Category: Recipes

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Chicken Crumble

This is one of those meals that can really be “thrown together,” and some of the ingredients can be substituted out for other things. An easy going wonder dish–if you ask me.

The ingredients are things that you may already have on hand. After you taste this, you’ll most likely keep most of this on hand. You’ll notice that I don’t have amounts for most of the items–that my dears, is because you make however much you want or need–or however much you have the ingredients for.

Chicken Crumble

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts–boneless, skinless works well

American Cheese slices–you can use other kinds, sliced or shredded, but American melts and blends the best.

Alfredo Sauce–you can also use a can of Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom Soup–undiluted

Seasoned Stuffing–I like the crumbles best, not the cubed kind

Arrange your chicken in a glass Pyrex dish. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and a pinch of seasoning salt on–if you’d like.

Cover the chicken with cheese.

Pour sauce or soup over the top. One jar of sauce or 1-2 cans of soup should do it.

Sprinkle the crumbs over the top until everything is covered up. There’s really not a right and wrong to this.

Cover with a sheet of foil–shiny side down. Pinch the edges tightly to “seal” it well.

Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or until meat is done. You can check by slicing a piece in the middle and making sure it’s not at all pink. If it is–put it back in for about 10 more minutes and check again.

If you are using frozen chicken, bake at 325 for about an hour. Check for done-ness. Did I just make that word up?

Once the chicken is cooked take the foil off, turn off the oven and leave it in for about 10 minutes. Just long enough to make a cute little salad or some green beans…or something. When the top is brown and toasty–it’s finished.

Hope you love it.

Pretty darn sure you will.

 

 

Chicken Crumble
 
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:
Ingredients
  • Chicken breasts--boneless, skinless works well
  • American Cheese slices--you can use other kinds, sliced or shredded, but American melts and blends the best.
  • Alfredo Sauce--you can also use a can of Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom Soup--undiluted
  • Seasoned Stuffing--I like the crumbles best, not the cubed kind
Instructions
  1. Arrange your chicken in a glass Pyrex dish. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and a pinch of seasoning salt on--if you'd like.
  2. Cover the chicken with cheese.
  3. Pour sauce or soup over the top. One jar of sauce or 1-2 cans of soup should do it.
  4. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top until everything is covered up. There's really not a right and wrong to this.
  5. Cover with a sheet of foil--shiny side down. Pinch the edges tightly to "seal" it well.
  6. Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or until meat is done. You can check by slicing a piece in the middle and making sure it's not at all pink. If it is--put it back in for about 10 more minutes and check again.
  7. If you are using frozen chicken, bake at 325 for about an hour. Check for done-ness. Did I just make that word up?
  8. Once the chicken is cooked take the foil off, turn off the oven and leave it in for about 10 minutes. Just long enough to make a cute little salad or some green beans...or something. When the top is brown and toasty--it's finished.

 

 

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Cheesey Lasagne

While I’m in the mood to spill all the family recipe secrets…here’s a gooood one. Couldn’t you just reach through the monitor screen and pinch some of that cheese?

Ummmm….

Start with the basic stuff:

1 large box of wide Lasagne noodles

1-16 oz. cottage cheese

1 can/jar spaghetti sauce

Parmesan cheese

2 lbs. Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Shred the Mozzarella cheese first thing. You’ll want all your ingredients sitting there ready to go. Seriously, shredding the cheese is the only thing that takes any time here.

Pour a small amount–maybe 1/2 cup–of sauce in a 9×13 Pyrex dish. Tilt the pan around to spread it over the bottom of the dish. I’m going to use the word “some” quite a bit, because there is no exact recipe with this.

Place the uncooked noodles on top of the sauce. Don’t you just hate mushy noodles? That won’t be happening this time.

Top the noodles with the cottage cheese and spread it completely over the noodles.

Top with a layer of Mozzarella. Sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese.

Top with noodles, then sauce, then Mozzarella, then Parmesan–in that order until you reach the top of the pan or you run out of something.

Make sure you save plenty of shredded cheese for the top–you won’t be sorry.

Seal the pan with a layer of foil–shiny side down. Cook at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Take the foil off and cook 10 more minutes–or until your lasagne looks…

like this. Let this beautiful thing rest for about 10 minutes. You can toast some garlic bread and toss a salad while you wait.

You are about to experience perfection.

I envy you.

