Mexi-Chicken Casserole

I love casseroles.  They minimize dishes and are great freezer-ready meals for the busiest of us!  This recipe intrigued me for many reasons.  The first and most prominent, it called for “canned” chicken.  I must admit I have never used canned chicken and to the best of my knowledge have never tried it.  While on the one hand I feel that it is the easy-way out, I promised myself that I would try all avenues and this is one path I have never traveled.  I was also interested in the juxtaposition of Mexican flavors and the sweetness of the pie crusts.  So away we go…

 Canned Chicken - the other White Meat

Ingredients:

• 1 16 Ounce jar of Salsa
• 1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 Cup Sour Cream
• 2 Cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 2 12 Ounce packages of frozen, whole kernel Corn*
• 2 12.5 Ounce cans of Swanson’s premium white chunk Chicken, drained
• 1 15 Ounce can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 Package about 14 ounces) refrigerated Pie Crusts, at room temperature

Source: Campbell’s Kitchen

My deviations:

*I only used one package of Corn, and substituted one whole white Onion for the other bag.

Preparation:

            Start by pre-heating your oven to 400 degrees.  Next stir the Salsa, Cheese, Corn, Chicken, and Beans in a large bowl.  Transfer the mixture to a 3 quart baking dish. 

            Now unfold the Pie Crusts onto a lightly floured surface.  Lay the Crusts side-by-side, with an overlap of about 3 inches at the center.  Press the seam to seal them.  Next roll the Crusts into a 14x10 inch rectangle.  Place the Crust over the baking dish and trim any excess crust.  Press the Crust to the rim of the baking dish to seal it and finish by cutting several slits on the Crust.

 So mine's not the prettiest  :)

            Bake the casserole for 40 minutes, until the Crust is golden brown.

And the final result -  delicious.  I was more than impressed with this dish.  I loved the simplicity of the recipe and it froze quite well.   Try this and you will not be disappointed!!

Beef and Mushroom Stew

Have I told you how much I love beef?  Yes?  Well I’m gonna do it again, just in case you’ve forgotten.  I LOVE beef.  This is a gorgeous recipe and it tastes heavenly too!  I am continuing down my path to finding a new love for mushrooms and in this dish I believe I’ve found my nirvana.

Ingredients:

• 2 Pounds Sirloin, cut into cubes
• 4 Tablespoons Flour
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 Large Shallots, minced (the original recipe called for only 2)
• 4-5 Cloves of Garlic (the original recipe called for 3, but I bumped that # up)
• 8 Ounces Cremini or White Button Mushrooms, I recommend at least halving them
• ½ Cup Red Wine
• ½ Can Beef Consomme
• 2 Sprigs fresh Thyme
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Pasta, cooked and drained

Source: www.thepioneerwoman.com

Preparation:

            First add 2 Tablespoons of Flour to the Sirloin cubes and toss to coat.  Next melt the Butter and Olive Oil in a large pot or skillet.  Add the meat in batches and sear, removing them to a plate when browned.  Now add the Shallots and Garlic to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes over medium-low heat.  Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 2 minutes. 

            Add the Consomme and Wine and ½ can of Water using the Consomme can.  Add Salt and Pepper and taste, adding more if necessary.  Bring the mixture to a boil and add back the Sirloin cubes.  Reduce the skillet heat to low and add the Thyme sprigs.

Cover the skillet and simmer for 30-45 minutes.  After cooking that amount of time, mix the remaining 2 Tablespoons of Flour with a little water and add it to the stew.  Stir and allow the stew to cook and thicken for another 10 minutes.  Remove the skillet from the heat and let the stew rest for 15-20 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to deepen.

OMG, I love this stew.  I can’t say one bad thing about it.  It is absolutely glorious.  I chose to serve mine with wide egg noodles and it was totally worth it.  Plus, this freezes and reheats quite well.  Do not miss out on this oh-so-yummy meal!

