Pioneer Woman's Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:
3 celery stalks
3 medium carrots, peeled
1 large yellow onion
4 T butter
1/2 c frozen peas
3 c cooked chicken
1/4 c all-purpose flour
3 c chicken broth
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/8 c white wine, optional (I did use white cooking wine)
1/4 c heavy cream
1 t ground thyme
1 t kosher salt, or more to taste
black pepper to taste
1/2 recipe Perfect Pie Crust
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Finely dice celery, carrots and onions.
- Melt butter in a large pot or dutch oven over med heat. Add the onion, carrots, cleery and peas. Saute until the vegetables start to turn translucent, a couple of minutes.
- Add chicken and sprinkle the flour evenly over and stir to combine Cook e for a couple minutes, stirring gently.
- Pour in chicken broth, stirring constantly. Stir in teh bouillon cube and wine. The flour will combine with the chicken to create a gravy.
- Pour in the cream and stir. Allow the mixture to cook over low heat, thickening gradually. Season with the thyme, salt, and pepper. Remove from teh heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Pour the chicken mixture into a deep pie pan or small casserole dish.
- Roll out the crust so that it's 1 inch larger that the pan. Place the crust on top of chicken mixture and cut small slits in the top. Press the crust gently into the sides of the dish to seal.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Posted by Marci 5 comments
Labels: chicken pot pie
Pioneer Woman's Perfect Pie Crust
Ingredients:
* 1-½ cup Crisco (vegetable Shortening)
* 3 cups All-purpose Flour
* 1 whole Egg
* 5 Tablespoons Cold Water
* 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
* 1 teaspoon Salt
Directions:
In a large bowl, with a pastry cutter, gradually work the Crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 tablespoons of cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir together gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Separate the dough into thirds. Form 3 evenly sized balls of dough and place each dough into a large Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of dough (about ½ inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you will be using it immediately it’s still a good idea to put in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to chill.)
When you are ready to use the dough to make a crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes. On a floured surface roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. (Sprinkle some flour over top of the dough if it’s a bit too moist.) If the dough is sticking to the countertop use a metal spatula and carefully scrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it’s about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie pan.
With a spatula, lift the dough carefully from the surface of the counter into the pie pan. Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan. Go around the pie pan pinching and tucking the dough to make a clean edge.
Posted by Marci 0 comments
Greek Salad (and a Giveaway!)
Ingredients:
* Romanine lettuce (chopped) - 6 cups
* Tomatoes (chopped) - 3 cups
* Red onion (chopped) - 1 cup
* Cucumber (chopped) - 1/2 cup
* Green pepper (chopped) - 1/2 cup
* Feta cheese (crumbled) - 3 oz
* Olives - 16 to 20
* Olive oil - 3 tbsp
* Fresh dill (chopped) - 3 tbsp
* Fresh parsley (chopped) - 1/4 cup
* Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
* Garlic (minced) - 1 clove
* Oregano - 1/2 tsp
* Salt - 1/4 tsp
Directions:
1. Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, parsley, dill, garlic, and salt.
2. Mix the lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, green pepper well.
3. Add the dressing to the salad mix and top off with feta cheese and olives.
Posted by Marci 11 comments
Labels: gluten-free, meatless, salad
Chicken Salad Piccata
Ingredients:
* 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
* 1/2 pound green beans, halved crosswise
* 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped capers
* 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
* Grated peel and juice of 1/2 lemon
* Salt and pepper
* 1 large egg
* 1/4 cup flour
* Two 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, lightly pounded
* 1/4 cup chicken broth
Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, add the potatoes and enough salted water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Drain in the colander with the potatoes; let cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon capers, 3 tablespoons parsley, the lemon peel and half of the lemon juice. Add the potatoes and beans and toss; season with salt and pepper.
3. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg. In another shallow bowl, season the flour with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Coat the chicken breasts with the seasoned flour, then dip in the egg, allowing any excess to drip off, and coat with the flour again, shaking off the excess. Add to the skillet and cook, turning once, until golden, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into strips.
4. Add the chicken broth to the skillet; cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon capers, 1 tablespoon parsley and lemon juice. Top the salad with the chicken and drizzle with the pan sauce.
Posted by Marci 2 comments
Labels: beans, chicken, gluten-free, potatoes, salad
Candy Corn Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 box plain white cake mix
1 c regular sour cream (I used light)
1/3 c vegetable oil (I used canola)
1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)
2 eggs
food coloring (yellow and orange...we made our own orange)
whipped topping (I bought a tub of whipped white frosting)
candy corn to top them
Directions:
-Preheat oven to temperature on your cupcake mix box (I think mine was 350 degrees).
-Combine cake mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, milk and eggs in a large bowl. Mix according to package directions.
-Divide batter evenly into 2 separate bowl. Color half of the batter with a few drops of orange food coloring (I just used yellow and red until I like the color it was). Color the other half with yellow food coloring.
-Place cupcake liners into cupcake tins. Fill each cupcake liner with 1/4 cup yellow batter and then top with orange batter until the liner is 1/2 full (I always overfill, but they turned out still,just didn't make as many).
-Bake according to package directions.
-Cool cupcakes completely, frost and top with a piece of candy corn.
Posted by Marci 4 comments
Nuevo Cubano
Ingredients:
* 4 whole-wheat sub rolls, cut in half lengthwise (I just used our regular whole wheat bread)
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1/4 pound thinly sliced reduced-sodium deli ham
* 1 peeled mango or 2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced (I thought the ones with mango were better!)
* 1/4 pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
* 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Directions:
1. Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell; reserve torn bread for another use.
2. Combine cilantro, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, and black beans in a food processor; process until almost smooth and spreadable, adding a few drops of water, if necessary. Spread bean mixture evenly on bottom halves of the prepared rolls. Layer rolls evenly with ham, mango or tomatoes, and provolone cheese; replace top halves of rolls.
3. (I used our George Foreman grill) Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 sandwiches to pan; place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until sandwiches are golden brown (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook). Remove sandwiches from pan; repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 2 sandwiches.
Posted by Marci 0 comments
French Toast Casserole
Ingredients:
2 t butter, softened
8 slices white bread, cut in 1-inch cubes
7 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used our cheap sugar-free syrup)
4 T granulated sugar, divided
3/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t cardamom (I didn't have this)
1/2 c toasted pecans, chopped
maple syrup, for serving
Directions:
Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter and fill the dish with bread cubes, distributing evenly.
In large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, maple syrup, 2 T sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
Pour this mixture over the bread cubes, and press down over the surface of the casserole with a spatula to help the bread soak up the liquid.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and place the casserole, still covered with foil, in the oven for 30 minutes.
Uncover, and bake an additional 30-35 minutes, until the casserole if puffy and brown.
Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into squares and topping with the chopped pecans and warmed maple syrup.
Refrigerate all leftovers.
Posted by Marci 6 comments
4 Packet Roast
Ingredients:
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 packet Italian salad dressing mix
1 packet onion soup mix
1 roast of choice
1/2-3/4 cup of water
assorted veggies if desired (I threw in some baby carrots)
Directions:
Place roast in crockpot. Arrange vegetables around the roast if being used. Sprinkle the mix packets over the roast. Pour water around the roast. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Posted by Marci 4 comments
Coconut-Crusted Chicken with Mango Salsa
Ingredients:
1/2 pound frozen mango, thawed and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups) (I used 1 large fresh mango)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 egg
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place the coconut in another shallow bowl. Dip the chicken in the egg, then in the coconut. Press to coat.
In large, ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until cooked through, about 12 minutes. Serve the chicken with the mango salsa.
