Thanksgiving Planning

I apologize for the temporary absence from my blog. I haven't really been in the mood for blogging and I have  had many other things on my mind. My husband and I are expecting a baby! I am due May 18th and we are so excited. I have constantly been thinking about the food I am eating, but not in relation to my blog. I have been reading the book Real Food for Mother and Baby by Nina Planck. It's amazing how overwhelming it can feel when you hear everything about what you should and shouldn't eat. Nina's book breaks it down into simple, whole, real foods and makes nutrition easier to grasp.

As I got on my computer tonight, I browsed through my blog pictures folder...apparently I haven't been taking any food pictures either! So I decided to share my Thanksgiving planning with you. I am very excited to be hosting again this year. My husband's parents are coming from Iowa. Right now we have 6 guests and are planning on a few more possibly. I am making a few changes from my menu and preparation from last year. I am making more items ahead of time to make the holiday more relaxed. I will be brining my turkey like I did this summer and will use Alton Brown's recipe again. Anyway, enough with my talk! Here is my tentative plan (subject to some changes) to prepare for Thanksgiving. You can watch these videos from Good Eats if you want to learn about brining the turkey and feel like a little bit of weird Alton humor. : )

• Already made
• Alton Brown's Cranberry dipping sauce (in freezer)
• Dinner rolls (in freezer)
• Sunday
• Shop for final fresh ingredients
• Monday
• Put turkey in fridge to thaw
• Clean house after work...family arrives tomorrow!
• Tuesday
• After work, make pie crusts and keep in fridge
• Wednesday
• Morning:
• Make brine and keep in fridge
• Bake pumpkin and chocolate meringue pies
• Make Cheesy potato casserole and keep in fridge
• Make Green bean casserole and keep in fridge (or maybe this recipe?)
• Make cheeseball dip
• Make fluff (technical name...it's Cooper family recipe)
• Prepare relish tray with olives (another Cooper thing : )
• Afternoon
• Do something fun with family! : )
• Evening
• Place turkey in brine
• Thursday
• Morning:
• Make mashed potatoes and place in crock pot on warm
• Prepare stuffing and place in crock pot to cook
• Sweet potatoes...I don't have a recipe yet. 
• Get turkey in the oven, save giblets to boil for stock to make gravy
• Relax for a couple hours :)
• About 12:45
• Make topping and put cheesy potatoes in the oven to begin cooking (45 minutes)
• After turkey is done and resting
• Make topping and put green bean casserole in the oven (20 minutes)
• Put rolls in the oven to bake
• Make gravy 
• About 1:30 
• Enjoy a meal and count your blessings together!

Now for a few final tidbits. I would love a probe thermometer for my turkey (early Christmas present anyone??). This eliminates opening the oven to check the temperature. Instead you set it to the temperature when the turkey is done, and the timer goes off when it reaches the correct temperature. I also watched this video from Alton Brown (yes, I like his shows and info!). Did you know that bubble wrap will keep food warm for hours? Interesting idea that I may try out. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! We have so much to be thankful for!

This post is linked to Mingle Monday

One Year Anniversary!

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of when I started Cooper Cookin'. I believe I have come a long way from my first recipe post; and as this next post demonstrated, I am thankful I no longer feel the need to have catchy titles with matching first letters. I decided to compile a list of my family's favorite recipes, in order of oldest to most recent, from this website as a celebration of my first year blogging. These are recipes that I make often and enjoy sharing with others. Thank you to all of those who read this blog, your comments really make my day! Have a wonderful week!

1. Taco Ring
A family favorite and most popular main dish on this website. If you haven't made this yet, you need to do so soon! Check out this recent update for ideas on making this a little bit healthier.





2. Herbed Breaded Chicken
Eeek that's a terrible picture but the chicken is no less delicious. Most of the time I just throw in whatever herbs I want and I always use homemade breadcrumbs.




3. Taco Soup
 I actually haven't made this for a while (it's a good fall/winter recipe) but it's always one of our favorites.



4. Garlic Bread
Yummmm I love this stuff. I use whatever bread I have on hand and real Parmesan cheese if I have it too. Always delicious with some pasta...carbs anyone?



5. Cast Iron Seared Steak
So simple and delicious. Make it a treat by spending a few extra bucks on high quality grass-fed beef.



6. Bourbon Chicken
Recently I have quit frying the chicken with cornstarch and usually just stir-fry it with some olive oil. Last time I made this I added diced red peppers and sugar snap peas!



7. Cinnamon Streusel Pancakes with Cream Cheese Drizzle
Knock your socks off delicious and heavenly. These are definitely a rare treat, good for lazy weekends with family visitors.



8. Slow Cooker Maple and Brown Sugar Ham
This recipe is so simple, don't even bother measuring. Just put it in the slow cooker and walk away. Amazingly tasty. I love to save the leftovers for casseroles, soups, and egg dishes.



