J'nets Broccoli Cheddar Soup

2 teaspoons granulated chicken bouillon
1 quart hot water
1 onion, chopped
1 head of celery, chopped
1 (20 oz.) bag of frozen broccoli florets
2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Pound Velvetta, cubed
1 stick of butter
milk or half and half
grated cheddar cheese
salt and white pepper

1. Melt the butter in a stock pot or dutch oven
2. Add the onion and celery, saute until tender
3. Add the broccoli, cook until just tender
4. Add the water, cream of chicken soup, and bouillon
5. Bring it up to a boil, boil for 5 minutes stirring frequntly
6. Reduce heat to low and add Velvetta cheese
7. stir until cheese is melted.
8. Remove from heat, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately. Garnish each bowl with grated cheese.

** If your soup is too thick you can add milk or half/half until the right consistency. Soup should be very creamy. Do not let this soup simmer or boil after you add cheese, it will scorch very easily and ruin the taste.

New Orleans Beignets

1 envelope active dry yeast 1/4oz.
1 1/2 cups warm water, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening (I use butter flavor Crisco)
6 1/2 to 7 cups all purpose flour
Canola oil for frying
powdered sugar for dusting

Combine yeast , 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 tsp. sugar in bowl of heavy duty stand mixer; let stand for 5 minutes. Add milk, eggs, salt, and remaining sugar.
Microwave reamining water until hot, stir into shortening until melted. Add to yeast mixture. Beat at low speed gradually adding 4 cups of flour until smooth. Gradually add remaining 2 1/2 to 3 cups of flour, beating until a sticky dough forms. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl; turn dough over in bowl to grease top. Cover with saran wrap and chill for 4 - 24 hours.
After chilled turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares.
Pou oil a depth of 3 inches in a dutch oven; heat to 360 degrees F.  Fry dough in batches, 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels or a wire rack and immediately dust with powdered sugar.  You can keep these warm in a 200 degrees F. oven for up to 30 minutes.

** these are sooo good! if you like sopapillas you will love these! **

Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Lemon Cream Sauce

1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (4-ounce) fresh salmon fillets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Lemon Cream Sauce, recipe follows

Directions:
In a shallow dish, combine the pistachios, salt, and pepper. Dredge the salmon in the pistachio mixture, pressing gently to coat.
In a small skillet, heat the oil and garlic over medium heat. Add the salmon and cook until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium; turn the salmon and cook until salmon flakes easily with fork, about 2 or 3 minutes more. Transfer the fillets to serving plates. Serve with Lemon Cream Sauce, and garnish with chopped pistachios, if desired.

Lemon Cream Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour, whisking to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium; stir in the broth and cream and simmer until thickened, whisking frequently, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, whisking to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Pour into a serving dish and serve with the salmon.

Beer Bread

I know you can get a beer bread mix from one of those home parties, but I can't justify paying that much when I can make the same thing from scratch for much cheaper.  I think this one tastes just as good as the expensive mix.

2 1/2 cups self rising flour
1 bottle of beer (your choice...I always use a light beer)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 stick of real butter, melted

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a large loaf pan and set aside.  combine flour and sugar in large bowl, add beer and stir until well blended. The batter will be very sticky. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Pour melted butter over top of batter.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle of the loaf.  Let set for a few minutes and then turn out onto a cutting board or cooling rack. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before cutting.  This bread goes great with homemade chili.

** be sure to use a LARGE loaf pan with this recipe or you will end up with butter all over your oven**

General Tso's Chicken

Sauce: make ahead and refrigerate until needed
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
1/4 Cup Water
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh Garlic
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh Ginger
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1/4 Cup Sherry, optional
1 can condensed Chicken Broth
Put everything into a quart jar with a lid and shake it up, then put in the fridge. Just shake it up again when you are ready to use it.

Chicken:
3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into chunks
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
1 egg, beaten
1 Cup Cornstarch
2 Cup sliced Green Onions
1 Tsp. red pepper seeds
Peanut or Canola oil for frying

Mix chicken, soy sauce, and 1/2 Tsp. pepper seeds. Stir in egg. Add cornstarch, and mix until chicken pieces are coated. Deep fry 7 or 8 chicken pieces at a time in 350 degree oil until chicken pieces are crispy. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all chicken chunks are fried.
Place a small amount of oil (1 Tbsp.) in wok, and heat to 400 degrees. Add onions and remaining pepper seeds. Stir fry about 30 seconds. Shake sauce mixture, and then add to wok. Cook until thick. If it gets too thick, add water to right consistency. Add chicken pieces to sauce in wok, and cook until all is hot and bubbly. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with fried or steamed rice.

*I make a tame version of this recipe for my family, but you can kick it up a bit by adding more pepper seeds or using small dried red peppers with the seeds removed. I serve this with Jasmine rice.**

Chicken Nuggets

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 Cup Flour
1 1/2 Cup Cracker Meal
1/4 tsp. Paprika
2 Cup Water
2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
2 1/2 tsp. Fines Herbs
Peanut Oil for frying

Place water in large bowl; add 1/4 teaspoon Fines herbs and dissolve bouillon cubes in mixture. Place cubed chicken in water, mix, cover and place in refrigerator for 12 hours.
Mix flour, cracker meal, 2 teaspoon fines herbs, and paprika in large bowl. Heat peanut oil for deep frying. Drain chicken from water mixture. Coat nuggets in flour and cracker mixture and fry in small batches until golden. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Be careful not to get the oil to hot and burn the chicken or all the remaining chicken will taste burned.

