Chicken Tetrazzini

Ingredients:

Meat from one whole rotisserie chicken, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb. baby portabella mushrooms, washed and quartered
2 tbs. flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup chardonnay or any other white wine
1 cup heavy cream
3 tbs. sun dried tomatoes, chopped
3 tbs. fresh basil, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
1 pkg. thin spaghetti
1/2 cup asiago cheese, grated

Directions:

Over medium heat in large stock pot, melt butter.  Add onion and garlic and sauté for 4 minutes until onions are translucent.  Turn up heat slightly in between medium and medium high.  Add mushrooms, sauté about 8 minutes until juices are absorbed and starting to brown.  Reduce back to medium. Add flour and stir well.  Slowly stir in broth and wine.  Cook about 2 more minutes stirring well. Add cream, basil, sun dried tomatoes, and salt & pepper.  Cook about 1 to 2 more minutes until heated through.  Fold in chicken. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente.  Drain well.  Fold pasta into chicken and sauce.  Stir well.  Pour into casserole dish.  Sprinkle with asiago cheese.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Shrimp Victoria

Ingredients:

1 lb. raw jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/4 cup of butter
1 cup sliced raw mushrooms
1/2 small white onion
salt & pepper
1 tbs flour
1 cup sour cream
a few dashes of cayenne pepper
rice

Directions:

Sauté mushrooms and onion in butter over medium heat.  Sauté until mushrooms are almost brown, add shrimp continue to cook until shrimp are pink.  Do not overcook the shrimp.  Add the salt, pepper and flour and cook a few more minutes.  Add sour cream and 2-3 dashes of cayenne pepper.  Stir well and cook just until sour cream is heated.  Serve over rice.

Broiled Quail with Caper Sauce

Ingredients:

8 quail
3/4 cup of melted butter
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1 4 oz. jar of capers, drained
3 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water

Directions:

Preheat oven on broil (500 degrees). Lay your quail flat, skin side up in broiling pan. Melt butter over low heat.  Stir in spices until mixed well. Pour seasoned butter evenly over quail. I use the pre-marinated quail that come 4 to a package and I usually make 2 packages to feed 4 people because there is not very much meat on one quail. Before you put the quail in the oven start your sauce because it does not take long for the quail to cook.  Combine broth, wine, vinegar and capers.  Bring to boil and then reduce to medium.  Continue to boil about ten minutes, then reduce to low for about 5 minutes.  At this point it should be reduced to about half of the liquid that you started with.  Cover and remove from heat.  If you put your quail in the oven about the same time that your sauce comes to its first boil that will time it about right to be ready at the same time.  Or you can make your sauce ahead of time and reheat it. Broil quail for about 15 minutes until it starts to get golden.  Remove from oven. Return caper sauce to high heat.  As soon as it starts to boil pour in cornstarch/water mixture and whisk constantly until sauce thickens 1-2 minutes.  Pour sauce over quail and serve.  I serve this with cornbread stuffing and peas with mushrooms. Enjoy!

Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
1 lb. ground pork
2 large eggs
handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 slices white bread
1/2 cup milk
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. all spice 
1 lb. ground beef

Gravy:
2-4 tbs. butter
4-6 tbs. canola oil or meatball drippings
1/2 cup flour
1 pkg. mushrooms, washed and sliced
2 cups beef broth
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup half and half
salt & pepper to taste

Dash of nutmeg 
2 tbs. chopped parsley

**Mushrooms are optional 

Directions:

Tear bread into pieces place in small bowl and pour milk over bread.  Toss to coat, and set aside.  Chop onion and sauté in large skillet with 2 tbs. butter until translucent.  Add minced garlic and cook just one minutes more.  Place bread/milk, onion/garlic, 2 eggs, pork, parsley, salt & pepper in bowl of stand mixer (or you can mix by hand).  Mix with batter attachment until very well combined and smooth.  Then break the beef into small crumbles and add until evenly distributed. Roll into small balls and place in large roasting pan.  Bake at 350 about 20-25 minutes.  While baking prepare gravy.  Add butter to large skillet and sauté mushrooms until completely cooked and starting to brown.  Remove from pan and set aside.  To same pan on medium heat add oil and flour.  Will form a paste.  Cook 2-3 minutes whisking constantly.  Slowly add in both broths.  Add half and half and continue to whisk and bring to boil.  Cook at least five minutes until thickened.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in mushrooms and parsley.  Remove meatballs from oven.  Spoon into large stock pot.  Pour gravy over meatballs.  Place stock pot on med low heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Serve over egg noodles or rice.

