chopped Garlic:

1 head garlic, peeled
Olive oil, to cover

Place the garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the garlic is finely minced. Spoon the minced garlic into a jar and pour over enough oil to cover the garlic. Seal well and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Do you have a special recipe using rotisserie chicken? Share it with the 24/7 MOMS!

Tip Talk - Simple Summer MEAL Ideas

This weeks TIP TALK on 24/7 MOMS Live, we shared 10 TIPS for Simple Summer MEAL Ideas for “Cool” Dinners

1. Ready Made MEAL- check out meals that are ready to go.
-NEW Macaroni Grill boxed meals, try Chicken Pasta Alfredo-yummy.
-Try “Dream Dinners”, “Dinner’s Ready” style stores for make-it-yourself
-Tyson ready meals
-Check out ready made meals at local supermarket or Costco store.

2. Freezer Friendly MEAL
-Freeze Ready Made Meals for later
-Freeze take and bake pizzas
-Check out frozen section of grocery store for meals, beyond the box
-Schwan Company delivered meals
-When marinating meats double the recipe for marinated meats and poultry then freeze one in marinade for a later, then thaw and cook when needed. The marinating time is in the freezing and thawing stages.
-Try out specialty stores such as Trader Joe’s (Trisha’s personal favorite).

3. Grill MEAL- use that bar-b-que!
-BBQ Hamburgers/Hot Dogs
-Kabobs - beef or chicken
-BBQ Ribs
-Chicken
-Steak
-Corn on the cob grilled
-Veggies use California garlic salt and olive oil
-Fried potatoes on the Grill
-Using the outdoor barbecue keeps the kitchen cool, and all you need is a piece of meat or fish (or some vegetables) and a good sauce or marinade.

4. Crock Pot MEAL –no need to heat up the kitchen
-BBQ beef/pork sandwiches, roast, rolls and bbq sauce
-Lasagna (add extra liquid)
-Cook meat up ahead during the cooler part of the day and let simmer in crock pot. I.e. Sloppy Joes, taco meat, etc.
-Deli chicken (buy ahead and freeze then cook on high ½ day)
-Check out local freezer section for crock pot meals
-Use crock pot instead of oven for recipes, less heat.
-Check out crock pot cookbook from local library.

5. Sandwich MEAL-
-French Dips-
-Meatball sandwiches
-Tuna melts
-Make your own Deli Sandwiches /club sandwich /BLT’s (Make bacon ahead)
-Choose whole-grain breads and reduced-fat fillers and spreads whenever possible. Double up on the lettuce and tomato to boost the nutritional value and fiber.


6. Salad MEALS-
-Taco Salad
-Chicken Caesar Salad
-Spinach Salad
-Cobb Salad
-Use prewashed salads in a bag especially when they go on sale. Spruce them up by tossing in canned beans (kidney, black, edamame, or garbanzo, rinsed and drained); more veggies; cubed or shredded reduced-fat cheese; and cooked, shredded lean beef or pork, skinless chicken breast filets, or shellfish; fruit; toasted nuts; and/or fresh herbs. Use leftover grilled meat from the previous night.

7. Deli Deal MEAL-
-Check out special of the week-fried chicken or whole chicken meals
-Ready made pizzas
-Chinese express
-Dash to the supermarket deli for a whole rotisserie chicken or some sliced roasted turkey. Suddenly, you have your featured ingredient for salads and sandwiches (either meat) or quesadillas and enchiladas (the chicken). The turkey is ready to go, and it only takes five minutes to remove the chicken's skin and shred or cube the breast and thigh meat.

8. That’s a Wrap-
-Start with a soft tortilla (choose higher-fiber, no-trans fat tortillas or flavored when possible) and lightly coat the top with light cream cheese, Dijon mustard, sun-dried tomato pesto, green pesto or mayonnaise. Layer on sandwich meats, vegetables, and sliced or shredded cheese, roll, and you've got dinner wrapped up.
-Go traditional with chicken, lettuce, tomato and cheese and serve with salsa. -Chicken Caesar wraps is always a favorite.



