What's cookin'? - Caprece Chicken

One of my favorite foods of summer is a caprece salad. Fresh basil ,fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella... Mmmm!

Throw in some chicken and you have a main dish meal!

For this recipe I have no measurements -just a list of ingredients. You decide how much to put in - and adjust it to your liking!

Ingredients:

Olive oil

Minced garlic

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Cherry or grape tomatoes (or other small tomatoes)

Fresh basil

Fresh mozzarella

Balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Step 1:

Warm some olive oil in a frying pan. Add chicken and cook until you no longer see pink, flipping once or twice. Remove from pan.

Step 2:

In same skillet: add a little more oil, add minced garlic and cook until it begins to soften and turn golden. (Do not let it turn brown - that is bitter tasting!)

Step 3:

Add tomatoes and cook a few minutes until they begin to soften. (If you use small, whole tomatoes such as grape, it will start to crack; I used a little bit larger of the tomato cut into halves.)

Step 4:

Add basil leaves, broken-up. Cook another 2-3 minutes, or until it starts to wilt.

Step 5:

Put chicken into a broiler-safe pan. Pour tomato, basil, garlic mixture on top of chicken. Add fresh mozzarella slices, balls, pieces NOW.

Step 6: 

Broil for about 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Step 7:

(Remove from broiler!) Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Step 8:

ENJOY!!!

What's Cookin'? - Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells

Had this one tonight.

So easy!

So good!

Liked by all!

It's a keeper!

In fact, I like this recipe because you could probably prepare it all ahead of time so it would be easy to put together quickly for a weeknight meal.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells

INGREDIENTS

• 2c shredded cooked chicken

• 2c cooked chopped broccoli, drained

• 1c shredded cheddar cheese

• 1/4c shredded Parmesan cheese

• 1 jar Alfredo sauce (16 oz.)

• 1 1/2-2c jar spaghetti sauce

• 1 box jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained

DIRECTIONS

• Cook chicken and shred with two forks (I always poach mine, see directions below.)

• Cook broccoli according to package, drain

• Cook pasta shells in boiling water according to package directions, drain

• In a large bowl, mix together: shredded chicken, cheeses, broccoli and Alfredo sauce

• Pour tomato sauce into bottom of 13 x 9 casserole dish

• Fill shells with chicken mixture using a spoon (or a cookie scoop makes it easier!)

• Cover pan with foil and bake 35 minutes in a 350° oven.

** How to poach chicken - Whenever a recipe calls for cooked chicken, I usually follow the simple poaching method:

•Put chicken in a pot; add enough water to cover chicken by 1 inch. 

•Over medium high heat, bring water to a boil.

• Cover pot and remove from heat. Let stand 20 minutes.

I use this method with any amount of chicken, and I also use it with the frozen breasts that you get in a bag (no thawing needed) and it is always cooked through!

What's cookin'? -Macaroni and cheese -All Grown-up!

Before we left for spring break vacation we had the most delectable meal....

Mac & Cheese with Roasted Chicken, Rosemary, and Goat Cheese

O..... M..... G......

I will definitely be making this again!

It came from a website called mybakingaddiction.com . I highly recommend that she has lots of yummy stuff over there!

Anyway in my house, homemade macaroni and cheese is a tried and true winner especially with the boys!

What I liked about this recipe was that not only did they like it but, we enjoyed it too! It had a more sophisticated flavor with the addition of earthy rosemary. Also, it was more filling because of the chicken. Not only that, the goat cheese adds a slightly tangy difference from the ordinary cheddar.

Just use caution! The sauce is cream-based, so be sure to make it when you are having a light eating day!

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound rigatoni
1 quart heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 clove fresh garlic, crushed
8 ounces goat cheese
2 cups shredded roasted chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken!)
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a rapid boil. Add the oil and rigatoni to the water and cook according to the directions on the package, 10-12 minutes.
2. While you are waiting for the water to boil, pour the cream into a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the rosemary and garlic to the cream and bring it to a simmer - take care not to let it boil over. Allow the cream to reduce by about half.
3. Stir in the goat cheese and chicken and continue cooking cooking it till the cream coats the back of a spoon.
4. Thoroughly drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the sauce. Coat the pasta in the sauce and simmer over low heat for a few minutes. Serve hot.

Go for a l-o-n-g walk....

What's cookin'? - Snow day soups!

As soon as the temperature drops, I'm all about the soup! And I mean as soon as the temp drops - like, back in October!

But seriously, what is better then a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter's night?

