Cheesy Chicken and Summer Squash Casserole

So recently I've been more addicted to Facebook, but not for the reasons you may think. There have been gobs of recipes floating around and being shared. Some sound ooey gooey good but also incredibly unhealthy (mostly the dessert ones). I decided that over the next two weeks I would spend my grocery budget on trying out five of the recipes I found. The first two I made last night and were successes, even with the few alternations I made.

The first recipe I attempted was Cheesy Chicken. It became more complicated for me than it needed to be. There are short cuts that could have been taken but I opted for the healthier option so it made more work for me. 

Recipe calls for:

1 pound of chicken tenders or 1 pound chicken breast with each breast cut into two or three strips

3 cups of GRATED cheddar cheese

2 packs of Ritz crackers, finely crushed

1/2 cup whole milk (I used 2% Lactaid)

salt

pepper

ground mustard

ground thyme

red pepper flakes

olive oil or oil spray to keep it from sticking in pan

I started by greasing a 9x13 glass baking dish with the olive oil. I had chicken breast so I cut the breasts into two or three strips depending on how thick and wide it was.

Next I took out three Rubbermaid dishes to put my milk, crackers, and cheese in. Here's where things could have been easier and less time consuming. Had I just used bread crumbs and grated cheese I would have been golden, but no, I bought a lower fat shredded cheddar cheese and the Ritz crackers that now had to be grated and crushed. Well, I have a handy dandy little food processor and in the process of grating and crushing I burned out the motor. At least now my cheese was grated and the Ritz crackers were crushed. However I'm out a food processor that I use often to make my own healthier bread crumbs for other recipes.

The recipe only called for salt and pepper but I added ground thyme, ground mustard, and red pepper flakes to the salt and pepper and added all seasonings to the crackers and stirred it up.

So each piece of chicken gets doused in the milk, pressed into the cheese, and then pressed into the crumbs. Then placed in the baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Uncover the dish and then bake for another 10 minutes to crisp up and brown the chicken.

How did I make it healthier? Well I used reduced fat cheese, 2% milk, and wheat Ritz crackers. Could have been better with a multi grain cracker too and quite honestly, the crackers could have been left out. They just made it a crispier chicken. The sauce that was suggested in the original recipe I saw was a mixture of a can of cream of chicken soup, two Tablespoons of sour cream, and two Tablespoons of butter. I made this sauce, but it wasn't necessary. The chicken was moist and had great flavor on its own.

Next was my side dish and could be considered a summer squash casserole with tomato and potato. 

First I sauteed one small diced onion and two diced cloves of garlic, in olive oil.

I put the sauteed onions and garlic in the bottom of a glass 8x8 baking dish.

 

Then I proceeded to thinly slice one medium zucchini, one medium yellow squash, one baking potato, and two large tomatoes.

I stood the vegetables up in order and layered it in the baking dish. I would advise putting the tomato next to the potato to help soften it while roasting. I sprinkled the top of the dish with a little salt, pepper, and ground thyme. Then I covered the dish with foil and baked for 30 minutes at 400 degrees with the chicken.

 

After the vegetables roasted for the half hour uncover them and sprinkle with one cup of shredded Italian cheese. I didn't overload the cheese and I used a reduced fat cheese which may have been detrimental to the dish as it didn't add the extra grease to finish softening up the vegetables. They were soft and could be cut with a fork, but the added fat from a full fat cheese would have made them better and probably have added a little more flavor.

The dinner was actually pretty awesome and my five year old devoured it, even with the onions and garlic in the vegetable dish.

What will I do different next time? Add full fat cheese to the veggies and buy an already grated cheese for the chicken. I may skip the cracker crumbs too.

If you choose to make this for dinner, please feel free to offer feedback. 

Pillsbury night

So recently there have been numerous recipes being passed around Facebook and I keep coming across recipes that involve Pillsbury products, namely their crescent rolls and biscuits. A girlfriend and I got together one night to test them out and see if they really were as delicious as the pictures made them out to be.

