Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Another delicious pasta dish from the Pioneer Woman. Yum!

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole (Pioneer Woman)
1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken
1 stick 1/2 Cup Butter
16 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Sliced
¼ cups Dry White Wine (I use cooking wine)
Kosher Salt And Pepper
¼ cups Flour
2 cups Chicken Broth (reserved From Chicken Or Canned)
1-½ cup Whole Milk
¼ cups (additional) Dry White Wine
1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 cup Whole Black Olives, Chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Or To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Extra Cheese, For Sprinkling
1 pound Thin Spaghetti

Place chicken in a pot of water and boil on medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool slightly. Keep broth in pot.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Throw in mushrooms, add 1/4 cup white wine, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until liquid has totally evaporated. Remove mushrooms from skillet. Set aside.

Bring broth to a boil. Break spaghetti into thirds (shorter pieces). Add spaghetti pieces to boiling broth and cook. Drain when al dente. Remove meat from bones and shred until you have 2-plus cups of shredded chicken.

Return large skillet to medium-low heat. Add 6 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle flour over butter, whisking to combine. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups broth and whisk to combine. Pour in milk, additional 1/4 cup wine, salt and pepper to taste, then cook and bubble until thick. Turn off heat, add Parmesan cheese, and stir.

Add mushrooms, chicken, and chopped olives. Stir to combine and check seasonings. Add cooked spaghetti and stir.

Turn into a 9 x 13 casserole pan. Bake at 350 degrees or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with salad and warm, crusty bread.

Amazing Chicken Wings...Finally!

This is my version of Winger's Chicken Wings and their Original Amazing Sauce. I posted my version of their delicious Asphalt Pie almost a year ago- and promised I'd soon post my version of their wings. So almost 1 year later...here it is! These wings are sweet and spicy, but not so spicy that my kids won't eat them. If you like them hotter, just decrease the amount of brown sugar in the sauce or add some Tabasco. Be sure to serve them with some thinly sliced celery sticks and lots of Ranch dressing! Loaded potato skins are also a great side dish.

Amazing Chicken Wings

4 lbs. chicken wings

1/3 c. cornstarch

1/2 c. Frank's Red Hot Sauce (original)

1 c. brown sugar

3 tb. butter

oil for frying

Pour about 2 inches of oil into a large saucepan. Heat to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, place cornstarch in a large ziploc bag. Rinse chicken wings and pat dry with paper towels. Toss wings in bag of cornstarch. When oil is heated (it should bubble vigorously when you place a wing in), carefully place a single layer of wings in oil (you will probably have to fry the wings in two batches). Fry 8-10 minutes, until outsides are golden & crispy and meat is cooked through. Drain on paper towels and fry second batch. While wings are cooking, Mix Red Hot Sauce and brown sugar in small saucepan, and heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Get out a large bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Place drained wings in bowl and pour sauce on top. Place lid on bowl and shake until wings are coated in sauce (you may want to do this over the sink, just in case!). Serve with some celery sticks and plenty of Ranch for dipping. Enjoy! Serves 6 hungry people as a main dish, 8-10 as a side or party dish.

Strawberry Napoleons

Need a last minute Valentine's Day dessert? I just couldn't resist the strawberries on sale this week, so we've had strawberries in fruit salad, strawberry sauce on pancakes, and these for dessert tonight. These little babies were refreshing, light and delicious. The perfect sweet ending to a Valentine's dinner! And super easy, too!

Strawberry Napoleons

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (that is 1/2 a package)

1 lb. strawberries, sliced

4 tb. sugar, divided

1 c. heavy cream

chocolate sauce or melted milk chocolate, if desired

Unfold puff pastry and cut into 3 strips along perforations, and then cut each third into 4 pieces. Lay on greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, remove to wire rack to cool. Sprinkle sliced strawberries with 2 tb. sugar and stir (this can be done ahead of time and kept in fridge). Whip cream and mix in sugar. Once cool, split each pastry piece in half (so you should now have 24 pieces). Lay one piece on a plate, top with a few strawberries and a spoonful of whipped cream, then another pastry, more strawberries and cream, and then a third layer. Top with a fourth pastry piece and a drizzle of chocolate sauce or melted milk chocolate, if desired. Continue to make 5 more servings with remaining ingredients. Makes 6 servings. Enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup & How to Cut an Avocado

