Crockpot Mediterranean Chicken Ragu with Orecchiette

I saw this recipe over at Reeni's blog, at Cinnamon Girl Recipes     When I find a gorgeous looking Crockpot recipe such as this, I can't wait to try it.  As an added bonus, my husband, A.J., told me with almost every spoonful, "Honey, this is REALLY good.".

When I first started blogging, Reeni along with 6 other bloggers were the first to comment and encourage me to continue.   

If you haven't visited Reeni before, what are you waiting for?  She has the best, original, good home cooking recipes around.  Plus her photography is gorgeous!  This isn't the first recipe of Reeni's I've tried and as always, was another winner.

I did have to make one substitution, the fennel stalks.  I forgot to get fennel at the grocery and after just getting back from the store to get the chicken (which I forgot to get the day before), I didn't feel like getting out again.  I used 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds, slightly crushed.

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 ounce) petite diced tomatoes

8 artichoke hearts, cut in half

1 roasted red pepper, diced

3 fennel stalks, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

2 tablespoons capers

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1- 1/2 pounds chicken breasts or cutlets, boneless, skinless

8-12 ounces Orecchiette pasta

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

In you slow cooker, combine broth, tomatoes, artichokes, red pepper, fennel (seeds), onion, capers and garlic. Stir in Italian seasoning, parsley, salt and pepper. Then, nestle in the chicken breasts. Cook on high 4 hours or low 6-8. Remove chicken and shred with two forks, stir back in.

Cook pasta to al dente, drain and stir into sauce, turn crockpot down to warm and allow to set for 10 minutes so the pasta can soak in some of the sauce.

Serve garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.

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Creamy Champagne and Tarragon Chicken

Face it, we're all special.  You're probably thinking to yourself that you're especially special and I bet you are especially special.  You deserve the best, you deserve to be spoiled rotten.

So tonight, spoil your special self with a luxurious meal layered with deep rich flavor and infused with champagne.  The best part - it's not expensive at all.

As you sit down to enjoy this decadent, creamy sauce, you will feel as if you are dining in the lap of luxury and baby, you deserve it!

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp butter
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounce container of slice baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup minced onion
3 average size garlic cloves thinly sliced or slivered
1/2 cup champagne
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp tarragon
1 scallion, thinly sliced on an angle
8 ounces linguine, cooked al dente and drained

Rinse the chicken breast under cool water and pat dry with paper towels.  Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound thin.

In a pie plate, mix together the flour, Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the chicken through the seasoned flour.

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees F.  If your oven doesn't go that low, heat it to 200 degrees F.

Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and beginning to bubble, place the coated chicken breasts in the skillet.  Do not overcrowd the skillet.  You will probably have to cook them in batches.

Brown well on each side, approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Remove the chicken from the pan to a rack placed over a baking sheet.  Cover very loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.  Once all of the chicken is cooked, place the chicken on the rack, loosely with foil in the warm oven to stay warm and crisp until the creamy champagne sauce is ready! 

Return the same skillet to the stove, medium heat, and remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil (if there is even that much left.  Make sure to leave the brown bits!  Add the mushrooms to the skillet and spread them out in a single layer and don't touch them for abut 4 minutes, then give them a stir.  Just as they are beginning to turn golden brown, add in the onions, stir to combine and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Then blend in the slivered garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

Add the champagne!  Give the skillet a good stir to get up any of the good and flavorful brown bits.  Reduce by 1/2, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Just a little side note here...I wouldn't open a bottle of champagne to use less than a cup for cooking.  Isn't that alcohol abuse?   I found this cute little bottle at my liquor store for $3.00.

Whisk in cream, the red pepper flakes and the tarragon.  Reduce heat a notch or two and allow sauce to thicken.   Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.    Serve the chicken with the linguine, generously ladled with the champagne and tarragon sauce.  Garnish with the sliced scallions.

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BLD Cheesy Potatoes

I really had a lot of trepidation about posting this recipe.  The main reason, it isn't photogenic, but man-oh-man, it's so dang good!

One our neighbors told me her children were over the moon about this dish.  We all like finding new really good recipes, so I have to pass this on to all of you, but maybe you already know.

How can you go wrong with bacon, cheese potatoes, and Ranch seasoning?  You can't.

Breakfast, lunch or dinner (BLD) you have a hearty crown pleasing side.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1  - 30 oz. package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

2  - envelopes Ranch Dip Mix (powder)

2 - 16 oz. containers sour cream

2  - cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 - 6 oz. jar Hormel Real Bacon Bits

In a very large bowl, combine the sour cream and the Ranch Dip Mix and the bacon bits until completely blended.  Fold in the thawed hash brown potatoes.  Spread the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and bake  for approximately 45 to 50 minutes.




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French Toast with Praline Sauce

We love breakfast at our house.  During the week with work and school, it's usually a quick bowl of cereal or grits for the girls, a breakfast bar for me and A.J. usually heats up leftovers from the night before or the night before that.  Don't make a face, he works night and gets home during the day so even though it's morning, it really his dinner time...I think.  Anyway on Saturdays either the girls have to be at work early or they slept at a friends the night before so they aren't looking for breakfast and A.J., ok make faces now, A.J. is either eating some hot pickles he made or eating chips and salsa.  Sundays are much like during the week, something quick and then out the door to church.

