Chicken Gloria

It has been rainy and gloomy here in East Tennessee the last few days. Last night I was in need of some home cooked comfort food to warm my spirits and my tummy. This recipe did the trick. I found it on Pinterest a few weeks ago and instantly knew at some point I was going to try it. The only problem was with the rave reviews it got, I was somewhat skeptical. Every "this is the BEST" recipe I've tried from Pinterest always ends up a disappointment. This one, however, was different. It truly was absolutely delicious, mouth watering, savory comfort food at its finest. We will definitely be making it again.

 

 

Chicken Gloria

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Start to Finish: 1 hour

Servings: 6

 

Ingredients:

3 skinless boneless chicken breasts, trimmed and filleted in half lengthwise

1/3 cup of flour

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons of butter

1 (8 oz) container of sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup of sherry wine

1 small can of condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup whole milk

6 slices of Muenster cheese

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

 

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper, dredge lightly in flour to coat both sides. Shake off excess.

 

Add oil to frying pan and brown chicken in batches on both sides. You don’t need to cook the chicken completely.  It will finish cooking in the oven. Transfer the chicken to a 9×13-inch baking dish.

 

Add the butter to the frying pan and let it melt over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and brown mushrooms until golden.  Then add the sherry wine and cook for another minute or two. Add the creamy mushroom soup and milk and mix well.

 

Pour sauce over the chicken breasts, cover with foil and bake in oven for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and top each piece of chicken with one slice of Muenster cheese. You can fold the cheese in half if it is too wide for the breast.

 

Place chicken back in oven uncovered and broil for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

 

Top with chopped fresh parsley and serve with rice.

(Recipe courtesy of Cookingwithsugar.com)

 

Caramelitas + Giveaway winners

One of my favorite desserts of all time are caramel brownies. I'm a sucker for brownies and anything with caramel. The combo of the two is irresistible. Growing up, a neighbor used to bring by a plate of homemade caramel brownies every year at Christmastime. I've been hooked ever since. You better believe I make those brownies all the time now--not just during the holidays. In fact, I may have won my husband's heart with those brownies when we were dating. I'll post that recipe soon. For now, these caramelitas are just as good. They're like the oatmeal cookie version of a caramel brownie. I shared a plate of them with friends this week and all of them immediately asked for the recipe, so here it is.

Caramelitas (aka Caramel-Chocolate Oatmeal Bars)

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
30 caramels (9 ounces), unwrapped
3 Tbs milk

Note: The original recipe calls for a 15x10 pan. I did not have that and used a 9x13 with great results. I just had to increase my cooking time by a couple of minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 15×10 inch baking pan with foil, leaving about 1 inch extending over the edges of the pan. 

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add brown sugar.  Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Add eggs, vanilla, baking soda and salt and beat until combined.  Add flour slowly and mix until combined.  Add oats and stir until combined. Press 2/3 of the dough (about 3 cups) evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Sprinkle with chocolate pieces and nuts (optional).

In a medium sauce pan, heat and stir the caramels and milk over low heat until melted and smooth.  Drizzle caramel mixture over chocolate and nuts.  Take remaining dough and flatten small pieces with fingers and place evenly on top of the caramel layer.  Bake for 22-25 minutes or until top is just barely light brown. Do not overbake!.  Cool in pan on a wire rack until room temperature.  Use foil to lift uncut bars out of pan.  Place on cutting board; cut into bars.

Thanks to everyone who entered our Kerrygold giveaway. Here are our winners:

Mike+Joy is the winner of the cookbook and Kerrygold product

Bethany Jane is the winner of a Kerrygold product (thanks for the banana bread recipe!)

Winners, please email justcookalready@gmail.com with your address and I'll get your prizes sent out to you!

Roast Chicken + Giveaway Reminder!

Don't forget to enter our Kerrygold giveaway. You have until tomorrow!

 

 

(Photo courtesy of IowaGirlEats)

 

Roast chicken used to intimidate me--kind of like roasting a turkey. It just seemed like a big deal. This was my second time trying roast chicken using the bundt pan method and really, it couldn't be any easier. The hardest part is rubbing in the butter and seasonings, which really isn't hard at all. Another great thing about this method is that it's pretty versatile. You can use whatever seasonings and veggies you have on hand. Plus, there's always plenty of leftover chicken to use for other meals throughout the week.

