Good recipe. Very easy and tasty. If you like strong seasoning, you may want to go with two packages of Italian dressing and maybe avoid the generic (they always seem a bit weaker when I use 'em in recipes, but they are SO much cheaper!).
We did the initial cook at 5 hours, I have no idea if you could leave it for 7 or 8, but I see no reason that you couldn't. I would recommend maybe an extra 2 - 4 tablespoons of water if you decide to work it that way. If your chicken is frozen, you might not need to do that as the melting ice will add to the overall water content.
Creamy Italian Chicken
4 Chicken Breasts (See the * below)
1 package of Italian seasoning**
1/4 cup water
1 package of reduced fat cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 4 oz can of mushrooms (drained)
Directions:
1. Put the chicken breasts into the slow cooker.
2. Mix the Italian dressing seasoning and water together and pour over chicken.
3. Cook on low for 3 hours (you could go for longer if you need to.)
4. Mix cream cheese and soup together and stir in mushrooms. Pour over chicken.
5. Cook on low for 1 more hour.*
6. Serve over rice or noodles.
* We shredded the chicken into the mix after the final hour. The chicken goes farther and really, you could probably get away with 2 or 3 chicken breasts. Makes it a bit cheaper.
** I assumed it meant a package of Italian dressing. It could be the mysterious measurement "package" such as is used for yeast, but I went with Italian dressing mix.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Fancy Mac 'n' Cheese
I got the recipe from this site. It's a good recipe. It takes a bit of time, and I tend to make 1.5 times the requirements on this to feed four to five people, without sides. A normal recipe would probably be around two to four without sides. With sides, it would probably go much, much farther.
Keep in mind, this is rich and full of calories - lots and lots of cream. Also, use the salt - it makes all the difference. Because of the time to make it, I plan it for less busy days. I have adjusted the steps for this recipe. It assumes that you note the pasta should be cooked and the bacon also. Given that when I go in I just start looking at directions and somewhere at the last minute realize, "Oh right! The noodles!" I decided to add those steps into the directions.
According to the site:
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 45 - 50 minutes
2 whole shallots, peeled*
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 pieces bacon, diced, cooked, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon fat
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound penne pasta, cooked
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Boil water for pasta (if you've not cooked it yet). Cook the bacon and reserve a tablespoon of fat. About the time the bacon finishes, be sure to drop your pasta into the hopefully boiling water.
2. Place shallots and garlic in a small aluminum foil pouch and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in oven 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from foil and chop.
3. In a large sauté pan, reheat reserved bacon fat over medium heat. Add roasted shallot and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in heavy cream and thyme. Reduce by a third. (Don't forget your noodles.)
4. When cream mixture is reduced, stir in cheeses until melted, creamy, and thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and gently stir in pasta. Place in a 9" by 13" casserole dish.
5. In a small bowl, mix together diced bacon, breadcrumbs, butter, and parsley. Top mac n' cheese with breadcrumb mixture and bake uncovered at same heat until bubbling and lightly browned on top, 20 to 25 minutes.
*How to count shallots. Some say by the clove, some by the head. This recipe is probably leaning toward the clove. For you who are good at estimates, shallots taste a lot like onions, but are a bit weaker. So, use what you feel wouldn't overpower the taste. Again, I tend to lean toward a clove count, not a head count for this recipe.
Keep in mind, this is rich and full of calories - lots and lots of cream. Also, use the salt - it makes all the difference. Because of the time to make it, I plan it for less busy days. I have adjusted the steps for this recipe. It assumes that you note the pasta should be cooked and the bacon also. Given that when I go in I just start looking at directions and somewhere at the last minute realize, "Oh right! The noodles!" I decided to add those steps into the directions.
According to the site:
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 45 - 50 minutes
Mac Daddy Mac 'n Cheese, Guy Fieri's
2 whole shallots, peeled*
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 pieces bacon, diced, cooked, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon fat
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound penne pasta, cooked
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Boil water for pasta (if you've not cooked it yet). Cook the bacon and reserve a tablespoon of fat. About the time the bacon finishes, be sure to drop your pasta into the hopefully boiling water.
2. Place shallots and garlic in a small aluminum foil pouch and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in oven 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from foil and chop.
3. In a large sauté pan, reheat reserved bacon fat over medium heat. Add roasted shallot and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in heavy cream and thyme. Reduce by a third. (Don't forget your noodles.)
4. When cream mixture is reduced, stir in cheeses until melted, creamy, and thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and gently stir in pasta. Place in a 9" by 13" casserole dish.
5. In a small bowl, mix together diced bacon, breadcrumbs, butter, and parsley. Top mac n' cheese with breadcrumb mixture and bake uncovered at same heat until bubbling and lightly browned on top, 20 to 25 minutes.
