shrimp risotto with bacon and corn

Back during the heat of summer I made this dish.  It was 101° and the heat index was 110°.  I hadn't been cooking much because I just didn't feel like it.  But this day I was hungry for something different and in the mood for rice.  I wanted to make a pot pie recipe I found but didn't have puff pastry on hand so I decided on this.  I had just bought some fresh local corn, and I had all the rest of the ingredients for this dish.  This turned out so good, will make it again, but maybe leave out the bacon.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups chicken broth (or as needed)

4 slices bacon, halved widthwise then lengthwise into 4 mini slices each (16 pieces)

12 jumbo shrimp (16-20 count), peeled, deveined and tails removed

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2/3 cup Arborio rice

1/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup corn kernels, if fresh, blanched or thawed if frozen

1/4 cup heavy cream

Cayenne pepper, to taste

1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

Place broth in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

Cook bacon strips in a sauté, frying or other shallow pan over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving bacon drippings. Crumble half of the strips into small pieces. Reserve remaining strips for garnish.

Season shrimp with salt and black pepper. Add shrimp to bacon drippings and cook 1-2 minutes per side or until pink and firm. Transfer to the plate with the bacon. Wipe out pan.

Heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook the onion 4-5 minutes or until softened, being careful not to brown the onion. Add the red bell pepper and cook 2-3 more minutes.

Stir in the garlic and rice and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring slowly but constantly, until the rice is slightly translucent, being careful not to brown it. Add the wine and cook, stirring until evaporated. Add the chicken broth in stages, about a full soup ladle at a time and continuing to stir until the rice is creamy and has reached the al dente stage, about 18 to 20 minutes. (You may not need all the broth.)

Stir in the crumbled bacon, shrimp, corn kernels, heavy cream, cayenne pepper, cheese and parsley. Heat through. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with bacon strips. Serve immediately with more grated cheese if desired.

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things You L♥ve.
Donna

Savory Ham/Cheese/green onion scones

I made these back in February for a good friend of mine.  I usually make him sweets but he said he was watching his weight so I told him I'd make him a nice treat he could eat for breakfast for his lunch break.  I also made another batch of these for the folks I work with, can't leave anyone out, ya know!  :)  I think these would be great if you were doing a brunch of make them during the holidays.  These were absolutely delicious and will make them again and again.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, VERY cold and cut into tiny pieces
• 1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten
• 1/2 cup plain full-fat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons whole Milk
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces ham, diced
• 1/3 cup scallions, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°(F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl add the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, baking soda, and brown sugar; mix well to combine. Cut the butter into small cubes then quickly work it into the mixture (using your fingers) until it resembles a coarse meal. Set aside. In a small bowl whisk together the egg, yogurt, and milk, beating well to combine. Add the liquid mixture to dry and use a fork to stir everything together until just moistened.
3. Add in the cheese, ham, and scallions and gently fold them into dough with a spatula.
4. Pour the shaggy dough out onto a clean, floured work surface and shape the dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut the dough into 8 wedges and carefully transfer to the prepared sheet.
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown.
6. Cool for 5 minutes on the tray, then serve warm.

Notes

*Add a little extra ham, cheese, and scallions on top of each scone before baking if you'd like yours to look like mine do in the photos. *These scones are best eaten the day they are baked. *You can flash freeze the baked scones for up to 2 months.

Thanks for stopping by, have a great and week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU L♥ve.
Donna

Boneless Pork Roast with potatoes and carrots

Made this for dinner one Sunday night.  I have so much food in the freezer I could eat for a year and never go to the store.  I believe I got this habit from my MOM, she did the same thing and I can remember as a kids I would always ask her ..."gee Mom why do you have so much food??  Her reply was always the same, ya never know when you won't be able to go food shopping and what if company dropped in, you'd always have food to make".  I would say now, pure logic.

This meal goes together quickly and not much fuss.  Make the marinate.
put meat (that has salt and pepper both sides) in a plastic bag, pour the marinate over pork and refrigerate about an hour or you could do over night if you have the time and have planned ahead.  Cook your potatoes and carrots for about 12 minutes, drain and set aside.

Marinate
put dry spices, garlic, lemon juice , zest, olive oil s & P in a blender or magic bullet and blend til you get a nice smooth texture.

