Pantry Pizzas 🍕

What is a pantry pizza you ask?  Well, the best definition I have is...anything you want it to be!  Pizza is so versatile that you can almost make it out of anything!  It doesn't have to be on a pizza crust and it doesn't even have to be round!  A lot of times I make English Muffin Pizzas for the kids and sometimes even bagel pizzas.  This time, I wanted to use up some fresh Ingredients I had on hand as well as some sandwich wraps my husband brought home one day.  Pantry Pizza.  Use your pantry and fridge to come up with toppings!  I had some fresh mushrooms and tomatoes as well as some mozzarella string cheese I needed to use up.  I've had a can of black olives in my cubbord for months and some opened pepperoni in the fridge.  For the sauce I just used some Great Value jarred pizza sauce from Walmart.  I did sprinkle each pizza with some basil, oregano, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese.  I only wish I had some fresh spinach on hand to give it some green color and a healthy crunch.  

Pantry Pizza is easy for anyone to create their own!  Kids making their own pizzas means they are more likely to eat it all! 

Family Fun Suggestion:

Pantry Pizza Toppings Tray:

Prepare some toppings you have or even make a list (with input from the family) of toppings to get.  Then set them out on a tray and let little chefs make their own!  Such a fun family activity that ends with a tasty lunch or dinner!  

Recipe? There is no recipe!  Just find a flat bread or type of vehicle for your pizza sauce and toppings.  Assemble.  Bake.  Eat.  Enjoy!  

Topping Suggestions:

Pepperoni

Sliced string cheese

Black olives

Sliced mushrooms

Diced peppers

Diced tomatoes

Garlic

Onions

Diced cooked chicken or ham

Pineapple (yes, pineapple!) 

Almond Chicken Stir Fry 🌿

One of my favorite things to do is create recipes of my own. I'll see something that sparks my brain and then I just start tossing around the ideas in my head.  I created this Almond Chicken Stir Fry on my own after a visit to my local farmer's market yesterday. (Of course I practiced social distancing, but I needed fresh produce). I picked up some chicken, almonds, zucchini, yellow squash and green onions.  Once I got home I thought about how I wanted to make this new dish for my blog.  I knew I already had mushrooms, coconut milk, and coconut ready rice.  And so the ideas started flowing.  I knew I wanted to make something light and not loaded with the normal dark stir fry sauce or teriyaki sauce.  I wanted something creamy.  So tonight I started piecing together my dish and let me just say...this is one of my favorite things I've made in a long time!  Somehow the flavors of the toasted almonds with the coconut milk gave this dish an extra boost of goodness.  It was everything I wanted it to be and I'm so happy that I got lucky enough for it to turn out.  Now, for the recipe!  And as always, let me know if you make it and how you liked it!  

Almond Chicken Stir Fry 🌿

Ingredients:

1lb boneless chicken, cut up into cubes

1 zucchini, halved and sliced thin

1 yellow squash, halved and sliced thin

Sliced mushrooms

2 green onions, sliced

Olive oil for frying

1/2 can coconut milk (or 1 cup plus more to taste)

2 packs of Uncle Ben's coconut-jasmine ready rice

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Optional spices:. Salt, pepper, all purpose seasoning, Trader Joe's 21 season salute

(Play around with spices that would go well with a sweet and savory dish) 

What to do:

1) In a large frying pan or wok, add some olive oil to the pan and stir fry the zucchini, squash, green onion, and mushrooms.  In another skillet, fry the chicken until done and no longer pink inside. 

2) Add some coconut milk to the veggies and stir together.  To the chicken, add salt, pepper, and seasonings.  When chicken is done, add it to the veggies.  Use the pan you cooked the chicken in to toast the almonds! Just add a tiny bit of olive oil, the almonds and toast for 3-5 mins, tossing regularly.  When they are done and toasty, add to the stir fry!  

3) Make the ready rice as directed in the microwave and then add to the skillet with the chicken and veggies.  Add some more coconut milk to get a creamy texture that you like!  

4) Serve in bowls with an egg roll on the side.  

I hope you and your family enjoy this just as much as we did!  I can't wait to eat leftovers for lunch tomorrow!  Yummm!! 

Smoked Easter Ham 🍖

Since things were a little different for Easter this year, we decided to try something different and throw a ham on our Treager smoker.   I'll have to say that I will probably never make ham any other way from now on.  Smoking it gave it such great flavor and it really took little to no effort.   I definitely recommend trying this recipe out if you own a smoker. Are you ready for the super simple recipe?

Smoked Easter Ham 🍖

1 bone-in spiral cut ham with the glaze packet

1 cans pineapple rings, drained, juice reserved

Skewers or toothpicks

Aluminum pan 

1) Heat the smoker to 245°.  While the grill is coming up to temp, place your ham in aluminum pan. Drain the pineapple juice from the cans over the ham and into the pan.  Use skewers to arrange pineapple rings around the ham.  

2) Once smoker is up to temp, place pan on the grills.  Smoke for an hour and a half and then check it.  Pour the glaze over the ham and smoke for 30 more minutes.  

🌿 5 Ingredient Chicken Stir Fry 🌿

🌿Would you believe me if I told you, you could make a one pot chicken stir fry with only 5 ingredients?  I promise you it can be done!  My kids love the combination of chicken and fried rice and I have had a bag of Vegetable Fried Rice from Trader Joe's in my freezer just waiting to be added to something special.  I hate having tons of pans to wash after prepping a great dinner!  This one let's me have minimal clean up.  Let's get right to it!

🌿What you'll need:

1 lb boneless chicken breast, sliced into strips and seasoned with salt and pepper 

1 bag of frozen (steamable) Vegetable Fried Rice

1 bag frozen broccoli

1-1/2 cups Stir Fry Sauce

Half of an orange

(Slice the other half of the orange into quarters for garnish)

What you need to do:

1) Heat some olive oil in a  large skillet over med-high heat.  Add the cut up chicken and season with some salt and pepper. 

2) While your chicken is cooking, steam the broccoli in the microwave.   When your chicken is done all the way through, add the steamed broccoli to your pan with the chicken.   Give it a good stir and let the broccoli saute for a few minutes. 

3) Next, steam your bag of rice in the microwave as directed.   While that's happening, add the stir fry sauce to the chicken and broccoli. (you can use more or less depending on your taste). Let that summer until the rice is done.  

4) Next, add the rice to your pan and stir to combine with the sauce and chicken mixture.  Finally, squeeze the juice from your fresh orange over the top of your stir fry!  Serve in bowls with an orange wedge for extra flavor! Enjoy! 

🌿I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during these scary times.  I do believe that together we will prevail from this evil virus as a unit!  It's hard to not worry about the unknown, but it makes it easier to spend time getting back to the basics of life and enjoying the little things!  Like cooking!  

🌿Also, thank you to our Doctors, nurses, medical teams, first responders, truck drivers, grocery store workers and everyone who is selflessly putting their lives on the line every day to save others from this horrible pandemic.  Love and prayers to all!