They Don't All Have to be Homemade - Mandarin Orange Chicken

If you know me, you know my LOVE for Trader Joe's.  I am there all the time, we know the workers, they all know and love Naomi, it is a bit ridiculous.  I will do a post on "my favorite things" from there.  Then I can feel famous like Oprah.  Maybe I will even do a giveaway or something!?

So tonight for dinner we had Mandarin Orange Chicken - from Trader Joe's.  I saw it yesterday and thought for $4.99 this might be worth a try.  It was WELL worth the try.  We made it for dinner tonight added a few green onions, made some brown rice and garlic green beans to go along with it and wah-la dinner was served.  I could have told Ken that it was from our local take-out place, it was that good.  So, if you have a Trader Joe's nearby try it out, if you don't like it they will give you a refund!

Mandarin Orange Chicken and Garlic Green Beans

To prepare this meal, you just need a package of Mandarin Orange Chicken (I would say it would serve 3 adults) some of their frozen French cut green beans (I am telling you they are the BEST) and some brown rice.  I prepared the brown rice in my rice cooker, basically just steamed it.  For the chicken, saute it in some olive oil in the pan until heated through.  Heat the sauce in a saucepan or in the microwave and then mix it all together.  For the green beans, heat a small amount of oil in a pan.  Add some green beans, salt, pepper, and some crushed garlic.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  

This dinner was together in a snap.  All I had to do was put the rice on earlier so it would be ready with our meal.  Enjoy!!!  

Be on the lookout tomorrow for the best pot roast ever with easy homemade cheddar biscuits.  

Add Some Spice to Your Life: Chicken Coconut Curry Soup

You'll be singing, "There's a party in my tummy, so yummy, so yummy" after trying this one (If you have a toddler at home you understand this reference :)).  It was wonderful.  I think magic happens when you mix curry and coconut milk.  I am not a master at the task as of yet, but I am working on it.  I have learned, if you use curry paste, rather than curry powder, your dinner is exponentially better (how's that from a math teacher, I wonder if my former students read this and roll their eyes .... probably).  I use a brand called, Patak's.  I know that there are others, but this one tastes great.  I use it for a variety of recipes and it is worth every penny.  Just be sure to refrigerate it after opening.  Here is a picture of the label of the curry paste and from the coconut milk I used:

    

Yes, the coconut milk is from one of my favorite stores on earth, Trader Joe's.  I think we keep them in business and we are a family of three.  We are there every week, at least once. Their products are great.

Thai flavors are one of my husband's favorite, so I decided to surprise him tonight with this one.  He gave it some rave reviews.  So, if you are feeling a little brave, try this one on a cold night.  I served this with some fresh bread and a mixed greens salad.

Chicken Coconut Curry Soup

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots peeled and finely chopped
1/2 an onion chopped finely
1 red bell pepper, chopped finely
1 cup chopped chicken meat (white or dark meat)
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 tablespoons red curry paste (such as Patak's, although I think I added 3)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
14 oz. can of coconut milk (I am sure if you buy the full fat it is extra creamy)
2 cans of chicken broth (warning, if you buy low sodium you will want to add salt to this)
cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
In a dutch oven, heat olive oil with onions, carrots, and red bell pepper.  Cook about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent.  Add the chicken, rice, curry paste and brown sugar.  Stir until well blended.  At this point, the mixture will be pretty thick.  Slowly add the chicken stock loosening any brown bits from the pan and then add the coconut milk.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes and serve hot.

Pretty easy for a weeknight meal, especially if you cook some of this ahead of time.  I usually cook up a bunch of chicken early in the week and then use it throughout in different dishes.  This saves on prep time and won't allow me to make any excuses!  I hate throwing away food.  I found this recipe at Sweet Savory Life, and followed it almost exactly.  She said you can add fish sauce, and some other garnishes but I didn't mess with all that.

Chicken Again? Try this new one, Apple-Spinach Chicken!

So it's a new year and everyone is trying to eat healthier, shed a few pounds, add veggies to their diet, etc., etc., etc..  Eating chicken every night of the week can be boring.  This recipe is a not-so-boring approach to chicken.  Definitely worth a try and most ingredients are probably on hand.  It is quick and easy to cook and can be easily doubled or cut in half.  My husband's first response was, "This one is a keeper."  Let me know what your family thinks!

Apple-Spinach Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons oil
• 4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
• 6 cups baby spinach or chopped Swiss chard

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, and add to skillet.  Cook 5-6 minutes on each side or until well browned.  Remove to plate, and keep warm.
2. Add next 4 ingredients (through apple slices) to pan; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, simmer, stirring often, 5 minutes.  Return chicken and juices to pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.
3. Add spinach to the pan, and toss until wilted, about 1 minute.  Serve hot.  

For the calorie counters 1 serving is a chicken breast and 1/2 cup apple mixture - 202 calories, and worth every one!

I served this over brown rice pasta (my personal favorite) mixed with a little bit of olive oil and parmesan cheese.