E-Dog's Buffalo Chicken Soup

I don’t typically get requests.  Aquaman is pretty much content to act as my recipe guinea pig – something I am eternally grateful for.  So I was a little nervous, but mostly honored when Aquaman’s brother, know known as E-Dog, called and asked that I make him Buffalo Chicken Soup.  Soup, what?!?  I mean, I’m sure a lot of us have had the dip, but not the soup.  Okay, okay, this being my first request I was super excited, the only down side, I’m no expert in Buffalo Chicken.  I love wings, but I don’t believe I’ve ever had a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. 

So where to begin?  Well, my co-worker, Mrs. F, and I looked at several recipes – I had no idea there were other crazy people that had already attempted this soup, goes to show what I know!  We got some really good ideas, but I decided I didn’t want to follow just one recipe, rather combine the best from all of them.  So here’s my take on Buffalo Chicken Soup…

Ingredients:

• 1 large Onion, chopped
• 2 large Carrots, chopped,
• 3 Celery Stalks, chopped
• 3 small Red Potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
• ¼ Cup Butter
• ¼ Cup Flour
• 2 ½ Cups Chicken Broth
• 2 ½ Cups Milk
• 2 Cups Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
• ½ Cup Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce
• 2 Ounces Velveeta Cheese, cubed
• 2 Ounces Cream Cheese
• ½ Packet Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning
• ½ Teaspoon Cayenne
• ½ Teaspoon Celery Salt
• ½ Teaspoon Garlic Salt

Preparation:

            First, bring a small pot of salted water to boil and add the Potatoes to it.  Cook them until just about fork tender, drain and set aside.

            Go ahead and mix the 2 ounces of cream cheese with ½ of the Ranch Seasoning packet and set aside for later.

            Next, in a large skillet sauté the Onion, Carrots, and Celery with the butter until soft.   

                 Now stir in the Flour and stir to create your roux.  Once mixed thoroughly, add the Milk and Chicken Broth.  Stir to combine.  Add the Velveeta, Cream Cheese, Potatoes, Rotisserie Chicken, Cayenne, Celery Salt, Garlic Salt and Wing Sauce.   Why Rotisserie Chicken?  One part of me loves the convenience of it, while the other loves the texture and juiciness!

                Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Continue to cook until everything is heated through and the Velveeta is melted, about 8-10 minutes.  Taste and adjust ingredients to your liking.

                I have to say, this turned out better than I would have thought.  Sometimes I surprise even myself!  It was warm, tangy and very hearty.  I just hope E-Dog likes it as much as Aquaman and I did!  In the future I think I might serve this with some celery sticks as garnish and if I'm feeling risky, maybe a swirl of ranch dressing on top!

Beef Stroganoff

What’s for dinner?  Beef!  I have to admit that in attempting this recipe I was a little nervous.  I have a bias against sweet meat.  Strange, I know, but I feel meat should taste like meat.  Baby steps, people, baby steps.  I’ve had almost 30 years to refine my culinary prejudices, I’m working on it!

Anyway, back to the recipe.  It calls for nutmeg, a spice I generally associate with desserts and Christmas.  I wasn’t sure exactly how I felt about combining it beef.  I was more than pleasantly surprised.  This dish is fantastic!  It’s hearty and filling, perfect for a cold winter night. 

Ingredients:

• 6 Tablespoons Butter (we’re off to a great start!)
• 1 Pound Top Sirloin, cut into thin 1-inch wide strips
• 1/3 Cup chopped Shallots
• ½ Pound Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
• 1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg
• ½ Teaspoon of dry Tarragon or 2 Teaspoons of chopped, fresh Tarragon
• 1 Cup of Sour Cream at room temperature
• Salt and Pepper to taste

 I just love beef!

 So pretty

Preparation:

            In a large skillet, melt 3 Tablespoons of the Butter over medium heat.  Increase the heat to medium-high or high and add the Beef strips.  Cook the Beef quickly, making sure the heat is high enough to brown the Beef, but not burn the Butter.  I found it easiest to divide the Beef into 2 batches.  While it’s cooking, sprinkle with the Salt and Pepper.  Once browned, remove the Beef to a bowl and set aside.