3 lbs boness pork loin
5-6 russet potatoes
4 large carrots
6-7 cloves garlic
zest of 1 lemon
juice from lemon
2 heaping TBL oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper.



Remove meat from bag, put in roasting pan and bake at 350°  for about an hour.  Add the potatoes and carrots after that hour and cook for another 45 minutes or so, until veggies are tender and meat is 145° internal temp.  Use a meat thermometer to always make sure you meats are cook properly.  I use the one with the probe and little counter thing that goes off when the meat is ready.  Let it rest at least 20 minutes, carve and serve.  You could make a pan gravy if you wanted from the drippings.  I put the information for that below.

**Pan gravy**  Use the dripping from roast and add a little water, stir then add some chicken stock or more water .  Make a slurry of corn starch or flour using water and dry mix.  Add to pan dripping and cook until it thickens.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over meat is desire.

Thanks for stopping by, have a great week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the Things You L♥ve.
Donna


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Crockpot Asian Short Ribs

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• I made this a while back on a snowy Kansas Day.  I made fried rice to go along with it and some plain white rice.  It's a quick tasty meal.  The ribs literally fall off the bone.  I'm not a big fan of short ribs because there isn't much to eat on them but this is a good way to make them without much effort.  Hope you give them a try.
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• 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 5 pound bone-in beef short ribs, cut crosswise into 2″ pieces
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and red pepper flakes, if using.
2. Place short ribs into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in soy sauce mixture until well combined.
3. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.*
4. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/4 cup water. Stir in mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
5. Serve immediately, garnished with green onion and sesame seeds, if desired.

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU L♥ve.

Donna

Potato Lasagna

Someone posted this on FB and to me it looked so yummy and easy, so of course I had to make it.  It's so simple and yet so delicious.  The only thing I changed *seems I never really follow a recipe to a T have to always change something* ...so with that said I added steamed aldente broccoli.  Need a vegetable in the dish.

Potato Lasagna
Serves 4-5

INGREDIENTS
5 potatoes, peeled
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
8-10 slices ham
7-8 slices mozzarella cheese
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
¼ cup parsley, chopped
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup heavy cream
2 eggs

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C.
Slice the peeled potatoes into ½ centimeter slices.
Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, tossing them to make sure they’re coated evenly.
Press a layer of potatoes evenly into the bottom of a greased, square baking pan.
Place half of the ham slices evenly on top of the potatoes, followed by half of the sliced cheese.
Follow with another layer of potatoes, then the remaining ham and sliced cheese.
Sprinkle the bacon and parsley evenly on top of the sliced cheese, and place one final layer of potatoes on top.
Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the potatoes, then press it into an even layer.
In a small bowl, mix the heavy cream and eggs. Pour on top of the shredded cheese.
Bake for about 40 minutes, until the cheese is a deep golden brown.
Cool slightly, slice, then serve!

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU L♥ve.
Donna

Ricotta, Chicken and Broccoli Stuff Manicotti

This was the other dish I made for my sister in laws Birthday Dinner.  Both of the dishes were really good, guess it depends on you taste buds and if you prefer Alfredo Sauce or Marinara.   Making these are alot of work but then again I love cooking but it sure wears me out.

Ingredients:
I box Manicotti shells
1 8 oz container Ricotta Cheese
1/2- 3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 egg
2 TBL parsley
1/2 TBL oregano or italian seasoning
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
salt and pepper
2-3 large boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
olive oil

In a large pot cook Manicotti until Aldente, drain and set aside.
In a bowl combine Ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese egg and spices and mix well. Set aside.
In a large skillet add olive oil and cook some diced onion, add chicken pieces and cook until done, add the garlic and finish cooking.  When room temperature add it to the Ricotta mixture.  Fill Manicotti shells and place in a 9x11 baking dish with marinara sauce covering the bottom, line the filled shells up then sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top and then top with more marinara sauce.  Bake for about 25 minutes covered and until heated fully through.  You can take the foil off when you have about 10 minutes left to cook.

