Freezer Cooking Part 1

When I was pregnant with The Good Daughter, I wanted to have a large freezer stash of meals on hand for after she was born. The Good Husband worked 12 hour shifts then, and I wanted meals I could just throw together.

I made a list of meals and ingredients and went shopping after work when I was 37 weeks pregnant with the intention of cooking that entire weekend. I dropped about $300 at the store. The next day at a routine check-up - SURPRISE! - I had to go to the hospital and get induced the next day. Needless to say I didn't make one damn freezer meal.

So this pregnancy I vowed to not wait until 37 weeks pregnant before I got started and to actually make some meals. I collected recipes for a while and thankfully just after our freezer went tits up, and we found a new one at a yard sale, I got started.

I originally had a list of 15 meals I wanted to make with a variety of proteins and meals (breakfast, lunch dinner). I had the added task of trying to find meals that wouldn't be too heavy since it will be the middle of July once The Good Son is born. That last task proved to be the hardest. I also wanted a variety of meals - ones that could just be put in the slow cooker and some that could be thawed and baked.

But I split my shopping up into two big trips and after TGD went to bed, for one week, I made meals. Below is what I made in round one.

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Black Beans and Corn (double batch)

recipe adapted from Ring Around the Rosies 

Ingredients: 

6 chicken breasts

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 limes, juiced

2 cups cilantro

1 large bag of frozen organic corn

4 minced garlic cloves

1 finely chopped red onion

2 cans of organic black beans, rinsed

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons chipotle powder

salt/pepper to taste

Directions: 

~Divide all ingredients evenly and place in gallon freezer bags. Shake to combine.

Instructions for Container:

~Cook in a slow cooker on low 8 hours or high 4 hours, serve with tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, and/or cheese.

Healthy Mama BBQ Chicken (double batch)

recipe adapted from Mama and Baby Love 

Ingredients: 

3 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 large green pepper, cut into strips

1 large red pepper, cut into strips

2 zucchini, chopped

2 cups chopped onion

2 tablespoon flour

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 tablespoon ground mustard

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions: 

~Divide all ingredients evenly and place in gallon freezer bags. Shake to combine.

Instructions for Container:

~Cook in a slow cooker on low 8 hours or high 4 hours.

Barbacoa Beef, Cilantro Lime Rice and Corn salsa

recipes from Skinnytaste 

Barbacoa Beef

Ingredients: 

3 lbs beef eye of round or bottom round roast, all fat trimmed 

5 cloves garlic 

1/2 medium onion 

1/2 lime, juice 

2-4 chiptoles in adobo sauce (to taste) 

1 tbsp ground cumin 

1 tbsp ground oregano 

1/2 tsp ground cloves 

salt and pepper 

3 bay leaves 

1 tsp oil 

1 cup water

Directions:
~Place garlic, onion, lime juice, cumin, oregano, chiptoles, cloves in a blender and pulse on high until combined.

~Trim meat of fat and cut into 4 inch cubes. Place in freezer bag and add spice mixture and bay leaves.

Day of Cooking:

~Cook in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Once cooked and the meat is tender, remove the meat and place in a dish. Shred it with two forks. Remove bay leaf and add meat back to the crock pot. Cook on low for 20-30 minutes.

Chipotle's "Skinny" Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup extra long grain rice or basmati rice 

1/2 lime, juice of 

2 cups water 

1 tsp salt 

3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro 

3 tsp vegetable oil

Directions:

~In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes. Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minute.

~In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed. Allow rice to cool completely and add to freezer bag.

Day of Cooking:

~Place rice in large microwavable bowl, add 2-3 tablespoons water to rice. Microwave 2-3 minutes. Fluff with fork and repeat. Let stand 2 minutes, then fluff again.

Corn Salsa with Lime
Ingredients:  

4 cups frozen organic sweet corn

2 vine ripe tomatoes, diced 

1/2 red onion, diced 

1 scallion, diced 

1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced

2 tbsp chopped cilantro 

1 1/2 limes, juice of 

chipotle chili powder, to taste 

salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions: 

~Combine all into a freezer bag.