            In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped Shallots.  Cook them for 1-2 minutes and then remove them to the same bowl as the Beef.

            Next add the remaining 3 Tablespoons of Butter and melt.  Increase the heat again to medium-high and add the mushrooms.  Cook them, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.  While cooking sprinkle the ‘shrooms with the Nutmeg and the Tarragon.

            Reduce the heat to low and add the Sour Cream to the Mushrooms.  Mix the Sour Cream and Mushrooms thoroughly.  Be sure not to let the Sour Cream come to a boil as it will curdle – Gross!  Once mixed, add back in the Beef and the Shallots.  Stir to combine the mixture, taste, and add more Salt and Pepper if needed.

            I chose to serve this delicious dish over egg noodles, but potatoes or rice might be great substitutions if you prefer.

            So, so good!  Added bonus – this dish freezes very, very well, which is always a good thing!

           And, the rarest and most favorite part of the entire night - a clean kitchen!  The cleaning elves really do love me and I must say, did a fantastic job!  Thanks guys!

Lemon and Shrimp Scampi Pasta

So, personally I’m not big on seafood, something that has irked Aquaman for years.  He has literally made me try just about every fish, crab and lobster known to man, to no avail.  At this point the only seafood I touch is shrimp and sushi (odd I know that I’ll eat raw fish, but not cooked).  Part of my mission in maintaining this blog is to broaden my own culinary tastes, so stay tuned, I may find the bravery to attempt seafood other than shrimp.

 Look how pretty those are!

I love, love, love this dish.  It reminds me of the Scampi Damian from Carrabba’s, which incidentally is unavailable in land-locked Indiana.  This recipe is a wonderful blend of the tartness of the lemon, the heat from the red pepper flakes and the pungent flavor of garlic.  I want it, want it, want it and so will you!!

Ingredients:

• 6 Cloves of Garlic, pressed or grated
• 2 Lemons, juiced and zested
• 5 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• ¾ Pound Medium Shrimp (21-25), peeled, deveined and butterflied (Reserve the shells)
• ¼ Onion, thickly chopped
• ¾ Pound Linguine
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 small bunch of Parsley, chopped

Source: www.foodnetwork.com

Preparation:

            In a bowl, combine the Garlic, Olive Oil, Red Pepper Flakes, zest and juice of 1 Lemon and Salt and Pepper to taste.  Mix the ingredients and add the peeled, deveined and butterflied Shrimp, stir to coat and set aside.  **I would recommend stirring these occasionally to make sure all the Shrimp have their fair share in the marinade. 

            Next make your shrimp stock.  In a pot, over medium heat, add the Shrimp Shells and Onion.  Cover them with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.  Strain the pot into a bowl and throw out the Shrimp Shells and Onion.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add the Linguine and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes less than package instructions.  Drain the Linguine and reserve ½ Cup of the cooking water.

            Now, heat a large skillet over high heat.  Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and begin to caramelize, just about 3 minutes.  Remove the shrimp form the skillet to a plate and add the remaining marinade to the pan.  

Let the marinade cook for a few minutes and then add the reserved 1 Cup of Shrimp stock and the ½ Cup reserved Pasta water.  Continue to cook until the sauce reduces by half.  Add the zest and juice of the remaining Lemon, the Butter and the Parsley and stir to combine.  Taste and add Salt and Pepper as desired.  Add back in the Shrimp and Linguine and toss to combine.  Plate and serve immediately.

            This dish is just divine!  It combines some of my most favorite things and takes less than 30 minutes start to finish.  That makes me one very happy gal!

            By the way, I recently purchased a new kitchen tool that I highly recommend.  Did you get that?  I highly, highly recommend a garlic press.  It saves immeasurable amounts of time if you're a garlic fan and use it regularly.  

 One of the best gadgets ever!

