Create A Quick and Easy Dinner Tonight! Teriyaki Chicken! ~



Kikkoman Teriyaki Takumi
Original Flavor

I love Teriyaki flavored chicken dishes.  Moreover, I LOVE easy dinner ideas.  If you're like me in those ways, you'll definitely like this recipe too!

Super Easy Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients: 
4 - 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Bottle Kikkoman Teriyaki Takumi Sauce (I use original flavor)

Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Thoroughly clean chicken breasts and cut in half. 
3) In a 9 x 13 glass dish (or other oven safe dish), spread out chicken pieces and pour Teriyaki sauce generously over chicken. 
(You can't really overdue).
4) Bake uncovered for 60 minutes.

That's it!  Serve with white rice, left over sauce (warmed up), and whatever vegetable you like.  Makes for an easy and delicious meal AND warms up nicely for the next day's lunch, etc.

Notes and variations: 
This is a heavy and thick sauce, not a light soy sauce type consistency.  I did originally try the recipe using Soy Vay's "Veri Veri Teriyaki" (another brand) but personally found it to be too salty.  I think Kikkoman is best!

An easy variation to this recipe is using ANY nice, thick barbecue sauce.  The barbecue option is one we use frequently, turning that dinner into what I call my "Pretend Barbecue" meal consisting of the chicken along with corn on the cob or canned green beans and salad. 

You can view Kikkoman's other Teriyaki Takumi flavors here.

Enjoy!

What's for Breakfast? New York Cheesecake Pancakes (like IHop!) ~

IHOP's New York Cheesecake Pancakes
(Photo property of IHOP.com)

We have a visitor in the house who LOVES going to IHOP. 
With that in mind, we ventured out for pancakes yesterday morning.  While reading the menu, my daughter eyeballed IHOP's New York  Cheesecake Pancakes.  She showed me the picture and I instantly thought "rich, yummy goodness" and wondered if anyone had recreated this deluxe pancake recipe online.  My daughter ordered them and LOVED them.  With whip cream, strawberries and chunks of cheesecake, how could one not love them?  Afterwards, we went home and found what I had guessed was true, someone has indeed recreated this dish!

Karina of Knitting and Purling blog has recreated the recipe {as you will read, she found a recipe on another {well known} site while doing the same search I did!} and shared it on her darling blog.  Her article on her search is an enjoyable read.  Her "About Karina" section reads, "Who am I? Knitter. Blogger. Stylishly domestic homemaker of the 21st century".  Although her blog is called Knitting and Purling, she says, "It's a knitting blog that's more than a knitting blog" ~ lucky for us!

Here is a link to her version of IHOP's New York Cheesecake Pancakes:  {Kindly click here}. You'll love the recipe and will also enjoy her visually appealing blog, and lighthearted and fun writing style.  (You may even decide to add her to your feeds list!)

If this version of pancakes seems a little over the top for you, but you think your family will enjoy them, consider making a small batch of regular pancakes and the New York Cheesecake Pancakes too!  You can enjoy a yummy breakfast together and can always save YOUR portion of strawberries for later.  {Or you can add champagne to the menu and enjoy that way!}

Of course... you can always leave the cooking behind and visit your local IHOP location and enjoy the original version.  For a location near you, visit IHOP's site by clicking here.

For basic pancakes, think Bisquick.  You can visit their site by clicking here.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Very Easy Baked Ziti Dinner - Kim Funk version ~

Make tonight an easy dinner night with Baked Ziti!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
2 16 oz. jars Traditional Prego Spaghetti Sauce
½ of a 16 oz box of ziti tube shaped pasta (penne works also)
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:

1. Cook pasta as directed (usually about 11 - 15 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, brown ground beef with onion powder, and remove any fat.
3. In a large bowl, combine sauce, 2 cups of the mozzarella, pasta and beef mixture. (You can also use the pot you used for pasta, but it needs to be large in order to be able to stir all ingredients). Mix well.
4. Poor mixture into a 9 x 13 baking pan and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

(Easy!)

Notes:

• If you prefer a lighter sauce presence in your favorite pasta dishes, use only 1 ¾ jars of pasta sauce.
• If you’d like to view the original recipe which is a double recipe (now and later) and includes onions and mushrooms, take a peek here. My version is a combo of the original with bits and pieces of related tips. (My family doesn't like onions and mushrooms and as you’ll see in photo, my son doesn’t like cheese on the top of his ziti, so a corner is sans cheese on top!).
• Add a green salad and garlic bread and you’re ready to go!

What's for Breakfast? Coffee Cake! ~

Time to check those cupboards for ingredients!  Do you have what you need to make this yummy coffee cake?  Our family has been using this recipe for as long as I can remember and it's always a favorite to share!

Streusel Bisquick Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

Cinnamon Streusel  (topping)

1/3 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons firm butter or margarine

Coffee Cake

2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
2/3 cup milk or water
2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9-inch pan (I use a cute pie plate).
2. In a small bowl, make streusel topping first, then set aside.  (You will need a pastry cutter or a small knife to chop up butter, then stir to combine ingredients.)
3. Now combine ingredients for coffee cake and spread in pan and sprinkle topping evenly over top.
4. Bake for 18 - 22 minutes or until golden brown.  (I have always done 22 minutes ~ depends on the oven!)

Enjoy warm with a yummy cup of milk, hot cocoa (Quik with milk of course!) or COFFEE.  (Also warms up nicely in the microwave).

Official recipe states that this will serve 10 people.  If you are serving with other items, this may be true, but we have always chosen to slice it into 8 slices, and it nicely serves 4 for a main breakfast dish.

To access a printable version of this recipe (without my added commentary), simply visit Betty Crocker here: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/streusel-coffee-cake/6961f214-b8aa-480b-8cd5-d57ea4350757

Enjoy your Sunday! :)