Manga Monday Review: Shrimp, Leek and Spinach Pasta

This week's Manga Monday recipe was a super simple one, which you can find here: https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/shrimp-leek-spinach-pasta

Alright, I liked that it was easy, and it was yummy...but my daughter thought it was too plain (not enough saucy goodness for her, basically) and I think I would have preferred if the spinach were cooked first. I guess I am used to cooking with spinach and having it wilted, but this was mixed in after cooking, so it didn't achieve that wilted status. Bottom line, simple and pretty tasty, but I don't think I would make this one again.

Manga Monday Review: French Dip Sliders

This week my Manga Monday recipe was for French Dip Sliders, found here: http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a51086/french-dip-sliders-recipe/.

Okay, first off, these were SO easy. And so quick! By the time the oven was heated I already had the sliders assembled and ready to go in. Then it was just a matter of making the Au jus for dipping while they cooked. So simple!

The only side note I have about the recipe is that it did need more butter than indicated - you're supposed to cook the onion in butter, and then brush the tops of the sliders with butter before baking them, so I melted an extra 2T of butter for that. Then of course the butter for the au jus.

My daughter doesn't eat sandwiches, so she was out, but my husband and son and I all loved them, and my son even took the leftovers to school for lunch today (after I convinced him that I am sure they would still be good even if they were cold).

The bread was just crispy enough, and the cheese was perfectly melted after just under 20 minutes in the oven.

The recipe didn't come with any side dish suggestions, so I made french fries (always a fan fave) and asparagus. Nothing fancy, but it was all yummy.

Manga Monday Review: Famous Butter Chicken

This week I made Famous Butter Chicken, found here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/24002/famous-butter-chicken/. Only I kinda didn't. I was out running kids around, so hubby actually made this one. And it was DELISH. I absolutely loved the Ritz crackers as breading on the chicken. And I did contribute to the cooking, by crushing up the Ritz crackers for him ahead of time. I crushed up considerably more than the recipe called for, and he said that it was barely enough, so if you're trying this at home, crush up about two sleeves worth of Ritz rather than the 1 cup that it calls for.

Aside from that, everything was spot on. Cooking times were perfect, it was very tender and juice. Hubby served it with mashed potatoes, which was good, but it would have worked well with baked potatoes, steamed asparagus, broccoli, etc. Basically whatever you want to serve with this should be a hit. I would definitely make this again, and maybe I would even be the one making it next time!

I didn't get any pics of the entire meal, because he didn't wait for my daughter and I to get home from errands before he served it, but here's a pic of one piece. Nice and crunchy without being too crunchy. Basically all around yum.

Manga Monday Review - Crack Chicken Tacos

Week two of Manga Monday and I haven't quit yet. That's something, when it comes to cooking.

So this week, I was making this recipe: http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a46602/crack-chicken-tacos-recipe/

Apparently this particular chicken is used in other recipes over on delish.com, because they referenced their crack chicken being a big hit in other stuff. This was my first experience with it, however.

Breading all the little chicken pieces took just north of forever, but once that was done there really wasn't much else in the way of work. And I will say it did take more than the 2 cups of panko that the recipe called for, so if you make it I suggest having extra on hand.

While the chicken cooked in the oven, I prepped the BBQ sauce. I was a little bit skeptical of it, with the garlic powder and brown sugar, but it was actually delish!! You're basically putting that on the tacos instead of sour cream and everyone loved it.

The meal was a big hit with my family and I would absolutely make it again. Word of caution, though...this chicken does NOT taste fabulous re-heated, so next time I won't bother saving any leftovers.