Crunchy Onion Chicken and Creamy 3 Cheese Pasta

I made both of these recipes on a whim.  French’s Fried Onions seem to be a staple in our pantry and I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate them into different dishes.  The creamy 3 cheese pasta just sounded delicious, so away I went…

Crunchy Onion Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups French’s Fried Onions
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 4 boneless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Egg, beaten

Source: www.frenchsfoods.com

Preparation:

            First pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.  Next place the Fried Onions and Flour in a plastic bag and crush the heck out of them.  I generally use a heavy can, but you can pick your own weapon.   

            Now dip each Chicken Breast in the beaten Egg and then in the Fried Onion & Flour crumbs.  Arrange the Chicken Breasts on a baking sheet and bake for just about 20 minutes.

            These are delicious and so, so simple!  I can’t tell you how they freeze as it was Aquaman’s job to put these away, but he somehow forgot.  Still I can’t really be mad; I think it hurt his feelings even more than mine.

Creamy 3 Cheese Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 10 ¾ Ounce can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 8 ounce package of shredded 2-Cheese blend, about 2 Cups
• 1/3 Cup grated Parmesan
• 1 Cup Milk
• ¼ Teaspoon ground, black Pepper
• 3 Cups Rotini Pasta, cooked and drained

Source: www.campbellskitchen.com

Preparation:

First pre heat your oven to 400 degrees.  Next stir the Soup, all Cheeses, Milk and Pepper in a large bowl.  Add the cooked, drained Pasta and mix thoroughly.   

Pour the mixture into a 1 ½ quart casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes, until hot, creamy and bubbly.

Together these two are an absolute master piece!  I highly recommend you add these to your recipe collection.  Both use few ingredients, have almost no prep time and are on the table in under 30 minutes!  What could be better?

 A close up of the star of the show!

Cheesy Goodness!

Spaghetti and Meatballs, Oh My!

Who doesn’t love Spaghetti and Meatballs?  This recipe is simple, cost-effective, ready in under an hour and freezes great!  I delight in Spaghetti of all kinds, but there’s just something so charming about homemade meatballs – maybe I watched Lady and the Tramp one too many times…

Ingredients:

• ¼ Cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
• ¼ Cup chopped, fresh Parsley - I prefer Italian parsley, I think it's just much easier to chop
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 large Egg
• 1 Pound Ground Beef
• ¼ Cup Dried Breadcrumbs
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 28 Ounce can of Crushed Tomatoes in puree
• ¾ Pound Spaghetti
• Course Salt and Pepper

Source: MarthaStewart.com

 Please ignore the bananas, they just wanted some camera action too!

Preparation:

            First, bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the Parmesan, Parsley, Garlic, Egg, and 1 Teaspoon each of Salt and Pepper.  Next add the Ground Beef and Breadcrumbs (I typically used Italian-style Breadcrumbs).  The easiest way to mix all the ingredients is by hand – never be afraid to get a little dirty, it makes the meal that much sweeter.  I will give one caution - this is a very good time to remove any rings you’re wearing!

            Once the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, grab a baking sheet and line with foil.  It’s time to form the meatballs.  This recipe should make about 16.  I’ve made this dish several times, it’s one of Aquaman’s favorites, and I never “measure” the meatballs.  I just start forming and have always somehow ended up with exactly 16 Meatballs.

            Now in a 5 quart Dutch oven or large, heavy pot, heat the Olive Oil over medium heat.  Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally to brown all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Next add the Tomatoes in puree and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cover partially, cook and stir occasionally until the meatballs are cooked through, just about 10-12 minutes.

            Add the Spaghetti to the pot of salted, boiling water and cook until al dente.  Drain the Spaghetti and add to the Dutch oven with the Meatballs and Sauce.  Toss gently to coat the Spaghetti and you’re done!  Plate the Spaghetti and Meatballs and add a sprinkle of Parmesan for presentation.

**A few side notes, I normally do add a few shakes of Italian seasoning to the sauce for a little added va va voom. This time I also decided to add 1 large onion and 1 green pepper to the sauce at the same time I added the Tomatoes in puree.  And please, please, please, don’t forget the garlic bread.  It would be like having Batman, but no Robin!

Say hello to my little friend!

 A close-up of Italian Parsley - yum!