Hey Amy!

The last of this week’s salute to the slow cooker is a recipe from the kids section of my slow cooker cookbook.  I understand why it’s in the kid section simply because it is so easy to create but the kid’s section implies it’s a child’s meal, which I do not believe it to be.

I love this meal for it’s hearty, belly warming delight.  Don’t forget to you can add veggies (frozen) if you wish to the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 c. cooked chicken breast, cubed, chopped or however you like your chicken to look
1 10-oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 10-oz. can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 soup can-fulls of water (I sometimes use milk for a super rich outcome!)
2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 can (8-pack) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Combine first six ingredients into slow cooker.  Cut biscuits into quarters and stir into mixture.  Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, stirring occasionally, until done.

Simple, easy and rich in my belly.  Three of my favorite things.  Enjoy!

xo–me

No Comments | In: Cooking | tags: chicken, easy, simple, slow cooker. | #

I know, I know what you are thinking.  Crock Pot and Coq au Vin in the same sentence–shame on me.  I love my Julia, as we all know, but I couldn’t help try this sacrilegious recipe.  It was delicious!  Ms. Child, I apologize!

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 onion, sliced into rings
1/2 c. red wine
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
hot cooked rice

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in large skillet brown chicken on both sides.  Remove and place chicken in slow cooker.  Saute mushrooms and onion in same skillet.  Add wine; stir and scrap brown bits from bottom of skillet.  Add mixture to slow cooker and sprinkle with seasonings.  Cover and cook on low for 9 hours.  Serve chicken and sauce over rice.

I know you will enjoy the ease of this fancy dish.  I did.  Please don’t scold me for this recipe!

xo–me

No Comments | In: Cooking | tags: chicken, rice, slow cooker. | #

As we march through this week of Patsy’s hand me down recipes, today I share an easy way to use leftover chicken (or turkey or ham).  This is a fast meal (maybe 15 minutes of prep) and a one so simple, a teen could begin it for you while you are making your way home from the office.  And even though it is a solution for leftovers, it also is a delicious leftover!

Ingredients:

1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 c. water
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 c. cooked spaghetti (8-oz. dry)
1 1/2 c. chopped chicken/turkey (or cubed ham)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Combine soup, water and cheese over low heat and cheese is melted, stirring occasionally.  Add spaghetti, chicken, and parsley.  Heat throughout and serve.

Sometimes I toss in some peas or carrots.  You know what Mom says “we all need our vegetables!”

xo–me

No Comments | In: Cooking | tags: chicken, pasta. | #

I call this dish fancy because when it is served, everyone thinks you have been working hard in the kitchen!  Don’t let the title fool or intimidate you.  It’s a very easy dish to make and it doesn’t require a lot of time.  I like it because it’s slightly different than the traditional chicken dishes.  I once was asked by the other one in the house “Can’t you make the chicken a different way?”  That’s when I started fooling around with different recipes and could answer “yes, I can!”

Ingredients:

2 boneless/skinless chicken breast
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. white wine
1/2 c. heavy crème
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
olive oil

Saute chicken breast in olive oil (just a splash) until golden brown and cooked through.  Plate the chicken and cover to keep warm.  Get rid of any excess oil from the pan and return to stove.  Add wine and balsamic vinegar, scraping the pan and reducing the liquid until thick and syrupy.  Add heavy crème and boil, while scraping the pan until the crème is thick and reduced by half.  Remove from heat, add mustard, and pour over chicken. Voila!

Fancy and simple chicken.  Obviously double it if you are having guests or feeding a family of four.  If you are having your first dinner party, this is a great recipe for a beginner.  It’s impressive and simple.  Good luck!

xo–me

No Comments | In: Cooking | tags: chicken, easy. | #

Chicken or turkey pot pie is most likely the single greatest comfort food ever created.  The rich filling coupled with a nice flaky crust warms the coldest of days.  It’s the perfect meal to come inside to after you have shoveled the sidewalk or driveway.  It also works for the big holiday meal.  This is a delicious and gorgeous meal from a Williams-Sonoma cookbook.  It will not let you down.

Ingredients:

8 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 lb. button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. chopped thyme
1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast (or turkey) trimmed of fat and cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 c. all purpose flour
2 c. chicken stock
1 c. heavy cream
1 cup peas
2 Tbsp. dry sherry
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400.  In an ovenproof frying pan or casserole at least 11 inches wide and very deep, melt 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat.  Add mushrooms, carrots, onion and season with salt and pepper.  Cook stirring occasionally until lightly browned (about 10 minutes).  Add the garlic and thyme cooking for a couple of minutes.  Transfer to another dish.