Day of Cooking:

~Thaw in fridge. Serve with completely thawed.  

Honey Teriyaki Chicken

recipe adapted from Once A Month Mom

Ingredients:

4 pieces boneless, skinless, chicken breast

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoons onion powder

Directions:

~Combine all ingredients into a gallon freezer bag.

Day of Cooking:

~Thaw in fridge. Remove from marinade. Grill chicken until juices run clear. Or to cook in oven, place in a greased baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350ºF uncovered 20-30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20-30 minutes longer or until juices run clear.

Breakfast Burritos (double batch)

recipe by The Good Wife

Ingredients:

10 large flour tortillas

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 green onion, chopped

12 oz turkey sausage

10 eggs

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, any flavor

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

~Add oil to skillet and cook turkey sausage on medium high heat until cooked through. Add pepper and onion and cook until veggies are soft. Remove from skillet. Turn heat to low.

~In a medium bowl, whisk to combine eggs, heavy cream, salt and pepper. Add to skillet and scramble until almost set. Allow to cool completely. Add sausage and veggie mixture and stir to combine. Add 1-2 tablespoons in each tortillas and top with cheese. Roll and wrap in plastic wrap and foil.

Day of Cooking.

~Remove from wrapper. Wrap in a paper towel and microwave on high 60-90 or until hot.

Shrimp Scampi (double batch)

recipe from What's Cooking Chicago? 
Ingredients:
2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell 
3 tablespoons good olive oil 
2 tablespoons dry white wine 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves) 
1/4 cup minced shallots 
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves 
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves 
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 
1 extra-large egg yolk 
2/3 cup panko 

Directions:
~Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture. 

~In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

~Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Label and freeze.

Day of Cooking:
~Thaw in fridge. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Sloppy Janes

Traditional Sloppy Joes call for ground beef but I like to use ground turkey or chicken to make it healthier. I also like to make mine from scratch, so I can avoid HFCS. 

Who am I kidding? I usually have to make the sauce on my own b.c I am too lazy to go to the store and actually buy a can.

But when you make it on your own, you can also add some spices and different flavors and then try to convince your husband it is from a can. Good times!

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground turkey or chicken

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1-2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard

3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup ketchup

3 teaspoons brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

~Brown meat in a large skillet over medium high heat until cooked through. Drain.

~Combine the remaining ingredients and heat on medium until hot. Serve immediately. 

recipe by:The Good Wife

Homemade Chicken Stock

This is the first time I made chicken stock. I don't know why I was always intimidated by it. It couldn't have been easier since you just throw everything in a pot and forget about it. We had a whole chicken left over after roasting the other night, so I just threw the body in the stockpot along with some veggies and a few hours later - walla! - the perfect base for soups and to flavor rice.

Ingredients: 

1 - 2 whole chicken carcases, bones and meat

3 large yellow onions, unpeeled and quartered 

6 carrots, unpeeled and halved 

4 stalks celery with leaves, cut into thirds 

4 parsnips, unpeeled and cut in half 

20 sprigs fresh parsley 

15 sprigs fresh thyme

20 sprigs fresh dill 

1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise 

2 tablespoons kosher salt 

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns 

Directions:

~Place everything in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil.

~Simmer, uncovered, for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids. Use immediately or store in containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

recipe modified from: Ina Garten

Copycat Chik-fil-a nuggets

I briefly worked at a CFA during college. It was the only time I had heard of the place and once I moved, I haven't had the opportunity to eat at one again. Let me tell you it was the best 3 months of my life. I got to eat fried chicken, all day every day. As much fried chicken as I wanted and, sadly, was about 50 pounds skinner. I loved every single nugget I put in my mouth.

That's what she said.

But now I must live too North for their southern, bible-thumping, anti-gay chicken, since we have none up here. Which is fine by me b/c now I can make my own.

