Chicken and Broccoli Divan

This is another comfort food thing for me. My mom used to make this a lot growing up and it just brings me back. (It's also a good way to get the kids to eat broccoli....).

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces. ( I usually season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic salt )
3 c. broccoli
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream or mayo (taste preference)
curry powder to taste
grated colbyjack cheese
1 sleeve ritz crackers, crushed into crumbs
2 T butter, melted

Mix both cans cream of chicken soup with sour cream or mayo, and curry powder to taste. Add chicken and stir to coat. Place broccoli in a 9x13 casserole dish. Layer chicken mixture on top. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Mix melted butter with crushed Ritz crackers and sprinkle on top of cheese. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted. (You can cook the chicken before mixing it with the cream of chicken soup and then just cook until everything is warmed through and cheese is melted.) Serve over rice. YUM. YUM.

Chicken PIccata

I love this dish! Its one of my favorite things to do with chicken. Lemons just make me happy. This particular recipe came from my "cuisine at home" magazine. Like they say, If you like fresh lemon, tender chicken, and a quick recipe, then this classis italian dish will fit perfectly on your dinner plate..... Chicken Piccata
2 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets ( or breasts cut into cutlets).
Salt and Pepper
All-purpose flour
Nonstick spray
2 T. vegetable oil
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 t. minced garlic
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 T. capers, drained
2 T unsalted butter
Fresh lemon slices
Chopped fresh parsley

Season cutlets with salt and pepper, the dust with flour. Coat a saute pan with nonsticck spray, add vegetable oil, and heat over medium high heat. Saute cutlets 2-3 minutes on one side. Flip the cutlets over and saute on the other side 1-2 minutes with the pan covered.Transfer cutlets to a warm platter and pour fat off from the pan. Deglaze pan with the wine and add minced garlic. Cook until garlic is slightly brown and most of the liquid is evaporated. Add broth, lemon juice, and caper's. Return the cutlets to the pan can cook on each side for about one minute. Remove cutlets and let sit on a plate. Finish sauce with butter and lemons. Once butter is melted, pour sauce over cutlets and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Schaum Torte

This is one of the most delicious desserts you will ever eat!! I am so glad to have mastered it!! I t came to me from Kristi and to her from Laurel and it just leaves happiness wherever it lands!!!We served it with whipped cream and a bunch of different fresh berries. The kids inhaled it! I had to sneak a piece away for me to enjoy later!!!

I'm told it is also good with kiwi's, but we haven't tried that yet....

Recipe:

1 c. cold egg whites

1 t. apple cider vinegar

1/2 t. cream of tartar

2 c. sugar

1 pint whipping cream

vanilla

powdered sugar

Beat 1st three things in mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add sugar, keeping mixer on high speed. Spoon into two well buttered glass pie pans. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes, then 250 degrees for 30 minutes. Leave in oven to cool, sometimes overnight. (i let it cool for a couple hours and it was perfect!) To assemble, cut of cracked top of meringue, trying to keep the pieces together. Whip the cream and sugar and vanilla together, and spread over bottom of meringue. Piece together the top, refrigerate and serve with berries when ready to serve. This is melt in your mouth goodness!!!

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

This was my favorite dessert that my mom makes. She does it perfectly, so I am trying to recreate the perfectness....



1 c. butter

2 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c flour

1 t. baking soda

1 1/2 c quick cooking oats

1/2 t. salt

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 12 oz pkg semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. butter

2 t. vanilla

1c. chopped walnuts



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking pan. Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and vanilla. In a small bowl sift flour, baking soda, and salt; added to creamed mixture. Mix in oats. I a saucepan melt sweetened condensed milk, choc chips, and butter and heat just until melted. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Spread 2/3 of the oatmeal mix on the bottom of a 9x13 pan, cover with chocolate mixture and the drop the remaining 1/3 of oatmeal mix on top by spoonfuls. Bake for 35 minutes.

Flank Steak Stir Fry

This is a recipe I found on the "Simply Recipes" website. (click on "Simply Recipe's" on the right side bar...) Very easy and very refreshing. We eat flank steak a lot and this was a new twist. Definitely a fun summer dish! A new favorite at our house!!!! I served it over rice and we didn't have any leftovers!!!! Enjoy!