Serve with a nice salad and home made bread.  Enjoy!!
Thanks for stopping by, have a great week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the Things You L♥ve.
Donna

chicken and spinach stuffed shells

I made this back in October for my sister in laws birthday dinner.  I also made stuffed Manicotti which was delicious too.  They were both very good.  I just love Alfredo anything and this was a nice change.  I made the Manicotti with ricotta which was also very good.

adapted from here

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells Serves: 8-10 servings

Serves: about 40 shells

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) box uncooked jumbo pasta shells
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups fresh chopped spinach
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1⅔ cups)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Instructions

1. Cook shells according to package directions. Be careful not to overcook them or they will tear easily when trying to fill them. Drain and set shells out individually on a cutting board or baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease two 9x13 baking dishes.
3. In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon into shells. *Tip: For easier filling, fill a gallon ziplock baggie with the filling and snip a quarter size hole off the corner of the bag. Then you can just pipe the filling into the shells.
4. Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. If you are freezing one of the 9x13 prepared pans, freeze it after this step. Include a baggy of the remaining mozzarella for when you cook it.
5. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.
6. Makes 8-10 servings.

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the time to Do ALL the things YOU Love.
Donna

Jalapeno Popper Chicken *low carb*

My grandson and son in law love hot spicy things so this one is  a perfect dish for them.  I made mine without the jalapeno's and my daughters without the bacon.  I also made brocolli  and  rice for the boys.  I've been trying low carb again to try and get some weight off.  It's been hard trying to walk with working and my hip.   This is a great low carb recipe so hope you give it a try.

without Jalapeno

adapted from here

Ingredients

5 Slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
4-6 boneless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat (If thick, flatten a bit with mallet)
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
8 Ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 Cup mayo
1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
4-6 fresh jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (seeds and ribs removed)
cilantro sprigs for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cook bacon to crispy, set aside. Season chicken breasts with a little salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat either in the same pan you used for the bacon (pour off all but 1 Tablespoon of grease) or use a different skillet and add about a tablespoon of olive oil. Depending on the size of the breasts, cook each side 3-4 minutes, or until juices run clear. While chicken is cooking, remove seeds/ribs from jalapenos. Chop peppers finely. Once chicken is done, move to plate and set aside. Add chopped jalapenos to pan and saute briefly. Turn off heat. In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, mayo, a little salt and pepper to taste, garlic powder. Add cheddar and Parmesan cheeses (I reserve a little for topping before baking), sauteed jalapenos, crumbled bacon. Place chicken back into skillet (or other ovenproof dish), top with cream cheese mixture, sprinkle a little additional cheddar and Parmesan if desired. Bake in oven until well heated (about 20 minutes). Thanks for stopping by, have a great week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things You L♥ve. Donna

Balmasic Honey Chicken Thighs

I found this recipe on Pinterest, the gal has a great  site.  It looks so yummy that I just had to try it and I'm so glad I did.  I made it twice once on a trial run to see if the family would like it then made it for them and it was a big hit.  So will for sure make this again.

This recipe is so easy and quick.  Great for the week nights when you really don't want to spend much time in the kitchen after working all day.

Printable

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 dashes ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons water
Chopped parsley, for garnishing

Directions:

Season the chicken with the salt and ground black pepper.

Heat up a skillet on medium heat and slowly pan-fry the chicken, skin side down first, until both sides of the chicken become nicely browned and crispy. Remove the chicken and discard the chicken fat.
Add the olive oil and butter to the skillet, saute the garlic until slightly browned, follow by the honey, balsamic vinegar and water. Add the chicken back into the skillet and simmer and reduce the sauce until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat, garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.

Thanks for stopping by, have a great week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU L♥ve.
Donna

Chicken Lo Mein

Lately I get cravings and just have to make what it is that I want to eat.  This time it was Asian Flare type stuff.  I've always wanted to make lo mein and wanted it to taste like the stuff from a local small Asian place.  Well think I finally found a recipe.  I found it here and she's right most of her stuff in Damn Delicious!!! I also made her Crab Rangoons, those were great too.  The Asian place here doesn't put all these great veggie's in their Lo Mein but the flavor of this is great.  So guess I won't have to spend the money for take out.  Also I found at our local Asian store they had fresh egg lo mein noodles.  The most time consuming part of this dish is of course all the cutting and preparing.  Oh yeah one other thing, I used rotisserie chicken, our local market had them on sale.....so one less thing to cook.  I made a very large fry pan of this and my grandson wanted to eat it all....I only let him have 1/2 so I could have something for dinner and also leftover so I won't have to cook the next day.
I omitted the mushrooms because I'm not a fan.

