It’s that time of the year – time to break out the crock pot. Sure, this pot is great for hardy winter meals like a big pot of slow-cooked stew or awesome soups. It’s also great for shredded meats for tacos, burritos and even hot sandwiches.
Spicy Chicken and Rice Burritos – An Entire Meal Wrapped in a Flour Tortilla
Earlier in the week, I shared with you a big crock pot of delicious shredded chicken for my Slow Cooker Spicy Chicken Thigh Tacos. The tacos were awesome – with just the right amount of chicken to spice. The recipe made a giant pot of filling, more than we could possibly eat in one meal. Tonight I took that filling and created super quick, oh so delicious Chicken and Rice Burritos.
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Five Easy Steps to Italian Chicken Soup
Just a few quick questions before we get the soup simmering – can you open a few cans and boil water? Great, because that’s all it takes to make an incredibly quick and oh so tasty pot of soup! Better still, is there a teenager in your house that can operate a can opener and boil water? Just think, your student can whip up a delicious pot of soup for those late night studies sessions rather than munching away on cookies or chips or whatever. Even Hubby, who is a genius at the grill but lost in the kitchen could make this soup. (Before we were married, he thought all dinners either came from the grill or by opening cans!)
This soup is similar to my Unbelievably Quick Chicken, Rice and Tomato Soup, only this time around we’re using pasta rather than rice and Italian seasoned diced tomatoes. My Quick Chicken, Rice and Tomato Soup was a big hit with my guys, it was a fair bet they would like the Italian version just as well. As for me, I loved the idea of very little investment in time for a delicious return at the table.
The diced Italian seasoned tomatoes, pasta and chicken would have been a delicious combination all on their own. The cut green beans were an added plus in the flavor category, bringing more depth and texture to the finished soup. I don’t know about you, but I can always tell when I have hit one out of the ballpark – no left overs. None. Not a single drop.
Five Easy Steps to Italian Chicken Soup
1 Can Cut Green Beans (15 oz) Drained
2 Cans Chicken Broth (15 oz)
1 Can Chunky Chicken (10 oz) – Or Left over chicken meat
1 Cup COOKED Small Pasta such as Mini Penne or Bow-Tie Pasta
1 Can Diced Italian-Style Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano
1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
- Open the cans. Drain green beans into a strainer and rinse under cold water to remove any excess “packing” salt.
- Cook pasta al dente according to package directions.
- Place everything into a stockpot over low heat.
- Simmer until chicken is heated through.
- Throw out the cans (for recycling, of course) and call it home-made.
You can serve up this soup with warm Buttery-Chive Crescent Rolls; or a simple tossed salad. This soup is filling, simple to make and oh so flavorful.
Tip: If serving with Crescent Rolls; preheat oven while the water for the pasta comes to a boil. Prepare the rolls while the pasta cooks. Pop rolls in the oven to bake after the soup has been assembled in the pot. In the time it takes for the rolls to bake (about 12 minutes); the soup is ready to serve.
Old Fashioned Baked Potato with the Works
Growing up, we didn’t have many of the “modern” conveniences we all take for granted today. The average middle-class homes didn’t come with built-in appliances such as microwaves and dishwashers. I remember our first dishwasher. It sat in the corner of the kitchen, and you wheeled the monster over to the sink, hooked it up and turned it on. Those hose connections had better be tight, or more than just the dishes got washed. Mom’s was Avocado Green. Everything in our kitchen was either Burnt Orange or Avocado Green. I mean OMG what a sight!
Needless to say, the potatoes of my youth were baked – as it cooked in a hot oven for an hour or more. Then along came the micro wave. You can do a baked potatoes in about 10 minutes. But have you noticed, it’s really not the same potato at all – something gets lost in translation. Sometimes “old-fashioned” is the better way. It’s like the difference between a Roast Beef Dinner with mashed potatoes and peas and a TV dinner with the same offerings. Not the same thing at all.
I will admit, there are times when I do use a microwave to “speed up” the process. Sometimes I start fried potatoes in the microwave, then finish them off in a skillet. Now I know there are cooks out there who swear by their microwave. They can cook an entire meal with the push of a button. And my hat’s off to them – they have mastered a form of cooking that completely escapes me. While there are exceptions, my microwave is used primarily to heat leftovers or warm a cup of coffee. Which is why I don’t mind that the microwave sits on a shelf in the laundry room (part of my auxiliary kitchen) rather than taking up valuable space in the “main” kitchen.
The best part about a baked potato is that you can top them any way you like. Cheese – no cheese – lots of butter, sour cream, chives – whatever. Baked potatoes can even become a meal if you like. Have you ever had a baked potato at BJ’s Brewery and Restaurant? You can get a potato with everything but the kitchen sink! But that’s a post for another day – the baked potato I’m talking about is the old-school baked potato you’ll serve alongside a perfectly grilled steak.