Especially as we are in another winter storm:

This picture was taken this afternoon before more snow fell then changed to freezing rain this evening. We are supposed to get more snow overnight! I know I am not alone experiencing this! But I just had to share this picture. Brrrr...

Back to the soup...

I have two soups to share with you - one we had tonight, one we had last week (on another snowy evening). I consider both my favorites for different reasons. The one we had tonight is my favorite Italian soup. The other is just my favorite comfort food of all time.

First the Italian soup: Chickpea Soup

It's hearty. It's savory. It's divine.

Here's what you need:

•  3 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

•  3 c chicken broth (more if needed)

•  3T olive oil

•  1 carrot,  chopped

•  1 onion, chopped

•  1 rib celery, chopped

•  4 cloves garlic, minced

•  1 t dried rosemary (I crush mine before I use it to release more flavor)

•  1 bay leaf

•  pinch dried red pepper flakes

•  1 large can whole tomatoes, broken into small pieces

•  1/2c ditalini or other small macaroni

•  1 t salt

•  1/2 lb. swiss chard (tough stems removed) cut these into 1 inch pieces

•  1/4 t fresh ground black pepper

* Purée half of the chickpeas with 1 1/2 c of the broth in a blender or food processor. In a large pot, heat oil over moderately low heat. Add carrot, onion, celery, garlic and rosemary. Cook about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.

* Add the remaining broth, the puréed chickpeas, the rest of the whole chickpeas, a bay leaf, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, macaroni and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, partially covered.

* Add the Swiss chard. Simmer until the chard is tender and the pasta is done (about 10 minutes). Remove the bay leaf,  stir in the black pepper.

** If the soup thickens too much on standing, add more broth or water - the pasta tends to suck it up!

My husband likes crackers in his soup. We had the perfect complementary cracker for this soup on hand - Rosemary and olive oil Triscuits! Mmmm...

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Grandma B's Chicken Noodle Soup with Mashed Potatoes

I know what you're thinking.... don't knock it 'til you try it!

I thought the same thing when my stepfather introduced this to us many years ago. That was the way his mom always made it. And guess what? It's the way I always serve it to my family now!

Grandma, my stepfather, and my mother, all made their own noodles sometimes. Not me! Too much work! I do highly recommend Kluski brand noodles if you can find them - they are hard-to-find here in Connecticut but, I know back in PA they were on all the store shelves.

Really, this is just your basic chicken noodle soup, so if you don't like potatoes you can eat it as is! No special recipes for mashed potatoes either - just make them like always and serve the two together. Put the potatoes in the bowl, spoon the soup over it. The result is an extra satisfying, extra creamy bowl of comfort!

I do start this soup out by boiling a whole, small chicken. Then I add my carrots, celery, onion, salt, pepper and some parsley. Take the chicken out and pick all the meat from the bones. While you are doing that throw in the noodles and cook them in the soup. Add the chicken back in and you're done.

So if you've never made homemade chicken noodle soup, there it is - easy peasy!

Now, make some mashed potatoes and try it - you'll  like it! (Cue Mikey in the old Life cereal commercial)

Stay warm!

What's cookin'? - Mexican "stoup"

What is "stoup"?

It's a thick soup - almost a stew.

Tonight I made this Black Bean Chicken Chipotle Soup and we all loved it! I'm calling it a "stoup" from now on because of the thickness of it. I guess if you wanted it a little more "liquid-y", you could just add some chicken broth. 

I found the recipe on Pinterest and it was supposed to be an easy, throw together, all-day crockpot meal. It ended up being an easy, throw together, quick dinner! The best part about it is that it uses a rotisserie chicken that you just pick up from the grocery store - cooking the chicken is already done for you. It's a keeper!

It uses several canned goods so be sure to buy that BPA -free kind, so you don't have to worry about corrosion-protecting chemicals leaching into your veggies from the can liner (yuk!). Also, because it uses a lot of canned goods, those of you watching your sodium intake may not want to try this one. You use the corn and beans with their juices - no draining, no rinsing. If you're okay with that, throw caution to the wind and go for it!

The other ingredient that this "stoup" uses is chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

They are a wonderful add-in in many recipes. If you've never used them you'll find them in your grocery store near all of the taco stuff (they are in the little half-can). Anyway, they lend a great smoky flavor and the spicy kick to this dish. Be careful to heed my directions because they are spicy! You're going to have leftover peppers, but don't worry! They keep well in the fridge for a long time. For ideas on how to use them try: chowhound.chow.com  and type in "chipotle peppers on adobo" in the search box. You're welcome.

I served this along with a corn muffin -  and it was the perfect complement! My son recommended tortilla strips (which you can find near the croutons in the produce section)- that would be good too.

