Sweet & Sour Chicken (Pressure Cooker)

I use my pressure cooker several times a week. I love how easy it is to make flavorful food. It's especially handy when I go through the entire day thinking that I should decide on something for dinner - and then the day is over, and I haven't decided a thing. With the pressure cooker, I can just pull something out of the freezer and still have dinner on the table at a reasonable time.

I've made this particular recipe several times. I just keep forgetting to take any pictures... And the pictures I finally took this week aren't all that great, but I'm still gonna post.

Sweet & Sour Chicken (Pressure Cooker)

Ingredients:

• 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 2 T cornstarch (mixed with 3-4 T water)

Directions:

1. Drain pineapple, adding juice to PC and reserving the chunks.
2. Mix brown sugar, salt, pepper, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, and water with the pineapple juice.
3. Place chicken breast in PC, close lid and seal. For frozen breasts, set time for 16 minutes. If you're using thawed chicken breasts, 10 minutes should be enough - or 5 minutes if you cut the chicken into chunks first. Allow pressure to release naturally.
4. Remove lid from pressure cooker. Remove chicken; cut into chunks or shred (unless you already cut it up, then just leave it in there). Set PC to saute and add vegetables. Stir in cornstarch mixed with water and continue cooking until vegetables are almost cooked and sauce is thickened and bubbly. Add reserved pineapple chunks and chicken; continue heating for a minute or two. 
5. Serve with rice and chow mein noodles.

Super simple and tasty! And, of course, feel free to add whatever vegetables you have.

Pressure Cooker Turkey Tetrazzini

It seems I've completely neglected this blog! Has it really been since January? And here we're already in December.

We have been eating, really we have. I just haven't been keeping track of any of it. I've actually been doing a lot of cooking in my pressure cooker. Yes, I kept hearing about how handy these appliances can be, and I decided to buy one. I got the Farberware one from Walmart. From what I can tell, they're all pretty much the same whether you buy the Instant Pot that everyone is talking about, this one from Walmart, or another brand.

I really didn't use my pressure cooker much at first because I really didn't know where to start. Thankfully, I stumbled across the Farberware 7-in-1 Pressure Cooker Facebook group (although other brands are more than welcome), and that has made all the difference.  Questions answered, recipes shared, and plenty of support. Now, I use my PC all the time. It really is as handy as everyone said.

We had this turkey tetrazzini for dinner tonight. I've made it before on the stove, but it turns out so well, and it's so easy in the pressure cooker, I see no reason to do it any differently from now on.

Pressure Cooker Turkey Tetrazzini 
adapted from the Best of Mennonite Fellowship Meals cookbook

Ingredients:

• 3 T butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped green pepper
• 3 T flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 8 oz. dry pasta
• 2 cups chopped cooked turkey
• 1 cup shredded cheddar

Directions:

1. Heat PC on brown/sear setting; melt butter. Add onion, celery, carrot, and green pepper; saute until cooked and starting to brown. Add flour, salt, and pepper; cook for a few minutes. Stir in broth, milk, pasta, and turkey.
2. Put lid on PC and set to cook for 1/2 the time listed on your pasta bag or box. (For my Farberware, I use the Vegetable setting because the default time is 8 minutes, so there's less adjusting. I set it for 6 minutes tonight.)
3. Depending on your time schedule, you can either release the pressure when the time is up or do a Natural Pressure Release (NPR). Once the pressure has been released, remove the lid and stir in the cheese.
4. Serve immediately or replace the lid and leave on the Keep Warm setting until ready to eat.

I really love that I can brown or saute things right in the pot before adding other ingredients and setting it for pressure cooking (or even slow cooking). The pressure cooker will also keep the food warm until we're ready to eat, so it's great for throwing everything in whenever I have time and then expecting a great meal ready at dinner time. It's definitely my kind of kitchen appliance.

White Bean Chicken Chili

It's time for another edition of Fantastical Food Fight, where every month a theme or ingredient is chosen, and we all choose a recipe - from a cookbook, blog, or our imaginations - and then share on the same day. 

This month's theme is Slow Cooker Soup, and what could be better during the cold month of January? I love being able to throw some ingredients into the slow cooker first thing in the morning and have a yummy soup by dinner time. Talk about easy! I could probably eat nothing but soup all winter.

I've made this particular soup twice so far, and we really enjoy it. It's very simple and the flavors are fantastic.

White Bean Chicken Chili
from Burnt Apple

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans (Great Northern or Cannellini), undrained
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves

Directions:

1. Place one can of the Great Northern beans into the slow cooker and smash with a potato masher or back of a fork. Add the second can of beans and all other ingredients to the slow cooker, stirring to combine.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker, shred, then return to the slow cooker and stir until combined.
3. Serve topped with sour cream, grated cheese, and tortilla chips if desired.

