M I A

I know, I know!  I have been missing!  For awhile now!  BUT...I'm back! 
It all started with the stomach flu, followed by Passover (fasting), followed by more stomach flu, followed by Easter and a mini vacation...  Then I just was out of the habit.  Plus, my appetite has just been boring.  It has been really difficult to cook with our weather too.  It is supposed to be spring, but it has been cold and rainy.  So when I want to have a nice fresh salad, what seems more appropriate is a nice soup or some sort of comfort food.

Monday I made chicken and biscuits and it was delicious.  I didn't take any pictures, but here is the recipe.  Enjoy!

CHICKEN WITH BISCUITS
(original recipe from  For the Love of Cooking)

Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups of cooked chicken meat, diced (I used a Wegmans Rotisserie Chicken)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 6 oz of cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed
• 4-5 small red or yellow baby potatoes, quartered 
• 4 1/2 cups of chicken stock
• 1 cup of milk (I used 1%)
• 6 tbsp flour
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a large 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray.  In a small pot of water, boil potatoes for 5-7 minutes, remove from heat, drain and cool.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion, mushrooms, carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes or until slightly tender; add garlic and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 45 seconds.  Remove from heat and set aside. In a small bowl combine flour and milk, stirring with a whisk until thoroughly mixed (no lumps).  Place chicken stock in a large pot over high heat, once boiling, slowly add the milk and flour mixture while whisking.  Lower the heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes or until thickened. Add sauteed vegetables, corn, peas, potatoes, and chicken to the mixture and stir; season with salt and pepper. 

Biscuits:

For the biscuits, I used Bisquick!  I made a batch (about 8 biscuits) just by adding milk to the mixture (I leave out the butter and sugar).

Pour the filling into the prepared baking dish and drop biscuit topping onto mixture to form 8 small biscuits.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Josh was really concerned that the biscuits would be mushy on the bottom, but they weren't!  The cooked all the way through and were delicious! 

Have fun with this one!  The kids are ALWAYS sure to love it! 

BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich

Josh went out of town this week, so I have to admit...I took the easy road for a few of my meals.

I was all prepared to cook this meal in the slow cooker until I passed by the Rotisserie Chickens at Wegmans.  That seemed to simple to pass up.

After I shredded the chicken, I simply added some store bought BBQ sauce (we like the Dinosaur BBQ sauce because it doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup) into it and heated it.

Marcus loves french fries (what 6 year old doesn't?) and instead of making them from scratch, I knew I had a package of frozen ones somewhere in the freezer.  Also, too easy to pass up.

I did however, make the coleslaw from scratch because I had cabbage in the fridge.

 BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich with Fries

1 Rotisserie Chicken
1 cup BBQ Sauce
4 buns
Frozen Fries 

Shread Chicken and add bbq sauce.

Make fries according to package directions.

Assemble sandwiches and enjoy!

Coleslaw

2 cups cabbage (shredded)

1 carrot (shredded)

1/4 cup mayonaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon sugar
1 lemon (juice)
salt and pepper to taste
1 handful parsley or dill (chopped)

 Mix the cabbage and carrot in a large bowl.
 Mix the mayo, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl.
 Mix everything together.

"Good food ends with good talk." 

Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad

Josh went outside to do yard-work on Sunday.  I want to go outside and do yard-work!  NAPTIME.  Love it, or hate it.  Hmmmm...me?  BOTH! 

Love -it...

yes.

when I can clean the beds and have a pretty house....

Hate it...

yes.

Baby monitor is insistant on not working outside.

So...In addition to the much requested vodka drinks...Josh had this when he came in for lunch.

Also, everything I had in the pantry....

mix it all together an PRESTO!  Quick and easy lunch.

Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad

Normally I like to plan the weeks meals ahead and have recipes written and a grocery list ready for shopping by Monday. This week however I did not have the chance to prepare and I have been winging it. At times like these it is always good to fall back on pantry staples. I always seem to have cans of tuna and beans in my pantry/cupboard and I was thinking that a tuna and bean salad would be a nice place to start. My first thought was to go with a mayonnaise based creamy dressing but I wanted something a bit lighter, I decided to go with a simple lemon and mustard vinaigrette. Of course some fresh vegetables and herbs brighten up any salad so I also used those left in the fridge. The salad was quick and simple to make which was nice as I have been pretty busy and it tasted good as well. Overall it was a nice light meal.

Ingredients:
1 6 ounce can water packed tuna (drained and flaked)
1 19 ounce can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
1 small red onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 handful chopped parsley
1 handful olives (pitted and chopped, optional) kalamata...but I used plain black...
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 handful salad greens

Directions:
1. Mix the tuna, beans, onion, garlic, olives and parsley in a bowl.
2. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl.
3. Mix the dressing and the tuna and beans

Enjoy!!!!

"You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients. "

Baked Haddock with Zucchini, Tomato, Dill and Feta

Friday.

Josh, who is Jewish, informs me he follows Lent.  LOL.

 NO!  John follows Lent.   His best friend/Sales manager/golf partner/LUNCH COMPANION...John follows Lent.

OK.  Well, from now on, we too...will follow Lent.  At least on Friday's.  I like fish, so this works out well for me.  Fish...at least once a week.  Thank G-d!

