#my family always made pot pie to use up leftovers from a Big Chicken Dinner

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I bought a chest freezer recently so I can finally indulge my grandma instincts of Make An Unreasonable Amount Of Food For Not Much Money And Eat Of It For Months

Today I bought two rotisserie chickens and made SIX large chicken pot pies (9" pie tins), used the leftover carcasses and have chicken stock going in the slow cooker, with enough leftover chicken meat and veg to make chicken rice soup tomorrow for DnD and probably have quite a bit to freeze as well.

[sierrabrewerxo]

Late Nights [Part Two]

A/N: Okay, here’s part two! xo

Read Part One Here

It's around six in the morning when I finally decide to pick Y/N up from the couch. She shifts for a second in my arms before gripping my shirt in her tiny fists, burying her face in my chest. I decide to put her in my bed, it's closer to the kitchen which means I can get to her quicker if anything goes wrong. I set a glass of water by the bed, watching as she buries her face in the pillow. As I step out of the room and quietly close the door, Sam steps down the hallway. "Did she come home last night? How is she doing?" "Yeah, she got home safe and sound." I said with a sigh. "But I think I'll let her explain the rest to you. You know more about what's going on than I do. Let's go make some breakfast, I'm starving." 

Deciding to make the breakfast she always makes for us, I start shuffling through the kitchen. I pull out eggs, bacon, toast, cinnamon rolls, and even waffles. Sam starts pulling the juice and coffee deciding to help. "You know it's better when she does it?" he asks as he adds the water to the coffee pot. "She makes everything from scratch, even the freakin' juice. We only have the pre-made stuff for when she's not home." "Yeah, well.. she had a long night. I'm just trying to help out." We start laying out the plates and juice at the small table while the cinnamon rolls finish in the oven. "You're not going to make a move on Y/N are you?" Sam suddenly asks. "I know you're in love with her man, but whatever happened last night.. This would be the worst time to say something." "I'm not going to make a move." I scoffed. "You don't even know what happened last-" The sound of shuffling socks pulls our attention from the conversation. Y/N walks down the steps, half shuffling and half tripping as she rubs the sleep from her eyes. They're still swollen and red from last night but the gloss in her eyes, brought out the little gold flecks; you could see them shine from a mile away.

"Hey!" Sam started cheerfully, but you could hear the sincerity lurking beneath it. "How did last night go?" I watched her lip quiver slightly before she straightened herself up, pulling all emotion from her features. That was one of her talents, changing her expression so you couldn't tell what she was feeling or thinking. Nothing in those eyes except for calm and completely unfazed. "I told you so." she looked directly into Sam's eyes with a shrug of her shoulders, like it was nothing. I looked at Sam with furrowed eyebrows, did she know this was going to happen? She hasn't said anything about it for weeks. I thought things were perfectly fine, until last night that is. He gave me a look saying we would talk about it later. The buzzer for the cinnamon rolls going off, causing me to peel away from the group. "You guys made breakfast?" she asked as she took the seat across from Sam. "Nothing as good as yours, but we were pretty hungry after all the research last night." I lied. She always hated being the center of attention and having people do things for her out of pity. I knew she would take this all the wrong way if I told her the truth. She simply nodded and started fiddling with her napkin as I sat the iced cinnamon rolls on the table with everything else. "Do you guys need help with anything?" she asked, looking between the two of us and setting her napkin down. "No, we've got everything pretty sorted out. We're probably going to head out tomorrow morning. Do you want to tag along?" Sam said, piling his plate up with a little bit of everything. "I think I'm just going to go into town and restock the bunker. We're running low on a lot of things and I just want to get everything sorted here. Just make sure you both let me know that you're safe." she gave a small smile and headed towards her room. "Aren't you going to eat?" I called out before she made it out of the kitchen. "I'm not really hungry, and you both have a big case coming up tomorrow. You both need to be well fed." she took another step before she stopped and turned to Sam. "Oh, and Sam, I found some new recipes to try that are on the healthier side for you. Do you want me to get some ingredients so you're not stuck with salads and things all week?" I watch him give a soft smile to her, "That would be great Y/N, thank you."

