Chicken Pot Pie

Courtesy of allrecipes.com

I made this last week for Paul, and we LOVED it. I did make quite a few alterations, including adding a few more vegetables, doubling the sauce, and adding a few more seasonings and spices. My favorite spice is an herb blend called, "Spike." I can only find it at specialty health food stores here in NM, but in Utah it can be found at almost any grocery store. It's a must have! You can use Spike for chicken, sweet potatoes, soup, beans, almost anything. I doubled the recipe and am so glad I did because our family ate almost the entire first pie over one meal. ENJOY!


Prep time: 30 Min
Cook Time:40 Min
Ready In:
1 Hr 10 Min
Servings 8

Original Recipe Yield 1 - 9 inch pie

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
3-5 baby red potatoes, skins left on
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 chicken boullion cubes
1-2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 teaspoons Spike seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon celery seed (I used celery salt)
4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts (I used Pillsbury pre-made crusts, very easy/yummy)


Directions

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.) In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add chicken broth to cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

3.) In a pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Cut red baby potatoes into cubes and cook in pot, cover. Let boil until potato cubes fall apart when jabbed with a fork. Strain and set aside.

4.)In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed, and remaining spices/seasonings. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

5.) After greasing deep dish pie pan, place pie crust in pan, and pre-cook bottom pie crust in oven for 5 minutes, optional egg white brushed on.

6.) While the crust is pre-baking, place the chicken mixture in large bowl or pot. Add steamed potatoes, and pour hot liquid mixture over. Stir until blended.

7.) Using the deep dish pie pan that has the pre-baked pie crust in the bottom, pour mixture into pan. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

8.) Place pie pan on a cookie sheet to catch possible leaks or drips that might boil over. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.


Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 416 | Total Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 56mg

Nutritional Information
Chicken Pot Pie IX
Servings Per Recipe: 8

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 416

Total Fat: 24g
Cholesterol: 56mg
Sodium: 766mg
Total Carbs: 30.7g
Dietary Fiber: 3.3g
Protein: 18.7g

Orange Rolls

I love Orange Rolls , but it is incredibly hard to find a recipe that isn't loaded with butter. I made these when my sister came over and they couldn't stop eating them. I mean who wants a dessert that may be low fat but flavorless? Not me But if you can still have a delicious dessert that is also better for your heart then why not ? So I tweaked this recipe and experimented with it to make it healthier then originally posted and was very happy when I met success and my tastebuds couldn't taste a difference. The secret was using nonfat plain yogurt, which is different then fat free yogurt. Fat free is loaded with chemicals to make it somewhat resemble the flavor of yogurt. But nonfat yogurt is just plain yogurt that they take the fat out of without altering it. The ingredient list only has like three things on it. Verses a very lengthy list with comlicated names. I have found that it is wonderful for cooking. This may look like a complicated recipe but, it's not. It took ten minutes to mix up the dough in my mixure and a few more minutes to finish it off and walah done.

courtesy of cookinglight.com

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (100-110 degrees, I use my meat thermometer to get the right temp.)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt (or sour cream if you aren't being healthy consciece)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3-3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (can use half white, half wheat flour)
Cooking spray

Filling
2 Tablespoons butter melted
3 tablespoons grated orange rind
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Glaze:
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Orange Juice
1/4 cup low fat sour cream

Directions:
1.To prepare dough, dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl. let stand for 5 minutes. Then add 1/4 cup sugar, plain yogurt (or sour cream), 2 tablespoons of softened butter, salt, and egg. Beat on a medium speed until smooth.
2.Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. Add two cups of flour to yeast mixture. Mix until incorporated. Then add another 1-1 1/2 cups flour until you have a soft dough. Knead dough for a few minutes until smooth and elastic.
3.Place dough in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place until double about an hour. Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.
Punch dough down and let rest for five minutes.
4. Divide dough in half. Working with one portion at a time, roll or pat out into a 12-inch circle. Brush the circle with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Sprinkle 1/4 cup granulated sugar and half of orange rind on top of dough circle. Then using a pizza cutter cut into wedges like a pizza, about 8-12. Starting with the wide side, rolling toward the center, roll each wedge up tightly. Place in a coated 9 x 13 pan point side down.
Repeat with second portion of dough.

5.Cover 9 x 13 pan and let rise for 25 minutes.
6.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover pan and bake rolls for 25 minutes or until slightly

7.While the rolls are baking prepare the glaze. Combine sugar, butter, and orange juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, and cool slightly then mix in the sour cream. Drizzle glaze over the warm rolls.

Flour's Famous Banana Bread

I was so happy that this recipe turned out. I have been searching for another banana bread recipe that would be healthier then the one I have used for years which has a lot of shortening. I am so excited because this bread was so moist and flavorful, without the shortening or butter found in almost every other recipe that I found. And I like it as much or more then my old recipe.