9. Brownie Bite Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache
Okay, so this isn't something that I've made more than once, but I really shouldn't unless there's going to be a crowd. Because it's that good. I might eat half of it on my own if no one was watching.



10. Puffy Chocolate Chip Cookies
I make these often. Once or twice a month. My husband is addicted, I pretend I'm not addicted. When I wrote this post I mentioned that I wanted to try other chocolate chip cookie recipes, but I just haven't gotten around to that yet because these are always so good. I have the recipe memorized...



11. Simplified Chicken Cordon Bleu
It lives up to it's name, and the flavor is fantastic. This is one of those recipes that I saved my slow cooker ham to use with.



12. Cheesy Chili Mac
This recipe is wonderful and simple. I have recently used only 3/4 pound of meat instead of a full pound and it's just as hearty.



Again, thank you so much for reading my blog and especially for making the recipes! I love it when I hear that someone has enjoyed one of the recipes that I shared. That is what makes me want to continue blogging. And you wanna know a secret? Every time I get a comment or a new follower, I do a little happy dance. : )Thank you!

Simple Roasted Chicken

Yes it's true! You can have a roasted chicken done in about an hour, on a weeknight, and have time to make a side dish! If I told you how easy this method is (not to mention how amazingly delicious), you probably wouldn't believe me. But here it is: Olive oil, salt, pepper, skillet, and your oven. That's all!

And the chicken of course. This fabulous recipe is from my favorite genius cooks at Cook's Illustrated. They tested countless methods to give us the best technique to roast a chicken without 24 hours of brining and planning. You would not believe how much flavor this little bird packed. And underneath that crispy golden skin? Tender, juicy breast meat that will have even dark-meat loyalists reaching for a second taste. Seriously, you have to try this recipe!

But don't throw away that carcass! After lunch, I picked off all the remaining chicken and set it aside. I then put the carcass, half an onion, a few garlic cloves, carrots, and rosemary in a pot. Covered it with water and let it simmer for 90 minutes to make stock. After straining and cooling, I skimmed the fat. As you're reading this, I have Southwestern chicken chili made with the extra chicken and stock waiting for me in the slow cooker. Yum!

A few notes: you may notice that the bird's legs are held together with a foil "rope." I did not have kitchen twine so I improvised and it worked perfectly! Also, the magazine offered a pan sauce but we didn't like the taste of it, and this chicken is perfectly delicious on it's own. One more thing, I didn't read correctly and covered my chicken while it was resting. This took away some of that crispy skin on top and made it kind of deflate as you can see in the photo. So keep your chicken uncovered while it is resting and all will be well. :)

Simple Roasted Chicken
Prep: 10 minutes / Cook: 50-70 minutes / Rest: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 (3-1/2 to 4 pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Place a 10 or 12-inch oven-safe skillet on the middle rack and preheat oven to 450 degrees (I used my 10-inch cast iron skillet).

2. Combine salt and pepper. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Rub entire chicken (top and bottom) with oil. Sprinkle salt mixture evenly over entire chicken. Tie legs together with twine or foil and tuck wing tips underneath bird.

3. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer chicken to skillet, breast side up (it will sizzle!).  Place in oven and roast for 25-35 minutes, until breast meat registers 120 degrees and thighs read 135 degrees.

4. Turn oven OFF and leave chicken in the oven for 25-35 minutes, until breast meat reaches 160 degrees and thighs reach 175 degrees.

5. Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes. You can use this time to prepare a side dish. Carve chicken and serve.

Print Recipe

Recipe source: adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Additional information:

This method works for several reasons. Preheating the skillet allows you to sear the thighs, giving them a head start from the breast meat. Turning off the oven halfway through helps the chicken's exterior cool rapidly, eliminating evaporation of all those precious juices. Heat inside the chicken will continue to cook the chicken until it reaches a safe temperature.

To check the temperature:
Breast: insert thermometer low into the thickest part of the breast, just above the bone. Withdraw slowly and check for the lowest temperature.

Thigh: Insert thermometer into the space betwen the breast and thigh. Angle probe outward slightly to pierce the meat in the lower part of the thigh.

Information from Cook's Illustrated September/October 2011

My Review

Get Ready for New and Improved Taco Ring!

There it is. Taco ring in all it's glory. The most popular main dish recipe on this blog, and for good reason! A year ago I never would have thought twice about using the canned crescent rolls and other pre-packaged ingredients, but this food blogging world has really affected my cooking perspective, and in a good way too. You may remember my first taco ring post and a few changes have happened since then. I plan on giving you all the recipe details soon but for now I will tell you that the above taco ring was made with homemade taco seasoning and homemade crescent rolls! Someday I would also like to make my own refried beans, taco sauce, and cheese! Baby steps! I am currently on my way back from Iowa (sniff) and will be back to my regular recipe updates next Monday. Have a great week!

