Beef Stroganoff

This is the best beef stroganoff I’ve had.  I’ve made lots of different recipes – some with gravy packets, some with sour cream, some with soup, and some without any processed ingredients in it at all.  This one is the best.  I hardly EVER cook with processed foods like cream of mushroom soups (I don’t particularly even like the taste of them), but there are a few select recipes that I use them for, and this is one of them.  It is really good.
Your cut of meat will make all the difference in this recipe.  My last roast turned out fabulous and was labeled ‘underblade’ (regularly $4.99/lb although I bought it on sale). Just remember this rule of thumb: your roast needs to have some fat marbling in it if you want it to be tender and fall apart after cooking. Ask your meat department for help if you don’t know what cut to buy.  Don’t use a Bottom Round or Top Round roast as they are too lean and will most likely turn out dry.
Be sure to not over-stir the meat when you are adding the remaining ingredients.  I mixed it up a little too much this last time; usually we like the meat to be a little chunkier than what is pictured. (It still tasted great, though.)  I served this on Fathers Day recently and of course it was a hit.  I hope you enjoy!

Beef Stroganoff
Submitted by Erin ~ The Sisters Cafe

2 lb Beef Chuck Pot Roast
1 ½ T. beef bouillon
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. water
1 medium diced onion
9 oz sliced FRESH mushrooms
1 can cream of golden mushroom soup
8-oz softened Neufchatel cream cheese
noodles

Combine roast, bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, and water in a crockpot. Cook on low for 5 hours.  In a bowl, mix together the onion, fresh mushrooms, and can of soup and then gently stir into the crockpot, breaking up the meat into very large pieces, and cook on high for 2 hours.  Carefully stir in the cream cheese without over mixing the meat – you want to keep the meat in bite-sized chunks rather than have it all shredded up.  Serve over noodles.

Recipe Source: adapted from this allrecipes.com recipe.

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

This is company worthy soup, and I think that is the highest praise soup can be given! I love it!  Thank you Barefoot Contessa!  I've been wanting to make this recipe forever... so when I hit a mushroom sale at the local grocery store last week, I knew exactly what I was going to do with them.  I used a combination of oyster, shitake, and white mushrooms.  And I'm dying to add Portebello to the mix next time.  I love soup for casual dinners with company, because you can make it early which equates to more time and energy to enjoy your company!

PS  Having a mushroom stock in the freezer would make this soup a cinch.

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

15 ounces of mushrooms (using 3+ varieties is key: shitake, portobello, cremini (or porcini) are suggested in the original recipe)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 stick plus one tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 carrot, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves, divided (can substitute dry)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine (optional)
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel.  Don't wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsley chop the stems.  Slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if there are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces.  Set aside.

To make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot.  Add the chopped mushroom stems, the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt (leave salt out if using salted butter), and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.  Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Strain, reserving the liquid.  You should have about 4 1/2 cups of stock.  If not, add some water.

Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining 1 stick of butter and add the leeks.  Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown.  Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender.  Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scarping the bottom of the pot.  Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the half-and-half, cream, and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Heat through but do not boil.  Serve hot.

Apple and Spinach Salad

This is an easy, flavorful salad that has been a favorite of mine for years.  I got the recipe from my mom, who got it from Melanie. I wanted to make it the other day, and so I jumped on the old Sisters Cafe thinking it would be here.  (For some reason it seems to much easier to look it up on The Sisters Cafe than to look in my cupboard.)  It wasn't here... so I thought I'd better remedy that!  I was always amazed that a salad dressing made from just two ingredients could be so good!  Oh but it is. I add blackberries when they are on sale, but most often I leave them out.  Oh and this salad keeps pretty well, too.  I usually eat any leftovers the next day, and it isn't all wilty yet.  (PS Melanie says that she likes to put on more dressing than I have pictured.  Just toss it to your own preference!)

Tip: I don't really like stinking up my whole house for days just to make a little bacon.  Especially if I have company coming over.  So when I need to make bacon, I usually make a lot.  Then I crumble it and freeze it in bags for salads or soups like this one (or this one or this one).  One less step at the busy dinner hour is always a good thing, right?

Apple and Spinach Salad
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1-2 packages of spinach
2 tart apples, diced (I like Granny Smith, but some type of red apple looks pretty and tastes good too)
1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
6 ounces blackberries (optional)

Dressing:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate

Combine mayonnaise and orange juice concentrate and mix well.  Toss into salad just before serving.

