dinner Archives - Inside BruCrew Life

Roasted Red Pepper & Garlic Hummus

May 1, 2013 37 Comments

Are you looking for a light lunch option for work or for at home? This Roasted Red Pepper & Garlic Hummus is the perfect dip for all those vegetables in your refrigerator.

I know that you don’t believe me when I say that I eat fairly healthy. I wouldn’t believe me either if I saw things like Cake Batter Cheesecake Brownies and Mocha Chip Cinnamon Rolls coming out of my kitchen all the time

My husband and I actually do eat hummus for lunch probably 4 days out of the week. This is the perfect lunch for when you are looking to cut calories and eat healthy. [Read more...]

Filed Under: dinner Tagged With: bean dip, chick peas, hummus, vegetable dip

Mango Habanero Chicken Wraps #GiveMeWyngz

April 16, 2013 12 Comments

“I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Tyson #cbias #SocialFabric”

Sunday’s are one of our busiest days of the week. My husband is the worship leader at our church, I sing on praise team, and our oldest son changes slides on the projector during morning practice. Our day begins early in the morning because we all have to be over at the church early for practice and sound checks. The last thing I want to think about is cooking a big meal on Sunday afternoon. I have enough struggles getting to practice on time. The sad thing is that I live right next door.

Mango Habanero Chicken Wraps 1-001

I was really excited when I had the opportunity to try out Tyson’s new Any’tizers Boneless Chicken Wyngz. I can make a quick and easy meal on busy days with these Boneless Chicken Wyngz. All you have to do is open the bag and place them onto a baking sheet. I did line my baking sheet with foil for easy clean up later. When I am busy, I don’t want to spend time scrubbing baked on sauces.

Mango Habanero Chicken Wraps 2-001

Tyson sent me the Mango Habanero and the Sweet Garlic Any’tizers to review. I knew right away that I wanted to make a “build your own wrap” dinner for Sunday afternoon. These Mango Habanero Chicken Wraps were so easy to put together. While the chicken was baking, I chopped the onion, romaine, and mango and put those into little bowls for on our table. After the chicken came out of the oven, I heated the tortilla shells in the microwave for about a minute.

You have to love having an easy dinner on the table in 20 minutes after a busy morning.

Mango Habanero Chicken Wraps, Tyson Boneless Wings, Any'tizers, Simple Chicken Meals

The kids loved being able to customize their wraps because they did not want onions hiding under their chicken. The onion and mango pieces were the perfect compliment to the Mango Habanero Any’tizers. Our kids put ranch on just about everything, so I had small dipping bowls for them, but we had ours plain. The sauce on the chicken gave it just the right amount of sweetness for me.

These two flavors of Tyson Any’tizers are now available at Walmart. I can’t wait to stock my freezer with a few bags. I see more chicken wraps on Sunday afternoons in our future.

Mango Habanero Chicken Wraps, Tyson Boneless Wings, Any'tizers, Simple Chicken Meals
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Mango Habanero Chicken Wraps

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 10 wraps

Mango Habanero Chicken Wraps

Tyson Any'tizers are the perfect addition to a "build your own wrap" dinner. Dinner can be on the table in 20 minutes.

Ingredients

1 package Tyson Mango Habanero Any'tizers Chicken Wyngz

1 cup shredded romaine

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 cup diced mango

10 tortilla shells

Instructions

Cook the Tyson Any'tizers according to the package directions. Chop the romaine, onion, and mango while the chicken is cooking.
Place romaine, onion, and mango in a warmed tortilla shell. Add chicken chunks on top and roll up. Serve with ranch if desired. Makes at least 10 wraps.

http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2013/04/mango-habanero-chicken-wraps-givemewyngz/

“I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Tyson #cbias #SocialFabric” All opinions are 100% my own.