Linked with Mingle Monday

Rabbit Fricasee

Yes you read that correctly. This is a rabbit recipe. I ate it, I survived, and I actually enjoyed it; quite a bit to tell the truth. After much convincing and pulling teeth, Jeremiah finally managed to get me to buy rabbit. I'll admit, I was really grossed out by the idea. And rabbits (bunnies!) are so cute and fuzzy, how could I eat one?? Ah well, this little bunneh was mighty tasty. To tell you the truth, that ol' saying is right on target: "it tastes like chicken." The meat was very tender and the flavor of the gravy fantastic. If you feel like being adventurous, give this one a try! The ingredient list is long, but you probably have most of it already. And in case you're wondering, don't ask me how to pronounce the title, because I still have no idea.

Rabbit Fricasee

Prep: 20 min / Cook: 2 hours, 40 min

Yield: 4-6 servings

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1-1/2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 box frozen rabbit, thawed and cut into pieces

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 chopped green bell pepper

1-1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (I accidentally forgot this one)

4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

4 cups chicken stock or broth (or homemade turkey)

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons dried parsley

Cooked rice, for serving

1. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Combine the spices (paprika through thyme) and season the rabbit with the spice mixture. Brown rabbit on all sides in the pot and transfer to a plate (it does not have to be cooked through).

2. Add the flour to the oil in the pot and whisk to combine. Continue to whisk until the roux is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, tomatoes and garlic. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. It may look like a strange pasty consistency at this point.

3. Stir in the tomato paste and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the rabbit pieces and salt. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 2 hours until the rabbit is very tender. Stir occassionally and add water if the sauce gets too thick.

4. Add the parsley. Serve rabbit and gravy over white rice.

Click here to print this recipe!

Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse

My Review

Cheesy Chili Mac

If you enjoy cooking, you need this recipe. If you cook out of necessity, you need this recipe. If you have hungry persons in your life who demand more than PB&J, you need this recipe. If you are a newlywed with a hungry husband, you need this recipe. If you like to eat, you need this recipe. The point is, you need this recipe in your life!

Move over Hamburger Helper, because once you try this recipe, you'll never go back! It's simple, inexpensive, and much healthier for you; not to mention it tastes 100 times better! Tender pasta in a sweet tomato sauce with melted cheese. It all cooks in one skillet in 30 minutes! What's not to love, my friends? I served it with some Mexican seasoned zucchini squash, which I will have to share with you in the near future. And I know that the first picture looks like it has nasty little greasy pools, but they're actually delicious puddles of tomato sauce. My husband absolutely loved this meal and even talked about it for a few days after I made it! The leftovers are fantastic too, if you're lucky enough to have any that is.

Cheesy Chili Mac
Total time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 medium white onion, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 pound ground turkey or beef
2 cups water
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
8 ounces elbow macaroni (about 2 cups)
6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. In a large skillet (It called for a 12-inch skillet but I only have a 10-inch. Use a 12-inch if you have it, but if not, a 10-inch will be very full but will work just fine) heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. Cook and stir frequently until the onion is transparent, 4-6 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and brown sugar and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground turkey or beef and brown completely.

3. Once the turkey is browned, stir in the water and the tomato sauce. Mix in the pasta. Cover and cook on medium-high for 10-13 minutes, stirring occassionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta is to your desired tenderness. The sauce should be thickened by this point.

4. Remove from heat and add 4 ounces (1 cup) of the cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover for 2 minutes until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with fresh or dried parsley if desired and serve.

Print this recipe!

Recipe adapted from tracey's culinary adventures

My Review

Simplified Chicken Cordon Bleu

Layers of chicken, provolone cheese, ham, fresh and buttery bread crumbs, with a creamy parmesan topping...what's not to love? I've never attempted to make the official chicken cordon bleu with the rolling and stuffing, but my thought now is, why bother? This is so much easier! And it tastes just as good, if not better than the fancy version, I'm sure of it. If your wish is to impress, go ahead; do the pounding, rolling, stuffing, and praying that it all stays together. As for me, I'll do the layers, thankyouverymuch.

Simplified Chicken Cordon Bleu
Prep: 10 minutes / Bake: 25-30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Chicken
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 slices deli ham
6 slices provolone or swiss cheese
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or one chicken bouillon cube, crushed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise to get 6 thin pieces. Mine weren't perfect at all, just try to make everything the same thickness.

2. Place the chicken in a single layer in the baking dish. Top each piece with 2 slices ham and 1 slice cheese. Combine the bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over the entire dish.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the bread crumbs golden.

4. While chicken is baking, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk and slowly add the milk. Stir in the chicken bouillon and continue cooking, whisking slowly, for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add the Dijon and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the parmesan cheese until melted.

5. Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients until cheese is melted. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Click here to print recipe

Recipe adapted from mel's kitchen cafe

My Review

Lasagna

Lasagna has become an American household staple. It's great for large gatherings and entertaining; add a salad and garlic bread and you're set. My husband frequently orders lasagna at restaurants. Yet, until I made this lasagna last month, I had never done so before. Well, I'm sure glad I did!

This lasagna is delicious. The red sauce is loaded with flavor, and who doesn't love all that melted parmesan and mozzarella cheese on top? This recipe is different than some may be used to. It does not use ricotta cheese (which is a good thing if you have folks who don't like the ricotta). Instead, it is a combination of a red, meaty sauce and a bechamel sauce. I think that the bechamel sauce really contributes to the depth of flavor. While I will continue to try other lasagna recipes, this one is a winner and I highly recommend it. I split mine between two casseroles and kept one in the freezer; it held up very well and tasted fresh after defrosting and baking. The long directions may seem like a lot of work, but it's worth it!

Lasagna (Print)
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe
Prep: 1 hour / Bake: 45 minutes
Yield: 9x13-inch casserole

Red Sauce
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
4-8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Bechamel Sauce
4 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk (I used %)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 pound ground turkey
12 no-boil flat lasagna noodles
16 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 ounces parmesan cheese, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, melt oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring constantly about 1 minute. Add the onion and mushrooms. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the vegetables are soft.

2. Transfer the vegetables to a blender and blend into a paste, if desired. I did not do this step. Return to pan and add remaining red sauce ingredients. Cover and simmer on medium to low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occassionally. Meanwhile, continue with steps 3 and 4.

3. Brown turkey in a skillet and set aside.

4. Melt the 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly. Add the salt and pepper. Continue slowly whisking continually for 5-7 minutes, until sauce thickens considerably. Remove from heat.

5. Add the turkey to the red sauce and prepare to make three layers of noodles, sauce, and cheese. You can do this in a 9x13, or two 8x8 casseroles. Place 4 noodles, slightly overlapped, in the bottom of the pan (2 noodles if doing the 8x8). Add 1/3 red sauce, 1/3 bechamel sauce, and 1/3 mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Repeat twice, for a total of 3 layers.

6. Cover the pan with greased foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand, covered, for 15 minutes before serving.

My Review

Chicken Taquitos

I took the plunge and changed the face of my blog. This was hard for me. Even though I was getting tired of the little floating flower things on the sides and the greenish color, I tend to get sentimental about little details. I wanted something more sophisticated. I'm excited because now I can make my pictures bigger too. I would love to know what you think!

For today, I have a delicious, inexpensive, and healthy meal to share with you! This comes from Hungry Girl, who is well known for her guilt-free recipes.

These chicken taquitos are packed full of flavor, you would never guess that they are light and healthy! I loved the flavor of the corn tortillas. And don't be afraid of the canned chicken, it is moist and tender. I admit, I sort of felt like I was opening a can of cat food, but these definitely tasted better than cat food! (although, I've never actually tried cat food). I enjoyed these with salsa and sour cream, and a kale salad on the side...however, I really didn't like the raw kale so I might not be sharing that recipe with you as I had planned! But in the end, this meal was healthful and delicious, and I know I will be making them again in the future. This simple recipe puts those frozen taquitos to shame!

Note: The recipe said to use a 9.75 or 10-ounce can of chicken. I found neither, so I used (2) 5-ounce cans.

Chicken Taquitos (Print)
from Hungry Girl 123
Prep: 25 minutes / Bake: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

10-ounces canned 98% fat-free white chicken breast in water, drained and flaked into small pieces
1/2 cup salsa
1/3 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese (I used regular cheese)
1/4 teaspoon dry taco seasoning mix
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Nonstick cooking spray
Toothpicks
Optional toppings: sour cream, salsa, enchilada sauce

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and salsa. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

2. After 15 minutes, add the cheese and taco seasoning to the chicken. Mix and set aside.

3. Dampen two paper towels and place the tortillas between them. Microwave for about 1 minute. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

4. Take one tortilla and very lightly spray each side with nonstick spray. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken onto the tortilla (I 'scored' my filling into 8 slices, like a pizza, so that I knew I had even amounts). Spread it evenly over the whole surface. Roll up the tortilla. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet and place a toothpick in the center to secure. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

5. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until crispy. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve!

NUTRITION FACTS: 2 tortillas equals: 197 calories, 2.5g fat, 594mg sodium, 22.5g carbs, 3g fiber, 2g sugar, 20.5g protein.

My Review

Creamy Tarragon Chicken with Couscous and Peas

Confession #1: I have been in somewhat of a blogging funk lately.

Confession #2: I have an AMAZING chocolate chip cookie recipe to share with you, but those pictures are locked away in the ol' laptop until further notice.

