Month: February 2025

Posted in #Recipes

50 Rotisserie Chicken Recipes That Make Short Work of Dinner

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Our Best Ideas for Rotisserie Chicken

Weeknight dinners can be hard. They take a fair amount of planning and prep—and there just aren’t enough hours in the day to make something spectacular. Every. Single. Night. That’s why we could all use a good shortcut from time to time. When you need an easy chicken dinner(because, let’s be honest: the whole family loves chicken) turn to shredded chicken. You can add it to just about anything you’re cooking up—and it’s available on demand if you start with a rotisserie chicken. Need a few ideas to get you started? We’ve got plenty but highly recommend this hearty grain bowl that perfectly balances crunchiness, creaminess and flavor. You can even make a big batch of quinoa and keep it frozen in resealable bags for up to 1 month so that all you have to do when you’re ready to eat is reheat it.

Food Network

Posted in Kitchen Tips

Stop Making This Dangerous Mistake With Your Slow Cooker

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Slow cookers are almost fool-proof. If you don’t have the energy or the time to spend hours cooking dinner, this kitchen appliance can save the day. Whether you’re making a dump dinner, a stew, or a roast, slow cookers can nearly do it all. 

Slow cookers tend to be very durable, too. My family bought one decades ago and we’ve never replaced it. While all appliances experience some wear and tear over time, proper care can prevent damage and lengthen their lifespans. One mistake you might be making with your slow cooker involves the lid’s locking mechanism, which some models have. Here’s what you need to know.

Avoid This Slow Cooker Mistake 

Clamping your slow cooker’s lid shut while it’s cooking can cause pressure to build up inside the stoneware, which could affect its performance and the taste of your food, according to Crock-Pot. Most importantly, the excess pressure could also cause the lid of your slow cooker to crack, which will ruin your appliance and upend your dinner.. 

That’s because slow cookers don’t work the same way as pressure cookers. While the former uses low heat to cook ingredients over a long stretch of time, the latter uses higher temperatures and pressure from steam to get the job done. Steam escapes from slow cookers through the small vents and the edges of the lid—so if you secure the lid with a lock, a dangerous amount could build up.

Allrecipes

Posted in #Recipes

CHICKEN BACON RANCH CASSEROLE

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Level up your casserole game in the easiest way with a yummy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole. Simple, hearty and guaranteed to please, this creamy chicken pasta dish will have the whole family asking for seconds. Prep your casserole in just 20 minutes, then let your oven do all the heavy lifting—this chicken bacon ranch pasta bake is the definition of comfort food!

MORE ABOUT THIS RECIPE

  • Pasta is our go-to dinner and there are few flavor combos we appreciate more than chicken, bacon and ranch, so it was only a matter of time before we introduced them to one another. This chicken-bacon-ranch pasta dish is an easy dinner that has the potential to be even easier when you use precooked bacon and rotisserie chicken. Have a few boxes of penne pasta on hand? You can make a casserole, dinner in the skillet or a one-pot meal with these penne recipes.

Pillsbury

Posted in #Recipes

45 Chicken Pasta Recipes That Combine Your Two Faves Into One Epic Dish

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Correct us if we’re wrong, but we think you really can never go wrong with either a chicken dinner or a pasta dinner. Combine them into one, and you’ve got a stellar combo that’s perfect for nearly any occasion, from a last-minute weeknight meal to date night. These 45 chicken pasta recipes include options for everything you may have on hand: Feel free to use leftover shredded chicken (even shortcut rotisserie chicken!) and whatever vegetables you’ve got hanging around. Add a few additional star ingredients, like a squeeze of lemon or sun-dried tomatoes, and you’ll really have a hit on your hands.

Pro tip: If you serve any pasta with a creamy sauce, like in our chicken Alfredo or our chicken Florentine pasta, no one will ever know dinner was a last-minute idea. Want something lighter? Try something like our bruschetta chicken pasta or our chicken pesto pasta—the freshness of basil combined with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella is like a garden on your plate. Short for time? Make a one-pot wonder, like our chicken Parm pasta, our one-pot creamy spinach & artichoke chicken pasta, or our Cajun-spiced chicken & gnocchi and skip the massive after-dinner cleanup.

