Chicken & Dumplings doesn't have to be hard, or take all of a Sunday afternoon to cook. The added bonus is/was a very happy husband. My 3 year old princess said that she wanted to learn how to cook it! (And it's almost easy enough for her to do, if only she could use a sharp knife and the stove.)
Once my oldest gets home from running errands with his grandfather, there will probably be no leftovers. That should say it all right there.
From Southern Living 2010, p. 36.
Chicken & Dumplings
1 32 oz. container low-sodium chicken broth (I just used 4 c. from my freezer.)
3 c. shredded cooked chicken (again, from my freezer or you could buy one already cooked at the store)
1 (10 3/4 oz) can reduced fat cream of chicken soup
1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 (10.2 oz. can) refrigerated jumbo buttermilk biscuits
2 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; return to boil.
Place bicuits on a lightly floured surface. Roll or pat each biscuit to 1/8 in. thickness; cut into 1/2 in. wide strips (pizza cutter works great for this).
Drop strips, one at a time, into boiling broth mixture. Add carrots and celery. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent dumplings from sticking.
When one is using stock and chicken from the freezer, don't thaw it first. Just throw it in the Dutch oven. This will buy you the time to not have to prep before you start cooking.
Unfortunately, this isn't a good one for the freezer. I was just in the mood for an extra happy husband today.
Til next time!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Seasoning Packets and Why I Now Hate Them
Ok, this is a semi-rant. I have come to HATE the prepackaged taco and chili seasoning mixes that one can buy at pretty much any grocery store. Yes, they are incredibly convenient. However, they are also seriously loaded with sodium! So, I have started making my own. I'll get to the chili formula in a minute. I'm waiting on permission to share the taco one, since it's a creation of my friend Jodi, who published it on her blog (see link on the right). I also found one for Ranch seasoning mix, which I'll share, but cannot vouch for its quality. I haven't used it since I only make 1 recipe that calls for it. My dear husband doesn't think that that making the mix (since it makes a lot) is worth it for that.
Now, if you don't have a well stocked spice rack, then obviously use the prepackaged stuff unless you are just looking for an excuse to go buy a bunch of spices. Just avoid adding any more salt.
Chili Seasoning Mix
4 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
1 Tbsp. dried minced garlic
2 tsp. white sugar
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Don't bother with getting out measuring spoons. Compliments of our friend Rachael Ray, 1 Tbsp. is roughly a palmfull, and a teaspoon is 1/3 of a palmfull. There's your measuring. This takes all of 2 minutes once you gather your spices. I also cut way back on the salt, add more crushed red pepper, and use garlic powder instead of the dried minced garlic. (It's what I have.)
Ranch Seasoning Mix (for dip, dressing, or in my case taco soup)
1/2 c. dry buttermilk
1 Tbsp. dried parsley, crushed
1 tsp. dried dill weed (feel free to make Beavis and Butthead jokes here)
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
Mix all of the above. Use 1 Tbsp. for whatever recipe (like taco soup) that calls for a packet of ranch seasoning mix.
For dressing, mix 1 Tbsp. with either 1 c. milk, 1/2 c. plain yogurt, and 1/2 c. lite mayo or 1 c. milk, 1 c. mayo.
Taco Seasoning Mix (NOT ORIGINAL, came from my friend Jodi Kasten)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
I use this in place of 1 packet of taco seasoning mix. I also cut way back on the salt and use what I have in the building (which is usually not sea salt). I also go heavier on the garlic powder and crushed red pepper flakes. (There are no weanies here.)
Now, if you don't have a well stocked spice rack, then obviously use the prepackaged stuff unless you are just looking for an excuse to go buy a bunch of spices. Just avoid adding any more salt.
Chili Seasoning Mix
4 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
1 Tbsp. dried minced garlic
2 tsp. white sugar
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Don't bother with getting out measuring spoons. Compliments of our friend Rachael Ray, 1 Tbsp. is roughly a palmfull, and a teaspoon is 1/3 of a palmfull. There's your measuring. This takes all of 2 minutes once you gather your spices. I also cut way back on the salt, add more crushed red pepper, and use garlic powder instead of the dried minced garlic. (It's what I have.)