9. Mexican Fiesta MEAL-
-Tacos, fry meat earlier finish in crock pot
-Fajitas chicken or beef (crock pot or grill)
-Quesadillas on the grill- used either left over chicken from a previous night or store roasted chicken, or grilled chicken in the refrigerated section of Costco or grocery store.Stressless MEALS-
-Cook outside/Eat outside
-Purchase paper place and plastic utensils for easy/quick cleanup
-Place BBQ items in plastic tub in refrigerator to easy access. I.e. ketchup, mustard, relish, mayo, etc.

10. Stressless MEALS-
-Cook outside/Eat outside
-Purchase paper place and plastic utensils for easy/quick cleanup
-Place BBQ items in plastic tub in refrigerator to easy access. I.e. ketchup, mustard, relish, mayo, etc.

Enjoy your family this summer ONE MEAL AT A TIME and try to stay out of the kitchen.

Recipes From The Big Hair Party

The 24/7 MOMS Big Hair party had some yummy appetizers ans sweet treats that our guest moms created to share during our live party. We shared them wit yo during the webcast and NOW we have the recipes so you can now create your own yummy snacks.

Pumpkin Pie Dip - from: Recipezaar

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin pie filling (pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2-1 teaspoon ground ginger
• apple, slices
• gingersnaps

Directions

1. Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

2. Add pie filling, cinnamon, and ginger, beating well.

3. Cover and chill 8 hours.

4. Serve with gingersnaps and apple slices.

Oven-Fried Coconut Chicken
from: Kathy Berry

1 C flaked coconut
½ C fine dry seasoned bread crumbs
½ C low-fat buttermilk
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approx. 2 lbs)
2 Tbsp butter, melted

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) Cube chicken (2 “ or so) or cut into strips. Working in batches, place into shallow pan with buttermilk.
3) In separate shallow dish, mix together coconut and bread crumbs.
4) Roll the chicken coated in buttermilk into coconut mixture until covered on all sides.
5) Spray a 15 x 10 x 1 or a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan with non-stick spray and arrange coated chicken pieces on tray so pieces don’t touch.
6) Drizzle the melted butter over the chicken pieces and bake for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (170 degrees).
Serve with rice and a vegetable for dinner or with dipping sauce for an appetizer. (Trader Joe’s and Costco sell a sweet chili sauce that is delicious with the chicken.)

Festive Chicken Cheese Dip
from: Schwan's

Ingredients

1/2 cup	shredded Swiss cheese
2 Tbsp.	minced fresh parsley
	Crackers or tortilla chips
3 strips	Thick Sliced Bacon cooked & crumbled
1/2 tsp.	chicken boullion
1 medium	tomato, seeded & chopped
1/8 tsp.	cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp.	Parmesan cheese, grated
1 8 oz. pkg.	cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup	mayonnaise
1/2 cup	Diced Chicken Breast Meat
1/2 cup	sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.

2. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, bouillon granules and cayenne pepper. Beat until smooth.

3. Spread mixture into a 9" x 9" casserole dish. Top with chicken, bacon, tomato, Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese and parsley.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until hot & bubbly. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips


White Chocolate Covered Popcorn
from: Michelle Faussett

Ingredients:

1 bag microwave popcorn (approx. 6-8 cups)
2 - 1 oz squares Baker's White Chocolate melted according to directions on box

Directions:

Pop popcorn - remove all the old maids ( un-popped kernels)
Drizzle melted chocolate over popcorn stirring as you drizzle the chocolate.

Eat & Enjoy.

Filling My Freezer Full Of Meals

This picture says it all organized, ready and  prepared - that is how I desire my freezer to look filled with freezer meals organized and ready to fill my families hungry appetite each night.

