Oriental Chicken Salad in Wonton Cones #SundaySupper

Are you ready for some football?  I am!

I live in Maryland and so we are, of course, rooting for the Ravens to win.  Although, I will be happy with either team winning--after all, it is still in the family, right?  Wether Jim or John wins they still have an amazing story to pass on and talk about down the road.

Our culture loves football and food...dips, pizza, nacho's, sliders, chips, etc.... We love a reason to get together and to celebrate with friends and family, especially if it envolves a flat screen TV.    

My neighbor told me yesterday that he and his wife just purchased their first large flat screen TV.  His eyes lit up with pride as he talked about watching the game in his living room.  I was so happy for them.

We will also be gathered upstairs around our TV as a family enjoying the big game.  This appetizer will be served.  I enjoy Oriental Chicken Salad.  This salad is a great way to use our teams color--purple.  I used purple onion and purple cabbage.  You can use green cabbage, but for this day, we will use purple.

This is just one of many recipes being shared with Sunday Supper, please take a few minutes and browse through the recipes that are at the end of this post.  I know that their are some winners and favorites being shared today. 

If you are not a football fan, that is okay too.  This appetizer works well for baby showers, bridal parties and birthday events.  The cones can be made up in advance and assembled right before they are served.  Get creative with your filling for the cones if the Oriental Salad is not your choice--you can use cheese, a different salad, mousse or tuna tartar.  

Best of luck to the Ravens and 49er's, regardless of who wins, I just hope it is a good game to watch and I know that spending time with my family will be the highlight and instant replay that I will look forward to with each passing year.

Recipe:  Oriental Chicken Salad in Wonton Cones

Makes 3-4 cups of filling

The step by step instructions for the Wonton Cones can be found HERE.

2 large chicken breast, cooked and diced

1/2 cup pineapple, diced small

1/2 cup mandarin oranges, diced small

1/2 cup of toasted almond slivers

1 tablespoon of diced chives or red onion

1 cup of shredded red cabbage

Dressing:

2 tablespoons of oil

1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil

1 teaspoon of rice vinegar

1 teaspoon of sugar

1/4-1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger

Pinch of salt

Serving suggestions: tiny cups with miniature forks, wonton cones or pre-made puff shells

Combine dressing ingredients and shake well. This is a basic recipe and can be adjusted to your sense of taste by adjusting the sweet/tart levels with more or less sugar or vinegar.

Combine chicken, cabbage, chives, oranges,pineapple and almonds.

Add dressing and combine.  The dressing should be tasted and enhanced to your liking. We like ours a bit tart so I tend to add a bit more vinegar than what is listed.

This can be made up to 2 days in advance.  If served in cups they can be prepared the night before.  If serving them in a wonton cone or pastry shell, prepare the day of the event.

Filling can be served cold or warm.

#SundaySupper Super Bowl Appetizers & Snacks:

• All American Ranch Cheese Ball from The Weekend Gourmet
• Bacon Double Cheese Burger Dip from In the Kitchen with KP
• Bacon Kettle Corn from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Baked Crab Cakes from The Meltaways
• Buffalo Chicken filled Pull-Apart Loaf from Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Buffalo Chicken Pizza On A Stick from Neighborfood
• Buffalo Tofu Bites from Soni’s Food
• Cheeseburger Bites from Momma’s Meals
• Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Dip from Daily Dish Recipes
• Cranberry Glazed Meatballs from Curious Cuisiniere
• Easy White Queso with Chorizo from Supper for a Steal
• Eggplant Lentil Fritters With Orange Salsa from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• #GlutenFree 7 Layer Bean Dip from Cooking Underwriter
• Gulf Coast Smoked Tuna Dip from 30A Eats
• Ham & Cheese Crescents from Masala Herb
• Ham Crescents {Schinkenhoernle} #DairyFree from Galactopdx
• Little Filo Cheese Rolls from Food Lust People Love
• Mini Crab Bites from Webicurean
• Muffuletta Skewers from Magnolia Days
• Peach Jalapeno Fritters from I Run for Wine
• Philly Cheesesteak Bites from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Pizza Pretzel Rolls from Cravings of a Lunatic
• Pizza Wontons from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Refried Black Beans with Pita Chips from Basic N Delicious
• Roasted Garlic-Bacon Dip from girlichef
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Stamp & Go! from The Lovely Pantry
• Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Dates from Noshing with the Nolands
• Tandoori Spiced Popcorn from MarocMama
• Wonton Cones Filled with Oriental Salad from Simply Gourmet

