Easy Cheesy Chicken Pot-Pie

I've never really made a pot-pie, but this recipe seemed easy enough to make:) I did modify it a bit since the original recipe called for velveeta and I prefer regular old cheddar...

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
1-2 cans mixed veggies (I like this variety, but you can mix and match to get the kind of veggies you like and it depends on how many veggies you like)
1 can cream of chicken soup
4-8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 can refridgerated crescent dinner rolls

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375

Combine first 4 ingredients in a baking dish.

Unroll crescent dough and place over mixture

Bake 20-25 minutes or until crust is brown.

Pretty good. I will say that if you make too much and eat it for leftovers, the crust gets a bit soggy in the fridge. So I recommend only making as much as you need for that meal. 

Smashed Salmon Salad (ala Kona Bistro)

Oh Kona Bistro.... how I miss you.  There used to be a Kona Bistro in Oakley, but it has been gone for a few years now and the only one left is in Oxford.... Not quite on my way to anywhere.  I used to go there all the time and I always ordered the same thing. The butternut squash and pear soup and the smashed salmon salad. Heaven. So when I searched for a copy-cat recipe and found a fellow Kona-lover, I was pumped.
To be honest, I don't know why I couldn't figure this out myself. It is quite easy.

Ingredients:

For the Salmon
2 skinless salmon fillets
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons jarred Mango preserves (I couldn't find this so I used peach)
3 Tablespoons olive oil

Mashed Potatoes (you can clearly make the kind out of a bag/box, or use your favorite recipe)
5 medium red-skinned potatoes, quartered
1/4 cup milk
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon sour cream
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Layers (Misc)
2 handfuls baby spinach
1 cup of matchstick cut carrots (found in the refridgerated section of the produce aisle with the slaw stuff)
1 Roma tomato, sliced.

Directions:
Combine Dijon mustard and 1/4 cup preserves in a small bowl and whisk til combined.  Pour marinade over the salmon in a small dish or zip-top bag. Let salmon marinate about 15-30 minutes in the fridge.

Put your potatoes on to boil. Cook them until the pieces are easily pierced with a fork and tender. About 20 minutes. Drain, return to pot and add the rest of the mashed potato ingredients and mash away!

Cook your salmon. You can either put it in the oven for about 15 minutes or saute on the stove in a bit of oil (about 5-6 minutes each side)

Putting it together!
On each plate, plate 1 handful of the baby spinach
Add a generous helping of mashed potatoes on top
Add 3-4 slices of Roma tomato
Add a small handful of the carrots

Now, top with your salmon fillet and about a Tablespoon or more of the preserves!

Prettiful!

Goat Cheese Grapes

I stumbled upon these the other day from this site. I mean, goat cheese? Gooood. Pistachios? Gooooooood.  Grapes? Goooooooooooooooood! So these seemed like the perfect snack:)

Don't get me wrong, they're a bit messy to make, but they are relatively quick and easy. Now get ready for some very precise measurements....

Ingredients:
A bunch of seedless red grapes ( you could use green if you prefer)
A bag of shelled pistachios (unless you want to sit there shelling them yourself. Pass.)
A container of goat cheese (not crumbled)

* It really depends on how many you're making. I only make a few at a time, since you know... I'd eat them all?

*You can also make a savory version using olives instead of grapes. But I hate olives- so you won't see that here.

And now for the incredibly difficult directions...
Directions:
Rinse and dry grapes
Spoon out about a Teaspoon or two of goat cheese and cover the grapes. (Roll into balls)

Crush the pistachios (I put mine in a zip-top baggie and used the flat end of my meat tenderizer)

Roll the goat cheese-covered grapes in the crushed pistachios
Voila! Yummmmm!

Book Club Read: Warriors Don't Cry

Warriors Don't Cry

by Melba Pattillo Beals

This is the story told by one of the Little Rock Nine who fought to integrate Arkansas' Central High School in the 1950s.  Based on newspaper clippings, Melba's diary and her memory, this book recounts the horrors that the nine teens faced on a daily basis just to get their education.

Some of things that were said and done to these kids will make your stomach turn.  All the while, I couldn't help wondering what kind of person I would have been had I grown up during that time and in the South...  Would I have had compassion for these kids as I do now? Or would I have had the same deep-rooted hatred that brewed in these southern segregationists... Would I have been able to stand up to the abuse? And then as a teacher- would I have let these kids be verbally and physically abused IN my classroom; in front of my eyes?  School is supposed to be a safe place...

I have a lot of respect for these men and women who put their lives in danger to stand up for what they deserved.  I wish my students now (who often take education for granted) could understand what these teens went through to get their education.  They endured so much more than I can imagine and I'm glad we've come a long way since.

