Jolene's Recipe Journal

  Perfect for brunch or an afternoon snack, this Lemon Basil Chicken Salad skips the mayo and uses Greek yogurt instead—ideal for those who aren't fans of traditional "salad" dishes.

Welcome to #BrunchWeek! We've been shifting our weekend schedules more in the last year and that's pushed our first meal of the day sort of out of the breakfast time period and more into a brunch one. I've been testing out some recipes and one of my favorites is this Chicken Pesto Pasta.

Chicken is a go to protein around here. It's something all three of us eat and luckily there are lots of ways to prepare it. One of the easiest ways to get a meal on the table is to pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

We're halfway through #BBQWeek and I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am! Today I'm sharing Grilled Buttermilk Chicken, a recipe I found on the Taste of Home website.

One of the ways we've tried to reduce our spending is by doing a lot less eating out. One of the things I really miss is Chinese food, so I've been looking for recipes to make at home.  I found Darlene B's Crispy Orange Chicken on the Taste of Home site. 

Here in the New England, we are anticipating a winter storm that's supposed to be a whopper.  That means a good bit of time out in the cold, snow blowing and shoveling, and one of the things that makes that tolerable is knowing I can come inside to a nice warm bowl of soup.

Sheet pan dinners are all the rage right now.  I love how easy they are to make, and also to clean up.  It's also a great way to use up various veggies you have on hand  As I trimmed brussels sprouts with my paring knife, I wondered, how would apples work as part of a sheet pan dinner?

And they're off!  Today is the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby, commonly referred to as the most exciting two minutes in sports. While I know nothing about odds and favorites to win the race, I do know that there are certainly recipes that are always found in the Winner's Circle when it comes to Derby Day. 

Winter marches on here in New England, and more and more, I find myself craving soup.  Some days I have lots of time to put something together.  For the days that I don't, this Basil Turkey Soup is perfect.   It's easy to keep all the ingredients on hand, and you could definitely use either chicken or turkey. 

Am I the only one that enjoys #ThanksgivingLeftovers more than the main meal itself? We eat around mid-day, and by the time I prep, set the table, and cook, I really am just looking forward to sitting down with my family, the food is secondary.

How can you go wrong with bacon and cheese?  You can't, not at my house!   There are just some recipes that you know will be a hit with your family, and this was one of those.  I had all of the ingredients on hand except the green onions, so I substituted dried chives.   As written, it's a stove top to oven meal, but I had my oven in use for dessert.  

  This one is another winner from the Simple & Delicious Cookbook.   I've lost count of how many that makes!  All of the recipes are quick, almost always made from ingredients I have on hand, and, like the name says, are delicious.

Turkey Gnocchi Soup combines tender turkey, pillowy gnocchi, and colorful vegetables in a rich broth. It comes together quickly and makes a complete dinner any night of the week.

One of the first things I ever cooked for my husband was chicken parmesan, with ziti and garlic bread.  17 years later and it's still his favorite meal.   Thinking back over all those times, I don't think I've ever served it in sandwich form.

These crispy Southern Fried Chicken Strips are seasoned, fried until golden brown, and stay tender inside with a crunchy coating that holds up well after cooking. Made with chicken tenderloins and a simple seasoned batter, they’re classic comfort food worth the effort.

The first time I looked through the Aug/Sept issue of Simple & Delicious, I sort of shrugged at this recipe.   Frozen waffles.  Premade chicken.   Eh.   Then I kept reading- honey and hot sauce.  That's when I folded the page corner over and thought, I'm going to make these- but I'll do the chicken and the waffles from scratch. Today I found myself with leftover fried chicken from a local restaurant, and some Eggo waffles.  I heated the chicken in the oven at the same time I baked some pork chops for the guys. Toasted the waffles.   I mixed together local honey and sriracha, heated slightly in the microwave.     So good.   I love crispy, salty chicken, the heat and the sweet of the sauce, all on top of the golden brown waffle.      I'll definitely be making this one again!   Thank you to Lisa R for sharing the recipe :) Chicken & Waffles Print With I...

We're eating lots of poultry lately, and I've started hearing the grumbling from my family.   With the grill covered with snow and ice again (yay New England!), my options were a little limited.    Staring at the package of chicken tenders in my fridge, I wondered what I could do to them that would be exciting and different.   I had a few hot dog rolls and 4 strips of bacon that needed to be used up.

This cold, snowy weather has me craving comfort food.   I picked up a hotel style turkey breast a little while back and earmarked this recipe to try.   

I belong to a group on Facebook that shares what we are cooking for dinner.   Yesterday I posted that I took out thin sliced chicken breasts but had no idea what I wanted to do with them, and Chicken Cordon Bleu was suggested.    Perfect!  I had ham and cheese left over from my sister's baby shower, so I did a quick Pinterest search for a rolled-up version.  

My husband loves the Alice Springs chicken from Outback Steakhouse.  I've tried a couple of the clone recipes, none that really knocked his socks off.    Gave this one a run today, and he said while it's not really like the Outback one either, he liked it a lot and would eat it again if I made it.