Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie

Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 2 breasts)
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups instant biscuit mix
1 cup milk
1 stick melted butter

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a greased 2-quart casserole dish, layer the chicken, eggs, carrots, and peas. In a separate bowl, mix the soup and chicken broth together and season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture over the layers of chicken & vegetables. In separate bowl, stir together the biscuit mix and milk and pour this over the casserole. Drizzle melted butter over the biscuit mix topping. Bake until the topping is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

Modifications:
-I used 1/2 bag of frozen peas and carrots.

Here's what I started with:

Here's how I did it:

#1 I preheated the oven to 350 degrees.

#2 I put the chicken on to cook.

#3 After the chicken was cooked , I cut it up into pieces and layed it out in a 9x13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

#4 2 sliced up hard-boiled eggs went on top of the chicken.

#5 1/2 bag of frozen peas and carrots went on top of the chicken and eggs.

#6 I mixed together the cream of chicken soup and 1 cup of the chicken broth and poured it across the chicken and veggies.

#7 In a separate bowl, I mixed the biscuit mix and milk and then poured it all over the top of the other stuff.

(horrible picture)

#8 The melted butter was poured all over the biscuit mix.

#9 Into the oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

The Finished Product:

Review:

I got this recipe from my sister a while back and I have just been waiting for it to turn cold to pull it out and use it.  Well, it was 17 degrees today so I think that qualifies.

This recipe really was simple.  It could easily be turned into a crockpot meal just by putting everything into the crockpot and then making biscuits or even croissants at dinnertime.  The carrots and peas were cooked perfectly and the juice with the Bisquick mix was great.  Scott told me that he doesn't even really care for chicken pot pie that much normally and he went on and on about how great this was.

I used a 9x13 baking dish but I wish that I would have used 2 cans of cream of chicken soup instead of only one. 

I think, too, that if you didn't want to mess with the Bisquick you could easily open up a can of biscuits or croissants and place them on top and just let them rise right on the chicken mixture.

Here are some additional notes from my sister:

I used fresh baby carrots & sliced those up. They were still a bit crispy after baking, so if you want softer veggies, use canned sliced/diced carrots.


I used canned peas instead of frozen.


I used egg, although that could be optional if you don't like eggs. (I liked it in there, though!)


Any other veggie could easily be added to this dish... corn, onion, green beans, etc.


I had to bake this casserole almost 55 minutes before the topping was done all the way through--not sure if that's because of my oven or what so check to be sure topping is done with a toothpick before scooping this out into bowls.

Buffalo Chicken Chili Nachos

Buffalo Chicken Chili Nachos Adapted from Debbie Does Dinner
2 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 large carrots
4 stalks celery
1 large red pepper
1 large onion
5 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup chili powder
2 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. paprika
1/2 cup Franks Hot Sauce
2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can chili beans in sauce (do not drain)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:  Cook chicken with a bit of water in pan until cooked and easy to shred. Shred chicken and put in crockpot Heat a bit of cooking spray in pan and cook onions, carrots, pepper and garlic about 8 minutes. Add veggie mixture to crock pot. Add all the other ingredients and mix together. Cook on low for several hours until hot and flavors have come together. **Alternate method: You can mix everything on the stove top at a simmer and cook for an hour.

Total calories = 3066 calories
14 cups = 219 calories per cup

Modifications:
-I just cooked it on the stove top.

Here's what I started with:

Here's how I did it:

#1 I put the chicken into a pan of water and let it cook through.

#2 While the chicken was cooking, I diced up 5 cloves of garlic, celery, carrots, onions and a red pepper.  I had 1/2 of a red onion that I really needed to use so I used it instead of a white or yellow onion.

#3 While the chicken was cooking, I put the veggies in some olive oil to sautee.

#4 2 cans of tomato sauce and a can of diced tomatoes went into a pot.

#5 I rinsed and drained a can of black beans and kidney beans and they went into the tomato sauce.

#6 A can of chili beans with the sauce went in next.

#7 The chicken was pulled out of the water.

#8 The veggies were next in the pot.

#9 The chicken was shredded and then put into the pot.

#10 1/2 cup of Fred's Hot Sauce was added along with cumin, chili powder and paprika.

#11 The chili was left to simmer for about 20 minutes.

The Finished Product:

The Finished Product:

I was really excited to try this recipe when I saw Debbie posted it last week.  We love chili and we love buffalo wings so what a perfect combination.

I didn't decide to make  this dish until about 2 hours before dinner so I didn't have time to cook it in the crockpot.  I really don't think that I missed any of the flavor, though.  This chili is not for the faint of heart or those who do not like spicy foods.  It is SPICY.  I actually calmed it down a bit by adding about 1/4 cup of Ranch dressing to it. 

While it was spicy in the hot wing kind of way, it definitely did not miss out on the chili flavor.  While it was cooking and I was taste-testing, I kept thinking that I would need something to eat with it like we eat crackers with chili.  I decided that I would just turn this into nachos and serve it over tortilla chips.  Funny thing is that Scott came in and tasted it and said the same thing without me telling him that so Buffalo Chicken Chili Nachos was born.  Scott also thought that it would taste good over a hot dog.

