Chicken Mexi-Ranch Tacos and a Giveaway

Recently, I was contacted by MyBlogSpark to review the Old El Paso "Family Taco Night" kit and give one away! I was thrilled because we LOVE Mexican food and I LOVE hosting giveaways for my readers!

Old El Paso suggested two recipes, Double Layer Tacos and Chicken Ranch Tacos. I was immediately intrigued by the Chicken Ranch Tacos, but they use plain ole rotisserie chicken and ranch... I had to spice it up! I added some Old El Paso taco seasoning to my chicken and to my ranch and it turned out delicious! We ate the chicken mexi-ranch tacos for lunch and then ate the leftovers as a chicken mexi-ranch salad for dinner!
So, what's the giveaway? An Old El Paso “Family Taco Night” prize pack, which includes a packet of original Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, a Cactus Chip & Dip Serving dish, a set of 3 Fiesta Chili Pepper serving dishes and a $10 gift card to purchase everything for your own family taco night! To qualify for the giveaway just leave a comment with your name, telling me what recipe you would make with your Old El Paso taco seasoning! Do you have a family favorite or would you try something new? The giveaway will close at midnight on December 21st. I will draw names and announce the winner on my blog on December 22nd.

Want to start cooking now? Download this printable coupon for $0.60 off any two Old El Paso products!

Chicken Taco Ingredients
Flour tortillas
1 packet of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning
Chicken breasts
Lettuce
Cheese
Tomatoes (I omitted)
Optional- Avocado

Mexi-Ranch Ingredients
1 packet of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning (only use 2 tablespoons of seasoning)
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip!)
1 cup milk

Directions
Sprinkle raw chicken breasts with taco seasoning (sprinkle both sides of the chicken). Cover with foil and bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes.
Whisk together the mexi-ranch ingredients, cover, and store in fridge (it will thicken after being in the fridge for 30 minutes).
When the chicken's done, slice it up and assemble your tacos!

Cream Cheese Chicken

We've made this recipe a few times in the last couple weeks, it's cheap and easy but most importantly, it hits the spot! It's very similar to Creamy Italian Chicken and Pasta but I like this version with rice better. We spoon the sauce onto the rice and it's so yummy!

We're putting our Christmas tree up on Wednesday and I can't wait! Christmas is our favorite time of year! The boys made a Christmas movie advent calendar, so this year we'll split up our 30 Christmas movies and watch 1 every day! We'll snuggle up, watch Christmas movies, with our fireplace blazing, and twinkle lights shining! There isn't anything better in the whole world! What's your favorite Christmas movie? Justin's favorite is Christmas Vacation, my favorite is Love Actually, Andrew's favorite is Elf, and Abbott's favorite is Home Alone! I can't wait!

Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (it's ok if they're still a little frozen)
1/4 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 packet, Italian dressing mix (I use Good Seasons Brand)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Serve with white rice

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a 9x13 glass casserole dish, warm the butter and cream cheese in a microwave. I put it in for 30 seconds, stir, and then 30 more seconds. When the butter and cream cheese are soft you'll stir in the package of Italian dressing mix and cream of chicken soup. Stir in the cubed chicken breasts, coating the chicken with the sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 60 minutes in the preheated oven. Serve chicken and sauce over white rice.

Margarita Chicken

This is going to be one of those years with my boys. We've already had way too many conversations with their teachers and Abbott's testing my laundry abilities by wearing the same outfit everyday for a month! Abbott wants to be a doctor so my parents bought him a set of scrubs for his birthday. He wants to wear them everyday so I have to sneak into his room to launder the outfit while he sleeps! This is my doctor... ...or as a girl in his class calls him, "nurse boy"! Being a mom is so stressful but thankfully my wonderful sister-in-law understands, she shared this hilarious video last week...


