Paleo BBQ Chicken Casserole + 45 Days of Dinner!!

DC has been a hot mess of a pressure cooker over the last several months. In addition to the general grumpiness of summer ending, it rained for what felt like eternity, and the simmering rage of most women surrounding the Supreme Court nomination insanity came to a full boil. I have been relentlessly pissed off and sad.

All of that is a lead in to a recipe post to say that our eating has been all over the place. I know that eating super clean, getting 8 hours of sleep a night, and sticking to a strict work out schedule would make me so much more capable to cope with the pile of s*it raining down right now. Instead I've been snacking on sourdough bread, drinking lots of wine, topping it off with a sweet treat, and then repeatedly cursing myself for it all as I exercise the following day (at least I've been consistently exercising -- I need to channel that rage somewhere!).

In an effort to try and make at least dinner easier, I've been making more casseroles and one-pan meals than usual -- not always Paleo, but still healthy. Most of our evenings have been jam-packed with homework and extracurricular activities, so dinners like this BBQ Chicken Casserole have been my go-to to keep everyone fed and happy. It's sort of like a BBQ chicken pizza in a dish and it is super kid-friendly while also still healthy.

I'm hoping to do a Whole30'ish stint between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Until then, I'm just trying to keep it together, people.

Paleo BBQ Chicken Casserole 

(slightly adapted from Jay's Baking Me Crazy) 

Ingredients:
- 1 large spaghetti squash, cooked + shredded
- 1 lb bacon, divided (sugar free)
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups Paleo BBQ sauce
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 large eggs
- cilantro and avocado for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400° and spray a 13 X 9 baking dish with olive oil.
2. Placed cooked spaghetti squash in a large bowl and pat dry with paper towel.
3. Cut bacon into thin strips and place in a large skillet.
4. Cook on medium/high until crispy. Remove half of bacon onto a plate and add onion and chicken to remaining bacon. Cook until onion is tender and chicken is cooked through.
5. Add chicken mixture to the spaghetti squash and then add the barbecue sauce -- start with 1 1/2 cups and add more if needed. Add the pepper, salt to taste, and garlic powder. Stir until everything is mixed well.
6. Add the eggs and stir completely.
7. Place mixture into prepared pan, top with remaining bacon and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes, garnish with cilantro and avocado.

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Day 1 (Sun) -- Beef Enchilada Bake with Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce

Day 2 (M) -- brinner 

Day 3 (T) -- Greek Lamb Kabobs; green beans

Day 4 (W) -- Greek Lemon Chicken Kebabs; salad; sweet potato fries 

Day 5 (Th) -- grilled salmon packets with fresh dill; oven potatoes; carrot + zucchini "noodles"

Day 6 (F) -- Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef; cauliflower rice; salad 

Day 7 (Sat) -- grilled strip steak; oven baked fries; sautéed green beans 

Day 8 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 9 (M) -- Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos with Chipotle Lime Crema
Day 10 (T) -- brinner
Day 11 (W) -- Moroccan Meatballs; cauliflower gnocchi; roasted broccoli
Day 12 (Th) -- Healing Paleo Chicken Soup
Day 13 (F) -- Braised Pork Chops over Cauliflower Cream; sautéed grean beans + tomatoes
Day 14 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 15 (Sun) -- Paleo Taco Skillet (I used ground turkey breast)

Day 16 (M) -- All American Chili; salad
Day 17 (T) -- leftovers
Day 18 (W) -- brinner
Day 19 (Th) -- Chicken Tinga Tacos; green beans
Day 20 (F) -- Grilled Flank Steak with Rosemary; salad; sweet potato fries
Day 21 (Sat) -- brinner: Skillet Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Bacon + Honey Balsamic Glaze; egg and smoked salmon scramble; fruit salad; breakfast potatoes
Day 22 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 23 (M) -- BTS meal: Filet Mignon Oscar Style; old bay french fries; asparagus
Day 24 (T) -- leftovers
Day 25 (W) -- leftovers
Day 26 (Th) -- Grilled Chicken with Spice Rub; sweet potato fries; broccoli
Day 27 (F) -- Trader Joe's Carnitas; carrot + zucchini "noodles"
Day 28 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 29 (Sun) -- Spicy Honey Salmon in Foil; sweet potato fries; sautéed kale

