Stuffed Chicken Rolls

This is one of those recipes that can be varied in so many ways, depending on what you have on hand or what you like.  Of course the one ingredient that I find missing from the recipe is hot peppers and I will definitely add them when I try it out.  How about some mushrooms?

The first thing that came to mind when I found this recipe is to try it out as something different for one of my favorite meals . . . Chicken Parmesan.  Change the cheese to mozzarella and you're good to go!

I'm going to have fun varying the ingredients with this recipe :)

Ingredients

• 6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• ¹/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• ¹/4 teaspoon black pepper
• ¹/2 cup sundried tomatoes
• 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• ¹/4 cup pesto
• ³/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• ¹/2 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

1. Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt and black pepper; set aside.
    
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Stir together sundried tomatoes, cream cheese, and pesto. Spread cheese mixture evenly over chicken breasts. Roll up jellyroll fashion; secure with wooden toothpicks.
    
3. In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and paprika. Dredge chicken in bread crumb mixture. Place in a lightly greased 7- x 11-inch baking pan. Bake, uncovered, 26 to 28 minutes; let stand 5 minutes. Remove toothpicks, and slice each roll into 6 rounds.

Source:  Mr. Food

Thanksgiving

The holiday season is upon us!  Seems like the other day our family got together for the yearly feast and here it is again.  The years have scattered family members all over the place, but we all come together for Thanksgiving to give thanks for everything we have been blessed with.

This year, The Captain and I will celebrate our first Thanksgiving as a married couple.  My wonderful husband is what I am most thankful for this year.  After spending way too many years alone as a grieving widow after being a wife for 20-something years, the good Lord so blessed me with the most perfect man for me.  He was worth waiting for and I am enjoying life once again!

As I've compiled the following list of Thanksgiving links, my hunger grows for turkey, ham, dressing, sweet potatoes and a number of delicious desserts that we typically eat on Thanksgiving.  The search goes on for something new and different for an appetizer.  Going through all these recipes is a form of torture!

Here's a list of some awesome Thanksgiving links to help you plan your family feast:

Fine Cooking Magazine's Thanksgiving section

Thanksgiving 911 from Real Simple

How to get it all done . . . from Yahoo

Deep South Southern Thanksgiving Recipes

Martha Stewart's Thanksgiving Cookbook

Happy Thanksgiving!

Traditional Herb Dressing

Countdown to Thanksgiving!

Here is a basic dressing recipe from Mr. Food.

Spice it up with your favorite ingredients . . .

When making this recipe, I add italian sausage

and never make any dressing recipe without

green onions!

Serves: 6

Cooking Time: 45 min

Ingredients

• ¹/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• ¹/2 cup chopped onion
• ¹/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 ¹/2 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups cubed herb-seasoned stuffing

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
    
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Add broth and stuffing cubes, and mix gently until well combined.
    
3. Spoon stuffing into prepared casserole dish. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until heated through

Source:  Mr. Food

Potato Puffs

Makes: 24 large or 72 small puffs

Preparation Time: 20 min

Cooking Time: 1 hr 5 min

Ingredients

• 3 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup cracker crumbs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¹/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 
  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
    
2. Place potatoes in a soup pot and add just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to medium and cook 12 to 15 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain off water, mash the potatoes, and allow to cool.
    
3. In a small saucepan, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add sauteed onion, the cracker crumbs, salt, and pepper to mashed potatoes; mash mixture.
    
4. With your hands, roll mixture into balls and place potato balls on prepared baking sheet. Brush with egg yolk and bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden and crusty.

Source:  Mr. Food

Rocky Road Chocolate Cake

Doesn't this look sinful?

This is one of those semi-homemade desserts!

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25-oz.) package German chocolate cake mix
• 1 (3.9-oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 
• 1 cup sour cream 
• 1/3 cup butter, melted 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/4 cups milk, divided 
• 1 (3.4-oz.) package chocolate cook-and-serve pudding mix
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
• Vanilla ice cream (optional)
• 
  

Preparation

• 1. Beat cake mix, next 5 ingredients, and 1 1/4 cups milk at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Pour batter into a lightly greased 4-qt. slow cooker.
• 2. Cook remaining 2 cups milk in a heavy nonaluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or just until bubbles appear (do not boil); remove from heat.
• 3. Sprinkle cook-and-serve pudding mix over batter. Slowly pour hot milk over pudding. Cover and cook on LOW 3 1/2 hours.
• 4. Meanwhile, heat pecans in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.
• 5. Turn off slow cooker. Sprinkle cake with pecans, marshmallows, and chocolate morsels. Let stand 15 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly melted. Spoon into dessert dishes, and serve with ice cream, if desired.

Southern Living
OCTOBER 2008

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Rose Nguyen

Trick or Treat Bars

Makes: 24 bars

Cooking Time: 25 min

Ingredients

• ¹/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 ¹/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup (6 ounces) peanut butter chips
• ¹/2 cup candy corn

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
    
2. Place butter in a 9- x 13-inch baking dish and place in oven just until butter melts.
    
3. Remove dish from oven and distribute melted butter evenly over bottom. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly over melted butter; pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs. Top with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips; press down firmly.
    
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven; immediately sprinkle with candy corn and gently press candies into uncut bars. Cool then cut into bars.