The first thing you have to accept is that the potato is going to take time. If you wrap it in foil before baking, it’s going to take even longer, so plan to wrap the potatoes at the end rather than the beginning. For that steakhouse presentation, get some of those cute little metal cups for all the various toppings. Wal-Mart has them for about fifty cents each. (And those little cups are awesome if you pre-measure seasonings and such when cooking – I like to line them up and add whatever whenever it’s called for – makes for handy cooking when I’ve got a lot going on at once). These potatoes come out so fluffy! Perfect!
Old-Fashioned Baked Potatoes with the Works
4 Large Baking Potatoes, washed
Olive Oil as needed
Sea Salt to taste
Butter as needed
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Sour Cream as needed
Chives for garnish
1/2 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
2-3 Slices Bacon, Fried Crisp & Crumbled
Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
Wash potatoes, pat dry and rub skin with a small amount of olive oil and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Cut a small X in the middle of the potato on one side to allow steam to vent.
Place potatoes in the oven directly on the rack and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon size. (To see if the potatoes are cooked, remove largest potato from oven, and squeeze. Potatoes are done when there is no resistance.) Turn off heat, wrap potatoes in foil and leave potatoes in the oven until ready to serve.
While potatoes are baking, fry bacon crisp. Crumble and set aside.
To serve, unwrap potatoes most of the way, leaving foil on lower half. Press ends inward so potato “pops” open. Fluff potato with a fork, plate and serve with individual cups for garnishings: Butter, sour cream, chopped chives or green onions and bacon bits.
Have salt and pepper on the table for those who wish to use it.
The perfect side for a Porterhouse steak or barbecued Tri-tip. Baked potatoes are also delicious with chicken or pork dishes.
Ina Garten’s Roasted Lemon Chicken with French Bread Croutons
As most of you know, Ina Garten is better knows by her Food Network show, The Barefoot Contessa. She regularly invites views, as though old friends, into her beautiful home in the Hamptons for good food and wonderful entertaining. Although not formally educated in the fine art of food techniques, she is as much a household name through her show, magazines and published works as Martha Steward or – dare I say – Julia Child. Who in their right mind would dare to tweak a Ina Garten creation?
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Game Day Munch Fest 1
My idea of Fantasy Football is an awesome field of yummy foods on a banquet table decked out in team colors. While throwing a living-room tail-gate party every Sunday would be a bit much, putting together a couple of game-day parties while watching non-important games is fun. Think of it as “practice time” leading up to the big event – The Super Bowl Sunday.
Unbelievably Moist Italian Breaded Pork Chops
Here it was the weekend, when I finally have time to putter in the kitchen and enjoy one of my favorite pastimes – cooking. Wouldn’t you know it? I woke up that morning feeling drained – head pounding, body aching – just generally yucky. After spending most of the day curled up on the sofa, editing and scheduling posts written throughout the week, I decided enough was enough. Wallowing in my misery was making me down right miserable. There were pork chops calling to me and a new “simple” recipe to try.
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Overnight Blueberry French Toast Casserole with Blueberry Syrup
As long as we’re on a Saturday morning breakfast roll here (no pun intended) – how ’bout one of those delightful overnight recipes for French Toast? This recipe will feed a crowd, which is great with the holidays looming just around the corner. As a casserole cooked breakfast dish, it travels nicely to grandma’s house for Thanksgiving morning when you are helping out in the kitchen or Christmas morning when the kids are opening up their stockings.
Be it family gathering for Thanksgiving or over the Christmas Holidays, this is a great start to the morning. It just pops with color, flavor and delight. In our house, Blueberries and Christmas Morning have always gone hand-in-hand. Blueberry muffins; blueberry pancakes or blueberry waffles – you get the idea. What I really like about this particular blueberry breakfast is that most of the prep work is done the night before. Just make the syrup in the morning while the toast is baking. (I suppose you could cheat a little and buy blueberry syrup . . .)
Overnight Blueberry French Toast Casserole With Blueberry Syrup
French Toast Casserole
12 slices day-old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup fresh blueberries
12 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup maple syrup
Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange half the bread cubes in the dish, and top with cream cheese cubes. Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries over the cream cheese, and top with remaining bread cubes.
In a large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and syrup. Pour over the bread cubes. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the bread cube mixture from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cover, and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking 25 to 30 minutes, until center is firm and surface is lightly browned.
While toast is baking, make syrup.
Blueberry Syrup
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon butter
In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, cook 3 to 4 minutes.
Mix in the remaining 1 cup blueberries. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, until the blueberries burst. Use a fork to mash berries, leaving some more or less whole. If a smoother syrup is desired, pour into a blender and puree. Return syrup to the saucepan over low heat before continuing.
Stir in the butter, and pour over the baked French toast.
Slow Cooker Pollo en Salsa Picante Rojo
This recipe has been on my weekly planner for a while now. I kept postponing it because I kept forgetting to thaw out the darn chicken. Then it occurred to me – why thaw the chicken?
Giovanni Rana Maine Lobster Ravioli
Good quality ingredients make all the difference in the world, be it cooking from scratch, or in this case, packaged foods. A few years back I discovered Giovanni Rana Pastas. You’ll find them in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. The price is a bit of a shock when you compare it to other prepackaged pastas – nearly twice the price. But when you consider the philosophy of the company, you’ll understand why.
