Champagne Chicken

I absolutely love the sauce that goes on this chicken, I find it addicting. I like it better without the Grand Marnier added but that's just me. I need to give credit where credit is due. This recipe is from a cookbook I purchased at the Old Ritten House Inn in Bayfield, WI. It's just one of many recipes of delicious meals that they serve at their B&B.

Ingredients                                       

4 to 6 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 tsp. fresh garlic
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves as well as 2 sprigs of thyme for sauce
4 tbls. olive oil divided
8 oz. prosciutto , julienned
4 oz. baby bella mushrooms
*1 bottle brut champagne 
2 bay leave

10 peppercorns
2 shallots roughly chopped
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tbls. chicken base
1/4 cup Grand Marnier (optional) *ABK6 Orange Liqueur

Instructions

Combine first 5 ingredients with the exception of 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and the 2 sprigs of thyme in a large bowl. Place chicken in the refrigerator for 2 hours to marinate. While chicken is marinating, prepare champagne sauce. To prepare sauce combine 1 bottle of champagne, 2 bay leaves, 10 peppercorns, 2 sprigs of thyme, and 2 shallots roughly chopped. Simmer until reduces by 75% (takes about 60 minutes). Add cream and chicken base and simmer for an additional 60 minutes. If you would like to add the Grand Marnier, this would be the time to do it. 🙂 Pour sauce through a sieve.
To cook chicken, preheat saute' pan with tbls. of olive oil on medium heat. Sear chicken breast for 6 minutes on each side until done. Take chicken breast out of pan and place on a platter and cover with foil for 5 minutes before slicing and plating. Pour champagne sauce over chicken. I like to serve with garlic whipped potatoes, roasted mushrooms and the julienne d prosciutto as garnishes, and asparagus on the side.
To roast the mushrooms, add cleaned whole mushrooms to baking sheet and roast in 350 degree oven for 7- 10 minutes. Coat with olive oil, add salt and pepper.

* I found a very good brut sparkling wine at Costco, Mumm Napa Brut Prestige. It’s very good and reasonably priced.

* I found the ABK6 Orange Liqueur to be a very good, less expensive, substitute for the Grand Marnier.

French Onion Soup

 

 

 

I've tried many different types of  French onion soup, but this is currently my all time favorite! I've made a few changes to the original recipe below.

   https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/our-favorite-french-onion-soup-51248680

 

 Ingredients

1. • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
   • 1 tablespoon olive oil
   • 3 pounds yellow onions (about 4 medium), halved lengthwise, peeled, and thinly sliced
   • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
   • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
   • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
   • 1 1/2 cups dry vermouth 
   • 6 cups beef broth (I use Better than Bouillon brand)
   • 10 sprigs thyme
   • 2 bay leaves
   • 1 baguette
   • 1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise
   • 2 teaspoons sherry, preferably Fino or Manzanilla
   • 4 ounces or more Gruyère cheese, grated

 

Preparation

1. 1. In a large Dutch oven or other large pot, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the oil and onions; cook onions are until softened, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and sugar; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, reducing heat slightly if onions seem to be browning too quickly, 35 to 45 minutes more.
   2. Add vermouth and raise heat to high. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.
   3. Tie thyme and bay leaves into a bundle with twine. Add broth and herb bundle to pot with onions. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until broth is thickened and flavorful, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.
   4. Heat the broiler. Cut two 1/2-inch baguette slices for every serving of soup. Place baguette slices on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until crisp and dry but not browned, about 1 minute per side. Rub one side of each toast with the garlic clove and set aside.
   5. Place ramekins or ovensafe bowls on a rimmed baking sheet, add 1/2 teaspoon of sherry to the bottom of each, place a little of the Gruyère cheese in the bottom of the bowl and ladle soup on top. Top each serving of soup with two or three garlic-rubbed toasts. I also like to saute' a cubed baguette in garlic oil until crispy and then sprinkle with salt and top off the soup with croutons instead of garlic toast. Divide cheese among the servings, covering the bread and some of the soup. Carefully transfer baking sheet to oven and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 4 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, if using regular soup bowls: Top each garlic-rubbed toast with some cheese and return to broiler to melt, about 2 minutes more. Divide sherry and soup among bowls, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and top each serving with two cheese toasts.)

Do ahead:

Soup can be made up to 3 days ahead (without toasts or cheese) if refrigerated, or up to 6 months ahead if frozen. Toasts can be made (without cheese) and kept sealed at room temperature for up to 3 days.

 

 

Mini Candied Pecan French Toast Bundt Cakes

 

 

 

These mini bundt French toast cakes are  the easiest and tastiest way to make a breakfast or brunch special for guests or just to have when you just want something yummy!

This recipe makes 8 but you can easily reduce it to make 2, 4, or 6 mini bundt cakes.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 loaf Challah or brioche bread (Found Challah bread at Trader Joe's)
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• candied pecans (I bought mine at Trader Joe's but you can make your own.)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Generously spray a mini bundt pan with  cooking spray.

  3. Place 5 to 6 candied pecans in the bottom of each mini bundt pan.

  4.  Tear bread into tiny bits and fill the bundt pan. You want to press the bread down  

        gently in order to fill the whole space.

  5.  Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger. Pour evenly over bread.

  6.  Bake for 10 minutes until set.

  7.  Gently turn the bundts out of the pan. I had to give mine a little shake to get them 

        out.

   8.  Serve with syrup and extra candied pecans.

Homemade Pesto Pizza

Every year come spring, I purchase multiple basil plants because I use them so much once the tomatoes and summer squash are coming in. Before it's time to harvest squash and tomatoes I love to make pesto from the basil. We also plant arugula from seed and it is the very first thing to come up every year. Arugula makes for great pesto! There are times that I combine both basil and arugula in a pesto, so yummy either way.