I definitely think that this would be a great Super Bowl party food.  It would also be good in some type of chili cook-off that you have with your friends but I'm not sure if I would make it again for just dinner.

Hope you enjoy!
April

Egg and Sausage Casserole

Egg and Sausage Casserole
8-9 eggs, whisked
5 pre-cooked turkey sausage patties
handful of cheese

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Crack eggs and whisk.  Salt and pepper.  Warm up sausage patties in the microwave and then cut them up.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Pour the eggs into the dish.  Sprinkle the pieces of sausage throughout.  Cover with cheese.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until set.
Modifications:
-You can add any vegetables (green peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc).
-You can add bacon, ham, etc.

Review:

I forgot to take pictures when I first started to make this but remembered it at the end.  This casserole is super easy and delicious.  It is perfect for the day after a holiday, Sunday brunch or if you have a houseful of people you could make 2-3 different kinds.

We will definitely have this dish over and over again!

Hope you enjoy!

April

Turkey with Cranberry Glaze

Turkey with Cranberry Glaze
Adapted from Alton Brown, Bobby Flay and Paula Deen
16-18lb turkey
8-10 cups chicken broth
2 onions quartered
1 small bag of baby carrots
4 celery stalks, cut into 1 inch
1 container poultry herbs
1 1/4 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions:  Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Quarter the onions and cut the celery stalks into 1 inch pieces.  Finely chop the herbs.  Mix the herbs in with the butter.  Pour the chicken stock into a saucepan and warm.

Take package off of turkey.  Reach inside the cavity and take out the neck and the bag.  Rinse turkey.  Pat dry.

Salt and pepper the cavity.  Put 1/2 of the vegetables inside of the turkey.  With your hands, massage the butter mixture all over the turkey.  Try to get under the skin (without cutting holes in the skin).  Put some of the butter mixture inside the cavity.

Put the rest of the vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan.  Pour half of the chicken stock into the bottom of the roast pan.  Place the turkey breast side down directly into the roasting pan (not on a roasting rack).

Let turkey cook for 30 minutes at 500 degrees.  Baste every 15-20 minutes.  At 30 minutes, turn the oven down to 350 degrees.  Cook for another hour.  Turn the turkey over so that the breast is facing upward.  This will require help!!

Continue to cook 15-16 minutes for every pound of the turkey.  Continue basting every 15-20 minutes.

The turkey will start to brown.  Don't freak out!  This is just trapping the juices in.  Continue to baste. 

I turned the turkey down to 275 after about 4 hours.

Once the turkey is done, pull it out of the oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.

Here's what I started with:

Here's how I did it:

#1 Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Chop up the vegetables.

#2 Put the chicken broth in a saucepan to warm up.

#3 Finely chop all of the herbs.

#4 Add the herbs to the butter.

#5 Take the turkey out of the packaging.  Pull out the bag that is full of turkey "innards".  Throw away.

#6 Go to the other end of the turkey cavity and pull out the neck.  Throw it away.

#7 Tuck the wings up under.

#8 Place half of the onions, carrots and celery into the turkey cavity.  Salt and pepper the cavity and outside of the turkey.  Grab a big handful of butter and rub it all over the turkey.  Try to stick your hands up under the skin.  Put some butter inside the cavity.  Use all of the mixture.

#9 Place the remaining vegetables and about 3/4 of the chicken stock in the bottom of a roasting pan.  Place the turkey breast side down into the roasting pan.

#10 Place into the oven at 500 degrees for 30 minutes. 

#11 After 30 minutes, turn the oven down to 350 degrees.  Continue basting every 15-20 minutes.

#12 After an hour and a half, turn the turkey over so it is breast side up. 

#13  As the turkey cooks, use your instinct.  If you think it is getting too dark or you are starting to worry, turn the oven down to 300 or 325. 

#14 This is what it looked like after cooking from 9:30-2:30.

Cranberry Glaze

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsps Apple cider vinegar

1 cup cranberry juice

1 bag of cranberries

1/2 cup apple cider

4T of butter

Directions:  Mix all ingredients and warm.  Pour over turkey.

Here's what I started with:

Here's how I did it:

#1 Put the butter in a saucepan and let it melt. 

#2 Add all of the ingredients and let it slowly warm.

The Finished Product:

Finished Product with Cranberry Glaze:

Review:

This is the the 2nd year that I have made this recipe for the turkey and it really turned out great. 

By cooking the turkey on 500 for the first 30 minutes, the skin starts to crisp up.  The herbed butter rub seeps into the skin and helps to brown it, too.

I cook the turkey breast side down for the first hour and a half.  This allow for the breast to really soak up all of those juices, then flip it over.

I just can't say enough about the cranberry glaze.  It is SO good.  Next year, though, I am not going to put the glaze on until after the turkey is sliced up.  Some of the pieces did not get the turkey glaze by me pouring it over before it was sliced but, either way, this turkey was fantastic. 

Hope you enjoy!
April

*****(5 Stars)--This dish was fantastic!