The first time I made this soup, I used a can of Great Northern beans and a can of Cannellini beans because that's what I had. I also used a can of diced chipotle tomatoes, which gave the soup a really nice flavor. The second time I used home cooked Great Northern beans - 1-1/2 cups of beans and 3/4 cup liquid = 1 can of beans. And I used the tomatoes with green chilies. Both soups were yummy, and of course that's the beauty of soup - ingredients can be adjusted according to your tastes and/or what you have on hand.

Also, though the theme of this Fantastical Food Fight is Slow Cooker Soups, this soup is just as good when made on the stove; it just needs more attention than when throwing everything into the slow cooker. (and sometimes I just don't get everything together early enough in the day to use the slow cooker) For a little extra flavor when cooking on the stove, cook the onions in a bit of olive oil until translucent then add the spices and cook until fragrant. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or so, until chicken is cooked.

An InLinkz Link-up

Spring Greens

It's a good thing we like salad, because there is a whole lot of lettuce out in the garden.  Last year's lettuce went to seed, and so we have a lot of new lettuce this spring.  I also followed some advice I read from an old friend and scattered some seeds in the garden sometime in early March on the chance that some of them would survive the freezing and thawing and come up.  You guessed it - more lettuce.  And some radishes.

I've also got a couple chard plants that somehow survived the winter and are growing like crazy.  So, I have chard and radish greens to use, too. The other night I sauteed some of the greens with garlic and olive oil, added a bit of balsamic vinegar, and then fried a couple eggs to go on top - over easy so the yolks could run down into the greens.  It was incredible easy but oh so tasty.  (and I didn't think to take a picture until after I'd savored every last bite)

 The next night I added a bit of rice to the greens and served them with grilled chicken.  (Yes, I had this two nights in a row.)  Both were really yummy and a great way to use all those happy spring greens. I'm throwing radish greens in my salads, too - so good!

Sauteed Spring Greens

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Minced garlic
• Chopped greens - Chard, radish, spinach, whatever you have
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Balsamic vinegar
• Cooked rice (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in medium skillet;  add garlic and saute for a minute or two.
2. Add greens and cook until softened and tender, stirring often.  You may need to add a bit of water as the greens cook.
3. When greens are cooked, add salt & pepper and drizzle with a bit of Balsamic vinegar.  If using rice, stir it in and cook until heated through, stirring.
4. Serve topped with fried eggs or grilled chicken. 

Seriously, super simple.  And I didn't really use any measurements, just tossed things in the skillet.  Just remember that greens cook down a lot, so you'll want quite a bit of greens to start with.  And they're good for you, so you can eat as many as you want.

I pushed the greens to the side of the skillet and fried the eggs right beside the greens, and I suppose you could actually cook your chicken in the same skillet, too.  But I seasoned mine and grilled it on the George Foreman grill.  I used a boneless thigh, but if you prefer breasts that would work just as well.  And, I'm sure there are plenty of other things that would be good on a nice bed of greens.  Any ideas?

Crockpot Chicken with Apricot Mustard Sauce

It's time again for Secret Recipe Club reveal!  My secret blog assignment this month is Life on Food, an amazing blog written by Emily.  Emily is new to Group A this month, so I'm excited to get this first chance to check out her blog.  She lives in Connecticut with her husband and their little one, and her blog features food that they eat on a regular basis.  But just because we're talking about everyday food that is simple to prepare, do not think that has to mean boring.  There are so many amazing-looking recipes on Emily's blog!

The very first recipe that caught my eye was Emily's latest for these wonderful looking Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies.  I was seriously tempted to stop looking right then and head to the kitchen.  But then I scrolled down and found this recipe for Easter Rice Pie which really intrigues me.  Is it a dessert or is it a side dish?  And who knew you could use rice in a pie?  I definitely must try this.

Then I found the perfect recipe - Cinnamon Sugar Almonds.  I have been meaning to try something like this for ages.  However, since the recipe is a previous SRC post, I will have to save the it for later.  And these super fudgy brownies.

And then I found this recipe for Apricot Mustard Chicken which really had my mouth watering.  All those flavors just sounded so amazing!  There's also a recipe for Crock Pot Applesauce Chicken and Crock Pot Coconut Curry Chicken and Crock Pot Pad Thai Chicken.  They just all sound so good. But I decided to stick with the apricot chicken.

Crockpot Chicken with Apricot Mustard Sauce
from Life on Food

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp Apricot preserves
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp cardamom
• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, cut into pieces
• Toasted coconut

Directions:

1. In bottom of crockpot, mix together preserves, mustard, and spices. Mix in chicken, cranberries, and apricots.
2. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. (Stir a couple of times if you're around)
3. Serve with rice or couscous.  Garnish with toasted coconut.

Emily left her chicken breasts whole, but I figured I'd just cut them up in the end, so why not before?  I also added the dried cranberries and apricots to the mix.

