Red Beans & Rice and Everything Nice

That's what Southern girls are made of.

Dry beans are a great staple for your pantry, inexpensive and healthy.  Red beans are my favorite.  This Monday I made a pot and I think that it may be my best one yet so I'll share the recipe.

This go 'round I used Chorizo sausage and it really made the pot.  Here's what you'll need...

Ingredients
1 lb. bag dry red beans, rinsed and sorted
10 cups water
2 Bay leaves
3 tablespoons bacon drippings
1 large white or yellow onion, rough chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 toes of garlic
2 links of chorizo, sliced
Salt, black pepper, & garlic powder to taste (start with 1 tsp. of each and add more if you like)
1 tsp. Thyme
3 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. dried or fresh parsley
1/4 to 1/2 cup green onion, chopped
White Rice, cooked

Place washed beans in a large pot and cover with and inch or so of water.  You can do the long soak method, soak for 8 hours or overnight, drain and set aside, or you can do a quick cook method.  I do the quick cook method which is to cover beans with an inch or so of water and bring to a boil, simmering for an hour, then add the remaining water, up to ten cups, and reduce heat to medium low.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat bacon drippings over medium heat. Add your chopped onion and sauté for 1 minute. Add chopped celery to this and continue to sauté until onions are translucent. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add this to the pot along with bay leaves, parsley, & thyme. 

After you've added your veg to the pot and while your skillet is still hot, add chorizo; cook, stirring, to brown the sausage over medium heat, about 4 minutes. When done, add this to the pot along with two toes of garlic and stir.  Remove about 1/4 cup of bean juice, placing in a small bowl, and to it add 3 tbsp. flour.  Combine flour and liquid to form a paste and add that back to the pot. Bring beans back to a simmer, stirring occasionally,  for about 2 hours.  The flour works as a thickening agent; should the beans become too thick, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time until desired consistency.

Remove beans from heat and, with a slotted spoon, fish out your toes of garlic and mash against the side of the pot. Stir mashed garlic back down into the beans and continue to cook until beans are tender and creamy, another 15 minutes or so.  Remove from heat.  Serve over cooked rice and garnish with green onions.

Crawfish Races and a Boil

Father's Day weekend required a special meal to kick it all off.  Nothing says "man food" like sucking crawfish heads (Shhh, I don't partake, but that will be our secret). 

The hubs thoroughly enjoys a good crawfish boil, twisting the heads and sucking 'em back, not to mention he's got pulling the tail meat down to an art.  Swilling beer and getting all those juices and beer mixed up in his beard just adds to the manliness of it.  A boil is a perfect Father's Day meal.

We ordered that mess of crawfish from our local grocer.  They're live when you get them so have fun with it.

You can race them...

antagonize them...

Scare your little ones with 'em,

but be warned.  Someone just may piddle on your floor.

Lucky for me it was only crawfish piddle.  As our "big girl" exclaimed, "I pee on the potty!"

  Look at that big 'ol Granddaddy in the center there; look at those pincers!

  

At last, the supper, pork & venison sausage, corn on the cob, and red potatoes.  Mmm, mmm!

 

Life and Crawfish Monica

Folks, it's the time of year I love best.  Spring has sprung, even here in drought ridden South Texas.  Life has continued during my absence of blog land.  I've had the pleasure of being a substitute teacher to many elementary aged children and it is true what they say, kids do say the darnedest things.

Why, just the other day, as I was lining up a classroom of second graders, a boy asked, while looking up at me, "how can I can I get some holes in his face like that?"  Puzzled and somewhat distracted by the group of talkers at the back of the line, I looked down and asked him, "What?," to which he pointed at his own dimple-less cheeks.  It immediately dawned on me that he was referring to my dimples, which are quite deep, ditches you might say, and I had to laugh.  I told him that you just had to be born with them.

Another boy was explaining how he thought he caught Malaria from a box of dirt he'd been digging through.  See, the dirt was from Haiti; his parents, both missionaries, had brought it back.  I was thoroughly entertained with his self-diagnosis.  Kids do say the darnedest things.

In my spare time, I've been working on watering the yard in hopes to green it up and have been cleaning up all the dead from the winter.  Tomato plants are in the ground and herbs are soon to follow, just as soon as I can chicken proof the herb box.  Our hens, it turns out, are fans of cilantro and parsley.

