Kinda Chicken Caccitore

I love classic one pot meals like chicken caccitore. Chicken caccitore is traditionally a long cooked stew that is made with tomatoes, onions, peppers and mushrooms. My version is a quicker, weeknight friendly version that omits the mushrooms because they are on Ryan's "will not eat" list. If you and your family enjoy mushrooms, feel free to add them but this version is just as good without them.

What You Need:

• 1 Can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
• Chicken pieces (the amount varies on the part of the chicken you are using and how many people you are serving. When I made it this time, I used 4 drumsticks)
• 1/2 Package of frozen pepper and onion stir fry veggies (like the kind made by Birdseye)
• 1 Teaspoon Oregano
• 1 Teaspoon Basil
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic powder
• Salt, Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes to taste

*****

1. Combine half of the canned tomatoes, the frozen veggies and seasonings in the bottom of a baking dish.

2. Nestle chicken pieces into sauce and veggie mixture.

3. Pour remaining tomatoes on top and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked completely through.

4. Serve over cooked pasta and top with parmesan cheese if desired.

Blueberry Scones

A blueberry scone is one of my favorite things on the planet. A good coffeehouse style scone is that perfect hybrid of a muffin and a biscuit. They aren't too sweet and have a delightfully crumbly texture that (while messy) is delicious. I've always wanted to make them but thought that they had to be a complicated endeavor because you don't hear of many home cooks making or sharing recipes for them. After quite a bit of research in various cookbooks, magazines and online recipe boards, I came to tinker with this recipe and the secret to that perfect scone texture.... melted butter.

What you need:

2 Cups of flour
1/4 Cup of Powdered Sugar
1/8 Teaspoon of Salt
1/2 Cup of Melted Butter
1/2 Cup of Egg Substitute
2 1/2 Tablespoons of Baking Powder
2/3 Cup of Frozen Blueberries
1/4 Cup of Milk
1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

*****

1. Mix dry ingredients (flour, powdered sugar, salt and baking powder) together using a wire whisk.

2. Whisk liquid ingredients (egg substitute, melted butter, milk and vanilla) together in a separate bowl.

3. Slowly add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture in 3 separate additions. Stirring gently after each addition.

4. Gently fold in the blueberries.

5. Knead the dough into a slight ball at the bottom of the bowl. Gently score the dough into 8 even sections.

6. Bake each section on an ungreased cookie sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until tops are set and slightly golden.

While they were still warm, I glazed them with a little honey and allowed them to cool. Once they were cooled, I put each one into a plastic sandwich bag so that they were individually packaged and ready to go on busy weekday mornings.

Fabulous Fajita Pasta

I love fajitas but Ryan isn't a fan, especially in restaurants. He doesn't like any food that he has to assemble in order to eat it. This leaves me trying to find ways to get that fajita flavor into other recipes when I get a serious craving but its not in the budget to go out to eat. This recipe was conceived as one of those where I try to create something from the remainder of various food items in the fridge, freezer and pantry. It makes a delicious weeknight pasta meal that is reminiscent of chicken fajitas.

What you need:

2 Cups of pasta
1/2 Package of frozen stir fry veggies (must have onions and peppers)
3 Tablespoons of taco seasoning
6 Tablespoons of cream cheese
2 Chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2 Tablespoons of butter


*****

1. Cook pasta according to package directions

2. Melt butter in a saute pan and add chicken. Cook chicken until no longer pink.

3. Add frozen veggies, taco seasoning and 1/4 cup of cooking water from the pasta to pan. Cook until the veggies are heated through and most of the water is evaporated.

4. Drain the pasta but not completely, you still want a little moisture in the pasta to help the sauce come together.

5. Add the chicken and veggie mixture to the pasta and stir.

6. Add the cream cheese and stir until the cream cheese is melted and the pasta is creamy.

Blueberry Breakfast Muffins

I understand that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I've always had trouble eating it. The mushy oatmeal or soggy cold cereal that Aunt Mimi tried to make me stomach before school would make me gag. Right after high school, I joined the work force working fast food, waiting tables and slinging lattes at Starbucks. The hours varied and breakfast would be at 4am one day and 2pm the next so I was never able to get into a good breakfast rhythm. Fast forward to my 6am weekday mornings that include getting a toddler and a slow moving husband out the door on time and with everything they need. These hectic mornings leave no time for breakfast other than toaster pastries or a granola bar. I wanted to make a grab and go breakfast that I could enjoy in the car or at my desk with no extra effort, so I tinkered with a blueberry muffin recipe that would include some extra fiber to keep me full and prevent me from gnawing my arm off at 10:20.