About fifteen minutes later I catch her walking towards the garage, a spare set of keys in hand. Her hair is covered by a gray baseball cap, a bun loosely twisted at the nape of her neck and loose curly strands framing her face. She's wearing a white Animal Society hoodie, denim shorts, and a pair of sneakers. It was weird weather for us being in the end of February, mid sixties out but enough of a breeze for a hoodie. "I should be back in about an hour or so." she said as she slipped a pair of sunglasses on, covering up half of her face. She looked like she was trying to hide from everyone, she just looked so small and fragile. Even if she stood there with her back straight and her head held high, it was just an act. "Do you want me to go with you?" I offered, "I can help you with groceries and dinner suggestions. From a non rabbit food kind of view of course." "Well there's a lot of errands I have to run. I have to drop some boxes off at the post office, I'm going to look at furniture, and drop some things off at the animal shelter and the daycare in town. I made some food for the homeless shelter in the middle of town too." she started to fidget with her fingers, pushing at her cuticles like she does when she gets anxious. "I don't want to take you away from any-" "I can handle it." Sam interrupted. "You can use the extra hand Y/N, I'll be fine." She nodded slightly handing the keys over to me, her voice barely made it above a whisper. 

"Thank you. The boxes are all labeled in the garage, I just have to get the food out of the fridge and pantry. I'll meet you at the truck." I stepped into the garage and completely froze in my tracks, there were stacks of boxes. Some labeled to go to the post office, birthday presents I’m guessing, for her friends and family for the month. We had been too busy lately for her to drive out like she usually does every year. 

Next to those were crates full of pet toys and treats for the animals at the shelter. The treats were packaged individually, like little goodie bags. She had spent the weekend making them, I thought they were peanut butter cookies for us.. but then she smacked my hand away. I thought I saw hand made blankets for them at the bottom, even though we were at the end of the colder months. The animal shelter in town had a heater and never had a draft, but she always wanted to make sure they had the choice if they ever got cold. 

Then there was a crate full of bedtime stories and stuffed animals for each of the kids at the daycare, I don't know where she found everything but it made my heart swell up. 

Y/N doesn't deserve to get hurt, she should never have to go through anything bad. After everything I've seen her go through, it's never altered her heart or her outlook on the world. If anything, she's become even more loving. She has a heart of gold for everyone and everything, putting everything above her and doing all she can to help the world. I start to load up the truck when I hear her feet shuffling, I look up and smile slightly. She has two boxes in her arms, the stack so high she can't see anything. "Hey, let me help you out there sweetheart." I say as I grab the box on top, smiling down at her. "These need to go in the truck and not in the back, temperature reasons and what not. But can I ask your opinion before we drop them off?" I love that she always wants things to be perfect for everyone, she knows it’s all about the thought but she wants it to be a bigger gift than it already is. 

"If they look anything like the doggy bags, I'm sure they look great." I smirked and she opened her box, revealing her famous chocolate chip cookies all in bags and tied with little red bows. She always made pie around the house and for the bigger holidays for the homeless shelter. When it came to the random monthly trips like this though, she always made cookies. Her chocolate chip cookies always being my favorite to sneak when she wasn't paying attention.

"Sam already tested everything." she said as she sat down her box and opened the one in my arms. I looked down and saw stacks of little bowls, what looked like maybe forty or so. 

"What kind of soup is it this month?" I asked. Smiling as little notes saying Enjoy!  :) in her cursive hand writing were taped to each lid of the bowl. 

"The chicken and noodle soup I make for Christmas every year. They loved the leftovers so much at New Years Eve, that I figured they would love another batch of it, a more fresh batch." She smiled, thinking back to when we went a couple months ago, all of their faces lighting up when they took a bite. "I made some rolls too, give them something a little extra." 

Lifting up the boxes I load them up in the truck, watching her take her seat in the middle next to the food in the passenger seat. Her mind was starting to drift from the events of last night and I couldn't help but feel a weight of relief as I saw her visibly relax. "So dropping off the food first?" I asked as I started up the engine.