 

 

Cheesey Lasagne
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 large box of wide Lasagne noodles
  • 1-16 oz. cottage cheese
  • 1 can/jar spaghetti sauce
  • Parmesan cheese
  • 2 lbs. Mozzarella cheese
Instructions
  1. Shred the Mozzarella cheese first thing.
  2. Pour a small amount--maybe ½ cup--of sauce in a 9x13 Pyrex dish.
  3. Tilt the pan around to spread it over the bottom of the dish.
  4. Place the uncooked noodles on top of the sauce.
  5. Top the noodles with the cottage cheese and spread it completely over the noodles.
  6. Top with a layer of Mozzarella.
  7. Sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese.
  8. Top with noodles, then sauce, then Mozzarella, then Parmesan--in that order until you reach the top of the pan.
  9. Make sure you save plenty of shredded cheese for the top.
  10. Seal the pan with a layer of foil--shiny side down.
  11. Cook at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
  12. Take the foil off and cook 10 more minutes.
  13. Let this beautiful thing rest for about 10 minutes.

 

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Coveted Chicken Salad

The Coveted Chicken Salad. Sit up now. Pay attention.

I promise, there are people in my family going…”No. WAY!” right this minute. Because, you see, sometimes I can be just a tad…

selfish…

with certain recipes. This is one of them. I’m working on being a better person, so here it is. Use it quick before I have a panic induced relapse…

or buy up all the chicken in the world to make this only for…

me.

Oh, I could too.

:}

Coveted Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

5-6 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

1 Tbsp.  onion flakes

3/4-1 cup Miracle Whip

5 stalks celery, diced

salt

Instructions:

Boil the chicken breasts in water, with salt,  until cooked through–about 30 minutes.

Remove from water and refrigerate until cold enough to handle.

While you are waiting, dice up the celery and place in a bowl. Sprinkle a ridiculous amount of salt over the celery. Don’t worry, we’ll be rinsing it off in a while. This will help the celery lose the bitter taste it has sometimes. Set aside.

When chicken is cold, cut it into bite-sized pieces, being impeccable about removing everything but the actual white, breast meat. Discard fat, veins, gristle–nobody wants to eat that…trust me on this.

Place diced chicken in a medium bowl. Add 3/4 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing. Please note that I did NOT say mayonnaise. That is because this is recipe MY recipe…my famous recipe…so if you want it to be right, then just plain do what I say. Miracle Whip. No discussion here. The end. Phew. I feel better now.

Mix the chicken and Miracle Whip well and decide if you need the extra 1/4 cup of salad dressing. I usually do. Now, sprinkle the onion flakes and bouillon granules evenly over the top and set aside.

Pour the diced and salted celery into a colander and rinse thoroughly. Let it drain for a few minutes then add to the chicken mixture. Again, mix very well.  Understand that the real flavors will be much better distributed if you leave the salad covered in the fridge for a few hours–or better yet, overnight. Then mix again, and salt to taste. You may proceed to serve it to your guests on a lettuce leaf or in a puff pastry shell. They will genuflect.

Now somebody should write me a check for a million dollars.

Seriously.

Get on that.

*********

Coveted Chicken Salad
 
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Ingredients
  • 5-6 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
  • 1 Tbsp. onion flakes
  • ¾-1 cup Miracle Whip
  • 5 stalks celery, diced
  • salt
Instructions
  1. Boil the chicken breasts in water, with salt, until cooked through--about 30 minutes.
  2. Remove from water and refrigerate until cold enough to handle.
  3. While you are waiting, dice up the celery and place in a bowl. Sprinkle a ridiculous amount of salt over the celery. Don't worry, we'll be rinsing it off in a while. This will help the celery lose the bitter taste it has sometimes. Set aside.
  4. When chicken is cold, cut it into bite-sized pieces, being impeccable about removing everything but the actual white, breast meat. Discard fat, veins, gristle--nobody wants to eat that...trust me on this.
  5. Place diced chicken in a medium bowl. Add ¾ cup Miracle Whip salad dressing.
  6. Mix the chicken and Miracle Whip well and decide if you need the extra ¼ cup of salad dressing. I usually do.
  7. Now, sprinkle the onion flakes and bouillon granules evenly over the top and set aside.
  8. Pour the diced and salted celery into a colander and rinse thoroughly. Let it drain for a few minutes then add to the chicken mixture.
  9. Again, mix very well. Understand that the real flavors will be much better distributed if you leave the salad covered in the fridge for a few hours--or better yet, overnight. Then mix again, and salt to taste.

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Molten Chocolate Cake

We’ve discovered something…

“molten” is quite a relative term. But no matter how it is used, if it’s attached to the word “chocolate” well then….

it’s positively glorious.

We’ve tasted Molten Chocolate Cake in many of it’s incarnations, or—various levels of done-ness—and found that each and every version has it’s own unique…charm…

Yeah, charm is a good word. My favorite version is this moist and fluffy but not-quite-so-liquid center darling. If, however you want the molten chocolate to actually be more like lava–then just take it out of the oven a minute or so sooner than I did.