Ranch Seasoning Mix (for dip, dressing, or in my case taco soup)
1/2 c. dry buttermilk
1 Tbsp. dried parsley, crushed
1 tsp. dried dill weed (feel free to make Beavis and Butthead jokes here)
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
Mix all of the above. Use 1 Tbsp. for whatever recipe (like taco soup) that calls for a packet of ranch seasoning mix.
For dressing, mix 1 Tbsp. with either 1 c. milk, 1/2 c. plain yogurt, and 1/2 c. lite mayo or 1 c. milk, 1 c. mayo.
Taco Seasoning Mix (NOT ORIGINAL, came from my friend Jodi Kasten)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
I use this in place of 1 packet of taco seasoning mix. I also cut way back on the salt and use what I have in the building (which is usually not sea salt). I also go heavier on the garlic powder and crushed red pepper flakes. (There are no weanies here.)
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Almost Summer
It's almost summer. What that means at my house is that activity nights are few and far between. I like this time. It means that I get to defrost the freezer and cook more. I do not cook on activity nights. Having a larger family, in part, means more stress. I prefer to minimize my stress. The freezer is not frost-free, so I have to use that hair dryer for something.
Why on earth would I go through this much trouble? Well, it really isn't that much trouble. After all, what I do is just make a double or triple batch of what I was already making for that night's dinner. So, instead of having one night of dinner cooked, I get extra! Plus, something homemade is a lot better than something out of a rectangular box or paper bag with golden arches.
How do I freeze all of this? First, stock up on zipper style freezer bags (pick your brand). You'll want quart and/or gallon sized depending on what your freezing and how many people you're cooking for. The goal is to have one night of dinner in each bag. (Obviously a smaller family wouldn't even need the gallon bags most likely.) Some people will use containers. You'll also want a sharpie for labeling. How you organize your freezer will depend on the type of freezer that you have and such. The end goal is to have everything frozen as flat as possible. Then you just stack your bags. When it's time to serve, having to nuke some veggies, boil up pasta, or cook rice doesn't really count as cooking.
Finally, what do I freeze? Lots of things. Soups, Chicken Pot Pie filling, red beans (for beans & rice), jambalaya, sometimes casseroles, taco meat, burrito meat, sloppy joe meat, spaghetti sauce, etc. Some weeks, there are times when we may eat from the freezer 6 out of 7 nights. That calls for some variety!
I hope this has been helpful and informative. Over the next couple months, hopefully I can get some of these recipes up.
Why on earth would I go through this much trouble? Well, it really isn't that much trouble. After all, what I do is just make a double or triple batch of what I was already making for that night's dinner. So, instead of having one night of dinner cooked, I get extra! Plus, something homemade is a lot better than something out of a rectangular box or paper bag with golden arches.
How do I freeze all of this? First, stock up on zipper style freezer bags (pick your brand). You'll want quart and/or gallon sized depending on what your freezing and how many people you're cooking for. The goal is to have one night of dinner in each bag. (Obviously a smaller family wouldn't even need the gallon bags most likely.) Some people will use containers. You'll also want a sharpie for labeling. How you organize your freezer will depend on the type of freezer that you have and such. The end goal is to have everything frozen as flat as possible. Then you just stack your bags. When it's time to serve, having to nuke some veggies, boil up pasta, or cook rice doesn't really count as cooking.
Finally, what do I freeze? Lots of things. Soups, Chicken Pot Pie filling, red beans (for beans & rice), jambalaya, sometimes casseroles, taco meat, burrito meat, sloppy joe meat, spaghetti sauce, etc. Some weeks, there are times when we may eat from the freezer 6 out of 7 nights. That calls for some variety!