The first recipe I attempted was a monkey bread. I took two rolls of Grands biscuits with flaky layers and cut each biscuit into quarters. I greased a tube pan since the end result will be a sticky mess. I took each of the biscuit pieces and coated them in a bag that held a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon. Then each piece was evenly placed in pan.

                                                

The next step was to take 3/4 cup of butter and mix it with one cup of packed brown sugar. Once the two are mixed together evenly, it gets drizzled over the top of the coated biscuit pieces in the tube pan.

Bake this concoction in the even at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes and then let it rest for about ten minutes. Turn upside down a plate and release from pan to serve. It's gooey and delicious. 

The second recipe I attempted is a taco ring and used two packages of Pillsbury crescent rolls. This is hard to describe how to do, but my picture probably shows it best. Pull the dough triangles apart and place them end to end in a circle so the long point is pointing to the outside (looks like a sun). Then brown a pound and a half of 90/10 ground beef (the less fat the better). Once it is browned add a package of taco seasoning and 3/4 cup of water to the ground beef and cook down til meat is thoroughly seasoned. 

Take the ground beef and place it on the crescent circle so that it is on the fat part of dough that is completely covered. Then take a mixture of shredded cheese (preferably a taco cheese or Mexican mix) and sprinkle it over the top of the ground beef. Then fold the points of the crescent rolls back over towards the inside of the circle .

Bake at 375 degrees for the length of time on crescent package. I forget, but I'm thinking it is right around 18 minutes. And of course you could add re-fried beans, olives, tomatoes, etc to the inside, but keep in mind that the more you stuff the ring, the fatter it will be and more difficult to "seal" the circle. Best way to serve it when it comes out of the oven is to put your lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream in the middle of the ring.

I apologize. We were very eager to eat our ring when it came out and I forgot to get a final picture of the ring itself, but did manage to get a picture of the lowly piece of ring that was left for the next day. This was probably my favorite savory Pillsbury creation of the night.

The next recipe I tried was more for my daughter since she isn't a fan of taco meat. However she does like pizza. So at the suggestion of my girlfriend we decided to make a pull apart pizza ring. I used the same tube pan as the monkey bread, but oiled it well with olive oil. I then made a mixture of olive oil, dried basil, dried oregano, garlic salt, and black pepper. I took three packages of Pillsbury Homestyle biscuits and again cut each biscuit into quarters. I dipped each piece of the biscuit in the olive oil and spice mixture. I put a first layer down in the pan and then put down a layer of pizza cheese (Italian mix including mozzarella) and a layer of pepperoni. Then another layer of biscuits and another layer of cheese and pepperoni, etc, until it was all gone. I ended with a layer of biscuits. This concoction then baked in the oven at 350 degrees for close to a half hour. When it came out I served it with some pizza sauce to dip it in. Honestly I was not impressed. It was too dry for my taste. I think it could have been made better by adding a layer of sauce with each layer of cheese and pepperoni. Greasing the pan was smart as I can see how horrible it would have been to get out of the pan otherwise. My daughter is a pepperoni junkie so this was probably her favorite Pillsbury creation to help with. She liked dipping the dough in oil and layering the pepperoni. 

The final recipe that was attempted was hands down the yummiest in my book for the sweet recipes. I took one can of Pillsbury crescent rolls and unrolled them. In the fat "square" end of the roll I placed two squares of Hershey's milk chocolate. I then placed one marshmallow on top and rolled up the crescent. These were baked in the oven at 350 degrees for 14 minutes. Once they cooled slightly they were phenomenal to eat. However, they were super gooey and messy. Be prepared. 

So that was the end of Pillsbury night. I have since made the chocolate and marshmallow crescent rolls but none of the other three recipes. I may be inclined to make the taco ring again down the road. 

Inspiration from a drink

Blueberry Limeade

So I have never been one to make smoothies or other fruity drinks. I think I have made maybe three milkshakes in my life that weren't part of a part time job I had. I hate having to clean the blender so I avoid it. When really it is probably the most underrated and undervalued tool/appliance that someone can own. From juice to smoothies, to salad dressings, to creating bread crumbs. There are so many uses for a blender.