::cue thunder bolt and lightening, while I laugh evilly::: MAWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

This is the best homemade version of the real thing. Served with honey mustard sauce and biscuits I could almost believe I was in college again, glow-in-black-light pink hair, tongue ring, beer bong and all.

Ingredients:
2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
oil for frying

Directions:
~In a medium bowl whisk together egg and milk. Trim fat from chicken and dice into large cubes. Place chicken in egg mixture, cover and allow to marinate in the fridge 2-4 hours.

~In a large bowl combine flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper. Dredge chicken until thoroughly coated. Meanwhile, over medium high heat, heat oil in a large, high sided skillet until hot or 375°. There should be 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch or so in the pan. Drop 10-12 nuggets into the oil and fry until golden brown and the chicken is completely cooked through, turning several times. Repeat until all the chicken is cooked. Drain on a paper towel. Serve warm. For that real CFA touch, make sure you say "God bless you" as you plate the nuggets for your family.

recipe found: here

Chicken Salad

On Tuesday nights, I need something easy to make since I have to go to the farm for our CSA. I have to wash and prep all our veggies for the week and I don't really love to be in the kitchen for an additional hour that night. So while I prep, I make something easy, like poached chicken for chicken salad sandwiches.

I usually vary my chicken salad recipe based on what we have. Sometimes I add walnuts and apples, but that is usually in the fall. For an early summer, I go with simple grapes and celery. I like a little more mustard in mine than does The Good Husband, so I have to go easy on it. I mostly just play it by ear when adding the ingredients, so feel free to experiment according to your taste.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts poached in water with lemon and thyme, cooled and shredded
2 ribs of celery diced
1/2 cup grapes, halved
1 heaping tablespoon mayo
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Sprinkle of onion and garlic powder
Endive
Bread

Directions:
~Combine first six ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.

~Spoon on to bread, top with endive and serve.

recipe by:The Good Wife

Chicken Gyros

I love traditional gyros and if the local place hadn't closed AND we had a leg of lamb on a spit, we would have had traditional gyros. However the thing I like about making my own is, I can adjust the sauce according to taste and use chicken, something we do have on hand.

I added more garlic to the sauce (of course) and grated some onion into it as well. While it didn't turn out as thick as our formerly local place, it was a hit with The Good Husband.

Ingredients:
1 seedless cucumber
1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, divided
6 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 tomato, diced
1 small onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 rounded teaspoon dried oregano
1 rounded teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
4 (8-inch) pocketless pita rounds
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced

Directions:
~Peel and grate 1 cucumber, then wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove excess water. Stir together with yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, half of garlic, 2 tablespoons grated onion and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to make tsatsiki. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

~Gently simmer oil, oregano, rosemary, remaining garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small heavy saucepan, stirring constantly, until garlic is fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss chicken with 3 tablespoons garlic oil and brush one side of bread with remainder.

~Heat griddle over medium high heat and cook chicken until done, basting with remaining oil. Remove chicken from griddle and heat bread, oil side down for one to two minutes until slightly blackened.

~Top each pita with chicken, sliced onion and tomato and serve with tsatsiki.

recipe inspired by: epicurious

Skinny Pizza

I love pizza like a fat girl loves pizza. It might have something to do with why I am fat. But to remedy the fat part, I made this "skinny" pizza the other night for dinner.

I won't lie and say The Good Husband was all over it, b/c he wasn't. He wanted normal fatty pizza. But he ate it anyway and while not as good as fatty pizza, it was still food for ass friendly food.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound turkey sausage
Mozzarella cheese
Pizza sauce
Whole Wheat English Muffins

Directions:
~Preheat oven to 350.

~Brown turkey sausage in skillet over medium high heat. Set aside.

