Recipes

Family Dinner Faves: Chili Alfredo Pasta

April 6, 2023April 6, 2023 The Dimestore GypsyLeave a comment

Hello friends, welcome back! I got a new family favorite recipe to share. Chili Alfredo Pasta! It’s so good you’ll want to eat the whole pan, I promise! Read on below for this quick, easy recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb. cubed chicken tenderloins

1/2 a box of Penne pasta (I used gluten free)

1 jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce

seasonings: Salt/Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Chili Powder

handful of chopped Cilantro for garnish and flavoring

Start by browning your chicken pieces seasoned with the Salt/Pepper, Garlic & Onion Powder. While it’s browning, boil your pasta according to directions, then drain.
Once chicken is browned, add your Alfredo sauce, season again with the Salt/Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and Chili Powder to taste. Add your drained pasta and stir. Let simmer for just a couple of minutes and remove from heat.
Garnish with chopped Cilantro & dinner is ready! It’s spicy & cheesy and the fresh Cilantro adds the perfect touch!

Happy to share this recipe with you! Let me know if you make it and if you like it! Thanks for stopping by!

Recipes

Family Dinner Faves: Braised Bone-In Chicken Thighs with Savory Veggie Sauce

September 25, 2021 The Dimestore Gypsy4 Comments

Hey friends! HAPPY FALL!! What better way to celebrate than with a comfort food recipe. I made this for dinner the 1st day of Fall & it was a hit!! So of course, I have to share with you guys. Check out the recipe & pics down below.

Ingredients:

4 bone in, skin-on chicken thighs

1 can of stewed tomatoes

1 can of Cambpells Harvest Carrot & Ginger sipping soup

1 can of chicken broth

2 chicken bullion cubes

1 cup canned baby carrots (drained)

1/2 white onion, (sauteed)

1/2 bag of frozen french style green beans, (cooked per instructions & drained)

Olive Oil

Plain Bread Crumbs

Seasonings-(Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cumin, Oregano, Parsley)

Cooking Instructions

First, sauté the onion with a little bit of olive oil in a large frying pan, then cook and drain the frozen French style green beans according to package. Set that aside for later.

Clean & trim any excess pieces of fat from the chicken thighs. Season with salt & pepper. Add about 1/4 cup of Olive Oil to the pan you used for onions & add your chicken. You want to get a golden crust on each side. Cook for around 8-10 minutes on each side.

Next, add the can of soup, stewed tomatoes, & chicken broth. Add your 2 chicken bullion cubes, sauteed onions, and seasonings. Stir to mix. I used a generous sprinkling of each: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, & parsley.

Bring to a boil, then cover & let simmer on low for about 45 min.

After 45 minutes, add half the bag of drained French style green beans, & the can of baby carrots. Continue to simmer on low for 15 min.

After 15 minutes, remove the chicken & set aside. Add 2-3 tablespoons of plain bread crumbs & stir to thicken the sauce. Add the chicken back to the pan. Cover and let cook for an additional 5 min. After 5 minutes, remove from heat & let cool before serving.

Dinner is served!

I served this over warm Basmati rice with a side of Brussel sprouts. This dish is so filing, warm & comforting. It’d be perfect for a cold winter night! Look at those veggies & that sauce!

Hope you enjoy this recipe. Let me know if you decide to give it a try!

Thanks for stopping by,

Recipes

My Family Favorites: Mini Biscuit Pizzas

November 5, 2020November 5, 2020 The Dimestore GypsyLeave a comment

Hello Friends! How are ya? Are you hanging in there?

I know election week has been crazy and emotions are high, so I thought I would share one of our family favorite comfort foods…Mini Biscuit Pizzas!

They’re so fast, super easy to make, & fun for the kiddos too! My 4 yr. old helped with the sauce & cheese…It’s that easy. Scroll on down for the recipe and instructions. I guarantee your family will love them!

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe!

Recipes

Chicken Alfredo Penne Loaded with Colorful Veggies!

July 8, 2019June 29, 2019 The Dimestore Gypsy2 Comments

Hi friends! Doesn’t this dish look delicious! Let me tell you…it was soo good and is one of our family favorites. Seriously, we never have any leftovers when this is on the menu.