Filed Under: AF, dinner Tagged With: after school snacks, Any’tizers, appetizers, Basketball Party Food, Boneless Wings, Chicken Chunks, Entertaining Recipes, Party Dinner, Party Finger Foods, Party Food Appetizers, Quick Party Appetizers, Quick Snacks, Simple Chicken Meals, Tyson Boneless Wings, Warm Snacks

Cheddar Jack & Bacon Meatball Sliders

April 2, 2013 41 Comments

Cheddar Jack and Bacon Meatball Sliders, Kraft Fresh Take,Kraft Meal Kit, Cheddar Jack & Bacon Fresh Take

Now that Spring sports have started, I am on the look out for easy new products that I can use to make a fast and delicious dinner for my family. There are some nights that we do not have time for a huge sit down dinner because someone needs to be at practice in an hour or so.

I also have some picky eaters, so finding something that everyone will eat can be tricky. Now we have a rule in our family that you have to at least try what has been made. They are not allowed to turn their noses up at what we have made for dinner. Easy snack dinners are a win win for everyone. Win for me, because I can have these made and in the crock pot in less than 40 minutes. And a win for the kids because they love meatballs and macaroni and cheese dinners.

Last week I had the opportunity to go looking for the new Kraft Fresh Take cheese products. I headed to Walmart to see where it would be. You can follow my shopping story on Google+. My first thought was that it would be in the cheese cooler in the deli, and sure enough that is where my Walmart had it displayed. It was right in the middle of all the other Kraft shredded cheeses.

I looked at all 6 flavors and decided to try the Cheddar Jack & Bacon flavor. My family goes gaga for anything bacon, so I knew this was going to be a great choice for Cheddar Jack & Bacon Meatball Sliders.

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As soon as I got home that afternoon, I got started on the meatballs. I like to use ground chicken to keep things a little healthier. The Kraft Fresh Take has all the seasonings mixed right into the package. These meatballs were a cinch to make up and get in the oven.

DSC_0391-1

Kraft was thinking when they created these easy dinner products. The cheese and breadcrumbs add such a great flavor to any meat dish with very little preparation. The bag is sealed in the center. When you are ready to mix the cheese and breadcrumbs together, you gently pull it apart and blend the two products together. Your dish will end up crispy, cheesy, and delicious.

I poured the cheese and breadcrumbs into my ground chicken. The easiest way to mix all the ingredients together is just to roll up your sleeves, remove your rings, and get messy. You will eventually be getting your hands into the mixture to roll meatballs anyway. I like to make 24 meatballs from 1 pound of ground chicken. That makes a decent size meatball for mini sandwiches.

One trick that I have learned is to line your baking sheet with some foil. That will save you from washing a pan later. Just remember to spray the foil with some non stick baking spray. I actually forgot this time, so my fingers were burning as I tried to pull them off gently before they cooled on the foil.

After the meatballs finished baking, I put them in a small crock pot on low with some Kraft barbecue sauce. I stopped and bought some Hawaiian rolls to serve the meatballs on when I went to get the kids from school.

When everyone was home from school, it was easy to make a pan of macaroni and cheese and relax around the table catching up on the day’s events before someone had to leave for practice. I love when dinner prep is so easy, and I can enjoy more time with my family.

Cheddar Jack & Bacon Meatball Sliders, Kraft Fresh Take, Cheddar Jack & Bacon Fresh Take, easy dinner

The Kraft Fresh Possibilities Tour truck will be making stops across the country from March until the end of July. If you would like to see if they will be stopping in your city, check this website for more info.