Printable
Ingredients: 
8 ounces lo mein egg noodles*  
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced (didn't use)
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 cup snow peas
3 cups baby spinach
1-2 cups cooked chicken

For the sauce

2 tablespoons  soy sauce, or more, to taste
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (I used fresh)
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste (I used sweet chilli sauce)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger and Sriracha; set aside.
2. In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions; drain well.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, bell pepper and carrot. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in snow peas and spinach until the spinach has wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Stir in egg noodles and soy sauce mixture, and gently toss to combine.
5. Serve immediately.

Hope you give this a try, you'll be glad you did and may possibly not visit the local Asian Place again.
Have a great week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU L♥ve.
Donna

 

cracklin Chicken

My daughter found this on Pinterest and wanted me to make it for our Thursday family dinner.  Its is really good and so quick to make.  So if you're looking for a quick week night meal give this a try.  This would be great to make and then put in your salad.   This was a huge hit so I will for sure be making this again.

Ingredients:
boneless chicken thighs *skin on*
salt and pepper
ghee or butter and oil mixed *for frying*
large cast iron skillet

As the person that posted this says it's so much cheaper to buy bone in thighs and just removed them yourself.  It's not rocket science and oh so easy.
Turn the thigh skin down, get a good boning knife or kitchen shears and just start cutting along the bone taking your time and then cut around the knob at the end and remove.  It's really that simple.
Dry the pieces well and then salt the skin side *as the chef's say make it rain* which means hold your hand up high and sprinkle the salt on your chicken.  You can season the under side with salt and pepper or add some other spices if you like.  Guess you like a bit of kick you could add some chilli powder or such.  I just did the plan salt and pepper.  Was great.

Heat the oil and butter then add the chicken skin side down.  Cook for about 7 minutes *DO
 NOT MESS WITH IT* just let it cook, you can move the pan around on the stove to be sure that all the parts are getting cooked the same.    Check after about 7 minutes to see if it's nice and golden brown...like above... then flip and cook for about another 3 minutes.  Drain on paper towel....ENJOY!!

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU L♥ve.
Donna
 

Cheese, Chilli Chicken Taquito's (baked)

This is what we had for New Years Day.  Usually we have some sort of  big meal, either Ham, Roast Pork or sometimes even Turkey....but this year we just weren't in the mood for all that.  I myself was really craving something Mexican and I haven't made Taquito's in some time.  I also made some of these with white corn.  I used white corn tortillas, chicken breast and the list of other ingredients follows:

Ingredients:
4 large boneless skinless chicken breast
1 large onion diced
1/2 can of mild rotel
salt/pepper
2 tsp chilli powder
queso cheese for filling, didn't really measure
1/2 cup white corn (canned) drained)
4 oz cream cheese
Hatch green chilli
White Corn Tortillas (warmed, makes it easier to roll them)

***  warm the tortilla in a dry skillet, it makes them so much easier to roll and they don't break **
Directions:
Saute some chopped onion in pan, add chicken *I put the breast in and cooked then cut*, return the chicken to the pan  add seasoning, rotel, corn and the green chilli, if you use it.  Cook until all combined.  Warm tortilla and then fill, don't over fill, roll and place on a greased lined parchment paper baking sheet.  Spray the tops of tortilla then top with cheese.  Bake 375° for about 15-20 until
shells are golden and cheese is melted.  Serve with avocado and sour cream and of course more cheese.

