Why have I not made this before?!

One of my favorite brunch spots is Charleston Cafe, which unfortunately Wes doesn't really like...so I don't go there often. I always order one of their "Island Potato Casseroles," which is homemade chips ("chippers") topped with sautéed peppers, onion and eggs, and then you chose one of the local islands...my favorite has sausage, shrimp, and spicy tomato sauce. It's heavenly, I swear. So, tonight I made the kids and Wes some scrambled eggs for dinner, and a lightbulb went off. I put Cape Cod kettle chips in an oven-proof dish, drizzled a tiny bit of ranch and salsa over them, topped with my scrambled eggs, a bit more salsa and ranch, and a nice sprinkling of shredded cheddar. I stuck it under the broiler on low for about 5 minutes...long enough to heat everything through and melt the cheese. Go make this...NOW. you won't be disappointed! And you can get inspirations for all kinds of toppings from the Charleston Cafe website. I can't wait to try it again!

Awesome Chicken Skewers

These are delish!! Now that we have a play set in the backyard, we spend every minute from the time Wes gets home to the time to go to bed in the yard. I want to be included in the fun, so we've been doing a bunch of grilling so I'm not cooped in the kitchen!

3/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
Veggies cut into large chunks...we used zucchini, button mushrooms, red/yellow/orange peppers, and cherry tomatoes
4 slices of bacon, cut in fourths
Approx 1/4c olive oil
3T balsamic vinegar
3T lemon juice
1T rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Wooden skewers

Whisk the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and seasonings together in a small bowl. Spoon a few tablespoons of the marinade into another bowl and toss with the chicken. Let sit for at least an hour.
About 30 minutes before assembling the skewers, soak the skewers in water, and toss the veggies with the remaining marinade.
To assemble, thread a mixture of veggies and 3-4 pieces of chicken on each skewer, wrapping about 2 veggie pieces on each skewer in bacon.
Grill over medium-low heat until the bacon is crispy and the chicken is cooked through.

Easy-Peasy (and YUMMY!) Chicken Pot Pie!

Now, I would prefer to make this with fresh (Farmer's Market!) veggies (and homemade stock), but 1) the FM isn't opened yet; and 2) Wesley and I had a playdate with Isabelle and Sallie today, so I didn't even go to the grocery to figure out what to eat tonight until about 5:30. So, we needed something super fast and super yummy! It helps a little that everything was organic from Whole Foods, right??

Olive oil
1/2 an onion, finely diced
1 rotisserie chicken (I used the herb roasted)
1 can cream of chicken and mushroom soup
vegetable stock (I used the boxed kind)
1 bag frozen veggies (peas, carrots, corn, greenbeans mix)
frozen biscuits
seasoned salt

Preheat oven (whatever temp it says for your biscuits...mine said 400). In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat, and saute the onion. While the pan is heating/you're sauteeing, dice up the chicken. Add the can of soup and about 1 c. of stock to the pan, stirring well. Add stock until it's the consistency you like. Add the veggies, and let simmer for a few minutes, then stir in the chicken. Season as needed. Pour the whole mixture into an oven-proof casserole dish. Top with the frozen biscuits (Tip: I let the biscuits sit out on the counter while I was unpacking groceries/beginning to cook. They thawed just enough for me to flatten them some with my palm before putting them on top of the casserole). Sprinkle a little bit of the seasoning on top. Bake until the biscuits are golden...our dinner took about 25 minutes start to finish to prepare, and both the W's loved it...SUCCESS!!

Olive and Feta Stuffed Chicken

Okay, this is seriously awesome. I didn't know what to make for dinner, and called mom on the way to the grocery. She suggested this, and I made a few tweaks since Wesley would be eating it with me. I am seriously thinking I'll make it again tomorrow night!

olive oil
boneless skinless chicken breast
about 8 kalamata olives, diced*
about 1.5 T crumbled feta (I used the garlic herb kind)*
about 1/3 bag of frozen spinach
salt and pepper (and/or seasoned salt...I used Crazy Salt)
*I put both the olives and feta in the food processor to dice since I was feeding this to Wesley.

Preheat oven to 375. In an ovenproof pan, heat olive oil over medium to medium high heat. Cut the chicken to create a pocket. Combine the olives and feta, and stuff into the chicken. Season outside of chicken, and brown well in the olive oil. Once browned, add the spinach to the pan, season, and cover. Put the pan in the oven, cooking until the chicken is completely cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. YUM!

Taco Soup

I did the in the crockpot, and it was the easiest thing ever!!

1 lb of chicken (either cut boneless skinless breasts into small chunks, or I got a package of "stir fry chicken pieces" or something to that effect)
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of corn (I used a small can of shoepeg)
1 can of black beans
1 can of mild Ro*Tel tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
1 packet of taco powder
1 packet of ranch powder
Approx. 1 c. of water (I added some awesome Glory chicken base to it--I use this stuff all the time!!)

And it can't get any easier than this: throw everything into the crockpot (don't drain any of the cans), cook on high for 4 hours, then eat! I actually cooked some cheese tortilini and threw that in the bowls when I served this to make it a little more hardy. It really didn't need it though. It can be served with Fritos, cheese and sour cream.

