Chicken and Stew with Biscuits

Ingredients:

1/2 a roasted chicken 

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

5 Cups of Chicken Stock (5 cups of water and 3 chicken bouillon cubes)

3/4 Cup of butter

2 Cups of chopped onions

3/4 Cup of flour

1/4 Cup of Cream

2 Cups of diced carrots

2 Cups of diced broccoli

1 teaspoon of parsley

Biscuit Ingredients:

2 Cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 Cup of butter

3/4 Cup of half cream, half milk

1 teaspoon of parsley

1 egg mixed with 1 Tablespoon of water for egg wash

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees (180 C).  Place a whole chicken on a sheet pan.  Cut all the way through the breast bone from bottom to top and open your chicken so you can lay it flat.  Lay the chicken breast side up on your baking pan.  Rub the chicken with olive oil.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Roast your chicken for 40-45 minutes, or until cooked through.  Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin.  Cut the chicken into medium size dices.  You will use half of this chicken in this recipe. Put the other half in the fridge or freezer for later use. 

In a small saucepan, heat the water and add the bouillon cubes.  Stir until the bouillon cubes are dissolved.  

In a large pot, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes.  Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce.  Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring until thick.  Add salt (taste your mixture first before you add salt to taste), 1/2 teaspoon pepper and heavy cream. Add the chicken, carrots, broccoli and parsley.  Mix well.  Place the stew in a creased baking dish.  Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, make the biscuits.  Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or you can do this by hand if you don't have a mixer). Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas.  Add the milk/cream mixture and combine on low speed. Mix in the parsley.  Dump the dough on a well-floured surface and roll it out to 3/8 inch thick.  Cut out twelve circles with a round cookie cutter (or the top of a cup).  

Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling.  Brush them with egg wash and return the dish to the oven.  Bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the biscuits are light brown and the stew is bubbly.  

Note:  To make in advance, refrigerate the chicken stew and biscuits separately.  Bake the stew for 25 minutes and then place the biscuits on top and bake for another 30 minutes, until done. 

Recipe Credit:  Adapted from Ina Garten's Chicken and Stew with Biscuits - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-stew-with-biscuits-recipe.html

Watermelon Pico De Gallo

Ingredients:

1 small watermelon

1 onion, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped

Juice of 2 limes

1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste

Karia Pepper (optional) - if you want it to have a kick

Cut the watermelon into small pieces.  Add the onion, bell peppers and the karia (optional).  Throw in the cilantro.  Add the lime juice and salt.  Toss the pico de gallo around gently and give it a taste.  Add ore of any ingredients you think it needs.  Serve as a snack with chips (I used tortilla chips from the NGO Bazaar) or you can use it as a garnish for Mexican food.

Recipe Credit:  The Pioneer Woman Cooks - A Year of Holidays - pg. 134

Watermelon Pop's

This is a quick, easy & healthy snack for the kids!  I also like disguising fruit and veggies in Popsicle form because my kids think anything in the form of a Popsicle is delicious!!

Cut up a watermelon & remove the seeds.  Stick the watermelon in the blender and blend until smooth.  Pour it into Popsicle molds and freeze.

Savory Meatballs

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Onions - thinly sliced

1/4 Cup of water plus the juice of one lemon

1/2 teaspoon of Salt

1/4 teaspoon of Pepper

1 teaspoon Thyme

1 1/2 Cups of Chicken Stock (water & one chicken bouillon cube)

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 Cup - half milk/half cream

1 batch of Meatballs

In a large skillet heat the olive oil and add the onions.  Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.  Add the water and lemon juice.  Let it cook for 2 minutes.  Add the salt, pepper, thyme, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce and the milk/cream.  Bring to a low simmer and drop in the meatballs.  Let it cook for 10 minutes, coating and warming the meatballs.  Serve over rice or couscous. 

I like to make this ahead of time and put it in the fridge.  After it has cooked, I put it in a baking dish and stick it in the fridge.  When I'm ready to warm it up, I stick in in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes. 

Recipe Credit:  http://foodlets.com/2014/12/17/easy-meatballs-stroganoff-a-simpler-version-of-a-classic/

Pioneer Woman's Egg Salad

This is the second Egg Salad that I've posted on my blog.  This Potato Salad is a little bit richer & less healthy than than my other potato salad, but this one sure does taste good!

Ingredients:

1 dozen hard boiled eggs, peeled

1/2 Cup of Mayonnaise

1 to 2 Tablespoons of Dijon Mustard

1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of White Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to Taste

The Pioneer Woman give a very easy trick on how to dice up the hard boiled eggs.  Lay a cooling rack over a large bowl, then lay one of the peeled eggs on top.  Use your hand to squish the egg right through the rack.  If you don't have a cooling rack, just dice up the eggs with a knife.