Orzo & Wild Rice Salad (ala J. Alexander's)

I love the restaurant J. Alexander's. I don't get to go there very often, but when I do, I always get the same thing. The chicken salad sandwich (which is huge and I get to take half home and have second meal later...) that comes with this lovely orzo and wild rice salad as a side.  I love it! I searched for a copy-cat recipe and was surprised to find quite a few versions out there. I picked this one and it turned out pretty similar!

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked orzo
1 cup cooked wild rice
1/4 cup diced red onions
1/4 cup dried currants (found by the raisins)
1/8 cup corn niblets
1/4 cup toasted almond slivers
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
3 tablespoons diced red peppers
3 tablespoons diced yellow peppers
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup dressing (recipe follows)
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/8 cup fresh cut basil


Directions:
mix all ingredients in a large bowl and toss with dressing

Dressing (makes 1 cup)
4 1/2 tablespoons balsamic white vinegar (I used regular balsamic and it tasted just fine)
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon sugar
3/8 cup (1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup) canola oil
3/8 cup olive oil

Dressing directions:whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and sugar together to combine
fold in the mustard
add the oils in a steady stream while whisking.

* Note: I'm never quite sure how much dried rice/orzo will end up being when cooked, so I used almost a whole 1 pound package of orzo, which ended up being probably 3 to 3 1/2 cups cooked.
I used the whole 4 oz box of wild rice which probably ended up being 2 to 2 1/2 cups cooked. I just made it all and then was able to do a second batch days later when the first was gone:)

*Also note, when I made the second batch, I left some things out and added more of what I like. I left out the basil the second time since I was out. I used a bit more corn and less onion and peppers. I was able to store the rest of the dressing in the fridge and then used the rest for the second batch:) It still tasted delicious!

Beauteous!

S'mores Cookies

So remember this post when I talked about have a ridiculous hoard of mini marshmallows and graham crackers that were left over from an activity that I did with my 7th graders? Well, I haven't put a dent in it and I'm slightly annoyed that I still have like 6 bags of mini marshmallows crowding my cabinets, so I searched for more recipes using mini marshmallows and stumbled upon what could possibly be my new favorite 'cookie'...

* side note: As I was getting started, I turned the box over and saw this... ahahaha. I wonder what the parent was thinking. Clearly the fact that the word project is in quotations makes me think she wasn't quite sure how in the heck I was going to tie in graham crackers, ice cream, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows and chocolate syrup to our Groundwater Unit ..;)

Anyways, I found the recipe here and decided to bring them to my cousin's cookout yesterday.  They were gone within minutes, so I guess it's safe to say they were a hit? I mean you've got a hybrid of a s'more and chocolate chip cookie. What's not to love?! AND you don't end up with crazy-sticky fingers like a typical s'more.  Now, the only danger is that I still have a Tupperware full sitting in my kitchen calling my name. I may or may not have had one for breakfast this morning...

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tea. baking soda

1/2 tea. salt

1 tea. cinnamon

11 Tablespoons butter (just 1 T shy of a stick and a half)- should be softened or room temp.

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs (room temp)

1 tea. vanilla

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup mini marshmallows

1 box graham crackers

about 4-5 Hershey bars

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375.

Line 2 baking sheets (with rims) with parchment paper and then place graham crackers on sheet. (I had the kind that were already broken into squares, so if you get the ones that are long, break them in half)

Fit as many as you can on there:) I actually ended up needing to use 3 1/2 pans...

Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and set aside.

In a mixer, cream butter, brown sugar and sugar until smooth (2-3 minutes)

Add the eggs and vanilla until combined. Then gradually add the flour mix until combined.

Fold in the marshmallows and chocolate chips.

Place about a Tablespoon of batter onto each graham cracker and gently press.

Bake about 5 minutes, take them out and gently press one Hershey square into each cookie.

Then pop 'em back in the oven for another 5-7 minutes- until they're golden brown!

Cool on a wire rack and then dig in!

Rose Cake

The first time I tried this technique I got mad at it and decided not to take pictures because I thought it wasn't good enough... Luckily, my family told me that it did look pretty cool and I made it again last weekend for Mother's Day... Bit hit!

For my first attempt, I followed the recipe from this site for red velvet cake. I had never made it before and something seemed a bit off.  I only used half of the red food coloring it called for and I thought the amount of cocoa was way too little. So it ended up tasting like a red tinted yellow cake. Still good, very moist, just not what I expected.

So for the second attempt, I cheated. Ahem, excuse me- I smartly used a boxed red velvet cake and there was nary a crumb left over! HA!