Spaghetti Sauce

This is a great, quick, delicious family recipe for spaghetti sauce. My kids love it, and so do my husband and I.  There is nothing complicated about this dinner; you just put it all together and let it simmer while you boil the spaghetti. I found this yummy recipe a long time ago on Taste and Tell. It makes enough for at least two dinners for my small family. I haven't frozen it before, but I imagine it would freeze and reheat just fine.  Enjoy!

Spaghetti Sauce
submitted by Erin ~ The Sisters Cafe .com

1 pound ground beef
1 pound sausage
1 chopped onion
2 cloves freshly minced garlic
1 grated carrot
1/2 cup chopped parsley  (2 ½ T. dry)
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
Tomato sauce can of water
1 24-26 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1 T. sugar
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried basil

Brown ground beef and sausage with onion. Drain grease, and add garlic. Add carrot and parsley and simmer for a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer between 20 minutes or a couple hours. This makes a lot. If desired, recipe may be halved.

Spinach Twist ~ Rhodes Bake-N-Serv

 

*This post was originally published in 2010, but we've recently added step-by-step photos to illustrate the directions. Enjoy!*

Rhodes Bake-N-Serv company sent each of us sisters a cookbook, Fresh Ideas with Frozen Dough. Wow. It's a great recipe book! I have tried half a dozen recipes from this cookbook already, and have found some real winners. My top recipe so far is this Spinach Twist. It's delicious. I've made it three times already. And honestly, it's pretty simple to make!


Spinach Twist
submitted by Erin ~ www.thesisterscafe.com
printable recipe

8 Rhodes Texas rolls, thawed and risen (or 12 regular dinner rolls)
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese
3 c chopped fresh spinach
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 egg
1/4 c parmesan cheese
2 c chopped ham
1 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
parmesan cheese, if desired

Press rolls together and roll out to a 10x13 inch rectangle. Mix cream cheese, spinach, basil, rosemary, egg, parmesan cheese and ham in bowl. Spread mixture over dough. Saute mushrooms, onion, garlic, butter, salt and pepper. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Starting with the longest side, roll dough up tightly and place seam side down.



Tuck ends under. With a long, serrated knife, cut roll lengthwise in half.



Carefully, roll each half so the cut side is facing out. Twist halves together 3 times and then pinch ends together and tuck under. This will form a long twist. Place on baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Brush with egg and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise until double. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Do not underbake. Cove with foil the last 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Recipe courtesy of Fresh Ideas with Frozen Dough.

Salad on a Stick

I just got back from a ten day vacation to Canada visiting my mom's family.  We had a blast!  We had lots of fun and lots of great food.  One night we spent having a picnic in a provincial park with my Aunt Cindy. She packed us a fabulous dinner with "salad on a stick," which I thought was genius!  I hate having to pack lots of stuff on picnics, so if I can find a way to leave the cutlery at home... count me in!  I already know these are going to be a must for us at picnics from now on... and I'm really excited to start experimenting with lots of different types of "salads" for sticks.

Salad on a Stick
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

Small head of iceberg lettuce
Cucumbers, sliced
Mushrooms, sliced if large
Cherry Tomatoes
And any other salad ingredient you want!

Cut iceberg lettuce in half.  Then cut each half into 4-5 wedges.  Cut wedges in half.  String lettuce on the stick first, then follow with the rest of the salad ingredients.  Either drizzle with salad dressing and eat right off the stick or remove ingredients from the stick onto a plate, drizzle with salad dressing, and eat with stick as utensil.  Enjoy!

 

Chicken Niko and Cookbooks to Giveaway

I am excited to share with you a sweet Southern Cookbook that has been such a treat to use.  'Second Helpings with Johnnie Gabriel' including a forward written by her cousin Paula Deen.  Good cooking runs in that family!  With a loyal following at her restaurant Gabriel's in Marietta, Georgia, Johnnie knows the secrets of good food!  This is her second cookbook, thus the title 'Second Helpings'.  It is a  fitting name, because you will definitely want more of her recipes after trying this dish!

We would like to offer 3 of our readers their own copy of this beautiful book, 'Second Helpings'.  Just leave a comment on this post by Friday at Midnight EST and the lucky winners will be announced on Saturday along with one more recipe from the book, Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffeecake.  Seriously delicious!  This is what we are serving for Fathers Day breakfast this year!