We had made it through the homeless shelter, the daycare, the animal shelter, and the post office all in under an hour. I was following behind Y/N as she started looking at cookware, televisions, mattresses, and some couches. "What are we looking for exactly?" I ask as we look at the matresses. She starts flipping price tags towards her, pressing down with her hand on a few of them seeing how soft they are. "Well, I got you some things when I was out a couple weeks ago and I wanted to get Sam something too. I know he sleeps fine and all, but his mattress is as hard as a rock. I just feel like if he slept on a softer bed he would feel more at home. Maybe get him some new pillows too. I just want to add some stuff to the bunker." I couldn't help but wonder what she got me, but I also know what she's doing. When she gets on edge, instead of fighting or facing anything, she buries herself in projects. I know there's more in that head of hers, I can see it in her eyes. I don't pry though, I keep the conversation away from anything she doesn't want to talk about. "Where did you get the money for a new mattress? Money to add to the bunker?" She smiled shyly, looking up at me through her lashes. "I do odd jobs when you two go on cases without me. I've been saving up for the past few months. I'm going to put it on hold tonight so I can pick it up tomorrow after you two leave." I followed her to the customer service desk as she filled out a paper form with all her informantion. "Would you like us to drop it off for you sweetheart?" the lady asked behind the desk. "No thank you, I can just pick it up in the morning. Have a great day ma'am!"

It was around four in the afternoon when we finally pulled back into the bunker. Y/N was staring off into space, her eyes starting to water. "Why don't you head inside and I'll bring in the groceries." I squeezed her knee reassuringly before she slid out of the truck and made her way inside. As I was taking out all the food and putting it away, I heard some muffling down the hallway. I inch my way towards the noise, stopping when I can hear clearly without being seen. "I told you something was wrong Sam. For weeks I thought something was wrong, and for once I wasn't overthinking it. That's what hurts the most, that after so many times of being wrong about overthinking something, I was right. I was right about the worst possible thing Sam. What makes someone just decide they're not in love anymore? He was weird and distant for weeks, maybe if I wasn't so.. I don't know. What if I pushed him away? God, I wish I could just disappear until I get over this feeling.. I wish I was dead.." she mumbled the last part, but I heard her perfectly clear and so did Sam. My heart completely stopped at those words she uttered, I've never seen her broken like this. She was the strongest girl I knew, it was almost inspiring, how well she moved past everything. I knew she was in love, that she thought this was going to be her happily ever after. But the worst part is, that even after everything, nothing ever made her change her mind about that guy. No matter what he would have done, she was there for him endlessly. So was he, especially when they first started dating. He gave her the world and he just ripped it all away from her. I know there's something he's not telling her, but I hope she never finds out the whole truth. She loves straight answers, but I feel like this would pull the last thread holding her together. I don't want to see that, I couldn't handle watching her break completely. Sam may have known the story to everything, but I knew her drunk thoughts at two in the morning. The thoughts she never even remembers the next day. 

[koreanpike3-blog]

Real Women Approved: 30 Tried and Tested Fall Recipes You’ll Love

Velvet leggings: Spanx–one of my favorite pairs of pants in the winter! I never take them off! They run true to size–such a fun alternative to regular leggings, and so warm! Turtleneck: J.Crew’s tissue turtleneck…duh..when am I not wearing one? I own one in every color (and pattern!) They run true to size! (I always get asked what size I wear–the one I’m wearing here is size small, but I also have them in XS…it just depends on how you want them to fit!) Cardigan: this one is old from last year, but similar here, here and here! 

What are you cooking this fall?

Happy Friday, guys!

I can’t believe it’s already been a YEAR since I originally published this post! With so many amazing recipes, I decided I had to refresh it for 2018 again! So–that means, even MORE recipes to make this year!

I asked for your submissions on Instagram and got sooo many incredible recommendations! I tried my best to include as many as I could! This post (originally published last fall) was actually my second installment of my “Real Women Approved” series (where I round up YOUR recommendations on varying topics) and it was really fun to see how many more posts we’ve published since then! (Find them all right here!) These are some of my favorite posts to create because I think the best ideas come from you guys, and I have so much fun collaborating all together!

A change in seasons always re-ignites my excitement to get back into the kitchen (I’m always partial to warm winter recipes! I think everything tastes better roasted, braised, or cooked in a dutch oven!) I’m always on the hunt for new recipe ideas (aren’t we all?) so I figured this would be an awesome topic for my next reader favorites roundup!

I might be a little biased, but I think you guys have the best recommendations around! 😉(Like your book recco’s for example? LIGHTS OUT! Or your most praised all-purpose totes for work and travel? AMAZING.)

Personally, one of my favorite things to make in the fall and winter is lentil soup–it’s so simple, rustic, and delicious.

