Chicken Casserole

Hello!!!

Here is another fantastically easy recipe, and its HEALTHY too!!! At only 317 calories per serving you just can't say no to this yummy dish!

You will need:

3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cooked, and cubed into 1/2 inch squares
4 T all purpose flour
4 T butter, unsalted
20 oz skim milk
1 pinch white pepper
2 t Italian seasoning
2 T parmesan cheese, grated
7 oz penne pasta, whole wheat
2 yellow or orange bell peppers, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
2 heads, approx. 12 ounces broccoli, chopped
1/3 c monterey jack cheese
nonstick cooking spray


To Make:

Place chicken breasts in a pot with a lid. Cover chicken with cool water. Place pot over a burner on low to moderate heat. Bring to a simmer; cover with lid and poach for approximately 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked. (This step can be done the night before.)

Prepare the white sauce by placing the butter in a small sauce pot that has been preheated over medium heat. Once the butter foams, add flour and stir for 1 minute; try not to let the mixture turn brown. Add milk to the mixture and continue to stir until it starts to bubble. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add pepper, Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese to the sauce. Stir to combine. Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees. During the last minute of the pasta's cooking, add the chopped broccoli to the water. Allow to simmer for one minute.

Drain the pasta and broccoli. Spritz the bottom and sides of a 9 X 13 oven-proof casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta and broccoli with the chicken and chopped vegetables; cover with the sauce. Place in the baking dish. Sprinkle with the Monterey jack cheese and cover with foil.

Bake for 20 minutes; remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is melted.




Bon Appetie!

Herb Roasted Pork Chops

Got another quick and easy recipe for you all tonight! I first stumbled across this recipe when I was making a dinner for my parents wedding anniversary! I was pretty jealous that I didn't get a piece but I finally made it for my husband and I tonight..YUM!! You can make this recipe two different ways. The original recipe is for an entire pork loin, but if you are making it only two people like I was you can get individual pork chops and do the same thing!!

Herb Roasted Pork Chops

You will need:

Boneless Pork Chops
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary


Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Then, with your fingers, massage the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all of the meat and fat. place on cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil and bake for 15-18 minutes


(For pork loin use 1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin, and bake at 475 for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 425 and cook for an additional hour. Check with a meat thermometer to see if done. Temp should be about 155 degrees. Let sit for 20 minutes before carving)




Bon Appetit!! :)

Greek Kalamanta Lemon Chicken

If you love Mediterranean style chicken and lemon this dish is for you!! It's so easy, all you have to do is brown the chicken, throw it all in a casserole dish and bake it! It's that quick and easy!

You will need:

boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 per person being served)*
1 tablespoon olive oil
2/3 cup dried orzo pasta
1/2 cup drained pitted kalamata olive
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1/2 lemon(cut into wedges or chunks)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon all purpose Greek seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon oregano

* if making more than 5 or 6 I would double the recipe*


First begin by putting the olive oil in a skillet and cooking the chicken breasts until they are slightly browned on each side. While the chicken is browning, pour your orzo into your casserole dish followed by the chicken broth. Lay the browned chicken breasts on top of the pasta and sprinkle salt, pepper, Greek seasoning, and lemon juice over the entire dish.

Next add your cut lemon wedges and olives to the dish. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Serve with warm pita bread.





Bon Appetit!

2 recipes!!

I know I know! It's been forever since I have posted a new recipe! I'm sorry!!! Things have been so busy with Christmas and coming home to visit our families it just sort of got away from me! To make up for it I will share TWO recipes with you today!! Although I don't recommend eating them together...probably wouldn't taste very good :P

First up is....


Baked Potato Soup

This recipe is perfect for cold nights, and is super easy and delicious to make! This recipe tends to taste a lot better when its doubled, but I will give you the recipe for a single batch of it although I strongly recommend doubling it! :)

You will need:

1 can of cream of chicken soup
1-2 teaspoons of Lawry's Seasoning Salt
8 oz of sour cream (DON'T GET THE LOW FAT STUFF! doesn't taste near as good!)
1 1/2 cups of milk (again don't use skim milk, use 2% or whole)
2 large potatoes
1/4 cup of bacon

Bake potatoes at 400 for about an hour, peel then cut into small chunks
While the potatoes are cooking mix together milk, soup and sour cream until it is smooth. Then add the salt and stir. Taste to see if it needs more salt added (we usually add about 1-2 tsp more than what the recipe calls for) Next add the chunks of potato and bacon and stir until warm. Serve with shredded cheese on top




Our next recipe is....

Candy Cane Biscotti

You will need:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2/3 cup + 3 Tbsp finely crushed peppermint candy canes (about 8 canes)
14 ounces fine quality white chocolate, melted


Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined – stir in crushed candy.

Evenly divide dough into 4 pieces on a lightly floured surface. Shape each piece into 9″ x 1 1/2″ round log. Place logs 3 inches apart onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until tops are cracked and ends just start to turn light brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 325° F. Cool logs 10 minutes on cookie sheet.



Cut each log diagonally into 1/2″ slices with sharp serrated knife (discard ends, if you want). Arrange pieces standing up back onto the baking sheet.
Bake until cookies are light golden brown and crisp on both sides, about 12 to 15 minutes. The centers may still be a little soft, but will firm up as they cool. Place onto cool rack and cool completely.



