Chicken Spaghetti

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  1 lb. Spaghetti
• 3-4 slices bacon
  2-3 Chicken breasts, cut into 1" chunks
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• ½ lb. Velveeta, cubed
• ½ cup milk, more or less
• 1 can sliced mushrooms, drained

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• In a large stock pot, boil spaghetti al dente, in salted water. Drain and dump pasta into a large mixing bowl.
• In a large skillet, fry bacon ’til crisp and set aside to cool. Add chicken breasts to skillet and saute in bacon fat. Add onion & garlic, continue to cook until onion is translucent.
• Add sauteed chicken & vegetables, canned soups, Velveeta, milk, and mushrooms to mixing bowl with pasta.
• Crumble bacon and add in with pasta mixture.
• Stir until all ingredients are mixed well. You may add more milk if you like it creamier.
• Add to a casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.

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Today, many bloggers are remembering those victims of 9-11.  I'd like to give thanks to all the heroes from that day and for all that I'm blessed with.  Everyday that I get with my family and friends is a gift

Central Texas Fires and a Way to Help

I'm sharing this post from Book People's Blog:
Support the American Red Cross of Central Texas and Wildfire Victims 

September 5, 2011 by juliewbp

http://www.centex.redcross.org/index.asp?IDCapitulo=F9ZLZNZ3KD

The fires taking place in Central Texas have been devastating to so many.  In order to support our community, BookPeople will be donating a portion of our sales to the American Red Cross of Central Texas from Tuesday 9/6 though Friday 9/9. This applies to all sales, both in-store and online.  Our cashiers can also take direct donations at the registers – simply ask your cashier to donate to the Red Cross when checking out. (For any followers in the Austin area, go by the store to help.)

With the Central Texas community in need, we hope you will help in any way you can.  And please use these tips for preventing fires.

I've just learned that a High School friend has lost her home.  Here's an image from one of the  neighborhoods, just to give perspective:

Chocolate Icebox Pie

What's life without another Luby's pie recipe?!  Here is a great recipe for chocolate icebox pie (not Minnie's version-if you've read or watched The Help, you get what I'm sayin').  It's easy to bake, just keep an eye on the pie crust or it will end a little too golden ; )

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups milk, divided

1-1/3 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
• 7 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 6 Tablespoons water
• 3 egg yolks, extra-large
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• 1 pie shell, 9-inch baked
• whipped cream, sweetened for topping (optional)
• chocolate curls or shavings for garnish (optional)
• In a large, heavy bottom saucepan, bring 2 cups milk, sugar, cocoa, and butter to a boil. Remove from heat.
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  In a mixing bowl, whisk together cornstarch, remaining milk, egg yolks, and vanilla.  Add a little of the cooked mixture to this to temper the eggs...a slow steady stream should do.  Once tempered, add this to the remaining cooked mixture, stirring constantly.
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  Bring heat back up, adjusting the burner to low. Mix with wire whisk until thick and smooth.
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  Stir in marshmallows and continue stirring until melted.
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  Pour into pie shell. Pat plastic wrap onto top of pie to avoid the pie forming a skin and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
  
  
  Recipe courtesy of Luby's 50th Anniversary Cookbook and was shared in the Houston Chronicle.
  Sharing @ Foodie Friday! 

A Great Macaroni Salad from Deep South Dish

If you're looking for a last minute Labor Day weekend recipe, you may want to check out this blog for a great Macaroni Salad.  I made this Saturday and everybody (and I mean everybody) loved it!

I used small shell pasta since that's what was in my pantry, but that's the only change I made.  I garnished the pasta with a little sprinkling of paprika before I served it and it went fast!

You Know It's Hot When...

Your sun screen bottle melts in the car

Get Luby-fied with a Butternut Brownie Pie

If you live in Texas, it's likely you've heard of Luby's Cafeteria.  Luby's Cafeteria opened in San Antonio in '47.  Luby's serves up southern favorites like fried fish, chicken fried steak, carved ham, fried okra, mashed taters, mac n cheese, chocolate ice box pie, pecan pie, and a whole slew of other favorites that are too many to mention.

It is a cafeteria so the whole spread is lined out before you and I guarantee that you're eyes will be bigger than your stomach.  I have many fond memories of going with my Grandma to eat there, and still enjoy a meal from Luby's from time to time.  

There are a few copied recipes shared on the web.  Luby's has published recipe books so I'm not sure if folks got the recipes from that source and shared them or got them from somewhere else, but I'm glad they're available because some are so darned good.  

Here's one of my favorites Luby recipes:

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Luby's Butternut Brownie Pie 

Servings (8) 

 4 Egg whites

 1/8 Tsp Baking powder

 1/8 Tsp Cream of tartar 

1 1/4 Cup Sugar (divided use) 

14 Graham cracker squares, broken into pieces(about 2 cups) 

1 Cup .+ 2 Tablespoon Pecan pieces(divided use)

 1 Cup Whipping cream

 1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract 

 Directions:   Preheat the oven to 300 F. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie plate with butter. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and baking powder until soft peaks form. Beating constantly, add cream of tartar and slowly add 1 cup of the sugar until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the graham crackers and 1 cup pecan pieces. Spoon into prepared pie plate. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. In small chilled mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream just until it begins to thicken. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat. Top pie with whipped cream and sprinkle the remaining pecan pieces on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes about 8 servings. Nutritional Information: per serving: 518 calories, 30g fat, 306mg sodium, 197mg cholesterol, 47 percent of calories from fat. 

If you're ever traveling through Texas and happen across a Luby's, I hope you give it a try.  Here's to hoping you have a good weekend.

Cheers,

The Kitchen Witch


p.s. Sharing @ Foodie Friday. ...a great source to find many great recipes.