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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Poulet Jardin...a.k.a. Chicken Garden Skillet

The first time I ate this was at my future mother-in-law's. Helen is a great cook. I recently had the pleasure of visiting her at her home in North Carolina and rediscovered this recipe. It was called Chicken Garden Skillet then, but now has a fancier name...Poulet Jardin.  Either way, it's delicious!
Cut up a chicken. I skinned it too.
Sprinkle generously with seasoned salt and shake in flour.
I used my electric skillet. Brown the chicken.
Turn until golden on both sides.
Add the broth and sherry, cover and cook 45 minutes.
Add the vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper.
Cover and let cook another 15-20 minutes.
Serve with rice. You will have lots of yummy sauce. I also like a salad and crescent rolls with this, because that's what I had the first time I ate it at Helen's. Foodies have great memories!

Enjoy!

Poulet Jardin
(Chicken Garden Skillet)
1 chicken, about 3-4 lbs, cut-up
2 T butter
2 T oil
seasoned salt
flour
1 C chicken broth
1 C  dry sherry
1/2 green pepper, sliced
2 tomatoes, quartered
1 onion, sliced
1 pkg.  frozen artichoke hearts

Sprinkle the chicken with seasoned salt (I skin the chicken) and dredge in flour (about 1/2 C)
Brown in butter and oil (350 if using an electric skillet). Brown on both sides.
Add the broth (I used 1 bullion cube in I C hot water), and sherry.
Cover and simmer (250 on electric skillet) for 45 minutes.
Add vegetables, season them with salt and pepper and push them into the broth.
Cover and simmer another 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Serve over rice.








Tuesday, November 2, 2010

See MAY DAYS for great Swedish Meatballs.
Enjoy!


Rita

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Pecan Pie Mini Muffins

These little tasty bites will remind you of one of the best parts of Thanksgiving.....pecan pie!
Aren't they pretty?
Combine the ingredients.
Just use one bowl and a whisk.
Put 1 T into a sprayed mini muffin tin. You can also make regular size muffins.
Fill about 3/4 full.
Bake about 20 minutes.
Until slightly puffed and golden.
Perfect bite-sized muffins.
Enjoy while still warm with a good cup of coffee.
These babies are perfect to take to your next meeting, or to work, or to a neighbor, or to share with anyone you want to make happy.
Or, you can freeze the rest and keep them all to yourself!
(rewarm each frozen muffin for 30 seconds in the microwave, then let sit for 20 seconds.

Pecan Pie Mini Muffins
1 stick butter
3/4 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 C chopped pecans
1/2 C flour
1/2 t baking powder

Melt butter in a medium bowl in the microwave.
Stir in the brown sugar.
Mix in the eggs.
Mix in the vanilla and pecans.
Mix in the flour and BP
Use 1 T to fill sprayed mini muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake at 350 for about 15-18 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Enjoy!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Pumpkin Bites

Something about the Fall always brings out my inner pumpkinaholic.

Mini pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Some topped with chopped pecans make them extra delicious. Have one of each!
This recipe came about because I had a half can of pumpkin leftover in the fridge from my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe. What to make? I basically used my Pumpkin Bars recipe and cut it in half. I also cut the cream cheese frosting recipe in half. It made 24 mini and 6 regular  cupcakes. You can make any size you want. I think the minis are cute!
To make it easy I used just one bowl. Start by whisking 2 eggs in a large bowl.
Whisk in 1/2 can pumpkin.
Whisk in the sugar.
Add oil.
 Add the flour, BP, BS, and cinnamon. Mix until well combined and smooth.

Spray a mini muffin pan and fill each well with about 1T batter.
  Bake minis about 12 minutes and regular cupcakes about 15 minutes.
Let cool 5 minutes in the pan then remove them and let cool completely.
 Frost with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle half the tops with chopped pecans. Arrange on a pretty platter alternating the toppings.
 All set for a coffee break.
 Very yummy!
Satisfy a pumpkin craving, anytime of year.

Pumpkin Bites
2 eggs
1/2 can pumpkin
3/4 C sugar
1/2 C oil
1 C  flour
1 t cinnamon
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl; whisk in the pumpkin; whisk in the sugar, then the oil. Add the flour, cinnamon, BP and BS. Mix until combined. Spray a mini muffin tin and use a 1T measure to fill each well. Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 T butter, room temperature
1 C powdered sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1/3 C chopped pecans, for optional topping

Beat the cream cheese and butter until blended. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla.
Spread in the cupcakes. Sprinkle some of the cupcakes of the with the chopped pecans.

Cheers!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

French Onion Soup

Everybody loves a crock of baked French onion 
soup, topped with gooey golden melted cheese.
It's one of our favorite soups. 
A great Fall/Winter soup.
 Just a few basic ingredients. You can make the 
soup ahead and reheat, broil later.
 Saute the onion in the butter and oil until soft. 
It will take about 30-40 minutes to get them golden 
and caramelized which gives the soup great flavor.
Stir in the flour and let it cook for about 2 minutes.
 Add all the liquids. Simmer at least 30 minutes.
 For a dinner size portion use a large soup bowl 
and two pieces of toasted French bread and
 lots of cheese. Broil until the cheese is 
bubbly and golden brown.
 Add a salad, and it's a great dinner. 
Serve the smaller crocks as a first course.

French Onion Soup  

5-6 large yellow onions,
sliced to make about 5 cups                  
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 stick butter                                    
1 T oil
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 t sugar
1 t thyme
1 t paprika
2 T flour
3 cans condensed beef broth
2 cans water
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1/2 C red wine or dry sherry                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Melt butter and oil in a large soup pot.
 Add the sliced onions and garlic and toss to coat.
Saute on medium heat for 15 minutes,
stirring occasionally until soft. 
Stir in all the seasonings and
continue cooking another 15 minutes until
the onions are golden. Stir in the flour and
cook 2 minutes. Add the broth stirring up
any browned bits on the bottom; stir in the water.
 Add wine, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or longer.
For Serving
I loaf French Bread
Cheese slices, mozzarella, gruyere or Swiss
Parmesan cheese, grated
Paprika

Slice French bread into thick slices and
 toast both sides under the broiler.
Place one or two slices of toasted bread
in the bottom of an ovenproof bowl.
Ladle the soup over the bread and
 top with one or two slices of cheese, or
grated cheese and a sprinkle of parmesan.
Add a bit of paprika on top for color.
 Place bowls of soup on a cookie sheet
and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden.

BON APPETIT!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Easiest Ever Crock Pot Roast

If you're going to be out all day, you'll want to walk in the door to this at the end of your day.
 Just a few simple ingredients
 Chuck roast, seasoned,
 Mix the onion soup, cream of mushroom soup and water.
 Pour over the meat.
 Cover and cook all day. easy!
You'll get lots of yummy gravy.
 Serve with mashed potatoes and a vegetable. Meat and potatoes, always a favorite.


Easiest Ever Crock Pot Roast


3-4 lbs chuck roast
House Seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder mix)
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup 
1 soup can water


Combine the soups and water in the crock pot. 
Top with meat and seasonings. Turn the meat to
cover both sides in the sauce. Cover and cook
for 9-10 hours on low, until very tender.


I love this with mashed potatoes, because it makes lots of great gravy and a vegetable. 
Enjoy!
House Seasoning  (Paula Dean)
1 C salt
1/4 C pepper
1/4 C garlic powder
Combine in an empty shaker (saved from  garlic salt, etc.)
Good on everything!


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