I've also had time to try a few new recipes.  Here's a great one for crawfish, called Crawfish Monica; this pasta pleased the whole family.  Here 'tis...

my photo

Crawfish Monica (Photo from Flickr by muckster

 Ingredients

1 pound linguine or fettucine (I used the rotini pasta as pictured above)
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows (Instead of making a large batch of Emeril's Essence, I guesstimated by adding a little of each ingredient, approximately 1/2 tsp. paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, etc., a small shake of cayenne pepper and so on.  It's better to add a little and then add more to taste than adding too much and ruining the dish.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 pound crawfish tails*
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 cup grated Parmesan

Preparation

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Return to the pot and toss with the olive oil and reserved cooking liquid. Cover to keep warm.
In a large saute pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, Essence, salt, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook over high heat until nearly all evaporated. Add the cream lemon juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced. Add the crawfish tails and cook, stirring, to warm through. Add the onions and parsley and cook for 1 minute. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat with the sauce. Cook until the pasta is warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 cup of the cheese.
Turn out into a serving bowl and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Serve.
*Crawfish tails can be purchased online and shipped through Cajun Grocer. Peeled medium shrimp can be substituted, but the cooking time must be increased to allow thorough cooking.

Emeril’s ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse on Food Network.

 Here's a final shot of my bowl before I dug in.  I added a sprinklin' of Cajun seasoning to my bowl before I ate and it was perfect.
I'm sharing @ http://msenplace.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/mm73/potluck%20badge/gumbobadge.jpg

" border="0" alt=" Ms. enPlace "> and at Rattle Bridge Farm's Foodie Friday


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Carne Guisada and Stewed Okra

Ladies and gentlemen, it has been awhile.  So long, in fact, that my blogger format has changed and I'm fumbling around as if it were my first post.  I'm a month into my final semester and I have to say that I'm loving my placement in a kindergarten classroom.  I'm exhausted as all get out, not so much from school, but from the balancing of school and home life.

Home life, it seems, has gotten comfy-cozy with mom having the available time to cook and clean on a regular basis.  The problem is, like many, many moms may know, when you go back to work, all of the work of home life is still waiting for you.  Home life cohabitants haven't minded the floors not being mopped for a month. I mind. Greatly.  Home life is a-okay with the clutter. Me?  Not so much.  Dinners are still being served, however desserts would be a thing of the past if Big Sissy hadn't been kind enough to bake a few batches of cookies to keep me from getting all crazy eyed.  Now, Bebe!  That's one smart girl, smart enough to learn key phrases like, "You're beautiful," "I love your heart," and "you're really awesome."  These phrases coupled with her baby cuteness, why, she's possibly the smartest in the bunch!  Hubs is falling behind in the "be kind to mommy" category; although I do give him props for making a few grocery runs, and in all fairness, he has been pulling six and seven day weeks and it is football season so...  I know I should cut him some slack, but my lack of slack has cut into his share and I'm feeling all slacked out- so to speak.

I miss my blogging buddies and hope to get back to some semblance of normalcy in blogland after I graduate, but we will see. Maybe by then I'll be bestowed with super-mommy powers and I'll be able to do it all without any complaint ( hubby's greatest wish).  Yea, and maybe by Thanksgiving they'll invent Pecan Pies that will magically make you drop all the extra holiday  L Bs. : )

To prove that I'm still cookin', here's a dinner that's pure comfort, Carne Guisada and Stewed Okra.  It's not much to look at, but it sure is tasty.  This dinner is going to need some time.  The idea is to have the chunks of beef falling apart.  In all honesty, my beef tips could have cooked down for another hour.  Well, that was just one hour we didn't have and it was still yummy, but if you've got the time, I think it would be well worth it.  Here's what you'll need-

2 lbs. stew meat, I use beef
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp. oil
2 cups water mixed with 4 tbsp. of Tony Chachere's Brown Gravy mix
Salt & Pepper to taste

Begin by heating oil and caramelizing onions in a dutch oven.  I've got a cast iron dutch oven that's perfect for this job.  Add meat and gravy and let simmer, covered, on medium-low heat for 3 to 4 hours.  The idea is that the meat be falling apart.  You may want to add a little water here and there, when you check on it.  This is up to you.  If you add too much water, take a 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and add a heaping tablespoon of flour, mixing until lumps dissolve; stir this mixture back into your meat and let it come to a simmer again.  This should thicken it.  Serve over rice or wrapped in flour tortillas.