2 notes:
1) If you like spicy, you could use regular Ro*Tel tomatoes, but honestly, it was plenty spicy for Wes and I with the mild ones.
2) This is a similar recipe to the Sante Fe Stew, but it's thinner (and a little bit easier b/c you don't have to cook the chicken first).

Barbeque Chicken AND Pork!!

I made WONDERFUL bbq chicken for dinner tonight (along with grilled corn and Cesar salad. Yum!), and am making bbq pork for the Wofford Homecoming tailgate this weekend...go Terriers!! So, here are these two recipes. I'll have to let you know after Saturday how the pork goes over! (And of course, the measurements aren't exact...although this time I did at least use measuring spoons/cups most of the time)

BBQ Sauce
Whisk together all of the following ingredients over medium low heat. Let simmer for approximately 45 minutes, whisking often.
2 c ketchup
1 c apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp Worcestershire
3 tbsp prepared mustard
¾ c sugar
½ tbsp garlic salt
½ tbsp black pepper
½ tbsp paprika
½ tbsp dry mustard
3 shakes cayenne pepper
2" cinnamon stick

BBQ Chicken
1 c. Zesty Italian dressing
¼ c apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
½ tbsp onion flakes
½ tbsp paprika
½ tbsp black pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Combine all marinade ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Marinate the chicken for at least a few hours (we marinated it overnight). Grill the chicken, brushing with BBQ Sauce for the last 5 minutes or so. Serve with BBQ sauce if desired (but discard the sauce you used to brush the cooking chicken!!).

BBQ Pork
1 c. Zesty Italian dressing
2/3 c. prepared mustard
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. sugar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp Liquid Smoke
2 tbsp dried minced onion
1 tbsp garlic salt
1/2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp seasoned salt (I use Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt)
1/2 tbsp dried mustard
1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
5-6 lb. Boston Butt Pork

Combine all marinade ingredients, whisk together well (I used my immersion blender with the whisk attachment) so that ingredients emulsify. Place pork in a Ziploc bag, pour marinade over it. Seal, squeezing out air, and let marinate for 24 hours. We will EITHER be cooking this in the oven at very low heat overnight, or in the crock pot overnight. I'll let you know!!

Two Chicken Crock-Pot Recipes

Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken
Chicken breasts (diced)
Jar of salsa
Can of black beans, drained
Can of corn, drained
Combine in slow-cooker, cook all day over low, and serve over rice. You can also put in other things like black olives, peppers, etc.

Slow-Cooker Italian Chicken
Chicken Breasts (diced)
Can of tomato sauce
Can of artichoke hearts, drained
Jar of roasted red peppers, drained
Italian Seasoning
Combine in slow-cooker, cook all day over low, and serve over pasta with parmesan cheese.

Chicken Enchiladas

olive oil
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes (or smaller)
2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
16 oz. light sour cream
4 green onions, chopped
2 (4.5 oz) cans diced chilies
2 c. shredded Mexican-blend cheese
8 oz. block of light cream cheese, cut into 8 long strips
8 large flour tortillas
jar of enchilada sauce (16 oz?)

Preheat oven to 375, and spray a large casserole dish with olive oil (13x9).
Over medium to medium-high heat, saute chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp. cumin. When almost cooked thru, add in onion and garlic, cooking till translucent.
In a large bowl, mix sour cream, 1 tsp. cumin, green onions, chilies, and 1 c. cheese. Add in chicken mixture (if it has a lot of liquid in it, drain that off first...gross I know).
Spoon about 1/2 c. of filling in the center of each tortilla, then lay a strip of cream cheese on top. Fold up ends of tortilla, then roll up to seal. Place seam side down in casserole dish. You will probably have to cram the enchiladas in the casserole to get them all to fit!!
Pour the jar of sauce over the enchiladas, then cover with tinfoil. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, or until filling is heated thru, and sauce begins to bubble. Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over the top, baking for another 5-10 minutes till cheese is melted and bubbly.
YUM!!!

Santa Fe Stew

Santa Fe Stew

2 lbs. ground chicken, venison, or beef (or combination)
1 onion, diced
2 packages Ranch Dressing mix
2 packages Taco Seasoning
1 16-oz. can of each of the following (do not drain):
black beans
kidney beans
pinto beans
diced tomatoes with chilies (you can use 2 cans)
1 large can of diced tomatoes
2 cans of white corn
2 cups of water (can be discarded if you’d like less broth)

Brown meat with onions, drain. Stir in the 4 seasoning packets. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for at least 2 hours.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, green onion, and tortilla chips

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Just thought I'd update my blog since I haven't in forever :)
Here's a YUMMY gumbo recipe that I'm making for Wes and his dad for Father's Day.