I hope this has been helpful and informative. Over the next couple months, hopefully I can get some of these recipes up.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Tostada Casserole, and Live in General
Hey everyone. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Life has just gotten crazy. My now 3 year old daughter is still getting up during the night when her baby brother was getting up to nurse. So, now my nights are generally spent with her or with him (because he will wake up sometimes still too). It's like they have radar or something. One will get to sleep, then the other will wake up. Get the 2nd one back to sleep and the 1st one wakes up. Repeat. Repeat a few more times for good measure. If it says much, my 8 year old son looked at me the other day and said "Mom, we'll be ok. You need to go take a nap." Apparently I am now so sleep deprived that I have not only become a cranky bitch, but I look like I've been beaten up.
Anyway, after I posted on Facebook that I was making tostada casserole for dinner, it was requested that I post it here, then link over to it. So.....
This one is one of those "Mom-classics" from childhood. I can see why. Quick, easy, and kids will devour it. I can have this thing put together and ready for the oven in the time that it takes to preheat to 375. Added bonus of a little therapy at the end. This is probably in the top 5 of most requested meals by my kids.
So, here ya go. Tostada Casserole. I serve with Spanish rice.
1 bag Fritos (divided)
1 lb. ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning (or make your own, but that will be another post)
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce (divided)
1 can refried beans
shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 375. Brown the ground beef and drain. Stir in the taco seasoning mix and 1 1/2 c. of the tomato sauce. Mix the rest of the tomato sauce into the can of refried beans. Put enough fritos in the bottom of an 8 in. square pyrex to cover the bottom. Put your meat mixture over the chips as evenly as possible. Spread the refried beans over this. Cover with aluminim foil and bake for 20 min. Top with cheese and crushed fritos. Bake uncovered 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Done.
Anyway, after I posted on Facebook that I was making tostada casserole for dinner, it was requested that I post it here, then link over to it. So.....
This one is one of those "Mom-classics" from childhood. I can see why. Quick, easy, and kids will devour it. I can have this thing put together and ready for the oven in the time that it takes to preheat to 375. Added bonus of a little therapy at the end. This is probably in the top 5 of most requested meals by my kids.
So, here ya go. Tostada Casserole. I serve with Spanish rice.
1 bag Fritos (divided)
1 lb. ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning (or make your own, but that will be another post)
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce (divided)
1 can refried beans
shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 375. Brown the ground beef and drain. Stir in the taco seasoning mix and 1 1/2 c. of the tomato sauce. Mix the rest of the tomato sauce into the can of refried beans. Put enough fritos in the bottom of an 8 in. square pyrex to cover the bottom. Put your meat mixture over the chips as evenly as possible. Spread the refried beans over this. Cover with aluminim foil and bake for 20 min. Top with cheese and crushed fritos. Bake uncovered 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Done.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Jen v. Rachael...Again
I am now really looking forward to Rachael Ray's new cookbook. The title escapes me right now, but I'll probably remember in the morning while I am watching her show and nursing. The other day, my daughter (age 2) and I were watching her show (since Rachael makes yummies, as the little woman puts it) when Rachael made chicken with apples and pears. Now the Little Woman has taken quite the liking to all three of these things, the fruit only because her baby brother gets it in Gerber form, so she had to try the big girl version. So I knew I had to make this for her. Tonight, she was a very happy princess. This recipe seriously rocks! It's going into the regular rotation.
One slight variation I did was in the mashed potatoes. I used shredded cheddar cheese instead of the camembert cheese. I didn't think that the kids would eat such an exotic sounding cheese. I knew I couldn't go wrong with cheddar though. I also skipped the lemon zest, chives, and thyme at the end. I also sliced the fruit without peeling. No time wasted on peeling and dicing. We were hungry and ready to chow down!
When selecting your skillet to cook the chicken and fruit in, plan carefully. Once you put the chicken in, you don't want to move it until it's time to flip after it's nice and pretty. I used a 12 inch skillet, I think. It might be even bigger. Either way, plenty of room.
So, here is Rachael Ray's chicken with apples and pears.
