Chicken Divan

Family recipe from my lovely Mother-in-Law, Lori Grosse.

Ingredients

1/2 bag frozen broccoli cuts
4 cut up chicken breasts, seasoned & cooked
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayo
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. lemon or lime juice
1/2 bag of cheddar cheese
French's Onions

Directions

Line a casserole dish with broccoli then chicken.  Mix soup, milk, lemon/lime juice and mayo in a bowl.  Pour over chicken, sprinkle on cheese; bake at 350 for 30 minutes, take out and top with can of French's Fried Onions and bake for 5-10 minutes longer.  Should be golden and bubbly delicious.

Italian Turkey Sandwhiches

Ingredients

1 bone-in turkey breast (5.5 lbs), skin removed
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chili sauce
3 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 Tbsp. dried oregano or Italian seasoning
4 tsp. beef bouillion graunules
11 Kaiser or hard rolls, split

Directions

Cut turkey breast in half along the bone.  Place the turkey breast, green pepper and onion in a 5 qt. slow cooker coasted iwht nonstick cooking spray.  Combine the chili sauce, vinegar, oregano and bouillion; pour over turkey and vegetables.  Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours until juices run clear and vegetables are tender.  Remove turkey, reserving cooking liquid.  Shred the turkey with two forks; return to cooking juices.  Spoon 1/2 onto each roll.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 sandwhich) equals:
364 calories
4 g fat
102 mg cholestrol
576 mg sodium ( I used sodium free beef bouillion)
1 g fiber
46 g protein

Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

Ingredients

6-7 cups all purpose flour, divided
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. garlic salt, divided
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, divided (I used unsalted)

Directions

1.  Place 5 cups flour, sugar, 1 tbsp. garlic salt, and yeast in bowl of electric stand mixer.  Attach dough hook to mixer.  Turn to low and mix 15 seconds.  Combine water, milk and 1/4 cup butter in small saucepan.  Heat over low heat until liquids are warm.
2.  Turn mixer to low and gradually add warm liquids to flour mixture, about 30 seconds.  Mix 1 minute longer.  Continuing on low, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough clings to hook and cleans side of bowl (I had to add a bit more water)  Knead on low 2 minutes longer.
3.  Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top.  Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
4.  Punch dough down and divide in half.  Roll on half into 12x8x1/4 inch rectangle.  Melt remaining butter and mix with remaining garlic salt.  Brush dough with mixture.  Cut dough into four equal 8x3 inch strips.  Stack strips and cut into four equal 3x2 inch strips.  Place pieces on edge of greased 8 1/2x4 1/2 inch loaf pan so strips form one row down length of pan (I didn't follow directions quite so well).  Repeat with remaining dough.  Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.  Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

Crockpot Shredded Beef Tacos

Ingredients:


1 (2.5 lb) chuck roast
1 (14 oz) can beef broth
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Juice of 1 lime

Serve with:
Warmed corn tortillas or warmed fresh flour tortillas*
Green or Iceburg lettuce, chopped
Monterrey Jack or Cheddar cheese, shredded
Guacamole or diced avocados
Sour cream
Salsa
Cilantro
Freshly squeezed lime juice
Hot sauce

Directions

In a small bowl whisk together chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place roast in a slow cooker, pour beef broth over roast then squeeze with fresh lime juice. Sprinkle roast with spice mixture. Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on low heat 8-10 hours. Remove roast from slow cooker, shred beef (remove fat) and return shredded beef to slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook additional 30 minutes. Remove beef from slow cooker with tongs to remove juices when plating or drain in a colander. Serve with desired toppings.

I use two different kinds of tortillas when I make these tacos. Most of the time I use corn tortillas but I also love these tacos using fresh flour tortillas. For the corn tortillas, I heat a griddle over medium high heat then I make a mixture of a few tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and a few tablespoons vegetable oil, then I baste the oil mixture on the tortilla and cook each side until golden on each side. Then move tortilla to a plate lined with a paper towels to soak up extra oil.

King Ranch Casserole

Ingredients

Chicken Seasoning:

• 4 cups of cooked chopped or shredded chicken
• 2 teaspoons of chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon of cumin powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning or cayenne

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 a stick) of unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 1/2 cup of chopped red, yellow or orange bell pepper
• 1 cup of chopped poblano pepper
• 1 can of mild Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, drained
• 1 cup of chicken stock or broth
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 2 teaspoons of lime zest
• 1/8 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

For Layering:

• 12 corn tortillas
• 2 cups of shredded jack cheese or pepper jack
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• Additional sour cream and cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray; set aside. Place the chicken in a bowl and add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and cayenne. Toss well and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet and stir in the flour. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the chopped onion and peppers; cook and stir just until tender, but not browned. Add the drained tomatoes, cook and stir another 2 minutes. Slowly add in the chicken broth, then the cream, stirring until fully incorporated and heated through. Remove and set aside 1/3 cup of the sauce. Add the chicken to the skillet, stir to heat through, add the sour cream, lime zest, cilantro, and salt and pepper; mix well and remove from heat. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Add the reserved 1/3 cup of sauce to the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread out. Add 6 whole corn tortillas to the bottom of the dish, overlapping them. Spoon the chicken mixture over the top of that. Mix the two shredded cheeses together; sprinkle 2 cups of the cheese on top of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers of corn tortillas, chicken mixture and ending with the remaining 2 cups of cheese.


Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned on top. For nice layered slices, let the casserole rest at least 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with a dab of sour cream and a sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro, if desired.