~Split English Muffins and place on a baking sheet. Toast in oven for 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven. Top with your favorite pizza sauce, cheese and cooled sausage. Place back in the oven and bake until cheese is melted and warmed through.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Orange Ginger Chicken Stir Fry

I went a little crazy last week and everything we had for dinner was some sort of "Asian" dish. I use quotes, b/c let's face it, it's white girl Asian cooking at best. The Good Husband is hit and miss when it comes to Asian food. He will like something I would never in a million years think he would like - pad thai, summer rolls - and he will hate a dish that has only ingredients he likes. He is totally food bipolar.

But this is a healthy little dish that he was neutral about. And it didn't take that long to make either, which is good when you have a kid that can only watch 30 minutes of TV a day, then wants to be right next to the stove as you are cooking.

Ingredients:
For the sauce:
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of soy sauce
4 tablespoons of orange juice
1 teaspoons ginger, fresh and grated
5-6 minced garlic gloves
2 teaspoon sweet chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoon hoisin sauce
3 teaspoon corn starch

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
Canola oil
1 package broccoli slaw
1 cup cooked brown rice

Directions:
~For the sauce - Add all the ingredients in a screw top jar and shake to combine. For a ticker sauce, add corn starch by the teaspoon until desired thickness. Set aside.

~ In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the chicken in oil until cooked through. Add the sauce, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Add broccoli slaw and toss to combine.

~ Serve with cooked brown rice.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Chicken Taquitos

I have finally joined the 21st century and bought a smart phone. After taking two weeks to defeat Angry Birds, I turned to cooking apps and fell in love with Epicurious' app. This chicken taquitos recipe is a healthier version of the one found here. While my stomach would love a fried taquito, my ass would not appreciate it.

Even though they weren't fried, they were still pretty tasty and the Epicourious app is now 1-0. Download this thing if you have a smart phone. You will love it too.

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
8 oz light sour cream
1 (4 1/2-ounce) can chopped green chiles
2 cups frozen organic corn, thawed
1 small red onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced I used a combo of red and green
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Juice of one lime
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
24 whole wheat, low carb tortillas

Directions:
~Grill the chicken until done, allow to cool and shred with a fork.

~Combine the remaining ingredients, expect for the tortillas and mix thoroughly until well blended. Place a rounded tablespoon of the mixture onto each tortilla and roll tightly. Seal the edge with egg white and place seam side down on a baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

~Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes until the edges turn brown.

Makes 6 servings

recipe by: The Good Wife

Burrito, in a Bowl

Inspired by my trip to Chipotle and featuring my Salsa Verde, I came up with this dish that is both satisfying and surprisingly light.

There are several different components to this dish and the trick is to season each layer, as well as marinate the chicken. I originally wanted to marinade that chicken with some chioptle peppers, which I thought I had on hand. Turns out I didn't so I substitute crushed red pepper flake for the heat instead. I used a lot of red pepper. Feel free to reduce or eliminate it altogether if you don't want that much heat.

For the marinade:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:
~Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

~Pour marinade over chicken and allow to sit for hour hour or overnight. I allowed this to marinade overnight.

The next layer of flavor I added some spice to the store bought can of organic black beans. I used a combination of onion, garlic, cumin and chili powders (see a pattern here) as well as some lime juice to season the beans. In a small sauce pan, I added the beans, juice and all, to the seasonings and brought them to a boil and then allowed them to simmer on low while I cooked the chicken.

I diced the chicken into bite sized chunks and cooked over medium high heat until no longer pink, about 2o minutes.

To assemble:
In a bowl layer:
3/4 cup seasoned black beans
1/2 cup cooked diced chicken
1/4 cup Salsa Verde
1/8 Pico de Gallo or chunky red salsa
1/4 cup of Cojack cheese
2 tablespoons light sour cream

recipe by: The Good Wife

Cornish Hen

Does this count as roasted chicken on my List of 100 Foods I Want to Make? I mean a cornish hen is like a small chicken and I cooked it the same way that I would cook a normal sized chicken? Quite the quandary.