Kraft Fresh Possibilities Tour

Cheddar Jack & Bacon Meatball Sliders

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 24 meatballs/12 mini sandwiches

Cheddar Jack & Bacon Meatball Sliders

Easy meatballs made with ground chicken and Kraft Cheddar Jack & Bacon Fresh Take cheese. Serve on Hawaiian rolls for a quick dinner.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground chicken

1 package Cheddar Jack & Bacon Kraft Fresh Take cheese (6 oz.)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 cup Kraft Honey Hickory Smoke barbecue sauce

12 Hawaiian rolls

Instructions

Mix the ground chicken, cheese and breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and garlic together. Shape into 24 meatballs. Place on a foil lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Bake at 400* for 20 minutes.
Place meatballs in a small bowl and coat with barbecue sauce. Serve immediately or place in a crock pot on low until you are ready. Serve with Hawaiian rolls. Makes 12 mini slider sandwiches.

http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2013/04/cheddar-jack-bacon-meatball-sliders/

“I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Kraft Foods #FreshTake #cbias #SocialFabric” All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: AF, dinner Tagged With: Cheddar Jack & Bacon Fresh Take, easy dinner, Fresh Take, Fresh Take Meal Kit, Kraft Fresh Take, Kraft Meal Kit

Citrus Fish Tacos – #fishnveggies

February 9, 2013 16 Comments

Every so often I like to change up our meals around here. So when I was asked to try out the Van De Kamp’s/Mrs. Paul’s Fish Tenders and the Bird’s Eye Vegetables, I knew right away I wanted to have some citrus fish tacos for our dinner this week.

Citrus_Fish_Tacos , #fishnveggies, Van de Kamp's fish tenders, Bird's Eye Vegetables

We usually eat chicken or beef in our tacos, so I was excited to try the fish tacos. It was actually our first time having them. We don’t usually have fish very often for our meals. Maybe with new recipes like this, we will start incorporating it in our dinner menu more often.

I decided on our side dish and taco toppings and then headed out to Walmart for all my ingredients. You can see my whole shop over on my Google+ page.

Now depending on what part of the country you live in will determine if you can find Van de Kamp’s or Mrs. Paul’s fish tenders. My local store happens to carry the Van de Kamp’s fish tenders. I love that both companies use 100% whole fillets for their fish tenders. These are great quality products to keep in your freezer for quick and easy dinners.

fish shop 9

Bird’s Eye vegetables are also a high quality, healthy option. The company flash freezes the product to protect the color, flavor, and texture. I love the packages that you can just cook in the bag. That saves me time washing dishes later.

The first thing I did when I got the ingredients home, was to create the fruit salsa. You want to give those flavors time to blend and mix while you prepare the rest of the meal. I chopped up all the veggies at once, setting aside some for the rice I was making a little bit later. Give the salsa ingredients a little stir and put the bowl in the refrigerator until later.

The next thing I make up is the cole slaw sauce. I like to throw all the ingredients into my food processor. In two minutes, you have a fresh sauce with great flavor. Toss in the bagged cole slaw and into the refrigerator it goes.

Now the fish goes into the oven, and I can concentrate on making some rice. By choosing the 10 minute rice, I can have the rice put together and finished while the fish is cooking.

All that is left to do is to set the table and to plate the tacos. The fruit salsa was the perfect addition to our citrus fish tacos. We loved how all the citrus flavors went so well with the fish and the veggie rice.

Fish_Tacos

It is nice to have a dinner recipe on hand that can be made in a short amount of time. I love a meal that is quick to prepare and gives you restaurant flavor.

Be sure to enter the Win Dinner with the Neelys Giveaway! One lucky grand prize winner gets a trip for two to NYC and dinner with the Neelys. There is also $1 off coupon you can print for Van de Kamp’s fish products!!

Citrus Fish Tacos

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Citrus Fish Tacos

Citrus fish tacos with a side of Rice and Corn.

Ingredients

Pineapple Lime Salsa!

1 (20 oz.) can of pineapple tidbits

1 finely diced jalapeno (about 2 Tbsp.)

2 Tbsp. finely diced red onion

2 Tbsp. finely diced red pepper

1 Tbsp. lime juice

Cilantro Lime Cole Slaw!

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup loose cilantro leaves

2 Tablespoon lime juice

2 Tablespoon white vinegar

5 cups coleslaw mix

Rice and Corn!