 

Bundt Pan Roasted Chicken

 

Ingredients:
4 lb whole chicken
1 lemon, halved
10 garlic cloves
2 Tbs softened butter
salt & pepper

1 Tbs Italian seasoning
2 lbs red potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 Tbs olive oil

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray. Place on a baking sheet and set aside. Combine potatoes (or other veggies,) carrots, onion, and six garlic cloves in a large bowl then add oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat then transfer to prepared bundt pan.
2. Remove any giblets in the chicken then rinse inside and out under cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel. Season insides with salt and pepper, then stuff with remaining garlic cloves and lemon halves (and/or any other aromatics). Invert chicken over the center of the bundt pan, brush the outsides with butter, then season with salt and pepper and Italian seasoning.
3. Move oven rack to lower position then place bundt pan and baking sheet inside. Roast for 50-60 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160 degrees. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Giveaway!

We're long overdue for a giveaway!

Who doesn't love cheese and butter? Irish dairy company Kerrygold makes some of the best (their Dubliner cheese is amazing!). One lucky winner will not only get a free Kerrygold product, but also the latest cookbook from renowned Irish chef Clodagh McKenna (you can watch her on PBS), Clodagh's Kitchen Diaries. 

Kerrygold products can be found at Kroger associated stores, The Fresh Market, or Whole Foods.

You can enter the giveaway twice. Here's how to earn the first entry:

1. Become a follower.

2. Share this giveaway on either Facebook or your own blog and leave a comment (with the blog link) that you've done so.

For a bonus entry:

My favorite thing to do with butter and cheese? Eat it with homemade bread! Email us (justcookalready@gmail.com) your favorite homemade bread recipe (the sky's the limit: banana bread, zucchini bread, white bread, wholewheat, etc.) with a brief description telling us why it's your favorite. If I try your recipe, you'll also win a coupon for a free Kerrygold product. Leave another comment telling us you've done this.

Giveaway ends April 22nd at midnight!

Good luck!

PW's Enchiladas

My family loves Mexican food, as I may have mentioned once or twice before. We probably have enchiladas or tacos or burritos at least once a week--but enchiladas most often. So, needless to say, I'm always on the lookout for a new enchiladas recipe. We've got a few old favorites I always resort back to, but some new favorites as well. This recipe, from The Pioneer Woman, is one of our new favorites. They require a bit of time (I really hate having to soften the corn tortillas in oil--anyone know a way around that?) but are well worth the effort. I don't know if it's the doctoring up of the enchilada sauce, the addition of olives and green onions in the meat mixture, or what it is, but we hardly ever have leftovers. Any remaining filling creates perfect nachos the next day.

 (This photo doesn't do them justice. They are seriously awesome. For PW's version, go here.)

The Pioneer Woman's Enchiladas

Ingredients

• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
• 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
• 1 can (28 Ounce) Enchilada Or Red Sauce
• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro
• _____
• FOR THE MEAT:
• 1-1/2 pound Ground Beef
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 2 cans (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• _____
• FOR THE TORTILLAS:
• 10 whole (to 14) Corn Tortillas
• 1/2 cup Canola Oil
• _____
• TO ASSEMBLE:
• 3 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 cup Chopped Black Olives
• 1 cup Chopped Green Onions
• 1/2 cup Chopped Cilantro

For the sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for one minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes.

For the meat: Brown the meat with onions in a skillet. Drain off fat. Stir in 2 cans diced green chilies and seasoned salt. Set aside.

For the tortillas: Heat canola oil in a small skillet over medium heat. One by one, using tongs, fry tortillas in oil until soft, not crisp – about 30 seconds per side. Remove to a paper—towel lined plate. Repeat until all tortillas have been fried.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour ½ cup red sauce in bottom of baking pan. Spread to even out. Dip each tortilla into red sauce, then remove to work surface. Spoon meat, a little grated cheese, a little black olives, and green onions in the center of tortilla. Roll up and place, seam down, in baking pan. Repeat until pan is filled. Pour extra red sauce over enchiladas. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle cilantro over enchiladas before serving.