Confession #3: I think you should know that for some reason, the only way to see the pictures from my memory card on this new computer is to click on each individual file until I find the one I want! I'm sure the settings can be changed, but trust me, seeing 600+ little picture files all lined up makes you want to run away and forget about the whole blogging thing!

Confession #4: This is why there is only one picture on this post, and I don't even think it's the best one, I just happened to find it and decided it was decent enough to do the job. I possibly would have edited it (via auto-adjust. Go ahead, shun me) but I have no idea how to do that yet on this computer.

Confession #5: Typing on this keyboard still feels very strange after having a laptop for so long, and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.

Confession #6: I love having a mouse now though! It's much better than the little square of something that you slide your finger on from the laptop.

I'm done now, I promise.

Now I'll get to the point here. This chicken recipe is from this blog and it is fantastic! I had a hankering to try couscous, and as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to give it a whirl. The creamy sauce is packed full of flavor, and the couscous made a wonderful starchy bed for the delicious chicken. When cooking the couscous, I just followed the directions on the container, substituting half the water for chicken broth to give it more flavor. I steamed the peas in the microwave and then mixed them together.

I made a few changes to the recipe to make the process easier for myself. This dish is very simple and it's a great way to introduce yourself to this wonderful Israeli style pasta!

Creamy Tarragon Chicken with Couscous and Peas (Print)
adapted from Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
Total time: 20-30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup half & half
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Black pepper, to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cut chicken breasts into thin (1/4 to 1/2 inch) slices. Sprinkle chicken with tarragon. Add chicken to skillet; avoid turning until the first side is cooked. At this point, flip the chicken strips and add the garlic to the skillet, gently stirring as needed.

2. Add chicken broth and salt. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Start the couscous if you are serving it.

3. As soon as the chicken is cooked through, you can choose to remove it to a plate or keep it in the skillet (I left it in the skillet). Add the half & half, mustard, and black pepper to taste. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Serve over couscous and peas.

My Review

Foil-Pack Apricot Chicken

First of all, let me say that I know these pictures are under par when it comes to good food photography. I know I'm not a good photographer and I don't pretend to be. Im okay with that. I happen have a really nice camera that does the work for me. I've only edited my pictures twice, and that was using the auto-adjust button. There are many food bloggers out there that amaze me with their photography. I just don't have the eye for it; nor do I have pretty accents, dishes, towels, etc. to make everything look like it's from a magazine. So I continue with my humble photos to show you my real passion, which is cooking and baking for those I love, and then sharing it with you!

But enough about that, let's get on with this chicken. It is from my Hungry Girl 1-2-3 cookbook, so it's light and healthy. As an added bonus, it's unique flavor combination tastes good too! The sweet apricot pairs nicely with the savory onion, and the foil-pack ensures that the chicken will be tender and juicy. Go ahead and give this guilt-free recipe a try!

Foil-Pack Apricot Chicken (Print)
from Hungry Girl 1-2-3
Prep: 15 minutes / Cook: 25 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

1/2 tablespoon buttery spread (I use Smart Balance)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/2 tablespoon dry onion soup mix
2 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Resealable plastic bag
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place butter in a small bowl and microwave until just melted. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine vinegar, cornstarch. Stir until cornstarch is dissolved. Add preserves, melted butter, and soup mix. Mix well and set aside.

3. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible and seal. Using a meal mallet or heavy can, carefully pound the chicken until it is uniformly about 1/2-inch thick.

4. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the preserves mixture and turn to coat.

5. Place a large sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet (enough foil to fold over the top and seal) and spray with nonstick spray. Lay chicken in the center of foil, and top with remaining preserves mixture.

6. Bring the long edges of the foil together and seal. Then pinch and roll the sides to seal. Bake for 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting the packet to release steam. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

NUTRITION FACTS: 233 calories, 3.5g fat, 274mg sodium, 13g carbohydrates, 0g fiber, 3g sugar, 39g protein

My Review

Slow Cooker Maple and Brown Sugar Ham

This is quite possibly the best ham I have ever had. And definitely the best ham my husband has ever had. He told me. Several times. Trust me, this is delicious!

I adapted the recipe from Melanie, over at My Kitchen Cafe. You may remember her from the amazing bourbon chicken that I posted last month. This ham is sweet, tender, and so juicy. There is no hint of tough or dry meat here! And you won't believe how easy it is to make this. I served this for Christmas dinner with my cheesy potato casserole and sour cream fan rolls; it was a hit! The dipping sauce is a cinch to make. Serve this for company, and they will think you worked in the kitchen for hours; when all you really did was put it in your crockpot and walk away. But nobody has to know.

Slow Cooker Maple and Brown Sugar Ham (Print)
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe
Prep: 5 minutes / Cook: 2 hours

1 boneless, round ham (about 3 pounds, sliced or unsliced, I've used both)
1/2-3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (I used grade A, medium amber)
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
Cornstarch, for thickening (optional)

1. In a 3-1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker, place the ham with the cut side down. Pat all sides with brown sugar, it's okay if some falls on the bottom.

