Published: August 19, 2008 09:47 pm            

8-20 Good eats

Back-to-school means back to a busier schedule for a lot of families. Between work, school, homework, sports and other extracurricular activities, it’s hard to sit down to dinner together. Even if there is time to eat as a family, cooks can be so time pressed that it’s often take out, frozen pizza, or the same old standards night after night.

But a chef-inspired, family friendly dinner at home is possible. There’s no need to apologize for taking shortcuts, and these days you can find a wide range of options in the frozen food aisle.

For example, No Name, a line of frozen meats and seafood, offers a variety of ways to give you a jump-start on tasty meals such as Chicken Parmesan With Fettuccine, Tortilla Chicken Pasta Sauté or Flatbread Pizza With Parmesan Chicken. Even simple salads such as Pecan Chicken Salad and Tortilla Chicken Salad Bowl take on new flavor dimensions with the easy addition of pre-seasoned frozen chicken breast entrees.

For more time-saving recipe ideas visit nonamesteaks.com.

Tortilla Chicken Pasta Sauté

Ingredients:

4 No Name Tortilla Crusted Chicken Breasts with Pepper Cheese Filling

12 to 16 ounces raw pasta, such as farfalle

8 to 10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

12 to 16 Kalamata olives

6 to 8 green onions, sliced

2 cups frozen corn

4 cups Alfredo sauce

2 cups salsa

4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Olive oil

Directions:

Cook chicken according to package instructions.

Let chicken cool slightly, then cut into bite size pieces.

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain pasta and hold for further use.

Prepare rest of ingredients.

Put a small amount of olive oil in large sauté pan.

Heat pan. Add vegetables and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add pasta to pan and sauté until heated through.

Add Alfredo sauce and salsa. Cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until all ingredients are nicely coated and hot.

Top with chicken and garnish with cilantro.

Makes 4 servings

Flatbread Pizza With Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients:

1 No Name Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast (use 1/2 of a Parmesan chicken breast per pizza)

1 sheet flatbread, lavosh or a whole wheat tortilla (sizes will vary)

1/4 cup Alfredo sauce

2 teaspoons roasted red peppers, diced

1 teaspoon Kalamata olives, pitted and diced

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon Romano cheese, shredded

1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped

1/2 cup greens, chopped

Olive oil

Directions:

Bake chicken according to package directions.

Lightly coat the crust (flatbread, tortilla or lavosh) with olive oil.

Bake at 375°F for 3 to 4 minutes, crisping crust slightly.

Remove crust from oven. Top crust with Alfredo sauce, peppers, olives and cheese.

Cut chicken into thin strips.

Place slices on top of cheese.

Garnish with chopped oregano.

Bake at 375°F for 6 to 8 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted.

Remove the pizza from the oven and top with chopped greens. Serve immediately.

Serves 1 to 2 people for a meal or 3 to 4 people as an appetizer

Pecan Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

4 No Name Pecan Crusted Chicken Breasts

4 cups field greens, chopped

2 cups corn, fresh or frozen

1/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

12 to 16 Kalamata olives

1/2 cup roasted red pepper

4 teaspoons cilantro, chopped

8 lime wedges

1/2 cup light or regular ranch dressing

Directions:

Bake chicken according to package directions.

Place chopped salad greens on plate. Lightly coat greens with 1/2 of the dressing.

Arrange cooked chicken, corn, cheese, olives and peppers on top of greens.

Sprinkle chopped cilantro over greens.

Top with remainder of dressing. Place lime wedges on either side of the salad.

Squeeze fresh lime juice over the salad as desired.

Makes 4 servings

Chicken Parmesan With Fettuccine

Ingredients:

4 No Name Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts

3 cups tomato basil pasta sauce

4 tablespoons sundried tomatoes, chopped

4 teaspoons basil pesto

6 tablespoons red wine (optional)

12 ounces fettuccini

2 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions:

Bake chicken breasts according to package directions.

Cook pasta in boiling water. Drain pasta.

Mix pasta sauce, sundried tomatoes, pesto and wine together.

Cook mixture until heated through. Put hot pasta in baking dish.

Place chicken on top of pasta. Top chicken and pasta with sauce.

Sprinkle mozzarella over the top of chicken.

Bake for 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 4 servings

Tortilla Chicken Salad Bowl

Ingredients:

2 No Name Tortilla Crusted Chicken Breasts with Pepper Cheese Filling

1 can refrigerated biscuit dough

4 cups chopped lettuce

16 slices zucchini, halved

16 slices cucumber, halved

6 to 8 Kalamata olives

8 grape tomatoes

4 tablespoons shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 cup ranch dressing

8 tablespoons salsa

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F.

Place biscuit dough pieces on a floured cutting board.

Roll out each piece of biscuit dough to a flat circle, approximately 6 inches in diameter.

Place 8 to 5 inch pot pie tins upside down on baking pan.

Spray tins lightly with non-stick cooking spray (while they are upside down).

Place one piece of dough over each tin.

Bake for approximately 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and turn tins right side up. You now have a bread bowl. Remove bread bowls from tins and let them cool.

Cook chicken according to package directions. Let chicken cool slightly, then cut into slices.

Fill salad bowl with chopped lettuce.

Top each salad with 1/2 of a chicken breast and remaining ingredients.

Mix ranch dressing and salsa together for salad dressing and serve.

Makes 4 servings

        

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