The best part about lentil soup is that you can really go any way you’d like with it–I always start with this classic base recipe and then riff off of it based on what I’m feelin’ that day. (I love to finish it with a squeeze of lemon and freshly grated parmesan cheese!) Lentils are so good for you, so I love this soup when I want a detox but want something heartier than a salad. Despite the fact that it doesn’t have meat in it, it’s one of Neal’s favorite soups! (Sometimes I add kale as well!)

If you’re feeling a little indulgent, add bacon when you’re sautéing the veggies, and a bit of wine while the soup is cooking. You could also give it an Eastern twist adding spices like tumeric or curry powder, and a splash of coconut milk. It’s so easy to make your own and is perfect for a cozy night in!

Now, even more fun–below are LOT’s more fall recipes recommended by my favorite gals–you guys! Get ready for pumpkin and butternut EVERYTHANG. (And make sure to follow along on Insta stories so you can weigh in on our next reader roundup topic! I always love to hear all your opinions!)

Fall Recipes

TJ’s Cauliflower Gnocchi Hack:

Melissa says, “I’m obsessed with this TJ’s Cauliflower gnocchi hack from Kai and the Kitchen! It’s a bag of frozen gnocchi, rotisserie chicken, mushrooms (I buy them pre-sliced, obvi), butter and sage. Best weeknight hack that is good enough for the weekend!” 

Fall Chicken Skillet

Jean says, “You have to try the Fall Chicken skillet from Well Plated! SO good with apples, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts yummm!” 

Veggie Fall Casserole

Reader Molly loves this broccoli cauliflower brown rice casserole for fall! She says,“it’s great for when you need to use up extra veggies or want something meatless!

“Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good!”

Suddin says, “We make ‘pumpkin stuffed with everything good‘ every fall. It’s bread, cheeses, herbs, etc stuffed into a pumpkin and baked. I look forward to it every year. I usually grab a small pumpkin from Trader Joe’s and it’s the perfect size for two!” 

Roasted Tomato Soup with Everything Grilled Cheese

Tina, who also has a great food blog, Shredded Sprout–says soup is her fall go-to, especially roasted tomato soup with everything grilled cheese. YUM!

Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

R says, “Just made this oven roasted chicken shawarma last night and it was super simple, but so easy and so tasty! The notes at the bottom give good tips on what to include so I added bell pepper along with the chicken as well as homemade pita and rice pilaf! 

Autumn Glow Salad

Kimberlyn says, “This is a delish salad perfect for fall. It has sweet potatoes and apples (AKA the Fall faves!) and keeps well for 3-4 days in the fridge so it’s perfect for meal prep. I usually make one big batch on Sunday and eat all week!”

Chipotle Pumpkin Soup with Chorizo

Laura is hooked on Halfbaked Harvest’s has chipotle pumpkin soup with chorizo! She says, “It has all the warming fall flavors you need and you can use soy-rizo/cut back on the cheese to make it healthier! I am obsessed with it 🔥”

30 Minute Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen

Carly says, “I made 30 Minute Thai Peanut Chicken from @halfbakedharvest via Cooking w/ Liz (@lizadams) last week and it was delicious! Plus, it was also quick, easy, and such a cozy meal.” Side note, if you don’t follow Liz, you definitely need to! I know you will love her–she does an Instagram live series called “Cooking with Liz” and it’s always so much fun!

Creamy Squash Rigatoni

Hannah says, “This pasta recipe has been my go-to fall recipe for YEARS! It’s basically like an inside out butternut squash ravioli! I’ve started using canned pumpkin (not the pie filling–the plain, unsweetened kind) instead of roasting the squash when I don’t have time!” 

Chicken Chorizo Chili

Karen describes this yummy Chili as “Spicy, easy, and a different take on chili. Such a cozy dish for a cold weeknight. And anything topped with cheese and sour cream is a MAJ victory IMO.” 

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Cat says, “Okay, so this recipe takes some work, but I kid you not, everyone in my family is now OBSESSED with this pie an dI HAVE to make it every Thanksgiving! All of Sally’s recipes are so great because they give you small tips that you wouldn’t otherwise realize so just be sure to read the entire thing before baking!” 

Spiced Pork Tenderloin

Kathleen says, “For the past couple years when the weather gets juuust crips enough, my husband and I have a lightbulb moment: ‘IS IT SPICED PORK TIME?!’ We use this recipe just as a guide and basically dump tons of the spices onto the tenderloins for maximum fall flavor. It’s very quick easy, and low cal for a busy weekenight, and it’s absolutely delicious!” 