2. Add in the maple syrup and pineapple. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. That's all!

3. Gently remove ham and place it on a platter. Cover with foil and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, strain the liquid remaining in the crock pot using a colander, reserving the pineapple for topping if desired.

4. You can use the dipping sauce straight from the crock or you can thicken it with cornstarch. The second time I made this ham I thickened the sauce and I preferred it that way, but it is good thin also. To thicken, place sauce in a small saucepan. Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Stir until cornstarch is dissolved. Whisk into saucepan. Continue whisking over medium heat until desired thickness is achieved. You may add more cornstarch using the technique above if needed.

Just thought this was kind of a fun picture. If you haven't tried the sour cream fan rolls you are missing out! They're are another one of my husband's favorites. Have a great weekend!

My Review

Taco-Stuffed Shells

I had never used the jumbo pasta shells, and when I saw this recipe, I knew that it was time to try them. These mini tacos were delicious and fun to eat, which makes them that much better! And I have been thinking of so many yummy fillings to spoon into these little shells, the possibilities are endless!

These taco-stuffed shells were good, but my husband and I thought that the meat lacked some flavor. I posted the original recipe below so that you can have it, but next time I make something like this, I will just cook the meat how we usually do for tacos; with taco seasoning and taco sauce. I think that the flavor may have also been somewhat dull because I substituted ground turkey for the ground beef, and the turkey needs more help to have flavor than beef does. But these are so much fun to make (and eat), so give them a try with your favorite taco fillings!

Taco-Stuffed Shells (Print)
from Fast-Fix One-Dish Meals
Prep: 40 minutes / Bake: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

18 jumbo shell macaroni (about half of a 12-ounce box)
1 pound ground beef or turkey
3 ounces cream cheese (I used neufchatel)
1 teaspoon chili powder
16 ounces salsa
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook shells according to package directions. Drain shells and rinse with cold water, draining well after rinsing.

2. While pasta is cooking, brown meat in a skillet and drain grease as needed. Stir in cream cheese and chili powder (or your usual taco seasonings). Remove from heat.

3. Spread about 1/2 cup salsa in the bottom of a 2-quart rectangular baking dish or 9x13 baking dish (it will be thin, add more if you like). Spoon about 2 tablespoons of meat into each shell and place in baking dish. Top shells with remaining salsa.

4. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes more or until heated through. Serve with your favorite taco toppings.

My Review

Bourbon Chicken

I have made several variations of the asian-sauce with chicken and rice combination; but none of them have been this good.

Let me put it this way: my husband has declared this to be his favorite meal that I have made for him. He wants me to make it for our friends when they come to dinner. He just said today that he was craving this dish and didn't want to wait for our guests (which is next weekend). I think it is safe to say that this ranks right up there with taco ring.

This recipe is from Melanie, at My Kitchen Cafe. She has an amazing blog and all of her recipes have turned out delicious. This recipe is fantastic and it will definitely not disappoint you! As Melanie said, it is perfectly sweet with a little bit of zing. Served over brown (or white rice or fried rice or lettuce wraps), you can't go wrong.

Bourbon Chicken (Print)
from My Kitchen Cafe
Prep: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast* (see review)
4 tablespoons canola oil
cornstarch (optional)
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Heat oil in a large skillet. Dust chicken with cornstarch, if desired. Fry in oil until lightly browned. Watch out for splattering oil! I kept the lid on as much as possible. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Wipe out any excess oil from the skillet.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Mix well and pour into skillet. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken to the skillet. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until sauce is somewhat thickened.

My Review

Shepherd's Pie

This is one of those good ol' casserole recipes that never fails. A meal all-in-one, with an extra casserole in the freezer, ready for a busy weeknight. Besides, you can't go wrong with anything that involves mashed potatoes. Just sayin'.

This recipe calls for prepared mashed potatoes. No worries though, I made mine while the meat was cooking and it was all put together in no time. Of course, instant mashed potatoes are an option, but real ones are oh so much better! As a side note, the original recipe was made in an oval baker that is no longer available from Pampered Chef, and I am unsure of it's size. I made my casserole in two 8 x 8 pans and tucked one away in the freezer. You could also use a 9 x 13. Using two 8 x 8 pans or a 9 x 13 results in a somewhat 'thin' casserole, so if you want something thicker, you may try using just one 9 x 9 inch pan. As you can see, this dish is very versatile and forgiving, so don't be afraid to give it a try!

