Little loaves of yumminess!

3/4 lb ground beef
3/4 lb ground pork
1 large egg
2 slices bread, broken
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup minced onion
1-2 small ribs celery, diced
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp mustard
2 Tbsp parsley flakes
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp dill
Combine all ingredients and mix lightly. Form into 6 equal loaves. Place in a 9X13 baking dish. Thinly slice 6 small potatoes (red, yellow and purple work wonderfully) and arrange around the loaves (but not on top). Bake 10 minutes at 400. Glaze loaves with a little apricot or peach jam and return to oven covered with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Uncover and glaze the loaves again with more jam. Bake uncovered 25 minutes. Remove from oven and add 1 1/2 cups frozen petite peas. Cover with foil and let it sit about 10 minutes before serving.
This freezes really well baked or unbaked!

Easy Chicken Parm Shells!

I totally suck at blogging.......but my cooking ROCKS!
1 box jumbo shells cooked and drained
1 bag cooked chicken, thawed
1 lb ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
Spray a 9X13 pan with non stick spray. Open a can of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I like Hunt's traditional) and pour some over the bottom of the pan.
Mix all the filling ingredients together and put a heaping Tablespoon into each shell. Arrange shells in a single layer over the sauce. Top with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Uncover and bake until cheese is bubbly and golden.

Instant Gratification!

I love a good dinner that you can have on the table hot and yummy fast!
Faster than take out.....way faster than pizza delivery!
This is super yummy!
It was kinda spicy though so if your family doesn't like spicy food cut back on the seasoning!
Next time I make this I am going to add in some steamed broccoli to the dish!
With cooked chicken from the freezer this was literally done in the time it takes to cook the pasta!

10 oz Penne pasta cooked and drained
2 bags cooked chicken cubes (thawed)
2-4 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped Roma tomatoes
4 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

Put all the chicken into 1 bag and sprinkle on the Cajun seasoning (it's kind of spicy so if your family can't take the heat use the lesser amount) shake it up. In a large saute pan heat olive oil and butter. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook until chicken becomes brown and the seasoning is dark and smoky. Add the garlic and then pour in the heavy cream. Add the lemon pepper. Season with salt and pepper (to taste, the measurement is just a guess). Lower heat to low and sprinkle in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese a little at a time stirring until the cheese melts and sauce begins to thicken. Let it simmer and reduce until the sauce is thickened to your liking. To serve divide Penne into 4 large bowls. Top with chicken/sauce mixture. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp cheese and tomatoes.

Disappearing Dinner!

Two of my customers came in today after having lunch at Olive Garden.....I spent the rest of the afternoon dreaming of creamy alfredo and breadsticks!! I didn't take lunch either so by the time we closed I was STARVING!! You know my mantra about not eating out so needless to say I did not visit the local OG for takeout!
Instead I came home and had this on the table in about 1/2 hour!
I was a little worried when it came out of the oven but the sauce tightened up after standing a few minutes.....so try to resist the urge to shovel it in your face right out of the oven (besides, it'll be hot hot hot!!)

Chicken Alfredo Bake
1/2 16 oz package penne pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cups cooked chicken
4 Tbsp butter
1 tsp minced garlic
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp oregano
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Bring a large pot of water to a boil....cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and place it in a greased 9X9 pan. Heat olive oil a large skillet. Add the cooked chicken and cook it until it's nice and brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Melt the butter in the skillet. Add the garlic and cook over medium high heat until garlic is fragrant. Add the cream and milk. Let this heat up then sprinkle in the cheese. Stir the sauce with a whisk until it starts to thicken up (takes a few minutes). Add the chicken broth, thyme, oregano and the browned chicken. Let it heat up and thicken again. Pour the sauce and chicken over the pasta. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese and then the panko. Set your oven to broil (high) and set the pan under the broiler 5 minutes (mine was done after 3) just watch it close so it doesn't burn. Let it stand 5 minutes before serving.
This dish is best served right after preparing. If you need to reheat it do so at very low heat!

An oldie....but a goodie!