"I use Fines Herbs in my chicken recipe because that is the seasoning that Kentucky Fried Chicken uses in their original recipe chicken. If you can't find it you can order it online from Penzeys Spices here in Minneapolis or you can use McCormick garlic and herb seasoning.

Oreo Cheesecake

Crust :
1 1/2 C. Oreo Cookie Crumbs (about 23 Oreo cookies finely chopped)
2 Tbsp. Melted Butter
9″ Springform Pan (buttered on bottom and sides)
Filling:
1 1/2 lb. Cream Cheese
1 Cup Sugar
5 Large Eggs
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 Cup Flour
8 oz Sour Cream
5 Oreo Cookies (coarsely chopped for the batter)
10 Coarsely Chopped Oreo Cookies for Garnish

To make the crust :
Mix melted butter with Oreo crumbs and press in springform pan. Cover the bottom and 1 1/2″ up the sides with crumbs, set aside.

To make the filling:
All Ingredients need to be at room temperature! Beat cream cheese at low speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar gradually and continue beating cream cheese until mixed through. Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat until blended. Measure the vanilla, salt and flour, pour into cream cheese and egg mixture and beat until smooth. Add the sour cream and beat well. Turn off the mixer and stir in the coarsely chopped Oreo cookies with a spoon.
Pour cream cheese into the spring pan and place the nine coarsely chopped Oreo Cookies on top of the cream mixture. Place pan on the top rack and in the middle of a preheated oven at 325 decrees and bake for one hour and 15 minutes. When time is up turn oven off. Open the oven door slightly and let the cheesecake stay in the oven for one hour. Remove from oven and let cool enough to place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove from pan and garnish with whipped cream and additional Oreos. Serve immediately.

Buttermilk Garlic Dressing

2/3 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. Crushed Garlic
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Paprika
1/2 tsp. Freshly Ground Pepper
1 tsp. Mustard Powder
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1/2 Cup Buttermilk

Mix all ingredients in blender until smooth, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Fried Rice

3 Cup cold cooked rice (leftover Jasmine rice is great for this)
5 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Cup Chopped onion
1 Cup chopped carrots
2/3 Cup Chopped scallions
3 Tbsp. Sesame seeds (optional)
3 Eggs
5 Tbsp. Soy sauce (low sodium)
1 Cup bean sprouts

Cook rice according to package directions and allow time to cool completely in fridge . In a large wok heat sesame oil. Add onions, carrots and scallions. Sauté until onions are translucent. Set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place sesame seeds in a shallow pan. Bake until golden brown (10 to 15 minutes), shaking pan occasionally for even color. Lightly grease wok and re-heat. Crack and beat eggs in a large bowl. Pour into hot wok. Scrambled eggs hard. To eggs add rice, vegetables, sesame seeds, bean sprouts, and soy sauce. Stir until heated through.

This recipe is really good and so simple. I love to save leftover chicken and add to this.

Tilapia Filet with Apples

4 Tilapia filets
2 apples
2 teaspoons Calvados wine
2 shallots, sliced
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon white wine
1 teaspoon frying oil
1 teaspoon butter
Salt and pepper, to taste

Sautee the apples with butter until caramelized and put them aside. Season the fish on both sides and sauté them in the oil. In a saucepan, reduce the Calvados wine, the white wine, and the shallots to half and then add the heavy cream. Reduce the sauce to a creamy consistency. Add seasoning. Drain the sauce.
To serve: Pour the sauce onto the dish. Add the fish and top with the apple mixture.

Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

1 cup chicken breasts, cooked and diced (you can use a rotisserie chicken)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 quart half and half
1 14 ounce can chicken broth
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup carrots, finely shredded
1 cup onion, finely diced
1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin oil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon parsley
parmesan cheese, grated
1 pound potato gnocchi

Sauté the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter and olive oil, over medium heat when the onion becomes translucent, add the flour, and make a roux, let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute before adding 1 quart of half and half.
Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
Into the roux add in the carrots and chicken. Once the mixture becomes thick add the chicken broth. Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasonings, simmer until soup is heated through.

Chicken and Rice

1 - 6oz. box uncle Ben's long grain and wild rice original recipe, cooked according to package directions
4 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 - 10 3/4 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste
1 - 8oz. package Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing mix (the little crouton looking things)
1 stick real unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer the rice in the bottom of a greased 2 quart baking dish. Layer the chicken on top of rice. Mix soup, sour cream, and curry powder and pour evenly over chicken. Sprinkle stuffing mix over top of casserole and dot with small pats of butter. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

I have not made this recipe in ages, but I got an order for something like it so I thought I would add it to my blog! It is so easy to just throw together. The stuffing on top soaks up the butter and adds a little crunch and lots of flavor! I use Rotisserie chicken to save myself some time. I always buy 2 chickens when I go to costco.  I bring them home, take all the chicken off the bone and freeze it in baggies. Then I always have cooked chicken on hand to whip up any recipe!

Chicken and Wild Rice Hot Dish

4 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 medium onion, diced and sauteed in a little butter
1- 8oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
2 - 14 1/2oz. cans French green beans, rinsed and drained
1 small container of mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 - 10 3/4oz. can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup real mayonnaise
1 - 6oz. box Uncle Ben's long grain and wild rice original recipe, cooked according to package directions
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into greased  13x9 pan. Bake for 30 mintues or until bubbly and heated through.

** Now you can use reduced fat mayo, soup, and cheese in this recipe to lighten it up a bit. If you dont like mushrooms you can substitute some pimentos for them! Curt loved this dish when I made it!**