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the time to Do ALL the Things YOU L♥ve.
Donna

Chicken Thighs with Apricot glaze

This dish is just wonderful.  Has just the right amount of sweetness and the fresh basil and mustard gives it such a wonderful depth of flavor.  A must try.

adapted from here

1 1/4 pounds, or about 3 bone-in & skin-on chicken thighs (pasture-raised)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
Apricot Basil Glaze
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smooth dijon mustard
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup Cascadian Farm Organic apricot preserves
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced basil
Rub chicken thighs with 1 tablespoons olive oil and salt, then let sit while you prepare the sauce so that they come close to room temperature.
For sauce, heat olive oil to medium high heat in a small saucepan. Add shallot and salt, cooking for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Stir in mustard, vinegar and preserves. Lightly simmer for 5-6 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in basil and turn off heat.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium high heat in a 12 inch cast-iron skillet. Wait until very hot, then add chicken thighs skin side down. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn heat down to medium and continue to cook for 8 more minutes so that it can “fry” in it’s own fat, until skin is golden brown. Flip and cook for 10 minutes.
Transfer skillet to oven and cook for 8-10 minutes longer, until meat is cooked through and juices run clear. Transfer to a plate, smother with glaze, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Remember to Always Find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU L♥ve.
Donna

chicken cordon bleu Casserole

This is a very tasty dish, especially if you like the original Chicken Cordon Bleu.  It has all the same ingredients but in a casserole form.  You could add some other things I guess, like broccoli,  or other veggie just use your imagination.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts cooked and chopped
1/2 lb deli ham
6 slices swiss cheese
Sauce:
4 TBL butter
4 TBL flour
3 1/4 cp milk (I use 1/2 n 1/2 and water)
2 TBL lemon juice
1 TBL dijon mustard
1  1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
Topping
6 TBLbutter
1 1/2 cups  panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 TBL fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Direction:
preheat oven 350°
Boil chicken until tender, set aside...when cool cut.
Butter a 9-10 inch casserole dish, layer chicken, ham then cheese.  Pour sauce over top and then top with bread crumbs.  Bake for 30-45 minutes in 350° oven.  Top should be nice a browned.
Thanks for taking time to stop by, have a wonderful day and Always Remember to Find the time to Do All the Things Y ♥u L♥ove.
Donna

Ingredients

For the casserole:
1 whole cooked chicken, bones removed, meat diced or shredded (rotisserie chicken is excellent, should have 5-6 cups)
1/2 pound very thinly sliced deli-style honey ham, rough chopped
1/4 pound thin sliced baby Swiss cheese
For the sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
3 1/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
For the topping:
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste - See more at: http://foods-exclusive.blogspot.com/2014/03/how-to-chicken-cordon-bleu-casserole.html#sthas

Ingredients

For the casserole:
1 whole cooked chicken, bones removed, meat diced or shredded (rotisserie chicken is excellent, should have 5-6 cups)
1/2 pound very thinly sliced deli-style honey ham, rough chopped
1/4 pound thin sliced baby Swiss cheese
For the sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
3 1/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
For the topping:
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste - See more at: http://foods-exclusive.blogspot.com/2014/03/how-to-chicken-cordon-bleu-casserole.html#sthash.mwEMPHEj.dpuf

Ingredients

For the casserole:
1 whole cooked chicken, bones removed, meat diced or shredded (rotisserie chicken is excellent, should have 5-6 cups)
1/2 pound very thinly sliced deli-style honey ham, rough chopped
1/4 pound thin sliced baby Swiss cheese
For the sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
3 1/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
For the topping:
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste - See more at: http://foods-exclusive.blogspot.com/2014/03/how-to-chicken-cordon-bleu-casserole.html#sthash.mwEMPHEj.dpuf

Ingredients

For the casserole:
1 whole cooked chicken, bones removed, meat diced or shredded (rotisserie chicken is excellent, should have 5-6 cups)
1/2 pound very thinly sliced deli-style honey ham, rough chopped
1/4 pound thin sliced baby Swiss cheese
For the sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
3 1/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
For the topping:
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste - See more at: http://foods-exclusive.blogspot.com/2014/03/how-to-chicken-cordon-bleu-casserole.html#sthash.mwEMPHEj.dpuf

Ingredients

For the casserole:
1 whole cooked chicken, bones removed, meat diced or shredded (rotisserie chicken is excellent, should have 5-6 cups)
1/2 pound very thinly sliced deli-style honey ham, rough chopped
1/4 pound thin sliced baby Swiss cheese
For the sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
3 1/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
For the topping:
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste - See more at: http://foods-exclusive.blogspot.com/2014/03/how-to-chicken-cordon-bleu-casserole.html#sthash.mwEMPHEj.dpuf

Turkey Stir Fry

What to do with all that turkey that you have leftover.  Well this is the perfect quick dinner dish.  Add all the veggies that you enjoy and you have a healthy LC dinner.  The only thing that takes time with this dish is getting all those veggies cut.  But all that work is well worth the end result.

