Macaroni and Cheese

I know there are a thousand recipes for macaroni and cheese, but this one is a family favorite. I don't make it much, since it's pretty unhealthy. It is a holiday favorite, though, which is why I looked it up, and wanted to put it here. I usually make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas. (It's good to make when you're taking a family a meal too.) The kids like it, but it's fancy enough for grownups!

I omit the ham and the parsley, just as a side note. 

Giada's Macaroni and Cheese

JimnNick's Cheese Biscuits

I accidentally found this recipe, and I accidentally made them.

It's a shame, really. This won't end well. 

Jim-n-Nick's Cheese Biscuits

(link)

Chicken and Dumplings

This recipe comes from my most beloved Better Homes and Garden cookbook that I've already blogged about. This is one of my favorite recipes.

This particular recipes has vegetables in it, which I prefer to the plain chicken and dumplings recipe. 

I recently cooked this for my new cousin-in-law who just happens to be an English foodie/former chef.

I nearly had a nervous breakdown preparing it. Seriously. I actually cooked it for my cousin, who lost her mom, my aunt, 9 years ago. This was my cousin's favorite dish that her mom cooked for her. 

So no pressure.

English Cousin-in-law had no complaints about and said he would learn to make it for Cousin. 

Good enough for me.

Anyway, here it is, straight from the cookbook:

Chicken and Dumplings

• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breasts, thighs and drumsticks)

Let me pause right here and say that this is a pretty intensive recipe. I highly suggest getting a precooked rotisserie chicken from the store and shredding that sucker. Or cooking a chicken in the slow cooker so that you can use that chicken and the broth from that. Or cooking some chicken breasts on the stove and then shredding it and using that along with store bought broth.)

• 3 Cups water
• 1 medium onion, cut into wedges (I dice for the kids' sake)
• 1 t dried basil
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t dried marjoram
• 1/4 pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrots (2 medium)
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (I don't add these)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 T parsley (I used dried)
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t oregano
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 T cooking oil (I use olive)
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

So here's how I do it. I saute the onion, celery and carrot over medium heat in an iron skillet with some olive oil until vegetables are tender but still firm. I use my dutch oven and add 3 cups of chicken stock to it.  (Or your broth if you cook your own chicken) Heat over medium heat. I skin my rotisserie chicken and add it to my warming chicken broth. Then add cooked vegetables to broth. I then add the basil, no salt since the broth is already salty, marjoram, pepper and bay leaf. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer while you work on the dumplings.

Now these are the actual instructions from the cookbook:

1. Skin chicken, if desired. Rinse chicken. In a large pot, combine chicken, the 3 cups of water, onion, basil, the 1/2 teaspoon salt, marjoram, pepper and mushrooms. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Add celery, carrots and mushrooms. Return mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes more or till chicken and vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.

2. For dumplings: in a mixing bowl combine the 1 cup flour, parsley, baking powder, the 1/4 t salt and oregano. In another bowl, combine the egg, milk, and oil. Add to flour mixture. Stir with a fork just till moistened. Drop batter onto the hot chicken broth, making 6 dumplings. (Make 6 balls of dough and sit gently on top of chicken mixture with a spoon. Don't let the dumplings go into mixture. Just let them rest on top) 

Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean. Do not lift cover while simmering. 

Then transfer chicken, dumplings and vegetables to a serving platter; keep warm.

3. For gravy: pour broth into a large measuring cup. Skim fat from broth. Discard fat. Measure 2 cups of broth. Return to pot. Combine the 1/2 cold water and the 1/4 cup flour; stir into the broth. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Serve gravy over chicken and vegetables with dumplings. Makes 6 servings.

Okay, here's how I do step 3. I scoop out the vegetables, chicken and dumplings carefully, trying not to destroy the dumplings in the process, into a Pyrex dish. Set aside. Combine 1/2 cold water and 1/4 flour in a small bowl and add to the broth in the pot a tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly, until it starts to thicken. (You won't use all of the flour mixture) I don't ever have 2 cups of broth left over, like the recipe says,  so you can't add the whole flour mixture or it will taste like the flour mixture. I always have enough gravy, though. 

So there it is. It takes some time, but oh my. It's really really worth it.  I promise.
 

Stuffed Shells

I love this recipe. It's not mine, but I have it written on an old piece of paper, and I need to get it here before I lose it. I can't find one just like it!

This is not a hard recipe, but it does have several steps. Start early in the day. Trust me. This is not a recipe you can throw together at the end of the day or you won't eat until 8 o'clock at night. Don't ask me how I know this. And there's nothing wrong with eating at 8 at night, but since that's my kids' bedtime, I try to not push that back. Because they need their sleep. Not because I'm tired. You know, at 8. 

Anyway.