This video does a pretty good job of summing up my life! It's crazy!
However, the upside of Abbott's determination to wear his doctor outfit everyday is that I don't have to buy him a Halloween costume! Have you ever noticed that something weird happens on Halloween? I'm not talking ghosts and goblins... I'm talking about the weather! It feels like summer right up until Halloween blows in and it's frigid every day after! I won't be fooled this year though! It may have been 80 degrees today but I am on to you Halloween... I know this is the last week of warm weather so I wanted to slip one more summery recipe in before it's all soups and spiced breads!

Ingredients
5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 can (10 ounces) frozen non-alcoholic margarita mix, thawed (I used Bacardi)
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions
In a small bowl, combine the margarita mix, lime juice and garlic. Pour 1 1/4 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Rotate half way through marinading. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.
Drain and discard marinade, sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, and grill or saute the chicken to cook. As the chicken cooks baste it with the the remaining marinade (that you covered and saved in your fridge).

Winner Winner Sweet and Sour Chicken Dinner

We have a winner for Yoplait Greek's "Nourish Your Inner Goddess" gift pack! Check out the drawing below to see who won!
I saw this Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe on Three On Food's website, it's a great website shared by three women who post their favorite recipes! I was really excited to try this recipe because Andrew LOVES sweet and sour chicken from our local Chinese restaurant. We really liked this dinner, I don't think it tasted exactly like the restaurant version but it was very good! The only negatives are that it's a little time consuming (frying the chicken and then baking it for an hour) and that it's fried. We're all trying to lose weight and we're not going to get there by frying up dinner... literally.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO WATCH JAMIE OLIVER'S FOOD REVOLUTION!! It's on Friday nights, ABC, at 8:00pm (central time)! If you missed the first two episodes they are available online for free! It will make you think twice about the food you feed your family!

Chicken Ingredients
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Sauce Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions
Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over chicken.
Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

Now for the winner of the Yoplait Greek's "Nourish Your Inner Goddess" gift pack! Thanks to everyone for entering! You gave Abbott good scissor practice! And folding practice And orneryness practice.... oh no! And shaking practice Is that enough shaking mom? It's cute how he closed his eyes! And the winner is... ANTHY!!! Congratulations!

Chicken Gyros and a Giveaway

We've never had Gyros before today. Sure I've seen Mr. Gyro's restaurant and the mall food court sells gyros but we've never stopped to try them. I am SO glad we finally tried them! They were refreshing and delicious, and it gave me an opportunity to use the new Yoplait Greek yogurt! Yoplait and MyBlogSpark chose me (well, chose you really) to participate in their "Nourish Your Inner Goddess" giveaway!! All readers can print out this coupon to save $0.30 on one cup of Yoplait Greek yogurt but one special reader gets a Yoplait Greek "Nourish Your Inner Goddess" gift pack, which includes these great items to help you relax and two VIP coupons for free Yoplait Greek yogurt!! To enter the giveaway just leave a comment telling me which of the four delicious flavors (Strawberry, Blueberry, Honey Vanilla and/or Plain) you want to try... I had a hard time deciding which flavor to get! On Wednesday (3/31/10) a random winner will be chosen from my comments and contacted to receive the Yoplait Greek "Nourish Your Inner Goddess" gift pack, seriously... how cool is that?!
I decided to try the plain Yoplait Greek and make gyros and I'm so glad I used Greek yogurt, it saved me SO much time! You see, if you use regular yogurt you have to strain all the moisture out with a cheesecloth. That's what Greek yogurt is, strained yogurt... I'm hoping I sound smart for knowing this, because really I didn't know the difference until yesterday ,-) To make the gyros you'll need Chicken Souvlaki and Tzatziki (Greek Cucumber Salad), let's get started! Here's the cast of characters... Chicken Souvlaki Ingredients
1 pound chicken breast (cut into chunks)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 lemon (juice and zest)
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Tzatziki (Greek Cucumber Salad) Ingredients
1 1/3 (6 ounce) containers Greek yogurt
1 cucumber (peeled, seeded, and shredded, squeezed and drained)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lemon (juiced)
1/2 tablespoon chopped dill
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste

Gyros Ingredients
4 large pita bread rounds
1 head of lettuce (cut into 1/4 inch slices)
1 red onion (thinly sliced), I grilled my onion
1 tomato (halved and sliced)

Chicken Souvlaki Directions
Combine all ingredients, skewer the meat, and let meat marinate for 30 minutes to overnight. Cook on the grill or under a broiler for about 4-5 minutes per side. Tzatziki (Greek Cucumber Salad) Directions
Stir together yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill and garlic until well-combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour for best flavor. Gyros Directions
To assemble gyros just warm the pitas. Top with Chicken Souvlaki, Tzatziki, diced tomatoes, lettuce, and sliced onions!

Anniversary Chicken

This is another Allrecipes recipe. It's been on my "to try" list for a LONG time but I never had the motivation to make it. I was worried that teriyaki and ranch wouldn't go together. However, teriyaki and ranch go together quite well, have no fear! My only complaint is that the chicken didn't have much flavor... crazy because the chicken is smothered in high calorie sauces and toppings, but it's pretty bland! There are tons of great reviews for this chicken on Allrecipes though, so maybe I'm being a complainer. I just had high hopes that it would be delicious and worthy of serving for an anniversary dinner, so I was disappointed. On a side note we are SUPER DUPER excited about the return of our favorite TV show Lost! This is the last season and unlike most shows out there the writers of Lost knew what the ending of the show would be before they even filmed the pilot episode. Lost is more like a movie than a TV show.... a 125 hour long AMAZING movie! I can't wait to see how it ends but I will savor every last second of the show!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup teriyaki basting sauce
1/2 cup Ranch-style salad dressing
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 (3 ounce) can bacon bits

Directions
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts, and saute 4 to 5 minutes each side, until lightly browned.
Place browned chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush with teriyaki sauce. Spoon on salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese, green onions and bacon bits. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Savory Chicken Breasts

I found this recipe on Allrecipes, I've always liked that website and how guests rate recipes... this recipe was 4 1/2 stars (out of 5 stars) with 379 ratings, so I thought I would give it a try! It was super easy and turned out really good! I will definitely make it again! It's a great weeknight dinner!!
So, why am I posting so late at night? Because I took a nap, grr! Don't get my wrong, I LOVE naps... but taking just a quick nap when I get home from work will keep me up for hours past my bedtime. Thus, I try to avoid taking naps so I don't throw my sleep schedule off. Today I just couldn't resist napping! My wonderful friends took me out to lunch for my birthday (we went to Ingredient) and they brought chocolate cheesecake and strawberry shortcake for dessert! So, I came home, sprawled out on the couch (like a beached whale), and napped. Sigh...

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 slices Swiss cheese
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup milk
1 cup dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Pepper to taste

Directions
Place chicken breasts in a baking dish. Season with pepper and top each breast with a slice of cheese. Mix together the soup and milk and pour mixture over chicken. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and drizzle with melted butter. It doesn't look like much right now but just you wait, it's magic in the making! Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 20 minutes or until golden brown. When you serve, spoon a little of the sauce from the pan onto the chicken!

Mom's Chicken Tetrazzini

Chicken Tetrazzini is my ultimate comfort food. It is creamy, cheesy, chicken spaghetti... it really is a fabulous casserole! I grew up eating it, for my Birthday I always asked for Grandma's Chicken and Noodles or Mom's Chicken Tetrazzini. It’s my favorite! When the chicken is boiling your house fills with the smell of bay and celery, it’s amazing... I wish they sold bay leaf and celery candles! This is also the perfect dinner if you need to make a casserole for someone because a whole chicken usually yields 4 cups of shredded meat, so you can easily make two casseroles (one for you and one for a friend in need)!