*For extra entries,either become a Sisters Cafe follower AND/OR blog, tweet or facebook about this giveaway and leave us the link:)

Chicken Niko

submitted by Melanie from 'Second Helpings' with Johnnie Gabriel cookbook

6 Boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup flour
2 Tb Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried oregano, divided
1/2 cup milk
2 Tb olive oil
6 slices deli ham, cut into bite-size pieces
2 zucchini, sliced
8 mushrooms, sliced
1 onion chopped
1 tsp basil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup butter (I used 1/4 cup)
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

Place the chicken breasts between plastic wrap and pound slightly with a meat tenderizer.  On a plate, mix the flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of the oregano.

Pour the milk into a small bowl and dip the breasts first in the milk and then in the flour.  Set aside.

Heat a large saute pan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil.  Saute each breast until a nice golden brown color.  Place in a 13x9 inch baking pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.  Top with ham.

Saute zucchini, mushrooms and onions in the pan drippings.  Add the basil, garlic, the remaining oregano, sun-dried tomatoes, and butter.  Heat and pour over chicken.

Top with the mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350  for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Chopped Pizza

Another recipe from my trusty Rhodes Bake n Serve cookbook. :)  I've been loving their great ideas in that book. And the idea of serving pizza "chopped" turned out to be a hit!
I make homemade whole wheat bread a few times a month, and when I do I usually reserve a portion of the dough to make something for dinner that night. Usually I make a regular pizza crust out of it. But recently I've made this chopped pizza instead, and it's been a fun and yummy way to change things up!
You don't necessarily have to have everything measured out just perfectly. When I make this I don't measure anything. I just have piles of all the ingredients and add handfuls as I need them. That's the beauty of pizza. :)
Hope you enjoy!

.

Chopped Pizza

Submitted by Erin  ~ The Sisters Cafe
Recipe from Rhodes Bake n Serve

8 Rhodes Texas™ Rolls, thawed and risen (or 12 regular Rhodes dinner rolls)
1 cup diced ham
4 tablespoons chopped green onions
4 tablespoons chopped green pepper
4 tablespoons sliced mushrooms
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons sliced olives
6-8 cherry tomatoes, cut in halfPlace 2 rolls on a bread board. Top with 1/4 cup ham, 1 tablespoon green onions, 1 tablespoon green pepper, 1 tablespoon mushrooms, 1/4 cup each of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Chop everything with a knife until ingredients are mixed into the rolls and top with olives and cherry tomatoes. Lift with a spatula onto a sprayed baking sheet and shape into a 6-inch chopped pizza. Repeat process with remaining ingredients. Covered with sprayed plastic wrap. Let rise 20-30 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Servings 4, Per Serving 1 pizza, Food Exchange: 4 Bread, 1 Very Lean Meat, 2 Lean Meat, 4 Fat
Calories 564, Fat 23gm, Sodium 1127mg, Carbohydrate 56g, Cholesterol 77mg, Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugar 7g, Protein 35g

Amazing Chili's Fajitas

Apparently we enjoy Mexican food over here at The Sisters Cafe! I don't even know how many recipes we have for fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas, etc. But they are all wonderful in their own little way. And this recipe is no exception. There are no words to describe how delicious these fajitas are!! I hope nobody has posted these already but if so, let this serve as a reminder to bookmark:) These are amazing, mouth-watering, and are by far my favorite fajitas! Who knows if this is the "actual Chili's recipe, but who cares?!...these are phenomenal either way. I'm not 100% sure where this recipe originated but I got it from our Melanie. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I also used some tips from Melanie, with MelsKitchenCafe, who I noticed also posted these on her blog. I loved all the veggies she adds to finish off the recipe. In fact, I was hoping to get a new picture including all the peppers, mushrooms, etc. because it is so delicious that way but didn't get around to it in time. And next time I will use those amazing uncooked tortillas from Costco. Mmmm....I will continue to make these for many, many years, they truly are that good!

Amazing Chili's Fajitas

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe
Printable Recipe

MARINADE:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup water
2 T. canola oil
1 large clove garlic, pressed
3 t. vinegar
2 t. soy sauce
1/2 t. liquid smoke
1 t. salt
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/4 t. ground black pepper
Dash of onion powder
1 pound top sirloin or chicken

Mix all ingredients. Place with chicken in a ziplock back and marinade overnight.