Roasting a chicken, or in this case, cornish hen is really more about technique than anything else. You can change the flavors every time but there are four basic things you will need to roast a chicken - 1. A fat, like oil or butter; 2. Seasonings - herbs and/or spices; 3. Salt; 4. Pepper. Measurements are not really that important; just choose any combination of herbs and spices and the amount you want and you really can't go wrong.

The trick to a really flavorful chicken is to season the chicken on the inside and out. Rub the inside of the bird with all four ingredients and rub a hearty amount under the skin of the bird. To loosen the skin of the bird, start at the tail end and gently work your fingers under the skin, between the skin and the meat. You should be able to loosen all of the skin on the breast of the chicken.

Next roast the chicken at 425 degrees for 20 minutes for every pound or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the bird reads 180 degrees.

Ingredients:
Cornish Hen
Canola Oil (probably about 1/2 cup)
Crushed garlic (3-4 cloves)
Rosemary (2 bunches, chopped)
Thyme
Poultry Seasoning
Rubbed Sage
Lemon Pepper
Salt
Pepper
Lemon Juice

Directions:
~Squeeze lemon juice on both the outside of the bird as well as in the cavity.

~Combine the remaining ingredients and rub generously on the outside, under the skin of the bird and in the cavity.

~Roast the bird, breast side up, at 425 for 20 minutes for every pound or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees. Allow the bird to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

recipe by: The Good Wife

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I don't remember the first time I had BBQ Chicken Pizza, but I will say that since I have had it, it might be one of the best types of pizza out there. Of course nothing can replace the awesomeness that is Imo's Pizza, but sadly there are none out here in the sticks.
You can see my recipe for pizza dough here.

Toppings
Ingredients:
2 cups diced cooked chicken
4 slices of thick cut bacon
1/2 Parmesan cheese
2 cups Cojack cheese
1/2 bottle of your favorite bbq sauce
1/4 cup chopped white onion (optional)

Directions:
~In a large skillet over medium high heat brown the bacon. Once the bacon has browned, remove from pan and drain on a paper plate.

~Top the pre-baked pizza dough with the bbq sauce, Cojack and Parmesan cheese, bacon and chicken (and onion).

~Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees or until the crust is golden.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Mexican Tortilla Soup

As I said in my previous post, I was looking for recipes that contained lime and/or cilantro. This is another Rachel Ray recipe I found using both ingredients. I normally have a love/hate relationship with soup. There are only a few that I actually like and I usually prefer (unless it is a cream soup) for soup to be thick.

I also modified the way I made this recipe by a lot. I just read the directions and then almost did the opposite, but I will explain that more below. The original recipe also didn't call for corn, but I thought it would be a great addition. I would have also added some black beans, had I had any.

The original recipe also called for a pile of crushed chips to be added to the bottom of the bowl and then the soup poured on top. I found that the chips got way to soggy for my liking. On second serving of this I just placed some chips on top and dipped additonal chips in the broth. I liked it much better that.

Ingredients:
3 cups chicken stock
1 pound chicken tenders
1 bay leaf, fresh if available
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 slices thick, smoky center cut bacon, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 chipotles in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons sauce
1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
Salt
1 can corn, drained
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flake
4 cups lightly crushed corn tortilla chips
2 cups shredded fresh smoked mozzarella or smoked sharp white Cheddar
1 lime, cut into wedges
1/2 red onion, chopped
Freshly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions:

~Bring broth to a simmer and add chicken tenders, poach 6 to 7 minutes with a bay leaf. While chicken poaches, heat extra-virgin olive oil in a medium soup pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp then remove with slotted spoon. Drain off excess fat, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons in the pan. Add onions and garlic to the skillet and cook 5 minutes then stir in chipotles and tomatoes. (Since the purpose of this recipe is to deliver smokey flavors, I decided that I would sear the chicken on the outside, to get a nice caramelized color, before poaching them. The poaching time was less, but since I seared them, the overall cooking time was the same. I followed the original directions in cooking the bacon and the onions.)