Strawberry Waffles

This dish is so simple it can hardly be called a "recipe." It's so dang good though that I'm going to tell you all about it anyway. I have no idea where this concept originated from. All I know is as a teenager, I once walked into my grandparents house to find them sitting in front of the television devouring strawberries by first dipping them into sour cream and then into a bowl of brown sugar. I thought they were completely bonkers. In my mind, that combo most definitely did not go together. Well, some how they convinced me to try it and I was hooked after that. Some how that combo works and is now one of my favorite ways to eat strawberries.

The same concept can be carried over to waffles and, man, I am telling you, it is the best way to have waffles. You'll soon be hooked, too.

So here's what you do: take a piping hot, homemade waffle, lather it with sour cream (as little or as much as you like), sprinkle on some brown sugar (as little or as much as you like) and top with plenty of juicy strawberries. The result is pure melt in your mouth deliciousness. The sour cream and brown sugar melt into the waffle, leaving an almost caramel-like concoction. It is divine. Next time you make waffles, try it. You won't regret it.

 

Waffles (use homemade for best results)

Sour Cream (reduced fat is fine)

brown sugar (light or dark)

strawberries, sliced

 

 

Strawberry Yogurt Cake

Summer is so close. I can feel it. Or at least I want to feel it. Just when I think it's around the corner, another winter storm pops up. A friend of mine had a "Pinterest" party earlier this week and because I am dreaming of warmer, sunnier days, I made this cake. It is perfectly scrumptious in every way: totally moist, melts in your mouth, and the strawberries give it the perfect balance between sweet and tart.

 

 

Strawberry Yogurt Cake

Ingredients:

 

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 Tb. lemon juice, divided
Zest of 1 lemon
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
8 oz. plain or vanilla, Greek yogurt (I've used regular yogurt with great results)
12 oz. fresh strawberries, diced (I've used frozen before)
1 cup powdered sugar

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan (10-15 cup pan.) Sift together the 2 ¼ cups of flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in the lemon zest and set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 Tb. lemon juice. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated.
3. Toss the strawberries with the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Gently mix them into the batter.
4. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan. Place in the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled whisk together the remaining 2 Tb. of lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

I found this recipe on Pinterest a few months ago. I was intrigued by the non-Italian pasta concept--plus, it got rave reviews, so I decided to give it a go. At first, my taste buds were confused because I wasn't used to these flavors in pasta. But after only a few bites I really, really liked it. In fact, it got better with each bite and was even better as leftovers the next day. It was a different way to satisfy my Mexican food craving. The recommended toppings are a must and I'd definitely stick with penne pasta for this one (I know someone who used macaroni with less than enthusiastic results).

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced (optional)

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

2 (10 oz.) cans green chili enchilada sauce

2/3 cups red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded cheese (recommended, colby and monterey jack)

1 cup sour cream (low fat works great)

Penne pasta

 

Optional toppings

Avocado

Green Onions

Black Olives

Tomatoes

Sour Cream

 

Cook chicken, drain, and shred. Meanwhile boil pasta according to package and chop the veggies.

Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet and cook onions for about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic & red pepper and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Add cooked chicken, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, salt, & enchilada sauces. Let sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes.

Add cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and heated through. Now toss in the sour cream, but whatever you do, DO NOT bring to a boil! Cook on low heat or the sour cream will curdle.  Definitely not what you want.

Stir until sour cream is well mixed and heated through.

Drain pasta & return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta and mix well. Serve and garnish with toppings.

Italian Shrimp

Like a lot of you, I've totally jumped on the coconut oil bandwagon. Although it can't be replaced for butter/oil in every recipe with the same results, experimenting can be fun. My sister shared this recipe with me a few weeks ago and since then has made its way around my family with rave reviews every time. It's definitely worth trying and the butter isn't missed one bit. 

 

Image found here

Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp
1/2-1 cup coconut oil (the actual recipe calls for butter)
1 lemon
Italian seasoning

Directions:
Melt coconut oil/butter on a foiled line cookie sheet.
Thinly slice the lemon and place slices on top of the melted butter.
Place shrimp on top of the lemon slices and sprinkle with Italian seasoning to your liking. I used a generous amount. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. 