It didn't turn out as pretty as Emily's, but the flavors were just as amazing together as I thought they'd be.  We both really liked it, and I will definitely make this again.  I am thinking that next time I want to try using boneless thighs instead of the breasts, just to see how that works out.

An InLinkz Link-up

Crock Pot Chicken w/ Potatoes and Green Beans

I've seen pictures of this recipe (or a similar one) going around on Facebook or Pinterest (I'm not sure exactly which), and it looked easy and tasty.  I had never actually looked at the recipe until I went searching on Pinterest today.  Why not, right? 

There are quite a few variations of this recipe out there, some of them are baked in the oven and some are for the crock pot.  The yard really needed mowed this afternoon because it has been raining so much and the grass has been growing and growing - and today was the only day all week that didn't call for more rain.  The grass probably would have been knee high by the next time I could have gotten to it.   So I needed something I could throw into the crock pot in the morning and be able to have dinner tonight.

I really liked that this recipe uses a fresh homemade sauce to cook the chicken and vegetables.  But don't let that scare you away, because it's really simple - olive oil, lemon juice, and some seasonings.  Yum!  Put the chicken and vegetables into the crock pot, pour the sauce over the top, and come back at dinner time for a delicious meal.

Crock Pot Chicken w/ Potatoes and Green Beans
adapted from The Magical Slow Cooker

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 cups diced red potatoes
• 8 oz. green beans (fresh or frozen)

Directions:

1. In 1 cup glass measuring cup (or small bowl), mix olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic with whisk.
2. Put sliced onion on bottom of 5 to 6 quart crock pot.  Put chicken in the middle with potatoes and green beans on either side.  Pour seasoning mixture evenly over the top.
3. Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours (or High for 4 hours).  
4. Shortly before serving, slice chicken breasts and allow to sit in the broth for a few minutes.  Enjoy.

I didn't really change a lot from the original recipe.  I threw some sliced onion in the bottom of the crock pot, and I used frozen green beans because I didn't have any fresh ones.  The chicken breasts were also still pretty much frozen when I put them into the crock pot.

I used a bit more lemon juice than the recipe called for.  The juice from one lemon wasn't quite enough, so I squeezed another one and that was too much.  I really should have checked after squeezing the first half of that second lemon.  But I didn't think about that until after I'd squeezed the second half.  It turned out really good, extra lemon juice or not.  Just be sure to use fresh lemon juice and not the stuff that comes from a bottle.

Fun fact: if you measure the olive oil into the measuring cup and then squeeze the lemon juice on top, the lemon juice will go to the bottom, allowing you to measure it, too.  Did that make sense?  I really should have taken a picture, but I didn't think about it.  Maybe next time.

I really love how simple and flavorful this is.  It's definitely my kind of recipe.

Black Pepper Chicken Curry

It's time again for Secret Recipe Club reveal!  My secret blog assignment this month was Bewitching Kitchen written by the lovely Sally.  While she grew up in Brazil and has lived in some exotic places like Paris, she's now settled in the middle of Kansas where she and her husband both work in the Biochemistry Department of Kansas State University.  Sally, along with several other bloggers, was recently featured on the Secret Recipe Club blog as a Gold Member. She is kind of infamous in the Secret Recipe Club, where she and her 'friend' Dorothy are constantly competing with one another to see who can find the perfect recipe, shop for, cook, photograph, and write her blog post first every month when they get their SRC assignments.  It's always fun to see their comments.

Unlike Sally, I do not choose a recipe quickly.  This month I get to blame it all on her!  So many amazing-looking, mouthwatering recipes!  If you have not checked Bewitching Kitchen out, you simply must!  Sally has only recently joined Group A, so this is my first time browsing through her blog, but I can assure you, it will not be the last.  Not by a long shot!

The first recipe that caught my eye was for these Quinoa and Sweet Potato Cakes, but then I noticed they were a previous SRC post so I had to continue looking.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to be making some of these soon, just not for this post.

Here are a few of the recipes that made the short list:

• Brazilian Black Beans (Sally's mom's recipe. I will definitely be making these.)
• Brigadeiros
• Roasted Butternut Squash and Greens Over Bowtie Pasta (I especially loved reading about what Sally was willing to do in order to get her stepson to eat some squash. You'll never guess!)
• Black Pepper Chicken Curry - I think this is it!
• Indonesian Ginger Chicken - oh man, I can't stop!

In the end, I did go with the Black Pepper Chicken Curry, and I'm so glad I did.  It was wonderful!

