So, this page is my attempt to share with all of you my new found LOVE for cooking AND the successes we've had. On this page I will post recipes that we have tried, that are tasty and that made it in to our "repeats" recipe list.
Hope you enjoy!For the full story behind this page click HERE
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May 04, 2012
These are delish. I mean it, they are truly very good! I've done lots of variations too. My mouth waters just looking at them. This is one of those recipes that I've seen several places with just a tweak here and there. I've modified it and made it my "own" :) (Is any recipe really ever someone's "own"? ;) So...Try it. Taste it. Eat it. Love it.
Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp butter
1 large/2 sm. cans Rotel--tomatoes and green chilies, drained
1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, cut up and softened
2 cups chopped or shredded, cooked chicken breast
8 (8″) flour tortillas
1.5 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1.5 cups Cheddar cheese
1 pint half & half
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add Rotel and saute 1 min. Stir in cream cheese and chicken and cook, stirring constantly until cream cheese melts. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas and place seam side down in the lightly greased 9×13 baking dish. Combine both cheeses and sprinkle over enchiladas, and drizzle with half & half. Cover with foil and bake at 350˚ degrees for 30 min. Take off foil and cook for another 15 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Serve on a bed of lettuce (optional). Enjoy!
VARIATIONS: Use whole wheat tortillas. Add wheat berries (or other grain "berries"), rice, beans or additional sautéed vegetables (like zucchini, squash, egg-plant, bell peppers) to the filling. Try different cheeses.
January 29, 2012
So, I can't take any credit for this recipe. It comes from a friend of mine in my Ward (who is also my lovely Visiting Teaching companion). This recipe is seriously delightful! I really want to try adding shrimp to it one of these times. I think it would be divine!!
Testimonies:
- My friend says...you can't go wrong with heavy cream, pasta and sun dried tomatoes. And I have to add to that, the seasoning. It really brings this dish up to the next level.
- Now, we shared this recipe with mom and dad Barlow this year for Christmas and they said, "They are hooked on Voodoo chicken!".
- My dad has renamed it "Rustica" because he thinks it tastes better than Macaroni Grill's Penne Rustica. It is one of his favorite meals.
- My husband goes into a wonderland when we eat this. He raves about it the entire meal :D
So, no complaints yet. Give it a try...I'd love to hear your feedback!
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| Doesn't it look dreamy... |
~Creamy Voodoo Chicken Pasta~
SERVES 2 (so I always at least double it)
Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips (or about 1 C. shredded)
4 oz. linguine, cooked al dente
2 tsp. cajun seasoning (I use Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning <--click to see it)
2 tbsp. butter
1 thinly sliced green onion
1-2 C. heavy whipping cream (sometimes I use part half&half)
2 tbsp. chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 C. grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Cook linguine according to package directions.
2. Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss to coat.
3. In a large skillet, or dutch oven, over medium heat, saute´chicken in butter until chicken is tender, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Reduce heat and add green onion, tomatoes, heavy cream, basil, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and heat through.
5. Taste test at this point. Add extra seasonings as needed once all ingredients, except noodles, are combined and heated
through.
6. Pour over hot linguine and toss with Parmesan cheese.
Note: Sometimes we just use a cooked rotisserie chicken. Shred the meat off the bones. We still toss to coat with seasoning and just skip the cooking of the chicken and just let it brown and heat up a little in the pan.
August 10, 2010 --My first time frying food-- Smokey!
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Arancini.
For more pictures of the
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~Arancini (Rice Balls)~
TOTAL TIME: 50 min. ; PREP: 25 min; COOK: 25 min; YIELD: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 cups leftover risotto*
1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, cubed
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 egg, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
DIRECTIONS
*If leftover risotto is not on hand, add a generous amount of grated Parmigiano cheese and a small amount of tomato sauce to boiled, salted arborio rice.
**Sara's Note: I had left over rice. So to make it taste more like risotto I also added:
1 T Italian seasoning, heaping
1/4 C. shallots, diced
2 tsp. Chicken Stock base (or probably about 1/3-1/2 C. chicken broth)
2-3 gloves garlic, minced
Grab a handful of leftover risotto and shape it into a 2 1/2-inch diameter ball. Press a hole in the middle with your thumb and place a few cubes of mozzarella cheese inside. Reshape the rice ball, until the mozzarella is fully enclosed in the rice.
In a deep saucepan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil to 350 degrees F.
Roll each rice ball into the beaten egg, and then coat evenly with bread crumbs. Gently place the rice balls in the hot oil without overcrowding. Make sure the olive oil is hot before the rice balls are added; otherwise the rice balls will absorb the oil and become heavy. Fry the rice balls for a few minutes on each side, or until golden. Place the rice balls on the paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Transfer to a plate, and serve them hot or at room temperature.
Fried Zucchini:
Honestly, I had extra egg, bread crumbs, mozzarella, and hot oil left over from the Arancini. I had Zucchini in the fridge that needed to be used sooner than later. So, I put it altogether. They were delicious.
~Salsa Salad~
Ingredients
Romaine Lettuce, shredded
Cucumbers, quartered and sliced
Carrots, grated or sliced, etc.
Yellow bell pepper, diced
Green Onions, finely chopped
Couscous
Tortilla Chips, crushed
Salsa
Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Combine lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, bell pepper, and green onions. Toss to make salad. Just before serving, top salad with couscous, crushed tortilla chips, salsa, and ranch dressing. Mix and enjoy.
~Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing~
Ingredients
2 C. Mayonnaise
2 C. Buttermilk
3 T dried parsley flakes, heaping
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. celery salt, optional
Mix well. Keep refrigerated.
July 20, 2010
(Just a side note here: I'm no photographer. Please stick with me as I attempt to take pictures of the food and try to make it look as appetizing as it truly is. I didn't have any Parmesan Cheese on hand this time either. Sorry!)
~Italian Sausage and Veggie Soup~ Slow-Cooker
1/2-1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 C. carrots, sliced
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut in 1/2 in. cubes
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 - 14 oz. cans ready-to-serve beef broth
1 - 15 oz. can Garbanzo beans/chick peas, drained (or you can use your own cooked beans here)
1 - 14 1/2 oz. can chunky or crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 C. water
1/2 (heaping) tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 C. zucchini, cut bite-size julienne
Grated Parmesan cheese (for topping)
Directions:
In large skillet, brown sausage; drain. In crock, combine cooked sausage and all remaining ingredients except zucchini and cheese; stir gently to mix. Cover; cook on Low 7-9 hours. Remove bay leaf; gently stir in zucchini. Cover; cook 30 minutes more or until zucchini is tender. To serve, ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with cheese. Makes 7 - 1 1/2 C. servings.
[adapted from the Crock-Pot Cookery cook book]