The Best Creamy Chicken Soup:

Helen says, “For this recipe, I use leftover rotisserie chicken and substitute half and half for heavy cream but it smells amazing (thank you, celery!) and it freezes wonderfully so you can eat it later in the season. My boyfriend and I love to eat it with crusty bread or homemade grilled cheese!” 

Panko Crusted Chicken Thighs:

Emma says,  “Right now, my favorite is this Bon Appetit Panko Crusted Chicken with carrots. It’s UNREAL. So fast, so easy, so cozy on a cold night. It’s comfort food for me, plain and simple. And pretty inexpensive. Usually I use chicken breast instead since that’s my go-to. Whatever floats your boat!” 

One Pan Autumn Chicken Dinner

Bethany says, “I love the One Pan Autumn Chicken Dinner by @cookingclassy ! It’s easy, makes the whole house smell amazing, and goes perfectly with a glass of 🍷!” 

Instant Pot Short Ribs

Clementine loves Tyler Florence’s ultimate short ribs with parsnip purée. “Omg so good “ she says, and shared her time-saving hack: “I did it in the InstantPot in under an hour last week if you aren’t into using a Dutch oven!” 

Thai Butternut Soup

Charmain says, “this is my favorite go-to recipe for those comfort food days and it’s really so simple to make. Everyone I’ve made it for always raves about how tasty it is and then is shocked at just swapping out milk for coconu tmilk and adding a few unexpected spices turns ordinary butternut soup into something amazing!” You can see the recipe posted on her instagram right here! (Plus, her feed is so pretty, too!)

Crock Pot Zucchini Lasagna

Do you follow my friend Lauren from Lakeshore Lady? She shares TONS of amazing recipes–but her crock pot zucchini lasagna is one of her go’to’s for Fall! “Super cozy, and once everything goes into the crock pot, you can forget about it until it’s time to eat! Stress free!”

Quick Apple Turnovers

Whitney says, “These apple turnovers are SO simple and made with ingredients that most people have on hand during the holidays. They taste best when hot from the oven and served with vanilla ice cream!” 

Winter Vegetable Chowder

Katie loves Rachael Ray’s Winter Veggie Chowder–she says, “I made it in a Crock-Pot on high for four hours. It’s easy but there’s a lot of chopping–just throw veggies in the crock and heavily salt. HEAVILY. )You think it’s too much but it’s not–because it will draw the liquid from the veggies, which is where your borth comes from!) I just let the veggies sweat it out in there, and then add the remaining ingredients!” 

Skinnytaste Pumpkin Chili

Lee recommends this pumpkin veggie chili from Skinnytaste–“My husband who is a total meat-a-tarian (you know what I mean?) even says this is his favorite chili. Seasonal, delicious, lower guilt, even more delicious as leftovers with some shredded cheese and tortilla chips.”

Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Smoothie

Do you guys follow Morgan on Instagram? She’s a Chicago fitness and health blogger and she’s my go-to for EVERYTHING healthy and workout related! I might be her most annoying follower with how many questions I ask her on a weekly basis. Example: she actually didn’t SUBMIT this Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Smoothie recipe for this post roundup, I saw her post it on Instastories and pestered her for the link so I could include it 😂 I’m really lazy so let’s be honest I probably won’t ever have Medjooll dates or multiple kinds of nut butter on-hand so my version will likely never be quite as healthy or as delicious as Morgan’s, but hey, include what you have and I’m pretty sure it will be fantastic.

Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Muffins

Haley says, “I LOVE pumpkin muffins, we use the yellow Trader Joe’s pumpkin dry mix and add in chocolate chips. Voila! Muffins!” 

Winter Corn and Squash Veggie Chili

“This is my favorite plant based chili,” Allison says! “It’s healthy (from my favorite magazine, Cooking Light) easy (either slow cooker or on the stove), flexible (you can throw in whatever you have around.) I always add in some cinnamon, because I don’t think you can have chili without it! It’s also freezable (because making soup for one person is difficult!) I swear by the recipe and make it several times each fall. It pairs amazingly with homemade corn bread!” 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cinnamon, Butternut Squash, Cranberries and Pecans

Jessie calls this roasted brussels sprouts recipe “the most delicious fall dish EVER!” If you’re in charge of bringing a side dish for Thanksgiving, I think this one would be such a great one to try out! Different than every other Brussels sprout recipe I’ve ever seen, but still with traditional fall flavors. Yum!