Steak & Penne Pasta with Caramelized Onions

A wonderful friend of mine shared this recipe with me a few years ago. If I remember correctly, she came across it on a Diebetic/hypolycemic recipe site. In my experience, recipes from those sources often lack flavor, but that is definitely not the case with this recipe. We make a lot of pasta at our house, because with kids some days that is just the easiest thing to throw together. This dish is such a nice break from the same old pastas we usually have. The flavor is so unique, and although it does taste more on the "healthy" side, it tastes healthy in an awesome/"this is amazing!" kind of way. Give it a try and see if you agree.

 

Steak & Penne Pasta with Caramelized Onions

¾ lb flank steak
2 Tbsp cracked black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 c reduced-sodium beef broth
8 oz penne pasta
6 oz baby arugula
shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the broiler. Place the flank steak on a pan (or cookie sheet) and coat all sides with the pepper and garlic. Let soak in for about 10 minutes. I like to place it on foil to help with the clean-up!

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions for 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the vinegar to deglaze. Stir in the broth, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the onions are very soft and browned. Remove from the heat.

3. Prepare the pasta according to package directions, drain, and place in a large bowl.

4. Meanwhile, broil the steak, 4 inches from the heat, for 12 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 145°F for medium rare, 160°F for medium, or 165°F for well done. Let stand for 10 minutes, then slice into thin strips.

5. Stir the arugula into the onions. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Add the steak strips and top with the cheese.

Ham and Veggie Fried Rice

We eat a LOT of Mexican food around our house, so this ham fried rice dish is always a nice change. I've made it several times in the last few months and even my picky three-year-old likes it. I love how versatile it is. You can add whatever veggies you have on hand. It can stand on its own as a main dish, or if you like meat, like we do, you could add chicken or beef to it.

Ham & Vegetable Fried Rice

2 ½ c. water
T. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 ½ c. long-grain white rice
2 T. vegetable oil
1 carrot, diced(1 cup)
2 ribs celery, diced (1 cup)
1 sweet green pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips (1 cup)
1 large onion, diced
4 eggs
½ c. thinly sliced ham
¼ tsp black pepper

Bring water, soy sauce, garlic and bouillon cube to boiling in a medium-size saucepan, stirring to dissolve cube.  Add rice; return to boiling. Lower heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add carrot, celery, green pepper and onion; stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes.  Add 3 tablespoons water; cover and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover; stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and vegetables are tender.  Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon to a medium-size bowl.

Lower heat to medium. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet.  Whisk eggs in a small bowl.  Add to skillet; cook, breaking up into small pieces as eggs set.  Add rice and vegetable mixture to skillet. Stir in ham and black pepper.  Stir until heated through.  Serve immediately.

Massaged Kale and Craisin Salad

Kale is all the craze these days. The "super food" can be thrown into smoothies, braised, sautéd, etc. But this salad is hands down my favorite way to eat it. The added element of massaging the kale with salt (it sounds odd, I realize) completely transforms the course green leaves into darker, softer, and, in my opinion, much more pleasant tasting greens. The addition of craisins, feta, and apples gives it an amazing balance of textures and tastes.

 (Photo courtesy of Gourmet Deconstructed)

 

Massaged Kale and Craisin Salad

 

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch kale
3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or sea salt
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup dried cranberries/craisins
3/4 cup small-diced apple
 1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup crumbled Feta cheese

1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds OR

1/4 cup toasted nuts, optional

 

DIRECTIONS:
Wash the kale and pat it dry. Slice off the stiff stems below the leaves and continue slicing the stem away from the leaf until you have cut a thin v-shape into the kale leaf and removed the tough stem all the way up. Stack the kale leaves two or three at a time, roll them up, and slice the leaves into thin ribbons.

 

Place the kale ribbons in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and massage it into the kale with your hands for approximately two minutes. You should notice the kale start to turn a darker green and the texture will begin to soften.

 

Toss in the red onions, craisins, apples, and sunflower seeds. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and sugar. Pour over the salad and toss. Sprinkle feta cheese over the top and serve. The salad can be refrigerated for up to a day before serving.

Hot Diggity Dogs!