Honestly, maybe once every month or two, we're all together on a Saturday or holiday I get to make a nice family breakfast.  In between, we Waffle House it for late night cravings.

I have been wanting to try this recipe for such a long time.  It's a combination of a Paula Deen recipe, one on Steen's Cane Syrup website and the method I've used on the past for breakfast bakes.

NOTE:  Start the night before

1 loaf French bread

8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt

Butter a 9x 13 baking dish. Slice the whole loaf of French bread into 1-inch thick slices. Arrange slices, in the dish by overlapping them and in 2 rows.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, then whisk in the half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Whisk until thoroughly blended.

Pour mixture evenly over the bread.  Make sure each slice is coated with the egg and milk mixture.  Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the Praline Sauce:

2 sticks of butter, melted 

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Whisk all of the ingredients, except the pecans together.  Once thoroughly combined, fold in the pecans with a spatula.

Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and pour sauce over the the bread.  the sauce will be somewhat thick, so you may have to get a spoon and gently spoon the sauce to make sure it covers each slice of bread. 

 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.  The bread will puff slightly and turn a pale golden color.

I added a little sprinkle of powdered sugar but if you're a French toast die-hard, pour on the Steen's Cane Syrup or maple syrup.

Demand more holidays so we can all have breakfast with our family!

 

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Southern Tuscan Grits

The Italians and the French like to add butter and grated Parmesan, Romano or Asiago cheese to their grits right before serving to make them even more tasty and extra creamy.  This is a great side dish for pork, I served it along side Grilled Pork Chops with Garlic Relish It's too quick and easy not to try.

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1-1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick cooking grits, uncooked
3/4 cup grated Romano cheese
3/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 teaspoon fresh basil, finely chopped or 1-1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons butter + butter for serving
1 tablespoons salt + Salt and Pepper to taste

In a small bowl or condiment bowl, blend together the basil garlic powder and onion power and set aside.

In a medium size pot, bring the chicken broth, milk to a boil.  Once the liquid begins to boil add the tablespoon of salt and gradually whisk in the grits.  Lower heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.

Remove the pot from the heat and . Stir in Romano and Asiago cheese, the seasoning blend, butter, and parsley.  Stir until well blended and don't be afraid to put some muscle into your stirring.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve with a pat of butter on top.

Nacho Mama's Skillet Nachos

Sometimes you just need something fun and easy for dinner.  These skillet nachos ran the whole gamut for us - fun, easy to prepare, a breeze to clean-up, not to mention the whole family was excited and anxious for dinner to be ready.

I kept this real simple since I have some very picky eaters.  If left to my own devices, I definitely would have added sour cream and homemade guacamole or maybe even a chimichurri sauce.  

1lb. lean ground beef
1 bag restaurant size lime flavored tortilla chips
1 packet taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
1 jar medium salsa
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons sliced scallions
2 tablespoons sliced black olives
1 tablespoon taco sauce

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

This is best done in a cast-iron skillet.

Brown ground meat over medium heat and drain off excess fat.  Return skillet to burner and sprinkle taco seasoning over meat, add water and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.  Place meat in a bowl and reserve.

Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel and line the bottom and sides of the skillet with the tortilla chips.  Spoon the reserved meat into the skillet over the tortilla chips lining the bottom of the pan.  Spread meat out evenly.  Spoon the salsa over the meat and then place a layer of the Monterrey Jack cheese on top.

Place the skillet in the oven and bake for approximately 7 minutes, until cheese is almost completely melted.  Sprinkle the scallions and olives over the cheese and then drizzle the taco sauce over the scallions and olives.  Bake for another 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese is completely melted. 

Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Spoon out a serving or just place the skillet on the table and devour.

Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Rolls

Please forgive the blurry pictures.  My camera battery died  and I tried using A.J.'s camera which I don't know how to work or set.  I know how to charge the battery and that's about it.  Don't let the shoddy photography fool you, wait until you see how to make these; you will adore them!

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin or 8 chicken cutlets pounded thin.

1 Five ounce jar sun-dried tomato pesto

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

4 slices prosciutto, cut in half

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend (salt, pepper, garlic powder, Asiago cheese, basil, and onion powder)

1 cup chicken broth

8 wooden toothpicks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Lay out the chicken cutlets and season both sides with salt and pepper.  One one side of the chicken, spread a generous but thin layer of the sun-dried tomato pesto within a 1/4" of the edge of the cutlet.  On top of the pesto, place one of the half slices of prosciutto and then a generous, but thin layer of the mozzarella cheese. 

Roll the cutlet beginning with the thin end or small end in a coil and secure with a toothpick or two.  Brush the chicken with the olive oil and place in an oven safe dish.  Sprinkle each chicken roll with the Italian seasoning blend.  Pour the chicken broth around the edge of the dish, not on top of the chicken roll (so you don't wash the seasoning off  the chicken).  Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Carefully uncover the dish and bake for 10 more minutes to brown the chicken.  Remove, baste with the liquid in the dish and allow to rest for about 5 minutes, then serve.