This is a throw back to the "house wife" days......when I had all day to cook and clean and be Mommy.
Sometimes I miss those days. I miss the super clean house of those days but I do NOT miss the tyrant that I could be. I was watching home videos not long ago with Miss Avery and WOW I was snappy! And not snappy in a good way either I was downright horrible! I called Catherine later and told her I was sorry for being so snappy at her (to which she replied "Ma, I was obnoxious I'm sure I deserved it")
I really love that girl....loved her then but now I just can't express how much I love her (and not just because she has given me the three most precious grandbabies ever)!!
Anyway......this is one of those back in the day dinners that everyone loved. Even Wendell who didn't really like his food to touch would have seconds of this!
It's pretty quick to throw together, freezes GREAT and is pretty good as leftovers too!
I hope you make it soon!

Parmesan Chicken and Broccoli
2 cups cooked rice
1/4 c minced onion
1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli florets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
Italian seasoning
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 1/4 cups milk
3 oz cream cheese cut into small cubes
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped ham
3 Tbsp slivered almonds
Mix onion and cooked rice together. Spread in the bottom of a lightly greased 9X13 pan and set aside. Steam broccoli until bright green. Set aside.
In a large skillet heat 1 Tbsp olive oil. Season chicken with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Add to hot oil. Brown on each side cooking about 5 minutes until nice and brown. Place chicken on top of rice. Add a little more oil to the skillet if needed....scrape up all those lovely browned bits off the bottom. Add the garlic and then the cornstarch. Add the milk all at once and reduce heat and boil a few minutes until thick and bubbly (will take a little longer than a flour based sauce would.....keep at it, it's worth it)! Add the cream cheese and stir until cheese melts. Stir in the Parmesan the ham and the steamed  broccoli. Pour sauce over chicken and rice. Sprinkle with almonds and cover with foil. Bake at 350 about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
You could make this with chicken chunks instead to bring it together really quickly. Just proceed with the sauce and stir in the cooked chicken chunks along with the broccoli and ham. Finish as usual.
To freeze this let it come to fridge temp then freeze (I freeze in aluminum pans). Thaw in the fridge before baking.

Chicken Noodle Soup

I've been battling a nasty chest cold that turned into bronchitis.....not so fun!
Chicken Noodle Soup is good for the soul and it sure does a body good too!
With a bag of cooked chicken and my homemade stock I have this beautiful soup on the table in 15 minutes!

Chicken Noodle Soup
2 quarts chicken stock, thawed
1 bag chicken, thawed
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
2 cups noodles
Parsley flakes

Bring stock to a boil. Add vegetables, chicken and garlic. Simmer gently covered about 10 minutes until veggies are tender. Uncover, add noodles and boil 5-7 minutes until noodles are cooked. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Soup freezes great if there are leftovers that is!

I shouldn't be allowed to cook!

I have made a pretty good beef stew in the past......baked or baked in a cute lil pumpkin it's been a favorite for years! Today I made a new recipe and BAM!! Let me tell you I thought I had made good beef stew before but this is absolutely the BEST thing I have ever made!!
We have this little game we play...the yummier things are the more the girls say "this is terrible Mom, you really shouldn't be allowed to cook" and things along that line!
Arielle was so stunned by the depth of flavor in this that she couldn't even muster up an "ewww...this is gross"! We've talked about how yummy it was all night and neither of us can wait until lunch tomorrow so we can have some more!

Beef Stew over Mashed Potatoes
1 lb trimmed beef chunks
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 onion diced
3 stalks of celery cut into 1" chunks
2 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper
2 cups beef stock
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp rosemary
2 small bay leaves
1/2 cup sweet baby peas
2 Tbsp soft (not melted) butter
2 Tbs flour
Brown the beef in the olive oil until the beef is browned on all sides. Add the vegetables and continue cooking 3-5 minutes until the vegetable start to brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add the beef stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. Cover and simmer over low heat 2 hours.
When ready to serve add the peas. Blend the soft butter and flour together and add to simmering stew. Turn heat up and bring stew to a boil to thicken stew. Serve hot over mashed potatoes.

Mashed Potatoes
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peel and but into small chunks
Put potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Sprinkle with salt. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes until they are very tender. Remove from heat and drain. Return potatoes to pot and put back over the burner with the heat off to dry the potatoes out.
Mash the potatoes with a masher.
Add:
3 Tbsp soft butter
3 Tbsp cream cheese softened
1/2 cup milk
Mix in the butter, cream cheese and milk mashing them around with the masher until they are creamy to your liking. Season with salt and pepper.