What you need:

1 1/2 Cups of flour
2 Packets of Cinnamon or Maple instant oatmeal
2 Teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon of salt
1 Beaten egg
3/4 Cup of milk
3/4 Cup of powdered sugar
1/4 Cup of oil (Vegetable or Canola)
1/2 Teaspoon of vanilla
3/4 Cup of frozen blueberries
*****

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and powdered sugar

2. In a small bowl combine egg, milk, oil and vanilla

3. Slowly add the liquid mixture into the dry until combined

4. Gently fold in the blueberries

5. Prepare a muffin tin with nonstick spray or with muffin liners and fill each muffin cup 2/3 full

6. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

I made these muffins and really enjoyed them. They weren't too sweet and they had a nice firm texture that didn't fall apart and make a mess in the car or at my desk. If you want to add another layer of decadence, try spreading a little butter or cream cheese on top.

Naughty but Nice "Fried" Chicken

Ryan recently turned 40 and has been trying to watch his cholesterol. Most of my dinners are fairly healthy, but in the summer months, we both get major cravings for fried chicken. Since dunking dredged chicken pieces into 2 inches of hot oil isn't exactly health conscious, I had to come up with my own variation on oven fried chicken.

What you need:

Bone-in chicken pieces (I prefer drumsticks)
2 Cups of bran flakes cereal (Wheaties or a generic equivalent work best)
1/2 Cup egg substitute
3 Tablespoons of all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons butter, margarine or other butter substitute (melted)
1 Tablespoon of Old Bay Seasoning
1 Teaspoon of salt
1 Teaspoon of pepper
1 Teaspoon of garlic powder
1 Teaspoon of paprika
Several dashes of hot sauce (to taste)

*****
1. Pour melted butter or butter substitute into baking pan.

2. Grind cereal into small pieces using food processor. You want the pieces to be the size of coarse bread crumbs.

3. Lay out three shallow bowls, plates or pie pans. Combine flour, salt and pepper in the first dish. Combine egg substitute and hot sauce in the second dish. Combine cereal crumbs, Old Bay, garlic powder and paprika in the third dish.

4. Dredge each piece of chicken in egg mixture, then in flour mixture. Shake to remove excess flour and re-dredge in egg mixture before dipping the piece into the cereal mixture. Coat chicken thoroughly.

5. Place in the baking dish that you coated with butter. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes or until coating is crispy and chicken is cooked through

I like to serve each person two pieces of chicken with mashed potatoes and a steamed vegetable on the side. This chicken really satisfies any crunchy "naughty" food cravings that your might have.

Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken

This is one of the easiest and least expensive crock pot recipes out there. There are only four ingredients and it costs less than $5 to make.

What you need:

1 Can Pineapple Chunks, undrained
1 1/2 Cups Barbecue Sauce
Chicken Breasts (Quantity depends on how many servings you need to make. The recipe makes enough sauce to serve up to 4)
2 Teaspoons of ginger
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Add barbecue sauce, pineapple chunks with juice, salt, pepper and ginger to crock pot liner and stir until well combined.

2. Place chicken breasts into sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

I serve this chicken with the yummy sauce over white rice. When I make crock pot meals, I usually assemble the meal the night before and refrigerate. This let me put the frozen chicken into the crockpot liner and thaw it out gently in the fridge over night. Doing this also adds the right amount of extra liquid to the dish. In the morning, I just plug in the crock pot heating element, insert the liner and set the timer.

Maryland Girl Crab Dip

As previously mentioned on this blog, I grew up in Maryland. My uncle Pete was an avid fisherman with whom I spent many summer days fishing and crabbing. Crabs are an expensive proposition, unless you catch them yourself. He used to crab three days a week from May through October. By the end of the crabbing season we were so "crabbed out" that we used to give them away by the bag full to the mailman, the men on the trash truck and our neighbors. In addition to the grand tradition of eating them on a table covered in newspaper, my aunt would also come up with a thousand uses for crab in recipes. Crab Imperial, Crab Soup, Crab Cakes and Crab Dip were some frequent choices. I always loved her crab dip but given the circumstances under which I moved out of the house, I never got a chance to get most of her recipes. 

