Recipes

So, I got all of my recipes copied over from my old blog.  They are now in reverse order from what they originally were so some of the comments may not make sense but there they are.  Just keep in mind that we are not the healthiest eaters in the world and I am neither professional chef nor photographer.

Honey Mustard Chicken

So, here we go.  This week's recipe is Honey Mustard Chicken.  I'm not sure where it came from- I think I tweaked a recipe I found in a cookbook somewhere.  At any rate, all of the kids love it (although the 11-year-old claimed she didn't really like the sauce and proceeded to ask for seconds), even my 18-month-old.  I served it with wild rice pilaf and brussels sprouts (which I think are disgusting but the kids all love).  Enough chatter- here's the recipe:

Honey Mustard Chicken

8 boned, skinned chicken breast halves                            
¼ c Dijon mustard                                                
¼ c honey
2 Tbsp. olive oil                                                    
¾ c mozzarella, shredded
Flatten chicken by placing between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pounding with a rolling pin or the side of a meat mallet. Salt and pepper chicken and pan-fry in olive oil, turning often, for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Mix together mustard and honey in a small bowl.  Spread about one tablespoon sauce on each chicken breast and sprinkle with mozzarella.  Turn off heat and cover until cheese has melted.

By the way, as you can see, this recipe makes quite a bit of chicken.  There are 8 of us so I have to make pretty big meals.  You may need to halve or even quarter it depending on how many are in your household.

(Just keep in mind that I am neither chef nor food photographer. :) I'm just a mom and wife who loves to eat and feed her family good food.)

Enjoy!

Korrina

Chicken Pie

So here goes... Rock absolutely loves my chicken pie.  I started making this not long after we were married (almost 15 years ago!) and it has changed and evolved a bit over the years (hopefully for the better).  I usually make 2 of these for our family- sometimes we only eat one and I just freeze the other unbaked.  Anyway, here it is:

Korrina's Chicken Pie

2 pie crusts                                                 
3 (abt 1 1/2 lbs) chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil                                 
2 pkg chicken gravy mix
1 cup milk                                                   
1 cup water
1 teaspoon curry powder                            
pepper to taste
32 oz mixed veggies (corn, carrots, green beans, peas), thawed
Line a pie plate with 1 of the pie crusts and bake at 375 for 10 minutes or so until golden brown.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Cube the chicken breasts and cook in the oil until done. (I sometimes sprinkle a little curry powder on the chicken while it's cooking.)  Whisk together the gravy mix, seasonings and milk.  Add the water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Pile (that's a culinary term) the chicken and the veggies in the pie crust.  Pour the gravy over the top.  Add the top crust to the pie and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or so until everything is hot and the top crust is nice and brown.

Like I said, this is Rock's favorite and the kids like it a lot too.  Oddly enough, I'm the one who can't stand it.  I just don't like my veggies all mixed together with all of that other stuff.  But don't let my opinion stop you from trying the recipe.  I'm super picky and I cook stuff I don't like all the time.

Enjoy!
Korrina

P.S.  Oh my gosh!  I didn't realize I posted two chicken recipes in a row.  Honest, we do eat other things besides chicken in our house.  How does beef stew sound for next week?  Hmm, I'm seeing a comfort foods trend here.  Can anyone say "midwinter blues"?

Beef Stew

It's time again for my recipe of the week.  Beef stew has always been a staple in our house.  I started making this not long after Rock and I were married and it has evolved a little (but not much) in the years since.  All of us love it on a cold winter day with some warm rolls and butter.

It's completely different from what my mom always called beef stew.  Her's used ground beef (that's all we could afford), was not thick at all and included corn and green beans (which I can't stand mixed into anything).  I couldn't figure out why mom's beef stew wasn't anything like the canned stuff.

Anyway, if you've never heard of "Kitchen Bouquet,"  you be glad I told you about it.  :)  Not long after my mom and dad were married (and dad complained all the time that mom's cooking was nothing like his mom's), my mom asked her mother-in-law what the secret was to getting here gravy so nice and dark brown.  She thought grandma would come up with some complicated method or something and was very surprised when grandma reached into the cupboard and pulled out a little bottle labeled "Kitchen Bouquet."  That was grandma's secret- a couple of tablespoons from that little bottle in her gravy.  The rest is history.  Mom's been using it ever since and it's now one of my favorite seasonings.  You can usually find it near the bouillon in the grocery store.