Prepare one box of jumbo shells according to package directions. Perhaps this is easy for the average person, but for me, this can be challenging. The first time I did this, I ended up with a bowl full of torn up noodles. 

You can't stuff those. 

Unfortunately.

So. I add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to my water. And stir occasionally, but not too much. And if the package says to cook for 12-14 minutes, I only cook for 10. Al dente shells are easier to stuff that fully cooked ones. And if some are stuck to the bottom of the pot, which mine always are no matter how big the pot is or how much water I add, then just add some water to the ones that are stuck and let that sit. Then you can come back and get them out with a spoon.

I'm sure it's not supposed to be that hard.

Anyway.

Let the shells cool. This is one reason you have to start early in the day. It's not easy stuffing hot shells. Not that I have or anything.

Stuffing:

1 1/2 pounds ground meat

1 medium onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or I use less dried parsley)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 t basil leaves

1/2 t oregano 

1 cup bread crumbs (1 toasted pieces of bread, crumbled in food processor or prepared ones)

1 egg slightly beaten

1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained

1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

3 cups prepared sauce

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1c Mozzarella cheese (or more to taste)

Cook ground meat and onion. Drain and cool. Combine next eight ingredients with meat mixture. Spread a thin layer of sauce in a 13 X 9 inch baking dish (It always takes one large dish and one smaller dish for mine) Fill shells with filling. Place shells in a single layer, top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

(I put that in bold because if you forget this step, the whole dang thing will burn. Not that I have done this or anything. *ahem*)

I actually brown the first 6 ingredients in a skillet and then transfer to a bowl to cool. Then I add in bread crumbs and egg. I don't add the tomatoes because the kids aren't fans, and so I always have some shells left over, but the kids do love those, so it all works out. 

This does freeze well also. We never have any left over, though!

I read a recipe that added cream cheese to the meat fixture, and that sounds really good. I'm not looking to add any calories or fat to this dish, so while that sounds good, I think I'll pass. But I thought I'd throw that out there, since I just came across that idea. 

Honey Garlic Chicken

This was so so good. I slammed it in the Crock Pot before we left for church yesterday morning, and I was a little worried about it. I used frozen, boneless chicken thighs, so I wasn't sure if putting it on "low" was going to be a good thing or not. I also realized I was out of honey and substituted it with agave nectar. I figured if it was awful, we'd eat... I didn't know what.

We opened the door of the house when we got home from church, and the most wonderful smell hit us full force. The husband yelled, "Wow! Now I'm really hungry..."

He is always really hungry after church. 

I also added canned diced pineapple at the last minute and stirred that in while the rice was cooking. You could totally throw in some instant rice in the beginning, but my weird-o kids don't like things mixed up, so I had to make that separately for us.

This was so stinking good. I was sad when my bowl was empty, and the hubs and I are fighting over the leftovers. Yes! There was enough for leftovers!

So very good. Definitely added to the rotation! 

Honey Garlic Chicken

(link)

Salmon what?

Croquettes. I call them salmon croquettes, because that sounds fancier than "Salmon Cakes." 

And much better than "salmon from a can."

No really, though, salmon is good for you, and wild caught canned salmon isn't that bad. I use it in place of tuna in "tuna fish salad" and it's good that way too! Plus it's inexpensive, which is a definite plus. 

So try this recipe. And you MUST try the alternatives suggested by this mom, including the sauce ( I use plain yogurt instead of mayo. )

Salmon Croquettes

(link)

"Excellent and with such simple ingredients. I always make this with leftover salmon, not a fan of canned fish. I just double the ingredients if I have more salmon. A nice variation is to saute 1 tablespoon of finely minced garlic and parsley (fresh or dried) in some olive oil (appx. 1 tablespoon), then add to the mixture. The oil adds moistness and the garlic adds a fantastic flavor and aroma, just like in the restaurants. I've added dill, garlic powder, garlic salt, paprika, onion powder, whatever I have on hand for more flavor. And definitely serve with garlic aioli or garlic mayonaise. (Mayo - 1/2 cup mayonaise, 1 garlic clove minced, dash of paprika and lemon juice.) Serve a small dollop on top and you're dining in style. My kids love this too. Nice for small ones just learning to chew since they can mash this easily in their mouths. Nice company dinner too!"

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

I was excited at the prospect of this recipe. It had to very important components for the day: chicken and the Crock Pot.

I used 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 can of mild Rotel and a cup of corn. 

I put it on high for 4 hours. 

After 3 hours I was skeptical. I added a tablespoon or two of this  taco seasoning and a cup or so of the black beans I had cooked on the stove.

That was much better. 

I warmed the tortillas in a skillet (one day I'm going to make homemade tortillas) and scooped the chicken mixture in a shell, topped with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Good stuff. I could have eaten 40 of them. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

(link)