Happy President's Day! Did you know it's rumored that one of President Obama's favorite foods are hot dogs? The man has world-class chefs waiting on him hand and foot and he likes something as simple as a hot dog. Go figure. So in honor of our president, here's a new twist on the old classic. They're nothing fancy, but until grilling season rolls back around sometimes it's kind of fun to try out a new method.

 

 

Oven Baked Hot Dogs

 8 hot dogs
8 hot dog buns
1 can of chili
1/2 an onion, diced
cheddar cheese
mayonnaise
mustard
 relish of choice

Line inside of hot dog buns with mayo, relish and mustard. Fill with hot dogs and squish into a 13×9″ baking pan.

Top hot dogs with chili, cheese, and diced onion. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350-degrees for 35-40 minutes. Enjoy!

 

 

Chicken Rollatini Stuffed with Zucchini

 This chicken dish is a great way to use any shredded frozen zucchini you may have leftover in your freezer from last summer (I had more zucchini last summer than I knew what to do with). It's so light and refreshing and different. Even my zucchini-hating husband had to admit that it was pretty tasty. Serve with a green salad and/or rice.

 

(Photo courtesy of skinnytaste.com)

Chicken Rollatini Stuffed with Zucchini and Mozzarela

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 cups (1 medium) zucchini, shredded

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

3 oz shredded mozzarella

salt and pepper to taste

8 thin chicken cutlets (I had to pound mine)

1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

juice of one lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and fresh pepper

olive oil cooking spray

Directions:

Wash and dry cutlets, season with salt and pepper.  Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add oil when hot then saute garlic a minute, or until golden. Add zucchini, 1/4 cup Romano cheese, salt and pepper and saute about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool. When cool, add mozzarella cheese and mix to combine.

Lay chicken cutlets down on a working surface and spread 3 tbsp of zucchini-cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one and keep seam side down.

Combine breadcrumbs and grated cheese in one bowl; in a second bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper in another bowl.

Dip chicken in lemon-oil mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down in a baking dish (no toothpicks needed). Repeat with the remaining chicken. When finished, lightly spraywith olive oil spray.

Bake approximately 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Crock Pot Chicken Teriyaki

So, my husband found an Asian market and bought some sticky rice. We now revolve our meals around what will go with the said sticky rice... it's an unhealthy obsession. I was craving chicken teriyaki one night so I threw a few things in the crock pot. The result was a very pleasant surprise and worked very well with the sticky rice.

Ingredients

1 pound chicken (chopped, cubed, or sliced however you like it)

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup teriyaki sauce

3/4 package of shredded carrots

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 cloves minced garlic

1 green onion, chopped 

1/4 cup fresh cilantrio

1/2 cucumber, cut into pieces

1 lime

2 cups cooked sticky rice (or regular rice is fine)

Directions

After cutting your chicken, add it to the crock pot. Add the teriyaki sauce, carrots, garlic, brown sugar, and chicken broth and mix all together. Set the crock pot on high and cook for 4 hours.

To serve, put rice in a bowl with the teriyaki poured over top. Add chopped cilantro, cucumber, and green onion as a garnish. Squeeze some fresh lime juice on there and you've got a bowl full of heaven.

Enjoy!

Award Winning White Chicken Chili

It snowed at our house last week for the first time all winter, so what did I feel like making? This white chicken chili. It's awesome and so different from "regular" chili and it totally hit the spot on a cold winter's day. Oh, and did I mention this stuff has won awards? Okay, so nothing major, but a few years ago when a friend made it, it took #1 in our church's chili cook-off (out of about 30 entries). With it's mild, savory flavor, it's easy to see why it earned the top spot. Warning, this recipe makes a lot. I usually half it and it feeds my family of four with leftovers for lunch the next day.

 

WHITE CHILI

3 Tbs butter

4 cans Great Northern Beans (not drained)

3 cups chicken broth

1 bullion cube

4 cups diced cooked chicken

1 Tbs garlic powder

2 cans green chilies

1 Tbs oregano

1 Tbs cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 medium onions, chopped

3 cans white corn, drained (or I used similar amount of frozen corn)

4 cups grated Jack cheese

32 oz. tub of sour cream (I usually half this when I halve the recipe so it's healthier)

Directions:

Saute onions in butter or oil.  Add spices. Add remaining ingredients except for the cheese and sour cream.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Add cheese and sour cream, reserving some cheese for a garnish.  Heat through.  Do not boil once sour cream has been added. Yield: a lot :)  Enjoy!

