Chicken Fettuccine Bake

 My Christmas vacation so far has been pretty low key... I mean, REALLY low key.  Hubby has been working, kiddos aren't home, and my wheels were taken out in a sleigh before Christmas NOT driven by Santa.  I've been stuck.  I keep refreshing Pinterest, looking to see who has pinned what, but have had no groceries to do anything, which led to little motivation once hubby got home from work.  This afternoon when he got home, I mustered the energy, got my list together from all of the things that made me salivate on Pinterest, and set out for the grocery store to fill up mama's cupboards.

I found this recipe and thought it would be a good meal to have for dinner.  My husband's response after the first bite "Very yummy!  Make this again!"

• 2 chicken breasts 
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil 
• 1 Tbsp. butter 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• Salt 
• Pepper
  
• ½ lb. of fettuccine, boiled to al dente and drained
• 2 cups of broccoli
  
• 6 Tbsp. butter 
• 3 Tbsp. flour 
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth 
• ½ cup milk 
• ½ cup grated parmesan
  
• 2 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled 
• 3 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese for topping

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking dish; square 8x8 or oval dish, with cooking spray.
   
2. Have bacon diced and cooked until crispy and set aside.
   
3. Dice up chicken breasts and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
4. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter. 
5. Add diced chicken and cook thoroughly. 
6. When almost cooked through, add the minced garlic and cook for another minute or two. 
7. Place chicken in a bowl, leaving as much of whatever liquid is left in the skillet, and set aside
   
8. Meanwhile, boil pasta in salted water as directed. 
9. About 4 minutes before pasta is done, add broccoli. 
10. Drain pasta and broccoli and set aside.
     
11. In the skillet with the liquid, melt the butter over medium heat. 
12. Stir in flour. 
13. Gradually stir in broth, heating to a boil, stirring constantly; remove from heat. 
14. Stir in milk and ½ cup grated parmesan cheese. 
15. Add chicken and bacon. 
16. Add pasta to chicken mixture; toss gently to mix well.
    
17. Spoon everything into the baking dish. 
18. Sprinkle with 3 Tbsp. of parmesan cheese. 
19. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until hot in the center. 

Adapted from a Dash of Sanity blog 

Cream Puffs

   

Merry Christmas 2013!
Feast of Christmas Eve this year was low key -- just the four of us.  But it was still a great day, as the kids leisurely opened up their gifts mid-morning, followed by a slow afternoon puttering around.  By the middle of the afternoon, Catherine and I began working on the meal.  While I put this year's Beast in the oven, we made the mashed potatoes and got dessert started.  The inspiration from dessert came from the interwebz -- and of course I can't remember if was Pinterest or one of the new Facebook pages I began following that posts "incredible" recipes daily.  Whichever site led me to the recipe, I was intrigued when I saw this, especially since it seemed rather simple for something I had always assumed was complicated and intricate to make.  The only hard part was trying to bake one cookie sheet at a time while the Beast was cooking.  Other than that, I found it pretty simple... and finger-poppin' good -- at least the small ones!  The larger ones contain oh-so-much-more goodness, but just be forewarned, the cream filling tends to splat out as you bite into it, leading to suggestive jokes and endless laughter.

• 1 stick of butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding (3.4 oz each)
• 1⅓ cup cold whole milk
  (NOTE:  Do NOT follow the pudding box directions.  The amount of milk in this recipe is LESS than a box of pudding calls for) 
• 8 oz. sour cream
• Powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Cream Puffs:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Melt stick of butter and water to a rolling boil
3. Stir in flour and stir vigorously over low heat until mixture leaves the pan (comes off the sides) and is in a ball (about 1 minute)
4. Remove from heat and cool for a couple of minutes
5. Beat in eggs (one at a time) with a mixer
6. Beat mixture until smooth and velvety
7. Drop by spoonfuls (walnut sized) onto ungreased cookie sheet (I used a small scoop and a large scoop for two different sizes of cream puffs)
8. Bake until DRY, 20-25 minutes
   (maybe longer -- one of my batches took longer than 30 minutes)
9. Allow to cool

Filling:

1. Mix instant vanilla pudding with whole milk until the pudding is dissolved
2. Add sour cream until thick
3. Put mixture in the refrigerator (at least an hour)
4. Add the pudding mixture into a piping bag
5. Using a piping tip, insert the tip into the side of one of the puffs and squeeze enough filling until it just comes out of the puff (be sure not to overfill the cream puff – you will feel the cream puff slightly expand as it fills)
   (An alternative if you do not have a piping bag and tip -- Slice the cream puffs in half and fill with the chilled pudding mixture)
6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar

Adapted from Real Housewives Blog

Firehouse Chili

It's a snowy, snowy night and we were supposed to go to a holiday party.  Hearing the news making it sound like snowmageddon, we decided it was best to stay home; however, not having been prepared to stay home (and no desire to go out to the grocery stores along with the rest of the State of Massachusetts), I took to pinterest and found this recipe that used things I actually had in the cupboard and the freezer.  Served along with some casserole elbow macaroni, it proved to be a fabulous comfort food kind of dinner for a bitterly cold, snowy night.  Oh yeah, and spice-ay!  YUM!

