Chicken, Corn and Potato Chowder with Corn Muffins

A perfect cold weather dinner!









Corn Muffins

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk

Technique
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan, or use muffin cups. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the honey, eggs and salt. Mix in flour, cornmeal and baking powder. Stir in milk until batter is smooth. Spoon into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes.  Yield 12 muffins.



Chicken Corn Soup

Ingredients
1-2 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts chopped into bite size pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cans or one large box or chicken stock
2 tablespoons dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 potatoes, washed and diced
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels or 2 cans fresh corn
Half pint heavy cream

Technique
Pour olive oil into large pan or stock pot, place chicken in and sauté until almost cooked through. Add onions and cook until onions are soft. Add chicken stock, and stir in parsley, salt, pepper, potatoes and corn. Simmer 15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked and corn is tender. Remove from heat and stir in cream. Serve with corn muffins! Buon appetito!



Print Page

City Chicken

Ingredients

2 lbs of cubed pork, threaded onto skewers
½ cup of flour
1 tablespoon Garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 package onion soup mix
1 can chicken broth
1 cup water

Technique

Combine the flour, garlic powder, and black pepper on a plate. Roll skewers of pork around in the flour until fully coated. Melt butter and heat oil in a large skillet. Brown skewers on both sides for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle soup mix over pork, add water and chicken broth and simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Reserve the liquid in the pan as juice for potatoes or rice. I serve mine over mashed potatoes! Buon appetito!




Print Page

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups bite-size pieces chicken
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (9-inch) pie crust, in a pie pan
1 prepared pie crust top


Techinque

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy skillet. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour. Cook for 1 minute. Add broth slowly, while stirring, and bring to simmer. Stir until thickened, then add chicken, cream, and salt and pepper.

Using a slotted spoon, fill pie crust with chicken and vegetable filling. Pour in any remaining liquid until crust is almost filled to the top. Moisten edge of pie crust with water and arrange pie crust top on top, sealing the edges with a fork. Cut slits into the top of the pie. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until pie crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes, then serve. Buon appetito!



Print Page

Sausage, Tomato & Eggplant Sauté

Ingredients

4 links Chicken, Mozzarella, and Basil sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 to 6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 pound zucchini or eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper

Technique

In a large pan add olive oil and garlic and sauté on medium. Since the sausage is fully cooked add that and the eggplant to the pan. Sauté for 5-8 minutes or until warm. Add tomatoes and cook until they are warm not wilted. Remove from pan and sprinkle with salt, pepper and cilantro. I served mine with ditalini pasta to satiate the children. Buon appetito!



Print Page

Leftover Turkey Nacho Casserole

Ingredients

1 bag slightly crushed tortilla chips
4 cups cubed cooked turkey or chicken
2 16-ounce jars salsa
1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup dairy sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup (do not add water)
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese or cheddar cheese

Technique

Preheat the oven to 350. Pam a 9x13 casserole dish. Layer half the tortilla chips on the bottom of the dish. In a large bowl combine, turkey, salsa, corn, sour cream, and soup. Layer evenly into dish. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove from oven layer on remaining chips and cheese. Bake uncovered for another 5 min or until cheese is bubbly. Buon appetito!


Print Page

Leftover Turkey Sandwich with Cilantro Sauce

This was delicious!!







Ingredients
Ciabatta Bread
Mixed Greens
Sliced Cheddar
Cooked Turkey

Sauce:
1/4 cup Mayo
Splash white wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Technique
Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together in a small bowl. Spread half the sauce onto the roll and layer on the other ingredients. Buon appetito!


Yield: 2 Sandwiches





Print Page

Chicken Mushroom Quesadillas

This is light dinner fare that is quick and easy!

1 T. oil
1 large onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked diced chicken
1 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
1 t. oregano
2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper
4 10" tortillas
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Cook mushrooms and onions in oil, about 5 min. Add garlic, cook and stir about 1 min. Add the chicken and seasonings, until all is well mixed in. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 min.

Lay out the tortillas. Spread half of each tortilla with about 2 T. of cheddar cheese. Spoon 1/4 of chicken mixture on top, then cover with 2 more tablespoons of cheese. Fold over tortillas.

Place in nonstick pan sprayed with cooking spray, and cook for about 3 min. on each side, until browned and cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream.

Adapted from So Easy by Ellie Krieger
Print Page

Stuffing

This is an old fashioned traditional stuffing recipe that has been handed down through generations.



1/2 c. margarine

1 1/2 c. chopped onions

1 1/2 c. chopped celery

10 cups homestyle bread, toasted and cubed

salt and pepper

1 t. poultry seasoning

1/2 t. sage

1/2-3/4 c. chicken broth

2 eggs, well beaten





Saute onion and celery in margarine until tender. Add mixture to bread cubes. Combine seasoning and eggs and beat. Pour broth and egg mixture over stuffing. Toss to mix.



Will stuff a 12 - 14 lb. turkey



This can also be made in a crockpot. Place mixture in crockpot, set on high for 45 minutes, then on low for 3 to 4 hours.


Print Page

Beans and Pasta

My kids loved this! It was delish and made great leftovers.













Ingredients

1 package medium shell pasta
1 can cannelloni beans, drained
2 cups red, green, yellow peppers, chopped
½ cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
Pepperoncini’s chopped *optional*

Technique

Boil pasta according to package directions. In the mean time sauté the peppers and onions in some olive oil until they’re soft. Pour beans into a large bowl, add the pepper and onion mix and add 1/2 – 3/4 cups of the pasta water, and then the pasta. Stir with some salt and pepper, spoon into bowls. Sprinkle cheese on top, for more adventure add chopped pepperoncinis!








Print Page

Easiest Salmon Ever!

This is the easiest salmon I've ever made. Brendan and I are both big fans and with the Omega 3's, it's good for the baby, too!

Ingredients:

6 oz. salmon fillets, one for each person you're serving

garlic salt

white cooking wine

store bought (or homemade if you're up to it) pesto

How:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place fillets on it. Sprinkle each fillet with a little garlic salt and then pour a tiny amount of white wine over each. Next, spread a thin layer of the pesto over each fillet. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes and is done.

I like to turn the broiler on for the last two minutes to really get the pesto to crust up.
Print Page