I found this picture on Pinterst which lead me to the blog What's Cookin, Chicago and her amazing list of Freezer meal recipes - lots of new recipes I have yet to feed my freezer with such as :

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

Mini Cheeseburger Meatloaves

Cornflake Chicken Tenders

Skillet Lasagna

Wondering how to begin feeding your freezer full of meals.  Try these two simple methods that I use when feeding my freezer




#1 Freezer bag Method

This method is used for your meals that are liquid-based, such as soups, chili's and stews or your semi-solid foods such as meats in marinades, stroganoffs, pre-cooked meats, etc.

Step 1 – Label your bag with date, content and quantity. Believe me, once it is frozen it can be very difficult to determine what is actually inside your now frozen zip bag or the quantity it will feed.

Sample :
Cranberry Chicken
3/20/2008
4 chicken Breasts

Step 2 – Insert food into freezer zip bags

Step 3 – Squeeze out as much of the air as possible so you can store them as FLAT bags and stack them on top of each other in your freezer.

Step 4 – On serving day, remove from freezer and either place in refrigerator on a pan or plate allowing to thaw completely or use the defrost on your microwave for seedy defrosting. Then cook the meal as directed in the original recipe.




#2 Wrap method with Foil/Plastic wrap

This method is used for your solid food items that need to hold a particular shape/form such as lasagna, meatloaf, enchiladas and casseroles.

Step 1 – Choose the pan/Pyrex dish you want to use for the proportion/size of meal you want to freeze.

Step 2 – Line it with foil wrap first then with a layer of plastic wrap (be sure to use a large enough piece of each to cover the bottom, sides and top of the dish).

Step 3 – Fill the dish with the size meal you are wanting to freeze.

Step 4 – When food is completely cooled, seal/cover with the plastic wrap, removing as much air as possible. Then seal/cover with the foil.

Step 5 – Now place the meal still in the pan into your freezer. Once the item has become frozen solid remove it from the pan and place it into a freezer bag. (Be sure to label the bag with the contents.)

Step 6 – On serving day, remove the meal from the freezer and allow it to thaw slightly. Then remove the foil and plastic wraps and place it the original baking dish. Allow to finish thawing and bake as directed from the recipe you used.


Tryout one of my families favorite  feed the freezer recipe from the Don't Panic - Dinner's in the Freezer cookbook.

Orange Teriyaki Chicken

¼ cup soy sauce
3 T. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic ( minced)
1 T olive oil
½ t. ground pepper
½ t. ground ginger
½ t. red pepper sauce
1 – 6oz. can orange juice concentrate
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a bowl and mix. Place the chicken breasts in a freezer bag ( the quantity you want for each meal) pour the marinade over the chicken, using the freezer bag method.

Serving Day: Thaw completely. Grill 4-6 inches from the heat source for 35-40 minutes. I have also placed these in my Oven and baked on 350 for 45- 60 minutes..

This is one of my FAVORITE feed the freezer cook books.....this is the first one I purchased over 10 years ago.



Do you have a YUMMY meal? post it in our comments and share it with the 24/7 MOMS

WIN - Qdoba Mexican Grill's Chicken Mango Salad

Qdoba Mexican Grill’s Chicken Mango Salad is made with an aromatic tropical salsa filled with mangos, fresh-cut cucumbers and tomatoes, as well as hand-chopped cilantro. The salad is topped with a tangy cilantro-lime vinaigrette dressing that is served over a bed of hand-shredded romaine lettuce and Qdoba’s signature adobo marinated chicken.

As with all of Qdoba’s menu items, guests can choose to customize the Chicken Mango Salad to fit their specific taste or diet preferences, such as ordering it as part of Qdoba’s Craft 2™ menu, ordering it naked (without the tortilla bowl) or asking for no sour cream—letting you enjoy a healthy meal on the go, with 27 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber for less than 400 calories.

Qdoba’s Chicken Mango Salad is now available nationwide for a limited time.

Click here to like Qdoba on Facebook. 

Click here for a Buy 1 Get 1 Free Coupon for a Qdoba Chicken Mango Salad.