• 1 onions, chopped
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 3 cloves mined garlic
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 3 hot Italian sausages
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 can diced tomatoes (plain)
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 oz. chili seasoning mix (see recipe below)
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1 can yellow corn (or ½ bag of frozen yellow corn)
• Water, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. Sauté onions in dutch oven in butter until translucent.
2. Add garlic and sauté for one more minute.
3. Remove all but about ½ cup from the sauté pan and reserve for later use.
4. In same dutch oven, brown the sausage and ground beef with the ½ cup of onions, salt, and pepper flakes.
5. Once browned, add in reserved sautéed onions, canned tomatoes, and chili seasoning.
6. Add kidney beans and corn.
7. Simmer for at least 1 hour.
8. If a thinner chili is desired, add water as needed.
9. Serve with casserole elbows, or tortilla chips, with some cheddar cheese sprinkled on top and enjoy!

Adapted from Doughmesstic.com blog

Chili Seasoning Mix

• ¼ cup flour
• 4 tsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 Tbsp. onion powder
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. white sugar
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. dried parsley
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, stir together flour, chili powder, red pepper, onion, garlic, sugar, cumin, parsley, salt, basil and pepper.
2. Store in an airtight container.
   
   Makes ¾ cup, but for the recipe above, use 3 oz.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Thanksgiving Turkey

Posting in advance for Throwback Thursday for a Throwback Thanksgiving.  I wrote this out two years ago for Thanksgiving 2011 but forgot to post it.  Since it's Thanksgiving week, I'll post it now even though I'm going to the birthplace of Thanksgiving this year -- Plymouth (Thank you Joe and Judy for hosting)!

• Turkey or turkey breast

Butter Mixture

• 2 sticks of butter, softened
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ tsp. kosher salt (+ a little more)
• ½ tsp. cracked or ground black pepper (+ a little more)
• ½ tsp. poultry seasoning
• ½ tsp. ground sage
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• Few shakes of rosemary (+ a little more)
• Chicken broth or turkey stock
• Fresh cut veggies for inside the bird (i.e., onion, carrots, celery)

Gravy

• ¼ cup fat from turkey pan drippings
• ¼ cup flour
• Turkey pan drippings
• Chicken broth or turkey stock, if desired
  (We did not use it, but if you want a thinner gravy, slowly add until you get your desired consistency)

Using my Kitchen Aid Mixer, I made a butter mixture with 2 softened sticks of butter, some olive oil (maybe ¼ cup... start slow and keep adding til creamy, but should not be drippy)... Add the kosher salt, cracked black pepper, some poultry seasoning, sage, some garlic powder, and then a few shakes of rosemary -- combine it all together.

Put turkey in a roasting pan, on a rack.

Slather all over the skin of the turkey (or turkey breast).  Also try to put some underneath the skin on both sides.

Add a little more kosher salt and cracked black pepper over the top of the skin (not mixed with butter) and sprinkle a little more rosemary.

Rough chop some onions, celery and/or carrots and stick in the cavity of the turkey.  This will just help add flavor not just to the turkey, but also to the gravy.

Pour enough chicken broth or turkey stock in the bottom of the roasting pan to cover the bottom of the pan.  Some of the butter mixture may have fallen off the turkey, but that's ok because it'll just make the gravy better.  Reserve the remaining broth to the side.

Cook about 20 minutes per pound at 325 degrees... have a meat thermometer (if it comes with a pop up timer, I wouldn’t trust that... use a thermometer).

During the cooking (maybe half way through), if you want, baste the top with some of the remaining chicken broth, you can.  If not, just put a little more at the bottom of the roasting pan.

Take out turkey when thermometer in the breast gets around 165 degrees.  It should cook longer once out of the oven and resting.

To make a gravy, my friend LaDawna made a delicious one – pour all of the pan drippings into a large measuring cup.  Take a ¼ cup of the fat (which rises to the top) and pour into a large pot over medium-high heat.  Whisk in ¼ cup of flour until a roux is formed.  Drain off the remaining fat from the pan drippings and discard.  Slowly add the remaining pan drippings, to the roux, whisking vigorously to avoid clumps.  If you want a thinner gravy, slowly add some chicken broth until you reach the desired consistency.  If there are clumps, you can strain the gravy before serving.

SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR -- HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Ohana Bread Pudding with Bananas Foster Sauce

Confession time... I have never really been a fan of bread pudding.  I love bread and I love "pudding", but it's just not a combination that seems to go hand-in-hand to me.  Kind of like chocolate covered pretzels.  I realized watching Catherine make this that it's kind of like French toast... ish.
So, when she wanted to make a bread pudding for a dessert, I figured I would humor her since she sounded like she would like it, but I wasn't convinced I would.  I also assumed half the draw to the recipe is that it was a Disney recipe and was called Ohana Bread -- because you know, "Ohana means family; family means nobody gets left behind... or forgotten" (our favorite line from Lilo & Stitch).
Well, let's just say Ohana Bread Pudding is now my favorite bread pudding, and I may actually have to admit that it's in my top 5 of desserts -- It is SOOOOOOOOOOO good!
And it helps to have a mushy sentiment behind it too as I prepare for my baby to go off to college in the next year... sniff, sniff, sniff.  I'll have to make Ohana Bread Pudding and cry into its heavenly goodness when she's off at college.  Ohana, baby ... Ohana!

• 5 eggs
• 3 cups whole milk
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• 1 ½ cup sugar
• 8 cups French bread
• Bananas Foster Topping (see below)

DIRECTIONS

1. In bowl mix eggs, milk, salt, sugar and nutmeg and set aside.
2. Cut bread in medium-sized cubes
3. Place on cookie sheet pan and bake in a 350 degree oven until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes.
4. Remove bread and place in bowl with the egg and milk mixture.
5. Place mixture in a greased 10-inch cake pan or rectangular pyrex pan.
6. Bake at 325 degree for 1 hour.

Bananas Foster Topping

• 1 cup butter
• 1 ½ cup brown sugar
• ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
• 3-5 bananas, sliced
• ¾ cup rum
• 1 ½ tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat.
2. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Add sliced bananas; toss gently to coat.
4. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until bananas are heated through.
5. Remove from direct heat, slowly and CAREFULLY add rum.  Once it has sizzled off, return back to low heat and it just simmers.
6. Add vanilla and stir gently to combine.

Serve over bread pudding with vanilla ice cream.

Adapted from:

Ohana Bread Pudding:  Best Recipe’s Magazine (Walt Disney World’s Polynesian Resort)

Bananas Foster Topping:  Recipe Snobs blog

Beef and Cheddar Casserole

Yesterday I took out some ground beef from the freezer thinking I'd make tacos, burritos or nachos.  But then thinking about how my poor husband had gone his third day with no lunch, and he's probably sick of me making taco meat, I put it in the fridge and made something else.  Since today was Day 4 of no lunch for my work warrior, I looked at things I had already pinned on Pinterst for something using the ground beef, but that didn't involve taco seasoning.  I had saved this from Food Network, and I have to say, I REALLY liked it.  I think I have found a new go-to comfort food recipe.

• Kosher salt
• 12 oz. wide egg noodles
• 1 ½ cups sour cream
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 lbs. ground beef
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 bunch scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• (1) 14 ½ oz. can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook to al dente according to the package directions.
4. Drain and put pasta in the prepared baking dish.
5. Toss with the sour cream, Parmesan and ¼ teaspoon salt.
6. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring, until no longer pink.
7. Add the red peppers and scallions and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
8. Make a space in the pan, add the tomato paste and toast for a minute.
9. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning and ¼ teaspoon salt.
10. Add the diced tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer.
11. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
12. Pour the beef mixture over the noodles and sprinkle with the shredded cheddar.
13. Bake on the middle rack until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling, about 15 minutes.
14. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Adapted from Food Network 

Tortilla Chip and Pepper Jack Crusted Chicken with Avocado Jalapeno Ranch Sauce

 It's been a while since I've opened my test kitchen to try something new.  Maybe it was the summer, or maybe it was just pure laziness... I just wasn't in the mood.  But with the cold weather and the desire not to spend so much money on take out, I stocked up my refrigerator and freezer and headed over to Pinterest for some inspiration.  This one had me!  They had me at tortilla... and then at pepper jack... and then again at avocado.  It produced a moist, tasty, flavorful meal -- something I'm sure I will make again.

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• (1) 9 oz. bag tortilla chips
• 4 oz. Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ½ Tbsp. garlic powder
• ½ Tbsp. cumin
• ½ Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. lime juice

Sauce:

• 1 cup mayo 
• ½ cup buttermilk
  (I used powdered buttermilk and added water per the instructions)
• 1 cup sour cream 
• 1 packet Ranch dip mix 
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder 
• 1 Tbsp. onion powder
• 1-3 Tbsp. diced jalapeno slices (from a jar)
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 2 avocados

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Crush the bag of chips until there are fine pieces.
   (You could use a food processor to blend, but I just crushed in the bag)
3. You should have 2-3 cups of crushed chips.
   (Reserve the rest of the bag in case you don't have enough.)
4. Mix the shredded cheese and the crushed chips together.
5. Whisk together the mayo, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, and lime juice.
6. Dredge the chicken breasts into the mayo and then into the chip mixture, pressing down to make sure it's all coated.
   (Here's where you may need the extra chips for coating if you run out.)
7. When all the chicken is coated, place in a greased baking dish and bake for about 25-35 minutes or until the chicken is done all the way through and the chips are crispy. 
8. Blend the sauce ingredients together in a food processor and serve over the chicken. 

Adapted from Bacon, Butter, Cheese and Garlic blog