Day 30 (M) -- Beef + Broccoli Stir Fry; cauliflower rice
Day 31 (T) -- brinner
Day 32 (W) -- Simple Cod Piccata; baked potato; roasted carrots
Day 33 (Th) -- dinner out
Day 34 (F) -- Paleo Taco Skillet; sweet potato fries
Day 35 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 36 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 37 (M) -- Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef; sweet potato fries; green beans
Day 38 (T) -- brinner
Day 39 (W) -- leftovers
Day 40 (Th) -- Healthy Baked Pesto Rigatoni; kale caesar salad
Day 41 (F) -- dinner out
Day 42 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 43 (Sun) -- Healing Paleo Chicken Soup; salad

Day 44 (M) -- honey dijon grilled salmon, mashed potatoes; roasted green beans
Day 45 (T) -- Joel's requested birthday dinner: Oven Baked Chicken Parm; cauliflower gnocchi; salad; FROZEN PEANUT BUTTER CUP PIE (GAAAAHHH, so good).

45 Days of Dinner!!

No, that's not a plate of homemade fancy sweets for dinner. That's a shot of the kids' experiencing augmented reality at the Artechouse Nutcracker exhibit. Real life has been a little crazy lately and, as you might have noticed, I haven't had much time to post much less grab a good shot of a homecooked meal. And I'm actually so far behind on sharing our monthly meal post that I have a month and a half to share!

I am feeling good about how 2018 is looking though. We've got a new round of Whole30 lined up (SO excited), lots of family celebrations, trips, and a new property in the works too! I'm going to spend the rest of the holiday break brainstorming a bit about what I'd like to do in this space in the upcoming year. I have lots of different ideas percolating, so stay tuned. In the meantime, here's what we ate for the last month and a half!

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Sunday -- Chicken Avocado Burgers (Plated)

Monday -- Cheesy Chicken Fajitas; rice and beans
Tuesday -- Pork Medallions with Scallions and Magic Green Sauce -- everyone LOVED this
Wednesday -- Shrimp and Roasted Carrot Tostadas (Plated)
Thursday -- Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie; salad
Friday -- Greek Lamb Meatballs (Plated)
Saturday -- dinner out
Sunday -- dinner out

Monday -- dinner out
Tuesday -- Apple Cranberry Turkey Meatballs; carrots; egg noodles
Wednesday -- Soy Glazed Steak (Plated)
Thursday -- Pork and Brisket Chili 
Friday -- Blackened Salmon Burgers (Plated)
Saturday -- dinner out
Sunday -- dinner out

Monday -- 20-Minute Chicken Enchiladas
Tuesday -- Crab Cakes with Spicy Rémoulade 
Wednesday -- dinner out
Thursday -- Thanksgiving dinner! We had shrimp cocktail, charcuterie, Smoked Salmon 7-Layer Dip, and a Balsamic Onion and Thyme Tarte Tartin for apps. For din I made Maple Bourbon Glazed Turkey Breast, Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Red Onion and Kale, Caramelized Onion and Bacon Gravy, Grapefruit-Apricot Cranberry Relish with Rosemary, Ultra-Creamy Mashed Potatoes (to DIE for!), and Lemon Pepper Green Beans with Minty Yogurt Sauce. Fam filled in the rest!
Friday -- leftovers!
Saturday -- dinner out
Sunday -- dinner out

Monday -- brinner
Tuesday -- Shrimp and Roasted Carrot Tostadas (Plated)
Wednesday -- leftovers
Thursday -- Butter Basted Steak (Plated)
Friday -- Peruvian Chicken Sandwiches (Plated)
Saturday -- dinner out
Sunday -- dinner out

Monday -- One Pot Shrimp Scampi; salad
Tuesday -- dinner out
Wednesday -- Miso Salmon and Quinoa Bowls (Plated)
Thursday -- Piri Piri Chicken (Plated)
Friday -- Mexican Casserole with Roasted Corn and Peppers
Saturday -- dinner out
Sunday -- Cauliflower and Chicken Sausage Casserole; green beans

Monday -- Simple Chicken Enchiladas 
Tuesday -- Slow Cooker Brisket and Onions; latkes
Wednesday -- Chicken Tinga Tostadas (Plated)
Thursday -- dinner out
Friday -- Ground Beef Taco Casserole
Saturday -- dinner out
Sunday -- dinner out

Monday -- dinner out
Tuesday -- Steak Gyros (Plated)

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All American Chili + 30 Days of Dinner!