Black Pepper Chicken Curry
adapted from Bewitching Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1-1/2 tsp coarsely crushed black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• 1-3/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1-1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced Serrano chile
• 1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup cashews, divided
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• fresh parsley, minced

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the coriander, cumin, peppercorns, turmeric and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Add the chicken and 2 T of the oil; mix with the spices until all chicken is coated. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. (or, if preparing ahead of time, refrigerate.  Then pull it out and allow to sit at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes before cooking.)
2. Meanwhile, place 1/4 cup of cashews in a small food processor and process, not too fine. Reserve.
3. In a large deep nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 T of oil. Add the diced shallot and saute for a few minutes, until translucent.  Add the chicken, ginger, Serrano chile and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden, about 8 minutes. No need to cook through.
4. Stir in 1/4 cup of the coconut milk, the water, and the processed cashews, Cover the pan and simmer until cooked to your liking (about 30 minutes).
5. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of coconut milk, the lemon juice and the fresh parsley to the chicken and simmer, stirring. Serve with rice and the rest of the cashews.

The only thing we wanted was more of the yummy sauce to go with our chicken.  The flavors are absolutely amazing.  Sally cooks hers in a pressure cooker, and it looks a bit juicier, so I'm either going to have to start using a pressure cooker - though I'm a bit scared of the whole thing - or perhaps use a bit more coconut milk and water to get more sauce.  Because, of course, I am going to be making this one again.

An InLinkz Link-up

Chicken Quinoa Casserole with Broccoli

This was one of the other recipes I wanted to try for my Secret Recipe Club post this month, but I chose the Tuna Enchiladas, which I happen to have made for dinner again tonight.  Only this time I used a can of salmon instead of the tuna.  So good! My SRC recipes often become favorites around here.

I made this casserole a week or so ago, and I see why Cathleen called it her new favorite casserole.  It is excellent!  I'd tried quinoa a time or two in the past, but I hadn't really been impressed.  But this?  This casserole makes me love it.  There's just something about the texture of the quinoa and all the flavors.  Everything goes together so well.  You should definitely try this.  Soon.

A little melted cheese on top doesn't hurt, either.

Chicken Quinoa Casserole with Broccoli
adapted from A Taste of Madness

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp. chicken seasoning (I used Canadian Chicken seasoning)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed (I used 1/2 red quinoa and 1/2 white)
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced in thin strips
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 3 cups broccoli, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup hot water, from steaming broccoli

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
2. In a large nonstick pan (preferably oven-safe), bring the chicken broth to a low boil. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, chicken seasoning and flour until fully combined. Slowly add the flour mixture to the boiling liquid and mix until smooth and bubbly.
3. Stir in 1 cup water and the quinoa. Place the chicken strips over the quinoa mixture and sprinkle with salt and chili powder. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. (If your pan isn't oven safe at 400˚, pour the mixture into a greased 13x9" baking dish before adding the chicken.)
4. While the casserole is in the oven, steam the broccoli until tender. Set broccoli aside and reserve 1 cup of the hot water.
5. Remove the casserole from the oven, and add the broccoli and up to 1 cup of the hot water until the consistency is creamy and can be easily stirred in the pan. Sprinkle with the cheese, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

I recently got a gorgeous ceramic nonstick pan that worked perfectly for this.  I figured why use a separate baking dish if I don't have to?  Fewer dishes, right?  Even though I really don't mind washing dishes...

 

I'm not exactly sure what chicken seasoning the recipe referred to, so I used some Weber Canadian Chicken seasoning.  I visited their webpage but couldn't find it listed, so I'm not sure if it's available anymore or not, but it's similar to this Montreal Chicken seasoning. The flavor was really good, and now I'm thinking of ways to use this seasoning for things besides just grilling chicken.  I'm not sure why I hadn't thought of it before.

 

I will definitely be making this again.  I'm now wondering how it would turn out to mix everything up and put it all in the crockpot instead of baking it.  I'm thinking of using some chopped cooked chicken and just mixing in a 16-oz. bag of frozen chopped broccoli, and then letting it all cook together.  I think it would be great for a potluck.

Chicken, Potatoes, and Broccoli in Creamy Mustard Sauce

I've been making this occasionally for several years. It's easy, creamy, and flavorful, and cooks in one skillet.  That makes it pretty much perfect in my book.

Chicken, Potatoes, and Broccoli in Creamy Mustard Sauce
adapted from American Heart Association One Dish Meals

Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 a medium onion, diced
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
• 4 medium red potatoes, unpeeled and quartered
• 1 cup chicken broth
•  16-oz. package frozen chopped broccoli
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 2 T Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large deep skillet over medium high heat.  Add onion and cook for a couple minutes before adding chicken.  Cook chicken for 5 to 6 minutes, until browned, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in potatoes and broth.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced.
3. Stir in the broccoli.  Simmer, covered for 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender crisp.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook until mixture is warmed through and bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serves 4 

I don't always have red potatoes, so I just use ordinary Russets which I usually peel.  I also sometimes use a spicy mustard instead of the Dijon.  Either way, it turns out really good.