FAJITAS:
1 T. olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 red or orange pepper, thinly slices
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 t. soy sauce
2 T. water
1/2 t. fresh lime juice
dash of salt and pepper

Remove chicken from marinade and grill. In large skillet, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, peppers, and mushroom and cook until tender but crisp. Add soy sauce, water, fresh lime juice, and salt and pepper. Cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Thinly slice chicken and toss with vegetables. Serve immediately with flour tortillas (Costco uncooked tortillas are the best and absolutely delicious!) Top with tomatoes, avocado, cheese, sour cream, salsa, lettuce or anything else you love!

Spinach Tarragon Quiche

Our mom used to make this for us when we were growing up. I always loved it. It was extra special because she didn't make it that often. I remember requesting this for my birthday dinner when I was younger. It is delicious! Enjoy!

Spinach Tarragon Quiche
submitted by Erin ~ The Sisters Cafe
printable recipe

1 unbaked 9 or 10-inch pastry shell

1 small pkg cream cheese, softened (I use 8oz)

1 c. half and half

½ c. soft bread cubes, lightly packed

¼ c. shredded parmesan cheese

2 eggs, slightly beaten

about ¾ to 1 lb fresh spinach, finely chopped

4 Tb butter

1 medium to large onion, finely chopped

½ lb mushrooms, finely chopped

½ tsp dried tarragon (I use a scant ½ tsp, but you can add more than ½ tsp if you want)

¾ tsp salt 

 

Preheat oven to 400°. Mash cream cheese with a fork and gradually blend in half and half. Add bread cubes, parmesan cheese, and eggs and beat with a wire whisk to break up the bread pieces. Take three large handfuls of spinach (that's my measurement for 1 lb fresh :) ) out of the bag and chop it up; set aside. (The original recipe she gave me said that it would be ~1 c. cooked.) Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook the onion and mushrooms until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Stir in the spinach, tarragon, and salt just before the vegetables become soft; leave on heat for a minute (or less) and then remove from heat. Blend the hot vegetables with the cheese mixture and pour into the pastry shell. Bake in a 400° oven for about 25 minutes or until crust is golden and knife inserted into the filling comes out clean. Let stand 10-15 minutes. Cut and serve.

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

This is my last hurrah for soup season! It's been stormy here, so I snuck this yummy dinner in one last time before summer strikes! :) This is a hearty, chunky, veggie laden, and delicious soup! Thanks to my sister-in-law, Melanie, at Mel's Kitchen Cafe. She gave this to me a loooong time ago, when we were both practically newly weds. :) Oh, one more tip - It is also fabulous served in a bread bowl. You can find a recipe for bread bowls here. (Something I like to do: When I bake breadbowls for my small family we don't eat all of them, so I freeze the rest and then I can pull them out when I make soup next time, and it makes dinner that much more special and tasty.) I bet this recipe would be super yummy with this chicken stock as its base... Mmmm! 

 

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

submitted by Erin Walker ~ The Sisters Cafe

Printable Recipe

½ c. butter

1 finely chopped onion

½ - 1 c. frozen corn (or ½ c. chopped celery, if preferred)

½ lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

½ c. carrots, sliced

¾ c. all-purpose flour

6 ½ c. chicken broth (can use 7 bouillon cubes plus 6 ½ c. water)

2 c. cooked wild rice (once I tried using a box of wild rice/brown rice combo with a seasoning packet and it was great)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

½ tsp salt

½ tsp curry powder

½ tsp mustard powder

½ tsp dried parsley

½ tsp black pepper

1 c. slivered almonds

2 c. half-and-half (you could use non-fat half-and-half for a low-fat version, but I haven't tried it.) 

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, corn, and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté 3-4 minutes more. Then add flour and stir well. Transfer mixture to a large pot. Over medium heat, gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly until all has been added. Bring just to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer.

Next add the rice, chicken, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley, ground black pepper and almonds. Allow to heat through then pour in the half-and-half. Let simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Do not boil or the roux will break. Delicious served in a bread bowl as well.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Lemon Cream Chicken

Has no one posted this yet?! This recipe definitely needs to be shared. This Lemon Cream Chicken dish is DELICIOUS! It's another one of Mel's amazing recipes that she printed into the cookbooks she made for us as wedding presents. I have been making it for almost 6 years now and I love it! I remember being very surprised at how wonderful it was the first time I made it. Of course I should have known, it was coming from Mel:) In fact, when I very first made it and was pretty new to cooking, I actually whipped up the whipping cream and just used 1 cup of that. I think it tastes wonderful that way too just fyi:) And to be honest, I have never breaded the chicken in this dish. I always just grill it in the skillet and skip to that part of the recipe. I bet it is really yummy but I think it is still awesome without! What do you usually do Mel? And thank you for this recipe so many years ago, I love it!