WIN: 24/7 MOMS and Qdoba are giving away a Coupon for a fresh Chicken Mango Salad for you and three of your closest friends! You will receive four free chicken mango salad entrée cards from Qdoba Mexican Grill. 

Enter for your chance to win:

1.  Become a 24/7 MOMS Subscriber Enter your email address below then leave  a comment that you subscribed along with your email address.

2. If you are already a subscriber just leave a comment that you are a subscriber along with your email address. 

Extra entries for each:

• Like 24/7 MOMS on facebook
• Follow 24/7 MOMS on twitter 

US entries only and one entry per person. Winner will be chosen on June 18, 2011.

Enter your email address:


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**We received a complimentary Qdoba Mexian Grill's Chicken Mango Salad for review no financial compensation was received.

Time for Dinner - Let's "Plan It" at the "Organize It Party"

What's for dinner? These are the three famous words I hear on a daily basis from the members of the Novotny tribe. They do not like to hear my three word response: "I don't know," which usually means mom is now stressed out because she has no plans, is unorganized and has not been to the grocery store.

To avoid this situation I work at being proactive by creating a weekly, and even sometimes a monthly, meal plan so that my three word response is actually edible instead of "I don't know."

What about you? What's for dinner in your house tonight?

Need some new ideas on meal planning organization? Then let's go "Plan It" at today's "Organize It" party with a few new ideas, a perfect meal planning gift (giveaway!) and even a yummy party favor (freebie).


Fool Proof Meal Planning
By: Meg Fleming Lentz

A typical day for most moms includes balancing an active and ambitious lifestyle with grooming, bundling and corralling children. Undoubtedly, at about 4:30 every day life will spin out of control and we find ourselves lying facedown on the kitchen floor with track marks across our backs… while the children ransack the cabinets for every possible combination of Cheese-It’s, Newton’s and uncooked spaghetti noodles (…still trying to figure that one out). This is when we need one of two things, chocolate… or a solid, foolproof plan.
Providing nourishment for our children can be exceedingly tricky when we don’t have any ingredients in the house. For some of us, the biggest hurdle in cooking for our family is getting our acts together before dinner is even a thought. This takes a little bit of foresight… but it is such a relief when it’s done!
Kelly Donlea’s 70 Meals—One Trip To The Store is a lifesaver at this stage in the game. The benefit of her planning system is not having the think so hard to plan your shopping trip. The meals are delicious and you don’t have to decide, until the day of, what you’re having for dinner.

If you’re anything like me, and the thought of taking a couple kids to the store drives you to hiding under a pile of laundry, then planning ahead and getting specific is the key. Here are a couple tips that help take the sting out of shopping and planning.
1. Shopping for dinner, breakfast, lunches and munches is not a treat with small children. Plan your trip for super-early or super-late if you have to… just go by yourself!

2. Take a quick scan of your calendar and pick a “type” of cooking for each weekday.
For me, it looks like this:
Monday- Crock Pot
Tuesday- Brinner (“Breakfast for Dinner”)
Wednesday- Souper Salad
Thursday- Mexican
Friday- Italian

3. Now, let the speedy Brainstorm session begin! Slap 5 Post-It notes on your counter. Write one day of the week and one dinner category on each Post-It.

4. As quickly as possible, write 3 dinners that you like to make (and eat!) under each category.

For example:
Mexican:
Tacos
Enchiladas
Tortilla Soup
Italian:
Spaghetti
Pizza
Lasagna
In 10 minutes, you’ll have 15 meals brainstormed.

5. Plug each meal into your calendar for the corresponding day for the next three weeks. Chances are, you’ll have events on some nights during the week so you won’t be home for dinner. Plug those extra meals into the weekends.

6.Make your shopping list. If you’re really feeling savvy, use the grocery fliers to make the most of your dollar. It’s been my experience though, that by doing this, you’re already saving yourself a bundle of money because your trips to the store are more organized and therefore… more infrequent.