Once you have all of your eggs chopped, add the mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Stir the mixture gently until it all comes together, then taste and adjust the ingredients to your taste.  Sere a scoop on a salad bed of greens, on bread for a sandwich or you can eat it on crackers or chips.  Delicious!

Recipe Credit:  The Pioneer Woman Cooks - A Year of Holiday's - Page 119

Caramelized Baked Chicken

Ingredients:

One whole chicken, cut into pieces

3/4 Cup of honey

1/2 Cup of Soy Sauce

1/4 Cup of Ketchup

2-3 Cloves of minced garlic

Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (180 C).  Place the chicken legs in a foil-lined baking dish.  The foil just makes the clean up easier, it is not essential.  Lay the chicken pieces out and give them a good sprinkling of salt and pepper on both sides.  In a bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce and the ketchup.  Stir well and then add the minced garlic and stir again.  If the mixture does not combine well, microwave it for 30 seconds and then stir again.  Pour the honey mixture over the chicken.  

Put the pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.  Take the chicken out of the oven and rotate it so that the bottom that was in the sauce is now on top out of the sauce.  Put the chicken back in the oven.  Raise the heat to 425 and bake until the sauce is bubbly and starts to caramelize on the chicken.  This should take about 15 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the oven and let it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Credit:   http://www.blessthismessplease.com/2012/11/chicken-legs.html

Potato Skins

This is a comfort food for me !!  It's fairly easy & reminds me of appetizers at restaurants in the States.  We make it as a dinner meal around our house.

Ingredients:

8 potatoes, scrubbed clean

4 Tablespoons of oil

Salt to Taste

2 Tablespoons of Butter, melted

1 1/2 Cups of Cheese (I like to use Mama's Cheddar when I can get it, otherwise I use provolone)

8 slices (or more) of bacon, fried and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the whole potatoes on a cookie sheet and brush them with a good coating of oil.  Sprinkle them with salt & bake them for 35 to 45 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the skin is starting to crisp. 

When the potatoes are done, slice them potato in half lengthwise.  Then use a spoon to scoop out the middle of each potato - making sure to leave a rim around the edge of each half.  Scoop out the insides.  You can store them in a plastic container in the fridge for another use (like potato salad??).  Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees.  Brush the skins on the inside with the melted butter, then put them back in the oven for 3 minutes.  After that, use tongs to turn the skins to the other side.  Brush that side with more butter and return the skins to the oven until crisp, 3-4 minutes.  Remove them from the oven.  Fill the skins with a small amount of cheese and place them in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese.  Sprinkle on the bacon and onions.  Serve immediately!  Enjoy!

Recipe Credit - The Pioneer Woman Cooks - A Year of Holiday's -  Page 36

Hummus - Our new favorite hummus recipe

My husband found this recipe online & I don't know what website he found it on so I don't know the recipe credit.  This has become our new favorite "Go To" hummus recipe!  It's great for snacks, for an all veggie/hummus dinner, etc.  

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Tahini

1/2 Cup Lemon Juice

2 cloves of Garlic (chopped)

4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 teaspoon Salt

 2 Cans of Chickpeas (Garbonza Beans)

Optional - 1/2 teaspoon Chipotle Chili Powder (if you like a kick to your hummus)

Add the tahini and lemon juice to the food processor (or blender) and power for 1 minute.  Add the minced garlic cloves, olive oil, cumin and salt to the mixture and process this for about one minute.  Scrape the sides and then process it for another minute.  Drain the chickpeas, then add half of them (1 can) to the processor and mix it for 1 minute.  Scrape the sides and then add the second can of drained chickpeas.  Process the mixture for 2 minutes.  Scrape the bowl and add 6 Tablespoons of water while the mixture is running.  Add the chipotle chili powder (if you want a kick) and mix it for 1 more minute.  

Stick it in a container or put it on a plate or bowl with a little olive oil drizzled on top.  

This makes a lot & it is great for a quick healthy snack!

Caramel Apple Sweet Rolls

These rolls take a bit of time to make, but it is time well spent!  YUM !!  I tried these out because I wanted something similar to cinnamon rolls but without the big cinnamon taste (my oldest child is not a big fan of cinnamon).  These definitely hit the spot & my entire family loved them!