Either way…don’t make any plans.

You’re going to want a moment alone.

Trust me.


Chocolate Molten Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces

6 ounces semi-sweet or milk chocolate

3 large eggs, separated

1/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon granulated white sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place rack in center of oven. Generously butter 4 – 3/4 cup molds, ramekins, or custard cups and dust the insides with granulated white sugar. Place the prepared molds on a baking sheet and set aside.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside.

Beat the egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until thick, pale, and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Now, then fold in the melted chocolate mixture.

In a clean bowl whip the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to whip until soft peaks form. Gradually add the 1 tablespoon of granulated white sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. With a wire whisk gently fold the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture, just until it is well combined. Don’t over mix or the batter will go flat. Divide the batter between the prepared cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the outside edges of the cakes are set but the middle still looks a little wet. You may have cracks on the top surface of the cakes.

Immediately remove from oven and let them rest for a minute or two. Run a knife around the edge of each cake and then turn it out onto the center of a serving plate.  Carefully remove the mold. Sprinkle the top of each cake with confectioners sugar and serve with Vanilla ice cream.

Makes 4 – 3/4 cup  individual cakes.

Oh, and whatever you do–don’t cook them longer than 15 minutes…or they tend to…ahhhh….blow up.

Yeah. Don’t ask.

Molten Chocolate Cake
 
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Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter, cut into pieces
  • 6 ounces semi-sweet or milk chocolate
  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • ⅓ cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place rack in center of oven.
  2. Generously butter 4 - ¾ cup molds, ramekins, or custard cups and dust the insides with granulated white sugar.
  3. Place the prepared molds on a baking sheet and set aside.
  4. Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside.
  5. Beat the egg yolks and ⅓ cup sugar until thick, pale, and fluffy.
  6. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  7. Now, then fold in the melted chocolate mixture.
  8. In a clean bowl whip the egg whites until frothy.
  9. Add the cream of tartar and continue to whip until soft peaks form.
  10. Gradually add the 1 tablespoon of granulated white sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
  11. With a wire whisk gently fold the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture, just until it is well combined.
  12. Don't over mix or the batter will go flat.
  13. Divide the batter between the prepared cups, filling about ¾ full.
  14. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the outside edges of the cakes are set but the middle still looks a little wet.
  15. You may have cracks on the top surface of the cakes.Immediately remove from oven and let them rest for a minute or two.
  16. Run a knife around the edge of each cake and then turn it out onto the center of a serving plate. Carefully remove the mold.
  17. Sprinkle the top of each cake with confectioners sugar and serve with Vanilla ice cream.

 

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Easter Gummi Candies

You are going to love these cute little gummies. I was amazed at how easy they were to make. You can use your favorite flavor of Jello or even make them two flavors at once–by filling the molds half full, letting them harden and filling them the rest of the way with a second flavor. If you don’t have small candy or chocolate molds you can use ice cube trays or mini muffin tins. You can even pour the gummies out onto a cookie sheet and cut them with cookie cutters.

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Gummi Candies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cold water

1 package Jello– any flavor

4 packets unflavored gelatin

Directions:

1. Spray candy molds or pans with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Combine unflavored gelatin, flavored gelatin, and cold water in a small pyrex 2 cup measuring cup. Stir with a small whisk or rubber spatula until well mixed. Cover with plastic wrap and let mixture rest for 10 minutes.

3. Set cup in pan of hot water and cook over medium heat. Continue stirring while mixture melts and becomes liquid.

4. Once mixture is fully liquid and pretty much clear, remove it from the heat and pour into your molds.

5. Allow it to set and cool slightly, then place in freezer for 10 minutes to solidify.

6. Once solid, remove from molds, and gobble them up!

Easter Gummi Candies
 
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Ingredients
  • ½ cup cold water
  • 1 package Jello-- any flavor
  • 4 packets unflavored gelatin
Instructions
  1. Spray candy molds or pans with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Combine unflavored gelatin, flavored gelatin, and cold water in a small Pyrex 2 cup measuring cup. Stir with a small whisk or rubber spatula until well mixed.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and let mixture rest for 10 minutes.
  4. Set cup in pan of hot water and cook over medium heat.
  5. Continue stirring while mixture melts and becomes liquid.
  6. Once mixture is fully liquid and pretty much clear, remove it from the heat and pour into your molds.
  7. Allow it to set and cool slightly, then place in freezer for 10 minutes to solidify.
  8. Once solid, remove from molds, and gobble them up!