Lemon Cream Chicken

Submitted by Amy (but it's Melanie's recipe) ~ The Sisters Cafe
Recipe Source: Taste of Home Magazine
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup plus 1 T. flour divided (mostly optional)
1/2 t. salt (optional)
1/2 t. pepper (optional)
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 c. butter (mostly optional)
1 c. chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream, divided
3 T. lemon juice
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 1/2 c. flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken and shake to coat. In a large skillet, cook chicken in butter for 8-9 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm.

Add broth to the drippings. Bring to a boil over medium heat; stir to loosen browned bits from the pan. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes or until broth is reduced approximately 1/3 cup. Sir in 3/4 c. cream, lemon juice and mushrooms. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Combine remaining flour and cream until smooth; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Return chicken to skillet and heat through. Yield = 6 servings.

Honey Curry Chicken

My friend Stephanie shared this recipe with me at Recipe Club. It is QUICK, EASY, and very tasty! The chicken was tender and flavorful. The sauce was delicious spooned over the rice. My family loved it. I will definitely be making this again and again. Thanks Steph!

Honey Curry Chicken
submitted by Melanie

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8) or chicken tenders (2.5-3 lb)
¼ c. butter or margarine
½ c. honey
¼ c. prepared mustard
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt

Place chicken in greased casserole dish. Melt butter in a pot on stove. Add other ingredients to pot and mix well, warm only, no need to boil. Pour mixture over chicken. Place in oven, bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear. Garnish with sautéed mushrooms (in butter, with salt and pepper) if desired. I like to serve it with rice.

Grilled Shrimp Kabobs

One night I had Brittany over and we made these Kabobs. I loved them--but I have to admit the zucchini was a bit crunchy. Since the shrimp doesn't take very long to cook, we had to take them off before the zucchini was done. Next time, I will slice the zucchini thinner or use a bell pepper (as the recipe suggests) instead.

Grilled Shrimp Kabobs

submitted by Melanie (Allrecipes)

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Italian salad dressing, divided
2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 large onions
16 large fresh mushrooms
2 large green peppers, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (I used Zucchini)
16 cherry tomatoes

I added fresh parsley too

DIRECTIONS
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 1/2 cup salad dressing and shrimp. Cut each onion into eight wedges. In another large resealable plastic bag, combine the vegetables and remaining dressing. Seal bags and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours, turning occasionally.
Drain and discard marinade. On eight metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread the shrimp and vegetables. Grill kabobs, covered, over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink.

Chicken á La King

This is a recipe for Chicken á La King – “Chicken for the King”. Our family has had this for Christmas Eve dinner for generations! It is a fun tradition – a way of celebrating the newborn King. I just love the tradition, and I just LOVE this dinner. Although I think it’s incredibly delicious, I absolutely will not make it on any other day of the year. It’s kept special just for the night before the Lord’s birth. Reserving it for Christmas Eve every year makes it even more special and yummy.
Here's a picture of Brittany on Christmas Eve, and you can see the crowns on the counter, at the bottom right. - Erin

Chicken á La King
Submitted by Erin

½ c. butter
½ c. red bell pepper, chopped (original recipe calls for pimiento peppers instead but I've never used them)
½ c. green pepper
---------------------Sauté just until soft. Then add flour.

½ c. flour
------------------Add to butter mixture and mix well to make a roux. Let it bubble.

2 small cans mushrooms and juice
3 c. chicken broth
----------------------Add and bring to boil to thicken.

1 c. cream
5 c. cooked chicken, shredded ( Rotisserie chicken works beautifully!)
salt and pepper
----------------------Add. Don’t boil after adding cream.

(Add ¼ c. milk to thin if needed.)

