Creamy Italian Chicken

I started a little "Foodie Club" with some friends from church when I lived in Billings, MT. We would meet once a month to share recipes.  Each Foodie Friend would bring a recipe for a main course, a side, and a dessert. We focused on sharing menus we would use if we knew company was coming for dinner.  This recipe is a family favorite.  It's not a weekly meal by any means, but when I make it, Jack always says, "Why don't we have this more often?" It's quick, easy, and very tasty, perfect for busy nights or nights serving guests.  I give credit for this family favorite to Dixie Langeveld.

Creamy Italian Chicken

4 to 5 Chicken breast

1 Packet of Good Season's Italian, dry dressing mix

8 oz Cream cheese

1/4 cup Margarine or Butter

1 Onion, chopped

1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup

Garlic salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Rice or Noodles (bowties, penne, or egg noodles)

In a space pan, melt butter and chopped onion; sauté until tender, then add dressing mix.

Sprinkle the breast with garlic salt and pepper, then place it in the crockpot.  Pour butter mixture over chicken and cook for 2 hours on low. 

In the microwave, melt together cream of chicken soup and cream cheese; pour over chicken in the crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours.  Take out chicken and serve over noodles and rice, using the sauce as gravy.  

* I actually mix the onions and soup mix together and just cook everything all at once for 4 hours. I use my crockpot on busy days when I don't have time to check it multiple times.  It would work either way. 

We serve with a slice of homemade Peasant Bread and a side salad.

The Big Buckeye Cookie

The Big Buckeye (December 2023 BHG, p 159)

The thin peanut butter layer forms the eye of the buckeye nut this cookie’s named for.  Flatten peanut butter balls in your hand first, then gently press them on a cooled cookie before topping with ganache.

Hands on 25 minutes

Total time 55 minutes

3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons salted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

2 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder (I didn’t have any on hand so I left it out)

2/3 cup Dutch-process unseated cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon plus 1 pinch salt (I just did slightly heaping 1/2 teaspoon)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

6 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate bar, finely chopped (I just used my semi-sweet chocolate chips)

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat over to 375°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper in a large bowl beat the 3/4 cup butter with a mixer on medium high 30 seconds.  Add granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat on medium, scraping bowl as needed, 2 minutes,  Beat in eggs, egg yolk, 2 tsp of the vanilla, and the coffee powder until combined.  Beat in cocoa powder, baking soda, and the 1/2 tsp. salt until combined.  Beat in flour.  (I like to put the baking soda and salt in with the flour as dry ingredients to avoid salty clumps in my cookies)

Drop dough by 1/3 cup portions (nine total) 3 inches apart onto a prepared cookie sheet.  Flatten mounds to 3/4 inch this and 3 inch diameter.

Bake until edges are just set and tops appear crackled about 12 minutes.  Let cook 2 minutes on cookie sheets. Remove; cool completely on wire racks.

For Ganache, in a saucepan, (or class measuring cup in microwave works well too) bring heavy cream just to boiling over medium-high.  Remove from heat; add chocolate (do not stir); Let stand for 5 minutes stir until smooth. Cool about 10 minutes. (I just put all cream and chocolate together in microwave save bowl and microwaved it fro 40-60 seconds let sit for a couple minutes then whisked it together until smooth).

In a medium bowl stir together the peanut butter, all the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp butter, remaining 1/4 tsp vanilla (I didn’t put the butter, vanilla, or pinch of salt in this step because I accidentally put it all in the cookie dough.  It worked out fine for both).  Shape peanut butter mixture into tin 1 1/2 inch balls.  Gently flatten each peanut butter ball to fit within 1/2-inch of the cookies edge; press gently to adhere to cookie.  Spoon ganache over the peanut butter.

Makes 9 cookies

Store in a airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. 

 

Per cookie 764 cal, 42g fat (21g saturated fat) 124mg chol, 612 mg sodium, 90g cars, 5g fiber, 54g sugar, 12g protein

SIZE NOTES:

I actually used my cookie scoops and made the 9 cookies magically into 2 dozen cookies ;-).  They were still plenty big cookies.  I used my #30 (2.3 Tablespoon scoop) size cookie scoop for cookies I cooked them for 9 minutes.  Then I used my #60 (1 Tablespoon scoop) and it was perfectly portioned.  

Pumpkin Haystack Cookies (Lion House Bakery)

Pumpkin Haystack Cookies (Lion House Bakery)

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Dash nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups butter, softened (I used 1 cup butter flavored crisco & 1/2 cup real unsalted butter)

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 (16 oz) can solid pack pumpkin

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans (I make these optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and set aside. Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add pumpkin, then gradually add the dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts. Scoop batter onto lightly greased cookie sheets and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. 

Makes 4 Dozen 

Baked Oatmeal

My sweet Cameron loves oatmeal for breakfast in all forms.  This is a recipe I have been making since 2003. My kids love it. I love that it has 7 grams of protein, 48.8g carbohydrates (not a favorite for carb watchers), and has 3.4 g fiber per serving.  Serving this to my children makes me feel like I am giving them something that it will stay with them unlike cold cereal when I send them off to school .  It is good in the winter as a warm welcome on a cold morning to start of the day.  It can be made ahead, covered in the fridge, and simply reheat as needed throughout the week.  Mine never last longer than one day; two if I am lucky!