Ryan was born in Pennsylvania and grew up in Virginia so crabs were not a part of his childhood as they were mine. When I wanted to share a tradition of mine with my husband and his family I had to try to reconstruct Mimi's crab dip. I think I came pretty close with my take on it but I did make it a little more my style. Also, because we don't go crabbing and purchasing crabs in Northern Virginia requires a bank loan, my recipe utilizes *gasp* canned crab meat. It is a sin by Maryland standards but almost as good as the real thing.

What you need:

2 (6 ounce) cans of crab meat
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of Mayo
3 Tablespoons of mustard
1 Tablespoon of Old Bay Seasoning
1 Teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
1 Teaspoon of soy sauce or worcestershire sauce
1 Cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. Combine cream cheese, mustard, mayo and soy/worcestershire sauce. Mix until well combined and creamy.

2. Stir in crab meat, 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese and Old Bay Seasoning

3. Bake in an oven safe serving dish at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until slightly brown.

4. Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese on top and bake another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the dip is bubbly.

The best way to serve this dip is with crusty bread, pretzels or saltine crackers

Creamy Coconut Pecan Frosting

Whenever there is a party at work or a family gathering, people always volunteer me to make cupcakes. For our family's Memorial Day cookout this year my my father in law requested my German chocolate cupcakes with caramel pecan frosting. Although my cupcake and frosting recipes are usually top secret because of my business, I thought I would share my caramel pecan frosting recipe. It works on so many flavors of cake and tastes awesome on cookies and brownies. Additionally, since it is more of a custard than a frosting, I have even used it as a pie filling.

What you need:

3 Egg Yolks
1 (14 ounce) Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 1/2 Cups Sweetened Coconut Flakes
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Butter

1. Separate egg yolks from whites. Put yolks in a medium saucepan and either discard whites or refrigerate for later use.

2. Combine egg yolks with condensed milk, butter and vanilla extract

3. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium low heat, stirring often. The cooking time here is approximately 10 minutes.

4. Remove the mixture from the heat, then stir in coconut flakes and pecans. Allow the mixture to cool completely and it will thicken as it cools.

Since this frosting is so thick requires a spoon and a lot of care when icing your desserts.

Two Step Tuna Tacos

These Two Step Tuna Tacos are Ryan's new favorite weeknight dinner. If you break it down completely, there are more than two steps but only two main steps.... make the slaw and assemble the tacos!

What you need:

1/2 Bag of Dry Cole Slaw Mix
1 Cup of Asian Sesame Salad Dressing (I use either Kraft or Newman's Own)
1 Large Pouch of Tuna
8 Tortillas

1. Combine cole slaw mix and salad dressing. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes
2. Warm tortillas in the microwave for 40 seconds to soften
3. Season tuna with salt and pepper to taste
4. Divide tuna and slaw evenly among the tortillas and fill

If you read my earlier post on easy menu planning, then you know that I love to re-purpose ingredients from one meal to make another so that nothing goes to waste. The last time I made these I was able to use the leftover slaw and leftover tortillas in other recipes. I used the leftover slaw as a side with baked salmon filets and used the tortillas another night to make refried bean roll ups. This is my favorite time  and money saving trick for family meals.

Easy Red Velvet Brownies

Other than my son and my husband, baking is my great love in life and what I do to relax. I've been absolutely hooked since I was given an Easy Bake Oven for Christmas 1994 and spent much of my childhood watching cooking shows on public television. I've run my own cupcake business since 2009 where I have had the opportunity to make cupcakes for weddings and other special events. I am normally a from scratch baker (everything for my business is handmade) but I do have weeknight dessert cravings that I resolve with a pre-made mix. I would much rather doctor up a mix late on a Tuesday night than spend money on overpriced grocery store desserts that don't reflect my personality.

Like most women, if it's sweet I like it. My husband on the other hand is more of a Doritos guy than a dessert guy. There are, however, a few desserts that always catch his attention... key lime pie, tiramisu and especially red velvet cake. Ryan's love for red velvet cake makes choosing a birthday cake or sweet pick me up for him very easy. Last week I wanted to surprise him with something sweet but didn't have the time to do a full-on from scratch ta-da. I decided to cross two things he loves, brownies and red velvet cake. These red velvet brownies are quick and delicious but there are a couple tricks to getting them just right.