2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes
Salt
1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
Black pepper
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 Gala, Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored and cut
into 1/2-inch dice
1 Bosc pear, peeled, cored and diced
Freshly grated nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 pound ripe Camembert cheese, diced into bite-sized pieces
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk, half-and-half or cream
10 to 12 blades chives, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
Yields: Serves 4
Preparation
Halve the small and quarter the larger potatoes into bite-sized pieces and cover with water in a large pot. Bring the water to a boil and season with salt. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until the potatoes are forktender.
Heat the EVOO in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and cook until golden and firm, about 12 minutes, turning once. Place the chicken on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples and pears, and season with salt and the nutmeg. Stir in the lemon juice and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender-crisp, then stir in the honey and cook for minute more.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot. Mash them with the cheese and milk or half-and half and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the potatoes among 4 plates. Slice the chicken breasts on an angle. Arrange the sliced chicken alongside the potatoes and top with the apples and pears. Combine the chives with the thyme and lemon zest and scatter over each plate.
One slight variation I did was in the mashed potatoes. I used shredded cheddar cheese instead of the camembert cheese. I didn't think that the kids would eat such an exotic sounding cheese. I knew I couldn't go wrong with cheddar though. I also skipped the lemon zest, chives, and thyme at the end. I also sliced the fruit without peeling. No time wasted on peeling and dicing. We were hungry and ready to chow down!
When selecting your skillet to cook the chicken and fruit in, plan carefully. Once you put the chicken in, you don't want to move it until it's time to flip after it's nice and pretty. I used a 12 inch skillet, I think. It might be even bigger. Either way, plenty of room.
So, here is Rachael Ray's chicken with apples and pears.
2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes
Salt
1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
Black pepper
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 Gala, Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored and cut
into 1/2-inch dice
1 Bosc pear, peeled, cored and diced
Freshly grated nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 pound ripe Camembert cheese, diced into bite-sized pieces
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk, half-and-half or cream
10 to 12 blades chives, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
Yields: Serves 4
Preparation
Halve the small and quarter the larger potatoes into bite-sized pieces and cover with water in a large pot. Bring the water to a boil and season with salt. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until the potatoes are forktender.
Heat the EVOO in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and cook until golden and firm, about 12 minutes, turning once. Place the chicken on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples and pears, and season with salt and the nutmeg. Stir in the lemon juice and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender-crisp, then stir in the honey and cook for minute more.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot. Mash them with the cheese and milk or half-and half and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the potatoes among 4 plates. Slice the chicken breasts on an angle. Arrange the sliced chicken alongside the potatoes and top with the apples and pears. Combine the chives with the thyme and lemon zest and scatter over each plate.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Beat the Hell Outta Arkansas!
Well, we tried at least. Since the Arkansas mascot is a pig, we made a day of it. Sausage biscuits for breakfast (call it semihomemade McDonald's), BBQ pork from the crockpot for lunch, and jambalaya w/ sausage and ham for dinner. It really can't get much better. Now if only the game had gone this well.
The sausage biscuits were easy. Open a package of precooked sausage patties and heat after baking up a can of biscuits. Real hard there.
I wish my nose had been working all night and morning. It probably really smelled good in here with the BBQ pork in the crock pot. This one was equally as easy. My sweet hubby started it for me while I dealt with a sinus headache (and resulting drainage once I relieved the pressure)...stupid allergies. Throw a 3-4 lb. boneless pork roast (Boston Butt) into the crockpot. Pour a 18 oz. bottle of the barbecue sauce of your choice and 12 oz. of coke (from a can or 2 liter) over it, and cook on low 8-10 hours. Shred meat and toss back into degreased sauce. Our roast ended up being 5 1/2 lbs. Sweet hubby also started it on high. Oops. No biggie though, since I turned it down when I got up and turned it off a little earlier than I would have otherwise. By about noon, the meat was falling apart. It only took stirring it with a fork to shred it! The biggest problem I had was degreasing the sauce without just throwing the whole thing into the fridge overnight. Even with my nice degreasing pitcher, I still ended up with a lot of fat to skim off once it's solidified tomorrow. This was out of the current issue of Southern Living. They suggested serving w/ buns and slaw, over cornbread, or over cheese grits.