Spinach Melt Chicken

This is another Pinterest recipe that turned out pretty awesome!

Ingredients:

4-5 thin sliced chicken breasts
1/3 cup of flour
season salt, salt, pepper
3 tbs. olive oil
1 container of mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup wine
1 package of raw baby spinach
splash of lemon juice (optional)
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tbs. butter
mozzarella (fresh or block)
freshly grated parmesan
3 tbs. fresh parsley (optional)

Directions:

Heat oil in fry pan at medium to medium high heat. Season chicken with season salt and pepper and dredge in flour.  Fry just until golden on both sides. You don't want it completely cooked through at this point because it will finish cooking in the oven.  Place in casserole dish.  Make sure dish is large enough to hold chicken without overlapping.  Wash and slice mushrooms, chop onion, and mince garlic.  Add mushroom and onion to pan, sauté at medium heat at least 5 minutes or more until browned.  Add garlic and sauté one minute more.  Add salt at the end. Deglaze pan with wine. Cook until wine is absorbed. Set mushrooms aside in bowl. Wash spinach and remove stems if necessary. Add spinach to pan and cook until fully wilted. Reduce heat to low, add cream cheese and stir around until fully melted. Add butter and stir until melted. Add salt and pepper and lemon juice. I always add lemon to spinach it just gives it a little pop of flavor. Make sure your spinach is well seasoned.  At this point, if it is too thick you can add a dash of cream or whole milk, but not too much. You want the spinach to be moist enough to not dry out in the oven but thick enough to stay in a glob on top of the chicken breast.  Remove from heat and fold in about 1/4 cup of grated parmesan. Fold mushrooms into spinach and mix well.  Add a heaping spoonful of creamed spinach mixture atop of each chicken breast dividing evenly among them.  Spread out spinach to cover entire piece of chicken.  Top each chicken piece with a healthy amount of mozzarella, sliced fresh mozzarella would be perfect if available, if not you can use a block of mozzarella and slice into thick pieces. Add more grated parmesan to the top of each. Sprinkle a little bit of parsley over the top. Bake at 350 degrees about 25 minutes.  Cheese should just be starting to brown on top.

When I made this recipe I used pre-shredded mozzarella because that was what I had on hand, and did this sort of last minute.  Next time I will definitely use fresh mozzarella. I think also next time I will marinate the chicken breast since this process does not really inhibit a lot of moisture into the chicken. Otherwise I really liked this recipe.  I am a big lover of spinach.  I think this would also work well with a large portabella mushroom for a vegetarian version. I served it with fried zucchini and ranch dressing on the side.

Chicken a la Gloria

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts
1/3 cup flour
salt & pepper
3 tbs. canola oil
1 package of mushrooms
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
6 slices muenster cheese
3 tbs. fresh chopped parsley
cooked white rice

Directions:

Slice 3 chicken breasts length wise creating 6 thin breast.  Salt and pepper both sides.  Dredge in flour.  Heat oil in pan and fry breasts until well browned on both sides.  Transfer to casserole dish.  Dish should be large enough for all six breast to lay flat in one layer without overlapping.  Wash and slice mushroom, mince garlic and chop onion.  Add to hot pan and sauté until well browned.  Deglaze pan with wine.  Cook about 10 minutes or until wine is reduced by half.  Add in milk & soup.  Stir well and continue to cook until bubbly.  Pour sauce over chicken.  Cook at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Increase temperature to 400 degrees.  Layer cheese on top of chicken and sprinkle with parsley.  Cook additional 15 minutes.  Serve over white rice.