 

OR, you can add all the ingredients but the cheese and sour cream to a crock pot. About 10 minutes before serving add the cheese and sour cream.

Monterey Chicken and Potatoes

I made something scrumptious for dinner tonight. I've made it before, but it was years ago, back when I initially got the recipe. I had totally forgotten about it until today. It's basically just chicken and potatoes but with a southwest flair. It has just the right amount of zing to it that it's different, yet the flavor is incredible. I love Mexican food, but don't usually cook it for Sunday dinner, so it totally hit the spot. It's easy enough that including prep and cooking time you can have dinner on the table from start to finish in under 45 minutes. You can't go wrong with that.

 

 

Monterey Chicken and Potatoes

 

1 1/2lbs red potatoes, diced

3 T butter, melted

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 T lime juice

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese

1/4 cup cilantro, diced

3 T salsa (any kind will do)

 

Preheat oven to 425. Melt butter in a 9x13 pan in the oven (I usually do this while I'm dicing the potatoes). Once the butter is melted, add the potatoes and toss to coat. Bake for 10 minutes.

 

Once that's done, place the chicken in the center of the pan. Brush the chicken with remaining butter and lime juice. Bake for 20-30 minutes until chicken is no longer pink and potatoes are tender. Brush more lime juice on the chicken (optional, but I do it just for added flavor). Combine cheese, cilantro, and salsa and sprinkle mixture over the potatoes and chicken. Bake approximately 4 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

No-Bake Healthy Chocolate Bars

I saw this recipe on Pinterest over a year ago and have been wanting to try it ever since. In fact, I'm pretty sure that the coconut oil that has been sitting in my cupboard for the past six months was bought with these in mind. I'm not sure why it took me this long to actually make them, but I'll definitely be making them again, only sooner this time. They taste just like those no-bake oatmeal cookies we all know from our childhood, only much healthier. No sugar at all. If something can taste this good with no sugar, I might not be so hesitant to try "sugar free" in the future.

 

 

No-Bake Chocolate Bars

 

 

1 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup coconut oil (no substitutions)

2 cups oats

1 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

 

Heat peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil in small sauce pan on medium heat until melted. Blend together.

 

Remove from heat and add oats, chocolate chips, and cranberries. Stir until combined and chocolate chips are melted.

 

Spread into a 9x13 pan. Refrigerate until hardened, about an hour. Store in refrigerator!

 

 

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu and Sunday Dinner

 

What do you serve for Sunday dinners? I struggle sometimes in trying to come up with something worthy to be special enough for Sunday yet easy enough that I'm not spending all day in the kitchen.

This recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu is an old family favorite and my husband requests it often for Sunday dinner. It's super easy, yet impressive enough to serve to company. Serve with mashed potatoes, rolls and a veggie.

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu

 

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

4 slices swiss cheese

8 thin slices of cooked ham

thyme or rosemary for seasoning

1/2 cup bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cub butter or margarine, melted

 

Place each half of chicken breast between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with meat mallet to about 1/8" thick.. On each piece of chicken, place a piece of ham and a piece of cheese. Roll up jellyroll style. Fasten with toothpicks. Dip roll in melted butter, then roll in breadcrumbs that have been mixed with seasonings.

 

Place rolls in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake uncovered in a 400-degree oven for about 40 minutes or until chicken is golden brown. Serve with sauce (optional) or gravy. Makes 6 servings.

 

Sauce

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

Juice of 1 lemon

 

Blend ingredients and heat in small saucepan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Serve over chicken.

Dumplings

My usually healthy family has been sick way too many times over the last couple of months. What do I crave the most when I'm sick? Hot soup and rolls, hands down. I wasn't in the mood to make rolls, so I opted for these super easy and just as delicious dumplings that my mom and sisters have been raving about over the last few weeks. They were just what the doctor ordered. I chose to cook them with beef stew but they'd work well with almost any kind of soup.

Dumplings

1 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 T. butter

1/2 c. milk

Stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.  Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly.  Stir in the milk until the flour is absorbed.  Drop by spoonfuls into the hot stew.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.  Serve hot