~Remove chicken from stock, dice and then add to soup. Pass stock through a strainer then add to the soup. (I also added cumin and red pepper flake to the soup to give it more of a kick. I also added the cilantro directly into the soup, as well as the juice of 2 limes. I added a can of corn kernels, drained. Mexi-corn and black beans would also be a good addition and would add more heft to the soup. The soup also looked a tad too thick, even for me, so I added one chicken bullion cube and one cup of water.)

~Place a pile of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of each soup bowl. Cover liberally with smoked cheese then ladle the hot soup down over the top. Serve with lime, raw onions and cilantro at table to finish the soup.

recipe by: Rachel Ray

Famous Chicken Enchiladas

I have to give major credit to The Good Husband for finding this recipe. This by far is one of our favorite dishes. I have made it for family gatherings and it is by far the most requested recipe. I have made it so many times that I actually have the recipe memorized, which is not a small feat for me.

I don't think this is a traditional enchilada, since it is cream based and not a red sauce. Also, the cream cheese in the recipe gives some pause, but trust me, it is good. Very good. TGH and I have made this several ways. We have made it with flank steak instead of chicken, with corn tortillas instead of flour and one time, in the dark days of a low carb diet, even without the tortillas. Both times it was good.

But chicken is the original recipe and by far our favorite preparation.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
12 7-inch flour tortillas
1 10.75-ounce can reduced-fat condensed cream of chicken soup
1 8-ounce carton light dairy sour cream
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
~In a medium skillet cook the onion and butter over medium heat until onion is tender. Remove from heat.

~In a medium bowl stir together cream cheese, the 1 tablespoon milk and the cumin; add onions and chicken and stir until combined. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla near an edge; roll up. Place filled tortillas, seam side down, in a greased 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Set aside.

~For sauce, in a medium bowl combine the soup, sour cream, and the 1 cup milk. Pour evenly over the tortillas in the baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven about 35 minutes or until heated through. Remove foil. Sprinkle with cheese and cook uncovered for 10 minutes more.

recipe modified from: Better Homes and Gardens

Trip to the Farmer's Market 3

The season has changed and so has the Farmer's Market. Gone are the beautiful ears of sweet corn and the juicy cantaloupe, replaced by mums and pumpkins. The crowd has gotten smaller too. The bountiful summer harvest that lent itself so well to light, cool dinners has been replaced by products that lend themselves to hearty, warm meals.

I couldn't resist the homemade egg noodles of a first-time vendor. Until I can make my own, these noodles will be great in chicken and noodles. I also bought some Illinois wine. I had wanted some Chardonnay but they were all out. Since I am not the biggest fan of reds, I thought the Blush would be a good choice.
With the exception of the noodles, my haul provided for a great simple supper. I made Crash Hot Potatoes by the Pioneer Woman, green beans and Parmesan Crusted Chicken (recipe to follow), followed by a nice glass of wine. The wine turned out to be a good choice. It was nice and mild but not too sweet with nice undertones of berries.Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
1 cup of flour
1 egg
1/4 cup of milk
1 cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:
~Form an assembly line to bread the chicken with three large, shallow bowls. In the first bowl, place the flour and add salt and pepper to taste. In the middle bowl, add the egg and milk and whisk to combine. In the last bowl, add the bread crumbs and the cheese.

~To bread the chicken, dredge it in the flour first, making sure you shake off the excess flour, but also making sure all sides are covered. Next, pass the chicken through the egg mixture, making sure all sides are covered. Hold the chicken over the bowl to allow the excess egg mixture to fall off. Finally place the chicken in the bowl with the bread crumbs and cheese. Press the chicken lightly into the bread crumbs and turn it to coat fully.

~In a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and gently place the chicken in the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until each side is a nice golden brown. Turn the heat down to medium and allow the chicken to cook for another 5 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through.