Ingredients:

1/2 Batch of this Basic Dough

FILLING:

4 Apples

1/2 Cup of Butter

1 Cup of Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup of Cream

1 teaspoon cinnamon

CARAMEL ICING:

1/2 Cup of Butter

1 Cup of Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup of Cream

2 Cups of sifted powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

First make the caramel apple filling.  Dice the apple finely.  Put it in a skillet and cook them over medium-high heat.  Stir them around as they cook.  After 3-4 minutes, when they are nice and golden brown, remove them and put them aside on a plate. 

Throw 1/2 Cup of butter and the brown sugar into the same skillet and stir it around until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved.  Pour in the cream.  Then stir it around and let it bubble up and thicken for about a minute. 

Turn the heat down to low and then add the apples back to the skillet and sprinkle on the cinnamon.  Stir the mixture and let it thicken for another 1-2 minutes.  Then spoon it into a bowl to cool.  When you're ready to make the rolls, preheat the oven to 375 and roll out the basic dough (I use this recipe) in a rectangle about 10x30 inches.   

Spoon the caramel apples over the dough and use your fingers to spread them evenly over the surface.   Roll the dough toward you into a nice, tight roll.  Pinch the seam when you get to the end.  Turn the seam over so that it's face down against the counter top.  Slice the dough into rolls 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.

Grease 2 cake pans with butter or oil.  Place half of the rolls in one pan and the other half in the other pan.  Set them aside to rise in a warm place for 20-25 minutes.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until they are nice and golden brown.

 

While the rolls are baking, make the caramel icing:  Melt a stick of butter ina  suacepan over medium heat.  Add the brown sugar.  Let it melt, then whisk in the cream. Cook for 2 minutes whisking constantly, then remove from the heat.  Stir in the powdered sugar and salt and stir until you have a smooth icing.

 Remove the rolls from the oven and immediately spoon a good amount of icing over the top.  Use a knife to spread it evenly over the top of the rolls.

Recipe Credit:  The Pioneer Woman Cooks:  A Year of Holiday's

Creamy Lemon Dip

This is my new favorite fruit dip !!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of fresh lemon (or Ethiopian lime) juice

1/4 cup of honey

1 cup of plain yogurt

Lemon Zest for Garnish

Combine the lemon juice and honey in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.  After it has cooled, whisk in the yogurt.  Garnish with lemon zest.  Serve with your favorite fruit.

Recipe Credit:  www.100daysofrealfood.com

Chicken Pot Pie

This is the first time I've ever made a chicken pot pie - mainly because I've never eaten a Chicken Pot Pie that I really loved.  I decided to give this one a try though & it was a winner.  My husband took one bite and said, "This is REALLY good," so I'll definitely be making this again.  It is pretty time consuming, so you either need to prepare parts of it in advance or make a double batch all at one time so it's worth your time.

Start by boiling one chicken & then cut it up into bite size pieces.  Save the broth.

Ingredients:

3 large celery stalks - I used about 8 small stalks

3 medium carrots

1 large onion

1/2 cup of broccoli

4 Tablespoons of butter

2 Cups of cooked chicken - cut into bite size pieces

1/4 cup of flour

2 Cups of chicken broth (the broth you saved when you boiled the chicken)

2 bouillon cubes

1 Cup of cream

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon of salt

black pepper to taste

1/2 recipe of Pioneer Woman's Pie Crust

Begin by finely dicing the celery, carrots, onion and broccoli.   Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrots, celery and broccoli.  Saute until the vegetables start to turn translucent, this will take a couple of minutes.  Add the chicken and stir to combine.  Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and chicken and stir to combine.  Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring gently.  Pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly.  Add the bouillon cubes.  Pour in the cream and stir.  Allow the mixture to cook over low heat, thickening gradually, about 4 minutes.  Season with the thyme, salt and pepper.  Remove from the heat. 

 Pour the chicken and vegetable mixture into a deep pie pan or a small casserole dish.

Roll out the crust so that it's one inch larger than the pan.  Place the crust on top of the 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.  I put foil under the pie while it was cooking because mine started to boil over a bit.  

Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Credit:  The Pioneer Woman Cooks - pg 126

Pioneer Woman's Pie Crust

I am intrigued by this pie crust - mainly because you can make it ahead of time and freeze it so that it's ready to go when you want to make a pie.  I've only used it once - for chicken pot pie (and it was delicious), but I plan on trying it with a pie soon.  