2 cups uncooked instant brown rice

2 Tablespoons finely diced red onion

2 Tablespoons finely diced red pepper

1 finely diced jalapeno pepper (2 Tbsp.)

1 bag (12 oz.) corn

salt and pepper

1 Tablespoon lime juice

Fish Tacos!

1 box of fish tenders (18.1 oz.)

flour tortillas

Instructions

Combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl and stir together. Place in the refrigerator for later.
Place the mayonnaise, yogurt, chili powder, cumin, salt, cilantro, lime, and vinegar in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Toss with the coleslaw mix. Place in the refrigerator for later.
Place fish on a baking sheet and cook according to box directions.
Boil water and cook rice according to package directions. When the rice is done cooking, stir in the onion, red pepper, jalapeno pepper, and corn. Season to taste with the salt and pepper and lime juice. Keep warm.
Serve the fish on tortillas with coleslaw and salsa on top and the rice on the side.

http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2013/02/citrus-fish-tacos-fishnveggies/

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Pinnacle Foods Group #cbias #SocialFabric #FishnVeggies

Filed Under: AF, dinner Tagged With: #fishnveggies, Bird's Eye Vegetables, Van de Kamp's Fish Tenders, Walmart

Apple Whiskey Chicken Meatballs

January 30, 2013 32 Comments

So I hear there is this big game coming up this weekend? Basketball right? Haha! Just kidding! I know it’s Super Bowl weekend. We are actually headed to two parties that night. Booyah! Two tables full of yummy snacks and appetizers! That’s what I’m going for! And these Apple Whiskey Chicken Meatballs are one of the appetizers I want to bring this weekend.

A couple weeks ago I was walking down the aisles at Walmart when I saw this Apple Whiskey barbecue sauce from Open Pit. Since it was just $1, into the cart it went.

I decided to make some chicken meatballs and add some shredded apples to the mix. I always keep a bag of Crunck Pak apples in our fridge for the kids to snack on. I peeled the skins off and put them in my Ninja food processor. 5 seconds and the apples were ready to be mixed in.

Salt, pepper, garlic, and some shredded parmesan cheese give the meatballs a great flavor along with the apples and the barbecue sauce. You bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes, and then put them in a crock pot with some of the Apple Whiskey barbecue sauce.

Cute tooth picks are not required, but they sure do make meatballs more fun! You could even pick out the ones that match the team colors…if you like to match and all!

With Apple Whiskey Chicken Meatballs this yummy, and 2 parties to scope food at…

I think I am ready for some football!!!

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Apple Whiskey Chicken Meatballs

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 24 meatballs

Apple Whiskey Chicken Meatballs

Apple chicken meatballs get their flavor from ground chicken and shredded apples. The apple whiskey barbecue sauce compliments it very well.

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded apples

1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon diced garlic

1 egg

1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1/2 cup Open Pit Apple Whiskey barbecue sauce

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix very well. Shape the meat mixture into 24 good sized meatballs. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non stick spray.
Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes at 400* Remove from oven and place in a crock pot. Add the barbecue sauce and stir. Keep warm. Refrigerate leftovers

Notes

Feel free to use more or less barbecue sauce according to your taste.

http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2013/01/apple-whiskey-chicken-meatballs/

Here are a few other appetizers that would be great for party tables…

Guacamole Hummus with Football Chips

cheese quesadillas with barbecue chicken and avocado
BBQ Chicken & Avocado Quesadillas

Shared with: Treasures, 52 Mantels, Tips and Tidbits, Creative Time Out, Party Time, Taste and Tell, Chic & Crafty, I’m Lovin It, Kitchen Fun, One Creative Weekend, Tickled Pink, Weekend Potluck, Free For All,

Filed Under: dinner Tagged With: apple, chicken, Open Pit Barbecue sauce, Walmart

Nacho Potato Chowder

January 10, 2013 29 Comments

One thing that I could eat every single cold winter night is a bowl of hot soup. I’m not overly picky on what kind of soup. It just has to be one that will warm you up from the inside out.