Ingredients
1 whole chicken
1 pound spaghetti noodles, broken into pieces
6 celery stalks, cut in half
1 bay leaf
3 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed Saltine crackers

Directions
Put the celery, chicken, bay leaf, and chicken in a large pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fill the pot with water until the chicken is completely submerged. Boil on medium-high heat for a 1 hour (or until the chicken is cooked through). After cooking remove the chicken and celery from the pot. LEAVE THE BROTH AND BAY LEAF (your going to cook your spaghetti noodles in this broth)! Break the spaghetti into 2-inch pieces you'll have around 2-3 cups. Turn the heat to high and cook the spaghetti in your chicken broth for around 10 minutes or until the noodles are soft. I know this picture just looks like broth but the spaghetti noodles are in there, promise! While the noodles are cooking shred your chicken and discard the bones and celery. You only need two cups of chicken for this casserole so you can save the extra chicken for another recipe or make a 2nd Chicken Tetrazzini casserole (this is what I suggest... but in all honesty myself and the boys have immediately gobbled up the extra chicken- true story)! When the spaghetti is done dip a measuring cup into the pot and retrieve 2 cups of broth. (Don’t burn yourself!) and strain the rest of the broth out and discard it along with the bay leaf. In a bowl (or your pot) dump the spaghetti noodles, 3 cans cream of mushroom soup, 2 cups of cheese, and chicken. Stir it all together. Now start adding the chicken broth, beginning with 1 cup. Stir it up, then add a little more. You want the mixture to be stirrable, but definitely not soupy. I usually stop just short of using the full two cups. Place mixture into a 9x13 casserole pan and top with crushed saltines. Yum, yum! At this point, you can cover it well and freeze it, unbaked. Or you can cover it and refrigerate it, unbaked, for up to two days before baking. Or, go ahead and bake it at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes until hot & bubbly. And here’s what you’ll have:

Roasted Chicken and Gravy

This dinner is absolutely amazing! The chicken is literally fall off the bone tender (Abbott laughed when his chicken leg fell off the meat and onto the table) and the gravy is so flavorful! It does require marinating overnight and 4 hours of cooking, but it is worth the wait! I suggest serving this with Creamy Mashed Potatoes, we call them Abbott's potatoes but they're everyone's favorite! The chicken/gravy only serves 4 people so if you have a bigger family you will need a 2nd chicken ,-)

Chicken Ingredients
1 (4 pound) whole chicken
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 onion, cut into 4 pieces
5 cloves garlic

Gravy Ingredients
Chicken drippings
2 tablespoons flour
1 can chicken broth (or 1 cup water and a chicken bouillon cube)

Chicken Directions
The night before... In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remove and discard giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken cavity, and pat dry with paper towel. Rub chicken inside and out with spice mixture (use all of the spice mixture). Stuff the pieces of onion and garlic cloves into the cavity of the chicken. Place the chickens in a resealable bag or double wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours. After marinading... Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place chicken in a roasting pan (I just used my 9x13 pan). Bake uncovered for 4 hours, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees (I don't have a meat thermometer, but 4 hours was the perfect time for my 4 pound chicken). Let the chicken stand for 10 minutes before carving. While carving the chicken discard onion and garlic. Gravy Directions
Take the chicken out of the pan when it's done cooking. Now pour all the drippings into a glass measuring cup. Leave any browned bits on the bottom of the roasting pan (these are actually quite tasty and help give the gravy its flavor.) Let the drippings stand for a minute or two until the fat rises to the top of the measuring cup. Set the roasting pan over medium-low heat (you may need to use two burners at once.) Spoon out 4 tablespoons fat from the top of the measuring cup and put it back in the roasting pan.
Sprinkle the flour over the fat and whisk. Whisk flour and fat for 1 to 2 minutes until the flour turns a nice golden-brown color.
Pour the measuring cup drippings and can of chicken broth into the roasting pan. Whisking and scraping off the encrusted bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer mixture for 2 to 3 minutes while whisking. Adjust the thickness of the gravy. If it is too thin, simmer, whisking often until the gravy is as thick as you want it. If it is too thick, whisk in a little more chicken broth. Taste the gravy and season it with salt and pepper if needed but with the rub of the chicken mine didn't need any salt/pepper. Serve the gravy over mashed potatoes with the roasted chicken. Enjoy!