Raise the heat to medium high and add another 2 Tbsp. butter.  When the butter is melted, add the chicken and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring often, until the chicken is lightly browned but not cooked through.  Remove chicken and add to the vegetables.

Reduce the heat to medium low and melt the remaining 4 Tbsp. butter.  Add the flour and whisk constantly until bubbling but not browned, about 1 minute, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Pour in the stock and cream and raise the heat, bringing liquid to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 3 minutes.  Add the reserved vegetables and chicken along with the peas, sherry, chives and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from the heat and leave the filling in the pan.  Cover and set aside while you make the topping.

Topping:

1 c. all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
1/2 c. buttermilk

In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well blended.  Add the butter and using a mixer cut in the butter until the pieces are no larger than peas.  Add the buttermilk and stir gently with a rubber spatula until soft dough forms.  Uncover the filling and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally (about 3 minutes).  Reduce the heat to medium and scoop up small amounts of the biscuit dough and drop onto the hot filling.  The topping will almost completely cover the filling.  Bake the pot pie 25 minutes until the biscuits are lightly browned and the toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Enjoy!

I know, I know.  These seems like a lot of work but it is worth it.  Rich and creamy filling, delicious flaky biscuit topping, heaven in your belly.

xo–me

No Comments | In: Cooking | tags: chicken, holiday, turkey, vegetable. | #

I have a special recipe for you today as it comes from my friend Eddie with a C.  Who knew the C would stand for chicken but in this case it does.  Eddie isn’t much for measuring, as you can see below in our online conversation so I have tried to take his words and put them to a functioning recipe.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. chicken breast
salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice
tequila
tapatio

Eddie says:  Marinate in salt/pepper, lemon juice and some tequila.  Bake @ 375 for 45 min. : )

Hey Amy says: How much lemon and tequila? and how much tapatio?

Eddie says: I never use measuring cups when I cook. Its all eye balling and pinching LOL. Tequila was less than a full shot. Lemon was maybe half a shot. LOL wow. I am an alkie if I’m measuring using shot glasses haha. Tapatio was for flavor.

2 Comments | In: Cooking | tags: chicken, easy, liquor. | #

Another staple of the winter months seems to be the roast chicken.  There are many many ways to roast a bird and I hope we discuss them in the coming months.  Today we are roasting one with acorn squash–a delicious winter vegetable.  This dish is an easy one to create and strikes an impressive entrance to the dining table.  Make one today!

Ingredients:

1 3-4lb. chicken
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter (I always use unsalted unless a recipe calls for otherwise)
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
fresh thyme
2 shallots, peeled (I sometimes substitute garlic)
2 acorn squashes
1 1/2 c. fresh orange juice

Preheat oven to 425.  Rinse the bird and pat dry.  Set in a large roasting pan.  In a bowl, combine the olive oil, butter and salt.  Coat the chicken inside and out with the mixture.  Stuff thyme sprigs and shallots in the cavity of the bird.  Tie the legs together with baking string.  Place the bird breast side down and allow it to come to room temperature.  Cut squash lengthwise and remove the seeds.  Set aside.

Put bird in the oven and roast chicken until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.  Turn him over and pour 1/2 c. of OJ into the pan. Add the squash, skin side down and brush with the pan juices.  Reduce the oven to 400 and continue to roast.  Make sure to brush the chicken and squash with the pan juices every 15 minutes and add more OJ if the pan becomes dry.  Allow to roast for one hour (check bird to see that it’s reached 165 degrees on your meat thermometer).

Remove the chicken and squash to a serving platter.  Over a medium heat, cooking the remaining juices with the rest of the OJ, stirring constantly to scrap up the browned bits on the bottom.  Pour the pan juices through a sieve and skim off any fat.  Serve juices with carved chicken and squash.

I got this recipe from a Williams-Sonoma cookbook and it never disappoints.  The aroma alone tickling your family and friend’s nose is worth the time in the kitchen.  If you have a small family or it’s just two of you, this makes a great Thanksgiving or Christmas bird.  Try it this month so you are well rehearsed for the upcoming holiday meals!

xo–me

No Comments | In: Cooking | tags: chicken, dinner, holiday, supper. | #