*How to count shallots. Some say by the clove, some by the head. This recipe is probably leaning toward the clove. For you who are good at estimates, shallots taste a lot like onions, but are a bit weaker. So, use what you feel wouldn't overpower the taste. Again, I tend to lean toward a clove count, not a head count for this recipe.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Infallible Rice
So a while back we had terrible stomach issues. I called my mother for suggestions on what we could eat that wouldn't make our innards feel like we'd swallowed nails. This was the rice she suggested and we love it! Very simple, very tasty. It's an excellent side whether your stomach is unhappy or not.
Infallible Rice
*I medium onion, minced
2 T butter
1 c long grain white rice, **uncooked
2 c chicken broth
Saute onion in butter. Combine with rice and hot broth. Bring to boil. Put in casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake at 325 for 20 minutes.
Variation: Add peas - as many as you'd like. We did about a cup.
*For IBS, you might want to use onion powder instead of the onions.
**We used left over rice and just warmed it up in the chicken broth - which I believe I reduced to about 1.75 or 1.5 cups of water with two bullion cubes. The rice became very soft and a little pasty, but it was still very tasty.
Infallible Rice
*I medium onion, minced
2 T butter
1 c long grain white rice, **uncooked
2 c chicken broth
Saute onion in butter. Combine with rice and hot broth. Bring to boil. Put in casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake at 325 for 20 minutes.
Variation: Add peas - as many as you'd like. We did about a cup.
*For IBS, you might want to use onion powder instead of the onions.
**We used left over rice and just warmed it up in the chicken broth - which I believe I reduced to about 1.75 or 1.5 cups of water with two bullion cubes. The rice became very soft and a little pasty, but it was still very tasty.
Lime Cilantro Rice
This is a great side dish. It goes very nicely with the Pork Roast that makes Sweet Pork Burritos. I forget how easy it is to find cilantro in Japan. If it's difficult, let me know and I'll remove the "Japan Friendly" label.
Lime Cilantro Rice
4 cups water
2 cups white rice (not instant)
4 T. lime juice
4 t chicken bouillon (or 4-5 bouillon cubes)
1/2 onion
4 t garlic –minced
½ bunch cilantro
1 can green chiles—or equivalent fresh
¾ t salt
1 T butter
1/2 t. cumin
Directions:
In a blender, combine onion, garlic, cilantro and green chiles. In a large pot, bring water, lime juice, bouillon, salt, butter and cumin to a boil. Sir in rice and blended cilantro mixture. Simmer covered for 30 minutes.
Goes well with green sauce and sweet pork burritos.
Lime Cilantro Rice
4 cups water
2 cups white rice (not instant)
4 T. lime juice
4 t chicken bouillon (or 4-5 bouillon cubes)
1/2 onion
4 t garlic –minced
½ bunch cilantro
1 can green chiles—or equivalent fresh
¾ t salt
1 T butter
1/2 t. cumin
Directions:
In a blender, combine onion, garlic, cilantro and green chiles. In a large pot, bring water, lime juice, bouillon, salt, butter and cumin to a boil. Sir in rice and blended cilantro mixture. Simmer covered for 30 minutes.
Goes well with green sauce and sweet pork burritos.
Pork Roast (for Sweet Pork Burritos)
The meal I tend to eat is the Sweet Pork Burritos and Lime Cilantro Rice. I've posted them as two separate dishes, but they are quite tasty together. Thanks to my sister-in-law for this wonderful recipe. I shared it with friends and they loved it. Even my spouse, who dislikes pork, enjoyed its flavor.
*Pork Roast (for Sweet Pork Burritos)
1 3lb. pork roast (trimmed of fat as much as possible)
2 cups salsa
2 cups brown sugar
Combine above ingredients in crock pot; cook for 8-10 hours on low or 6-8 hours on high. Remove roast and shred with a fork. Return shredded pork to the crock pot and stir together with the liquid in the crock pot. Let it simmer in the liquid for more intense flavor.
Goes well with Green Sauce and Lime Cilantro Rice (side).
Additional Toppings/Sides:
Rice, prepared any way you choose
Tortillas, soft (small tortillas are easier to assemble/hold)
Cheddar cheese, grated
Black beans
Tomatoes, diced
Lettuce, chopped (I use cabbage instead to add extra 'crunch' / better flavor)
Lime/Lemon to squeeze over the top
To Serve Burritos:
Top warmed tortillas with pork, cheese, green sauce and any other fillings you like. Roll up and enjoy!
*This recipe can be served over salad, too. Omit the tortillas, put pork over lettuce and drizzle sauce over the top.
*Pork Roast (for Sweet Pork Burritos)
1 3lb. pork roast (trimmed of fat as much as possible)
2 cups salsa
2 cups brown sugar
Combine above ingredients in crock pot; cook for 8-10 hours on low or 6-8 hours on high. Remove roast and shred with a fork. Return shredded pork to the crock pot and stir together with the liquid in the crock pot. Let it simmer in the liquid for more intense flavor.