Recipe courtesy Chef Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery in Boston, via Foodnetwork

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 1/2 bananas, very ripe, mashed (about 2 cups mashed bananas)
  
• 2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream (I used nonfat plain yogurt)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In a separate bowl,beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. (I used a hand electric mixer for about 5 minutes)

Drizzle in oil in with eggs. Add mashed bananas, creme fraiche, and vanilla to egg mixture. Fold in dry ingredients and nuts. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes one loaf in a 9x5 inch bread pan.

Slow-Cooker Saucy Swiss Steak

This came together in a snap even with a little browning of the meat. I think it took me 10 minutes total to get it in the crockpot. This was so delicious. The meat was so tender that it started falling apart when I started eating it. If you aren't a big fan a swiss cheese it is still really good without it. I served this over whole wheat pasta which was good. I also think that it would have been awesome served over mashed potatoes. I used my smallest crockpot for this one. I think it was about 3-3.5 quarts, since to properly slow cook something you need to have the crockpot 3/4 way full or it will just dry out your food.

courtesy of Kraft Foods

1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing

1 boneless chuck blade or shoulder steak (1 lb.), cut into 4 pieces

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup beef broth

1 green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup shredded KRAFT Swiss Cheese

Make It!

HEAT dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, coat steaks with flour; gently shake off excess flour. Add to skillet; cook 2 to 3 min. on each side or until steaks are browned on both sides. Steaks won't be fully cooked through Remove from heat.

COMBINE tomatoes, broth and tomato paste in slow cooker. Add steaks and peppers; cover with lid. Cook on HIGH 3 to 4 hours (or on LOW 8 to 10 hours).

SPRINKLE with cheese just before serving.

Orange-Apricot Pork Chops

This was so tasty. I found it at the crockpot365 website. I wasn't sure how it would all come together but it was way easy. I put my pork chops in completely frozen and cooked in the oven at 200 degrees for 8 hours. Because I don't have a crockpot anymore. It was awesome and I loved serving it with rice to soak up all of the yummy juice. Even my kids liked this one.

courtesy of Crockpot365

6 pork chops
1 cup apricot jam
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges (and juice!)

The Directions.

Use a 4-6 quart crockpot.

Put pork chops into your crockpot. In a small bowl, combine jam, brown sugar, and spices. Spoon over pork chops. Add the entire can of mandarin oranges, with juice evenly over the top. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, or on high for about 4.

Serve with rice to soak up the yummy juice.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

So I have been on the hunt for slow cooker meals to help make my life easier after the baby is born. I came across this recipe on a new blog called What's on my menu. The use of canned enchilada sauce in a soup intrigued me. So I tried it and it was really good. Even Ali liked it. I made nachos for the kids to dip in their soup. I garnished mine with pepper jack cheese and avocado and the cheese was a must it gave the soup that spicy flavor that I love. And it got a thumbs up from my sister and brother in law so it can't be too bad. There is a very beautiful picture of the soup on the What's on my menu blog if you want to go look at it.

courtesy of Whats on my menu

Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (I used red bell pepper)
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce (I used mild red, I also used only about half of my 16 oz. can)
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk (I used 1%)
1 cup shredded Pepper jack cheese
2 chicken breasts, or one can of canned chicken (I used frozen chicken breasts and threw them in completely frozen and it still came out beautiful)
avocado, optional
tortilla chips, optional

Directions:
In a slow cooker, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper.
Place 2 chicken breasts on top of mixture.
In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.
Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Remove chicken and cut or shred into bite sized pieces. Add chicken back into soup.
Top with pepper jack cheese and serve. Can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips.

Eggnog French toast

This last weekend I had my siblings over for a morning Christmas party. We made a delicious breakfast with Hot Chocolate, sausage, Monkey Bread (which I will post later) and this delicious Eggnog French Toast. I love experimenting with recipes when they come over, because then I get the opinion of 12 people on the recipe. Well everyone gave this recipe a two thumbs up. So sorry about no picture, but I forgot to take one. My kids didn't care for it only because I used a loaf of french bread instead of regular bread, which they are picky when it comes to bread. But you could swap the french bread for regular bread.

courtesy of Allrecipes.com

2 eggs, beaten slightly 1 1/2 cups eggnog 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 loaf French bread, sliced

Directions:

1.	Whisk the eggs. eggnog, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a mixing bowl until well blended. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish.
2.	Preheat an electric skillet to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly grease the skillet.
3.	Dip one slice of bread at a time into the eggnog mixture, being sure to coat each side of the bread thoroughly.
4.	Place the prepared bread slices into the preheated skillet, and cook, turning once, until golden brown on each side. Place cooked slices on a serving plate and cover with foil to keep warm until all French toast is cooked. Serve immediately.