Dip half of each biscotti into melted chocolate – shake off excess. Immediately sprinkle with additional crushed candy canes and set on a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet until the chocolate has set. Makes about 42 biscotti.




Bon Apetit!!

Chicken in White Wine and Broccolini

Holy cow!!! I made this for my husband and I dinner tonight because it seemed quick and easy to make..we just finished eating it and it is probably one of my more favorite recipes I have tried out!! Seriously this is one of THE most delicious dinners ever!


Chicken in White Wine and Broccolini

For the Chicken you will need:

4 chicken breasts
1 can of cream of chicken
1/4 cup of white cooking wine
1 tsp of salt and pepper
1 cup herb flavored stuffing mix
1 stick of melted butter
slices of swiss cheese

Put your chicken breasts in a greased casserole pan. Mix together cream of chicken and white cooking wine in a bowl, then stir together until smooth and well mixed. Next, salt and pepper the chicken in the pan, and layer two slices of swiss cheese per chicken breast on top. Then spread your cream of chicken and white wine mixture over top the cheese. Sprinkle the stuffing mix so that it covers the chicken then pour the melted butter over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. While your chicken is in the oven....

Broccolini

2 heads of broccoli
1-2 TBS of olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup of almond slivers
1 TBS of lemon juice


Cut off the florets of broccoli and steam for about 5 minutes. While they are steaming pour the olive oil into a skillet, mince your clove of garlic and add to the oil, as well as the almond slivers and let simmer until the garlic becomes toasted. Keep an eye on it because the garlic can toast pretty quickly if your heat is too high!!

Pour oil, garlic and almond mixture over the steamed broccoli, sprinkle with lemon juice and serve!!


Hope ya'll enjoy this dinner as much as we did, because it sure was delicious!!! :)




Bon Appetit!

Vegetable Quiche

I looove making this quiche! It is quick and easy to make, and it smells soo delicious coming out of the oven with all of the spices in it! Yumm!!! Hope ya'll enjoy this as much as we do!! :D


Vegetable Quiche

For the dough, mix:

1 cup of all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoons of thyme
1/4 teaspoons of oregano
dash of salt
3 tablespoons of crisco shortening
3 tablespoons of butter
3-4 tablespoons of milk

Mix together the flour, thyme, oregano, and salt. Add in the crisco and 3 tablespoons of butter one tablespoon at a time. Mix together until the flour mixture starts to clump together into little balls. Next add the milk one tablespoon at a time, stiring inbetween each one. Roll the dough into a ball and then flatten out on a lightly floured surface so that it will fit a 9 inch pie pan. Press the edges of the dough up along the sides of the pan before adding in the filling.



For the filling, mix:

2 cups of sharp or mild cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon of oregano
1/2 teaspoon of thyme
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/4 cups milk
3 eggs, beaten
1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables (thawed)

Combine all the ingredients in one bowl, except for the milk and eggs which you will mix together in a separate bowl. Once mixed pour the cheese vegetable mix into the pan over the pie crust. Next pour the milk and egg mixture over the vegetables. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes, or until you can stick a knife down into the quiche and have it come out clean. Let stand 10 to 12 minutes before serving

Also, I will usually sprinkle a little extra cheddar cheese and some mozzarella cheese on top of the quiche before baking it (Cheese is a must in the Goodding household!)


All ready to go in the oven!!


Delicious!!!!


Bon Appetit!!

Cinnamon Rolls

Who needs Pillsbury when you can make your own cinnamon rolls from scratch?! It may take a little longer, but its much more fun and tasty than store bought cinnamon rolls! :) This recipe is pretty easy, the only trick to it is getting your dough right. I'll give you some tips along the way to help :)



Ingredients:

2 packages of dry active yeast
1/2 cup of hot water
4 eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
2 tsp of salt
5 cups of flour
2 sticks melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

First mix the yeast and hot water together in a bowl and let sit until it starts to bubble slightly.
In a separate bowl mix together eggs, sugar, and salt, then add in the yeast/water mix. Stir together until mixed. Next add a stick of melted butter and mix together.

Add in your flour one cup at a time (If you are lucky enough to have a Kitchen Aid use your dough hook, however if you are like me, I would recommend hand stirring it with a spoon other wise it will gum up your hand mixer). After adding the 3rd cup of flour you should notice your dough start to become a little gummy. When you finish adding your flour you want your dough to not feel gummy or sticky. If your dough is still sticky to the touch add in more flour a little at a time until you are able to pick it up without it sticking to your hands like chewed gum would. After your dough is ready put it in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it sit for 1 hour.



After the dough has sat for an hour, sprinkle your counter surface with flour, then place the dough on top of the counter and roll it out to a rectangular shape. Next melt another stick of butter and brush it over the dough. Cover the dough with the brown sugar, followed by cinnamon. Next roll the dough up like a log and cut the ends off. Then cut 8 sections from the dough roll and place them in a circular greased pan. Let this sit for one hour, and after the dough has risen bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the tops are golden brown.





For the icing mix 1.5 cups of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and 3 tablespoons of milk together. (I always like to add a few drops of food coloring to make the icing a fun color.) After the cinnamon rolls are done, pour over the top and let sit for a few minutes before serving.




Bon Appetit!!