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Pinwheels

Ingredients

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can Ro-tel diced tomatoes, drained
12 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt (I like Lawry's)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
6 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
6-8 large flour tortillas

Directions

Season the chicken breasts with salt, half of the cumin, and 1 tsp of the chili powder. Add chicken to a skillet and add about 1 cup of water. Cover and cook on med-high heat until cooked through. Add more water if necessary. Once the chicken is cooked, cool slightly and shred with 2 forks.

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, drained tomatoes, cheese, remaining spices, garlic, cilantro and scallions. Mix together until well-incorporated. Add cooled chicken and stir together.
Lay out tortillas and divide mixture evenly in the center of each. Spread into a thin layer leaving the edges clean. Roll each tortilla tightly. Do not fold in the ends like you would with a burrito but leave them free. Use a sharp knife to cut into 1" thick slices and transfer to a serving platter. (The end pieces will likely unroll a little so just eat the extras). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 12 oz green beans, trimmed (make sure they are dry)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• kosher salt + fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp shredded parmesan

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum for easy clean-up.
Lay green beans out on the baking sheet and drizzle oil over them. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and toss to evenly coat

Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1¼ cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
¼ tsp.
coarse salt
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Spread the sugar in a layer over the bottom of a large saucepan. Place over medium-low heat, and watch carefully. When the sugar begins to liquefy around the edges, use a heatproof spoon to gently stir it towards the center. Continue stirring gently until all the sugar is melted.
Once the caramel reaches a deep amber color, immediately remove the sauce pan from the heat.
Measure out the heavy cream into a bowl and scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the bowl with the cream in it. Microwave for about 30 seconds to warm up (this is to try and keep it from seizing up the caramel when you add it).
Carefully whisk into the caramel half of the heavy cream mixture. The mixture will steam and bubble continuously. Stir until the cream is well incorporated, then whisk in the remaining cream. If the caramel seizes and gets hards, stir over low heat until the hard parts melt and combine with the liquid. Stir in the salt and the vanilla.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat on low heat in a saucepan if desired.

Crispy Chicken with Creamy Italian Sauce and Bowtie Pasta

Ingredients

3 large chicken breasts

5 C corn flakes

3/4 C flour

1/2 t salt

1/2 C milk

6 T olive oil

1 12 oz package bowtie noodles (farfalle)

 

Sauce:

1 10 oz container Philadelphia Cooking Cream (Italian Cheese and Herb Flavor)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 C chicken broth

1/2 C milk

 

Directions

1. In a small food processor crush the corn flakes into crumbs

2. Add the 1/2 t salt to the 3/4 C flour. Stir to combine.

3. Place the flour, milk and crushed cornflakes each into their own separate pan. Loaf pans work well for this. If you don't have three loaf pans, do not dismay. You could use pie tins, or round cake pans...what ever works for you.

4. Place your chicken breasts in a gallon sized Ziploc bag and seal the top.

Pound the chicken flat with a meat mallet.

5. Take a pair of sharp kitchen scissors and cut each breast in half.

6. Dredge the chicken in the flour. Be sure it gets covered on both sides.

Lay the floured chicken onto a small cookie sheet and slide the sheet into the freezer. Let it hang out there for about 5 minutes.

7. Start cooking your pasta.

8. Remove the chicken from the freezer and dredge each piece in the milk and then immediately into the corn flake crumbs. Again, be sure both sides are covered well.

9. Add the olive oil to a hot skillet.

10. Carefully lay each chicken piece into the hot oil. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper. Cook over medium high heat for about 5 minutes or until the underside of each piece is nice and golden brown. Turn the pieces over. If the bottom of the pan is dry add just a bit more olive oil to the side of the pan. Swirl the pan around a bit to let the oil flow to all sides.

11. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Let the chicken cook for about 7 more minutes, being careful not to burn the bottoms. Burned bottoms are not advised. In any shape or form. Thank you.

12. When your chicken has been cooked through remove it from the pan and place it on a plate. Cover with tin foil.

13. Into the same pan pour your broth, Philly Cooking Creme, Cream of Chicken, and milk. Whisk the sauce around and let it get all warm and bubbly. Should only take about 3 minutes.

14. Slice your chicken into strips and serve over your cooked pasta and sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley if you choose.

 

Skillet Cilantro Butter Tilapia Fillets

Ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (Cayenne) 
• 4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
• Cooking spray
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions 

1. Combine first 3 ingredients; sprinkle over both sides of fish. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish on a serving platter; squeeze lemon quarters over fish.
2. Place butter and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir until well blended. Serve with fish.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Information

Serving size: 1 fillet and about 2 teaspoons cilantro butter)

• Calories: 194
• Calories from fat: 32%
• Fat: 6.9g
• Saturated fat: 3.1g
• Monounsaturated fat: 2.5g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.6g
• Protein: 30.5g
• Carbohydrate: 1.2g
• Fiber: 0.2g
• Cholesterol: 88mg
• Iron: 0.7mg
• Sodium: 354mg
• Calcium: 32mg

Broccoli Slaw

 Ingredients

4 cups broccoli coleslaw mix
1 can (11 oz.) Fiestacorn, drained
1/2 cup salsa
2 Tbsp. reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt (I used a little less)
1/8 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Directions

In a bowl, combine the coleslaw mix, corn and salsa.  In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper.  Gradually whisk in vinegar.  Pour over coleslaw mixture; toss to coat evenly.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  YIELD:  6 Servings

Editor's Note:  Broccoli coleslaw mix maybe found in the produce section of most grocery stores (I found it at Kroger).

Nutrition Facts:  One Serving (3/4 cup) equals:
87 calories
2 g fat
2 mg cholesterol
620 mg sodium
16 g carbohydrate
3 g fiber
3 protein