Shepherd's Pie (Print)
from Pampered Chef
Prep: 30 minutes / Bake: 20-30 minutes (depending on thickness)
Yield: 6-8 servings

1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups frozen vegetables (I used frozen peas, frozen corn, and fresh carrots)
12 ounces beef gravy
2-4 cups mashed potatoes (Original recipe says 2...but I need more than that!)
4 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a skillet, cook ground meat, onion, and garlic. Drain as needed. Meanwhile, begin to boil the potatoes and prepare as you desire.

2. Add salt, thyme, pepper, vegetables, and gravy. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 mintues, stirring frequently.

3. Spoon into desired baking dish. (Two 8 x 8 pans, one 9 x 13 pan, or one 9 x 9 pan). Top with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese.

4. Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness, until heated through.

Nutrition Facts (based on 8 servings): 305 calories, 16 g fat, 650 mg sodium, 3 g fiber

My Review

Cast Iron Seared Steak: The Best and Most Simple Way to Enjoy a Great Steak

As a Christmas present, I received the first season of Good Eats, with Alton Brown. I have since become a huge fan. This show is entertaining; Alton never ceases to make you laugh with his quirkiness. And it's different from all the other cooking shows. This isn't your typical half-hour segment where someone makes a recipe that comes out perfect and then it's over. No, this cooking show teaches you about food, cookware, origins and many other tidbits of information that will make you think, "Wow, I never knew that!" For example, did you know that the vanilla bean comes from orchids?! Weird, I know.

But back to my steak. In this episode, Alton teaches you about all the different cuts of beef, how to choose a good piece of meat, and the most delicious way to cook a steak. Which is what this post is all about! Here's the process: Hot cast iron skillet, meat seasoned with kosher salt, black pepper, and canola oil. Sear the steak in the skillet, then finish it off in the oven. And that's all! No fancy marinades, seasonings, or sauces. This steak is good all by itself. It's tender, juicy, full of flavor, and as my husband said, "just as good as a restaurant's." Go ahead, give it a try. And check out some Good Eats episodes while you're at it!

Cast Iron Seared Steak (Print)
from Good Eats
Prep: 5 minutes / Cook: 5 minutes
Note: If you want the full effect, watch the clip here. It's great information!

Steak
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Canola oil

1. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Place the cast iron skillet in the oven to warm up.

2. Season the steak with a good amount of salt and pepper. Lighlty coat both sides with canola oil.

3. Take the pan out of the oven and place it on the stove on high heat. Put the steak in the pan and do not touch it for 30 seconds. Turn it over for another 30 seconds on the other side.

4. Place the pan in the oven for 2 minutes. Flip the steak and cook for another 2 minutes. The length of time can vary, based on the thickness of your steak and the level of doneness you desire. See the information below for temperature ranges.

5. Take the steak out of the oven and let it rest for 3 minutes to allow the juice to soak into the meat. Lightly cover with foil and elevate the steak on a bowl to prevent any drippings from making the crispy crust turn soggy.

6. Cut the steak and enjoy!

Temperature Guide
Rare: 120-130 degrees
Medium Rare: 130-145 degrees
Medium: 145-155 degrees
Well: 155 + degrees

Apple-Stuffed Baked Fish

I have a confession to make. I used to say I hated fish or seafood of any kind. I wouldn't even consider eating fish, but recently I have been trying to have it more often. I'm always in search of good fish recipes, and this one was right up that alley. I admit that I still get the heebie geebies when handling fish, but I think that for the most part, I will say I like seafood. But don't expect me to eat anything with a nasty hard shell like lobster or crab. Things that have eyes that look at me. I won't even go near those!

But back to this recipe. It is out of one of my favorite cookbooks, The Old Farmer's Everyday Cookbook Almanac, and it won first prize in the 2003 "apples" recipe contest. The filling is sweet and savory, with a hint of tartness from the apples mingled with a touch of thyme; it's definitely a winner. It has an elegant presentation and is simple to make. I'm sure this dish could be dressed up on a bed of shredded carrots or rice and it would look even prettier. The one thing I would change is reduce the green onion. I think my onions were on the strong side, but there was too much for my taste. I left the original measurements in the recipe below, so you can decide for yourself. See my review for full details. Enjoy!

Apple-Stuffed Baked Fish (Print)
from The Old Farmer's Everyday Cookbook Almanac
Prep: 20 minutes / Bake: 10-15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Stuffing:
1 cup peeled, cored, and grated Golden Delicious apple
1/2 cup peeled and grated carrot
1/2 cup minced green onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

Fish:
4 white fish fillets (haddock, cod, or other), 4-5 ounces each (I used cod)
1/2 cup chicken broth or water

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a small roasting pan. (I used a cast iron dutch oven).

2. For stuffing: Prepare the apples, carrots, and onion as directed. Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.

3. For fish: Rinse the fillets and pat dry with paper towels. Spread the stuffing over the fillets and carefully roll up lengthwise. (Mine ended up just being folded). Secure with toothpicks. Place fish in pan, pour broth or water over fish. Cover with lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

               

My Review

Swedish Meat Loaf and Gravy

I'll be the first to say that meat loaf is not photogenic. I tried to get a good picture, but the with the combination of my underdeveloped photography skills and the ugly meat loaf, this is all I got.