“Too easy” Pumpkin Waffles

Nina shared the most genius hack EVER. “My newest fall thing is pumpkin waffles. I make them the easy way. I follow the directions on a regular box of waffle mix and then add in pumpkin puree! It’s so easy it feels like cheating!” HAHA I like Nina’s style!!

Spiced Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Lindsey raves about this recipe for pumpkin spiced coffee cake (UM. YUMMM?) because it’s 1. Idiot Proof. and 2. Uses a boxed cake mix, but tastes completely homemade! Sign me up!

She says “I took it to a weekly group meeting and received so many compliments! Also, I live on a TINY island in Washington state and none of our grocery stores had the pumpkin spice pudding mix, so I used regular vanilla pudding and added a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice! Delish!” 

Butternut Squash and Bacon Soup

Carley says, “this soup is so flavorful and delicious! It’s my husband’s favorite dish and I took it to Thanksgiving last year and it was a hit! If you enjoy this, her blog has a ton of great recipes as well!” (Jess’ note: I agree–Damn Delicious is one of my favorite food blogs!)

Pumpkin Alfredo

Rachel recommends Pinch of Yum’s Pumpkin Alfredo! “It’s definitely indulgent (not healthy at all) but it is so so yummy. It’s rich with lot’s of flavor. Also, surprisingly, it only has 5 ingredients and is ready in 20 minutes! It’s the perfect weeknight meal when you’re craving pasta!)” 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Laura’s go-to recipe for fall is this one for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! “They are super easy and always fly off the plate,” she says. “My friends and family love them!” 

Pumpkin Maple Pecan Granola

Kaylee says “this pumpkin maple pecan granola tastes like fall and is super easy to make! I love eating it on Greek yogurt with a little bit of honey or even just a snack on its own! It’s delightful!” 

  Bon Appetit! What have you been cooking lately? I would love to hear your reccos! Tell me about your favorite Fall recipes below (links are even better!)

Shop my outfit: 

Source: https://thegoldengirlblog.com/what-are-you-cooking-this-fall-13-reader-approved-fall-recipes-to-try-this-season/

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What’s the best way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken?

Photo: RondaKimbrow (iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Is there anything better than a nicely roasted rotisserie chicken from the store? Just pick one of those bad boys up, and you’ve got dinner already halfway made. Depending on the size of your family, though, you might end up with a few pieces of leftover bird. In honor of our rotisserie chicken smackdown (and we’ve got a lot of chicken in our fridge), we asked our staff and chef experts: What’s your favorite way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken?

Pot pie

Toss together your own pie crust (or cheat and get some frozen dough), make a sauce or even just use a can of cream of mushroom soup, and then add some shredded chicken and a few veggies for an easy take on the dinner no one can resist.—Gwen Ihnat, Deputy Managing Editor, The Takeout

Crispy chicken tacos

As a taco junky I always have corn tortillas, fresh pico de gallo, and pickled red onions in the fridge at home. I love to take left over rotisserie chicken, shred it, crisp it up in a griddle or cast iron pan and make some tasty tacos. —Drew Watson, owner/chef, Hops & Pie, Denver

Vietnamese-style caramel chicken

I’ve been making this forever. First I pull the meat off. I make a sauce of minced garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, a little bit of ginger, rice wine vinegar (fish sauce if you have it!). Reduce that to a syrup. Then toss the chicken in to warm it up, and add a bit chicken stock and reduce everything down a bit more. I’ll serve this with rice, cilantro, and lime. —Ross Henke, executive chef, Quiote, Chicago

Breakfast skillet, pasta, quesadillas

I often start with a starch—pasta, rice, potatoes, tortillas—and build off of what I have. Fresh vegetables? I often sauté up any vegetables I have with the chicken and mix in pasta—finish with either nice olive oil or tomato sauce depending what’s in my pantry. Sometimes I even crisp up potatoes, add the chicken and mix in some eggs for a very easy breakfast skillet. Rotisserie chicken also makes great leftover quesadillas! Cheese, tortillas, chicken and anything else you want to use up. —Julie Warpinski, executive chef, Big Star, Chicago