I got this recipe from Pinterest.  I did not make any changes but I may try next time using a basic white sauce instead of cream of mushroom.

Chicken Fried Rice

This is better than take out!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup long grain rice
3 cups water
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. sesame oil (optional)
1 large clove of garlic whole
1/2 white onion, diced
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup diced cooked chicken
3 eggs
2-3 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbs. oyster sauce (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

This works better is the rice is cold.  So this is perfect if you have some left over rice already in the fridge.  Or if I don't have left over rice I make the rice and then refrigerate for about an hour or so before.  This is also great if you have some left over (unseasoned) chicken. It doesn't require very much chicken, 1 chicken breast is enough.  You can also substitute, shrimp, pork, beef, or just make it with no meat. So first you make your rice: bring 3 cups water to a boil, stir in 1 1/2 cups of rice.  Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.  Do not take off lid during the 20 minutes. Once rice is cooked I usually transfer it to a bowl and pop it in the refrigerator for about an hour. Once your rice is chilled, using a deep frying pan or wok heat canola and sesame oil to medium high.  Be careful not to use too much sesame oil as it has a strong flavor, you may also omit it all together. Peel and cut garlic clove into four pieces.  Fry garlic until it begins to brown. Remove garlic.  This will infuse the oil with garlic flavor. Discard the garlic or chop it up in very small pieces and add it in with the onion. Chop white onion and add to oil.  Add in frozen vegetables.  Stir fry for about 5 minutes. Crack three eggs, allow the eggs to start to cook before stirring.  I sort of chop and stir with a metal spatula to break up the eggs.  Once eggs are fully cooked add in the chicken. Stir fry just about 1 minute.  Add cold rice.  Stir fry for about 3-4 minutes until you can see the rice starting to take on a little browning. Add in soy sauce and oyster sauce, salt and pepper to taste. If you do not have oyster sauce on hand you can just use soy sauce but I think the oyster sauce adds an extra richness to it. Stir well, remove from heat. Stir in green onions. Serve with some egg rolls. Enjoy!

Lasagna

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 lb. ground round

1 lb. mild Italian sausage

1 tbs. olive oil

1 pkg. lasagna noodles

1/2 chopped onion

24 oz. jar marinara

15 oz. can tomato sauce

6 oz. can tomato paste

32 oz. tub of ricotta cheese

2 eggs

3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

1 tbs. butter

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

2 cups grated parmesan cheese

4 cups grated mozzarella cheese

 

Directions:

 

Remove skins from sausage brown beef and sausage together, adding in the onion about half way through.  Once meat is fully cooked add in the marinara, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.  Stir well to combine.  Simmer about 30 minutes, stirring frequently.  While sauce is simmering, add 1 tbs. butter to skillet and add in spinach. Sauté spinach about 4-5 minutes, until fully wilted then remove from heat and set aside to cool.  Place large pot of water with a splash of olive oil and a tbs. of salt to boil.  Boil pasta according to package instructions about 7-8 minutes.  Rinse in cool water until cool enough to handle and drain well.  In large bowl, combine ricotta, 3/4 cup of parmesan, 2 eggs, salt, pepper, and spinach.  Mix well.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Now you are ready to assemble the lasagna.  Lightly oil large pan. Start with a layer of pasta.  Then a layer of meat sauce with a light sprinkling of mozzarella.  Next carefully spread a layer of ricotta and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.  Then repeat layers depending on the depth of pan ending with pasta, meat sauce, with a good layer of mozzarella and a light sprinkling of parmesan on the very top. Bake for 35 minutes on 350 degrees.  Increase heat to 425 degrees and bake additional 10 minutes.  Allow to cool for about ten minutes before serving.

 

This recipe is intended for a large deep lasagna pan.  If you are like me and do not have one, you can use a rectangular cake pan + a square cake pan in order to use up all ingredients.