I have my old standby Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe that I got from a roommate in college, but I saw a new recipe on Pioneer Woman's blog and liked some of her ideas. So I took both recipes and combined them. We absolutely loved the results- this has all the things I loved about my recipe (corn and a sprinkle of lime juice at the end), plus some new flavors- like the black beans and ro-tel instead of a tomato and fresh jalapeno- which was always a little too spicy for the kids. I also loved this method of cooking the chicken- it was so flavorful and juicy! It is my new go-to recipe for quesadilla chicken, and you can change the spices to adapt it to any recipe that calls for cooked chicken.

Chicken Tortilla Soup (adapted from Pioneer Woman)

2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1-½ teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup Diced Onion
1/2 cup Diced Green or Red Bell Pepper
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies (I used mild)
32 ounces Low Sodium Chicken Stock
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
4 cups Hot Water
1 can Black Beans, drained
1 can Corn Kernels, drained
3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
Toppings:
Diced Avocado
Grated Colby Jack or Cheddar Cheese
Lime Juice
Chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.
Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, peppers, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.
Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.
Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed—be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips and corn kernels.
Ladle into bowls, then top with diced avocado, grated cheese, chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of lime juice!

Here is a super easy and not-so-messy way to cut an avocado:
1. First, cut all the way around the avocado, splitting it in half lengthwise. Make sure to cut all the way to the pit. Open the 2 halves by gently twisting them in opposite directions.

2. To remove the pit, carefully insert your knife into the pit. Twist it slightly and the pit will slide right out (make sure your avocado is ripe enough, or some avocado flesh will stick to the pit. You don't want to waste any of that yummy goodness!)

3. You can now scoop out the flesh, but wait! If you are slicing or dicing, it is much less messy to do it while the flesh is still in the skin. Just slice it right in there, being careful not to cut through the skin (or your fingers!). If you need it diced, just turn it and slice again the other way.

4. Now just scoop the flesh out of the skin using a medium-sized metal spoon. Now wasn't that easy?!

5. Now what to do with that avocado? Use it to top sandwiches, hamburgers or tortilla soup. Or mash it with a potato masher and make it into guacamole- awesome on enchiladas, quesadillas, or as a dip for chips. If you are making guacamole or another dip (how about Mexican Caviar or Shrimp Ceviche Dip?), make sure to save that pit. Store the dip with the pit in the middle and plastic wrap pressed down onto it to help keep the avocado from turning brown.
*Need to know how to pick a good avocado? Here are my tips: first, you need to decide when you need the avocado. If you are grocery shopping Monday and don't need it until the weekend, go ahead and choose a very firm avocado (it will be bright green in color). You can speed up the ripening process by placing it in a paper lunch bag with an apple- but this still takes a day or two. If you need the avocado right away, you'll have to buy one that is already ripe- it should give a little when you press the skin (sort of like a peach), but still be slightly firm (it will be dark green). I NEVER buy the ones that are already mushy and black!

Chicken Fajitas (and homemade seasonings)

Easy, quick and delicious, these are a perfect weeknight meal. Although you could certainly use a fajita seasoning packet, the homemade spice mix I used is easy as can be and uses spices found in any Mexican-food-lover's pantry. I have also included the recipe I use for homemade taco seasoning. They both make enough to season several batches of fajitas or tacos, so you can just make them up and store them for the next time!

Chicken Fajitas

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" strips (or use beef if you prefer)

4 tb. canola oil, divided

fajita seasoning (4 1/2 tb. homemade, or 1 packet)

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 green bell pepper, cut into strips

1 medium onion, cut into strips

10 corn or flour tortillas

1 c. grated cheese

In large saute pan, heat 2 tb. of the oil over medium-high heat. Saute peppers and onions until crisp-tender and nicely browned (even some smoky black parts are great on these babies!). Remove from pan and set aside. Heat remaining 2 tb. oil over medium-high heat. Toss chicken pieces in fajita seasoning, then saute in pan until chicken is cooked through (about 5-7 minutes). Add peppers and onions back to pan, toss and heat until warmed through. Serve in warm flour tortillas with grated cheese.