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Black Bean Chicken Chipotle Stoup

* olive oil (about 1 tablespoon)

* 1 onion, chopped

* 4 cloves garlic, chopped

* 3 cans black beans

* 2 cans corn

*1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

* 1/2 rotisserie chicken, shredded

* Mexican blend shredded cheese

* sour cream

* chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil over moderately high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add chopped garlic, sauté until soft.

Add whole can of chipotle peppers with sauce.

Pour the liquid from corn into pot, 

rinsing the peppers of their sauce. Remove all but one of the peppers (Trust me on this one! They smell like barbecue sauce -  yummy - but they are really spicy!)

Add the corn and the cans of unrinsed, undrained beans. 

Add chicken and cook until heated through. 

Serve with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and fresh cilantro.

Qué rico! Yum!

What's cookin'? - Italian chicken

Did you ever have a recipe for which you have been known? 

For my mom it's eggplant Parmesan, meatballs and Manaste (an Italian soup).

For my mother-in-law it's ham barbecue (Pittsburgh- style), potato salad and the ever - requested strawberry Jell-O salad.

My husband, he makes killer stuffed cabbage rolls.

For me, it has become this dish we just call Italian chicken.

It's actually called "Braised Chicken Thighs with Olives and Basil", and it comes from a cookbook that I bought at one of the boys' Scholastic book fairs years ago - Food & Wine's Quick from Scratch Italian cookbook.

I use this cook book so much it's full of  folded pages and stains from using its pages as a spoon rest!

I've made this recipe so often that I know it by heart. It's one of those - you just do it now - you don't even have to look at the book. I've made it for the four of us, served it to company, and even made it for the masses at a picnic. I always get requests for it and it never disappoints!

My husband will never leave me because if he did, he'd have to say goodbye to this chicken - and that's not a sacrifice he's willing to make! Hahaha

Italian chicken

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

8 chicken thighs, with skin

1 onion, chopped

12 whole cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 cup white cooking wine

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 large can crushed tomatoes

Black olives, sliced (about 1/3 cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Black pepper

****

In a large skillet heat olive oil, over moderately high heat.

Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. 

Brown chicken on both sides (about eight minutes each side).

Remove chicken from pan and place on a serving dish.

Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.

Add onion and garlic cloves. Sauté until onion is soft (about two minutes).

Add wine and rosemary. Scrape off browned bits from bottom of pan. Let wine simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup.

Add broth, tomatoes, olives, salt and chicken (skin side up )with all accumulated juices to the pan.

Cover and simmer about 20 minutes until chicken is cooked all the way through.

Push chicken aside and mash each clove of garlic with a fork.

Add basil and  a sprinkling  of black pepper.

Ready to serve!

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Like the picture above shows, we always serve it with roasted green beans. It just seems to go well together and, hey, we like it!

Roasted green beans

Toss fresh green beans with extra-virgin olive oil, a dash of sea salt and dried thyme. Roast in oven at 425° for about 20 minutes or until beans begin to brown.

Delicious!

What's Cookin'? - Rosemary Chicken Lasagna

Did you ever bite off more than you can chew?

I haven't! LOL

 But I have taken on more than I can handle!
This recipe was one of them!

Don't get me wrong - it's so delicious and well-worth the effort. It was just a real challenge for me at this stage of my stroke recovery (slow, shaky hands) and I had to call in the big guns. That's right. I had to ask for the assistance of my wonderful husband. And help me he did! I never would have been able to pull this one off and serve dinner at a respectable hour if it hadn't been for his help. I got stuck when the recipe called for the bechamel sauce to be whisked - I can't do that motion well yet! AAARGH! But there he was, whisking away.... what a guy!

This dish was so yummy that we decided it was a "keeper"! I would serve it again for company or a special occasion. Or maybe just for us but make it ahead.

YOU can make this! My only suggestion is prepare all of your ingredients ahead. Having everything chopped  and set out would make life so much easier!

I found this recipe from a link on Pinterest called "The 20 Recipes That Won Pinterest This Year". I decided right away that I wanted to make this - it had everything that I loved in it: spinach, mushrooms. lots of garlic, rosemary, and lots of cheese!. It also used egg roll wrappers instead of the traditional lasagna noodles - which I had never tried before. The end result? We loved them! They were easier to use, since you didn't have to cook them beforehand, and they tasted the same as the noodles except that they were lighter-tasting. Perfect for this dish!

Here's the link to the recipe:http://www.feastingathome.com/2013/01/rosemary-chicken-lasagna.html

Trust me. You'll love this!