Recipe Swap--Fast and Easy

Welcome to the first roundup of recipes made on our new proboard!  The theme this time was Quick and Easy, and there was a lot of variety in the recipes submitted.


Aleb1974 made Baked Penne with chicken, broccoli, and smoked mozzarella.

She had this to say:

"It was really yummy and easy! I made a few adjustments. My husband and I don't like sun dried tomatoes, so I left thsoe out and I had regular shredded mozzerela cheese already, so I used that instead of smoked. I usually make some sort of a casserole dish on Sunday to use for lunches during the week, so that's what I did with this. I really enjoyed it and will certainly be making it again."

LaurMS15 blogged her recipe for Three Cheese Garden Pizza.

Smallbutfeisty made Tater Tot Casserole.

Lauren made Kristin's Marinated Chicken, and had this to say:

"I had Kristin's Marinated Chicken which I didn't share w/ my family, lol. I ate it mostly in salads for lunches at work and one night as a panini. Delicious, EASY, and I'll definitely make it again."  

Kristin's Grilled Marinated Chicken

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup Italian dressing (any brand you like!)
• 2 tbsp. minced parsley
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breast

Mix soy sauce, italian dressing, parsley and garlic powder together. Place chicken in large container and pour the marinade over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for one to two hours (sometimes I will just marinate mine in the morning and it's all ready for me to grill at night). Grill or broil chicken 8-10 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Discard remaining marinade.

Smallbutfeisty's husband made Gnocchi Mac and Cheese.


Kandygrl23 made Tempeh Tacos and said:


"For this week, I was given Christina's "Tempeh Tacos" to make. (and thank you again for giving me this recipe since we have allergies!)

I really enjoyed making this recipe because it was using an ingredient that I've never worked with before and wouldn't think to buy. It also came in handy during the Lenten season since we abstain from meat on Fridays!:) Here is the link to the recipe:"

Tempeh Tacos Source: America's Test Kitchen Light and Healthy 2011 via Indy.com

Serves 6 (2 tacos each)

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 (8-ounce) packages low-fat, five-grain tempeh crumbled into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 (8-ounce) can plain tomato sauce
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Salt and pepper
• 12 store-bought taco shells, warmed

1. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until simmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, garlic and oregano until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add tempeh to skillet; cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, broth and brown sugar. Bring to simmer; cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.

3. Off the heat, stir in cilantro and lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide filling evenly among the taco shells and serve.



The one thing I didn't put in was cilantro. I don't really care for it, so out it went! I still thought the dish tasted good, though. I thought I might have trouble finding tempeh, but it was actually pretty easy to find it in our local grocery store. I could tell that my hubby was hesitant trying something different, but he said it was good and my "picky eater" daughter even had some as well! This will definitely be a recipe we go to from time to time.

Please join us for our next swap!