Fajita Seasoning

3 tb. cornstarch

2 tb. chili powder

1 tb. salt

1 tb. paprika

1 tb. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

1 1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. cumin

Mix all together, store in airtight container. Makes enough for 3 batches of fajitas (use 4 1/2 tb. mix for each pound of meat).

Taco Seasoning

2 tb. chili powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. paprika

3 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. black pepper

Mix all together, store in airtight container. Makes enough for 4 batches of tacos (use 4 tsp. mix for each pound of ground beef or chicken chunks). To prepare, cook 1 lb. meat until browned and cooked through. Add 4 tsp. taco mix and 1/2 c. water, mix, and simmer about 10 minutes, or until almost all liquid is cooked out. Serve in hard or soft tortillas w/ cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa.

Baked Brie with Apple Compote

I love Brie, so when I saw this recipe on Annie's Eats I knew I had to find a special occasion to make it for. I ended up making it for the baby shower my mom and Sarah gave me in El Paso. It was so delicious- everybody loved it! I ate the last piece warmed up for breakfast the next morning with a tall glass of milk (come on, apple cheese pastry for breakfast, that's healthy, right?).

Baked Brie en Croûte with Apple Compote

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut to ½-inch dice

¼ cup sugar

Pinch grated nutmeg
10-inch round puff pastry, rolled to ¼-inch thickness

1 round Brie cheese, 6-8 oz. and about 4½ inches wide, chilled

1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water
Water crackers, for serving
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples have released most of their juices, about 5-7 minutes. Mix in the sugar and nutmeg, stir well to combine, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 12-15 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Transfer the round of puff pastry to the prepared baking pan. Using a sharp knife, cut the disc of cheese in half horizontally to create two thinner discs. Place the bottom disc in the center of the puff pastry round. Spread about half of the apple compote over the surface of the cheese. Top with the remaining cheese disc. Layer with the remaining compote. Bring the puff pastry up around the edges of the brie-apple layers. Fold and pinch the edges so that only a small portion of the top surface is exposed. Brush the surface of the puff pastry lightly with the egg wash.
Bake until the puff pastry is golden all over and crisp, 40-45 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes, then transfer to a serving platter with a knife and crackers.

Christmas Crackles & Orange Ricotta Cookies

"Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver, and the other gold."

This is the Christmas cookie I remember making every year with my mom, without fail. The recipe was handed down from my grandma, Mimi. These are so good, and I can't believe I haven't posted them here before! It's just not Christmas without a plate of Crackles! They are also fun to make with the kids- they love to roll them and then coat them in the powdered sugar. Make sure to plan ahead- the dough needs to be refrigerated overnight.

Chocolate Crackles
4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
½ c. vegetable oil
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ c. chopped walnuts (optional, I don’t like nuts in cookies, so I never use them)
powdered sugar, for rolling
Cream oil and sugar, mix in melted chocolate. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Add nuts if desired. Cover bowl and chill in fridge overnight (or at least 4 hours). Shape dough into small balls (about 1"), and roll in powdered sugar. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen.


I love the chocolate-orange flavor combo, so when I saw this recipe on Two Peas & Their Pod, I knew I had to try it. I was a bit skeptical of the whole ricotta cheese in cookies idea, but I went with it and I was not disappointed! I used milk chocolate instead of dark, because that's what I had and I prefer it anyway, but I'm sure either would be great!

Orange Ricotta Cookies
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups ricotta cheese

3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 orange, zested (1 tsp zest)
Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons orange juice
To drizzle:

1 cup chopped dark or milk chocolate, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until ingredients are combined. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and the sugar. Beat the until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, orange juice, and orange zest. Beat to combine.
4. Stir in the dry ingredients. Spoon the dough (about 1 tablespoon for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
5. To glaze the cookies: combine the powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let glaze harden for about five minutes. Drizzle cookies with dark chocolate and let the cookies set up.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies