Poppy Seed Chicken

"And now my beauties, something with poison in it I think, with poison in it... attractive to the eye and soothing to the smell. Poppies, poppies, poppies will put them to sleep, sleep. Now they'll sleep"

Do you know what famous movie this line is from? I will give you a hint. Growing up it was my favorite movie. I had a friend that I often slept over with and she had this movie, and I would ask her to watch it every time I spent the night. I know that she got tired of it, but she was kind enough to humor me. Okay, I guess if you don't know me that well that isn't a very good hint. So, I'll just tell you. I am sure most of you know exactly what movie that is from. If you guessed The Wizard of Oz, ding, ding, ding, you are right!

I can assure you this recipe doesn't have poison it, just deliciousness. This is another one of my go-to recipes. My entire family loves this one so much that I usually double the recipe. It is also freezer friendly meaning you can assemble, and then freeze before baking. When ready to use, simply thaw and bake according to directions.

Here are a few tips:

This recipe calls for 4 to 6 chicken breasts. I like to use a whole chicken. It is cheaper than boneless skinless chicken breasts and adds more flavor. I like to put the chicken in the crockpot overnight on low, and when I wake up it is done. You can add water if you like, but it is not necessary since the chicken will make its own juices. I just let it cool, and then pull it apart.

This recipe calls for one stick of melted butter. I don't know about you, but I would rather not take the chance of all that butter going straight to my thighs! So, I cut the butter in thin slices and place on the casserole. It melts and works just as well.

When crushing the crackers, keep them in the sleeve unopened. Place ends of the sleeve in each palm and press palms together.  This is an easy way to crush the crackers. Then just open the bag and pour over the dish.

Warning! Poppy seeds can show positive for opium on a drug test. I have to make half the casserole with no seeds since the Navy does random drug testing. It wouldn't look good if the head pharmacist on base tests positive for drugs. That is one hassle he would like to avoid.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do! I would love to hear the results.

Poppy Seed Chicken

4 to 6 chicken breasts (I use a whole chicken)

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

1 pkg. roll crushed Ritz crackers

1 cup sour cream

2 T. poppy seeds

1 stick of butter, melted

Cook chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Mix chicken, soup, and sour cream. Put into a casserole dish. Mix crackers and poppy seeds. Spread over top of chicken mixture. Pour melted butter over top. Bake 30 minutes at 350°.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Don't you just love the all-in-one printers we have these days. Printer, fax machine, copier, and scanner capability in the same machine. It's genius. I remember when we first got our all-in-one printer, I LOVED it. The copier option was my favorite. No more running to the library or office supply store to make copies. It was great! I don't use the fax capability much at all, but the other three options I use all the time. So I would be just as content without the fax machine, which would make it a three-in-one printer instead of an all-in-one printer.  

I think of this Chicken Pot Pie dish as an all-in-one dish. It includes the meat, veggies, and the crust which could take the place of dinner rolls or bread. The only thing that is not included is the dessert, and depending on whether or not you usually eat dessert with your meals, it may be a three-in-one recipe just like my printer. This recipe is one that my mom used to make often while I was growing up. It is so easy and really delicious. Since it calls for frozen pie shells for the crust there is no mixing or rolling of dough, and canned or frozen vegetables make this dish a snap to prepare.

Chicken Pot Pie

3 to 4 chicken breasts or whole chicken, cooked and deboned
1 can Veg-all vegetables, drained
1 small box broccoli, cooked and drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
¾ cup milk
2 pie crusts (Pillsbury frozen in a box)

Put one pie crust in the bottom of a large pie pan. Mix together other ingredients and put into pie shell. Top with second pie crust and pinch closed. Bake at 350 for one hour to one hour and 10 minutes. Check after one hour and cook until browned.

It's that easy! Enjoy!

Apricot-Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Some of you may have read my post several months ago about the $100,000 Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls. They are the bomb diggity of cinnamon rolls. They are worth every bit of time and energy it takes to make them, but I realize that not everyone has the time or desire to tackle that recipe. It is not a difficult recipe, but does require several steps. Now that I think about it, selling cinnamon rolls might be a great little business for me here in Italy. I could call it The Bomb Diggity Cinnamon Roll Co. What do you think? Ok, maybe not one of my best ideas:)

These Apricot-Pecan Cinnamon Rolls are also really good, and are much easier and quicker to make. The dough is frozen biscuits, so there is no mixing, kneading, or rising required. The apricots are a nice change from typical cinnamon rolls, and there are other variations you can try with this recipe. I really want to try the chocolate cherry version. It sounds scrumtrulescent!