So you'll start with baking the cake in 2 8 inch round pans. Make sure you spray with non-stick spray. Follow the box or recipe directions for baking and let cool completely.  I like to make the cake the day before, let it cool and then wrap it in plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer overnight. This helped the cake keep its shape and not fall apart.

And then comes the frosting... Cream cheese frosting.... drool.

Quite simple:
Cream Cheese Frosting (makes a crap load, which you'll need for the crumb coat, filling and all the roses)

4  8oz. cakes of cream cheese
2 sticks of butter
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Make sure cream cheese and butter are at room temperature (or you'll get clumps. Not that I would know since I'm so patient... sarcasm font anyone?? invent that.)

Cream the butter and cream cheese with your electric mixer until smooth. Then add the vanilla until combined.  Gradually add the powdered sugar until everything is mixed.

Give your cake a thin crumb coat and a nice thick layer in between the 2 layers of cake. Put the whole frosted cake back into the fridge for a bit while you get your piping bag ready.

Make sure you put this frosting in the fridge for a bit before piping so that it will hold its shape. (typically you use buttercream to pipe since it will hold its shape better)

Get a 1M (large star) tip. I got mine for about $2 at JoAnn Fabrics. 

You can use the fancy piping bags with couplers etc. but I used the disposable bags. You don't need a coupler to screw the tip on- you just drop your tip into the bag, snip the tip of the bag off until about half of your tip pokes out the end.

Then fill your bag about halfway with frosting (you'll keep the rest in the fridge) Your hands will warm up the frosting as you pipe.

Then, to do the roses: see this wonderful video tutorial here. (I tried to explain it in words and watching it works way better!)

And good news... if you're not satisfied with how the roses come out, just scrape them off until you get it 'right'... if you're me, then you'll scrape the same one off about 6 times before figuring it out;) no big deal.

and then you can eat the leftover frosting with a spoon...just a suggestion

Mini Lasagnas

These little baby lasagnas are not only cute, but they are delicious and relatively good for you! The recipe is adapted from the Hungry Girl book and can be found here.

Ingredients:
12 oz. raw ground turkey
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
14.5oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp dried oregano, divided
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
24 square won ton wrappers (can be found in the refrigerated section by the organic/health food section)
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey, onions, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Crumble the meat and saute the mixture for about 10 minutes, or until the turkey is cooked through.
Add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds.

Add the crushed tomatoes and 2 tsp of oregano. Bring the pan to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, a pinch of salt and pepper, the remaining teaspoon of oregano, and the basil. Stir to mix well. Set aside.

Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray. Place 1 won ton wrapper into each of the cups, pressing firmly in the bottom of the cup and up the sides.

Using half of the ricotta mixture, divide it among the 12 muffin cups.

Next, using half of the turkey tomato sauce, spoon it evenly over each of the ricotta filled cups.

Sprinkle about 2 tsp of mozzarella cheese into each cup.

Repeat with another won ton wrapper, ricotta, meat and cheese.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Let the cups cool, remove from pan and serve!

My new fav!!!


In case you care: for one baby lasagna, 181 calories, 7.9g fat, 14.1g protein, 13.6g carbs

Blue Cheese Orzo Salad

I love orzo pasta, but never actually made it myself. I think the reason for this is because it is hidden in the grocery store so I've never seen it... Yup, I had to ask the service desk after making about 3 laps through the pasta, rice and ethnic food aisles... Of course, it was in the Authentic Italian aisle that I had already walked through 3 times...

Anyways, I found this recipe here and followed it pretty much as it is written, but I decided to add some golden raisins:)

Ingredients
3/4 cup uncooked orzo pasta
3 cups arugula, torn
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Walnut Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 teaspoon Creole or stone-ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
Cook orzo according to package directions; drain and place in a large bowl. Stir in the arugula, bacon, blue cheese, onions and walnuts

In a blender, combine the first six vinaigrette ingredients; cover and process until smooth. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Pour over salad; toss to coat.

Book Club Read: Heaven is For Real

Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back

 by Todd Burpo

I was invited to join a book club last week and this was the book that we were supposed to read.  I was hesitant at first because I generally don't read religious books and this book is written by a small-town pastor who claims that his 4 year old son tells stories of his visit to heaven during a near-death brush with a burst appendix. 

Of course, there are many skeptics out there. People wondering if the parents are exploiting their son and making up this tale. And as I read through this quick read, I found myself wanting to believe.  Some of the 'evidence' did seem to be convincing.  The boy's unwavering belief that he did in fact visit heaven and meet Jesus, his deceased grandfather and miscarried sister made it seem like there was no other way for him to know these things other than that his story is true.

Do I know that this is true? No... But do I want to believe it? Absolutely.  And even if you don't accept this story as true, it is a feel-good story that makes the idea of death a little less scary.