This dish takes a little more prep time, but you can certainly quicken the process by pre-chopping veggies & having cooked chicken available on hand to add to your week night meals. I lightened it up with lots of colorful veggies, chicken breast, light alfredo sauce, and whole wheat penne. Read on for the recipe and instructions.

Chicken Alfredo Penne with Colorful Veggies

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 small squash, chopped
¼ purple onion, chopped
½ small bell pepper, chopped
1 cup shredded carrot sticks

3 chicken breasts, chopped

1 jar light alfredo sauce

½ box of whole wheat penne pasta (can sub regular penne pasta)

First I chopped up some fresh veggies. Here i used zucchini, squash, bell pepper, purple onion, and shredded carrot sticks.

Get all those good veggies in the pan and sauté them with a few tablespoons of oil and salt & pepper. You will notice they are ready to be pulled off the heat when your onions are slightly opaque.

Take your pan off the heat and chop up some tomatoes and add them to the pan. I didn’t want the tomatoes to cook and get soggy, I just wanted them to warm with the heat of the other veggies.

Transfer your veggies to a bowl and sauté your seasoned chicken in the same pan so you get all the flavors of the oil and veggies you just cooked. Once your chicken is cooked, drain the excess juice and add the chicken back to the pan.

While my chicken is cooking, I boil my pasta so it’s ready as soon as the sauce comes together. Drain the pasta, but don’t rinse it. You want that starch to stay on the pasta. It helps your pasta sauce “stick” to the pasta.

With your chicken back in the pan, add all those good veggies you just sauteed and 1 jar of light alfredo sauce. Season to taste. Gently stir so all the flavors melt together and your tomatoes stay intact. Heat through, and your sauce is done!

To serve it up, add a cup of penne to your plate and place a spoonful of that yummy sauce right on top. I sprinkled a little bit of Cajun seasoning on mine, and a nice little sprinkle of shredded parmesian cheese!

I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as we do! Thanks for stopping by today.

Recipes

Rustic Roasted Red Pepper, Chicken & Cheese Ravioli Casserole

September 5, 2018September 5, 2018 The Dimestore GypsyLeave a comment

That’s a mouthful right? Let me tell ya, it is delicious! I needed a quick, hearty dinner this week so I put this together. It was really good and my family enjoyed it.

For this recipe you’ll need:

-ready made ravioli ( I used Buitoni sweet bell pepper & roasted chicken stuffed ravioli)

-your choice of marinara

-shredded mozzarella & grated parmesan cheese

-Italian bread crumbs

First you’ll want to pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees, and boil your pasta per the instructions on the package. Once that’s done, turn off the heat on the pasta and set aside. (I left my pasta in the water so they wouldn’t stick to each other).

Pour about a 1/4 of the marinara sauce into the bottom of the casserole dish and spread evenly.

Next, transfer the ravioli with a slotted spoon (draining excess water) to the dish overlapping each other like so.

Once you have arranged your pasta, pour the remaining marinara on top and spread evenly.

Now you can go as light or heavy as you want on the cheese! First I sprinkled about 10/4 cup of shredded mozzarella, then about 1/4 cup of grated parmesan. Lastly, I sprinkled 3 tbsp. of Italian bread crumbs evenly on top of the cheese.

Place it in the oven and bake for about 20 min. or until cheese is melted. Serve this up with a side salad or bread sticks and dinner is done!

Let me know what you think and if you guys enjoyed this recipe.

Thanks for reading,

~The Dimestore Gypsy

Recipes

My Family Dinner Favorites: Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole

July 11, 2018 The Dimestore GypsyLeave a comment

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a family dinner favorites recipe so I thought I’d share one today. It’s a good one… Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole!! Can we same yum?!

It’s pretty simple and comes together quickly , and you can lighten it up by using low-fat/no fat ingredients. Serve with a side of cilantro white rice and you’ve got a complete meal. These are my favorite kind of week night dinner recipes!

Check out Liz over at realhousemoms.com for this delicious, printable recipe!

This casserole was a big hit and has become a week night favorite of ours. I hope you enjoy it too!