Apricot-Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

source: www.southernliving.com

Prep: 10 min., Stand: 55 min., Bake: 40 min. To prepare individual rolls, prepare as directed; place one slice in each of 12 lightly greased 3-inch muffin cups. Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly, and remove from pan.


Yield: Makes 1 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 (26.4-oz.) package frozen biscuits
• 1 (6-oz.) package dried apricots
• All-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Arrange frozen biscuits, with sides touching, in 3 rows of 4 biscuits on a lightly floured surface. Let stand 30 to 45 minutes or until biscuits are thawed but still cool to the touch.

2. Pour boiling water to cover over dried apricots, and let stand 10 minutes; drain well. Chop apricots.

3. Sprinkle thawed biscuits lightly with flour. Press biscuit edges together, and pat to form a 10- x 12-inch rectangle of dough; spread evenly with softened butter. Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over butter. Sprinkle chopped apricots and pecans evenly over brown sugar mixture.

4. Roll up, starting at one long end; cut into 12 (about 1-inch-thick) slices. Place rolls into a lightly greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet, 10-inch round pan, or 9-inch square pan.

5. Bake at 375° for 35 to 40 minutes or until center rolls are golden brown and done; cool slightly.

6. Stir together 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp. milk, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla; drizzle evenly over rolls.

Cinnamon-Raisin Rolls: Prepare Apricot-Pecan Cinnamon Rolls as directed, substituting 1 cup golden raisins for 1 (6-oz.) package dried apricots.

Peaches-and-Cream Cinnamon Rolls: Prepare Apricot-Pecan Cinnamon Rolls as directed, substituting 1/2 (8-oz.) package softened cream cheese for 1/4 cup butter and 1 (6-oz.) package dried peaches for 1 (6-oz.) package dried apricots.

Chocolate-Cherry-Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls: Prepare Apricot-Pecan Cinnamon Rolls as directed, substituting 1/2 (8-oz.) package softened cream cheese for 1/4 cup butter, 1 (6-oz.) package dried cherries for 1 (6-oz.) package dried apricots, and 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels for 1/2 cup pecans.

Beans, beans good for your heart...

Beans, beans good for your heart, the more you eat them, the more you will love these awesome refried beans! I know, you thought I was gonna say fart, but I am too much of a southern belle to say such things:) Refried beans are not a glamour food, and you never hear anyone say they are craving them. People often crave ice cream, chocolate, or chips, but never refried beans. You would have to be a weirdy to admit that! Maybe you don't crave beans, but if you do have an affinity for them you will LOVE this refried beans recipe. They are a perfect complement to any Mexican dish.

Growing up we had tacos at least once a week, and one of my best friends used to laugh at how often we ate them. I can't blame my mother since she had five girls, and it was really hard to find foods that everyone liked. Our two favorite meals were tacos and spaghetti. Now my boys and husband love them as well, and although we don't continue the weekly ritual, we eat them very frequently. If you have Mexican night at your house, these beans would be a great addition. This recipe makes a ton, so it is great to take to a party, or you can freeze any leftovers for the next Mexican night. One tip, if you love these beans, and your family, you might start off with a dose of Beano before your first bite! Enjoy!

Refried Beans

Serves 4-6
http://www.food.com/

1 lb. pinto beans

1 large onion

water
4 T. margarine ( I use butter)

Pepper

8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, grated (with or without peppers)

1 ½ tsp. salt

1. Cover beans with water; add chopped onion and bring to a boil.

2. Boil 2 minutes

3. Take off heat, cover and let sit one hour.

4. Do not drain water, but again add enough water to cover beans, heat to boiling, turn down heat and cook until beans are tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 to 2 hours.

5. Add more water if needed during cooking. When beans are done (make sure there in not too much water in the beans), take off heat and mash with a mixer. Add margarine, salt, pepper, and cheese and continue to beat with a mixer until the beans are soft.

Crockpot Chicken

This recipe comes from a friend that I met in what seems like a lifetime ago when I had preschoolers. Some of you can relate to the endless tiresome days that are spent chasing a little one around and attempting to get other things done in the process. There were days if I didn't throw something in the crockpot in the morning, there wasn't enough time left at the end of the day to cook anything other than chicken strips and fries, which according to my boys is a perfectly good meal!

This Crockpot Chicken recipe is one of my go-to recipes. My family really enjoys it, and I often make it for new moms since it is so simple and delicious. I like to use bowtie pasta and serve with salad and garlic bread for a quick delicious meal.