Pizza is one of the ways I love to use pesto, but pesto and pasta is a close second

. 

 

 

Pesto

 

The great thing about pesto is that after it is made it can be frozen to use months later.

 Ingredients

1 cup basil or arugula, firmly packed leaves

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Place basil, pine nuts, salt, pepper, garlic, and Parmesan cheese into a food processor or blender. Turn the food processor on, and add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Continue processing until a soft paste has formed. Store in the refrigerator or jar and place in the freezer for future use.

 

 

Pizza

 

Ingredients

Packaged 12" pizza crust (I prefer thin crust)

1/3 cup pesto

1/3 lb. (about) raw shrimp and  a couple of slices of Prosciutto julienned
or 1/3 lb.Chicken Caprase Sausage 

1/4 cup chopped onion (red onions, shallots or onion of your choice)

1/4 cup Kalamata olives (coarsely chopped) if using shrimp/Prosciutto

1/4 cup sliced black olives if using Caprese Sausage
Thin slices of tomato according to taste
8oz. fresh mozzarella or shredded mozzarella 

1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Fresh basil or arugula to top off the pizza

Obviously you can add or eliminate ingredients as you like. I like Kalamata olives and Prosciutto with shrimp because the shrimp needs something salty to go with it. I also cut the shrimp in two so that it cooks through on pizza.

Directions

Spread pesto evenly over pizza crust. Add meat, onions, slices of tomato, mozzarella, olives and sprinkle Parmesan over entire pizza. Bake in oven using crust instructions provided.

  

I just have to sing the praises of the chicken caprese brats that I use on the pizza. I found these brats at our farmer's market in Brookfield, WI and absolutely love them! I squeeze the meat out of their casings in little blobs onto the pizza just as you would pizza sausage.

It's time to sit down and enjoy the pizza and the beautiful weather!

 

Buffolo Plaid Birthday Party

We had a great time celebrating our grandson's first birthday yesterday! It's such a blessing to have him close by and to watch him grow. I just thought I'd share some of the decorations we used to celebrate.

I went to my favorite butcher and picked up some yummy garlic beef sticks to build a cabin. I used food coloring to tint my dill dip blue for the sky and green for the dip behind my "grass". I cut pieces of  green pepper and celery for the grass. As you can see, pea pods make great pine trees and cauliflower are perfect for clouds.

 I copied this idea from a banner found on Etsy. I was able to find the paper backed burlap at Joann Fabrics. I printed the lumber jack plaid patterns onto card stock using a link I found online and then cut the letters out with my Cricut machine. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Lumber+Jack+Pattern&FORM=IRIBIP

 Marek as a lumber jack!

 Not the clearest picture, but the banner I made for his high chair, also using the lumber jack plaid I printed onto card stock and the paper backed burlap.

 The sign thanking all those who attended the party. I used a link to print the free sign. https://amylanham.com/lumberjack-birthday-party-decor/

 And finally a picture of us with the birthday boy! Happy birthday Marek!!!

Easy Mexican Lasagna

I recently needed to bring a dish to a church potluck and decided to go to my favorite cookbook, Southern Livings All-Time Favorites, and pick out a new recipe. The dish was a hit and super easy to make, especially if you use a rotisserie chicken. I've decided to make it again for a family that is dealing with cancer treatments to help out with the grind of chemo. Since I'm making one for them I might as well make one for us! 😊

Ingredients

3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup canned diced tomatoes and green chilies (or 10-ounce can of Rotel)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup 
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
cooking spray
10 (6-inch) corn tortillas (it's important that they are corn so the top layer crisps up)
1 cup (4-ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (I'm sure I use more)
1 cup (4-ounces or more 🙂) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

 Toppings: shredded lettuce, tomatoes with green onions and cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, basically anything you enjoy on a taco...

Directions

1. Cook first 6 ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat for about 10 mins. or until heated through.
2. Stir together chicken and mushroom soups, 1/2 cup milk, and can of enchilada sauce in a sauce pan and heat over medium heat for about 10 mins. or until heated through.
3. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray, top with 3 tortilla shells. Spoon 1/2 of the chicken mixture and 1/3 of the sauce over the tortillas then top with half the Cheddar cheese. Top with 3 tortillas; repeat layers once with remaining chicken, sauce and remaining Cheddar cheese and tortillas, ending with tortillas. *Look at pictures below to see how I place the tortillas in the layers. Top with Monterey Jack cheese.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes of until lasagna is bubbly. If you assemble the lasagna ahead of time and bake the next day, leave in for 40 to 50 minutes.

I cut one of the 3 shells in half and alternated the side I put the half shells in the next layers.

The first time I made this I really liked the way the corn tortillas crisped up on the top so I decided to quarter a fourth tortilla and added 3 quarters of it to the last layer.

Mother's Day Craft

 For Story Hour this week we made a flower pot with some dessert cups and straws I picked up at Tuesday Morning, and I also made use of my Cricut to make the flowers and leaves for the kids to use on their project. If you don't have a Cricut it would be simple to make a flower template using free clip art from online. Since I'm working with a large group of young kids (most who are unable to handle a scissors as of yet), it just makes it easier for me and the moms.

I simply turned the dessert cups upside down and punched a hole in the center of the cup using a sharp tool. I printed up labels for the kids to apply to their flower pots.
It works best to glue the two sides of the flower together with the straw in the middle. You can cut the straw to the height you'd like. After the flower is glued the kids can add their thumb prints to the flower and then add the leaf and put the flower in the pot to dry. Adding candy to the top is optional. They can also color the top of the cup as shown below.