I caught wind of a recipe for a blueberry smoothie but decided to alter it to suit mine and my daughter's tastes a little more. I have some issues with lactose so I chose to make this strictly as a fruit juice. My daughter doesnt seem to be a fan of lemonades or limeades to I altered that element also. The original recipe called for a mix of limeade and blueberries. I simply added more blueberries, less lime juice, less sugar, and added some ice to make it a little more frothy and smoothie like. Blueberries have a natural sweetness to them so if you cut back on the citrus and acidity of the lime, you can sacrifice some sugar and have a little bit of a healthier drink. And next to acai and pomegranate, blueberries are about the best you can get for an immune system and brain booster. And lime, along with lemon (which would taste just as good) has great cleansing power and is said to keep illness away and help to boost the immune system also.

Here is the breakdown of my recipe:

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
3/4 cup limeade
3/4 cup granulated sugar (could be done with less...this is just what I ended up measuring out)
ice
6 cups of water

 

Success!! She insisted on the wine glasses to be "fancy" but gobbled up the drink despite the lime juice. I think that maybe this is a sign that I can start using the blender more and being a little more experiment. Especially as the summer continues and strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and wine berries all ripen.

Meatloaf, tomato zucchini casserole, and mashed taters

Cravings. They can be such a downfall. However, when it's comfort food, it satisfies those cravings. In my case, it makes up for a little homesickness. I can go to my parents whenever I like, however, I rarely get to eat dinner there and tonight I pulled from two things that my mother cooked well and didn't mind eating as a child.

Of course, it wouldn't be my kitchen if I didn't change the recipe and add flavor. I was raised on bland. I hate bland and I hate heavy seasoning. So, the trick is to split the difference. I think that I got it tonight. I am proud of myself as I made probably my best meatloaf to date and my tomato zucchini casserole turned out almost like a vegetable lasagna. Yummy!!

I am going to do my best to pass on my recipes from the evening, but as a typical PA Dutch cook, my measurements are not precise. It's a spoonful of this and a drop of that. Hopefully the few pictures I have will help put things into perspective for you and I'll guesstimate as best I can. I hope you attempt the recipes and I would love to have some feedback.

Moist Meatloaf (my attempt at a somewhat lowfat, low calorie loaf)

2 pounds of 90/10 or 80/20 ground beef...the fat cooks out if you put it in the proper baking dish so fat content isn't as big a deal
2 egg whites
2 slices of multigrain bread pulsed into bread crumbs (I used Arnold's Health Nut)
1 1/2 T yellow mustard
2 T ketchup
1T Worchestershire sauce
dash or two of salt
couple dashes of ground black pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup diced yellow onion
1T chopped garlic (I used a small spoonful from a jar)
1 teas celery seed

topping amounts to another 1/3 cup ketchup, 1 1/2 T yellow mustard, and 2 1/2 T brown sugar (packed)

Basically mix all your wet ingredients together minus the egg. I mixed my meat and the eggs together first to make sure the egg was dispersed all around the meat. This helps because the egg is your glue to hold the loaf together. Then I added the seasonings and wet ingredients and onions. Finally I added the bread crumbs. Mix thoroughly to try and even out ingredients as much as possible.

For the baking dish I took a 9x13 baking dish and lined it with aluminum foil so that when the loaf was done I could move it out of the fat and then let the remaining fat congeal on the aluminum foil for easy cleanup.

Finally I mixed the topping ingredients (ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar) together and put them down the middle of the loaf on the top so that as it cooked it could spread on it's own. It was a good decision because that's exactly what it did.

I baked the loaf uncovered in a 350 degree oven for one hour and it came out moist and super tasty.

Next were the side dishes. I'll start with the tomato zucchini casserole.

1 large or 2 small zucchini, peeled and sliced thin
1 1/2 large tomatoes, any variety will be good; no need to peel
1 cup or more (as you desire) grated parmesan cheese
1/4 quarter cup shredded cheese that includes cheddar...would not advise swiss cheese
1T dried oregano
1T dried basil
1 teas dried parsley
dash or two of ground black pepper
dash of salt

Topping to casserole is one slice of multigrain bread pulsed into bread crumbs, a little more parmesan cheese, and 1/4 cup diced yellow onion (diced very small).