Goes well with Green Sauce and Lime Cilantro Rice (side).
Additional Toppings/Sides:
Rice, prepared any way you choose
Tortillas, soft (small tortillas are easier to assemble/hold)
Cheddar cheese, grated
Black beans
Tomatoes, diced
Lettuce, chopped (I use cabbage instead to add extra 'crunch' / better flavor)
Lime/Lemon to squeeze over the top
To Serve Burritos:
Top warmed tortillas with pork, cheese, green sauce and any other fillings you like. Roll up and enjoy!
*This recipe can be served over salad, too. Omit the tortillas, put pork over lettuce and drizzle sauce over the top.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Penne Tricolore - Vegetarian or Not
I saw this and was worried by the lemon. However, it was delightful. For my lactose intolerant friends, leave out the cheese. One way we made this go a bit farther was adding chicken. I will place my chicken "recipe" at the very bottom after the notes for you who would like to add it in.
Penne Tricolore
(Optional: 1 - 2 chicken breasts cubed)
3/4 pound(s) penne rigate
*1 small zucchini, seeded and cut into 2-inch-long matchstick strips
*1 small summer squash, seeded and cut into 2-inch-long matchstick strips
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch-long matchstick strips
1/2 cup(s) Kalamata or other black olives, pitted
1/2 cup(s) chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup(s) olive oil
Grated zest from 1 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground black pepper
Directions
1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne rigate until almost done, about 11 minutes. Add the zucchini, summer squash, and carrots and bring back to a boil. Cook until the vegetables and penne are just done, about 2 minutes longer. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the penne and vegetables.
2. In a large bowl, toss the pasta, vegetables, 6 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, olives, basil, Parmesan, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water. Serve with additional Parmesan.
*Notes: Seeding Zucchini and Summer Squash: Because the zucchini and summer squash are boiled in this recipe, it's a good idea to seed them first. Otherwise, the pulpy seeds get water-logged. To remove them, cut the zucchini or squash into quarters lengthwise. Then simply cut off the seeds.
Chicken:
1-2 chicken breasts, cubed
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
Lemon Pepper
Directions:
1. Put olive oil into skillet and warm up.
2. Place chicken into skillet and add Lemon Pepper to taste. By taste, this does not mean that I'm encouraging you to lick raw chicken. I use a lot of lemon pepper, but I didn't measure it. I covered the pieces thoroughly. If you like a lot of seasoning, put a lot. If you don't, don't.
Penne Tricolore
(Optional: 1 - 2 chicken breasts cubed)
3/4 pound(s) penne rigate
*1 small zucchini, seeded and cut into 2-inch-long matchstick strips
*1 small summer squash, seeded and cut into 2-inch-long matchstick strips
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch-long matchstick strips
1/2 cup(s) Kalamata or other black olives, pitted
1/2 cup(s) chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup(s) olive oil
Grated zest from 1 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground black pepper
Directions
1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne rigate until almost done, about 11 minutes. Add the zucchini, summer squash, and carrots and bring back to a boil. Cook until the vegetables and penne are just done, about 2 minutes longer. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the penne and vegetables.
2. In a large bowl, toss the pasta, vegetables, 6 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, olives, basil, Parmesan, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water. Serve with additional Parmesan.
*Notes: Seeding Zucchini and Summer Squash: Because the zucchini and summer squash are boiled in this recipe, it's a good idea to seed them first. Otherwise, the pulpy seeds get water-logged. To remove them, cut the zucchini or squash into quarters lengthwise. Then simply cut off the seeds.
Chicken:
1-2 chicken breasts, cubed
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
Lemon Pepper
Directions:
1. Put olive oil into skillet and warm up.
2. Place chicken into skillet and add Lemon Pepper to taste. By taste, this does not mean that I'm encouraging you to lick raw chicken. I use a lot of lemon pepper, but I didn't measure it. I covered the pieces thoroughly. If you like a lot of seasoning, put a lot. If you don't, don't.
Easy Blueberry Crisp
Easy Blueberry Crisp
2 cans (21oz each) blueberry pie filling
2.5 granola cereal
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
Directions:
1. Grease 3 to 4.5 quart crock pot.
2. Pour in pie filling.
3. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over the pie filling in the order listed above.
4. Cover and cook on low heat 3 hours
Makes 7-9 servings.
2 cans (21oz each) blueberry pie filling
2.5 granola cereal
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
Directions:
1. Grease 3 to 4.5 quart crock pot.
2. Pour in pie filling.
3. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over the pie filling in the order listed above.
4. Cover and cook on low heat 3 hours
Makes 7-9 servings.
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