For the stewed okra I sauteed half an onion and added to it a bag of frozen okra, a can of diced tomatoes, and a small can of tomato sauce.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  This is a yummy vegetable side for this meal.  The acidity of the tomatoes goes nicely with the rich gravy of the carne guisada.

I'm sharing @  hosted @ Rattlebridge Farms.

Have a blessed weekend!

Roasted Herb Chicken and Potatoes

Here's a tasty recipe I procured from the web.  It's not often that we purchase a whole bird so I was at a loss as to where to begin in preparing it.  Luckily, the recipe I found was a keeper.  

Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs. baking potatoes (I used red potatoes)
1 large onion, thinly sliced (I chopped my onion-force of habit)
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, pressed (since I don't have a press, I mash mine on the cutting board and mince)
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crumbled
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crumbled (I used thyme since I was out of rosemary)
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1 (4 lb.) whole chicken

Directions
Wash and cut each potato in half, then slice each half crosswise in 1/2 inch thick slices.  Place with onion in  a shallow foil-lined baking pan.  Combine next seven ingredients and drizzle one tablespoon of mixture over potato mixture, tossing until evenly coated.

Discard giblets and neck from chicken (good to freeze for later use).  Rinse chicken under cold running water; drain and pat dry.  Place chicken, breast side up, in center of the pan, moving potatoes aside.  I placed a wire rack over my vegetables and place my chicken on top of it so that it was slightly elevated above vegetables.  Brush chicken, including cavity, thoroughly with soy mixture.

Roast in 375 degree F oven for about an hour and fifteen minutes, brushing with soy mixture every thirty minutes.  Stir vegetables every thirty minutes so that they roast on all sides.  I believe I cooked mine for an additional fifteen minutes, until the juices ran clear.  A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part, and not touching bone, should read 180 degrees F.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
**Recipe courtesy Kikkoman International.

We served grilled asparagus alongside our chicken dinner.  This was a yummy dinner, the vegetables absorbed the flavors wonderfully and had a nice flavor.  I will try this marinade with boneless, skinless chicken breast next time since I'm not the biggest fan of skin-on chicken.

Cilantro Lime Sauce for Shrimp or Fish Tacos

The other night we made shrimp tacos.  The shrimp were local and plump and screaming to be turned into tacos.  Yes, the really screamed that to me.  "Turn me into Tacos, Tawanda!" they said.  I don't know why the shrimp call me Tawanda, but I kinda liked it. ; )

I blackened a pound of shrimp and heated corn tortillas in our cast iron skillet.  We shredded a little bit of fresh cabbage and diced our homegrown tomatoes to top the tacos.  We used the cilantro lime sauce as the base to build on, as you can see in the image.  Black beans and yellow rice accompanied these tasty tacos.

Cilantro Lime Sauce
6 oz. plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
a pinch of red pepper
Kosher salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients together and serve.

It's that simple, folks.  This sauce was a change from our usual shrimp tacos and really added a nice fresh zing.  I hope you give it a try the next time you make shrimp tacos...would be equally good on fish tacos, I do believe.

Take care, y'all.

Toasted Sesame Ginger Salmon

Every once in awhile new social media crops up and I jump on the band wagon (hello Facebook, Myspace, Tumblr, and Pintrest).  Inevitably I grow bored, quickly (goodbye Myspace and Tumblr, you are not missed, and FB you are on a fast track to getting the boot).  These outlets really don't do much for me, but Pintrest has become a right-handy tool.  I pin recipes often, and I make them!  GASP!!!  I know you wouldn't know it by my lack of blogging, lately (blame that on taking two classes this summer), but you have to believe me.

Here's proof.  I pinned this yummy recipe for salmon from How Sweet It Is blog, and truly, it is sooo sweet.  Just look up at that gorgeous piece of fish.  Thank you, Hubby, for grilling it to perfection and thank you, Jessica, for sharing the recipe on your blog.