To make the ‘crowns’: Buy wheat bread at the store – not whole wheat, just the cheapo wheat kind. (Or you can use white if you prefer.) Get out your muffin tin. Place a slice of bread over a muffin hole. Push in on the four sides and push down into the muffin hole. Don’t squash the bread, but use enough force so that it stays down in the muffin hole. The four corners should be sticking up. Bake at about 250 until toasted and dry. I can't remember how long it takes (and neither can my Mom :) so keep checking them every 5 minutes. When done, the bread will be like toast, and you will be able to lift the crowns out of the muffin tin and they will hold their crown shape.

To serve: Place one or two bread ‘crowns’ on your plate and ladle the chicken gravy over the crowns. Using a fork or a knife, cut the crown into pieces and eat with the chicken gravy.

Garlic Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta

I know I haven't been posting at all lately...sorry! Erin has been here in Utah for the holidays and with all the sisters together, we have been having too much fun! Also, every new recipe I've tried recently has just been mediocre - and we all swore we would never post anything mediocre...only the best! Well, here is one of my tried and true favorites - I originally got it from Melanie and it is absolutely delicious. Hope you enjoy!Garlic Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta

submitted by Brittany

1 Tb olive oil

1 lb boneless/skinless chicken breast, sliced crosswise

1 tsp salt

1 Tb olive oil

6-8 cloves garlic, crushed (1 rounded Tb)

1/2 lb mushrooms, quartered

1/2 c green onions, sliced

3/4 c red or orange sweet peppers

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)

1/2 c chicken broth

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups dry bow tie pasta - cook as directed

1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped (may use fresh parsley)

parmesan cheese, grated

1. Fry chicken in oil over medium heat until done. Sprinkle with salt and remove from skillet. Keep warm.

2.Cook garlic in oil until golden. Add mushrooms, green onions and peppers - cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, red pepper, cornstarch and salt. Heat to boiling then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Combine chicken, hot mixture, pasta and cilantro. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan to your liking and enjoy!

*Use less crushed red pepper to make it mild. Also, I add the peppers when I have them on hand - zucchini and squash are delicious too. You can omit the chicken as well for a healthy, vegetarian dish.

Rice, Mushroom & Sage Soup

I thought I had better squeeze in those last few winterish recipes before the hot weather sets in. It's been storming in Detroit the past week, so this soup was just perfect for a cozy meal. It is unique, creamy, hearty, and very satisfying. My friend, Melody, gave me this recipe and I really like it!
Note: I've only ever used the rubbed sage in it. I've done a generous tsp in the past, but I definitely don't think it's enough. I wrote 1 ½ tsp in the recipe, and next time I will experiment with 2 tsp.

Rice, Mushroom & Sage Soup
Submitted by Erin

1 small onion, finely chopped
3 large stalks celery, diced
25 large sage leaves finely chopped, or 1 ½ tsp rubbed sage
¼ c. flour
4 ¼ - 5 c. chicken stock (I use water with 4 bouillon cubes)
2/3 c. brown rice (raw)
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
¾ c. heavy cream
freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve

Saute onion, celery and sage in a little butter over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes, until the onion is somewhat softened. Stir in the flour and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add a quarter of the stock and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan. Pour in the remaining stock (I would add 4 ¼ c, and more before serving if needed), stirring to combine completely, and bring just to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat and simmer gently, covered, for about 30 minutes, until the rice is just tender.
Meanwhile, saute the sliced mushrooms. Cook until they are golden brown, stirring occasionally at first, then more often after they start to color and create juice. Add the mushrooms to the soup, along with the shredded chicken. (I cook two frozen chicken breasts in the microwave at 50% power for about 25 minutes, then shred.) Stir in the cream. Continue simmering until heated through. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Ladle into warm bowls and serve with parmesan cheese.

Spinach and Mushroom Sautéed Salad

This wilted spinach salad is fantastic. I like to serve it as a first course, followed by something like Shrimp Scampi or Asian Ginger Tilapia. This warm salad tastes deliciously wholesome, and I love the feta in it. Credit goes to my friend Eugena, who tossed this together and came up with something wonderful!

 

Spinach and Mushroom Sautéed Salad
submitted by Erin

½ lb mushrooms, sliced

olive oil

½ sweet onion, slivered

2 cloves garlic, pressed

2 fresh tomatoes, cubed

1/3 cup feta cheese (or more, to taste)

Three large handfuls of spinach

 

Sauté mushrooms in olive oil. Stir until you have some mushroom juices in the pan, and add onion and garlic. Cook the onions until they are done enough for your taste. Add tomatoes. Add feta cheese and spinach. Cook until the spinach is just wilted.