#SundaySupper Super Bowl Main Dishes:

• Bacon-Wrapped Chili Cheese Dogs from Damn Delicious
• Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Sandwiches from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Chicken in Passion Fruit Crunch from The Urban Mrs.
• Green Chile Cheeseburgers from Juanita’s Cocina
• Grilled Pizza with Sausage and Spinach from Ruffles & Truffles
• Marinated Rump Steak with Chimichurri Sliders from Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Meatball Sub Sliders from Country Girl in the Village
• Oven-Fried Catfish Fingers with Mango-Chili Dip from Pescetarian Journal
• Pigs in Sleeping Bags from Comfy Cuisine
• Turkey Sliders with Roasted Tomatoes from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Vegan “Hamburger Helper” Soup from What Smells So Good?

#SundaySupper Super Bowl Desserts:

• Shortbread Brownies from Baker Street
• Smores Blossom Cookies from Chocolate Moosey
• Sweet Little Pastries from Happy Baking Days
• Sweet Potato Cake Pops from Ninja Baking
• Toddler Truffles from In the Kitchen with Audrey

#SundaySupper Super Bowl Tablescape:  10 Tips For A Winning Superbowl Buffet Table from An Appealing Plan

Now that is one feast for sure! I’m sure you found a whole bunch of recipes to make for your next party. Be sure to bookmark this post so you can reference it easily. It is a keeper list for sure.

What is your favorite party food? Is there one you always make when entertaining or to take to a party? I have several and these muffuletta skewers are in my make often list along with pimento cheese balls and stuffed mushrooms. I’m so ready for a party, how about you?

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Chicken/Tuna Melts

December is coming to an end and with that we must face a New Year.

2013 almost did not happen-according to the Mayan calendar or those that predicted the end of the world in previous years.  Personally, I never believed any of the dates or calendars.

I won't judge, though if you did.  We are each entitled to our own belief.

I will have to share a funny story with these events in mind.

On December 20, my family and I were enjoying our 12 Days of Christmas celebration (we each were given a white shirt and asked to decorate it).  Having just finished and restoring the caps to the markers, the lights began to flicker.

We live in a very wooded community and so this is not unusual.  We roll our eyes and jokingly say, "not again?".

This time, it was different.  The lights flickered off and on at least 10 times-fading in an out-not the usual on and then off again motion of previous outages.

Eventually they were out.  I mean OUT OUT-for 6 hours OUT!

We looked outside and the darkness was so black.  Usually when we lose power you can see a glow in the distant and we know that the big city is still bright and merry.  Not this time.

It was silent, dark and very cold.

We decided to light our candelabras and sit around the table.  I have had these candles since we were married.  They are silver and have been used for every Christmas and important holiday.  They are showing their age and yet I cannot depart from them.  As I watched the wax roll down the side of each candle, heard the laughter of my children and saw their smiles--I knew that I was being given a very special memory to archive for future story telling opportunities.

Little did I know that our night would get even better.

We thought it strange that we did not hear any fire trucks or sirens.  When the power has gone out before we hear these in the distant and this will sometimes give us a clue as to why we may have lost power- a fire, a car accident or something else.

What we did hear was a hum.  A low hum coming from outside.

Drake walked to the front door, opened to find a green glow over in the direction of the high school.

We all quickly ran to the windows and peered outside.

For the first time, I thought the Mayan's might have been right.  I know it's funny but when you see something that you have only seen in movies before your eyes, your mind does strange things.

Mine did.

I really said this, "Cory, are those aliens?"  Silly, huh? For a few seconds I thought the Mayans had predicted the end of the world and it was going to be at the hand of little green men.

It made me anxious, Isabella was in tears and the big kids thought they were in for the ride of their lives.  Dad was just cool and sat there working on his shirt, by candlelight and taking in the conversation at the table.

We mentioned more than our fair share of Zombie and Apocalypse type jokes through out the rest of the night.

To end the night we brought out our Tarot cards and had some fun.  This is something that we enjoy doing as a family.  I know that many don't understand the cards, don't believe in them or may even think they are evil.

To us, they have been a fun way to see our lives, think about the possibilities of our future, help understand the past and refine things in our present day.