Here's Jessica's recipe, please click on this link to check out her beautiful pics.

Toasted Sesame Ginger Salmon, serves 2-4

1 1/2 pounds raw salmon

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoon soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 tablespoons freshly grated ginger (I used ginger powder since that's what I had on hand)

1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

4 green onions, sliced

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack over top. Spray the rack with nonstick spray. (Here we decided to grill the fish after it marinated.)

In a large bowl or baking dish, combine olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vinegar, brown sugar and whisk well until combined. Add salmon to the dish or place everything in a ziplock bag, then refrigerate and marinate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the broiler in your oven. (Or preheat your grill, etc if you prefer to use something else.)

Remove salmon with kitchen tongs and place directly on the wire rack. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper, then place directly under the broiler. Cook for 10-12 minutes, depending on the salmon’s thickness (our’s was just about an inch thick), until opaque and easily flakable with a fork. You can flip the salmon halfway through cooking if desired.

Remove and serve immediately, with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds, green onions and the glaze below.

 Sesame Ginger Honey Glaze

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour over salmon.

How awesome is that?  This was a simple, healthy recipe that I know we will make again.  We ALL loved it.

Smothered Pork Chops

4 center-cut thick pork chops (bone-in optional)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup all purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 medium sweet onion, cut in half and thin into strips
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
2 cups beef broth
1 packet brown gravy mix

Heat oil in skillet.  In a large Zip-loc bag, add flour, salt, and pepper], seal and shake to combine.  Add pork chops to bag, one at a time, to coat and place each in the hot oil.  Sear for a minute or two on each side.  This isn't cooking through, just getting color on the chops.

Chop onion and place in the bottom of a crockpot.  Place browned pork chops onto bed of onions.  Pour can of Cream of Mushroom soup on top of chops.  I smeared the soup around with a spoon.  In a small mixing bowl, combine gravy mix and broth, then pour the 2 cups of broth mixture on top of the soup covered pork chops.  Close the lid and cook on high for three hours.  **If you buy thin cut pork chops, you may reduce the cooking time in half. 


The onions and pork chops should be very tender.  We served our smothered pork chops over white rice and had pea salad and skillet corn on the side.

This recipe was adapted from Paula Deen's Old Fashioned Smothered Pork Chops.

Recipes from Bon Temps, Louisiana- Burgers and Chocolate Cake

Some of you may have heard of Merlotte's Bar and Grill located in the made-up town of Bon Temps, LA.  If so, then you may have heard of Lafayette Reynolds; he's known for his burgers.  ; )

image source

Here's my attempt at Burgers Lafayette sauce...

Of course Merlotte's, Bon Temps, and Lafayette are all inventions of Charlaine Harris' Sookie-verse and I love Sookie-verse.  It's not enough that I'm completely enthralled with season 5 of HBO's True Blood which is based on Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels, I've also had the pleasure of delving even further into her fantasy by reading book 12 and, now, this book...  

Looka!  It includes a short story!!!

I've never read Ms. Harris' short stories so this was a first and I really liked it, but the best part of the companion was the inclusion of recipes.  I love books with recipes.  My favorite authors have been from the South and cooking has found its way into their books:  Mary Kay Andrews, Fannie Flagg, & Michael Lee West have all done it (included the recipes of foods mentioned in their novels) so I'm glad to see Arkansas native Charlaine Harris jump on the band wagon.  What better way to bring the book experience to life than by touching on our senses through food?!

Tonight, I made not only Lafayette's burgers, but Mrs. Bellefleur's prize-winning chocolate cake.

I think my husband is adding this to his favorites list; the icing is sooo good!

Of course, Mrs. Bellefleur's cake recipe was top secret in the books so I'm not going to give it away here.  You'll have to read the "Companion" to find out for yourself.  There are many fun recipes included in it.  I have it in mind to try the Country Porch Lemonade and the Mardi Gras Corn Salad.  You should check out the book, too, if you're interested in trying any of the recipes, AND if these recipes are  not enough for you, you will be pleased to know a True Blood cookbook complete with images from the series will be coming out this fall, I hear.  Sounds like a perfect Christmas gift.  (Hubs- this is a hint.  Wink, wink!)

