Tasty Tuesdays: Garlic Lemon Chicken

Sunday afternoon, I found myself with less than an hour to get supper on the table, eat and rush off to my Church Council meeting. These are the days that Schwan's™ really saves my behind. While I prefer to buy fresh meats from the butcher, I don't always get out there, so I buy a few products from Schwan's to supplement our regular fare.

This is a dish I made up on a whim. It combines favorite ingredients with diced chicken breast. I'm not known for measuring anything, so I'm guessing on the ingredients (except the meat).

1 lb. Schwan's Diced Chicken Breast Meat (frozen)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Heat olive oil in saute or frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add chicken, garlic, onion powder, and lemon juice. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add thyme and marjoram. Cook until chicken is heated all the way through.*

I served this with white rice and Green Giant® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn.

* You can also add all the ingredients at once and cook until the chicken is thoroughly heated.

Time Saving Tip: I steamed my rice before cooking the chicken. Though this meal doesn't create many used dishes or utensils, I washed what I could in between preparations, so that when I was ready to leave for church, all that was left to clean was the steaming pot.


This is not a sponsored post. Schwan's and Green Giant have not compensated me in any way for mentioning their products.

Pre-made Marinades or Homemade?

This Sunday was Mother's Day and my in-laws' 56th wedding anniversary, so I decided to invite them over for supper. Since unlike most days lately, the sun was shining, I decide to haul out the grill for steak, ribs and chicken. The ribs came from Schwan’s™ so they were fully cooked and pre-seasoned. They also included a package of barbecue sauce. They were delicious.

When I worked outside the house, I would buy those bottled 30-minute marinades. Now, it just seems like cheating. I never measure when I make my own marinades and I no longer follow a recipe. I simply add ingredients I feel work best for the meat I am cooking and go from there. A few times, this hasn't given me the flavor I was looking for, but it works for the most part. The following two marinades are what I've come up with on my own. If they are similar to something you've seen somewhere else, it's not intentional. I haven't gone scouring the Internet to see if what I toss together for my family is like someone else's mix.

Steak: olive oil, red wine, dry mustard, bay leaves, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

If I had to guess at the measurements, here is what I would say:

• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder

Toss everything together in a glass bowl, add steak (4- 6 oz.) , cover, and marinate at least 4 hours.

Chicken: lemon juice, fat-free Italian dressing, olive oil, oregano, marjoram, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Estimated measurements:

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fat-free Italian dressing
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon of marjoram
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Toss everything together in a glass bowl, add chicken (3 - 4 skinless breasts), cover, and marinate at least 4 hours.

Do you use those pre-made marinades? Do you have a favorite meat you like to marinade?

Taking Time for Mom Thursdays

This week's post really should be called Taking Time for Mom and Dad Thursday. It's school vacation week here and I've been running around with the girls almost non-stop since Saturday. My in-laws graciously agreed to let the girls sleep over tonight, so I figured I would do something special for Dad and me.

Right after they left, I picked up the main areas of the house: kitchen, living room, and family room. Then I planned a special dinner. This was a spur of the moment idea, so I had to work with what I had on hand. Luckily, I had bought a box of Mini Beef Pot Roast from Schwan's last week. We only eat beef once a month and I haven't been to the butcher in a while, so this was a nice substitute for tenderloin steak.

I set the kitchen table for two--which never happens. I usually dish it up right from the stove. With a side salad, bread, and mashed potatoes, we had a nice meal. I bought myself some extra time by calling the hubby at work and asking him to pick up wine on the way home. That allowed me to hop in the shower, put on a fancy dress and heels, and surprise the heck out of him when he walked in.

We had a nice leisurely dinner followed by coffee (him) and tea (me). Then we sat on the couch by the fireplace and watched the Bruins game (they won).

Have you ever cooked up a special meal for your spouse or significant other? What do you enjoy most about him/her?