Crockpot Chicken

6 or 7 boneless chicken breasts

1 can cream of mushroom soup

¼ cup butter

8 oz pkg. cream cheese

½ cup chicken broth

1 envelope Italian dressing mix
16 oz. pkg. noodles of your choice prepared according to directions

Cut raw chicken into small bite size pieces. Add all ingredients except chicken and pasta to Crockpot and stir. Add chicken, uncooked and stir.

Cook on low for 6 hours.

Serve on top of noodles.

Mediterranean Chicken Couscous

I was first introduced to couscous a few years ago, and it has become one of my favorite foods. It is really healthy, versatile, and super quick to make. Most of the couscous you find in the grocery store is instant and is cooked by simply adding boiling water or broth and letting it sit for 5 minutes. Instant couscous has been pre-steamed and dried. By soaking it in liquid it simply re-hydrates the couscous.

Couscous is small pasta that is made from semolina flour. The origin of couscous is not known, but it most likely originated from North Africa. According to Wikipedia, the dish is a traditional staple food throughout West Africa, Sahel, France, Spain, the Canary Islands, Portugal, Madeira, and Italy (particularly in western Sicily's Province of Trapani), as well as many other countries in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and India.

We recently made a trip to Trapani, Sicily where fish couscous is very popular. It was pretty fishy tasting so it wasn't my favorite kind of couscous.

The recipe below has a very good mix of flavors. The fresh basil, lemon juice, and lemon rind flavors are very light and a nice compliment to the feta cheese and other ingredients. It is figure friendly and a perfect quick meal.

Mediterranean Chicken Couscous

1 3/4 cups low-sodium fat-free chicken broth

1 (5.6 ounce) package toasted pine nuts and couscous mix

3 cups chopped cooked chicken (about 1 rotisserie chicken)

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 (4 ounce) package crumbled feta cheese

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp. pepper

Garnish with fresh basil leaves

Heat broth and seasoning packet from couscous in the microwave on high for 3 to 5 minutes or until broth begins to boil. Place couscous in a large bowl, and stir in broth mixture. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork; stir in chicken and next 6 ingredients. Serve warm or cold. Garnish if desired. 

Tip: You'll need to buy a 2/3 ounce package of fresh basil and 1 rotisserie chicken to get the right amount of basil and chicken for this recipe. Substitute 4 tsp. of dried basil if you can't find fresh.

Caramel Apple Crepes

I am a little embarrassed to admit that I had often heard of crepes before coming to Italy, but didn't know what they were. They sounded to me like a fancy fru fru pastry. Crepes are actually a very thin pancake that are really simple to make. For a delicious dessert, fill them with fruit, or any dessert filling. Italians love them with Nutella, which is really simple, but oh so good! While in France, we enjoyed a crepe filled with honey and coconut. For a savory flavor, fill them with meat, cheese, or vegetables. At the Italian cooking school, we made spinach and ricotta filled crepes topped with a white cream sauce. Talk about delizioso!

A few months ago, I was browsing one of my favorite sources for recipes (http://www.food.com/) and came across this crepe recipe. It is quite sinful, but occasional culinary indulgences are okay every once in a while. Right?

The recipe calls for apple brandy or rum. I didn't add the alcohol and it was still yummy.

Caramel Apple Crepes

1 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

nonstick cooking spray

Filling:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup whipping cream (unwhipped)

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups tart apples, peeled, cored and very thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup raisins

2 tablespoons apple brandy or 2 tablespoons rum

1/2 cup pecan pieces, toasted

1/4 cup powdered sugar

vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Prep Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

 Place 1/4 cup raisins in small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of rum or brandy. Set aside.

 Crepes:

 Combine flour, milk, eggs, oil and salt; beat until smooth and lump free.

 Heat a small skillet or crepe pan, spray with non-stick oil and remove from heat.

 Spoon in 2 Tbsp batter; tilt skillet to spread evenly.

 Return to heat; brown on one side.

 Invert pan over paper towel to remove.

 Repeat with remaining batter.

 Apple Filling:

 In a heavy small saucepan melt butter, add brown sugar; cook and stir over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved and creamy. Remove from heat. Slowly and carefully stir in whipping cream (mixture will bubble up).  Set aside.

 Toss apple slices with lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.

 Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add apple slices; cook, uncovered, for 4 to 6 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally. Add raisins and 1/4 of the caramel sauce.

 Top crepes (browned side down) with apple mixture and fold (browned side is now showing). Place 2-3 crepes on individual serving dishes; top with pecans and dust with powdered sugar.

 Serve with ice cream with caramel sauce drizzled over top.