For a sneak peak, here's the recipe for Burgers Lafayette Sauce

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 stick margarine (I used unsalted butter)

1/4 cup vinegar (I used Sherry vinegar since the recipe didn't specify)

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp. salt

Dash cayenne

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup ketchup

Directions

Saute the onion in the butter or margarine.  Add all of the other ingredients.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Place the cooked hamburgers or leftover roast in the skillet and steep for at least 10 minutes.  Place the meat on a bun and put a spoonful of extra sauce on top.  Makes enough for about 4 hamburgers.  **Our burgers were on the small side so I was able to place six burgers in the sauce.

Recipe courtesy Charlaine Harris

Lasagna Olé

Here's a dinner recipe my Grandma provided for the Saturday Club of Rising Star, TX.  It's called Lasagna Olé, a Tex-Mex twist on lasagna.  It was really easy to put together and the flavors were great.

Here's what you'll need-

Ingredients
1 lb. hamburger meat
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (10 oz) can Ro*Tel
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning,** or see recipe below
Salt & Black Pepper to taste
8 corn tortillas
1 cup (8 oz.) shredded cheddar
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
(12 oz) slices Monterrey Jack cheese slices
(4 oz) shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  I cooked the onion and meat together in a large skillet over medium heat.  When the onions had gone soft and the meat was cooked, I added the canned tomatoes and taco seasoning, stirring to incorporate all the ingredients.  Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper to taste.  I let this simmer for 10 more minutes.

Pour half the meat mixture into a casserole dish.  Layer tortilla rounds over meat, they will overlap some.  Spread sour cream over tortillas, then sprinkle cheddar on top of the smoothed over sour cream.

Pour the remaining meat mixture onto the sour cream and cheddar.  Spread it so that the meat mixture is set evenly.  Place Monterrey Jack cheese slices on top of meat and sprinkle Parmesan on top of that.  Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in oven.

A green salad would go nicely as a side for this meal.

Taco Seasoning Recipe
1 tablespoon Chili Powder
2 teaspoons Onion Powder
2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Cumin
A pinch of Red Pepper

Spinach Artichoke Baked Pasta Review

Here's another easy dinner idea from Pintrest, Spinach and Artichoke Baked Pasta courtesy of the Budget Savvy Diva.  We had a warm loaf of French bread, cheeses, wine, and a salad to complete our meal.  I also added pieces of cooked chicken breast meat to our pasta to satisfy the meat eaters in the family.

This reminds me of Spinach Artichoke dip turned into a meal.  I love it.

Ingredients

14 oz of Orecchiette Pasta ( or short pasta)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Cup of Chopped Onion

3 Cloves of Garlic ( Minced)

1 Cup of Sour Cream

4 oz of Cream Cheese ( Room Temperature)

3/4 Cup of Parmesan Cheese

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice + Zest

10 Oz of Spinach ( Make sure to squeeze excess moisture, after it has been thawed of course)

13.5 Can of Artichoke Hearts rinsed and chopped

1 Cup of Mozzarella

1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

1 Teaspoon of Pepper

What To Do

Preheat Oven To 425

Cook pasta according to the box. Keep 1/4 Cup of the Pasta Water before you drain the cooked pasta.

Heat oil in pan and cook onions for 8 – 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute.

In a large bowl – Mix Sour Cream, Cream Cheese,  Parmesan, Lemon (juice and zest), onions and garlic. Add Pasta and mix.

King Ranch Chicken

King Ranch Chicken, that ubiquitous Texas casserole, has busted across state borders and onto the plates of folks all over the United States.  It's home food, the comforting stuff, which is why it's so commonly found at dinner parties, reunions, pot lucks, & funerals.  It's hard to hit a large gathering of Texans and not come across this dish  beckoning you to dig in and take a scoop.








Here's what you'll need
10 corn tortillas
1 rotisserie chicken, meat pulled or 1 whole chicken, boiled and meat pulled. (I used the Rotisserie bird to save on time and clean up).
1 small (8 oz.) box Veleeta cheese, 1 pkg. shredded cheddar may be substituted
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 small onion or 1/2 a large one, chopped
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Ro*tel tomatoes with green chilies, I used the mild.
1/2 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Heat skillet with two tablespoons butter.  Dice onion and place in heated skillet.  Saute onions until soft.