Posted by Marci 6 comments
Labels: chicken, gluten-free, salsa
Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients:
3 cans (14oz) Chicken Broth
2 cups whipping cream (I used 1 cup cream, 1 cup whole milk)
red pepper flakes (to taste) (I left out since I used spicy sausage)
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 small onion, diced, sauteed
1/2 pkg. bacon (cooked and crumbled)
4-5 cups chopped kale
3 to 4 potatoes scrubbed and cut into slices or small chunks (skins left on) (I used red onions)
1 lb Johnsonville mild Italian sausage (shaped into small rounds, browned, and put on paper towels to de-grease... or if you are in a rush, just brown the sausage like you would ground beef). (I used 2 small links spicy Italian sausage)
Directions:
Put everything together in a large crockpot and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours. (they suggested not putting the potatoes in until the last 40-60 minutes, but I put mine in at the beginning and was glad I did...they took awhile to cook)
Posted by Marci 2 comments
Labels: crock pot, gluten-free, italian, kale, potatoes, sausage, soup
Lemon Zucchini Mini Muffins
(I doubled the recipe for the batter, but not the icing)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup finely shredded zucchini (I used my food processor)
lemon zest from 2 lemons plus lemon juice from one of them
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
Lemon Glaze:
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2+Tbsp lemon juice (I had to use WAY more than that to get my icing creamy)
Directions:
In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, zucchini and lemon zest. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Drop by Tbsp into mini muffin pan. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
For glaze, combine sugar and enough lemon juice to achieve a thin spreading consistency. Spread drizzle over cooled muffins.
Posted by Marci 0 comments
Ham and Sweet Potato Hash
I haven't tried any recipes from My Kitchen Cafe in awhile but when she posted this one recently it definitely called out to me :-)! It was sooo good! I loved the addition of sweet potatoes and the chipotle flavor definitely gave it that special something. A perfect breakfast for dinner! Next time I'll be sure to have some Monterey Jack cheese on hand to sprinkle on top....YUM!!!
Ingredients:
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons heavy cream
10 ounces thinly sliced deli ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 large eggs (I used 5)
Directions:
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting microwave-safe lid and microwave for about 6 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but not overcooked – they’ll cook a bit more in the skillet later. Stir the potatoes halfway through cooking. Drain the potatoes of any excess liquid and set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the chipotle and cook for about 30 seconds.
Stir in the drained potatoes and the cream. Using the back of a spatula, pack the potatoes into the pan, pressing them into a somewhat even layer. Let the potatoes cook without stirring them for about 2 minutes so they can start to get nicely browned. Flip the potato hash mixture, one portion at a time, and lightly repack into the skillet to let the potatoes brown on the other side. Continue this flipping process every few minutes until the potatoes are nicely browned, about 8-10 minutes.
Stir in the ham and lightly repack the hash into the skillet. Using a large spoon, make 6 shallow divots about 2 inches wide in the surface of the potato mixture. Crack one egg into each indentation. Season with salt and pepper and then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet. Let the mixture cook until the eggs are set to your liking, about 5-7 minutes. Serve.
Posted by Marci 2 comments
Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Cream Sauce
When I saw this recipe on Fabulously Delicious (originally from Cooking with Paula Deen), I knew I had to try them...because I can never turn down an enchilada recipe. With my new found love of tomatillos I just knew they would be delicious and it helped that Kirsten had given them such a great review too. They were much simpler to make than the roasted tomatillo enchiladas I love so much, but still had TONS of great flavor. LOVED them!!!
Ingredients:
3 cups chopped cooked chicken (I used 2 cans chicken)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 fat)
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream (I used light)
1 (8-ounce) package Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (I used a mexican mix of cheddar and pepper jack)
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
24 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Tomatillo Cream Sauce (recipe follows)
1 (8-ounce) package Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend, shredded
Sliced green onions (optional)
Tomatillo Cream Sauce*
1 (28 oz.) can of tomatillos, drained
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 (4 oz) can of chopped green chiles
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
*I didn't find canned tomatillos at my grocery store, so for the sauce I used 24 oz. salsa verde, 1 cup heavy cream, and a little bit of chicken broth to thin it out a little bit.