There is a lot not to like about America right now, but if this chili is All American, then at least we've got that. Because it's DELICIOUS. Something about the combo of proteins that just makes it absolutely fantastic. And it just gets better after sitting for a bit too, so leftovers are still crazy good. I've taken to making a double batch and freezing one because it's become the kids fave nacho topping for an after-school snack (hence the nacho photo above). But it's just as tasty on it's own, so make sure to add this to your fall menu!

This fall has continued with a lot more dining out and take out than I'd like, but that's just how its going. I've kept up with the Plated a few times a week and that's helped a lot too. Nevertheless, there are some new goodies mixed in.

All American Chili 

(from Cooking Light) 

Ingredients
- 6 ingredients hot turkey Italian sausage
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb ground sirloin
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/4 cups Merlot or other fruity red wine
- 2, 28-ounce cans no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
- 2, 15-ounce cans no-salt-added kidney beans, drained
- 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage, onion, and the next 4 ingredients (onion through jalapeño) to pan; cook 8 minutes or until sausage and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.

2. Add chili powder and the next 7 ingredients (chili powder through bay leaves), and cook for 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, tomatoes, and kidney beans; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

3. Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaves. Sprinkle each serving with cheddar cheese ... or save and serve over nachos!

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Day 1 (F) -- Slow Cooker Ramen 

Day 2 (Sat) -- dinner out 

Day 3 (Sun) -- Greek Marinated Flank Steak and Hummus Plate 

Day 4 (M) -- One Pot Cheesy Turkey Taco Chili Mac 

Day 5 (T) -- Spinach and Feta sausage sandwiches 

Day 6 (W) -- Giordano's pizza for Kane's birthday! 

Day 7 (Th) -- Crispy Flounder with Spinach Orzo and Tomato-Olive Tapenade (Plated) 

Day 8 (F) -- leftovers 

Day 9 (Sat) -- Shawarma Turkey Burgers with Roasted Tomatoes, Tahini, and Chickpea Salad (Plated) 

Day 10 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 11 (M) -- Baked Thai Pineapple Salmon in Foil 
Day 12 (T) -- Slow Cooker Cholula Shredded Beef Tacos
Day 13 (W) -- Sausage Ragù over Polenta (big hit with the kids)
Day 14 (Th) -- dinner out
Day 15 (F) -- leftovers
Day 16 (Sat) -- brinner
Day 17 (Sun) -- Crockpot Beef Chili (I use jalapeños for the peppers because I find it too mild without)

Day 18 (M) -- Spinach and Feta sausage sandwiches (obviously my new go-to quick meal)
Day 19 (T) -- dinner out
Day 20 (W) -- Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Day 21 (Th) -- leftovers/brinner
Day 22 (F) -- dinner out in NJ
Day 23 (Sat) -- dinner out in NJ
Day 24 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 25 (M) -- dinner out
Day 26 (T) -- dinner out
Day 27 (W) -- Spicy Crunchy Shrimp Bowls with Sushi Rice and Pickled Radish (Plated)
Day 28 (Th) -- All American Chili
Day 29 (F) -- dinner out
Day 30 (Sat) -- dinner out

Chicken Parmesan Casserole + 30 Days of Dinner!!

This month's feature certainly isn't the most gourmet nor does it look particularly pleasing. BUT Cami basically cooked the entire dish herself with some very slight oven help from me. Kane is interested in cooking, but Cam really throws herself into every small detail. She's careful and methodical. She pays attention to kitchen safety. She doesn't mind prep or cleanup work (actually, she loves it) and takes her time to do things right. So I have started to give her more responsibility when she wants it, including using the stove/oven and sharper knives (all with supervision). So she's really been able to cook entire meals herself. And even though I prefer my alone time in the kitchen, I've loved spending this time with her. So, I'm featuring her first big meal this month—it also happens to be really tasty.

We were on vacation for 10 of these 30 days, but instead of leaving out vacation time, I included it for reality's sake and because, for some reason, people love to see what we eat on vacation. Happy almost end of summer!!