While onions are sauteing, cut tortilla rounds into sixths, as you would for triangle corn chips.  Next, cut Velveeta block into cubes.

Lay a single layer of triangles along the bottom of an ungreased 9 x 13" casserole dish.  Pull chicken breast meat in bite sized pieces off of the rotisserie chicken.  Layer chicken meat on top of the corn tortillas. Then top with sauteed onions and cubed Velveeta.

Repeat the layers of tortilla, chicken, onion, and cheese, stopping when casserole dish is 3/4 of the way full.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine soups, Ro*tel, and broth.  Pour soup mixture onto casserole and place in the oven to bake for 45 minutes.

What comes out of the oven will be a a casserole swimming in creamy cheesiness, a queso-esque concoction that screams comfort, and calories, but hey, everything IS bigger in Texas! ; )

Chicken, Spinach, and Noodle Casserole

This is another of the recipes I found thumbing through a mag at the Doc's office.  This was easy, filling, and inexpensive to make, great for a week night supper.  We loved it so much that we ate it up before I could snap a pic which explains the magazine's photo : )



photo courtesy

• Ingredients
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk (I used fat free since that's what I had on hand)
• 1 cup sour cream
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste (I also used about 2 tsps. garlic & onion powder, and approximately 2 tsps. Cajun seasoning)
• 12 ounces egg noodles
• 4 slices sandwich bread (I used enough plain bread crumbs to cover the dish and doctored 'em up with a Cajun seasoning, crushed parsley, and grated Parmesan)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken
• 5 ounces baby spinach, chopped (I used a bag of frozen, chopped spinach since, again, that's what I had on hand)
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 
  

Directions 

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until foamy, 1 to 2 minutes (do not let the mixture darken). Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
2. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions; drain and return them to the pot. Pulse the bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
3. Add the milk mixture, chicken, spinach, and thyme to the noodles and toss to combine. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch or some other 3-quart baking dish, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, and drizzle with the melted butter.
4. Bake until the bread crumbs are golden and the filling is bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe courtesy Dawn Perry,  March 2012, of Real Simple Magazine

** Many people commented that this recipe was bland so I really loaded in the seasonings.  I tasted it before it went in the baking dish, adjusted seasonings a tad more and thought it was great.

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& for Southern Sundays at Slice of Southern blog

Cheesy Chicken Pasta

What's good about going to the Doctor's office and your appointment being stalled by an hour?  Finding recipes for the week!  (See, silver lining.)

I found a Kraft recipe for Cheesy Chicken Rotini and thought, "I can do that."

This was an easy meal to put together and I made it even easier.  Here's how: Rotisserie chicken.  Yep, that simple.

Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into inch pieces (I grabbed a Rotisserie chicken and pulled meat off of half of it.)
2 cups water (I didn't measure the water, but cooked pasta according to directions.)
3 cups rotini pasta, uncooked (I used Radiatorre pasta because I love the way the little radiators hold the sauce)
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot blend
1 can (10 oz.) Ro-tel tomatoes with green chilies, undrained (I used the mild variety.)
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) Velveeta cut into cubes
1 can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup
1/4 can milk

Directions
Cook chicken in a large skillet with a little olive oil.  You may want to season your meat with salt and pepper, although the recipe didn't call for it.  Since I used a rotisserie chicken, I skipped this step.  I heated oil in a pan and added the veg mix.

While the veggies were heating up, I added salted water in a large pot  and cooked the pasta, al dente, according to package directions.

Once the veggies were thawed and beginning to heat through, I added the pulled chicken, Ro-tel, and diced Velveeta.

When the pasta was cooked, I drained it and added it into the skillet.  After tasting, I decided the dish needed something so I added a can of Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup.  To thin it out, I added a quarter can of milk.  After the last addition, I gave it a good stir to fully incorporate the cheese.

I thought this was a really simple meal to put together and everyone gave it a thumbs up.  So there you go, dinner in a hurry. ; )

Sharing at Rattlebridge Farm's Foodie Friday.