Need some chicken tips? We’ve got ’em! Check out our guide for how to boil and shred chicken, how to keep boneless chicken thighs from drying out, and how to make the best roast chicken of your life. With these tips in your arsenal, you’ll be this much closer to a memorable dinner.

Don’t be afraid to get creative with your pasta choices; sometimes all it takes to jazz up an old standby is a fresh noodle shape. You never know when you might discover a new favorite (ours is orecchiette!).

Want even more chicken and pasta? Check out our best penne and spaghetti recipes, then visit our top baked chicken or creamy chicken recipes too.

delish

Posted in #Recipes

Chicken Carbonara

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Whenever pasta chooses a journey with protein, the meal is an instant success. Even though there is a particular formula for carbonara, it’s been done with many variations: with grilled zucchini, on pizza, and primavera-style. Some are made with bacon, heavy cream, and garlic, and others with shrimp or chicken (like this recipe). I recognize the specific contribution carbonara makes to Italian cuisine, but here in America, we can mix and mingle a little. It’s fun, isn’t it? Plus, in this version, you get to sear chicken in pork fat—who could say no to that? If you’re looking for an easy pasta dinner that makes weeknights feel extra special, keep reading on for all of my top tips.

Continue reading “Chicken Carbonara” →
Posted in #Recipes

Our Best Coffee Cake Recipes Ever

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Whether you like yours studded with berries, drizzled with glaze, topped with a crunchy streusel or soaked in caramel sauce, these irresistible coffee cakes make every morning so much sweeter.

Taste of Home

Posted in #Recipes

15 Southern Grandma Desserts That Taste Like Home

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Recreate the memories of your grandmother’s kitchen with these tried-and-true Southern desserts. Regional favorites like peaches, rhubarb, and Hubbard squash are baked into pies, cobblers, coffee cake, and more. You’ll find classic Southern desserts that every grandmother can make—apple pie, of course — but a few Southern grandmothers have shared some of their more unique recipes here, too. These Southern desserts are grandma-approved and sure to be family favorites for another generation or two.

Allrecipes

Posted in #Recipes

NON-BORING WAYS TO TURN CHICKEN BREASTS INTO DINNER

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Chicken breasts for dinner doesn’t have to equal “sad and boring.” From cozy casseroles and stuffed chicken breasts to quick skillet meals and crunchy fried chicken, these chicken breast recipes are all simple, easy to prepare and (most importantly) totally delicious. Keep this list on hand for busy weeknights, weekend family dinners or any other time you need a flavorful meal that’s guaranteed to please.

Pillsbury

Posted in Kitchen Tips

Egg Beaters vs. Whole Eggs: What’s the Difference?

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

While most people are used to buying shell-on eggs, you’ve probably noticed cartons of Egg Beaters stocked in the same grocery store aisle. There are several varieties of these pasteurized eggs available, including whole eggs, egg whites, and types with spices or veggies added. If you’ve ever wondered about Egg Beaters and how to use them, read on for the full scoop.

What Are Egg Beaters? 

Original Egg Beaters contain 99 percent egg whites, according to the product’s website. The other 1 percent includes natural color, vitamins, and minerals designed to mimic the nutrition of whole eggs, as well as thickening agents (xanthan gum and guar gum) to help the texture replicate regular scrambled eggs. Most people enjoy Egg Beaters because they have the flavor and texture of scrambled eggs—but with fewer calories, less fat, and less cholesterol.

Allrecipes

Posted in #Recipes

Sick of Marry Me Chicken? Meet Divorce Chicken

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

It’s spicy, sassy, and might just inspire you to break up with those viral “engagement” and “marry me” chicken recipes.

But before we get into our new favorite dish, some background. Let’s transport back to 1982. A fashion editor at Glamour shared her favorite roast chicken recipe with an assistant at the magazine, who proceeded to cook it for her boyfriend at the time. Within a month, the boyfriend had proposed. Their relationship’s success was about so much more than a single meal, true. But when that assistant shared the chicken dinner idea with three other staff members, they too added “fiancée” to their resumes soon after. Enter: The “Engagement Chicken” era.

Continue reading “Sick of Marry Me Chicken? Meet Divorce Chicken” →