Chicken Nugget Casserole

Even though we don't have any children, I buy a big bag of chicken nuggets every time I go grocery shopping at my husband's insistence. It's not that he's madly in love with the bland little nuggets. It's just that they're an easy meal when he has to fend for himself. And I'm not going to lie, I'll make them for myself when I'm feeling lazy too. But I've come to discover I don't really like chicken nuggets. They're just food for the belly, and I'm a believer that food should be more than that; it should be enjoyed. Since chicken nuggets are a staple in our house, I decided to find a way to make them enjoyable.

Eric thought I was a little nuts when I told him I was going to use chicken nuggets to make a casserole. But after one bite, he was convinced. This casserole is so full of flavor. And you can easily change it up just by switching out the sauce. Swap out the spaghetti sauce for BBQ sauce or ranch dressing. Or change it up by playing with different cheeses. A whole new world of chicken nuggets has just opened up.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
12 frozen chicken nuggets
1/3 cup Parmesan, grated
1 cup your favorite spaghetti sauce
2/3 cup mozzarella, shredded
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Place the chicken nuggets in a single layer in the pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Spread the spaghetti sauce over the chicken nuggets. Toss mozzarella and Italian seasoning together then sprinkle on top of the casserole.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Chicken Recipes:
Provincial Chicken
Southwest Chicken Panini Sandwich
Spicy Bacon-Wrapped Chicken
Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Tomato and Artichoke Chicken
The Ultimate Comfort Food Casserole
Zesty Shredded Chicken (Crockpot)

Pull-Apart Pizza French Bread

I usually pack Eric a lunch for work during the week, and I'm the one who cooks dinner pretty much every night (sometimes that's a frozen pizza or a can of soup, but hey--I'm still the one heating it). On the weekends, I may make dinner, but he has to fend for himself for lunch. Well, last weekend I found him standing in front of the fridge, door open, trying to figure out what to make for lunch. I decided to take pity on him and made him this bread. He loved it! Of course, he loves pizza anything.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 loaf French bread (store bought or homemade)
1 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup pepperonis, cut in half
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup marinara sauce or pizza sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Using a bread knife, slice your bread making each slice about 1-inch thick, but DO NOT slice bread all the way through; do not slice through the bottom crust of the bread.

In a small bowl, mix together melted butter and Italian seasoning. Carefully drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of butter mixture into each cut. Next, gently stuff the mozzarella and pepperoni between the bread slices. Be careful not to accidentally tear the bottom crust. Brush or drizzle the remaining butter mixture over the top of the bread.

Wrap bread completely in tin foil and place on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bread browns lightly. Warm sauce in the microwave and serve with bread.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Bread Recipes:
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread in a Mug 
Grandma Betty's Banana Bread
Homemade Bread Sticks 
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Homemade Pita Bread
Only the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls 
Parmesan Onion Rolls 
Pull Apart Pizza Bread  
Pull-Apart Spinach and Cheese Bread
Pumpkin Bread!
Sour Cream Dinner Rolls 

Spicy Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

I also call this dish Because I love my husband chicken simply because of the bacon and his mad love of bacon. I've actually never wrapped anything in bacon before. I don't know what I was waiting for because bacon just makes everything better.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
10 chicken tenders (or about 3 chicken breasts cut into 10 strips), rinsed and patted dry
10 strips of bacon
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon chili powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine paprika, black pepper, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Rub the spices evenly over the chicken strips so they are completely coated. Wrap each piece of chicken in a strip of bacon. Place the bacon-wrapped chicken in a baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and chili powder. Sprinkle this mixture over the top the chicken then press it down. Flip the chicken over and repeat.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Optional: Transfer chicken to a cookie sheet and place under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes to give the bacon extra crispiness.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Chicken Recipes:
Pizza Inspired Chicken 
Potless Chicken Pot Pies
Provincial Chicken
Zesty Shredded Chicken (Crockpot) 
Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Tomato and Artichoke Chicken 

Crockpot: Herbed Turkey

Turkey is one of my all time favorite foods. Ironically, this was my first time cooking it--I've always been a little intimidated by the size and time the bird needs to cook. But when I saw the turkey roast on sale at the grocery store and remembered that my mother-in-law cooks her turkey roasts in the crockpot, I thought that I could do this. I mean, it's pretty hard to screw up anything in the crockpot, right? And I must stay, I've never tasted turkey more moist and flavorful before. I can't wait for turkey roasts to go on sale again. And maybe I'll even tackle cooking a whole turkey come Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Recipe adpated from here.

Ingredients:
3 pound turkey roast (I used Butterball), skin removed
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chicken broth (I used low sodium)

Directions:
In a small bowl, stir together garlic powder, salt, paprika, Italian seasoning, and pepper. 

Brush the turkey roast with oil then rub the spice mixture all over the turkey. Place in slow cooker and pour in chicken broth.  

Cover and cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours or until turkey is tender.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Slow Cooker Recipes:
Alfredo Green Bean Casserole
Brown Sugar and Garlic Chicken 
Chile and Tomato Shredded Chicken with Cheese Sauce
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Mashed Potatoes
Orange Chicken
Pumpkin Butter
Simply the Best Macaroni and Cheese
Tomato and Artichoke Chicke