Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps - 20-Minute Meal!

So I don't know if you have had them, but the lettuce wraps at PF Changs are *SO* good! I keep trying new ways to copy cat them at home and these have been the best so far!

I decided to make a yummy cold peanut noodle to go with them and it really made them great! Adding the carrots for crunch and it is really well balanced :)

I will make the noodles again - maybe with some sautéed chicken mixed in - it really is an easy and versatile dish!

Hope you guys love these as much as we did!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Chicken (I am sure turkey or beef would be great too)
1 T. Dark Sesame Oil

1 Small Onion, diced

1 T. Minced garlic

1 T. Minced ginger

Peanut Noodles (Recipe Below)

1 C. Shredded Carrots

1 Head of Boston Lettuce

Salt

Pepper

For Peanut Noodles:

1/2 box of whole wheat spaghetti (cooked according to directions)

1 T. Natural Peanut Butter

2 T. Dark Sesame Oil

2 T. Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1 T. Brown Sugar

1 T. Sesame Seeds, toasted

Whisk all ingredients together (minus the pasta) until smooth.  After Pasta is cooled, toss with sauce and store in refrigerator. I will sometimes make the pasta the day before - let it really take up the flavor and it makes  a weeknight meal take about 10 minutes!  So easy :)

Directions:
Heat oil in a skillet on medium high heat.  Add onion, garlic and ginger and sauté for 5 minutes.  Add in ground chicken, salt and pepper and sauté until the chicken is cooked through and browned. To create wraps, I like to have it as a "do it yourself" fun dinner.  My kids LOVE these too - they like to put wraps together and they call the noodles "peanut butter pasta" which makes it very cool!

This recipe makes 4 servings, which is about 3 lettuce wraps a serving.  Other toppings that also work; steamed edamame, crushed peanuts, and bean sprouts.  Here is my finished lettuce wrap!  Try it out - you will not be disappointed! 

BBQ Chicken Pizza

So Friday night at our house is always pizza night - it started as a tradition with my parents and I have continued it along with my family.  One of our all time favorites is BBQ Chicken Pizza - everyone loves it and if you take the right shortcuts, it is so easy to make.  One of the best pizza tips I have is to ALWAYS get your dough from your favorite pizza shop.  It is always so fresh, the usually will cover it with some cornmeal, and because it is your favorite pizza place, you know you will love it.  It is about 2 bucks and totally worth the trip.

Ingredients:

1lb. Chicken breast

1 Pizza Dough from your favorite pizza place

1 C + 1/2 C BBQ sauce - whichever one you love - we are obsessed with Sweet Baby Rays

8 oz. Fresh Mozzarella, sliced very thin

1/2 C Shredded Gruyere Cheese
1/2 Small red onion, sliced very thin
Fresh cilantro, torn
Salt
Pepper
Cooking Spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray an oven-safe cooking dish with non-stick spray and pour in 1 cup of the BBQ sauce.  Put chicken in the sauce, turning it over to make sure that it is completely covered in sauce.  Place the chicken in the oven and bake until chicken is cooked about 35-40 minutes.  Take the chicken out of the oven and cool.  Once it is cooled, cut the chicken into small bite sized pieces. 

Spay a pizza sheet with non-stick spray.  Stretch out the pizza dough to make a nice circle.  Place the thin slices of fresh mozzarella on the bottom, and then sprinkle with the shredded gruyere.  

Next put on the sliced onions, chicken, and the rest of the BBQ sauce.  Season with salt and pepper and put in the oven. Cook until the crust is a nice golden brown and the cheese is all melted, about 12-14 minutes.  Once it has cooled a bit, add the cilantro and serve.  

Enjoy!!

Empty Out The Fridge Pizza...

Okay so one thing I HATE is throwing away good food.  You know the deal - you make a recipe - you use half of something and then end up throwing away the other half - so annoying!  One good thing about it is making something new - that you have never made before - and something I constantly do is use those foods to make a funky pizza.  I like to pick up a pizza crust from my favorite pizza place and start creating.

This is one that I made after Thanksgiving.  I had a Butternut Squash leftover that I wanted to use so I scoured the fridge to find things that would taste delish with it.

Here is what I came up with...

Butternut Squash, Bacon, Caramelized Onion and Blue Cheese Pizza (Yeeesssss)

Ingredients:

1 Pizza dough crust from the grocery store or local pizzeria 

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 T. Olive Oil

1 Onion, sliced thinly
4 Pieces of Bacon
1 C. Cream Sauce (I make my own but you can buy some at the store)
1 C. Balsamic Vinegar (optional but I think the reduction really makes the pizza) 
1/2 C. Blue Cheese, crumbled
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss your butternut squash in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper in an oven safe baking dish and place in the oven.  Roast for about 30 minutes - make sure to check on it a few times and mix it around a bit.  When the squash is nice and roasted take out and let it cool down.

While your butternut squash is in the oven, heat a skillet (I used my cast iron) over medium high heat.  When the skillet is hot, add your bacon.  Cook the bacon until crisp and set aside.  After you take out the bacon, keep the bacon fat in the pan, and add your onions.  Sauté your onions in the fat until they are a nice golden brown and put aside.

Spray your pizza pan with some nonstick cooking spray and roll out your dough.  Add the cream sauce to the pizza.  Next add the rest of your toppings (minus the balsamic vinegar) and pop the pizza in the oven for about 15 minutes - until the crust gets nice and golden.

While your pizza is cooking, place the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Once you have it at a boil, reduce to a simmer and reduce to about half.  After the pizza is a little cooled, add the reduction to the pizza and it is done!  It is amazing - and now I wont have to throw anything away :)

Enjoy!