Baked Haddock Topped with Zucchini, Tomato, Dill, and Feta

1 1/2 lbs of Haddock, cut into three portions

1 tsp olive oil

1 large zucchini, diced

1/4 small sweet yellow onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, minced

3-4 Roma tomatoes, diced

1-2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

4 tbsp feta cheese

Sea salt and freshly cracked lemon pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion to the hot skillet and saute for 2-3 minutes then add the zucchini, cook for an additional 2 minutes; add the minced garlic and saute, stirring constantly for 45 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool.

Gently mix the tomato, 3 tablespoons of feta cheese, and fresh dill in a small bowl. Add the zucchini mixture and mix. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked lemon pepper, to taste.

Season the Haddock with sea salt and freshly cracked lemon pepper on both sides. Place the haddock in the baking dish then spoon the tomato mixture over the top of each piece of fish. Sprinkle the last tablespoon of feta cheese equally over the fish.

Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately.  Enjoy.

 

 

"One must eat to live,  not live to eat."

Mexican Rice Casserole

I really do try to spice up our menus.

My friend, who lives across the country, told me the other day that we eat a lot of Mexican food.  HELLO!  I KNOW!  Stinking tacos.  Well, I have at least been trying to make 'different' Mexican meals...

This was actually an amazing meal that everyone loved.  Super easy to make, the only thing I'd do different next time is to put salsa on top afterwards rather than slice the tomatoes on top while baking.  My preference though...

Mexican Rice Casserole:
1 1/2 cups of white rice, prepared per instructions
1 tsp of olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef (I used 96/4)
1/4 sweet yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried cumin
1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp dried oregano
1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
3-4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (divided)
1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
3-4 tomatoes, sliced thickly
Sour cream (topping)
Salsa (topping)
Guacamole (topping)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare rice per instructions. While the rice is cooking heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the ground beef, making sure to break it up into crumbles. Cook the beef for 3-4 minutes then add the diced onion and all of the seasonings. Stir until well combined and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the beef is cooked through and the onion is tender. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly for an additional 60 seconds. Add the cooked rice, drained and rinsed black beans, tomato sauce and a bit of cilantro (reserving some for garnishing) to the beef and onion mixture. Mix the ingredients thoroughly, taste and re-season if needed.
Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray and pour the rice mixture into the dish, spreading it evenly. Place the tomato slices on top of the rice mixture then top with cheddar cheese.

Spray a piece of tin foil with cooking spray (so the cheese won't stick) and cover the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the tin foil. Bake for an additional 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing. Top with a dollop of sour cream and the remaining chopped cilantro.

 Enjoy.

"Food is our common ground, a universal experience."

Tuscan Chicken with White Beans and Spinach

Cooking Light...October 2010.  Stolen.  LOL.

I must have at least 300 Cooking Light, Bon Appetit, Food and Wine, and Menu magazines.  Luckily I have the space in my new kitchen for all of these...in addition to all of my regular cookbooks!!  I like to go back once in awhile and find something I love. 

I always have these items on hand and this was SO easy!!  And delicious!

Tuscan Chicken with White Beans and Spinach:

 

         

4 slices of lean bacon, cooked and chopped

2 tsp olive oil (divided)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of any fat
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Dried basil, to taste
1/4 sweet yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 15 oz can of white beans, rinsed & drained
2 cups of baby spinach

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the bacon is cooked, drain it on a paper towel then chop it up. Remove all but 1 tsp of bacon grease from the skillet. Add 1 tsp olive oil to the bacon grease in the skillet over medium high heat. Season the chicken with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, garlic powder, and dried basil, to taste on both sides. Once the skillet is HOT, add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet, cover with a tin foil tent, and set aside.

Add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Add the minced garlic, and cook stirring continuously for 1 minute. Add the drained diced tomatoes and white beans. Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the spinach, season with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and dried basil, to taste. Pour the juices from the chicken into the pan and mix well. Ladle the beans and spinach onto a serving dish then top with chicken. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

 

My guys really loved this one!  (Explains why I always have these ingredients on hand!!!)

 

"I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food."

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

I re found my love of Butterscotch when my sister gave me an Amish Friendship Bread.  If you have never done one of these, you get a small amount of batter, add ingredients over 10 days, divide into 5 parts...pass 4 of those parts to 4 friends and cook your own bread.  That is a whole other story though...

How the butterscotch came into it is... on the last day, before I was going to cook my bread, it called for two packages of instant vanilla pudding.  Who'd have thought I didn't have that in my pantry??  I did however have ONE vanilla and ONE butterscotch.  So I tried it.  SO YUMMY! 

Oven fixed.  Check.

I needed to try to bake something to prove I could do it.  These cookies seemed perfect.  They turned out amazing and everyone loved them!

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies
Original recipe from Allrecipes.com

• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups of rolled oats
• 3/4 cup of butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray baking sheet with Pam.

Beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a large bowl.   Add the egg and vanilla then continue to beat until well combined.

Stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until blended.  Add the butterscotch chips and mix until combined.  Drop by spoonfuls on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes in the oven, or until the edges begin to brown. Cool on a cookie rack.   Enjoy.

 

"If people take the trouble to cook, you should take the trouble to eat."