My mother's recipe that I was raised with was just layers of sliced zucchini, tomato, grated Parmesan cheese, and ground black pepper. I first buttered a Pyrex loaf dish. Baked on cheese can be such a pain to clean out and most dishwashers struggle to get it clean in one wash, so greasing your dish is a must. First I sliced the zucchini (after pealing it) and then sliced the tomatoes. Then I put together a separate dish with the cheeses and seasonings. I would not advise using more than a quarter cup of the shredded cheese. It will make the casserole too greasy.

Then you start with a layer of zucchini, sprinkle on your cheese and seasoning mixture, then a layer of tomatoes, and a layer of cheese and seasoning. Keep layering until you are near the top of your dish. Leave room for the water to cook out of the vegetables and for a topping. Your last layer should be zucchini.

Finally, dice your onion and mix it with the pulsed bread crumbs and cheese. Cover the whole thing with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. I kept it in with my meatloaf the whole time.

Finally came the easiest dish. I bought a bag of Ore Ida russet potatoes. The nice frozen ones that you steam in the bag in the microwave for 10 minutes. In the meantime I put 1/2 cup of sour cream in a mixing bowl with 2 Tablespoons of lowfat milk, 3 T of dried chives, and 2 T butter. I dumped the hot potatoes in and mixed with my hand mixer until it was smooth. Phenomenal! Even my five year old who refuses to eat mashed potatoes liked them and ate her whole serving.

Final result!! I apologize. I wish my pictures were rotated and will edit that at a later time.

For dessert I took a box of Duncan Hines Decadent Peanut Butter brownies and instead of adding the typical oil and egg I substituted one egg white, 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce and 1 T of water to the mix. It's what Duncan Hines considers their "lowfat" version of the brownies. I have done this before with other cakes and it just changes the consistency of the brownies to make them more cake like. Just a suggestion if you are looking to make things more low fat. Unsweetened applesauce is awesome.

Ch ch ch changes...

So life has ladled me with quite a few changes over the last year. In the midst of all this I haven't forgotten about my blog, I just haven't had the gumption to update it. I have a full SD card of pictures of recipes I have made and have been both successful and failed at, with the thought in mind of sharing. However, I still haven't made it that far.

I was, at one point, criticized for using so much sarcasm. I guess when it's read in text or on paper, words can be taken in many different directions, depending on how the mind filters them. Sarcasm is served as a way to hide behind insecurities and that's quite alright with me. I am who I am and am not going to make excuses for myself. I'm only human. So, I look at it this way, if you don't like it, then don't read it. I'm not here for your approval.

With that being said. I'm thinking I need to take a change in direction of how I blog. I've been scouring other blogs and although mine is basic, it's also kind of wordy at times for what I'm trying to accomplish. So, consider it a work in progress, perpetually forever.

Tomorrow I'm planning to have a little gathering (very little) of friends and the theme is going to be Pillsbury. I have two recipes in mind that use Pillsbury's crescent rolls and one that uses the biscuits. The ideas came from recipes that I saw on Pinterest so they aren't original, but I will be reviewing them and maybe can use this blog as a forum to make them better (if possible).

Til then....

I'm back!!!

It is August...of 2012. Wow time flies. My last post was in December and I feel like I owe it to myself and anyone who has followed me to explain where I have been. This blog was designed to be an aide to the cookbook that someday will be published. It's not just a desire, but a legitimate goal and I complete everything I set out to do. I spent the last four years as a single parent and worked full time, all while completing my BA in Psychology, MS in Psychology, and working hours upon hours of overtime to make ends meet. This blog and cookbook

Let's talk about life changes.  In the past eight months I have moved, worked a LOT of hours, cut some excessive baggage from my life, had some pretty significant health concerns, and started a new relationship with someone I have known most my life. Time for a cookbook or blog in there? Not so much.

