Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie is near the top of my list of favorite comfort foods. It's a food that sadly, I missed out on for most of my life so far because there were too many things in it that were good for me. Which, of course, is only the vegetables. But I grew up and now enjoy it whenever possible. This is a really simple recipe to make and it's delicious...much better than the slightly more convenient store-bought kind from the freezer section. Preheat your oven to 400...

2 cups baking mix (Bisquick)

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup chicken, cooked and cubed/shredded depending on how you like it

1 cup mixed vegetables, thawed if using the frozen kind 

1 can cream of chicken

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix Bisquick, milk and eggs together to form a dough. Take half and form a bottom layer in a greased pie pan. Mix chicken, vegetables, cream of chicken and salt and pepper. Pour it onto the dough and then take the remaining bit and pour over the top. Pop it into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes to cool and then cut it up and serve. 

Seriously, skip the Banquet pot pies and give this a try. I doubt you'll look back. Enjoy! 

Cabbage Rolls

I realize cabbage isn't for everyone but you should really give this recipe a try. It may just change your view of cabbage. The meat and rice is the most overpowering taste in this dish so just forget you're eating something good for you! You'll need to preheat your oven to 350...

1 medium head of cabbage

1 lb uncooked ground pork sausage

1 can of tomato sauce

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup of long grain rice (I used a mixture of white, brown and wild)

1 tbsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dill weed

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 can diced tomatoes (I used the Hunt's brand that has celery and onion in with it)

1/2 tsp sugar

Cook the cabbage in boiling water until outer leaves can be pulled away easily. In a bowl, combine pork, 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, onion, rice, parsley, salt, dill weed and cayenne. Mix it together really well. Cut out the vein from the cabbage leaves. It will make a v-shape. Put a tablespoon or so of meat mixture into the leaf and fold it up. Do this until leaves/meat is gone. Put any leftover cabbage as a layer on the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Combine the tomatoes, sugar and remaining tomato sauce and pour it over the rolls. Cover and bake for 1.5 hours or until cabbage rolls are tender and meat/rice is fully cooked.

Delicious! It takes a little effort but it's worth it and it's an entire, filling meal in a pan. Enjoy! 

Krispy Bars

These are rice krispy treats taken to a whole new level. My mother-in-law shared this recipe with me and I will forever be grateful! They're quick and easy to make and will change the way you look at rice krispy treats forever. They're not even a little bit good for you but they are good for holiday baking, parties or just as a treat from time to time. 

1 cup white sugar

1 cup corn syrup (caro)

2/3 cup peanut butter 

5-6 cups of rice krispies

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

3/4 cups butterscotch chips

Bring the sugar and syrup to the a boil. Remove from heat and stir in your peanut butter. In a greased 9x11 (or 9x13) pan, spread out your rice krispies. Pour the mixture over the top and stir it all together until the cereal is coated. Press the rice krispies in the pan, making a smooth layer. Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips over low heat (or in the microwave) and spread it over the rice krispy mixture. Put it in the refrigerator until the chocolate/butterscotch hardens. Cut (you might need a chainsaw, but it's worth it!) and serve! 

Mama Rasberry's Mac & Cheese

If you listen to Kidd Kraddick in the morning, I'm sure you've heard Kellie Rasberry talk about her mama's famous mac and cheese. I saw the recipe and knew without a doubt that it would be added to my Thanksgiving menu...and probably a lot more menu's afterwards. It's rich, creamy and cheesy beyond belief. And it heats up perfect the day after and the day after...

16 oz package of elbow noodles, cooked in salt water

1 lb of medium cheddar cheese

1/2 lb of muenster cheese

1 pint of heavy whipping cream

3 eggs, beaten in the whipping cream

1 stick of butter

Boil the macaroni until tender. Melt a couple tablespoons of butter in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish and cover it with a layer of macaroni. Layer slices of cheddar and muenster cheese on top followed by several pats of butter. Add another layer of noodles followed by cheese and butter. Mix the eggs and whipping cream and pour over the top of the casserole. You know what to do with any leftover butter...add it to the top! Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. I stirred mine occasionally to speed up the melting process. Once the cheese is melted and no longer runny (you want a custard consistency),  serve immediately while it's hot. 

This is by far my favorite macaroni & cheese I've ever tasted and I will be hard pressed to make it any other way again. Enjoy...and thank Kellie Rasberry! 

Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

I call this "perfect" Thanksgiving turkey because I've made it for the past 3 years and it hasn't let me down once. It always comes out tender and juicy and for lack of a better word...perfect! Feel free to make this turkey any day of the year...I'm sure the results will be the same. 

6-7 lb turkey 

1 stick of butter

1 bottle of injectable Tony Chachere's creole butter marinade

Emeril's Turkey Rub seasoning 

Paprika 

Salt and pepper 

Prepare the bird by removing any innards and/or gravy packs. Stuff it with stuffing and place it in a big roasting pan that leaves you plenty of room on all sides. Inject the entire bottle of marinade into the turkey. Don't inject it all into the same spot...spread the love around. After you do that, melt the butter and pour the butter over the turkey. Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper and turkey rub. Use as much or as little as you'd like. Cover the turkey and bake for about 1.5 hours. Remove cover and baste the turkey with the drippings in the bottom of the pan. Leave the cover off and bake for another 1.5-2 hours, periodically basting the turkey. When it's done, the internal temp of the dressing should be about 165, which would mean the turkey is even hotter. Carve it up and serve with your Thanksgiving...or Sunday feast. Enjoy! 

Farmers Breakfast Casserole

I decided I was going to start a new Thanksgiving tradition this year and start the day with a breakfast casserole. I'm already going to consume a million calories this afternoon, so why not get a head start? This was very simple to make and it is amazing! 

1 package of crescent rolls (I used the buttery, flaky layers, obviously)

1 lb turkey sausage (or regular, whatever floats your boat)

1 cup cheddar cheese (I used sharp)

1/4 cup milk

3 eggs, beaten 

1 cup of baby Bella mushrooms, chopped

1 cup of white onion, chopped 

1 tsp of oregano 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Preheat your oven to 350. Fry and crumble sausage in a skillet with the onions. Take your crescent roll dough and unroll it, pressing it together to form a dough on the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish. Layer the sausage and onion and mushrooms on the crescent dough, followed by the cheese. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oregano, salt and pepper and pour it over the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until dough is golden brown and eggs are cooked. Let cool for a few minutes and then cut and serve! 

 *side note: You may want to pour a little grease off of it after cutting because we all know cheddar cheese is notorious for creating greasy dishes.*

Enjoy! 

Beef Stir Fry

My husband picked stir fry for his birthday dinner. He's usually the one that makes stir fry in our house so I told him that he would have to make it so I wouldn't ruin it...and he believed me! I have my moments but I'd never make him cook his own birthday dinner. Well, needless to say, when he returned home from work the stir fry was waiting for him. I think I did pretty well for my first try. Well enough to share the recipe with you... 

1-2 lbs beef flank steak, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups of broccoli, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cups of baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp ginger paste

salt and pepper to taste

First, boil your broccoli. You'll want it to be just barely fork tender. Saute your green pepper and onion in a skillet with the worcestershire sauce, ginger and garlic. In another skillet, heat your olive oil on medium and brown your steak on both sides. It won't be completely cooked through but you don't want that. Flank steak tends to get really tough the longer it cooks. Last, combine your flank steak, mushrooms, green pepper, onion and broccoli into one skillet (preferably a wok if you own one) and add the soy sauce and any salt and pepper you want. Cook for about 10 minutes until steak is cooked through. Serve over rice or asian noodles.

Enjoy!