Singapore noodles

A friend just gave me a Ronco Rotisserie a couple weeks ago and I’m using the shit out of it. I rarely have rotisserie chicken leftovers, but when I do I’ve used it mostly for Singapore noodles [stir-fried vermicelli], switching out the shrimp for chicken. In a wok, saute peppers, onions, scallions and snow peas and chicken with boiled and cooled rice noodles. Hit it with a mix of fish sauce, minced garlic, pepper, Shaoxing wine, sugar and yellow curry powder. P.S. This recipe also doubles as a hangover helper.—Matt Troost, chef, Good Measure, Chicago

Curry-chicken dip

If I had leftover rotisserie chicken, I would pull or shred it and heat it in a pan with a little tomato sauce, Greek yogurt and a curry spice blend. Make some rice and dig in with a pita or piece of naan. —Evy Swoboda, executive chef, The Last Hotel, St. Louis

Chicken salad

What looks like a paltry few bits of leftover rotisserie chicken can stretch to an entire chicken-salad sandwich if you use substantial mix-ins. I usually use a combo of equal parts mayo and dijon mustard for the “sauce” part, plus whichever of the following I have around: diced celery, shredded carrots, dried cranberries, chopped apples, cubed-up tomatoes, chopped walnuts, etc. —Kate Bernot, associate editor, The Takeout

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[lotsofdogs]

This Week’s Meal Plan: 5 Healthy Weeknight Dinners

I’ve been a little off my meal planning game lately which means I’ve found myself running to the grocery store multiple times a week for odds and ends I need to feed our family. This translates to spending more than I would like to at the grocery store and also less healthy eating in general, two things I try to be mindful of in my day-to-day life.

In an effort to jump back into healthier eating,  I took some time to plan out our meals for the week yesterday morning and took Chase along for a much more organized trip to the grocery store in the early evening. I figured this week’s meal plan might make a decent blog post just in case you are anything like me and are always looking for healthy and easy dinner ideas. This meal plan is comprised of recipes I’ve made in the past so I can vouch for them and assure you they’re all delicious, clean and quite nutritious, too!

Meal Plan: 5 Healthy Weeknight Dinners

Monday: Rotisserie Chicken with Green Beans and Leftover Lentils

Since we were running out to do our grocery store shopping immediately before dinner yesterday, I was tempted to grab a frozen pizza and call it a night but thankfully the meal planner in me knew I’d be tempted by convenient food, so I planned to make Monday night’s dinner a ready-to-go rotisserie chicken. I paired it with Brittany’s easy green beans and leftover lentils and garbanzo beans we had in the fridge from a weekend cookout.

Tuesday: Easy BBQ Meatloaf with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus

When Ryan and I first moved in together, we ate SO MUCH meat loaf. We’d often let it cook in the oven while we took Sadie on a walk after work and loved coming home to a hot and tasty dinner that was ready for us to eat! BBQ meatloaf is both of our favorite and I love this easy BBQ meatloaf recipe since it makes it easy to incorporate veggies into the mix as well. I’m planning to pair the meatloaf with asparagus and roasted sweet potatoes topped with a little butter and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Wednesday: Paleo Pizza Spaghetti Pie + Fresh Fruit Salad

In my blog post about Healthy Meals to Make For Others, I mentioned this recipe because it’s a go-to for me to bring to someone after they had a baby. I’m bringing my friend Lauren dinner on  Wednesday and since I know her family tries to eat healthy, I am hoping this will be a welcomed dish for them to enjoy as they adjust to life as a family of four. Since I’m already planning to make this dish for Lauren’s family, doubling the recipe will be easy and we’ll have the same thing for dinner in our house that night, too!

Thursday: Crock Pot Shredded Pork Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

I made this dinner last week on a rainy day and it was the ultimate comfort food! I altered the recipe quite a bit from the original and added a chopped onion, potato and carrots to the crock pot with additional broth and it was SO good. I’m already excited to make it again this week, especially since it was so easy.

Friday: Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce and Side Salads 

There’s something about Friday nights that often cause me to crave pizza, spaghetti and lasagna. Anything with red sauce and lots of cheese! I’m already looking forward to digging into a big bowl of spaghetti with Bolognese sauce and love Gina’s delicious lightened-up sauce recipe which is easy to adapt to your own preferences (I love adding sweet peppers to mine). I’m planning to serve this topped with freshly-grated parmesan cheese and side salads. An added bonus: Chase LOVES Bolognese sauce so this one is almost always a hit with our toddler!

Question of the Day

What is one thing on the menu for dinner at your house this week?

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