I know I mentioned in a previous post that when I am feeling down I do not cook or create. This past week I have gotten back into the swing of things and have had desire to start creating again. That's a sign for me that I have gotten back on track. I made a pot of my homemade chicken soup and it came out well. And I didn't manage to burn myself with splashed fatty broth. That's a story for another day, complete with pictures. I also managed to put together my very first tomato sauce, from scratch.. It pulls my brain in a different direction and I lost my focus from the daily stressors in life. When I'm in the kitchen my focus is making the food as well as I can.


I'm hoping this particular blog entry is the start of something regular again. So, enjoy! Please follow and comment at will.

Slacker

I realized today how much my emotions and current mood affect my cooking. It obviously has affected my blogging too since I haven't cooked enough lately to have anything worth blogging about. Speaking of which, I promised a Thanksgiving blog and you'll get it at some point.

I am not an emotional eater. When I'm down in the dumps or exhausted, I tend not to eat. That translates to a lack of cooking and cooking only for the sake of my daughter. Hence why I tend to keep around cans of Chef Boyardee and a few decent frozen meals. I also buy from Schwans who are incredible company.

So the past two weeks put me through a bit of an emotional up and down. It's pretty private to discuss on here but let's just say that I thought I had an opportunity for a good thing, but my good sense and ability to read between the lines made it clear that it will never be a good thing. When I was "up" last week I cooked a bunch utilizing leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. I made a turkey pie that consisted of 2 cups of chopped turkey, a cup of thawed peas, a half cup of diced celery, a half cup of diced onion, and half a can of chopped mushroom pieces. To this mixture of goodies I added some salt, black pepper, garlic powder, sage, thyme, and rosemary. I shredded an 8 oz block of swiss cheese and mixed one cup of that in with the meat, veggies, and spices. I put the combo in the bottom of a 10 inch pie dish. Then I mixed together 1 1/2 cup milk, three eggs, and 3/4 cup pancake mix (which I had used the buttermilk type, but I used regular). I poured this concoction over the turkey and veggies. I then put a light layer of French fried onions on the top and the remaining shredded Swiss cheese over the onions. I baked the pie for about an hour. If you make it, I would recommend checking it at 45 minutes. Stick a knife in and if it comes out clean it is done. Mine was kind of overdone due to me not paying attention so I didn't get a pic of it. It tasted good, but I think that it was actually in the oven for about an hour and fifteen and it was rather dark on top. Still tasted yummy though.

I also made some turkey enchiladas. I took corn tortillas and put shredded turkey, sliced mushrooms (out of a can), some shredded colby jack and muenster cheeses, and a sauce made up of cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and chopped poblano peppers. I layered the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with some of the sauce, then the tortillas, and then covered them with the sauce. I covered the mixture with quite a bit more shredded muenster and colby jack. I sprinkled some chopped green onions over the top. I then baked it in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Delicious!!  This same night I also made 5 more sweet potato pies for friends and a chocolate banana cake that turned out so moist and delicious.

Then came the downer of my week and I just opted to not cook for the last two days. I had an okay day yesterday and felt today that I should probably make something decent for my daughter so I took thinly sliced chicken breasts and soaked them in a stick of butter (4 breasts to 1/2 cup or one stick of butter). In another pan I threw together plain bread crumbs, garlic powder, ground thyme, parsley, onion powder, dried basil, a little salt, black pepper, celery seed, and red pepper flakes (only two shakes). The measurements with the spices is tailored to one's own taste. My hand is light on the salt and heavy on the thyme, peppers, and celery seed. I baked these breasts in a baking dish that was coated with a light layer of olive oil. I baked it for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. I made some alfredo noodles (out of a package) and white corn to go with it. Turned out well and I judge that by my daughter's willingness to gobble it up.

I'm about to make some of Schwan's funnel cake fries and watch a good movie. Feeling accomplished. I'm also thinking ahead to this coming week and the chili I will attempt along with the dozens of cookies I will be baking next Friday. Guess I should start scoping out recipes to see what sounds good for this year.