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Thursday, September 8, 2016

Spicy Chicken and Beans

This is such a flavorful dinner and
I love that it can be prepared ahead 
of time. I can just pop in the oven 
whenever we want dinner. No
last minute dinner fussing. 
This chicken dinner actually benefits 
from time in the fridge coated 
with the spicy mixture. This will give the 
chicken time to absorb the spicy
flavors of the marinade coating.
For full flavor and moist chicken I always prefer 
thighs. About 1-½ pounds. That's about 6 pieces. 
These were very large and I only bought 5.
 Put the chicken in a sprayed baking dish. 
 Combine the marinade coating. 
 Spread this over the chicken. 
 Add the cherry tomatoes and rinsed white beans.
 Give everything a good toss.
 Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until 
you are ready to start dinner. Then remove the
plastic and bake @375 for 45 minutes. 
Garnish with more chopped cilantro. 
 This is really a complete dinner, but you could 
add a side of potatoes. They can roast in the oven
along with the chicken. 
 I've also tried this with bone-in chicken breasts. 
Cut them in half crosswise. Proceed as above.
 This time I doubled everything to serve 6. 
 The verdict? I much prefer thighs. 
So much better! More flavor and the chicken
 stays moist and tender.  You can use a 
whole cut-up chicken for the doubled 
recipe and have parts for everyones liking. 
 This will definitely be a great fall dinner.  
If you're serving a family I would definitely double
 this recipe to serve 4-6.


Spicy Chicken and Beans
marinade coating
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ C chopped fresh cilantro
1 T paprika
½ t ground cumin
¼ t red pepper flakes
2 t kosher salt
½ t pepper
Mix together

5-6 chicken thighs (or 1-½ lbs bone in chicken
 pieces, breasts cut in half crosswise)
toss with the above mixture to coat completely.
Add:
1 can white beans, drained
1 pt. cherry tomatoes
toss everything again to coat. Cover
and refrigerate for a few hours to all
day. Roast in a 450º oven for 30  minutes or
until the chicken is cooked through, browned
and the tomatoes have burst. Garnish with
more cilantro or parsley.
serves 3-4
*this recipe easily doubles. Use a whole chicken
 cut into serving pieces, breasts cut in half.



Links: Between Naps On The Porch

Monday, September 5, 2016

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

A one dish dinner that takes just a few 
minutes to put together.
This casserole is just right for a busy fall day 
when you're short on time and crave a
homey comfort-food dinner. 
A nice salad is all you may want to add.   
 You can use 2-3 garlic cloves, minced in
place of the powder. Do that first and then
cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
Mix it all together in a large bowl.,
I like to use the mixed vegetables in this because 
it gives it a homey pot-pie taste. But you can also 
use broccoli, green beans, peas and carrots, or
 a mixture of whatever you have in the freezer. 
 Spread it into the bottom o a sprayed 9x13 pan
 Prepare the stuffing mix in a saucepan on the
 stove or in a bowl in the microwave.
Spread the stuffing evenly over the top.
Bake in a 400º oven for 30  minutes, until
the stuffing is golden and the chicken is cooked.
A bonus is the leftover for lunch the next day. 

Chicken Stuffing Casserole
1-½ lb. boneless chicken breasts, 
cut into bite-size pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 package (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables
½ C sour cream
1 T dried minced onion (optional)
1 t garlic powder
1 t salt
½ t pepper
Combine the above in a large bowl. 
Spray a 9x13 pan and speed the chicken
 mixture evenly on the bottom.
*
Stove Top Stuffing Mix (chicken flavor)
1-½ C boiling water water
¼ c butter
In a separate bowl combine the butter and water. 
Microwave until it just comes to a boil and the 
butter melts. Stir in the stuffing mix, remove from
heat and stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

 Spread the stuffing over the top of the chicken 
to cover. Bake @400º for 30 minutes 
until the chicken is cooked. 6 servings


Enjoy!

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Applesauce Bread

Words like apple, cinnamon, and oatmeal 
sound like the beginning of fall baking to me. 
This easy quick bread is just what I'm in the
 mood for today. A great September bread. 
Thise bread is not to too sweet and  makes
a nice snack or fast breakfast on the go. 
 I use baking spray to prepare the pans.
My small pans were 3x5½x2.
 First: Use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients.
Second: In another bowl whisk the wet 
              ingredients until mixed well. 
Third: Add the dry ingredients to the wet 
            ingredients. Combine well. 
Fourth: Stir in the applesauce.
 Poor into the prepared pans. 
 Bake for about 30 minutes until golden and a
knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
 Let cool slightly then remove from the pans.
 I see gift potential here. 
 Wrap the bread in cling wrap while it is still a bit 
warm. That improves the flavor and moistness.
Put the wrapped loaves in a ziploc bag to freeze.
But keep one out and slice the warm bread
and have it with your afternoon tea. 
I love an afternoon tea break with a
freshly baked goodie. 

