Leftovers! Hawaiian Chicken Kabob's turned Pizza!

So part of the silver lining of my husband being gone is being able to cook something simple.  That is why I frequently would turn to good ole fishsticks, mac n cheese, etc. Using leftovers and pre-made pizza crusts I can have something far yummier for the same effort!

So you can see I used store bought pizza crusts, sauce from a can, mozzarella, and the leftovers!  Nothing fancy!  I had a little help too!

I put sauce on the pizza and then added the toppings. I like my toppings under the cheese.  I think that the cheese does a good job of holding everything in place.

Helper was distracted... what do you mean this isn't a phone?!?

Bake according to the directions for the crust and your judgement!  My crusts said 400º for 5 min.  I did that but then turned on the broiler for a minute or two to get the nice golden tops!

Confession:  I did not eat with my daughter tonight.  I sat with her while she ate.  Gave her an early bath and put her to bed.  She has been testing the boundaries for the past few days.  I wanted to enjoy my meal in peace so I waited. Remember a Momma's sanity can be saved by alone time so give yourself the space you need because we all know a toddler won't :)

Here's to No Daddy Dinners! 

Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs with Broccolini

So once again Daddy is TDY, so Mary Ann and I are on our own.  No need to sacrifice a good meal especially after getting a good does of the 'terrible (almost) twos' today! Tonight's menu Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs with Broccolini.  This dish is super simple and very yummy!

Start with the kabobs.  Cut your chicken into cube size pieces to be skewered.  Place them in a plastic bag.  Then make a marinade.  Mine consisted of two small cans of pineapple juice, two teaspoons of soy sauce, a tablespoon of ginger and a teaspoon of lemongrass. Place all ingredients in the bag with the chicken for 2hours-overnight.

You will also need to prep your fresh pineapple and broccolini.  For the pineapple I cut of the tip and then slice of the sides as thinly as I can while removing the eyes.  For broccolini I trim the bottoms and peel off the leaves.

When you are about 20 minutes away from building your skewers place the wooden skewers in water. This will prevent them from burning on the grill.  After they've sat in water for 20-30 min start your grill on med-high heat.  Be sure to spray with a non-stick grill (nonflammable) spray. Build your skewers alternating the marinated chicken and fresh pieces of pineapple. 

Get those on the grill and then start on the broccolini. Place the broccolini in a skillet with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes. I want to introduce my daughter to spice early but gradually.  I don't want to eliminate spice from my diet so she needs to learn to like it.  A 1/4 tsp of red pepper flake will add a bit of spice without overwhelming her. Saute in a skillet while the chicken is cooking until done to your liking.  I like it with a little resistance in the bit... al dente, if that term can be applied to broccolini.

The chicken won't take too long, hungry babies won't wait! Turn the skewers two to three times for a total of about 12 - 15 minutes.  When they are done, if you squeeze the chicken with tongs it will feel firm. Take them off and let them rest for about 5 minutes so the juices can re-disburse inside the meat.

For my little girl I give her a little broccolini and one skewer of chicken and pineapple (cut up & of the skewer for starters. She will probably eat more but it's a good start!

Momma's plate

Here's to No Daddy Dinners!

Stay tuned to see how I use the leftovers tomorrow!

Balsamic Venison Backstrap and Zucchini Boats

No Daddy Dinner (NDD) #1: Balsamic Venison Backstrap and Zucchini Boats

My Dad, Grandfather and Uncle are avid hunters in Illinois and so we are rarely in a shortage of venison.  For tonight's NDD I prepared a backstrap. Backstraps are also known as tenderloins and run along the spine of a deer.  They are a pretty tender cut of meat however; as with all game meat, can be easily overcooked.

I thawed my venison overnight in the refrigerator and then marinated it for about 5 hours.  I first seasoned the meat with salt and pepper and then rubbed on fresh rosemary.  Finally, I covered the meat in a balsamic reduction. You can reduce your own or use a bottled product. Cover with plastic warp and refrigerate.

A little closer to dinner I prepared the Zucchini Boats. I pierce zucchini with a fork and place them in the microwave for a minute or so (depending on the size of your zucchini) until they are soft.  Allow them to cool and then slice long-ways down the middle.  Remove the center and place in a bowl.  Here you are welcome to mix anything with the zucchini-innards. This time I used mozzarella, bread crumbs salt and pepper.  I usually like to use a little cream cheese too to keep things moist but I didn't have any on hand. Combine your ingredients and place back into the zucchini.

Place your filled zucchini boats in an oven safe dish and bake at 350° for about 20min or until heated through and brown on top. 

My daughter, keeps watch for me!

When your ready to cook your venison fire up the grill. I start with med-high because I like the outside of my meat a little charred on the outside.  Place the tenderloin on the grill and let it be for about three minutes.  Then turn the tenderloin 90° on the same side to make nice grill marks.  After about another three minutes flip the tenderloin and finish cooking to your preference.  Remember anything beyond med or med-rare is going to start to get tough. Let your meat rest for 10 min after taking it off the grill to allow juices to disburse through the meat.

I want to show you the piece of meat I was using from a side angle.  Note how one end is considerably thicker than the other.  I actually like this because it allows me to eat my meat less done than my daughter.

Finally, slice your meat and zucchini for the little one and yourself.  I apologize for the quality of the pictures as my good camera (aka. not my iPhone) is unavailable at the moment.  I am not sure how to make plating toddler food look appetizing so if you have any ideas feel free to share! 

Here's to No Daddy Dinners!

While Daddy is away the girls will play!

I'm a momma and wife.  My husband is a Captain in the United States Army and is gone frequently. This leaves my daughter (1 1/2 years) and me alone for dinner. Tired of eating cereal, popcorn and microwave dinners I am embarking on a journey of keeping dinners fun and interesting while leaving boxed mac and cheese and hotdogs long behind!

For many years I treated my nights without my husband as a reason to skip cooking and simply eat something handy.  Cheese and crackers, popcorn, cereal and grilled PB&J (thanks Lauren B) were staples of my 'hubby's gone' diet.  When I had my daughter in Dec of 2011 things changes slightly.  I would make her a decent dinner of the reserved mac 'n' cheese, hotdogs etc. that were saved for a night when dad was gone and I would continue to eat whatever was handy and easy.

The first thing that set me on this journey to blog 'No Daddy Dinners' (NDD) was the fact that my husband received the opportunity to take on a job that would make him absent frequently. Secondly, I realized/already knew that the dinners my daughter and I were eating on our Dad-less nights were less than healthy and full of preservatives and sodium.

I am a woman surviving heart failure.  I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2008. The main change in my diet after this diagnosis was to reduce my sodium intake.  Other than that I try to eat as healthy as I can but let's face it mac 'n' cheese is just awesome :)

So I raise a toast to my adventure. An opportunity to treat myself and my daughter when the hubs is away rather than grabbing what is close and easy.  My goal is to be good to my heart and body while treating my tastebuds, and occasionally giving in to those foods that make your tummy happy too!

Here's to No Daddy Dinners!