Buffalo Ranch Chicken Cheese Bites with Crispy Bacon

Let me start by saying these Buffalo Ranch Chicken Cheese Bites with Crispy Bacon would make delicious sliders!  Just add a small soft toasted bun, thinly sliced red onion, a piece of lettuce and a side of chips and...well...need I say more??????

Shown here, as simple bites, they are a breeze to prepare and make for perfect toothpick/napkin food! 

Baked Chicken and Cheese Taquitos ~ Perfect Party Food!

Skip the sodium rich Mexican seasoning packets you find at the store and control the ingredients you're serving your family and friends!  The filling for these Chicken and Cheese Taquitos is very versatile...it can be used in chilies, Mexican pizzas, quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas, ultimate nachos and tacos...

Simple Bar-B-Que Chicken Cheese Sliders

It's a busy time of year, so we're making a concerted effort to come up with some SIMPLE, DELICIOUS, FUN and AFFORDABLE meals the whole family can enjoy! 

In our house, my husband and I top these Bar-B-Que Chicken Cheese Sliders with just a touch of lettuce and red onion.  The kids love them topped with thinly sliced apples...

Basic Chicken Meatballs with Orecchiette in a Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce

OCTOBER = Husband's Birthday, Daughter's Birthday, Son's Birthday, Wedding Anniversary and Halloween ~ OR ~ poorest, fattest, busiest month E.V.E.R. :)

Basic Chicken Meatballs with Orecchiette in a Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce

*these quick and easy Chicken Meatballs require no chopping or dicing and are perfect for kids and adults! Serve as mentioned here or with your favorite sauce!

Basic Chicken Meatballs

1 lb ground chicken
1 egg
2 pieces soft wheat bread (white would be fine)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
about 4 grinds fresh black pepper
2-4 T olive oil

1/2 lb Orecchiette Pasta (cooked aldente)

Click on the following link for the Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce  (if you would like to lighten it up a bit - use half and half and omit the butter) *I also added a touch of freshly grated Nutmeg to the sauce for a little extra something :)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl add all ingredients except for olive oil and mix together well with two spoons or super clean hands.  Once mixed together form the mixture into meatballs and place on a plate.

In large pan, (I used cast iron) heat up your olive oil until hot (about 3 minutes) add your meatballs and allow them to sit undisturbed so they can brown and crisp ~ about 2-3 minutes. Flip over to brown the other side, again 2-3 minutes.

Place all browned chicken meatballs in an oven-proof pan and finish cooking in the oven about 6-8 minutes or until the center is HOT and no longer pink.

PLATE IT:
Coat your cooked pasta with the Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce then place on a plate. Top with Chicken Meatballs and garnish with shaved Parmesan and sage leaves if desired. (Obviously you can coat the Chicken Meatballs with the sauce too, but I like to see the meatballs atop of the pasta thus adding contrast to the dish.)  Enjoy!

Chicken Jalapeño Pepper Jack Sliders ~ Poultry Burger Nirvana

The goal when making a Chicken/Turkey Burger is three fold:

1.) Keep the burger moist

2.) Keep the burger from falling apart when cooking

and last...achieve both one and two while...

3.) Keeping the burger from tasting like a meatball



In efforts to achieve this goal and stumble upon, "Poultry Burger Nirvana,"  I took the following steps:

I used one egg white (omitting the yolk) and crushed tortilla chips to act as the burger's binding agents.

The cheese mixed in (as oppose to melted on top) also helped secure the burger while ensuring it moist and delicious!

Topped with lettuce, tomato, thinly sliced red onion, a crispy piece of bacon and served along side fresh tortilla chips and an ice cold Negra Modelo...



Nirvana...Achieved!

Chicken Jalapeno Pepper Jack Sliders
yields about 16 chicken sliders

Ingredients:
2 lb ground chicken (I prefer ground chicken to turkey if I can find it)
1/2 to 3/4 cup crushed tortilla chips (I used low salt chips)
1 egg white
3/4 cup diced Pepper Jack Cheese (small dice cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion
1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and diced
1 scant tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp salt
Fresh cracked pepper

Recommended Toppings:
Lettuce
Tomato
Bacon
Crisp, thinly sliced Red Onion
Jalapeno slice, fresh or pickled!