What you need:

1 Box of Red Velvet Cake Mix
1/4 Cup of Water
3 Tablespoons of Vegetable or Canola Oil
1 Egg or 1/4 cup of Egg Substitute


1. Grease a 13x9 baking dish with butter, oil or non-stick spray
2. Preheat oven to 350
3. Add all ingredients together and mix until well blended using a lightly oiled wooden spoon. The batter will be VERY thick.
4. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Take a plastic sandwich bag, put on your hand like a glove and add a little butter or oil to the outside. Use this to evenly spread the batter out in the pan without it sticking to your hand or the spoon. Make sure the batter is spread evenly or the thinner sections will overcook.
5. Bake for 20 minutes and allow to cool slightly before cutting

These are great by themselves, with vanilla ice cream or with cream cheese frosting. They only take 30 minutes from start to finish and are a great break from the mundane of weeknight desserts.

South by Southwest Casserole

I call this one "South by Southwest Casserole" because it reminds me of a cross between chicken and dumplings (a southern specialty) and chicken enchiladas ( a staple of southwest/Tex Mex cuisine). I've seen various iterations of this recipe online but was dying to try my hand at it because it is an extremely cheap, quick and delicious family dinner. What I love most about it is that you can use any kind of meat you have handy. This recipe would work with ground beef, ground turkey or any type of chicken. On the night that I tried it, I had a leftover baked chicken in the refrigerator and wanted to put it to good use.

2 cups chicken
1 cup of shredded cheese (I use a taco or Mexican blend)
1 can (8-12 ounces) enchilada sauce
3 Tablespoons of taco seasoning 
1/4 cup water
1 can refrigerated biscuit dough (the one I used made 10 biscuits)

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet

2. If you are using uncooked chicken, cook the chicken until no longer pink and cooked through. If using cooked chicken then you just want to heat  it through.

3. Add taco seasoning and water. Cook until water is evaporated

4. Add chicken and enchilada sauce to baking dish and stir.

5. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces and dot the top of the casserole before placing into a preheated 350 degree oven.

6. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until biscuit tops are just slight browned. At this point sprinkle the cheese on top and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

If you want to make this a one pot full meal without a side dish, you can add corn or black beans when you add the chicken to the baking dish. I love the texture of this dish because the top is slightly crunchy and the bottom is soft and does resemble the flavor and texture of flour tortillas cooked in sauce.


  

Back of the Pantry Chicken Rolls

The name of this recipe says it all. The first time I made it, we were on a very tight budget and couldn't make a shopping trip for several more days. I wanted to make a nice meal with what I had on hand in the fridge and the back of my pantry. Frozen chicken breasts, lasagna noodles and bits and pieces leftover from previous meals were put together into what my husband thinks is a delicious dinner. The measurements for this recipe reflect how I would make it if I wasn't utilizing leftovers so they aren't concrete. Use what you have or buy it all new, whichever you prefer.

Back of the Pantry Chicken Rolls

1 Package lasagna noodles
1 Jar pasta sauce
2 Chicken breasts (A good rule of thumb is one breast per person)
1 1/2 Cups shredded cheese
3 Tablespoons Italian seasoning (I use a blend of basil, oregano, thyme and garlic)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Marinate your chicken in the balsamic dressing in a zip top bag to prevent cross contamination in your refrigerator. Allow between 15 and 20 minutes for the marinade to flavor your chicken.

2. While the chicken is marinating, cook your pasta according to package directions until just the pasta is not quite al dente. You want it to be firm enough to hold up to filling and rolling. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven.

3. Drain your pasta and allow it to cool slightly so it can be handled.

 4. Remove your chicken from the marinade and dice the chicken into small cubes.

5. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add your chicken. I use the same pan I cooked the pasta in so I have one less dish to clean afterwards. Add the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and an additional dash of the dressing if you so desire. Stir and cook the chicken until no longer pink.

6. Remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese and 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce until combined.

7. Lay out your pasta pieces and spoon enough filling on each one as to be divided evenly among your pasta.

8. Roll each piece of pasta up over the filling to form a pinwheel shape. If your filling falls out just add it back to the pot.

