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

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

Recipes

Spinach & Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breast

August 11, 2017September 19, 2017 The Dimestore GypsyLeave a comment

Hi guys! Today I’m sharing my recipe for this yummy spinach & mozzarella stuffed chicken breast we had a few nights ago. Let me tell ya…it is so good!

Recipe:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

1 green onion, chopped

1 bag of frozen spinach, thawed & drained

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tbsp. olive oil for sautéing

3/4 cup of shredded low moisture, part skim mozzarella cheese

*seasoning to taste (salt, pepper, garlic power, & onion powder)

Cooking:

Pre-heat oven to 375. Start with sautéing the bell pepper on med high heat. Once softened, scatter the spinach around, add the chopped green onion, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté this for just a few minutes to let all the flavors mix together. Remove from heat and let cool while you prepare the chicken.

For the chicken make a pocket that you will add your stuffing to.

Transfer your spinach mix to a small mixing bowl. Then add the 3/4 cup of shredded mozzarella, slightly beaten eggs, and salt & pepper. Stir to mix and it’s ready to add to the chicken.

Now divide the mixture evenly between the 4 chicken breast. Arrange on a 13 x 9 baking pan and season as you normally would. I used a sprinkling of salt, pepper, onion & garlic powder.

Bake at 375 for 40-45 min. or until juice runs clear.

Serve it up with a side of rice or mixed veggies and your meal is complete!

Hope you and your family enjoy this recipe. Let me know if you try it out and what you think!

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

~The Dimestore Gypsy

Recipes

My Family Dinner Favorites: One Pan Cheesy Pasta Skillet

April 21, 2017July 11, 2018 The Dimestore GypsyLeave a comment

Friday is here and it’s a beautiful day! Today I’m sharing this one pan, cheesy pasta skillet recipe. It’s so quick and easy, and you only need a few ingredients. This is one of my quick, go-to meals on game nights.

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef (can sub lean turkey) *seasoning to taste

1 jar red pasta sauce of your choice (I used Classico four cheese red sauce)

1/2 box uncooked rotini pasta (about 2 cups dry) (can sub a similar shaped pasta) *I used garden vegetable rotini.

3/4 cup low moisture, part skim, shredded mozzarella cheese

To Make:

You’ll need to brown and season the meat to your liking. While browning the meat, boil the pasta according to the package directions. (I like to cook these at the same time so your pasta is ready to go as soon as the meat is done).

After the meat is browned, set your cook temp to low and add your cooked, drained pasta.

Now, add your pasta sauce and stir together to mix.

After it’s all mixed up you can turn the burner off and sprinkle your cheese on top. Pop a lid on for a few minutes and let the cheese melt. Once it’s all melted, your ready to serve.

To complete your meal, add a side of steamed veggies or a leafy green salad.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! It’s a weeknight staple in our home.

Thanks for reading,

~The Dimestore Gypsy

Recipes

The Best Banana Bread Ever

April 5, 2017April 5, 2017 The Dimestore Gypsy1 Comment

Hey guys…happy Wednesday! I always buy tons of bananas to snack on and we don’t always get to them fast enough. They start to ripen too quickly on the counter and then I’m over here searching for a recipe to get rid of them without having to trash them. I think I secretly do that just so I can make banana bread. lol!

Today I’m sharing this delicious Banana Bread recipe I found on cookinglight.com. I’ve tried quit a few recipes before and OMG, let me tell ya…this one is my fave! It’s so moist and full of flavor.

You’ll need a few staple ingredients from your pantry and one you may not use so much when baking…plain yogurt! That’s what makes this bread so moist.

I followed this recipe exactly, with the addition of 1/4 cup of chopped pecans right before I poured the mix into my baking pan.

If you have a few ripe bananas on your counter or just want to try this loaf, I would definitely recommend you try this recipe out. You won’t be disappointed!

Happy baking,

~The Dimestore Gypsy

Recipes

My Family Dinner Favorites: Turkey, White Bean, and Spinach Soup (photo: rachelcooks.com)

January 23, 2017July 11, 2018 The Dimestore GypsyLeave a comment

Oh my goodness! I just have to quickly share this turkey, white bean, and spinach soup from rachelcooks.com. It is safe to say this has become a family favorite and one that will be on repeat in our home. I made a big pot Sunday night thinking I would have leftovers and it is completely gone! It’s a 20 min. recipe and healthy too! Perfect for those nights when you need to put together something quickly.

For the soup I used 90% lean turkey and organic broth, tomatoes, beans and spinach. I only had Italian seasoning on hand so I used a sprinkling in place of the 1 tsp. oregano & 1/2 tsp. of basil. I seasoned the meat with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt & pepper while browning, and then again after I added my stock.

This is a great little recipe and I highly recommend you try it out. Head over to her site for more pics and other great recipes!

~The Dimestore Gypsy

Recipes

My Family Dinner Favorites: Chicken and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

November 13, 2016March 15, 2017 The Dimestore GypsyLeave a comment

It’s finally starting to feel like Fall here in Texas! We have been having some cooler weather the last couple of days and I’m loving it. I made these stuffed bell peppers for dinner last night and they were a big hit so I thought I’d share with you.

While out at the grocery store, these huge, bright green bell peppers caught my eye and I just had to get some. They looked so fresh and I have been wanting to try stuffed bell peppers. I’ve never tried them before so I thought these would be perfect. All together, I believe this meal was under $10 for a family of 3-4.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken (I used Purdue from Kroger)

1 cup of any rice you’d like (I used Knorr rice sides in cheddar broccoli)

1 10.5 oz. can cream of chicken condensed soup

1/4 cup chicken broth

1-1.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese for topping

3-4 bell peppers ( I used 3 for my family)

*optional (frozen steamed veggies)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the tops off of your bell peppers and remove the seeds/ribs carefully as to not damage the pepper. Rinse inside and out. Set aside. (Test to see if they stand straight up to act as a cup for your filling. If not, you can cut just a small slice off the bottom to help it stand flat.)
Take a 3 qt. sauce pan and fill with water. Bring it to a boil and add your peppers for 2-3min to soften. Set aside when done.
Next, cook your ground chicken. Be sure to season to taste. (I used a sprinkling of each: salt, pepper, garlic pepper, chili powder, and oregano) While browning the chicken, I used the microwave directions to cook my rice so it would be done at the same time as the chicken.
Now add 1 cup of the cooked rice to your cooked chicken and mix.
Add about 3/4 of the can of soup, add the chicken broth, and mix.
Place your bell peppers standing up in an ungreased baking dish. (I used a small glass rectangular baking dish, but you can use whatever dish you prefer.) Add the filling to each bell pepper and really pack it in!
Next I added a small spoonful of the leftover cream of chicken soup to each bell pepper.
Top each with the shredded mozzarella and bake uncovered for 30 min.

I added a bag off Birds Eye Select steamed Brussel sprouts and our meal was complete!

These peppers were so good and so filling! I hope you enjoy. Let me know how they turn out if you decide to make these.

Thanks for reading,

~The Dimestore Gypsy