Directions:
Saute up the onion and jalapeno pepper until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and let get to room temperature.

In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, crushed chips, egg white, cheese, onion/jalapeno mixture, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, salt and pepper, until well combine.

Form into 3 inch diameter burger patties.

Place in the refrigerator or freezer to set (if desired).

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium, high heat. Once hot add a touch of cooking spray and fry up the sliders in batches about 3 minutes per side to brown the outside.

Place sliders in the oven for 8-10 minutes to cook through.

Toast buns and serve with favorite toppings!

Cheese Stuffed Chicken Meatballs ~ Let's Get It On

Rarely do I get this excited over a meatball (a chicken meatball at that) and rarely do I post a series of photos...but this is one of the few times...I'm finding it extremely difficult to put into words...just how passionately I feel towards these little beauties - all browned and stuffed with cheese!

So without further ado...

Chicken Meatballs before stuffed with mozzarella cheese and browned. (OK, OK...Stop! "Before Shots" are never kind!)


Chicken Meatballs after lightly browned on stove top but before cooked in the oven. (Sitting idle.)


Chicken Meatballs out of the oven - a little oozing cheese hurts no one! (In fact, it could probably solve most of the world's problems.)


LOVE this CENTO brand San Marzanos in a jar! (Find it...buy it...and use it in this recipe!)


And all I did was take my Chicken Meatloaf recipe and instead of "loafing" - I "meat balled" - stuffed with cheese - closed the meatball - browned in olive oil on the stove - then baked in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes! Perfection!

*Yielded 34 decent sized Chicken Meatballs.
*Make them smaller, stick a toothpick in them and what a perfect hors d'oeuvre!

Let's get up close and personal with this hottie!


And now that we're ALL in the mood...Turn up the volume...Close your eyes...Think about what you've just seen...And in the words of the late Marvin Gaye (Click Here)

Simple Chicken Meatloaf ~ Deep Thoughts...

Meatloaf.

There's the good...the bad...and the ugly.

Mom's, Dad's, Grandma's, Aunt Edna's and your own.

The cafeteria's, Boston Market's, Stouffer's and the diner's.

Meatloaf.

It's black...brown...orange...and various shades of red.

Beef, turkey, chicken, tofu, veal and lamb.

Twisted, mushed, poked, prodded, squeezed, lumped and molded.

Meatloaf.

Standing proudly all alone...or stuffed with boiled eggs and cheese.

Overcooked or undercooked ....more times than to perfection.

Economical, comforting, versatile and delicious.

Meatloaf.

~ The End ~
---------------------------

Penny for your thoughts regarding... Meatloaf. 

Simple Chicken Meatloaf  (So, so GOOD!)
Adapted from GoodHousekeeping.com, Chicken Romano Meatloaf

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium onion, finely diced
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1-2 T olive oil
1 t Parsley flakes
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano (or Parmesan) cheese
1/2 cups plain dried bread crumbs
1 large egg
1 cup + quality marinara sauce
2 pounds ground chicken

DIRECTIONS:
Saute onion and garlic in tablespoon olive oil for 5-8 minutes, until soft. Remove from pan and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Line 13" by 9" metal baking pan with foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In large bowl, stir Romano, bread crumbs, onion/garlic mixture, egg, 1/2 cup marinara sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add chicken and mix just until combined.

Spoon chicken mixture into center of prepared pan; shape into 9" by 5" loaf, pressing firmly. Spread remaining 1/2 cup + marinara over top.

Bake meatloaf 1 hour and 5 to 10 minutes (mine took 50 minutes) or until temperature on instant-read thermometer inserted in center of meat loaf reaches 165° F (temperature will rise to 170° F upon standing). Let meatloaf stand 10 minutes for easier slicing.

*If you make it ahead of time, you can lightly tent with foil and then a few minutes before eating, preheat broiler, slice the meatloaf, top with a bit more sauce and mozzarella (or cheese of choice)  -heat until cheese is melted and ENJOY! YUMMMM!