Ingredients:
left over turkey (or chicken)
3 small sweet pepper (I used red, yellow and orange)
1 medium onion
1 1/2 stalk celery
2 carrots
5 cauliflower florets
15-20 snow peas
1 pkt chicken broth
2 TBL cornstarch
1-2 TBL soy sauce
1 1/2 TBL sesame oil
oil for frying

In a large skillet heat the regular oil, add a few pieces of onion to get the oil flavorful, add the rest of the veggies and stir fry until almost tender,  add the soy sauce, sesame oil and cooked turkey then add the chicken broth packet and water.    In a small cup add about 1/2 cup of water and the cornstarch and stir until you have a slurry, add that to the veggies and meat.  Cook until it thickens.
Serve over your choice of either faux fried rice *here* or regular rice.
Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful weekend and Remember to Find the Time to Do All the Things YOU L♥ve
D♥nna

Bourbon beef roast

I watch "The Chew" everyday and I am a huge fan of Michael Si
mon.  Really I like all the hosts except for Daphne.  Remember folks it's just my opinion, but she acts like she's a know it all for healthy eating.  Ok enough of her on the my recipe.
Micheal made some short ribs a couple of weeks ago (something I really want to make but they are so pricey)  I decided to make a bourbon molasses roast and here is what I came up with.  And I might add YUM, YUM, YUM

3-4 lb. Rump roast (or any inexpensive cut of roast..if there is such a thing)
1/2 cup bourbon (I actually used Jack Daniels)you could use RED Wine -omit the molasses
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 - 14.5 oz of diced tomatoes
5 cloves of garlic (minced)
3-5 TBL flour
2 medium onions
6-8 carrots
5-6 potatoes
4-5 stalks celery
1/4 - 1/2 cup water
1 1/2 - 2 cups of chicken stock
salt and pepper
olive oil for searing

In a Dutch Oven heat pan and when hot add oil and heat.  Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper, add to the pot (you should hear a good sizzle) brown on ALL sides, remove.  Add a little more oil then add 1/2 of 1 of the onions and cook till translucent and then add the garlic.  Cook for about 30 seconds.  Add the water and stir.  You should be cooking this over med-high heat.  Add the flour and stir, you will get a mixture that looks like wet sand.  Add the bourbon and molasses (or red wine) cook for about 5-10 minutes at a low simmer.  Add the chicken stock, canned tomatoes and the meat back into the pot.  Add the rest of 1st onion.  Cook on the stove top for about 15 minutes.  Put in 300° oven and cook for about 4-6 hours.  Half way through add the other veggies and cook until all is tender.  You could thicken the sauce when it's all done with 1/3 cup of water and 3-5 TBL more flour.  Mix in a cup til you get a slurry and then add to the sauce while the meat is resting.  Enjoy.
With the recipe above I actually cooked the potatoes separately and had mashed potatoes.

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful day...stay warm if your in the cold part of the country and Remember to Find the Time to Do All the Things YOU L♥ve.
D♥nna

Eye Round Roast

This is such an easy dish to make and is loved by all.  I just bought a new meat
thermometer and this was the perfect things to try it out on.  It worked perfectly too and the meat was medium rare, just the way we all love it.

3 lbs eye round roast
2 cloves of garlic sliced
salt and pepper.

Heat oven to 375°.  Have a pan with a rack ready.
Salt and pepper the roast and then cut little slits on the top of roast and stuff the garlic pieces in the slits.  I made about 6 slits.
In a large skillet heat some oil and brown the roast on all sides.  Put roast on rack and cook in 375° oven for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the thermometer reads 140°,  remove roast and let rest about 15 minutes.  Slice and serve with your favorite sides.  We had mashed potatoes, cheesy cauliflower, corn and homemade biscuits.  The dinner was a big hit as always.
Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful day and Remember to Find the time to Do ALL the things YOU L♥ve.
D♥nna

Southwest Egg Rolls (LC)

I saw a recipe on line somewhere for this type of egg roll and thought .....hmmmm I could make those and make them LC.  With all the lc items on
the market now it would be easy.  I bought some Mission LC tortilla's and the filling is induction friendly too.  You could have just the filling and maybe fry up a tortilla and cut them into chips to cut down on the carb count.  But really for 2 of these it's about 7 carbs and the tortilla are 3 net carbs each...so if you are on OWL these would be great too.