It's not for everyone, but our family, on this night, drew comfort from being together and doing something that sparked great conversation and a memory that none of us will soon forget.

I awoke the next day thinking to myself, that I had just partook of the best day of my life for the year 2012.  My Christmas gift came a few days early and I can still feel the gratitude I will forever hold to; that for a few hours, the lights went out, technology turned off, the candles were lit and we enjoyed each other uninterrupted.

With the memories of 2012 still close to our hearts and our future before us,  my goal to simplifying my life is one that I will take with me into 2013.  This recipe is an easy one that I hope will lighten your load on a busy night.

I am sharing with you a biscuit idea that I first tried for my family a few years back.  I am pretty sure I found the recipe on the back of a Grands biscuit tube.  You can use tuna or chicken to make the salad.  My family prefers chicken.

If you need to use gluten free biscuits, HERE is an easy recipe that I make.  They will need to be precooked as the recipe below suggest.

Recipe:  Chicken/Tuna Melts

1 (13 oz) can of diced chicken, drained
1/4 cup of green onions, diced
1 celery rib, diced finely
salt/pepper to taste, usually just a dash of each
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon of red pepper, diced finely
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese + more for topping
1 can of Grand's biscuits or a batch of Gluten free biscuits

Preheat oven according to directions on biscuit can.

Bake the biscuits according to those directions.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.

After the biscuits have cooled for a few minutes, cut in half.

Turn oven to broil.

Put a small scoop of chicken salad on top of each biscuit halve with a bit more cheese.

Place each halve on a cookie sheet and broil until cheese has melted.

Remove and serve.

Written by Sherron Watson

Chicken and Mushroom Alfredo

 

I love the combination of chicken and mushrooms together.  When you add a rich creamy sauce and some noodles you have a wonderful bowl of comfort food.

I don't use canned cream of anything soups.

WHY?

They are all usually made with wheat and other products that I don't care to feed my family.  When I need a cream base for soups or casseroles I start with three ingredients: butter, rice flour and milk or cream.

This gives me a rich thick white cream sauce to start my recipe with. Kind of like a blank canvas that a painter may use to start their drawings.

Once this is made, then I will add flavor to make the cream sauce go with my entree.  I add this flavor with cheese, fresh herbs, spices and veggies.

For this dish, I used parmesan cheese, minced garlic and sauteed mushrooms to add the flavor boost. When combined with the noodles and chicken you get a warm creamy alfredo style pasta dish.

The meat that you are adding to a creamy dish can also help add flavor.  A chicken breast can be seasoned with garlic salt, onion powder, dried herbs, salt and pepper then sauteed in olive oil for  added depth to the entree.

I built the flavors for this easy casserole  with the sauce, the sauteed mushrooms, onion and garlic and then the sauteed chicken breast.

When they all came together into the casserole it was a pleasant blend of texture and taste.

I have made this dish in a 9X13 casserole pan as well as in individual ramekins.

I also used gluten free noodles to make my                                                 casserole.  Regular wheat noodles can be used too.

Cooking from scratch does not have to be hard once you learn a few basics recipes.  Having a red and white sauce in your repertoire of recipes is a great place to start so that you can start saving money by not buying the expensive cans, and also by sharing with your family, food made with real ingredients.

Recipe:  Chicken and Mushroom Alfredo

4 cups of chicken, sliced or diced into small pieces
2 cups of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 teaspoon of garlic, minced
olive oil to saute
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick)
1/4-1/3 cup of brown rice flour (the more you use the thicker the sauce will be)
2 cups of cream (I have also used 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of cream)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
dash of salt1 box of penne pasta, cooked and drained
fresh mozzarella cheese to top casserole with.

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare noodles according to the directions on the box.  When cooked, drain and set aside.

In a saute pan, add chicken and a splash of olive oil.  You can use salt, pepper, garlic salt and onion powder to add flavor to the chicken breast.  I don't measure I just start shaking and eyeballing it.

Cook meat until no longer pink.  Remove pieces to a bowl.

Return pan to oven and a splash more oil and add mushrooms, onions and garlic.  Saute until mushrooms are soft.  (3-5 minutes)

In a pot on the stove melt the butter, add the flour and stir.  Add the milk and bring to a boil, stirring so that the flour does not stick to the bottom of the pan.  Once thick, remove from heat and add parmesan cheese.  Stir to combine.