Thanks for reading,

~The Dimestore Gypsy

Recipes

Croissant Breakfast Boats

June 21, 2018 The Dimestore GypsyLeave a comment

Well hello friends! It’s been a mighty good time since I’ve updated my blog…

Summer is here and it has been a busy time. In addition to my teen and toddler, I am now watching my 2 school age nephews…(phew)….I’m exhausted already 2 weeks in!! LOL. When does school start-up again?

Any who, I’m not a big breakfast eater, but I’ve heard it’s one of the most important meals of the day. To be honest, I feel a difference when I have breakfast vs. when I don’t…more energy. So I figured I’d try something better than the old “cereal and milk” bowl to keep up with these kiddos.

I happened to come across these delicious looking croissant boats when I was searching online for “batch” breakfast ideas. You know, things I can make more than one of to last for the week.

Don’t these look yummy in all their toasty, buttery, glory? They were super simple, quick and easy to make. I got the croissants on sale in the bakery at the grocery store, and with a few simple breakfast staple ingredients, they were ready in no time.

Bakery worthy right? Just zap in the microwave for a few seconds, and breakfast is served. The kids enjoyed them too!

You can find the recipe here at tipbuzz.com. There’s even a tutorial video to show you exactly what to do! Hope you enjoy these!

~The Dimestore Gypsy

Holidays · Recipes

Recipe Round-Up for a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!

May 5, 2018May 5, 2018 The Dimestore GypsyLeave a comment

Hello friends! In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I’ve rounded up some delicious recipes to kick off you fiesta feast. Scroll on down and check ’em out!

I think I’ll be trying quit a few of these recipes out, especially those churros!

That’s it for this recipe round up and I hope you enjoyed it. Have a fun and safe weekend!

Thanks so much for stopping by,

~The Dimestore Gypsy

Recipes

Fall Comfort Food: Shepard’s Pie with Cheesy Tator Rounds Topping

October 20, 2017 The Dimestore GypsyLeave a comment

Hey guys! We had our first cold front blow thru this week and I must admit, I’m loving it! I thought I’d share with you one of my recipes I made this week for dinner. It’s Shepard’s Pie with Cheesy Tator Round Topping instead of the traditional mashed potatoes.

You’ll need:

1 lb. lean ground beef (can use regular, just drain fat after cooking)

1 bag frozen mix vegetables

1 small jar brown gravy

1 small can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup

1/2 bag of tator-tot rounds

1-2 cups of reduced fat shredded cheese

seasonings of your choice for meat and filling mixture

Cooking:

Cook the tator rounds as per instructions on the bag. While these are in the oven, you can brown the beef and season to your liking.

2. Next, add your mixed vegetables, brown gravy, & cream of mushroom soup. Season and stir to mix. (I used a sprinkling of garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, & pepper) Remove from heat.

3. Place the beef mixture in a casserole dish & top with the tator rounds.

4. Add 1-2 cups of cheese, depending on your liking. (I used about 2 cups)

5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 min. or until cheese is melted. Dig in and enjoy!

I hope your family enjoys this as much as we did! Thanks for stopping by!

~The Dimestore Gypsy

Recipes

Dressed Up Dark Chocolate Boxed Brownies

September 6, 2017 The Dimestore GypsyLeave a comment

Hello everyone! Hope all is well with you guys and for all my fellow Texans that were affected by the hurricane, know that you are in my thoughts and prayers! #TexasStrong

As we get back to some normalcy around here, (bedtime and schedules went out the window during the storm) I decided to share this quick recipe for dressed up dark chocolate brownies I made from a boxed mix.

I mean…hello yummy goodness!! Get in my belly!!

For these yummy brownies all you need is:

1 boxed dark chocolate brownie mix

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

4 tbsp. pecan chips

Instructions:

Prepare cake-like brownies as instructed on the box.
After adding your brownies to the pan, warm the peanut butter for a few seconds in the microwave just to loosen.
Drop a spoonful of peanut butter into the batter evenly around the pan.
Take a fork and swirl the peanut butter & chocolate back and forth almost like a marble effect.
Sprinkle the pecan chips evenly around the pan and bake as instructed. Let cool and cut into squares. Enjoy!