Flank Steak Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Red Pepper

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut on the diagonal into 1 1/2 inch lengths (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 lb of flank steak, sliced in half lengthwise (along the grain) and then cut into thin strips, 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide (put the steak in the freezer for 15 minutes before slicing to make it easier to slice)
1 red bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed, and cut into thin strips 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide
2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved into 3 Tablespoons of water

All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce
3 Tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce for gluten-free version)
1 tsp finely chopped, peeled, fresh ginger
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, including green tops, chopped
1/2 tsp chili oil

1 While you are chopping the ingredients in preparation, bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Parboil the asparagus pieces for 2 minutes, drain, rinse in cold water, drain, and set aside. If you are planning to serve this dish with rice, in a separate pan, prepare 2 cups of white rice, following the instructions on the rice package.
2 Prepare the All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce by combining the ingredients in a small dish, and set aside.
3 Stir-fry the asparagus in a wok (or a thick-bottomed pan with at least 2" sides that can take high heat) in 1 Tbsp of oil, on high heat, for about 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove asparagus from pan and set aside.
4 Add another 1 Tbsp of oil to the pan and stir fry the beef strips, in 2 batches, for 2-3 minutes until browned but still pink inside. Return the first batch of beef to the pan and add the bell pepper. Stir and toss over high heat until just beginning to wilt, 1-2 minutes.
5 Quickly stir the cornstarch liquid and add it to the pan along with the stir fry sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Return the asparagus to the pan, toss to evenly coat and serve with steamed white rice (unless you are going low-carb, in which case, leave out the rice).
Serves 4.

Cream Puffs

The kids loved these cream puffs (almost as much as me.....) It's a fun easy dessert that we love to make whenever we can. It took a little trial and error for me to get these to work, so I'll share my tips and hopefully you can enjoy them as much as we do!!!

Cream Puffs with Banana Pudding and Chocolate frosting

1 c. water

1/2 c. butter

1/8 t. salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

In a medium saucepan combine water, butter and salt. Bring to boiling. Once boiling add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture comes together and forms a ball. (this takes about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. After cooled, add eggs one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each. (*this is the tough part, it seems like the egg isn't going to mix in, but keep stirring until smooth and then add the next egg). The finished dough will be thick and sticky, and will hold its shape. Drop by large tablespoon-fulls into about 12 mounds onto a greased cookie sheet. Mounds should be about the size of a small orange. They don't have to be perfect smooth balls, the bumpy mounds give them character!! Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove from baking sheet; cool on a wire rack. Cut off the tops of each puff and remove any soft dough that from the inside. Fill with a generous tablespoon of the pudding mixture (recipe follows), replace the tops, and then drizzle with chocolate sauce or chocolate frosting. Yummmmmmy.

Pudding filling:

1 large package instant pudding (I like banana, because how can you go wrong with banana and chocoate??? but you could use vanilla, white chocolate, or even just chocolate....)

1 c. milk

2 c. cool whip
1 t. vanilla extract

Beat with mixer until thickened (around 5 minutes), and then spoon into cooled eclairs.

*For the chocolate drizzle, I just melted some ghiradelli milk chocolate chips in the microwave until creamy and drizzled it over the top. I have also just bought some betty crocker chocolate frosting, stuck it in the microwave for about 15 seconds and spread that on top. I guess you could also be very, very chef worthy and make your own chocolate frosting.....whatever floats your boat!!!

Lemon Lime Cake with Lemon Lime Drizzle

I made this for a friend brunch we had the other day and it was sooooo good! It is so fresh and just makes you think of summertime!

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lime zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup plain yogurt

For the drizzle:1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
lemon and lime juice

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between additions. Add lemon and lime juice and zests, vanilla and almond extract and yogurt. Mix just until combined and then add flour mixture until just combined and creamy. Grease the pan of your choice (cupcake pan, mini muffin pan, cake rounds) and fill the cups half way. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes or baked through (less for mini muffins and more for cake pans) and when cooled, transfer to a wire rack. In a small bowl combine the confectioners’ sugar and enough lemon and lime juice to make a nice consistency for the drizzle. Drizzle over the baby cakes and enjoy!

*I used a mini muffin tin in the picture above, to make these delectable bite size morsels. cook time was about 9-10 minutes at 350 degrees. just a little fyi.