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

(from Emily Bites)

Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 1/2 cups reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 2 oz parmesan cheese
- 3.5 oz garlic croutons, roughly crushed, leaving some larger pieces

Directions 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Spread the cubed pieces of chicken across the bottom of the baking dish in a single layer. Sprinkle the minced garlic, red pepper flakes and basil evenly over the chicken. Spread the sauce evenly across the top. On top of the sauce layer, sprinkle 3/4 cup of the mozzarella and one ounce of the parmesan evenly across the dish. Sprinkle the crushed croutons across the top and follow with the remaining cheese.
3. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

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Day 1 (M) -- Blackened Fish Tacos with Avocado Cream
Day 2 (T) -- dinner out
Day 3 (W) -- Cheesy Taco Skillet (with ground turkey); Grilled Corn and Avocado Salsa (Weight Watchers)
Day 4 (Th) -- Greek Chicken Sausage Sandwiches (Weight Watchers); sweet potato fries
Day 5 (F) -- Crispy Panko Chicken Breasts; green salad
Day 6 (Sat) -- grilled steak and salad
Day 7 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 8 (M) -- Honey Dijon Salmon (Weight Watchers); brown rice; roasted cauliflower
Day 9 (T) -- dinner out
Day 10 (W) -- Fajita Turkey Burgers; sweet potato fries
Day 11 (Th) -- Boudin Bakery: Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl
Day 12 (F) -- Presidio Social Club: East West Chicken Noodle Soup + Kale Salad (I really still didn't feel good!)
Day 13 (Sat) -- Statebird Provisions: we ate all kinds of delicious dim-sum style dishes
Day 14 (Sun) -- Solbar: Sicilian Halibut Crudo + Niman Ranch Prime New York Pavé

Day 15 (M) -- picnic dinner from Rush Creek Lodge general store
Day 16 (T) -- poolside BBQ at lodge
Day 17 (W) -- Majestic Yosemite Lodge: Caesar Salad + Capellini Pomodoro
Day 18 (Th) -- Sushi Ran 
Day 19 (F) -- Del Popolo
Day 20 (Sat) -- Mission Chinese Food (Kung Pao Pastrami was deeelish!)
Day 21 (Sun) -- airport subs!

Day 22 (M) -- Smoked Salmon Pizza with Whipped Goat Cheese, Capers, and Tomato (Plated); green salad
Day 23 (T) -- Carne Asada Tacos with Pico de Gallo, Avocado, and Lime Crema (Plated); corn on the cob
Day 24 (W) -- Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Day 25 (Th) -- Hobo Pack Chicken Fajitas; black beans; rice
Day 26 (F) -- Braised Pork in Lazy Cherry Ancho Mole (this was PHENOMENAL); Blistered Shishito Peppers
Day 27 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 28 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 29 (M) -- Blackened Salmon Sandwich with Kale-Fennel Slaw and Rémoulade (Plated)
Day 30 (T) -- Pan-Seared Chicken with Asparagus, Tomato Jam, and Butter Lettuce Salad (Plated)

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Hawaiian Pork Bowl and 30 Days of Dinner!!

I just wrote a nice long intro to this month's 30 Days of Dinner and then lost it. I'm at the beach, so I'm not inclined to rewrite the whole thing. The gist is that it's summer for us, we're not on much of a schedule, and our dinners are all over the place. Plus, I tried Plated this month and am still deciding whether I want to continue with that a few nights a week. Some really tasty new recipes in the mix though, including this Hawaiian Pork Bowl that everyone loved! Happy summer, all!!

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Day 1 (Th) - BBQ Salmon Burgers
Day 2 (F) - dinner out
Day 3 - (Sat) - Slow-Cooker Orange Chicken with Potatoes; green beans
Day 4 (Sun) - dinner out at friends

Day 5 (M) - One-Skillet Steak and Spring Veg with Spicy Mustard; brown rice
Day 6 (T) - Grilled Scallops with Creamed Corn 
Day 7 (W) - Chicken Spiedie Skewers with Italian Dressing
Day 8 (Th) - dinner out
Day 9 (F) - Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Day 10 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 11 (Sun) - dinner out at friends

Day 12 (M) - Salmon Citrus Salad with Avocado 
Day 13 (T) - BBQ'd burgers at the pool
Day 14 (W) - dinner out at Nat's game
Day 15 (Th) - Skillet Pizza Chicken
Day 16 (F) - Chicken Meatballs with pasta
Day 17 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 18 (Sun) - Massaged Kale Salad with Cherries, Pistachios, and Grilled Steak 

Day 19 (M) - Halibut with Spicy Sausage, Tomatoes, and Rosemary; green beans; roasted potatoes
Day 20 (T) - dinner out
Day 21 (W) - BBQ at swim meet
Day 22 (Th) - Grilled Chicken Breasts with Grapefruit Glaze; Southwestern Brown Rice Salad
Day 23 (F) - Grilled Skirt Steak Salad with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce; sweet potato fries
Day 24 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 25 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 26 (M) - Hawaiian Pork Bowl
Day 27 (T) - Plated Green Chile Chicken Tacos
Day 28 (W) - dinner out
Day 29 (Th) - Plated Seared Steak with Cherry Tomato Viniagrette
Day 30 (F) - Grilled Chicken and salad

Shrimp Cakes + 30 Days of Dinner!!

