I don' t know about you, but I'm getting tired of cooking every meal at home! I didn't realize that we eat at a restaurant sometimes 3-4 times a week! My hands are dry from doing so many dishes, my grocery bill is higher and my kiddo can sometimes eat more than both of us combined!

I'm sharing a couple of quick, easy and tasty recipes today that use some of my favorite Trader Joe's products. I love what they've been doing during the quarantine by keeping the store clean and stocked. Let me know what some of your favorite products are and I'll give them a try!

Chicken and Bacon Risotto Stuffed Peppers

Prep Time 15 minutes / Cook Time: 30 minutes / Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of Trader Joe's Mushroom Risotto

• 2 large red bell peppers, cut in half and seeded

• 8 oz. chicken breast, cubed

• 3 strips of thick bacon, chopped

• 1 cup Trader Joe's Quattro Formaggio cheese

• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to a full broil (500 degrees). Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place them open side down on a baking sheet and broil them in the oven for about 5 minutes. Turn them over and broil for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet to high heat. Add the chicken and cook on high heat for about 7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside. Then add the bacon and cook on high heat for 7-10 minutes until crispy. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. You can reserve the drippings and use the same skillet if desired, or use a separate skillet for the risotto. Add the mushroom risotto to the skillet and cook on medium heat until simmering. Add the the chicken and bacon back in. Stir until combined.

4. To serve: Place each of the red bell pepper halves on a serving dish. Fill with risotto. Top with shredded cheese and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

Easy Chicken Parmesan

Prep Time: 15 minutes / Cook Time: 30 minutes / Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 medium chicken breasts

• 2 cups Trader Joe's Tomato Basil Marinara

• 8 oz. Trader Joe's Pappardelle pasta

• 1 cup Trader Joes shredded Quattro Fromaggio cheese

• 1 cup olive oil

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1/2 cup flour

• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

• 1 tbsp. chopped parsley

• salt/pepper

Steps:

1. Fill a large pot with water and salt generously. Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Boil until soft, about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet to medium heat.

3. Pour the beaten eggs into a large bowl or rounded edge plate.

4. Mix together the grated Parmesan cheese, flour, Italian seasoning, and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Whisk until combined and place into a separate bowl or plate.

5. Place the chicken breasts one at a time into a ziplock bag. Pound each one out with a meat mallet until about 1/4" thick. Pat each one dry with a paper towel, then dredge through the beaten eggs, then coat in the flour/cheese crumbs.

6. Fry each of the chicken breasts in the olive oil for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through.

7. Heat the Marinara sauce in the microwave for about 1 minute to warm it.

8. To serve: Place the Pappardelle pasta evenly onto 4 serving plates. Top each one with a chicken breast. Spoon the Marinara evenly over the chicken. Top with the shredded cheese and garnish with parsley. Serve Immediately.