So, enough rambling- here's the recipe:

Korrina's Beef Stew

1 pound stew meat, browned                    2 beef bouillon cubes
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks      4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 onion, chopped                                  1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons worchestershire sauce         2 tablespoons Kitchen Bouquet
1 teaspoon curry powder                         2 packages brown gravy mix

salt and pepper to taste

Brown the stew meat in a little oil in a big saucepan.  Peel your carrots, potatoes and onion.  Slice the carrots and mushrooms, chop the onion, and cut the potatoes into chunks.  Put everything in the saucepan and add enough water to make everything just barely start to lift off the bottom of the pan (you know, when the potatoes just start to float).  The mushrooms will shrink and you will have more gravy in there than it looks right now- you can always add more water later.  Turn the heat on and get it all boiling.  When it starts to boil, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot.  Simmer your stew for about 2 hours.  This will get everything nice and tender and blend all of those flavors together.  When it's done you can thicken it a little more by mixing a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch or flour with a half cup or so of cold water.  Turn the heat up and add the mixture to your stew, stirring constantly.  Keep stirring and cooking until it is the thickness you want.  Serve with hot buttered rolls for dipping.

(Sorry, no photo this week...)

Enjoy,

Korrina

Blueberry Wedding Cake

So, the recipe this week is a dessert that I call Blueberry Wedding Cake.  I didn't make up this recipe- someone told me how to do it years ago and I've just never forgotten (not that it's that difficult).  The reason I call it Blueberry Wedding Cake is because that is what we served the guests at our wedding nearly 15 years ago.  FYI, it looks nothing like a wedding cake.  You can also make Cherry Wedding Cake by substituting a can of cherry pie filling for the blueberry.

I don't have a picture of this because it was gone about 10 minutes after I made it last week.  That's what happens when you have 8 people and one cake.

Anyway, enough rambling- here it is:

Blueberry Wedding Cake

1 white cake mix                             1 8oz pkg cream cheese
1 8oz cont whipped topping             1 cup powdered sugar
1 can blueberry or cherry pie filling
Make cake according to package directions in 13x16 pan.  Bake and cool.  Beat cream cheese, whipped topping, and powdered sugar together until smooth.  Spread over cooled cake.  Top with pie filling.

Yum!

Enjoy,
Korrina

P.S. NOT a good recipe for those on a diet!  Although, substituting fat-free neufchatel cheese and whipped topping will help.

Herbed Cheese Spread

I think my favorite herb is marjoram.  I hadn't ever tried it until I found a recipe I wanted to try that had marjoram in it.  I decided to bite the bullet and get some.  It was love at first taste.  I also love cream cheese spreads so this recipe was perfect for me.  Serve it on crackers or melt 1/2 batch of it into 2-3 cups cooked green beans.  Yummy!

Herbed Cheese Spread

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon each: basil, dill, marjoram, thyme, black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Put all ingredients in a food processor and process till smooth. (I just mash it with a fork until it's mixed thoroughly.)  Serve on crackers or raw veggies.

Enjoy!
Korrina

Easy Chicken Parmesan

This is not a low-fat recipe but it is really good!  Serve it over a bed of angel hair pasta with your favorite sauce.  In the photo I used frozen ravioli and Hunts canned pasta sauce.

Easy Chicken Parmesan

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
Salt to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup melted butter
Pound chicken flat between layers of plastic wrap. Combine bread crumbs, cheese, oregano, pepper, and salt; set aside. Lightly saute garlic in 2 T. butter then stir in remaining butter. Dip chicken in garlic butter then roll each piece in bread crumb mixture. Place chicken in 9x13 pan and sprinkle with remaining bread crumb mixture. Pour on remaining butter. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes.
(Sorry for the blurry photo.)

Enjoy!

Korrina