Crispy Cheddar Chicken I have a simple dinner recipe for you today. Simple and easy and tasty and smile provoking…an all around treasure. I love it when smiles are provoked. Heck. I’ll take a smile from my kids even without provoking it! It’s just so much nicer when people smile instead of whine. Speaking of my children…the other day we were watching a cooking show on The Food Network and one of my kids said… “Hey Mom, you like to cook. Why don’t you be the cooker on that show?” “I’m pretty sure The Food Network frowns upon cookers who use cream of chicken soup. Especially since just last week three of the trial recipes I made for this little ol blog crashed and burned in failure. Cross your fingers that real cream and I can become friends soon. I hear from the good folks on The Food Network that it’s a mighty fine ingredient. Now. Should you feel embarrassed about cooking with Are you the cooking she-rah for your family or what? Do make food that provokes a smile? Do your family members occasionally say things like…
Crock Pot Chicken Chili Con Queso | iFOODreal How was your long weekend? Mine was extremely busy with painting our house’s trim, entertaining and kids. But it was great and the weather helped.:) Amongst all the cooking I got done during the weekend, was this fragrant, creamy and cheesy Crock Pot Chicken Chili Con Queso – a hybrid of chicken chili and famous Tex Mex cheesy dip known as Chile Con Queso. Just to make sure we are on the same page, this recipe is not a dip. It is truly set-n-forget type of meal with no pre-cooking required. I love making hybrid meals especially when it comes to Tex Mex and Southern cuisine. I brought the chili to a poolside party this past weekend and everyone loved it! So, you could serve chili on its own for a low carb version or on top of brown rice to make a complete meal. I used organic Colby Jack Cheese slices from Costco. Canned food contains salt as a preservative. Crock Pot Chicken Chili Con Queso Ingredients Directions In a small bowl, whisk milk with flour for 30 seconds. Notes Nutritional Info
Extra-Crispy Spicy Fried Chicken with “Delta” Sauce I have spent my whole life avoiding Popeyes Fried Chicken. I’ve heard that its Southern locations are excellent, but here in the Northeast, Popeyes appears in the news strictly along with the words, “shots fired” or, “human shield.” The branch location with which I am most familiar is in New Haven, CT, and it seems to exist in one, long perpetual armed robbery, broken up only from time-to-time by employees adding vials of crack to $50 three-piece boxes before passing them through the window. I certainly never visited, and Popeyes simply did not exist on my fried chicken radar. Until, that is, I found myself in an airport down South during a 40 minute layover. I hadn’t eaten all day, and had only minutes to grab some chicken and get it into my belly at the airport’s food court. The mashed potatoes were pretty standard-issue fast food stuff, and the biscuit was only remarkable due to the perfect butter-stained ring it left on my napkin. Extra-Crispy Spicy Fried Chicken with Popeye Method
DIY Sriracha a.k.a. Rooster Sauce Impress your Chili Head friends by busting out a bottle of this DIY Sriracha Chile Sauce! Sriracha as we know it today has been popularized by Huy Fong Foods and their big red "rooster" bottle (complete with a giant rooster logo and bright green cap, making it easy to identify in your fridge). But the sauce has a rich history and is named after a coastal city in central Thailand's Chonburi Province "Si Racha". Here is a version you can make in your own kitchen. This sauce has a great, addicting flavor -- hot, sweet and garlicky -- and just like the real "Rooster Sauce", it tastes awesome on just about anything. (recipe adapted from The Sriracha Cookbook by Randy Clemens) Ingredients: **Gloves** 1 3/4 pounds Fresno Chili Peppers, Red Jalapenos or Red Serrano ( I used Fresno) 3 Thai Chili Peppers 2 tbsp Garlic Powder + additional as needed 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar + more as needed 1 tbsp light brown sugar 1 tbsp kosher salt 3 cloves garlic 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar + more as needed 1 bottle
3 Healthy Alternatives to Mashed Potatoes Who doesn’t love mashed potatoes? They’re creamy, buttery, and oh-so-delicious. They’re also usually loaded with milk, butter, and cheese. The result? One big calorie bomb. Ingredients: - 2 heads celery root - 4 tablespoons olive oil - ¾ cup skim milk - 10-15 sage leaves - salt and pepper, to taste Instructions: 1. Don’t be intimidated by this knobby root vegetable. Boil for 25-30 minutes, or until fork tender. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Spoon the mash into a bowl, and top with some fried sage leaves. Ingredients: - 1 large head cauliflower - ¼ cup Parmesan cheese - ¼ cup skim milk - 1 garlic clove - 2 teaspoons chives - 3 tablespoons olive oil - salt and pepper, to taste Instructions: 1. Chop the cauliflower, and boil for 6-8 minutes. Add chives, one clove of peeled garlic, and blend. Spoon the mash into a bowl, and top with a handful of chopped chives. Instructions: 1. Peel the parsnips. Add olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.
The Chic Site Cheesy. Garlic. Bread. Where do I sign up?! If you’re a Pinterest addict like me, (yes, I confess to spending a ridiculous amount of time looking at DIY crafts, photo styling ideas, and the sort) this is nothing new. I love, love, love garlic. I love how ooey-gooey and oh-so-delightful this garlic bread is fresh from the oven. Pull-Apart Cheesy Garlic Bread I loaf of country white bread (any hearty or crusty white bread) 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 Tbsp olive oil 6 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese freshly ground black pepper, to season Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. By Maryanne Cabrera, The Chic Site The Chic Site
cookingforkeeps Crunchy. Spicy. Creamy. All words that come to mind when describing these little gems, and all words I’d use to describe the original version. I’m sure you’ve heard of bang bang shrimp, right? Of course you have. Now normally, I’m not a “chain” kind of gal when it comes to restaurant choices, but Bonefish is hands down my favorite of the chains. Side note. Shall we get started on how to go about making these guys? Fail. My absent mind and dedication left me no choice but to improvise. The shrimp are coated in almond flour, crisped up in a tiny bit of olive oil over the stove, and then tossed in a mixture of the homemade sweet chili sauce, light mayo and sirracha sauce. Easy as can be. While, of course, these guys don’t taste identical to the Bonefish version, they’re pretty darn close, proven by the fact Kev and I inhaled them just as fast as we would at the restaurant – in about 2.5 seconds. I may never need to go to the restaurant again…. Author: Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps
How To Make French Onion Soup I’ve tried French onion soup in a few restaurants but I never liked it. Probably because I tried it at chain places that used frozen or dehydrated. But from what’s in it — beef broth and roasted onions — this is something I should just love. So I decided to make some for myself and see. And, surprise, when made with real ingredients … this stuff is good. (But I still need a good copycat recipe for onion soup mix to use in recipes, like dip. Ingredients 4-5 large onions, about 4 pounds, red and/or sweet 2-4 sprigs fresh thyme 3-5 bay leaves (oops, forgot them in the photo) 3-5 cloves garlic, minced kosher salt fresh ground black pepper flour, about 1/4 cup (see note below) 1-2 cups wine 8 ounces beef broth Directions I decided to make this because I had a container of beef broth in the freezer. Start by prepping the onions. Peel the outer layer, then cut into thin strips. Melt a few tablespoons of butter or fat (I’m using bacon fat) in a dutch oven over medium heat. Now add the beef broth.
Jambalaya Recipe Jambalaya My friends taught me how to make their homemade jambalaya recipe. And it's a total winner. Some people make popcorn to celebrate the Academy awards. Some might whip up a fancy cocktail or two. My neighbors John and Cate? First of all, I learned that these two make a pretty darn cute team in the kitchen. For some reason I had always associated jambalaya with gumbo, thinking that the process required oodles of cooking time trying to make the perfect roux. You basically begin with the “holy trinity” of Cajun/Creole cooking — bell peppers, celery and onion. Then add in your meat. Saute those up until mostly cooked. Then pour in all of the crushed tomatoes, broth, seasonings, and rice, and give it a good stir. Once the rice is cooked, add in the shrimp and continue simmering until the shrimp are cooked through. Then serve it topped with a little fresh parsley and scallions for garnish. BAM. Big thanks to John and Cate for Jambalaya 101. Ingredients: Directions:
Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets Chunks of all white meat chicken breasts coated in breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese then baked until golden. An easy chicken recipe your whole family will love. What can be more kid friendly than chicken nuggets, even the pickiest kids like them. Serve them with ketchup, bbq sauce or whatever you like to dip your nuggets into. Adults can serve them over your favorite salad for a satisfying lunch. Kids love finger foods or anything you can eat with toothpicks so when my daughter was young I would make her a dish of bite sized goodies she liked such as tomatoes, olives, pasta, etc. and served them with toothpicks and she always cleaned her plate! Once I'm in breading mode I usually make breaded zucchini sticks as well and bake them all at the same time along with some pasta and a salad for a complete meal. Double these for more or make half for less servings. Ingredients: Preheat oven to 425°. Put the olive oil in one bowl and the breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese in another.
Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana Baked chicken breasts rolled with spinach and ricotta topped with pomodoro sauce and melted mozzarella. A dish the whole family will love! Since making chicken rollatini stuffed with prosciutto and cheese a few weeks back my husband has been craving chicken rollatini the way he grew up eating it, stuffed with cheese and topped with sauce and more cheese. Perfect for a large crowd, or to feed a hungry family. Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla ParmigianaGina's Weight Watcher Recipes Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 stuffed breast • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 ptsCalories: 194.7 • Fat: 7 g • Protein: 24.2 g • Carb: 7.2 g • Fiber: 1.5 g Ingredients: Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp grated cheese in one bowl and 1/4 cup egg beaters or egg whites in another. Shred or finely chop 1.5 oz of mozzarella cheese and combine with remaining grated cheese, spinach (make sure you squeeze it dry), 2 tbsp egg beaters, and ricotta cheese. with olive oil. Bake 25 minutes.