2 chicken breasts
1/2 onion chopped
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup green beans

1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin
3-4 TBL chopped green chilli
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup cheese.... (Monterey jack or maybe pepper jack)
8-9 LC tortilla's
oil for frying and more for cooking filling

Filled eggroll:   Freeze them for about two hours.  They fry best if you do this step.
In a skillet, heat oil and add onion, red pepper and salt and pepper.  Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Heat a bit more oil and sprinkle chicken with some chilli powder and cook until almost done.  Remove and shred or cut into pieces, return it to the skillet, add the veggies, the green beans and the spices.  Cook for about 3 - 4 minutes.  Add the cheese a cook for a minute or so.  Remove from heat.  Take about 1 1/2 TBL of filling and put in the center of a tortilla and roll like you would for making egg rolls.  Place in a pan or dish and put in the freezer for about an hour.  Heat the oil to 375° add the egg rolls a couple at a time and cook until golden. 
I served these with Spicy Ranch Dressing (walmart brand) mixed with sour cream.  Delish
Thanks for taking time to stop by, have a great weekend and Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the Things You L♥ve.
D♥nna

Eggplant Rollatini (LC) or not

While I was in NY I had eggplant for the first time.  WOW have I been missing out.  At our high school reunion one of the things on the buffet was this dish.  I had never had it and when I said that sooooooooooooo many classmates were in shock.  There was many kids of Italian decent so this food was a staple for them, and they just could not believe it was something I had never eaten.  So being brave I told them I would try it.  It was out of this world good.  So when we went to NYC to see Motown on Broadway we went out to eat afterwards and I decided I needed to try it again to be sure it was not just a fluke that I liked it.  :)  Again out of this world delicious.  After that meal I decided when I got home I was going to try to make it.  One of my best friends (from HS) helped me with instructions, etc.  Thank you Carole.  So here you have it, and I must say it's a must try.   Now you can make it with regular Italian bread crumbs but I wanted it to be LC so I adapted the recipe and it was just as good....no lie.

Ingredients:
2 eggplant
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs *see below for LC version*
1 15 oz container ricotta cheese
oil for frying
FILLING:

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded  mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiono  cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups of fresh spinach finely chopped 
Mozzarella and provolone for topping
SAUCE:
your favorite or you could use this
  3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup  chicken stock or white wine, eyeball it(she uses white wine)
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes plus 1 can crushed tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)
Several leaves basil, torn or chopped, a handful
2 tablespoons  butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

Heat a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil,  garlic, and red pepper and let them cook 5 minutes, garlic will be soft and light golden. Remove garlic. Add stock or wine and stir 30 seconds, add tomatoes and combine. Season the sauce with salt, to taste, then stir basil in and reduce heat to low.

For low carb bread crumbs, 

2 -3 flatout flat bread Italian season (lc) can be found at most stores

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup almond flour

1-2 TBL oregano

1 TBL parsley

1 -2 tsp garlic powder

salt/pepper

Leave the flatbread out so it gets hard.  Process in food processor til you get a find crumb, combine almond and coconut flour and seasonings.  Use this to coat the eggplant when frying.

To make rollatini:

Slice the eggplant on a mandolin, place in a colander with some salt  and let sit for about 30 minutes to draw out moisture.  Pat dry.  Heat oil in skillet and then dip slices in egg then bread crumbs.  Fry until golden on each side.  DON'T over cook.  Place on wax paper and then fill each with mixture and roll up.  Place in a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper  (easy clean up) and add sauce to the bottom.  When all rolled, put cheese on top and then top with more sauce.  You can then bake it or put in refrigerator until ready to cook.  You could also freeze at this point.

If baking then heat preheat oven 375° and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Serve with your favorite sides.  Enjoy.

The family really enjoy this so it will now become a dish that I will make often.

Have a great day and Remember to Find the Time to Do all the things YOU L♥ve.

D♥onna