Southwest Chicken & Rice

So in my new found enjoyment of blogging about food I have also noticed that I need to make sure my phone saves the pictures. In this case, after we had eaten our dinner and I did a good job of plating the meal did I realize the picture did not save. So please excuse the poor picture "setting" of the Southwest Chicken.

Now Anthony loves my standard chicken and rice AND one day I will post my mom's recipe. So I wanted to try something else that would be a little more time friendly. I love a 30 minute meal..

What you will need:
1 tbs oil
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (equally sized)
1 can Tomato Soup
1 1/3 cup water
1 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 cups uncooked minute rice (white or brown)
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (who are we kidding I used more)

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and cook 10 minutes or until browned. Set aside and pour off (or clean off fat and oil).

Add soup, water, chili powder. Heat to a boil.

Stir in rice. I let cook about half the cook time for the rice as indicated on the box. Then add chicken to the top, sprinkle with cheese. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until chicken and rice are done. You will have to stir rice mixture, which is why I find it easier to almost cook the rice before adding the chicken. Make sure you have plenty of melted cheese.

This goes great with a mixed green salad and tortilla chips crunched on the top!

S'mores Brownies

Now I have said it before and I will say it again. Sometimes the best food is not always from scratch. My agents and I can attest to this.

What you will need: 
1 box of fudge/supreme brownie mix for a 13x9 pan
2 cups of marshmallows
4 or 5 graham crackers broken up into smaller pieces
1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate pieces

Prepare the brownies as directed on the box, but do not over bake.

Once the brownies are baked quickly take them out. Turn the over to broil (don't worry even Pyrex can go under a low broil for a minute or two). Sprinkle marshmallows, chocolate pieces and graham crackers on the top of the brownies. They suggest layering. I would layer marshmallow AND place under the broiler for 30 seconds to a minute. Then payer on graham crackers and chocolate. Place under the broiler for another 30 seconds to a minute. BUT WATCH carefully so the marshmallows don't catch fire, but you want to make sure they are golden brown.

I am telling you...these are TO DIE FOR!

Chicken N Dumplings

So I have not posted in a while...so here goes a few (yes most will be on automatic post...but who cares really). I made this about a month ago when it was cool for AZ standards. I think the high was around 50 for the weekend (ie. to cold to sit by the pool even with no breeze and a strong sun).

Back to the chicken n dumplings. This is from Paula Deen, but it is comparable to other recipes I came across that did not consist of taking biscuit mix and dumping some chicken mixture over it.

What you will need:
1 (2.5 lbs) chicekn (cut into 8 pieces)
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 large onion. chopped
2 bay leaves
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp house seasoning (ie. salt, pepper, garlic powder)
1 can condensed cream of celery or chicken soup

Dumplings:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
ice water

Start the chicken, celery, onion, bay leaves, bouillon and house seasoning in a large pot. Add 4 qts of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the chicken is tender (about 40 minutes). Remove the chicken and remove skin and separate the meat from the bones. Also remove the bay leaves. Add the chicken back to the pot.

While the chicken continues to simmer prepare the dumplings. Mix flour with the salt and mound together in a mixing bowl. Beginning at the center of the mound drizzle a small amount of ice water over the flour. Using your fingers, and moving from the center to the sided of the bowl, gradually incorporate about 3/4 cup of ice water. Knead dough into a ball.

Dust flower onto a clean surface. Roll out of dough working from the center to the 1/8 inch thick. Let dough relax.

While the dough rests add the cream of celery soup and let simmer. If the stew is still too thin gradually add in cornstarch before adding dumplings. (I wont lie I still didnt get the stew as think as I wanted...so suggestions welcome).

Cut dough into 1 inch pieces. Pull a piece in half and drop into the soup. Repeat, but do not stir once the dumplings have been added or until they have cooked. If you need to stir do so slowly.

Once ready spoon into a bowl and serve with biscuits or corn bread (my two preferences).

I Love a CASSEROLE!

So it is important to understand a few things. First, I do not always cook from scratch. If there is an easier way to make my meal I will take it (most of the time) AND I love something with only a handful of ingredients. Second, I love to cook for leftovers b/c I hate cooking during the week. Third, there is nothing like a cook "casserole." Unfortunately, Anthony is not a casserole fan so many times I cook these during his long swim meet weekends!

Beef Taco Bake
1 lb ground beef
1 can Condensed Tomato Soup
1 cup Picante Sauce (do not use salsa... I have tried and the real thing is better)
1/2 cup milk
6 flour 8 inch tortillas (or 8 corn 6 inch tortillas cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 400F.


In a medium skillet (deep sided is better) over medium/high heat brown beef. Drain and rinse.

Return meat and add soup, picante sauce, milk and stir. Once everything is mixed together add tortillas and 1/2 cup of cheese (or more b/c I love cheese) and stir until everything is evenly coated. Dump everything into a 2-quart baking dish. Cover

Bake at 400F for 30 minutes or until bubbly hot. Uncover and sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Let bake another 5 minutes.

Remove and let cool.


This goes great with a mixed green salad, but you have to make sure to add some crunchy tortilla chips.

Birthday Cake (Chocolate Peanut Butter Nirvana Cake)

So my birthday is on Wednesday and I normally always request a Mrs. Field Cookie cake, but the last few years I normally do not get it. Whether it is now living in AZ or snow or the flu... something always comes up and Mrs. Field's Cookie cake does not make it to me. However, this year I may have found a new replacement.

Let me first add that this is a bundt cake AND I always associated bundt with something only old people bake. No idea why but I did...I also am not a fan of chocolate cake OR Devil's Food...in any case I decided to give this cake a try.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Nirvana Cake

(as found on pillsburybaking.com) 

Cake

* Flour No-Stick Spray OR sift flour into the pan over regular no-stick spray

* 1 box of Devil's Food Cake (find some with added pudding in the mix)

* 1/2 cup vegetable oil

* 1 1/4 cups water

* 4 large eggs

* 1 (3.9 oz) package of instant chocolate pudding mix

* 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Frosting

* 1/2 cup whipped supreme vanilla frosting

* 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

* 1/4 tsp almond extract

* 1/2 cup milk

Heat Oven to 350 F. Spray the bundt pan with no-stick spray.

Combine cake mix (do not follow box instructions), oil, water, eggs and pudding mix in a large bowl on low speed until moistened. Once everything is moist mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add in chocolate chips and pout batter into the pan. 

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. (I noticed that at about 45 minutes it was coming clean, but staying in for 50 minutes was perfect. I assume it is the "extra" pudding mix). Cool cake in the pan for about 20 minutes. 

While the cake is cooling beat frosting, peanut butter, almond extract and milk in a medium bowl until smooth.

Once the cake is cool...spoon frosting onto the cake. 

Side note: the frosting is so light that is does not overpower the cake. My only suggestion would be a little less almond extract. It was a little strong for my taste.