In a large bowl combine chicken, sauteed mushroom mixture, alfredo sauce and noodles.  Spread in a 9X13 pan or portion in small ramekins.

Place mozzarella over the top of casserole.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, enough time to melt the cheese and warm any ingredients that may have cooled while waiting for the other items to be done.

Remove from oven and serve.

Written by Sherron Watson

Shredded Chicken with Green Chili's

I have made this for a few years now and thought I had it on the blog.  I don't.

It's so easy and great for those days that you have a lot going on in your family.

This can be made the night before too and warmed up for an easy on-the-go dinner or lunch.

I had originally made it a few weeks ago to use in taco shells but I was too lazy to make and/or warm up the corn tortilla's.

Terrible, huh?

I get so tired around dinner time and especially on days that I am cooking for 6-8 hours that it's meals like this that I rely on once in a while.

On Sunday, I usually get all of the meat out of the freezer for the next 4-5 days.  Some things thaw faster in the fridge than others and those get used first.

It was these two chickens breast lucky day.

I threw them into the crock pot and then thought to myself, "now what?"  The next thing I saw was a can of diced green chili's and I immediately made this old stand by.

I love it because it is so versatile depending on how much time I have to prepare dinner and on how tired I am.

The meat can be used in taco's, on a salad, as a filling for enchilada's or by its self with all the fixings and a big bowl of Frito chips.

I like to eat mine with a scoop of sour cream, jack cheese and fresh avocado.

Recipe:  Shredded Chicken with Green Chili's

2 large chicken breast, thawed
1 (4oz) can of diced green chili's
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of cumin
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1/2 a red onion, sliced
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed (add towards the end)

Add the first 7 ingredients to the crock pot and cook on high for two hours.

Check chicken and shred.  If the chicken does not easily pull apart, then cook for another hour and check.

Add the can of black beans and stir.  If you add the black beans in the beginning they may not hold their shape.

Once chicken shreds easily your chicken is done.

Serve or save in the refrigerator for a later use.

Puff Pastry Buffalo Chicken Appetizer

I love to make my own puff pastry.  It is time consuming, but the flavor is amazing.  When you take that first bite and the layers just snap apart in your mouth as your teeth cuts through each flaky tier, you can't help but smile with pride.  

I always wait anxiously the 24 hours it takes to make the puff pastry wondering several things:

1.  Did I just waste $8.00 dollars worth of butter?

2.  Will it rise in the oven?

3.  How am I going to use this much puff pastry?

The recipe I use makes a lot and so, it should be noted, that having a few recipes on hand is a good 

idea.

I always use the left over dough to make bread twist or cinnamon sugar treats for the kids.

I brushed these pieces with butter and sprinkle Old Bay Seasoning on them before baking.  "Super good"..direct quote from one of the teachers at school.

I get a little bit excited about my puff pastry or I should say Emeril's because it's his original recipe that I use.  You can find my step by step pictorial HERE if you would like to make your own.

Fear not, because store bought works too!

I have readers that range in "new" to experienced", so I like to give lots of options.

I knew that a buffalo style appetizer was in the works when I made my first batch of puff pastry.  I felt that the buttery layers combined with a cheesy sauce and spice chicken would shine.

I will be honest...THEY DO!..LOL

The key to making this appetizer be a success and not a mess is having the circles of puff pastry large.  I used a 3.5 round cookie cutter.  The cheesy sauce should be kept to a small spoonful.  If you add too much they will spill over.  By adding the chicken after they bake, you insure that the layers all rise.  You won't have the doughy bottom.

You are now prepared to make an appetizer that is sure to impress your friends.  These can easily be made at home, covered and transported to your game day party.  If they need to be warmed up, just pop them into the oven ( heated to 325) and warm for 10 minutes. 

Recipe:  Puff Pastry Buffalo Chicken Appetizer

Makes 24, depending on size of circle cutter used 

1 box of puff pastry, thawed

2 cups of cooked, diced chicken breast

1/2 cup Franks Hot Sauce

1/2 (4 oz) package of cream cheese, soft

1/4 cup of mayonnaise

1/4 cup of diced celery + 1/4 cup for garnish

1/4 cup of gorgonzola cheese

1 cup of jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 425.

Dice and cook chicken, drain off any juice and add hot sauce. Keep pan warm on stove. You will add the chicken right before serving.

Flour your surface and roll out pastry thin. Less than 1/4 inch. Using a 3.5 inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles place them 1 inch apart on cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

Combine in a medium size bowl cream cheese, mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of celery, gorgonzola cheese and jack cheese. Blend until well combined.

On each pastry circle add a small spoonful of cheese mixture. Spread with the back of the spoon until the center is covered. Leave the edges of each circle clean from filling. If you add too much it will spill over onto the pan when baked.

Bake for 20 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown on the middle shelf.

Remove from oven and gently place a scoop of buffalo chicken in the middle. The middle will sink a bit. Garnish with diced celery.

Shish Kabobs

Shish Kabobs have long been a family favorite of ours when hosting parties.  Especially if kids are involved.

We will have a variety of meats, veggies and marinades available for our family and friends to create their own version of what sounds, taste and looks delicious to them.

I love to make my own marinades by using what I have in my fridge.  Sometimes they turn out okay and other times they turn out excellent.  It's always a new adventure.

Store bought marinades are a great way to save time and try new flavors.  We use them on rare occasions when we are in a hurry or going camping.

There is not much of a recipe to follow for making the shish kabobs.  You can buy wooden skewers or metal ones.  I like the metal ones because we can reuse them.  The kids have an easier time piercing the veggies and meat because they also seem a bit sharper.

Don't be afraid to have an interesting assortment of veggies and fruits too.  The thing to remind guest is when making their kabob to try and remember cook times for their meat and match the accompanying veggies and fruits.

You could end up with some charred pineapple if you want your steak well done.  Tomatoes are another veggie that taste great on a kabob but cooks fast and can get mushy.  

Have your BBQ nice and hot and ready to go.  The kabobs don't take long to cook.

If you are only sharing one type of meat, then you can marinade it longer in the refrigerator before your guest get there.  This is simple to do.  Cut your meat into smaller pieces and cover with marinade.  The smaller pieces are better because then more of the meat is marinating.  If you use one large piece of chicken or beef then the surface that is being marinaded is much smaller and the flavor may not shine through.

Types of meat to use:

Beef
Chicken
Shrimp
Swordfish
Bacon


Types of Veggies to use:

Onion
Bell Pepper
Yellow Squash
Broccoli
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Cherry Tomatoes

Types of fruit to use:

Pineapple
Pitter Cherries
Grilled Peaches

Here are a couple of marinades that we have used before.  I found them on the Food Network Site.

Dijon-Rosemary Steak:

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, stemmed
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsami vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound sirloin steak , cut into 1-inch cubes

Citrus-Tarragon Chicken:

1 orange, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
1 lemon, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
1 lime, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes


The marinades are prepared the same.  Combine all of the ingredients, except the meat, and combine well.

Cut the meat into 1 inch cubes and add to the marinade.

Let meat marinade a minimum of 15 minutes, longer is preferred.  I would not recommend marinading the 1 inch cubes over night though.  You may end up with very strong cubes.

Recipe shared over at Amee's Savory Dish for Fit and Fabulous Friday.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

 The very first time I tried a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, I was hooked.

The combination of hot sauce, blue cheese and crunchy celery kept me coming back for more.

I have a tendency to "obsess" a bit about things.  When I find something I like I have no problem eating it over and over, back to back for days.

I like this recipe because it can be made in the crockpot, in the stove or thrown together in the microwave.

I like to cook this dish in the crock pot if I have the time.  I also make a large loaf of warm bread for family and friends. You can find the recipe that I use for the bread here.  I chop extra veggies for those that cannot eat the bread (like me).

I also think that this could be made without the chicken pieces and still taste yummy for your friends that don't eat meat.


Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup of green onions, diced
1/2 cup Franks hot sauce
1/2 cup Jack or Cheddar, shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1.5 cups of cooked,diced chicken
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
2 celery stalks, diced for garnish
Serve with celery sticks, crackers or fresh bread

I used my crockpot to prepare this dip.  If you wish to use your oven, preheat oven to 350.  Use a pie dish and cook for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

To prepare in the crockpot:  Add cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, green onions and hot sauce.  Combine until mixed, it does not have to be smooth.

Add cheese and chicken. Mix well.

 Cook on high for 2 -3 hours.  Check every so often and stir.

Transfer dip to a pie plate and garnish with blue cheese and celery pieces.

I used the left over dip on a salad the next day.

I grilled my lettuce on the grill with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper.  Warmed up the dip and enjoyed a buffalo chicken salad.  It was delicious.

Seasoned Chicken Breast

Some days you just don't want to cook, or maybe that is just me.  I wake up in the morning knowing that I have a few pieces of meat thawed in the fridge.  

I try to rub two brain cells together and come up with a fun, creative and new way of eating the same piece of meat I have been buying for 30 years.

Then, it hits me.  It's okay to make it simple and stick with what has worked in the past.

This is that dish I always fall back on.  WHY?

It's easy and can be used in many ways.  I have used this chicken in casseroles, in tacos, with pasta or served over a beautiful salad.  

I rarely change it up and stick with the same recipe every time.  That is a big deal in my world..LOL

This is not fancy but it's functional.  When your day is busy or your family is in and out, they can easily reach for a chicken breast or grab a cup of diced chicken pieces.

A simple piece of chicken can easily make any meal feel gourmet,  and without too much effort.

Recipe:  Seasoned Chicken Breast

3-4 Chicken Breast, boneless

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 an onion, sliced

1/4 cup of diced green onions

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

salt

pepper

Lawry's Seasoned Salt 

Find a pan that is large enough to hold your chicken breast.  Add oil.

I like my temperature to be set to medium and allow the pan and oil to heat up.  I use a stainless steel pan and the heat is an important aspect of cooking so that the meat does not stick.

Add your chicken breast, onions, garlic and spices.  Cook until the chicken releases easily when moved with a fork. (picture below)

Turn over the breast and re-season with salt, pepper and Lawry's Seasoned Salt. (picture below)

The total cooking time takes 12-15 minutes for a chicken breast that is less than an inch thick.

Before removing from the pan, check to make sure the chicken is fully cooked.  I usually cut a small slit in the back and spread with a knife and fork.  

Remove chicken to a plate and serve with pasta and sauce, over a green salad or as the filling for a taco.

The leftover onion, garlic and spices in the pan can be turned into a gravy by adding some flour and milk OR a nice wine to make a reduction.  

Chicken and Dumplings

Our weather this year in Maryland has been a sprinkle of this and a dash of that.  We have had high temperatures in March and low temperatures today, which today we are in the month of June.

It is no secret that my family enjoys a lovely bowl of soup all year round.

This is a basic recipe, that I am sure most of you make and probably use a little of this and a little of that to add flavor, texture and deliciousness to satisfy your families taste buds.

I usually make this right after I have bought a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.  It's true, I cannot resist the aroma of the chickens cooking in our local grocery store.  

Sometimes I have a lot of meat still left on the bones and other times it's slim pickings.  If you don't have the amount of meat that you would like, then you can add a can of cubed chicken, cook up a couple of chicken breast or add a few thighs to the stock pot. 

I like to combine the dark and white meats in my chicken soup.

When I was a kid our chicken and dumplings were prepared with diced potatoes in the soup, served with mashed potatoes on the side and of course, they had dumplings.  That is a lot of starch.  We have learned a little bit since I was a kid of what might be considered too much.LOL  Oh,  but it did taste good!

This is a lighter version of what I grew up with: no mashed potatoes and the diced potatoes are an option.  

Recipe:  Chicken and Dumplings

1 rotisserie chicken, with meat still on bones or 6-8 thighs
10 cups of water (you need extra broth for cooking the dumplings or you won't have much liquid left)
1 teaspoon pepper
4-6 cubes of chicken bouillon,  add more if you want a stronger flavor
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups of sliced carrots
1 cup of diced celery
1 cup of sliced onion
2 potatoes, diced (optional, not pictured above)
3 cups of chicken meat (picked off of carcass after it has simmered with the broth)

Dumpling recipe below

In a large stock pot, add the chicken carcass (or thighs), water, bouillon, garlic and pepper.  Let simmer for 60 minutes.

Taste the broth and see if it is to your liking.  Add salt or more bouillon to match your taste buds.

Remove the whole chicken or thighs.  Scrape the bottom to try and get any bones that may have slipped to the bottom. This can be a hot process.  Let the chicken cool or use two forks to remove the meat.  Remove all of the meat from the bones.  You can add as much meat as you would like.  I always start with three cups and go from there.

While you are removing the meat from the chicken you can let the veggies cook. Add the carrots, celery and onion.  Let cook until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.  If you choose to add potatoes, this cook time may be increase based on their doneness.

Add chicken and let soup simmer while you are making the dumplings. When ready to add the dumplings, I like my soup to be boiling.

Dumplings:

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons cold butter
1 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon of thyme. I like to add some dried herbs to make the dumplings look pretty.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, dried herb and baking soda, mixing well. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender or you can grate your butter, instead of using a pastry blender and toss together with your hands.

Add cold buttermilk, a few spoons at a time, mixing the dough from the outside in with fork until a soft dough forms (do not overmix - about 2 minutes total).  Based on where you live you may need to add a bit more flour or buttermilk, do so sparingly.  The dough should not be too wet or too dry.

You have two options to adding your dumplings to the chicken soup. You can roll out the dough to 1/4 inch on a lightly floured surface and cut them into strips or use a round cookie cutter OR you can drop by spoonfuls.  This is the method I have always used.  I try to make sure that when I place the dumpling in the soup that I spread it out a bit so that it's not too thick and they cook through.

Add dumplings to boiling soup and cover. Let cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. Try not to remove the lid before the time is up.  The steam is what will cook the top of the dumplings and when you crack the lid it releases the steam.

Serve in a bowl.

Homemade BBQ Sauce

2020 Update: With the stay-home policy set in place, I am cooking a lot from scratch. I made this today and it is still just as good as when I made it many years ago. I did double my batch and this required me to adjust some of the seasonings, so if you double the batch, you will also want to increase the seasonings to your flavor preferences. 


Memphis, Carolina, Hot, Sweet, Spicy, Mustardy….all words to describe one sauce:  BBQ.

I found this great link to learn more about some of the top flavors of preferred sauces.  LOOK HERE.

Making my own sauces from scratch is something I enjoy doing.  When it comes to salad dressings, marinades and dips, fresh sauces always taste better to me.  If they sit for a few days that flavor gets even better with time.

This bbq recipe I have been making for our favorite BBQ items for a long time now.  I use it on chicken and ribs.

Over the years it has been modified with a few tweaks here and there based on what I have had on hand.   This is the beauty of cooking from scratch, you never get bored because your imagination with flavors are always changing and improving based on what you have at your fingertips.

I play this silly game with myself, I imagine walking into someone's home and being asked to cook dinner with what they have…no grocery runs, borrowing from the neighbors or sneaking into my purse to retrieve something from my home.

Just me and their ingredients.  Oh the fun that I would have and the challenge it could be.

Back to the recipe…LOL  I get easily distracted.  Okay here you go.

This recipe today, I have made several times the exact same way, that last few months.  I really wanted to TEST this recipe so that it was perfect.  My family believes it is.

If I had to label the flavor, I would lean toward a Memphis style.  It has the twang of vinegar and a little bit of a sweet touch.

It works so well with the mild flavor of chicken and pork that I often have to put a small bowl on the table for my family and friends to add more to their plates.  They always want MORE.

With this sauce, more is better.  It cooks nicely to the meat and creates a rich reddish brown coating.   I also love the tips of my meat to get charred…I love that slight touch of a burnt BBQ flavor in some of my bites.

Yes, it's a weird thing but I also grew up with my Mom eating burnt toast….it must be in our DNA.  LOL

Recipe:  Homemade BBQ Sauce


Makes 3 cups of sauce, after simmering for an hour

1.5 cups of ketchup
1 cup of tomato sauce
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1/4 cup of honey
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons mustard powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves of minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons hot sauce
1/8-1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke (start with less and add more based on your taste)


Combine all of the above ingredients into a medium size pot.  Turn heat to medium high and bring sauce to almost a boil, bubbles around edges.  Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.

You will start to notice your sauce getting deeper in color, thicker and reducing.  This is what you want.

 With your meat prepared, add your sauce to coat.  I will use our chicken legs as an example.

Make sure your meat is well coated.

I set my grill at 350 degrees.  I add my coated chicken legs and let each side cook for about 7 minutes.  I add more sauce each time I turn my legs.  This gets the sauce nice and thick on each piece.

TADA…you're done!  Nicely BBQ'd chicken legs or ribs (picture below).