In a large skillet, combine tomatillos, chicken broth, chilies, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour mixture into a blender or food processor, and pulse mixture several times until smooth. Return to skillet; stir in cream and cook over low heat for two more minutes.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 13x9-inch baking dishes.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken and next 8 ingredients. Spoon 2 tablespoons chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Fold sides over, enclosing filling. Place filled tortillas, in a single layer, seam side down, in prepared baking dishes. (I debated over whether to fry the tortillas to soften them first or not, but decided not to since it makes them waaay worse for you. I just heated them in a paper towel in the microwave to soften them and they still turned out so yummy)
3. Spoon Tomatillo Cream Sauce evenly over enchiladas. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.
Posted by Marci 2 comments
Labels: chicken, enchiladas, gluten-free, mexican/southwest
Macadamia Fudge Torte
My friend brought this for dessert to our girls' night last week and it was sooo good. I didn't get a great picture of it though so you'll have to trust me that it was delicious...especially served with vanilla ice cream and the caramel sauce on top! I think I need to make something with macadamia nuts soon, they were my favorite part of the dessert!
Filling:
1/3c low-fat sweetened condensed milk
1/2c semisweet chocolate chips
Cake:
1pkg. pudding-included devil's food cake mix
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup oil (I used canola)
1 (16oz) can pears in light syrup, drained
2 eggs
1/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts
2 tsp water
Sauce:
1 jar caramel ice cream topping
1/3cup milk (I used skim)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 or 10 inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. In small saucepan, combine filling ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally.
2. In large bowl, combine cake mix, cinnamon and oil; blend at low speed for 20-30 seconds or until crumbly. (Mixture will be dry).
3. Blend pears until smooth in blender or food processor.
4. In another large bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of the cake mixture, pureed pears and eggs; beat at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Spread batter evenly in sprayed pan. Drop filling the spoonfuls over batter. Stir nuts and water into remaining cake mixture. Sprinkle over filling.
5. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in the center. Cool 10 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Cool 1 1/2 hours or until completely cooled.
6. In small saucepan, combine sauce ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes or until well blended, stirring occasionally. Just before serving, spoon 2 tbs warm sauce onto plate. Top with torte and garnish with ice cream, if desired.
Posted by Marci 1 comments
Labels: desserts
Mexican Chicken with Jalapeno Popper Sauce
This recipe originally comes from Mommie Cooks, but I saw a link to it on Cassie Craves. This sauce is sooo good, I LOVED it! I would eat anything with it...seriously. So, try it, you won't regret it :-)!!!
Ingredients:
3 Chicken Breasts
A Sprinkle of Cumin per Breast
A Sprinkle of Chili Powder per Breast
A Sprinkle of Salt per Breast
2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
3 Jalapenos, Seeded and Chopped
8 Oz. of Cream Cheese
2 Cups of Chicken Broth
3 Slices of Bacon
3/4 Cup of Shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack
1 Tbsp of Fresh Cilantro, chopped + more for garnish
Directions:
Fry bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towel-lined plate.
Sprinkle chicken with seasonings while the bacon crisps. Add the chicken to the hot bacon fat in the skillet. Cook chicken, turning every few minutes, until juices run clear and no longer pink. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
Add chopped jalapenos to the skillet and cook for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds to a minute more, until fragrant.
Add chicken broth, deglazing pan. Bring to a boil.
Add cream cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Add in shredded cheese and bacon, stirring until the cheese in melted. Turn off heat and stir in cilantro.
Serve chicken on a bed of Mexican or Taco rice (I made cilantro lime rice) and topped with sauce. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired.
Posted by Marci 4 comments
Labels: bacon, chicken, gluten-free, mexican/southwest