Ingredients:

3 Cups of flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 Cups of margarine

1 egg

5 Tablespoons of cold water

1 Tablespoon of White Vinegar

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Add in the margarine.  Use a fork to work the margarine into the flour until the mixture resembles tiny pebbles.  This step should take 3-4 minutes.  Lightly beat the egg with a fork & then add it to the mixture.  Next add in the cold water and the vinegar.  Stir the mixture together until it's just combined, then remove half of the dough from the bowl.  If you want to use it immediately, roll it out and place it in your pie pan. Repeat this step for the top layer of your pie.  If you want it for a later date, place it in a large plastic bag & slightly flatten it with a rolling pin.  This makes it easier to roll it out after it's frozen.  Place it in the freezer and repeat with the other half of the dough.

Recipe Credit - The Pioneer Woman

Valentines Day Week

It's always fun to make Heart Shaped food for Valentines Day Week.  This week we've had:

 Heart Shaped Pizzas for our Monday night Movie Night

 

 Heart Shaped Pie Crust.  I just made a two layered crust & cut heart shapes in the top crust and laid them on the pie in a circle with one big heart in the middle.

Mummy Dogs

These make a fun Halloween Treat, but my kids love them so much that

we make them all year round.

Ingredients:

16 hot dogs

1/2 batch of this basic dough

1 egg

Mustard, for serving

Preheat the oven to 375. Unwrap the hot dogs and have them ready on a plate.  Roll out the dough very thin, then use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut skinny strips of dough.

Holding the hot dog in one hand, use your other hand to begin wrapping it in one of the strips of dough.  Leave a little bit of open space around the "face" of the mummy.  Tuck the end piece underneath the mummy dog.  Repeat with all the hot dogs & lay them on a greased baking sheet.

Make a glaze by cracking an egg into a small bowl.  Whisk in 1 Tablespoon of water.  Lightly brush the glaze all over the top of each mummy dog. Bake them for 18-20 minutes, until the dough is nice and golden brown. 

Before serving, dot the mummy dogs with little mustard "eyes."  If you are making this for Halloween, serve them on a black platter or iron griddle.

Recipe Credit:  The Pioneer Woman Cooks - A Year of Holiday's

Basic Dough

This dough is amazing !  You can use it for all sorts of things . . . cinnamon rolls, mummy dogs, hot cross buns, etc.

Ingredients:

4 Cups of Milk

1 Cup of oil

1 Cup of Sugar

9 Cups of Flour

4 1/2 teaspoons of yeast

1 teaspoon of baking powder (High Altitude - 1/2 scant teaspoon of baking powder)

1 scant teaspoon of baking soda (High Altitude - 1/2 scant teaspoon  of baking soda)

1 tablespoon salt

Combine the milk and oil in a large pot.  Add the sugar and stir it around.  Heat it almost to a boil and then turn off the heat.  Let the mixture cool until it's warm.  Add 8 Cups of flour along with the yeast.  Stir it around until it is combined.  It will be sticky.  Cover the mixture with the lid of the pot or a dish towel and let it sit for an hour or so (I usually set it inside my oven - with the oven turned off - just to help it rise).  After it has risen, sprinkle in the remaining cup of flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir gently to combine or use your hands to knead it until it is combined.  Now you can roll the dough out on a floured surface and use it for whatever you are using the dough for today.  I find that if I roll the dough out on a piece of foil or parchment paper it makes my clean up a LOT easier.

Recipe Credit:  The Pioneer Woman Cooks - A Year of Holidays pg. 89

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

I have fallen in love with Mama's Cheddar Cheese.  It's hard to find, but when I find it I grab it up.  It's sooooo good.  It's really more velveeta like, but it is oh so good!

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup of butter

1 large onion, diced

1/3 Cups of flour

5 Cups of Milk

1 Cup of Cream

Salt and Pepper

1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

4 Cups of broccoli, cut into florets

1/2 Cup of chicken broth

3 Cups of Mama's Cheddar Cheese

Small round (kib) bread loaves for bowls (if you want to serve it in a bread bowl)

In a large pot, melt the butter and sautee the onions for 3-4 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour on top and whisk it around until it is combined.  Add the milk and cream and whisk it constantly until it is combined.  Sprinkle in the salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Add the broccoli florets.  Stir the soup well and then cover the pot, reduce the heat and simmer the soup until it is thickened and the broccoli is tender, 20-25 minutes.  Stir in the chicken broth & then throw in the cheese.  Stir it until the cheese is melted.  Add salt to taste.

Garnish with Avacado, Tomato, Cheese, Chips, etc.

If you want  to make a bread bowl, cut a circle at an angle out of the top of the round bread.  Remove the lid.  Press the remaining bread down on the bottom and around the sides & then it will be ready to fill with your favorite soup.

Recipe Credit:  Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks - A Year of Holiday's