Cajun Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon-Mustard Glaze

If you're looking for a mouthwatering recipe for pork tenderloin, you'll want to try this recipe by Marguerite of Cajun Delights.  This tenderloin turned out to be tender & moist, and spicy sweet.  We served it alongside green bean casserole and maple mashed sweet potatoes.

Chicken Piccatta with Lemon-Caper Sauce

Mornin'!  Well, you might say, "she's at it, again!"  I am.  I made some major adjustments to this recipe because it seemed like a lot going on.  I've marked my adjustments for 4 milanesa (thin cut) chicken breasts.  Adjustments aside, this was a tasty dish and I'm glad I discovered it.

Ingredients

1. PICCATTA BATTER
2. 6 eggs, whole  4 eggs
3. 1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated ( I had Kraft three cheese mix, Asiago, Romano, & Parm)
4. 1/4 cup fresh Romano cheese, grated
5. 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp dry) I just tossed in a handful of fresh to the sauce and nixed it in the batter)
6. 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped (or 2 tsp dry) (I skipped this altogether, well, because I forgot to add it in, but did add a pinch of sage and thyme)
7. 
   
8. CHICKEN
9. 4 ea 6oz. chicken breasts, boneless skinless, split
10. 2 cups flour, seasoned with salt and black pepper  (I went with more like a cups worth...didn't measure exactly)
11. Salt & black pepper to season the flour.
12. 1/2 cup olive oil (or as needed), (I definitely followed the as needed as I thought 1/2 cup was excessive, ended up using about 2 tbsp. and added  2 tbsp. unsalted butter)
13. 
    
14. LEMON SAGE SAUCE
15. 1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped (forgot these, too.  Oops, not on my A-game)
16. 1 Tbsp garlic, chopped (used 3 cloves)
17. 2 Tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped (used 3/4 tsp. in the batter not in the sauce.  Whoops!)
18. 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp dry)
19. 1/4 cup lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)
20. 1 Tbsp lemon zest (zest of 2 lemons)
21. 1/2 cup white wine (forgot this part...jeez, what's wrong w/me?)
22. 1 cup heavy cream
23. 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold  (scractched this since there was plenty of oil in the pan)
24. Salt and pepper to taste (scratched this and added 3 tbsp. capers instead. salt from the caper berry was plenty)

Procedures

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF. 

PICCATTA BATTER

1. COMBINE eggs, cheeses, parsley and basil together in a large mixing bowl.
2. 
   

CHICKEN

1. POUND chicken breasts until ¼” thick ( bought thin cut breats so skipped this step).  Dredge chicken in the flour mixture and dip it in the Piccata batter; coat evenly on both sides.
2. HEAT olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. (I added garlic here to flavor the oil and sauteed for just a minute.  Place chicken in the skillet and fry until edges are golden brown on each side. Transfer chicken from skillet into a baking pan. ( I just cooked on in the skillet and it was fabulous).
3. BAKE in a 350ºF oven for 5-6 minutes, until juices run clear. (seemed like an added step and a waste of time)
4. 
   

SAUCE

1. DRAIN 3/4 of the oil from skillet and add the shallots, garlic and herbs. (By using less oil, I didn't have to drain any of it and was able to retain all the good crispy bits.  HELLO FLAVOR!  I added the garlic to the oil before I cooked the chicken so at this point all I added was the lemon juice and zest to deglaze the pan.  Then I added the cream.  The left over flour bits from the cooked chicken thickened the sauce like a roux, kinda.  Yum.  Saute over medium heat until shallots are transparent. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, white wine and reduce liquid by 1/2. Add heavy cream and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly.  Dropped capers in at this time then poured it over the plated chicken.  We served the chicken on a bed of linguini in pesto.
2. REMOVE pan from heat and whip in the cold butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (What are they talking about?)

SERVE

1. POUR ¼ cup of sauce on plate and place chicken on top. (Well, that seemed somewhat backwards so I plated the chicken and poured sauce over it.  Serve immediately. (on a bed of pesto linguine if you're smart).

I know there are a lot of changes, and forgotten ingredients, but somehow this turned out sooooo good.  My husband loved the batter and sauce...said it's the best dinner I've made in a while.