7. Get someone to watch your kids so that you can shop alone.

This method of planning has saved me a fist-full of money, gallons of gas and an incalculable amount of stress… not to mention the half-pound of broken spaghetti noodles rolling around my kitchen floor. Don’t stew about it. Just get it out of your brain and into your cabinet and the monkeys will stop climbing the counters!




Time to open today's GIFT

Kelly Donlea's 70 Meals, One Trip to the Store

http://www.organizingdinner.com/


A great cookbook for anyone looking for
sensible solutions for dinner success.

With the simple strategies outlined in this book, you will be able to make dinner any night of the year without making a trip to the grocery store for ingredients. This book teaches you how to streamline the ingredients you keep in your pantry so you focus on buying only those ingredients that can be used for several different recipes.

Tired of traversing the grocery store with screaming toddlers? Sick of running to the store at the eleventh hour for that one missing ingredient? This cooking plan solves those kitchen glitches and so much more by showing you how to streamline for success in the kitchen.

This innovative cookbook, chosen as one of the #1 products of 2008 by “24/7 Moms”, teaches how shopping smart and buying fewer, but more organized ingredients can enable you to make any one of the 70 delicious dinner recipes listed in the book -- with what you already have at home.

A great gift for new moms, a gift to your wife that gives back in delicious spades, a gift to yourself that is worth its cost many times over in gas prices, in saved ingredients, and in time spent sweating over dinner.

Kelly Donlea and 24/7 MOMS are giving away THREE of the 70 Meals, One trip to the store cookbooks . To enter for your chance to win one, enter your name and email address in the box below you will be signed up for today's giveaway as well as be added to the 24/7 MOMS E-list(if you are not already a 24/7 MOMS subscriber). Drawing to be held on February 1, 2009

Organize Your Shopping List Add 10 "Core" Ingredients to Your Shopping List That Will Shorten Your List and Increase Your Dinner-Making Potential
Kelly Donlea Owner, Organizing Dinner www.organizingdinner.com

Learn how keeping 10 Core Ingredients on hand can help you find success at dinnertime. Lose your kitchen clutter, and find success by organizing dinner.

If you like to cook, but don't have time to go to the store for special ingredients for each night's dinner, put these 10 "Core Ingredients" on your weekly grocery list, and discover how they can help you find success at dinnertime.

If you have kids, a job, or an otherwise busy lifestyle, you are like a majority of households who battle the fresh home-cooked dinner routine. If you can learn a few shortcuts, what feels like convenience cooking becomes healthy, fresh and delicious home-cooked meals every night.

Just like in other areas of your life, physical clutter equals emotional clutter. Kitchen clutter formulates in many ways, including an excess of random ingredients, and a plethora of unattainable dinner recipes. Just like a great travel wardrobe consists of a few basic pieces from which to make multiple outfits, this list of Core Ingredients can help you simplify and thus organize your dinner routine.

The Core Ingredients List:

* Canned diced tomatoes
* Black beans
* Chicken
* Pasta
* Flour
* Butter
* Parmesan cheese
* Chicken bullion or broth
* Onion
* Fresh, canned or frozen mixed vegetables

I bet you got some dinner ideas just by looking at this list. Soup, fettucine, southwest-style pasta.... there are so many dinner recipes that can be made with the Core Ingredients. And if it seems incredibly easy to maintain, that's because it is. You can buy canned diced tomatoes, black beans, frozen chicken breasts, flour, onions and pasta in bulk, and that leaves you with just Parmesan cheese, butter, milk and vegetables on your weekly grocery list.