Source:  Mr. Food

Enchilada Crescents

You can't get much easier than this recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
• 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 2 cans (8 oz each)Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (5 oz)

Directions

• In 2-quart saucepan, mix chicken and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
• Separate or cut dough into 8 long rectangles (if using crescent rolls, press perforations to seal). Spoon chicken mixture and 1 tablespoon of the cheese onto 1 long side of each rectangle. Roll up; pinch edges to seal. Place seam side down in 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake at 375°F 15 to 20 minutes. Yield: 8 servings. 
  
  2010 © and ®/™ of General Mills
• 
  

Source:  Taste of Home

Angel Hair Pasta with Spicy Shrimp

Angel hair pasta is one of my favorite types of pasta.

What I really love . . . it is ready to go from boiling water to plate in 3 or 4 minutes.  When I don't know what I'm hungry for, I start the water boiling with salt and garlic, throw in the Angel Hair Pasta and on the side melt some butter in a little olive oil, add minced garlic.  Drain the pasta, add the butter and garlic mixture and liberally add parmesean cheese.  One of my favorite meals ready within 10 minutes!  Add a salad and some bread and you've got an awesome meal.

But if you want to get a little fancier . . . try Angel Hair Pasta with Spicy Shrimp!  With my version, I saute garlic, green onion, cayenne pepper and dill in a mixture of olive oil and butter, add shrimp and cook for just 4 minutes (or until the shrimp is pink) . . . don't overcook the shrimp!!  Pour over the pasta, add some parmesean cheese . . . mmmm!

  Here is a version I found on the

 website Real Simple that I really want to try:

Ingredients

• 12 ounces angel hair pasta or spaghetti (3/4 of a box)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return pasta to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute (do not let it brown).
3. Add the shrimp, wine, red pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt. Simmer until the shrimp are opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the butter.
4. Toss the pasta with the shrimp mixture.

Southern Style Creamy Chicken Casserole

Since I have pretty much taken beef out of my diet, I'm always looking for chicken and seafood recipes . . . the easier, the better.  This recipe comes from Mr. Food, one of my favorite television chefs.

This is one of those recipes that can make use of leftovers.  I would be very tempted to throw in some corn or mushrooms!  How about picking up a roasted chicken from the grocery store on your way home to make this faster and easier?  The addition of chow mein noodles is very interesting . . . can't wait to try this recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 cups chunked cooked chicken
• 1 (10¾-ounce) can condensed chicken and rice soup
• 1 (10¾-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 (5-ounce) package chow mein noodles
• 
  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
    
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well then spoon into prepared baking dish.
    
3. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until heated through.

Source:  Mr. Food

Chicken Empanadas

Quick and easy, semi-homemade chicken

 empanadas from Mr. Food!

The recipe calls for purchased dry fajita

seasoning, but I have included a homemade

 version listed after the empanada recipe

as an alternative.

Chicken Empanadas


Serves: 4

Cooking Time: 30 min

Ingredients

• 1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated rolled pie crusts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¹/2 cup chopped onion
• ¹/2 medium-sized red bell pepper, chopped
• ¹/2 medium-sized green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 2 tablespoons dry fajita seasoning (see below for homemade seasoning)
• 1 cup Mexican cheese blend
• 1 egg, beaten
• 
  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place 1 pie crust flat on a 14-inch pizza pan; set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and bell peppers; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken, corn, and fajita seasoning; remove from heat.
3. Spoon mixture onto pie crust, leaving a 1-inch border around edge. Sprinkle cheese evenly over chicken mixture and brush edge of crust with egg. Place second pie crust flat over filling. Fold and press edges together. Using a fork, crimp to seal edge.
4. Brush top with egg.
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Source:  Mr. Food

Homemade Fajita Seasoning


Ingredients:


3 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. sugar
2-1/2 tsp. crushed chicken bouillon cube
1-1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cumin


Preparation:


Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Pour into small glass or plastic container, seal tightly and store in a cool, dry place. Makes the equivalent of 3 packets of commercial or purchased Fajita Seasoning Mix.




Source:  BusyCooks.about.com

Spicy Penne Tossed with Chicken, Broccoli and Chopped Olives

Now that my appetite is coming back from being sick and living on a bland diet way too long, I'm craving pasta!  So . . . I've been on a mission for new pasta recipes.


Can't wait to try this variation of a pasta dish that I make with chicken, broccoli and mushrooms with hot peppers . . . I also use mozzarella and parmesean cheese.  We prefer rigatoni pasta . . .

Kosher salt 
1/2 cup olive oil 
4 cloves garlic, smashed 
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary 
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 
1/2 lb. (about 1 large) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips 
2/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped 
1 lb. penne 
1/2 lb. broccoli florets, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups) 
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino-Romano 

---

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. 

Meanwhile, heat the oil and garlic in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring gently so the cloves don’t break up, until they become light brown in places and very fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. 

Add the rosemary and red pepper flakes and cook until they start to sizzle, about 15 seconds. 

Add the chicken, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring often, until the chicken loses its raw color, about 2 minutes. 

Remove from the heat and stir in the olives.

Add the penne to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until just barely al dente, 1 to 2 minutes less than the package instructions. 

Add the broccoli and cook until it turns bright green and the pasta is tender, about 1 minute. 

Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and then drain the pasta and broccoli. 

Discard the garlic from the olive mixture. 

Add the pasta and the pasta water to the skillet and cook uncovered over medium-high heat, stirring, until the pasta absorbs most of the liquid, about 2 minutes. 

Stir in the lemon juice and half of the Pecorino. 

Serve sprinkled with the remaining Pecorino.

Sources:

photo: Maren Caruso

From Book Big Buy Cooking, pp. 12

September 21, 2010

by Tony Rosenfeld