9. When you've got your rolls made place them into a lightly buttered baking dish. Cover each roll with 2 to 3 tablespoons of sauce and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.

10. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes until sauce is bubbly.

I like to serve with a side salad because I always have a head of iceberg or a heart of romaine lettuce in my veggie drawer. You can dress your salad with the leftover balsamic dressing if you want to carry over the flavor from you chicken.

Ryan (my husband) is a VERY hard diner to please but he loves this easy chicken dinner.

Happy noshing :)

Coffee is Liquid Happiness

I am a coffee addict. I started drinking coffee when I was a little kid because I wanted to be like my aunt Mimi. She and her sophisticated friends would get together, gossip and drink coffee. After most of my teen years were spent hanging out at my local Starbucks drinking grande skim mochas, I started working there when I was 18. I earned my certified barista cred which only cemented my status as a supreme coffee snob. My kitchen is filled with every possible coffee gadget. I have a 4 cup drip coffee maker, a stainless steel french press, an espresso machine, a coffee grinder and a Tassimo single serve machine.

Iced coffee is something I love in the summer months but I've always had a hard time getting it perfect. Just brewing regular coffee and putting it over ice dilutes the coffee flavor. Brewing a double strength batch to put over ice still has almost a burnt quality that subtracts from the pure coffee goodness a good glass of iced coffee should have. I am a big fan of Ree Drummond, also known as the Pioneer Woman. Her blog and cooking show are a great source of inspiration to me as a regular mom who has a passion for food and for life. One of her most popular posts is one in which she provides instructions for making cold brew iced coffee. I tried it and I believe I have finally found the perfect way to relax with a delicious iced coffee.

On the internet you can find several good ratios for cold brew iced coffee concentrate. The one I used is 1 cup of ground coffee to 2 1/2 cups of cold water but you can tinker with the ratio to find what works for you.

Simply measure out your coffee grounds and put them into a large container. Plastic works best, but I didn't have anything handy so I used one of my large cooking pots. For my first experiment, I used my favorite Starbucks variety, Sumatra.

Then add your cold water, stir, cover and let this yummy sludge sit for 24 hours.

When your brew time is up, simply strain the liquid coffee concentrate to remove the coffee grinds. You can do this using a mesh strainer with cheese cloth inside or if you have one, use a french press. Here's mine.

Once you have your finished liquid concentrate, move it to a more permanent storage vessel, like a plastic drink pitcher, and refrigerate.

This iced coffee is fabulous with milk and served as is over ice, or blended into a "Fakeaccino".

Simply add your desired amounts of ice, coffee concentrate, milk and chocolate or caramel syrup to a blender and give it a whirl. You can add whipped cream and more syrup to the top if you happen to have it on hand. What I prefer to do is go a little light on the ice and allow the milk to froth slightly in the blender. This gives your "fakeaccino" an almost cappuccino like foam on top that is, in my opinion, even better than whipped cream.

Does anyone have a straw?

Slow Cooker Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is one of my favorite foods. I love it for breakfast, desserts and snacks. The brand you buy in a tub at the grocery store is delicious, but I end up eating it all in one sitting. At $3.50 a tub, that is not the most cost effective way to satisfy a craving.

I love rice pudding and I also LOVE my slow cooker. A slow cooker is a working mom's best friend so I try to utilize mine as often as possible. Since I created this recipe one rainy Saturday, it has become a go to staple that provides many more servings than the store bought tub for just under the price of the premade brand.

What You Need:

3 cups milk

1 cup  uncooked rice (short grain, like arborio, works best)

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar (I like mine a little less sweet so you can adjust  the amount of sugar to suit your taste)

1/3 cup butter

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

Pinch of Salt

Directions:

Add all ingredients into slow cooker, stir

Cover and set your slow cooker for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours on high 

Stir every 30 minutes or so

Pudding is done when desired creaminess is reached

Serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold

Notes:

Cooking time and amount of liquid required varies slightly depending on the type of rice that you use. This recipe was formulated to my taste but you can experiment with rice variety, amounts of liquid and amounts of sugar/cinnamon to suit the tastes of your family. You can also add raisins if desired.

Also, while most slow cooker recipes can be left alone for hours at a time, I don't recommend doing that with this recipe because of the temperamental nature of rice and dairy when cooked.

When I make this recipe, I usually eat it for dessert and for breakfast.

Happy noshing!