Enjoy!

Applesauce Bread
2 C flour
1 C oatmeal
¼ t salt
2 t baking powder
2 t cinnamon
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl
and use a whisk to mix it together.
In another large bowl combine and whisk:
1 C sugar
¾ C canola oil
2 eggs
½ C sour cream
1 t vanilla
Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture.
Combine well, scraping the sides of the bowl.
Stir in:
1 C applesauce
Pour into 4 prepared small bread pans.
Bake in the middle of a 350 oven for 30
minutes until golden and aknife inserted
near the center comes out clean.
Cool slightly then remove from pans.

recipe discovered On Sutton Pace





Links: Between Naps On The Porch

Monday, August 29, 2016

Ritzy Meatloaf

I must admit that I do love meatloaf.
There's almost nothing as homey
as the smell of meatloaf in the oven.
I have several recipes that I like to rotate
that use different fillers like: breadcrumbs,
 bread, saltine crackers, oatmeal, and they
 are all good. This one uses Ritz crackers.
Using the Ritz in place of the usual 
is what makes this meatloaf just a bit
 different and very tasty. This is another
 good one to add to your recipe collection.
Crush a sleeve of crackers to make
about 1 cup. I did this in a bowl using the
bottom of a glass to crush. 
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
Put into a 5x9 loaf pan or just shape into
a loaf and place in a shallow casserole, 
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes first before
spreading on the topping. This prevents 
the topping from burning due to 
the brown sugar content. 
Combine the brown sugar, ketchup, mustard
and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl.
Spread it over the top and return to the 
oven for another 15 minutes. 
I'm using my vintage Corningware loaf pan. 
Makes me want to wear one of my aprons too. 
I found this pan for $2.00 thrifting.

Ritzy Meatloaf
2 lbs ground beef
1 C crushed Ritz crackers 
(about 24-26)
1 C milk
2 eggs, beaten
½ C ketchup
½ C onion, finely chopped
1 t salt
½ t pepper
½ t garlic powder
In a large bowl mix all the ingredients
until thoroughly combined. Shape into
a 5x9 loaf, or use a loaf pan. Bake @350º
for 45  minutes. Spoon off excess fat.
Spread with topping.
Topping
½ C ketchup
¼ C brown sugar
½ T mustard
 T Worcestershire sauce
Combine in a small bowl. 
and bake another 15 minutes. Let rest
 15 mins before slicing and serving.


Enjoy!





Monday, August 22, 2016

Perfectly Grilled Pork Tenderloin

This  simple marinade and a few grilling tips
are all you need for a perfectly grilled moist
 and tender pork tenderloin everytime. 
 Tenderloins come 2 in a package.
One will serve about 3 people.
 This is the simplest marinade. I mix it all in
a Ziplock bag and add the tenderloins.
 When the grill is preheated it will only
take 15-18 minutes to cook. You want a
nice brown seared crust on the outside and
just a touch of pink on the inside. It will
continue to cook while it rests off the grill.
Slice and serve with any juices that are on 
the platter. Leftover pork tenderloin make
 great sandwiches the next day. I like it simply
 on buttered French bread with a little 
Dijon mustard or my cranberry chutney. 
Even pork tacos with the usual fixings are
good. It's another reason I usually make two. 

Grilled Pork Tenderloin
2 pork tenderloins  (2 per package)
2 T brown sugar
2 T balsamic vinegar
4 T (¼)  C soy sauce
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1.) Mix all ingredients in a Ziplock bag and add the
the pork. Squeeze out as  much air as possible as
you zip the bag shut. Turn to coat the meat well.
Refrigerate and let marinade for at least an hour.
2.) Remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator
about 30 minutes before you grill to allow it to
reach room temperature. Pre-heat the grill to
medium-high.
3.) The key to a perfectly grilled tenderloin is to
evenly grill on all sides. Grill the first side for 5
minutes then roll it to each of the 4 sides for about
4-5 minutes per side. You want a nice browned
crust to form. You don't want it to dry out.
4.) Remove to a platter and let is rest for about 10
minutes before you slice it on the diagonal. Serve
and drizzle over any accumulated juices.

Enjoy!