Of course, since it was a recipe from an American Heart Association cookbook, the original recipe called for low sodium chicken broth and reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup.  I don't buy those and am not convinced they're any 'healthier' than the regular kind, so I don't use them.  Feel free to substitute the kind you usually use.

Tuscan Chicken Soup

When I saw the recipe for Tuscan Chicken Stew on South Your Mouth, I knew I had to try it.  It just looked so good.   Of course, I didn't quite follow the original recipe, but I did use basically the same ingredients, and I kept all the seasonings the same.  I think it turned out great.

This soup is sure to become a favorite around here. I will definitely be making it again. It's super flavorful and easy to make.

Tuscan Chicken Soup
adapted from South Your Mouth

 Ingredients:

• 1-2 T olive oil
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 3 carrots, diced
• 5 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 15-oz. can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large Dutch oven (6 quart); add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add onion, garlic, and celery; cook until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are soft, stirring frequently.  Add seasonings and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.  Stir in carrots, potatoes, beans, and tomatoes and then add broth, water and bay leaf.
2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes with lid slightly cracked, stirring occasionally.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.  Cook a few minutes longer if needed, until carrots and potatoes are done.

I made this soup one day and then reheated it the next.  I think all soups get better when you reheat them, and some absolutely have to be made a day before you want to eat it.  I think this one would be good either way.   I made fresh cornbread to go with the soup, which was really good.  It would also be good with some nice crusty bread.

I used the1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, and the soup had a nice kick to it.  My husband, who does not like his food very spicy at all, didn't complain and really liked the soup, but if you don't like a lot of spice you'll probably want to cut the measurement down to 1/4 tsp. - at least the first time.

Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

It's time again for Secret Recipe Club reveal!  My secret blog assignment this month was Making Memories with your kids.  If that sounds familiar, it's because I had Erin's blog for last week's themed reveal, too.  What a bonus - I got to make two different recipes from her blog and share them with you!  Since last week's post was about sweets and Holiday Treats, I wanted something completely different this week, though I'm definitely going to make this Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake soon.

Erin is a big fan of comfort food, and that sounded like just the thing - something easy after all the prep and cooking for Thanksgiving.  Erin is a single mom of two kids, and she also works as a middle school counselor. It should come as no surprise that her blog is full of easy and kid-friendly recipes.  I am going to have to try her Crock Pot Corn Chowder, Taco Soup, and Meatloaf and Mashed Potato Cupcakes very soon, but for this week I chose this yummy Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings.  I'm especially going to try the meatloaf and mashed potatoes.  It's definitely a kid-friendly meal, and even if I don't make the cupcakes, I am seriously going to try Erin's trick for mashed potatoes - use ranch dressing instead of milk!  Sounds good, huh?

Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings
adapted from Making Memories with your kids

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 a medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 to 2 carrots, diced
• 1/2 a green pepper, diced
• 4 T butter
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1-1/2 cups peas
• 1 (8-10.5 ounce) tube biscuit dough
• Cornmeal

Directions:

1. Mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder together and use it to season chicken breasts. Place chicken in crock pot. Top with chopped onions, garlic, peppers, celery, and carrots.
2. In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, chicken broth, milk, and salt & pepper. Pour into crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours.
3. 1-2 hours prior to serving, shred chicken and return to pot. Add peas (run them under water to thaw first)
4. Cut biscuits into 4 to 6 pieces. Roll in cornmeal and then add to crock pot. Continue cooking until biscuits are firm.

Erin's recipe calls for a bag of mixed vegetables which you add at the end, where I added the peas.  it wasn't until after I'd decided on this recipe and gotten the chicken and broth out of the freezer that I realized I didn't have a bag of mixed vegetables.  So I had to improvise by adding celery and carrots, and the green pepper.  Since they were fresh and needed cooked longer than the frozen vegetables needed, I added them at the beginning with the chicken.  They turned out great.
 

I had never thought of using canned biscuits for dumplings.  Luckily I had a can in my fridge.  It was a 5 biscuit can of Grands! (10.5 oz.) so I cut them into 6 pieces because they are a bit bigger than the regular biscuits.  I also think this recipe would work great with any dumpling recipe, if you have a favorite one.  The biscuits (and the frozen vegetables) just make this recipe really simple and perfect for busy moms and anyone who wants a warm and comforting meal without too much trouble.  For best results I would suggest adding the biscuits 2 hours before you want to serve, so they have plenty of time to cook.  If you can't, just stir in the frozen veggies (thawed), add the biscuits to the top, and turn your crock pot on high for the final hour of cooking.

If you're looking for comfort food, definitely give this recipe a try.  It smelled amazing from the moment I put everything into the crock pot, and it tasted just as good as it smelled.  This recipe is definitely a keeper!

An InLinkz Link-up

Chicken with Balsamic Mushroom Sauce

It's time again for Secret Recipe Club reveal!  My secret blog assignment this month was Baking & Creating with Avril.  I love that her recipes are "Nothing too fancy but always made with love and happiness!"  A few of the recipes that caught my eye were her Pumpkies, Rustic Tomato Tart, and Skillet Granola. They all sound great, and the pictures that go along with Avril's recipes are mouth watering.  I finally decided that this Chicken with Balsamic Mushroom Sauce just really had to be made.

Chicken with Balsamic Mushroom Sauce
from baking & creating with Avril

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. pasta (I used Penne)
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp oil
• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 Tbsp butter
• Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. While pasta cooks, slice chicken breast into strips.  Mix flour and salt and add chicken slices; toss to coat.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat . Add coated chicken and cook until it begins to brown and meat is no longer pink in center.  Add mushrooms, diced onion and garlic and saute for 4 minutes or until lightly browned.
4.  Add broth, balsamic vinegar and thyme; bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 4 minutes to thicken slightly and blend the flavors together.  Stir in butter until melted.
5.  Add a ladle of pasta water to the chicken and sauce; reserve additional pasta water before draining (add to leftovers, if there are any).  Stir drained pasta into skillet and stir to coat; simmer for a few minutes to bring it all together; add additional pasta water if necessary.  Serve with Parmesan cheese and fresh ground black pepper to sprinkle on top.

Avril's recipe involved a few more steps, but I like simple, so I just cooked everything together in one skillet.  (except the pasta)  It turned out really good.  My husband and I both really liked it.  He even ranked it up alongside his favorite pasta dish from The Olive Garden - just with chicken.  I'd say that is high praise.

Any leftovers heat up really well, and this is just as good, if not better, the second time.  You'll want to add some reserved pasta water to your leftovers to keep the pasta from soaking up all the moisture in the sauce.

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Sweet Chili Chicken Pizza

I've made this pizza several times now.  It's really good and simple to make.  I've never had Papa Murphy's Thai Chicken Delite pizza, so I can't say for sure it's the same.  But it was the inspiration.

Sweet Chili Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

• pizza dough 
• sweet chili sauce
• grilled chicken
• chopped onions
• sliced green onions
• thinly sliced zucchini
• Mozzarella cheese
• Cheddar cheese 

Directions:

1. Roll/press pizza dough out to form crust for one pizza; prick with fork and bake at 450° for 5-7 minutes..
2. Remove crust from oven.  Spread sauce over crust and top with toppings.  Sprinkle with crushed red chili flakes if desired.
3. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until crust is browned and cheese melted.
4. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before cutting.  Top with sliced fresh basil if desired.

I have no measurements because it's pizza, and you just put toppings on until it looks right to you. There's no right or wrong way.  I do think it's better if you slice the zucchini really thin, but it's OK if you don't too.  I seasoned my chicken with a little salt, pepper, and ground ginger when I grilled it (in my George Foreman), which was pretty good on this pizza, too.

Now I just need to make some more of that sweet chili sauce.

Buffalo Chicken Rolls

It's time again for Secret Recipe Club reveal!  My secret blog assignment this month was Sarah's blog Things I Make (for Dinner), where she shares her love of cooking and the recipes she's been trying.  Sarah likes cooking challenges that take her outside her comfort zone, but she's also big on comfort food.  She and her husband love the health benefits and money saved from cooking and eating at home.  I'm with them all the way on that one!

A couple recipes that caught my eye were the Spinach Stuffed Flank Steak and this Mile High Vegetable Pie. Now that my tomatoes are starting to ripen, I am definitely going to have to try that one!

But, when I saw the recipe for Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes, I just had to try it.  Cupcakes? Sarah baked these in a muffin tin, which is where the 'cupcakes' come in.  I ended up baking mine on a baking sheet because I was afraid they'd be too big for the muffin tins, so I'm just calling them Buffalo Chicken Rolls.  It doesn't sound as fun, but I'm pretty sure they are just as yummy!

Buffalo Chicken Rolls
from Things I Make (for Dinner)

Ingredients:

• Pizza dough for one pizza
• 1 lb boneless chicken breast (or thighs) cooked and shredded
• 1 T butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c Buffalo wing sauce (such as Frank's)
• 2 c shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Melt butter in medium skillet.  Add onion and garlic, and saute until soft.  Stir in chicken and sauce; remove from heat.
2. Divide the pizza dough into 2 pieces. Roll each piece into a rectangle about 1/4" thick. Spread each rectangle with half of the chicken mixture and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Starting with one long edge, roll up, pinching to seal the seam.
3. Cut each roll into 8 pieces and place, cut side down, onto well greased baking sheet. (or use parchment paper or silicon baking mat) Bake at 400° F for 15-18 minutes, until cheese is melted and crust is golden.

Ready to roll

I used a Frank's RedHot Kickin' BBQ sauce instead of the traditional Buffalo wing sauce, and it turned out really good.  I'm thinking this would be good with about any sauce you like.

Ready for the oven

Next time I think I'll bake them either in a 13x9" pan so the edges will touch and they'll hold their shape better.  Some of mine kind of fell apart - though that had no effect on the taste. Or I'm going to try the muffin tins so I'll have 'cupcakes' of my own.  However I bake them, I'll definitely make these again!  They are yummy.

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Mushroom Florentine Pasta

We had this for dinner recently. Yum!  Seriously, all these flavors are so good together.  There's just something about mushrooms and spinach, and creamy pasta sauce.

Mushroom Florentine Pasta
from she wears many hats

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces linguine pasta (or equal amount of another pasta)
• 3 T flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 T olive oil
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (if you don't have smoke Gouda, plain will be fine, or use Gruyere)
• 4 cups (or more) spinach leaves

Directions:

1. Begin cooking pasta according to package instructions.
2. Whisk together flour, chicken broth, milk, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for 6 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes, until garlic just begins to brown.
4. Whisk flour, chicken broth, milk, salt and pepper mixture into mushrooms and garlic. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Add shredded cheese and stir until cheese has melted.
6. Mix in spinach; stir and cook until wilted.
7. Add a ladle or two of pasta water to skillet, then drain pasta and add to skillet; toss to coat.

We had some grilled chicken with this and topped it with some fresh ground pepper. It was absolutely perfect. I will definitely be making this again.

Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken

This is one of the recipes I almost made for the Secret Recipe Club a couple months ago.  There are always so many recipes to choose from, and it's practically impossible to choose just one.  And, of course, there's nothing that says I can't make them all, right?  I ended up making these yummy Frozen Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter and Banana Bites for the SRC Reveal, but I had to go back and make this Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken, too.

This BBQ sauce is sweetened with canned peaches instead of sugar, so it's even quite healthy.  It's definitely tasty!

Peach BBQ Pulled Chicken
adapted from Not Enough Cinnamon

for BBQ Sauce:

• 1 28-oz. can peaches in juice (NOT syrup)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 T spicy mustard
• 1 T apple cider vinegar
• 1-1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 T paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

for Chicken:

• 2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 cup chicken broth 
• water to cover

Directions:

1. Combine all the sauce ingredients (including juice from the peaches) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for one hour. Transfer sauce to a blender or a food processor and pulse until the sauce reaches a very smooth consistency. Return to pot and set aside.
2. While the sauce is cooking, place chicken breast in another pot.  Add chicken broth and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is very tender and no longer pink inside. Transfer cooked chicken to a cutting board and shred it using two forks (use one fork to hold the chicken steady and the other one to tear it apart).  Save cooking broth for another use.
3. Add shredded chicken to the prepared sauce and mix well to coat. Serve on buns.

Note: You can use all broth or all water to cook the chicken if you want. I just had 1 cup of broth and only needed half of it for the sauce so I figured I'd use it for the chicken, too.

We added some sweet bread & butter pickles and shredded cabbage for a bit of tangyness and crunch, and it was perfect.  I will definitely be making this again.  The chicken also freezes well.  Just pull it out, thaw, and heat, for a quick and simple meal.

The Secret to a Crispy Cauliflower Crust Pizza

I recently tried making pizza with a cauliflower crust.  The flavor was really good, but the crust turned out a bit soggy.  Not a huge deal - we just ate it with a fork.  But, I wanted to see if I could get it a bit crisper and make a cauliflower crust that could actually be picked up.

Yes, it is possible.  Here are three things that I think made all the difference:

1. Be sure to remove as much moisture from the cauliflower as possible.
   Steaming the cauliflower works better than boiling it, because there isn't as much water in the cauliflower to begin with.  Whichever way you cook it, be sure to drain it thoroughly and then use a cotton towel or several paper towels and squeeze as much liquid out of the cooked cauliflower as you can get.
2. Use a pizza stone.
   The bottom crisps up better, and the crust seems to cook faster.  On the baking sheet, I think we should have cooked it longer than 15 minutes to brown better before we added the toppings.  On the pizza stone, it only needed about 12 minutes.  You will need to pat the crust out onto parchment paper so you can slide it onto the hot pizza stone in the oven, and so you can easily slide it out when it's time to add the toppings and remove the cooked pizza.
3. Cool on a wire rack.
   This might be the most important one.  When you slide the pizza out of the oven and off the pizza stone, it will be nicely browned and crisp.  However, if you leave your pizza on a cutting board to cool slightly before cutting, it will begin to steam and get soggy in the middle.  I noticed mine was doing this and actually slid it back onto my hot pizza stone to crisp back up, then I put it onto a wire rack to cool, still on the parchment.  All that moisture then went down through the rack and onto the counter underneath, and my pizza was not sitting in it.