The other day it was really cold, and I was craving some soup. As I looked through my cupboards, I found a bag of potatoes. That got me thinking about this yummy potato soup that we had for New Year’s at my in-laws house. I really should have gotten the recipe from my father in law before we left. I decided to just wing it though. Maybe I am starting to get braver in the dinner department after all. [Read more...]

Filed Under: AF, dinner Tagged With: Sargento, soup

Raspberry Chipotle Turkey Pocket Thins

December 14, 2012 9 Comments

best turkey sandwich recipe, Castle Wood lunch meat

I have a new appreciation for full-time working moms. My hat is off to those of you who run your household, work, exercise, and find time to pack your children’s lunches. In the past 6 months I have transitioned from a full time stay-at-home mom to a part-time working mom. I am still at home, but the transition has been harder than I imagined. My daily cleaning schedule that I used to stick to has gone out the window. Flexibility has become my new best friend, as I allow it to become part of my life. I am still working on developing a good routine that includes work and housework.

My laundry room now has piles of clean and dirty laundry waiting for me to attend to, and dust bunnies have taken up residence under my couches. There are days I work right through lunch to meet deadlines, or because there is nothing good to eat in my refrigerator. Have I mentioned that dinner is usually the last thing on my mind? Thank goodness for a husband that loves to prepare real food, or we would be eating cookies, brownies, and cake three times a day.

Did you know that Sam’s Cub has a line of private label lunch meats that are affordable and delicious? By keeping a few of these on hand at all times, lunch can be put together in no time at all. [Read more...]

Filed Under: AF, dinner Tagged With: Castle Wood, Castle Wood at Sam's Club, Castle Wood lunch meat, lunch meat, Raspberry Chipotle bar-b-eque sauce, raspberry chipotle mayonnaise, Sam's Club Castle Wood, Sam's Club lunch meat, Sam's Club Private Label lunch meat, Working Mom Meals

Easy Crock Pot Black & White Turkey Chili

November 23, 2012

It’s Black Friday and I am snug as a bug in my warm house eating pie for breakfast. Are you one of the crazy ones who gets up at 2 am to go searching for a deal? I just like my warm bed way too much to be one of those shoppers. Now I will admit we have braved the crowds a few times on past Black Fridays…just never early in the morning!

We spent a fun day with family yesterday. Our bellies were stuffed to the limits with turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. And let’s not forget the desserts!!! We don’t mess around with desserts in our family…3 different pies, fudge, lemon bars, pumpkin dip and cookies, rice krispie treats, candy, and pumpkin rolls. It’s quite possible we had more dessert than food. Ok, maybe not…but we sure had our fill of the sweet stuff. I personally felt it was my duty to sample every dessert…and they were all fantastic!!!

Thank goodness for elastic pants and soup to the rescue on the day after Thanksgiving. Do you have leftover turkey or chicken in your fridge too? This easy soup is the answer to your tight pants. It is so easy to put together and even easier on your waist. I need a few of these kind of recipes after eating so much yesterday:-) [Read more...]

Filed Under: dinner, Featured Tagged With: beans, chicken broth, crock pot recipes, soup, turkey

Pumpkin Potato Corn Chowder

November 7, 2012 23 Comments

I have been wanting to recreate this Pumpkin soup since last November. Last year my husband and I went on a mission trip to Haiti with a group from our church. You can read about it HERE and HERE if you want:-) It was such an awesome and eye opening experience for me. It is one thing to see the poverty from pictures and TV, but to experience it first hand breaks your heart. One thing that I came back thinking was how I need to be so much more thankful for the things and people that God has put in my life. I also realized how much I really can do without.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: dinner, seasonal, Thanksgiving Tagged With: chowder, corn, potato, pumpkin, soup

Stuffins for a Progressive Dinner Hop

November 1, 2012 38 Comments

Now that the sugar rush of Halloween is behind us, it is time to look forward to the holidays. Do you realize that Thanksgiving is in 21 days? Three weeks people…that’s all we have to finalize our dinner menus. Today I have a fun change of pace for you. I am taking a break from all the sugar that I post and participating in a fun blog progressive dinner. Join me and 8 other fabulous bloggers as we share our favorite Thanksgiving dinner ideas today…there is even a fun giveaway involved too:-)

Do you have a favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner? For me, it has always been the stuffing. I just love my dad’s stuffing fresh baked from the turkey. It was always the first thing to disappear from the table. Today I am sharing my stuffing with you, but with a fun twist. I didn’t have time to bake a whole turkey just yet, so I wanted to share a fun stuffing idea that I saw in a few magazines this year. Stuffins!!! That’s right! Stuffing baked in muffin pans for individual servings.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: dinner, seasonal, Thanksgiving Tagged With: bread, muffins, stuffing

Fiesta Chicken Salad

September 6, 2012 16 Comments

Look at this…

I made real food.

(Just don’t mind the yellow-y pictures…I’m still working on lighting later in the day!)

Haha! Not that I don’t make real food all the time…

because brownies and cookies are totally real food in my book.

But dinner recipes don’t come easy for me.

I even have a shelf load of cookbooks to help me,

but I still struggle.

Nothing wrong with pancakes, or cereal, or spaghetti, or mac and cheese, right?

Lucky for me, my husband is great at making dinner

and coming up with meals out of nothing.

So, our family does eat fairly healthy and normal things…

as long as I’m not in charge.

Until the other night…

We had some chicken in the freezer.

So, I started looking through the cupboards for something that I could use the chicken in.

I know, not a normal thing for me to even be thinking about.

We had corn, beans, and spicy tomatoes in the cupboard and some cilantro in the fridge.

Why not put it all together and make chicken salad wraps?

The cilantro and lime in the mayonnaise was the perfect flavor

to match the spicy tomatoes and beans.

This just might be my new go-to chicken salad!!!

And of course THIS guacamole with it was just the perfect side.

My new favorite way to eat guac…with pretzels. (because the kids ate all the chips)

Try it…you might be surprised how good it really is:-)

Fiesta Chicken Salad

by Inside BruCrew Life

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

4-6 c. cooked chicken, shredded
1 (15 oz.) can beans
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with chilies
1 1/2 c. frozen corn, thawed
1 c. mayonnaise
3/4 c. cilantro leaves, packed
2 Tbsp. lime juice
salt and pepper

Instructions

Combine the chicken, beans, tomatoes, and corn in a large bowl. Set aside. Place the mayonnaise, cilantro, and lime juice in a food processor and pulse until mixed together. Stir the mayonnaise into the chicken mixture until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Refrigerate for a few hours for the flavor to develop more.

Note: I used more chicken (6 c.) in the recipe because my husband doesn’t like mayonnaise. If you like your chicken salad creamier, then use less chicken (4 c.).

Shared with: Party Time, Swanky Stuff, Creative Thursday, Weekend Potluck, Free For All, Weekend Wrap Up, Show & Tell, Strut Your Stuff, Seasonal Inspiration, What’s Shakin, Sundae Scoop, Scrumptious Sunday, Whatcha Whipped Up

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)

Filed Under: dinner Tagged With: chicken

Veggie Salad in Jars

August 17, 2012 19 Comments

One of our all time family favorite meals is pasta salad.

So I bet you are wondering, why I am showing you a bowl full of just veggies?
Where is the pasta???

Well, it turns out that our pasta salad WITHOUT the pasta is really good too.

We made this salad about a month ago.
You know, when the diet thing was still going strong,
and we were being all good and cutting out as many carbs as we could.
Maybe I should have stuck with that longer:-)

[Read more...]