I know, I know. I have been horribly delinquent with the blog for the past month. No one real reason. Just life. I didn't even get around to taking a good photo of my fave recipe for the month. BUT these Shrimp Cakes are so darn good, I have to share them anyways.

Our kids are very good about eating adventurously, but they both balk at cooked seafood. They'll belly up to a raw bar like nobody's business, but serve them cooked fish? You can expect gagging. But they both totally chowed these shrimp cakes. That alone makes them worth the time and effort (this is not a short-cut weeknight din). But I also thought they were really fabulous. And they were equally delicious as a cold leftover the next day. I doubled the recipe when I made it and I was glad!

Shrimp Cakes 

(from SkinnyTaste)

Ingredients: 
- 1 lb peeled and deveined jump shrimp, tails removed
- 1 cup plus 3 tbsp whole wheat plain panko
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/4 cup celery, finely diced
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp light mayo
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 tsp Old Bay
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- lemon wedges for serving

Directions:
1. Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel and place in food processor. Pulse until shrimp are finely chopped. Transfer shrimp to a medium bowl and add 3 tbsp of panko, red onion, red pepper, celery, parsley, mayo, mustard, egg, lemon juice, Old Bay, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix gently.
2. On a small plate, combine 1 cup panko with 1/4 tsp of salt and pepper. Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop shrimp mixture and using your hands, form mixture into a 1-inch patty. Place patty on the plate with panko and evenly coat with panko mixture. With a large spatula, carefully transfer shrimp cake to a plate. Repeat with remaining mixture. You should end up with 8 patties.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of oil. When oil is hot, add 4 patties, evenly spacing them apart. Cook for 3 minutes, carefully flip with the spatula and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Place cooked cakes on a plate, add remaining tbsp of oil and repeat the process. Serve with sprinkled parsley and lemon wedges.

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Day 1 (T) -- dinner out 

Day 2 (W) -- Chicken Breast Sauteed in Sweet Red Onion + Lemon (I always leave the sugar out)

Day 3 (Th) -- leftovers 

Day 4 (F) -- dinner out 

Day 5 (Sat) -- dinner out 

Day 6 (Sun) -- Vampire Steak, Cauliflower and Carrot Puree, roasted potatoes 

Day 7 (M) -- Greek Chicken and Potatoes 

Day 8 (T) -- brinner 

Day 9 (W) -- Slow Cooker Crispy Chicken Carnitas 
Day 10 (Th) -- Slow Cooked Briskey and Onions, Easy Paleo Roasted Carrots, Chunky Mashed Potatoes with Buttermilk and Chives 
Day 11 (F) -- dinner out 
Day 12 (Sat) -- dinner out 
Day 13 (Sun) -- Back Pocket Bolognese, spaghetti squash 

Day 14 (M) -- Peppercorn-Crusted Tenderloin with Gremolata, Shaved Brussels Sprouts Sautee (my new fave way to cook BS!), baked sweet potatoes 
Day 15 (T) -- Shrimp Cakes, roasted cauliflower 
Day 16 (W) -- leftovers/brinner 
Day 17 (Th) -- Grilled Chicken Tacos, brown rice, salad
Day 18 (F) -- dinner out 
Day 19 (Sat) -- dinner out 
Day 20 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 21 (M) -- Honey Mustard Chicken Chopped Salad (EVERYONE LOVED!!!)
Day 22 (T) -- Greek Style Cheeseburgers, sweet potato french fries 
Day 23 (W) -- Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef Tacos with Picked Onions and Pineapple Pico 
Day 24 (Th) -- in NJ
Day 25 (F) -- in NJ 
Day 26 (Sat) -- in NJ 
Day 27 (Sun) -- in NJ 

Day 28 (M) -- brinner 
Day 29 (T) -- dinner out 
Day 30 (W) -- Chicken Fajitas