The result?  Nice crispy crust that we could pick up!

I was just going to have you visit my first cauliflower crust pizza post to get the recipe, but it will be easier just to have it here.  I updated it to reflect the changes.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza
adapted from Dancing Veggies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cauliflower florets, steamed, drained, and mashed
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1-1/2 tsp. oregano

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450° F
2. In a medium bowl, mix the mashed cauliflower, egg, and cheeses. Add the garlic and oregano and stir well. Pat out on parchment paper to desired size and thickness.  Transfer to pizza stone and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden.
3. Remove the crust from the oven and top with your favorite toppings and cheese.  We used a simple homemade pizza sauce, grilled chicken, onion, red pepper, feta, spinach, and mozzarella. 
4. Brush or spray the edges of the crust with olive oil and then bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese and crust are nicely browned.
5. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Cut and enjoy!

Chicken and Broccoli Salad Wraps

With warmer weather here, I'm always on the lookout for easy, cool meals.  I found this one in my recipe box a few weeks ago.  I don't know how long I've had it, but it had just kind of gotten lost in there, and I'd never tried it before. 

Thankfully I pulled it out this time, because this makes a great summer dinner.  I used chicken breasts I grilled on my George Foreman grill, but this would also be good with leftover rotisserie chicken.

Chicken And Broccoli Salad Wraps
adapted from an Azteca recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 T chopped green onions
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 3/4 cup Miracle Whip or salad dressing
• 6 flour tortillas
• Cheese

Directions:

1. Add about 1 inch of water to a saucepan; bring to boiling.  Add broccoli and cook 2 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. In a large bowl combine broccoli and all remaining ingredients except tortillas and cheese; toss lightly. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. 
3. To serve, spoon filling onto tortillas, top with shredded cheese, and wrap or roll up tortilla to enclose filling. Enjoy!

Makes 6 wraps.

I made some Lemon Spaghetti Salad to go with this, which was really good.  It also makes a good lunch (or dinner) with just some carrot and celery sticks on the side.

Pizza with a Caulilflower Crust

It's time again for Secret Recipe Club reveal!  My secret blog assignment this month was Dancing Veggies, a blog with a focus on healthy, simple, and quick vegetarian dishes on a budget.  Amanda started cooking in high school when her mother declined to fix special meals for her.  If she wanted to eat differently from the rest of the family, Amanda would need to cook her own food.  Smart mom!   

While we don't eat a vegetarian diet - my husband would complain loudly if he didn't get his meat! - I think adding more veggies to our diet will always be a good thing.  Amanda's blog is a wonderful resource full of interesting and tasty vegetarian recipes I will definitely be trying out in the future.   A couple that caught my eye were the Avocado Tomato Grilled Cheese and these Twice Baked Potatoes – Samosa Style.  We did make a version of the grilled cheese, which was super yummy, but when my son mentioned that he'd been wanting to try a cauliflower pizza crust, I decided to check to see if Amanda had one on her blog.  Yes, she did, so we worked together and made an amazing pizza with a cauliflower crust.  We did add chicken to our pizza, so it wasn't vegetarian, but I think it would have been just as good without it.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza
adapted from Dancing Veggies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cauliflower florets, steamed and mashed
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1-1/2 tsp. oregano

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450° F
2. In a medium bowl, mix the mashed cauliflower, egg, and cheeses. Add the garlic and oregano and stir well. Pat into the bottom of a pizza pan or cookie sheet; bake for 10-15 minutes.
3. Remove the crust from the oven and top with your favorite toppings and cheese.  We used a simple homemade pizza sauce, grilled chicken, onion, red pepper, feta, spinach, and mozzarella. 
4. Brush the edges of the crust with olive oil and then bake for an additional 15 minutes (or longer), until the cheese and crust are nicely browned.

The flavor of this crust is absolutely amazing!  All that garlic!  Great call, Amanda.

 It's so good my son said he was going to marry this pizza.  We are already thinking of ways to improve it, though.  We were in a hurry, so we didn't remove enough of the moisture from the cauliflower after steaming it.  Some recipes mention squeezing it out in a dish towel.  I don't know that we'll go to that extreme, but the crust did have a little more moisture than we liked, so we'll take that extra step of draining it thoroughly, at least, next time.  Also, we cooked it on a cookie sheet with parchment paper - instead of on the pizza stone that I have right there in my oven.  So, I will be using the pizza stone next time, and maybe cooking the crust a bit longer before adding the toppings.  We're hoping those little tweaks will get the crust just a bit crisper on the bottom.
 

This is definitely a recipe I will be using again.  I'm so glad my son was wanting to try it and willing to help me.

Update:  I tweaked it a bit and we had cauliflower crust pizza you can pick up and eat!

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