This is a pretty involved recipe, but it is very worth it! It is even better a day or two later! Serves a houseful!
3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into small chunks
1 pkg. Cajun Style sausage (I found it in the meat dept. at Publix), cut into pieces about the same size as the chicken
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
2 large cans of crushed or diced tomatoes (depending on the consistency you want)
1 bag of frozen chopped okra, thawed (leave out while you're cooking and it will be thawed enough)
1 box of chicken broth
1 stick of butter
½ c. flour
Small amt. of olive oil (around a tablespoon?)
Old Bay seasoning
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne
Oregano
Parsley

Season the chicken with a generous amount of Old Bay and salt. In a cast iron skillet (if available), sauté the chicken in olive oil, until just done. Put the chicken on a plate and tent with foil.Add the sausage to the skillet, cook until done. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels, and tent with foil. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, leaving a small amount of grease and any small bits of sausage. Turn the heat to low, and melt the butter in the skillet. Slowly whisk in ½ c. of flour, a small amount at a time, making sure to scrape up any bits off the bottom of the skillet. Whisk constantly as roux simmers, until dark brown, about 20 minutes. **CAREFUL…this will burn easily (I speak from experience)**Add the celery, green pepper, onion, and garlic to the roux, and continue to stir for approximately 5 minutes. Add about ½ of the chicken broth, and stir until thickened. Remove skillet from the heat.
In a large stockpot, put the two cans of tomatoes over medium low heat. Add the roux/veggie mixture to the tomatoes (easiest way for me was with a large ladle). Once you've gotten as much of the roux out of the skillet, add the rest of the chicken broth and stir to get the last of it out of the skillet, then pour into the tomato mixture. Add the okra to the pot, along with Old Bay (1T), salt (½ T), pepper (1 T), cayenne (1 tsp), oregano (1 tsp) and parsley (1 tsp) to taste—these are approximate measurements.Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, and then add in the chicken and sausage. Simmer for at least 20 minutes more. Serve over rice. YUM!

Yummy Chicken Recipe--from MC

We had this a couple of nights ago, and it was great! I stole it from MC, but she made it in the crock pot, and I didn't think of it until the evening I wanted to have it...so this is my version of MC's Ranch Crockpot Chicken!



3 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. of ranch dressing mix
1 can of cream of celery soup
1/2 can (soup can) milk
1 block of low-fat cream cheese
1 box of long grain and wild rice, cooked
salt and pepper
olive oil


Salt and pepper the chicken, then cook for about 3-4 minutes per side in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium or so heat. While the chicken is cooking, combine the ranch mix, soup, and milk in a large bowl. Remove the chicken--it will not be cooked through yet!--and set aside. Reduce heat to med-low/low, and add the soup mixture to the pan, scraping up all the bits from the pan and stirring for a second. Add the chicken back to the pan, coating in the soup mixture. Cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through.

Chicken and Rice Casserole...YUM!

Sorry I haven't posted in FOREVER...I haven't cooked in forever either! School has started, I've been exhausted, so Wes went to the grocery store last time. He came home with $150+ worth of chips and dip, frozen lasagna, frozen pizza, frozen chicken pot pie, bologna, and Little Debbie cakes. Not exactly what I buy at the grocery, but it was really sweet that he went!
So last night I decided it was time for a real, home-cooked meal. I'd heard good things about Paula Deen's Chicken and Rice Casserole, so I basically made her recipe, but you know I like to change things! So here it goes...
1 rotisserie chicken, pull all the chicken off and dice
1 6 oz. box wild rice, cooked
1/2 sweet onion, sauteed in a pat or two of butter
2 cans of green beans, drained
1 small jar (4 oz.?) pimentos, drained
1 small bag diced almonds (next time I would use more, but Wes didn't like them at all...)
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 can cream of celery soup (I may try it with cream of mushroom next time for fun)
1/2 of a small container of reduced-fat sour cream
1 big spoonful of mayo
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
optional: sleeve of ritz crackers (crushed), melted butter for topping
This recipe is soooo easy...just preheat the oven to 350, cook the rice while you get the chicken ready, then put everything in a big bowl, mix it up, and put into a greased casserole dish! If you want to add the ritz crackers, cook the casserole for about 15 minutes, then sprinkle with ritz and butter, and cook for another 10 minutes or so. If you don't want the topping, just cook it for around 25 minutes.
I put it in two small casserole dishes, and froze one of them.
(Don't tell anyone...but I liked this so much that when I got home from school today, I ate some of it cold, straight out of the casserole dish!!)
YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!

Tortelini Soup--From Joanna

Joanna gave me this recipe today, and I made it for dinner tonight! Its very yummy...and very easy!
2 small packages of cheese tortelini
Hot Italian sausage
2 cans chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can RoTel tomatoes
Seasoning (basil, oregano, salt, pepper)
Boil the tortelini, brown the sausage, combine with the broth, tomatoes and seasoning.

Of course, I can't follow directions very well, so here's what I did: I boiled 1 'family size' pack of cheese tortelini; browned the sausage (removed from the casing...blech), removed the sausage from the pan and drained off the fat, then put it back on the heat and deglazed the pan with a little bit of the chicken broth (I used 1 box of broth instead of 2 cans) and the can of diced tomatoes. I let that mixture simmer for a few minutes, then put it in a large pot with the rest of the chicken broth, the tortelini, the sausage, and a can of diced tomatoes with basil and oregano. The sausage was already spicy enough for my taste, so I didn't want to add the RoTel! I let the soup simmer for a few minutes, then served with crusty bread. YUM!