The jambalaya took the most effort, but is still easy. It's out of my 2004 Southern Living Annual Recipes, p. 289. Should you choose to kick up the heat (which I usually did until I had the princess), add in your choice of tobasco, crushed red pepper, or cayenne pepper just before the beef broth.
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced 1/4 in. thick on the diagonal
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
garlic to taste, chopped
2 c. beef stock (or 1 can and 2 oz. water)
1 c. rice
chopped ham or chicken
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
Brown sausage over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add in onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft. Add in garlic, stirring until fragrant. Add in beef stock. Once boiling, stir in 1 c. uncooked rice. Reduce and simmer 20 min. or until rice is done. Stir in ham and tomatoes, and heat through. Serve with potato salad and french bread.
The sausage biscuits were easy. Open a package of precooked sausage patties and heat after baking up a can of biscuits. Real hard there.
I wish my nose had been working all night and morning. It probably really smelled good in here with the BBQ pork in the crock pot. This one was equally as easy. My sweet hubby started it for me while I dealt with a sinus headache (and resulting drainage once I relieved the pressure)...stupid allergies. Throw a 3-4 lb. boneless pork roast (Boston Butt) into the crockpot. Pour a 18 oz. bottle of the barbecue sauce of your choice and 12 oz. of coke (from a can or 2 liter) over it, and cook on low 8-10 hours. Shred meat and toss back into degreased sauce. Our roast ended up being 5 1/2 lbs. Sweet hubby also started it on high. Oops. No biggie though, since I turned it down when I got up and turned it off a little earlier than I would have otherwise. By about noon, the meat was falling apart. It only took stirring it with a fork to shred it! The biggest problem I had was degreasing the sauce without just throwing the whole thing into the fridge overnight. Even with my nice degreasing pitcher, I still ended up with a lot of fat to skim off once it's solidified tomorrow. This was out of the current issue of Southern Living. They suggested serving w/ buns and slaw, over cornbread, or over cheese grits.
The jambalaya took the most effort, but is still easy. It's out of my 2004 Southern Living Annual Recipes, p. 289. Should you choose to kick up the heat (which I usually did until I had the princess), add in your choice of tobasco, crushed red pepper, or cayenne pepper just before the beef broth.
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced 1/4 in. thick on the diagonal
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
garlic to taste, chopped
2 c. beef stock (or 1 can and 2 oz. water)
1 c. rice
chopped ham or chicken
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
Brown sausage over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add in onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft. Add in garlic, stirring until fragrant. Add in beef stock. Once boiling, stir in 1 c. uncooked rice. Reduce and simmer 20 min. or until rice is done. Stir in ham and tomatoes, and heat through. Serve with potato salad and french bread.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Chocolate PB Bread
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. (Where have we '80's children heard that before?) Chocolate is a food group. This time, it works out to our advantage. Now, some really mean moms would insist that since this bread is basically a Reese's PB Cup, then it falls under dessert. Not me. Flavored breads are for breakfast! If we really must rationalize it, chocolate comes from cocoa beans, so that makes it a vegetable. There. We're now eating a veggie.
So, here we go! Happy baking!
Chocolate PB Bread (from the Hershey cookbook)
1/3 c. butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/3 c. Hershey's cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. milk
1 c. Reese's PB Chips
Cream butter, sugar, and eggs in large bowl. In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt; add alternately with milk to creamed mixture until well blended. Stir in PB chips. Pour batter into a well-greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan; bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes or until cake tester inserted comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack. Serve with cream cheese or butter if desired.
So, here we go! Happy baking!
Chocolate PB Bread (from the Hershey cookbook)
1/3 c. butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/3 c. Hershey's cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. milk
1 c. Reese's PB Chips
Cream butter, sugar, and eggs in large bowl. In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt; add alternately with milk to creamed mixture until well blended. Stir in PB chips. Pour batter into a well-greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan; bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes or until cake tester inserted comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack. Serve with cream cheese or butter if desired.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
