Chicken in Creamy Pan Sauce

Here's a recipe I discovered in a Kraft food magazine a few years back.  It's easy to make and inexpensive.  I have included my changes to the recipe.  Enjoy!

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb)
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp oil
3/4 cup chicken broth
4 oz (1/2 pkg) cream cheese, cubed
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 bunch fresh spinach
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 lb Egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (I use dried)
6 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1. Place the raw chicken inside a resealable plastic bag, along with the flour; seal bag.  Shake chicken around a bit to coat evenly with the flour.  Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  Add the chicken and cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until it's cooked through (165 deg).  Remove chicken, reserving drippings in the skillet.  Cover chicken to keep warm.
3. Add broth to the skillet.  Stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up all those flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
4. Add the cream cheese.  Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce starts to thicken, stirring constantly with a wire whisk.
5. Add in Parmesan cheese and dijon mustard.  Stir until cheese melts.
6. Return the chicken to skillet; turn over to coat both sides with the creamy sauce.  Cook 2 minutes or until the chicken is heated through.
7. On a serving platter, place egg noodles, then spinach (sprinkled with lemon juice), then chicken, then chicken sauce, then tomatoes, then top with parsley.

Grandma Rose's Chili

This is another old family recipe.  When I was growing up, my mother would often cook this dish during the winter.  It's great, because it's a flavorful sauce without the spice.  Even my wife, a self-professed non-chili lover, enjoys it.  Well, she does the first or second time a year I cook it, but I often put it together 5-6 times a season.  Enjoy!

1 lb ground beef
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 28-oz can tomato sauce
2 15-oz cans chili beans
1 16-oz can prepared tamales, undrained, removed from liners, and crushed by hand (these are often near the beans)
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 lb pasta

SERVES 6

1.  In a skillet, brown the ground beef.  Drain.  Transfer to dutch oven.
2. Add in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili beans, tamales, and chili powder.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
4. Serve chili over pasta.  Top with cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Grandma Rose's Spaghetti Sauce Italiano

Here's an old family recipe, which we use the crock pot for.  I remember eating this delicious dish once or twice a year, and I make it as an occasional specialty at my house.  It's not terribly costly or difficult to make, but it's simply a dish that seems so delectable that we should only enjoy it occasionally.  I had considered no sharing these "secret" recipes, but they are too good not to enjoy together.  Besides, recipes are meant to be shared.  Enjoy!

1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground Italian sausage
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 12-oz can tomato paste
1 6-oz can sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup Burgundy (Any red wine will do)
1/2 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed olives
3 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp pepper (freshly ground is preferred)
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp water (divided)
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 lbs spaghetti noodles, cooked.
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

MAKES 8-10 SERVINGS

1. In a skillet, brown the ground beef and sausage together.  Drain off excess fat.  Transfer to crock pot.
2. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, mushroom, onion, green pepper, Burgundy, olives, bay leaves, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, chili powder, pepper, and 1/3 cup water.
3. Cover and cook on high heat setting for 5-6 hours, until flavors are well blended.
4. In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp water with 2 Tbsp cornstarch until mixed well.  Stir into tomato sauce, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Serve over cooked spaghetti.  Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Tomato Soup with Mozzarella Croutons

This is a great recipe, which I clipped from one of a number of magazines several months ago.  It's quite delicious -- especially to someone who doesn't like tomato soup.  Enjoy the croutons in the soup and on an accompanying salad.  Enjoy!

For the soup:
1 28-oz can peeled tomatoes (whole, crushed, or diced)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced onion
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
kosher salt (I used full sodium stock and didn't add my own salt)
freshly ground pepper

For the croutons:
1/2 baguette, sliced into squares (I purchased day-old Italian bread for about $1.00)
olive oil, for drizzling
8 oz. mozzarella (the recipe called for fresh, but I used pre-shredded)
fresh basil leaves (I used dried basil)

SERVES 4

1. Pulse tomatoes and liquid in a food processor until chopped.  Heat oil and red pepper flakes in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion.  Cook, stirring until onions are tender, about 6 minutes.  Add tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and stir occasionally, until slightly reduces, about 30 minutes. Puree until smooth; season with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, drizzle bread with oil.  Toast in a 375 deg oven until it begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes.  Top with mozzarella and return to oven.  Cook until cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute more.  Top with basil, season with salt and pepper, and serve with soup.

Easy Homemade Alfredo Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1 cup half and half
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp garlic powder (optional)
pepper, to taste
1/2 lb pasta

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.
2.  Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter.
3. Once butter is almost melted, add the package of cream cheese.  It's easiest to cut it into 4 pieces so that it melts more quickly.
4. Once butter and cream cheese are mixed well together, add the cup of half and half, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and then shake pepper on top.  Stir all together until well mixed.
5. Once it's mixed well and saucelike, take it off the burner and set aside so it can thicken up.  Stir every few moments.
6. Pour over your favorite pasta and ENJOY!

Alternative: Cook 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1/3 lb) in olive oil.  Cut into small bites and add to the sauce for a more savory sauce.

Push for real food

I'm back!  I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to post, but I plan to bring this back in full gear.  Since my photographic skills are so amateur, I will post recipes without pictures.  A picture is worth a thousand words, but a great recipe always trumps a mediocre picture.

I thought it best to take this time to focus on the concept of "real food," if there is such a thing.  I am a foodie through and through.  I believe that God created tasty plants and animals for us to consume and to enjoy in moderation.  I do think we should be responsible consumers and, therefore, force companies to be responsible.  This is the reason I purchase as much organic food as I can afford.  When it's not organic, then it must be natural -- in that I can understand all the ingredients and how they are derived without chemical processes.

I recently finished the book What We Eat by Marion Nestle, and I'm now working on How We Get Fat and What to Do About It by Gary Taube.  If you'd rather catch his ideas in an entertaining documentary, I would recommend Fat Head, which is available on Netflix.

Here we go with a new round of recipes.  Enjoy!

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

This is a delicious chocolate cake recipe I found a few years ago.  It's super creamy.  Enjoy!

4 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup water
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

FROSTING:
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
3 Tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
dash of salt

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients; mix well.  Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to the chocolate mixture.  Beat on low speed just until moistened.  Beat on high for 3 minutes.
2. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans (can also make 12 cupcakes).  Bake at 350 deg for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine frosting ingredients.  beat until smooth and creamy.  Spread over cake.  Store in the refrigerator.