BAKED OATMEAL

Preheat oven to 375.
Spray your 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Combine in a medium bowl.
4 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
3/4 -1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
2 Tablespoon pecans
3 cups milk

Combine in a separate bowl
1/2 cup applesauce
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
cooking spray


Add the milk mixture to the oat mixture; stir well.  Pour oat mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown and the center of the oatmeal looks set.
Yields 10 servings (serving size 2/3 cups)

*If you half the recipe use a 8 x 8 pan.

Balsamic and Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Roast

I served this at the hospital party last Christmas and it got the same rave reviews from that crowd as it did my family.  I love Jamie Cook’s It Up blog I get many keeps from her kitchen.

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com 

Balsamic and Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Roast

Time: 10 minutes prep + 4-6 hours cooking

Yield: 6 servings

Recipe from Let's Dish via Pinterest

1  2 pound pork loin

1 t sage

1/2 t salt

1/4/ t pepper

1 t garlic

1/2 C water

Glaze:

1/2 C brown sugar

1 T cornstarch

1/4 C balsamic vinegar

1/2 C water

2 T soy sauce

1. Place your pork roast on a pan, or plate. 

2. In a small bowl combine the salt, pepper, rubbed sage, and garlic. Press the seasonings into the pork roast. Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray. Place the seasoned pork roast inside and pour the water along the edges of the roast. 

3. Cover and cook on low for 4-6, depending on how hot your crock pot cooks things. You are looking for an internal temperature of 180 degrees. 

4. In a small sauce pan, combine the glaze ingredients. Bring it to a boil while stirring and let the sauce thicken. (Should only take a couple of minutes.)

5. Drizzle some of the glaze over the top of the roast and let it cook for another 30 minutes. 

6. Remove the roast from the crock pot and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Slice it thinly, drizzle the remaining sauce over the top and your are ready to eat. It's fabulous served with rice and a green veggie...or with roasted vegetables

I (Jill) serve this with the glaze on the side. 

SIDE: Seasonal Steamed Veggies or Roasted Carrots (2 Tablespoons melted butter. Salt and Pepper to taste) Quick steam them in the microwave then roast them in the oven at 400 degrees until tender.

Slow Cooker Upside-Down Chicken Pot Pie

This a favorite at our house, but how can you go wrong with a classic like Chicken Pot Pie?
My kids give this recipe a 5 Star rating; I have been making it for a couple of years now and can't believe I couldn't find it when I came searching on my blog for it.  I love this classic comfort food and that I can throw my chicken thighs in frozen and still have it done in 6-7 hours on low.
Make your favorite biscuit.  I usually use Bisquik because it keeps things simple, but any favorite biscuit will act like the crust if you will.  Split the biscuit and place in bowl and spoon some of the hearty stew over the top. Or if you are filling extra motivated you could bake pasty puff shells in place of the biscuits.  It's even good without biscuits if you don't have time to get to them.


Slow Cooker Upside-Down Chicken Pot Pie

1 1/4 pound of boneless chicken thighs (3 Costco size thighs)
1/2 cup chopped onions (Instant onions could be used here 1 Tablespoon. I prefer fresh always)
1 dried bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 jar (18 oz) chicken or Turkey gravy or 2 envelope pouches made as instructed on package
2 medium celery stalks, diced
Add the last 15 minutes of cooking:
1 (12 oz) bag of your favorite frozen mixed vegetables

Place the chicken in a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Top with onions, bay leaf, pepper and gravy.  Place celery on gravy.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. (If you have an older crock pot it may take 8-10 hours just check your chicken to make sure it is cooked through).

About 30 minutes before serving, make and bake your biscuits.  Meanwhile, gently stir in frozen vegetables into the chicken mixture.  Increase heat to high setting, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Serve with your favorite biscuits as preferred- over the top or on the side whatever makes the crowd happy.  My in-laws like this served over mash potatoes. Its versatile.

MAKES 8 (3/4 cup each) SERVINGS

This recipe is adapted from a recipe I got from Betty Crocker Kitchens

Homemade Granola Bars

This recipe was recently shared at a recipe/menu exchange group I created a year ago called My Girlfriends Kitchen.  It is a group that shares our tried and true favorite recipes based around a chosen theme for the month.  The month of September I thought I need new ideas for home lunches for school and after school snacks.  Many great ideas were shared, but this one was my favorite! Annette is a fabulous cook and baker and cake decorator extraordinaire.  Check out her blog to see for yourself.   http://www.violetscustomcakes.blogspot.com/

Homemade Granola Bars—Annette Moss

1 cup sugar (granulated or brown)

1 cup corn syrup or honey

1/2 cup peanut butter (or almond butter)

Stir until combine

Add:

2-3 cups old fashioned oats

2-3 cups rice krispy cereal

Combine and add more oats if needed.  (More oats make it drier/crunchier, less oats makes it chewier).

At this point stir in whatever you want like:

Chocolate chips

PB chips

Coconut

Raisins

Craisins

Pretzel pieces

Graham crackers/ Marshmallows/ and chocolate chips s’mores flavor

Line 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper so it comes up to the sides.  Dump granola bar mix into the pan. Press flat and cut into bars. Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.  (If they last that long!)