~Serve warm. You can also top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some Parmesan cheese.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Ingredient of the Week . . . Chicken

I know I took a break from the Ingredient of the Week but I promise that I am back on track! This week's ingredient is chicken.

One of my goals with this blog is to build on my cooking skills. Right now I am average, slightly above. I lack a lot of creative thinking in the kitchen and I am not that comfortable with anything above simple cooking. I hope that as this blog grows, so will my creativity in the kitchen. I hope to one day look back at these simple dishes and beam with pride with how much I have accomplished.

So I like to think of this early part of the blog as the foundation of my skills. These dishes are the ones I know how to make now and make with confidence. I hope they will provide for a great launching pad as I continue my experiments in the kitchen.

And now on to two simple chicken dishes.

We eat chicken at least once a week and if there is anything that can become boring and bland over time it is chicken. It is such a same too since I love chicken. I would raise chickens if I could, but those little bastards are mean when they are alive so I prefer to deal with them on my cutting board only.

Simple Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:
1 can refrigerated biscuits (yes, don't judge. The Good Husband hasn't been broken from his pre-made biscuit addiction)
1 large onion, chopped (I use onion powder, about 3 teaspoons)
3 stalks celery (leaves too), chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
2 large potatoes, cubed (I didn't have any potatoes this time and I was a little sad about that)
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen green beans
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 1/2 cups chopped, cooked chicken

Directions:
~In a large saucepan cook onion (if using fresh), celery, carrots and potatoes in butter over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the flour, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper, turning to coat the veggies. Now is the time to add the onion powder if you are using it. Add the chicken broth and the milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken, peas, green beans and peas. Pour into a 2-quart rectangular baking dish.

~Arrange biscuits over the top of the dish.

~Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

~Let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

This chicken pot pie recipe is loaded with veggies so it makes for a hearty meal. I also like to add a bit more flour to the sauce so that it will thicken up nicely. I hate watery gravies and sauces.

recipe modified from: Better Homes and Gardens




Popcorn Chicken
Ingredients:
2-3 cups flour
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup milk
2 lbs chicken breasts (I use boneless, skinless for this)
salt
pepper
seasoned salt
canola oil

Directions:
~Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and seasoned salt to taste. You can also add other seasonings such as rosemary, thyme or poultry seasoning.

~Combine the whole egg and egg yolk with the milk and mix to combine. Add the chicken and allow it to soak for 10-15 minutes.

~Shake off excess liquid and add the chicken, in small batches, to the flour, tossing to coat. (I use 2 large bowls for this).

~Drop chicken into hot (375 degree oil) and fry for 6 minutes per small batch. I like to use my deep fryer for this since I am scared to death to actually use a big pot of hot oil on the stove.

~Serve with honey mustard, hot sauce, blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, BBQ sauce or ketchup.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)

I had a craving for Spanakopita, or Spinach Pie, as my grandmother introduced me to when I was younger. I love the flaky layers of the phyllo dough and the salty, creaminess of the feta and ricotta cheese. I had always thought it was too hard to make but the hardest part is really layering all the phyllo.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 boxes of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
8 sheets phyllo dough
1/4 cup olive oil or melted butter

Directions

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.

~Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Thaw the spinach in the microwave, place it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze it to drain the water off. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

~In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil or butter. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil or butter, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil or butter, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil or butter. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling. The Good Wife Tip: When working with phyllo dough, place a damp towel over the phyllo sheets you are not using so they don't dry out. Be gentle when separating the sheets of phyllo and make sure to brush the oil or butter all the way to the edges of the sheets. Brush the top sheet with butter to achieve a golden brown crust.

~Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

Modifications

For this recipe, I added 2 cups of cooked chicken, cubed. While it did add a little heft to the spanakopita, I prefer the meatless version. I also brushed the phyllo with canola and olive oil and I think that butter makes this dish richer and more flavorful. I also doubled the number of phyllo sheets I used; 8 sheets on the bottom and 8 on the top, since I really like the flavor.

recipe modified from all recipes