Big Italian Salad with Basil Dressing
Earlier I shared one of my favorite roasted potato dishes, Roasted Italian Potatoes . It is a great side for all sorts of awesome Italian dishes. While some prefer a nice pasta to accompany favorites such as Chicken Marsala, I really like my Italian potatoes. When I shared the recipe for the potatoes, I included a reference to a big, delicious salad complete with a photo. That’s when fellow blogger Ginger over at The Grand Experiment pointed out that it would be nice to have the recipe for the salad, too. Say no more – I’m always happy to oblige. So without further adieu, here it is . . .
Spicy Buffalo Garden Chicken Wraps
So you’ve had a long week at work, and dinner has become something you grab on the run. The thought of yet another paper-wrapped burger tossed out a drive-thru window, only to be hastily wolfed down while multi-tasking at your desk just isn’t cutting it anymore. Just when you’ve reached to point of total melt-down, the unexpected happens. Projects are complete. There is light suddenly piercing a long dark tunnel. What’s that? You get to go home? Dinner at home? Wonderful! Only one problem – nothing is thawed, nothing simmering in the crock pot – nothing!! You were prepared to suffer through yet another night of fast food drama, but not prepared to cook a real meal. You need something packed with flavor, something quick (after all, you are beat) and easy to prepare. How ’bout a spicy buffalo wrap with a garden salad? Yeah, that will hit the spot.
I like Foster Farms Buffalo Chicken. It’s VERY spicy – just the way we like it. You can use the bites or strips for this recipe. It’s a complete meal inside the wrap – perfect for on-the-go or just kicking back after a long day. If you use giant flour tortillas, the wraps are so huge, there’s no need to make anything else. One wrap will fill a grown man.
Just a quick back story. Last year I made a bake chicken recipe and served it with a new salad recipe. There was salad left over, so we put it in the fridge for another day. The next afternoon my grandson and I were looking for something quick and easy for lunch. He remembered we had some buffalo chicken in the freezer. We also had tortillas and that left-over salad from the night before. So we combined them and had a wonderful lunch. A few weeks later, I made it again for dinner to get hubby’s take on the Spicy Buffalo Chicken and Garden Salad Wraps. He loved them. So these days, we keep the ingredients on hand for nights when cooking a real meal isn’t an option. It’s one thing to plan ahead when you have some inkling as to when you’ll get home. It’s another when you know you’ll be home sometime between six and midnight. These wraps are perfect – full of flavor, easy to make and the ingredients are usually on-hand.
Spicy Buffalo Chicken and Garden Salad Wraps
Garden Salad
5 Red lettuce leaves, torn into pieces
2 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 Cucumber, sliced
1/2 Red Onion, sliced
1/4 Cup Parsley, chopped
1/2 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
Toss the romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and parsley together in a large bowl; season with salt.
Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over the salad; stir.
Add the sour cream and mix until evenly coated. Chill until ready to use.
Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wraps
1 package Buffalo Chicken Strips
4 Tortilla Wraps (see notes)
Heat oven and bake chicken strips according to package. While chicken is baking, warm tortillas.
To assemble: Lay tortilla flat. Place chicken strips on tortilla, close to one side but not fully on edge.
Top with Garden Salad. Fold tortilla over filling, tuck in ends and roll tight.
Note: Flavored wraps such as Rosemary work well. This can be made with plain flour tortillas, whole wheat tortillas or carb-friendly wraps. It’s all delicious.
The Quirky Things We Like to Eat
Okay folks, let’s all fess up – what strange, quirky foods do you like to eat when no one is looking – you know the stuff I’m talking about – concoctions from your childhood that you made up or when you were a teenager that you still eat every now and then as an adult. For a while as a teenager I ate tuna fish sandwiches made with yellow mustard. Not because I liked the taste of tuna with yellow mustard, but because mustard isn’t as fattening as mayonnaise and we all know how teenage girls (even skinny ones) worry about body image.
Filipino Egg Rolls – Lumpia
Lumpia are Filipino Egg Rolls, only better. Hubby, Kiddo and I try to make this a few times a year. Although Lumpia is not overly complicated to make, it is very time-consuming. To roll 120 Lumpias, it took the three of us the better part of four hours. Is it worth all that effort? You better believe it! While Lumpia takes about a day to make, another 24 hours to freeze, they only take a few minutes to fry up and enjoy. Lumpia is not something you make in the morning and scarf down on that night.
Slow Cooked Pulled Pork Sandwiches – just what the Doctor ordered
Hands down, this was some of the best pulled pork sandwiches I’ve ever made. These delicious sandwiches deserved lots of step-by-step pictures under perfect lighting. But honestly, it was five in the morning, my camera battery was somewhere other than in its bag, and as I staggered around in our kitchen half-asleep, my blog and snapping photos were the furthest things from my mind. Start dinner, make coffee and pack lunches for my guys, those were the things on my mind this morning.
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Welcome to Rosemarie's Kitchen 