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Recipe:  Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2 chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1 T. Oyster Sauce
1 T. Hoisin Sauce
2 T. Soy Sauce
1 T. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. Sesame Oil
2 tsp. corn starch

Veggies:

1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup of fresh mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup of shredded carrots
1/2 cup of red onion,  diced small
2 small zucchini's, diced small

In a medium-size bowl add chicken pieces all of the ingredients listed under "chicken".  Set aside and let marinate for 15 minutes.  This gives you time to dice your veggies.

Dice and prepare your veggies according to the recipe.

You should have two bowls…one with chicken marinating and one with veggies.

In a pan, heat peanut oil and add veggies.  Saute for 4-5 minutes.  Remove and return to bowl.

In a pan, add more peanut oil and cook chicken with marinade.  The sauce will thicken a bit and should be watched and stirred so that it does not burn.

Once the chicken is cooked add the cooked veggies and stir.

Remove from your heat and serve with lettuce chunks.  I cut ahead in half and then in quarters.  I removed the very center parts and left the darker green parts of the lettuce.

Peanut Sauce makes a little over a half cup


3 T. peanut butter
1/2 cup of coconut milk
1/4 tsp. minced ginger
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. soy sauce


I added all of the ingredients to a microwavable bowl, heated for 30 seconds, stirred and served.


It was tasty, easy and went well with the wraps.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken enchiladas have been a Watson staple for as long as we can remember.  When I married into the family almost 24 years ago, this was a favorite dinner.  We would have it served with pea salad and bread rolls.  Oh, we all clamored to get a seat up front and we always wanted leftovers.

I can't count the number of times I have made these for our family over the years.  I have shared this recipe with lots of friends along the way too.  I am shocked that I have not shared or posted this recipe in the past.

You can tell from the title that I changed one of the main ingredients…we wanted to try something different and so we did.  We took our beloved chicken enchiladas and made them into turkey enchiladas.

Oh, they were very good and we will make these again.  The turkey does have a stronger flavor than the chicken.  I don't mind this change.  I served the enchiladas with the yummy breadsticks from The Pizza Factory.  I make them myself and they are always an extra bonus for my family.

I will tell you though, I do not use store-bought Cream of Chicken soup anymore.  It has a funky flavor to me and I would rather eat something with fewer ingredients too.  I make my own cream soup and add this to the enchilada mix.  You can use mine or the canned version of cream of chicken soup.

For the cream of chicken soup:

6 T. butter
1/4-1/2 cup of flour (more for a thicker soup)  FOR GF- use white or brown rice flour
1 tsp. minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 cups of milk
2 cups of chicken broth
salt and pepper
1/2 cup of chicken pieces ( I don't add this when making it for the chicken enchiladas though)

Melt the butter in a small pan. Add the garlic, onion powder and flour; cook for 2 minutes.  Slowly add milk and broth. Stir often and bring to a boil.  Salt and pepper to taste.  As the soup sits it will also thicken a bit more.  This will make 4 cups.  Always taste it before you use it to see if it might need a dash more seasoning.

Chicken or Turkey Enchiladas

2-3 cups of chicken or turkey pieces
1/2 cup of green onion
2 cups of cream of chicken soup OR 2 cans of soup, like Campbell's
2 cups of sour cream
3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (save 1 cup for the top of the enchiladas)
20-24 corn tortillas
oil to cook tortillas in

NOTE:  If you don't want to roll the corn shells into enchiladas the alternative is to make it like a lasagna...layer the chicken sauce with the tortillas.  It turns out just as good and takes less time.  Cook time is the same.

In a large bowl combine the first 5 ingredients.  Stir until well blended.  Try to save about 1.5 cups of mix for the top of your enchiladas (see picture below).

*If using the homemade cream of chicken soup, your sauce will be thinner then if you used the can.  If you used the can and you feel it's too thick, you can add milk to thin it a bit.

Prepare your corn tortillas by cooking them in oil for a few minutes and cooling in between paper towels to soak up any extra oil.

Once your mix is made and the tortillas are cooked, you can start preparing the enchiladas.  I use a scoop and add about 2 T. of mix to each corn tortilla and line them up in a baking pan.  I can fit 10-12 in each of my smaller pans or 20-22 in a 9X13 pan.

With the remaining chicken/turkey mixture, top cover all of the tortillas.  It does not have to be a thick amount, just enough so the corn tortillas do not get hard when baked.

Top the enchiladas with the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Written by Sherron Watson