Here are some great dinner recipes you can make using just the Core Ingredients:

Italian Style Chicken

Ingredients

* 4 chicken breasts
* 2 T butter
* 1/2 onion, diced
* 1 can diced tomatoes
* 8 oz. spaghetti noodles
* 4 T Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile sauté onions in oil for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Add chicken and cook over medium high heat in frying pan until cooked through, about 5 minutes each side. Add diced tomatoes to the pan. Cook until fully heated and some liquid evaporates. Serve over pasta, and top each serving with 1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese.
Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

* 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed.
* 1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
* 1 onion, diced
* 1 can diced tomatoes with juices
* 1 Tablespoon butter

Saute onion in butter until cooked through. Add to stock pot with chicken broth, black beans and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes until thickened. Stir frequently.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

* 3 chicken breasts
* 2 Tablespoons, and 1/3 cup butter
* 1/4 onion, diced
* 1/3 cup flour
* 14 oz. chicken broth
* 2 cups mixed vegetables, thawed
* 2 cups flour

To make crust, cut the 1/3 cup butter into flour until crumbly dough forms. Add ice water 1 Tablespoon at a time until dough reaches desired consistency.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook chicken in butter on stove until cooked through. Set one pie crust in bottom of pie dish. In large saucepan melt 2 Tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onion. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended (have liquids on hand during this step). Gradually stir in broth and milk stirring until bubbly and thickened. Stir in chicken and mixed vegetables. Remove from heat and add mixture to pie pan. Top with second crust and seal edge. Cut slits in top of pie crust. Bake for 50 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes prior to serving.



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Join us again today at 6:00 for MORE "Plan It" at the "Organize It" Party

Super Bowl Healthy Bites

I’m all for party food, but it doesn’t have to be laden with fat and sodium to be a good time. Here’s my menu for game day, guaranteed to allow you to get off the couch by the halftime show.

Southwestern White Chicken Chili by All Recipes

Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 (4 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
• 2 (15 ounce) cans white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, chili powder, cumin, onion and pepper and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, stirring often.
2. Stir the soup, water, corn and beans in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with the cheese.

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Baked Buffalo Wings by All Recipes
Ingredients
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 20 chicken wings
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®)
Directions
1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with cooking spray. Place the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt into a resealable plastic bag, and shake to mix. Add the chicken wings, seal, and toss until well coated with the flour mixture. Place the wings onto the prepared baking sheet, and place into the refrigerator. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Whisk together the melted butter and hot sauce in a small bowl. Dip the wings into the butter mixture, and place back on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and crispy on the outside, about 45 minutes. Turn the wings over halfway during cooking so they cook evenly.

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Guacamole
by Barefoot ContessaIngredients

• 4 ripe Haas avocados
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
• 8 dashes hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium tomato, seeded, and small-diced
Directions
Cut the avocados in 1/2, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. (I use my hands.) Immediately add the lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the tomatoes. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper.
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Avocado Corn Salsa by EatingWell
Ingredients
• 1 medium avocado, diced
• 3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparation
1. Toss avocado, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and salt in a medium bowl.
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Southwestern Layered Bean Dip by EatingWell

Ingredients
• 1 16-ounce can nonfat refried beans, preferably “spicy”
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 1/2 cup prepared salsa
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices, chopped
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack, or Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 medium avocado, chopped
• 1/4 cup canned sliced black olives, (optional)
Preparation
1. Combine refried beans, black beans, scallions, salsa, cumin, chili powder and jalapeños in a medium bowl. Transfer to a shallow 2-quart microwave-safe dish; sprinkle with cheese.
2. Microwave on High until the cheese is melted and the beans are hot, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Spread sour cream evenly over the hot bean mixture, then scatter with lettuce, tomato, avocado and olives (if using).

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Football Sandwich by FoodChics
• 2 slices pumpernickel bread
• Zucchini /apple ( for Laces)
• Chives
• Sandwich filling
• Red grapes / lettuce (garnish)
Stack bread slices and then cut out a large football shape, cutting from one corner to the opposite corner. For a bigger sandwich use 4 slices, making one half of the football from each double layer. Place halves together and then finish football.
Using either zucchini or apple, cut two curved slices to form the end “lacing”. Cut four or five tiny slices for the remaining “lacing”. Set chive stem on football, running lengthwise, as shown. Then add lacing pieces. Garnish with lettuces and red grapes.
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Football Strawberries by My Posh Pod