But you can take my word for it, this meat loaf is tasty! I prepped it the night before, so all I had to do for lunch was put it in the loaf pan and bake it. I served it with mashed potatoes, but egg noodles would be great with this too. It's hearty and filling, perfect for a chilly winter evening.

Swedish Meat Loaf (Print)
from Pampered Chef
Prep: 20 minutes / Bake: 75-80 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 (4 oz) can mushrooms, drained and chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, snipped or 4 teaspoons dried parsley
2 bread slices, crumbled
2/3 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or allspice
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients, except for meat, and mix well. Add meat and mix well.

2. Shape into loaf pan. Bake for 75-80 minutes, until center temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from pan and let stand 10 minutes. Serve with gravy.

Swedish Gravy
12 oz mushroom or beef gravy
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1. Heat gravy and milk in saucepan on medium heat. Whisk in sour cream.

Chicken & Broccoli Twice-Baked Potatoes

This recipe is a twist on your typical twice-baked potato, and it's filling enough to use as a main dish. Jeremiah made this for dinner on my first day of work. He had worked hard to make me a nice dinner and they tasted delicious! We have made them twice and I know we will enjoy them in the future too.

Chicken & Broccoli Twice-Baked Potatoes (Print)
adapted from cooksrecipes.com
Prep: 30 minutes / Bake: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 large russet potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup butter or margarine
8 ounces reduced-fat sour cream
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) cheddar cheese, shredded
1-1/2 cups broccoli, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
Milk and additional butter (to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean potatoes. Prick potatoes with a fork several times on each side. Place on a plate and microwave for approximately 7 minutes, rotating and turning potatoes halfway through. The original recipe says 14-17 minutes. I have a 'baked potato' setting on my microwave, so I just use that. I halved the recipe last time, so it was 6 or 7 minutes for 2 potatoes and I'm not sure how long 4 would take. Just make sure that the potatoes are slightly softened and tender.

2. While potatoes are cooking, sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes in oven.

3. Set potatoes and chicken aside to cool when done. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Combine remaining salt and pepper, butter or margarine, sour cream, cheese, broccoli, and garlic.

4. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out pulp with a spoon or melon baller, leaving the shell intact. Mash pulp with additional milk and butter to taste (to sort of make mashed potatoes). Cut chicken into small cubes. Combine potatoes and chicken with the remaining filling.

5. Scoop filling into potato shells. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Optional changes

• You can cut the chicken and cook it in a skillet with a small amount of oil instead of cooking it in oven.
• You can also bake the potatoes in the oven instead of using the microwave. To do this, clean and prick the potatoes, then rub with vegetable oil. Bake the potatoes at 400 degrees for about 1 hour.
• You can put half the cheese in the filling and save the other half to sprinkle on top before placing the potatoes in the oven.

Stuffing Casserole

I found this recipe online last week and I wanted to share it with you because it's a great way to use your leftover Thanksgiving turkey! This casserole is very easy and quick, making it a good choice for busy weeknights.

Stuffing Casserole (Print)
from Taste of Home online
Prep: 20 minutes / Bake: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

1 box (6 ounces) chicken flavored stuffing mix
1 cup turkey or chicken, shredded or cubed, cooked or raw
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 (10-3/4 ounce) can 98% fat-free condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the stuffing mix according to package directions and set aside. Meanwhile, if you are using raw poultry, cut it up and cook it on medium heat, with a small amount of oil, in a skillet.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the meat, vegetables, soup, water chestnuts and 2 tablespoons of water.

3. Transfer to an ungreased 2-quart or 8x8-inch baking dish. Top with the stuffing . Bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

My Review

• Preparation: 4
• This casserole was very easy to put together; I started with raw chicken and it would be even faster if your meat was already cooked. It takes about 50 minutes start to finish.
• Taste: 4
• This recipe was very good. The stuffing gives it a nice flavor and made me feel like I was already enjoying my Thanksgiving meal. I will probably make it again sometime.
• Cost: 5
• I don't think the ingredients for this cost more than $5.00, and it gives you 6 servings! It's a great way to use leftovers too.
• Clean-up: 4
• I had a pan for the stuffing, a skillet for the chicken, the mixing bowl, and the baking dish.
• Changes
• You could probably use some of your leftover Thanksgiving stuffing too if you have it!
• As mentioned above, you can use chicken or turkey, leftovers or raw.
• I wrote 98% fat free cream of chicken soup because that's what the can said, but it's probably equivalent to a light cream of chicken soup. I have also used the Campbell's Healthy Request soup too, but if my memory serves right, the 98% fat free had less sodium and fat than the healthy request.