Two for Two!

-6* outside sure sounds like a good day to spend under the blankets on the couch. Which is exactly what I'm doing. I'm still working (kind of), but I could sure get used to this! Counting down the days till maternity leave (approx 97 days, 66 work days)! 

Anyway, the real reason for my post today...Another winning pinterest recipe!! I know the other day I said since getting pregnant I've been having trouble with chicken. And thats true….unless said chicken is fried, or covered in cheesy goodness and hidden inside a noodle! This is where Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells comes in! One of our latest favorite recipes in our house has been Pesto Ranch Crockpot Chicken. The first time I made that recipe, seen here, Steve told me it was the "best chicken he's had in a long time". To me, this is even better!! AND it's super easy! (BONUS!)

Ingredients

• 16-18 Jumbo Pasta Shells, Cooked and Drained
• 1 Cardboard Container of Chicken Broth
• 2 Cups Shredded Cooked Chicken
• 4 oz. Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese, Plus 1/4 Cup for Topping
• 3 Tbsp Prepared Pesto
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• Salt and Papper to taste
• Plain Greek Yogurt (About Half of a Single Serve Cup)
• Panko Style Bread Crumbs
• Alfredo Sauce

Directions

1. Boil Chicken (I used tenders) in Chicken Broth until cooked, shred.
2. While Chicken is boiling, combine Cream Cheese, 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Pesto, Garlic, Salt & Pepper, and Yogurt.
   
3. Also while Chicken is cooking, cook and drain the Shells, and prepare Alfredo Sauce (recipe using remaining cream cheese below)
4. When Chicken is cooked, add to Cream Cheese mixture, combine well
   
5. Spray baking dish with non-stick spray, pour Alfredo into bottom of pan.
6. Stuff Shells with Cream Cheese/Chicken mixture, place in dish on top of Alfredo.
7. Top with remaining Parmesan Cheese and sprinkle with Panko.
   
8. Cover, bake for 20 minutes.
9. Uncover after 20 minutes, bake an addition 5 minutes uncovered.
   

Alfredo Sauce

• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 4 oz. Cream Cheese
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Cup Milk
• 3 oz. Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Pepper

1. Melt Butter in non-stick sauce pan, add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with a whisk until smooth.
2. Add milk a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps.
3. Stir in parmesan cheese and pepper, remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency.

I served my shells with a salad and fresh italian bread. Delicious!! One of the comments I read on the review said they prepared the shells covered in spaghetti sauce, which I think I'll try next time!

Stay warm friends! :)

Chicken and Milk and…Lemons?

Searching around Pinterest this morning looking for new recipes for dinner this week I came across Chicken in Milk. If it wasn't for the pictures and the review, I never would have given it a second glance. While I can't agree its the "best chicken I've ever had" as the review I read stated, I will say it was pretty good. Very moist, but not really the flavor I was looking for. Steve, however, couldn't get enough of it. Before I even made it to the dining room to sit down, he said "this chicken is ridiculous!" 

So, the recipe!!

Chicken in Milk

• 3-4 lb Chicken
• Sea Salt
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cinnamon Stick
• 1 Handful Fresh Sage, Leaves Picked
• Zest of Two Lemons
• 10 Cloves Garlic, Skin Left On
• 2 2/3 Cup Milk

1. Preheat oven to 375*
2. Place chicken in baking dish, add olive oil to dish
   
3. Fry chicken in oil on all sides, on stove top until golden
4. Place chicken on plate, discard oil
5. Add remaining ingredients in dish with chicken, cover, cook for 1 hour, basting periodically
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. After one hour, remove cover and bake an additional 30 minutes.

I served my chicken with mashed potatoes, fresh green beans, stuffing and fresh italian bread. Since I wasn't sure what the flavor would really be, stuffing sounded good, but I wouldn't serve it again.

Like I said, I wasn't a huge fan of this, but I'm hoping I just wasn't in a chicken mood. Since being pregnant, chicken hasn't exactly been my favorite.

Speaking of being pregnant, its finally starting to hit me. The past couple days everything I do seems to be a chore. I find myself winded after simple things like getting dressed or going down and back up the basement steps. I've also had some pretty intense lower back pain, sometimes terrible, sometimes not as bad. Heat doesn't seem to help so I may look into some kind of massager that I can use on the couch. Heres to hoping it gets better before it gets worse!