• 2 dozen ripe strawberries
• 2 cups of milk chocolate chips

- Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with foil or...I used cupcake papers to give them a decretive little serving dish.
- Wash the strawberries and dry them thoroughly.
- Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave them until they melt, stirring every 40 seconds. It should take about 2 minutes.
- Holding a strawberry by the stem, dip it in chocolate, twirling it in a circular motion.
- Once all of the berries are dipped, refrigerate them for 30 minutes to set the chocolate.
- Put frosting in a zip lock plastic bag and cut a very small hole in the corner to add football lace details
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Chocolate Rice Crispy Footballs by Rice Crispy
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• OR
• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 6 cups Cocoa Rice Krispies®
• Canned frosting or decorating gel
1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until melted.

2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Cool slightly. Using buttered hands shape mixture into sixteen 3-inch footballs. Decorate with frosting. Best if served the same day.

Let's Make a Meal Monday's - More Crock Pot Meals

Did you get out your Crock-Pot yet and try one of those simple meals from last week's “Let’s Make a Meal Mondays” recipes?

If you don’t own a Crock-Pot, I would encourage you to check your local thrift stores or watch for some great fall sales on them. It is one mom tool that is worth purchasing!

This week I have two more simple, family-pleasing meals to share with you.


Recipe #1
Debbie’s "BBQ in a Bag" (a personal favorite because it's really simple)

2 cups brown rice

2 cups water

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

12 chicken thighs or 6 large chicken breasts

2 envelopes BBQ flavored Shake-n-Bake (yes, stores still sell it!)

Spray crock with non-stick cooking spray.Mix rice, water, and soup. Pour into crock.Put the thawed chicken and Shake-n-Bake into a roasting bag . Inflate the bag, twisting the top to trap air and shake to coat the chicken.Poke 3-4 holes in the bag and place on top of the rice.

Cook on low 8-10 hours. (I also have done it on high for 4-5 hours and the chicken still falls right off the bone!)


Recipe #2
Diane’s Crock-Pot Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
8 oz. cream cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Place chicken in crock-pot, then all other ingredients on top. Cook all day on low. Serve over rice. Makes plenty for leftovers

Can it get any easier than these great recipes? Send your simple Crock-Pot recipes to trisha@247moms.com to share with the 24/7 MOMS.

Let's Make a Meal Mondays - With Swanson Broth

This week I discovered the Swanson Broth website (http://www.swansonbroth.com/default.aspx) which is filled with great recipes. You can even sign-up for a creative cooking newsletter filled with delicious new meal ideas, time saving tips and more sent directly to your inbox.

While surfing their site I found two great fall recipes to share with you that are quick to prepare (less than 30 minutes) and sure to please your family.

Golden Chicken & Autumn Vegetables

From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup Swanson® Chicken Broth (regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified Organic)
1tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 cups fresh or frozen whole green beans

Directions:

1. Heat oil in 12” skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 10 min. or until it’s well browned on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside. Increase heat to high. Stir broth, garlic, rosemary, thyme, potatoes and green beans into skillet. Heat to a boil and cook for 5 min.
2. Return chicken to skillet and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 12 min. or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender. Season to taste.
TIP: Herbed Chicken Dijon with Wine: Add 1/4 cup white wine, 1 tsp. lemon juice and 2 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard with broth. Substitute Yukon Gold for sweet potatoes.

Hearty Lasagna Soup

From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 25 minutes
Serves: 4






Ingredients:


1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp. dried parsley flakes

3 1/2 cups Swanson® Beef Broth (Regular, 50% Less Sodium or Certified Organic)

1 can (about 14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes

1/4 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed

1 1/2 cups uncooked mafalda or corkscrew-shaped pasta

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook the beef, onion, garlic and parsley in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until the beef is well browned, stirring often. Pour off any fat.

Stir the broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning in the saucepan and heat to a boil.

Stir the pasta in the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Stir in the cheese. Serve with additional cheese, if desired.


Do you have a favorite Swanson Broth recipe? Send it to us at trisha@247moms.com. We would love to share it with the 24/7 MOMS in a future publication.