Easter Tasty Casserole and some special hummus

We decided to have a low key Easter dinner this year. So I made my Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole. Amazing!

Chicken Cordon bleu casserole

· FOR THE CASSEROLE:

· 1 whole Cooked Chicken, Bones Removed, Meat Diced Or Shredded (rotisserie Chicken Is Excellent, Should Be 5-6 Cups Of Chicken

· ½ pounds Very Thinly Sliced Deli-style Honey Ham, Rough Chopped

· ¼ pounds Thin Sliced Baby Swiss Cheese

· FOR THE SAUCE:

· 4 Tablespoons Butter

· 4 Tablespoons Flour

· 3 cups Milk

· 2 Tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice plus the zest of the lemon

· 2-3 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

· ½  teaspoons Salt (I like a little less)

· ½ teaspoons Smoked Paprika

· ¼ teaspoons Pepper

· ¼ teaspoons cayenne

· ½ tsp better than bullion chicken

· ¼ teaspoons Seasoning Salt or a dash really so maybe less

· FOR THE TOPPING:

· 1-½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs or homemade breadcrumbs

· 4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

· ½ teaspoons Seasoning Salt

· 2 Tablespoons chopped Parsley

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

Put cooked shredded or diced chicken on the bottom of the baking dish. Rough chop the ham and scatter it over the top of the chicken. Lay the Swiss cheese on top of the ham.

For the sauce:

Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, quickly stir in the flour to form a smooth roux.  Once the roux is smooth and bubbly, slowly pour in the cold milk and bullion while stirring briskly to make a smooth sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, Dijon mustard, salt, smoked paprika, cayenne, and white pepper. Bring sauce just back to a low boil and turn off heat. Pour sauce evenly over the casserole, being certain to get some of the sauce around the edges of the pan.

For the topping:

Melt the butter in a saucepan and let it begin to brown, add the seasoned salt and then the bread crumbs making sure everything is coated. Stir in the Parsley and then sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

Bake casserole uncovered for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly throughout and topping has turned a light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes prior to serving.

 I ate mine over a cream biscuit

 

 

NOW the hummus!!!!!

 



Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

½ tsp sesame oil
Olive oil
¼ cup julienned sun dried tomato packed in oil
1 can chickpeas
2 cloves garlic
Salt
½ tsp dried basil

Take your sesame seeds and 2 oils and pulse in your blender until a tahini paste emerges. Then add in your tomato and blend for a few seconds to break it all up. I had to add olive oil here so it wasn’t so thick. I like a smoother texture.  Add your basil, salt, garlic, and chickpeas. Blend blend blend while drizzling in olive oil until you reach the consistency you like. To lighten this up you could use less oil and add some chicken stock or veg stock but I was going for the real thing with all the fat haha!

Enjoy with some veg...

Cream Biscuits and Egg Nests

Trust me. You will never buy store bought biscuits for biscuits and gravy again! OR heck just as a dinner biscuit. These are amazingly tender. AND when you have to find ways of using self rising flour because you didn't pay enough attention at the store this will fit the bill! Now I think I will start keeping the flour around just for these. No joke!

 

Cream biscuits

2 cup self-rising flour, plus more for dusting

1 tbsp sugar

1 1⁄2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and cream until the dough forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with additional flour. Fold the dough in 1/2 and knead 5 to 7 times, adding just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to your hands. Gently roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter (or glass because you're not cool enough for a biscuit cutter) coated with flour, cut dough into biscuits. Place on baking sheet coated with cooking spray, leaving at least 1-inch between each biscuit. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

An additional tastyness would be to brush them with melted butter. Just saying.

 

Egg Nests are up next. I made these for breakfast meal prep for my hubby. He can just pop them out of the freezer in the am and by the time he is done with the gym and PT they are thawed and ready to be heated.

Ingredients:

 

Lunch meat ( I used deli turkey and ham)

9 eggs

1/4 heaping cup cottage cheese (makes them very fluffy)

Salt

Pepper

Veg you wish to add

Shredded cheese to sprinkle on top

 

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350.

Layer lunch meat into a cupcake tin. The turkey was large enough for just one slice but the ham required 2 whisk the rest of your ingredients together except the shredded cheese. Use an ice cream scoop to fill the meat nest. Make sure to leave room for the egg to rise as it bakes. Sprinkle Cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 min. Depending on how much veg you put into the egg mixture it will make 12-16 egg nests.

 

 

Busy Life Busy Wife

Boy things are sure in full swing around here. I have been running like a chicken with my head cut off with no rest for the last few weeks. Monday was my first day of no scheduled plans and it was glorious. BUT still so busy as I played catch up on other things that were not getting my full attention. To help with the upcoming craziness I did a whole bunch of food prep. I must say it helps so much!
I roasted a whole chicken in the crockpot and made stock from it, prepped all our weeks worth of fresh veggies, made applesauce from some apples I needed to use up, orange puree, and a low carb dessert to name a few foodie things. Not to mention all the other housey stuff that one must do. But this dessert made everything better and has changed my life I tell you!!! Ok maybe not changed my life but you get what I am saying ;)

2 Ingredient Jello/Greek Yogurt Dessert

1 box of sugar free jello large box (you will only use 1/4 of the prepared mix)
3/4 cup light greek yogurt (I use light and fit vanilla)

Mix 1/4 of your prepared jello and greek yogurt in a blender. Let sit in fridge about 2 hrs. to set up.
Eat!

Simply amazing!

Here is the applesauce I made in the slow cooker...
9 apples or so (cored, skinned mostly, and thinly sliced), 1/2 cup splenda, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbs lemon juice, and 1 cup water.

Cook on low in the slow cooker for 6 hours and then pulse through your vitamix or whatever you have handy. tah dah!

Make Ahead Breakfast for the busy week

Well with my crazy busy schedule lately I've been forgetting to get all my protein in and I've been skipping meals. Which is not good so to remedy this and feed my adorable hubby a protein filled breakfast too I made breakfast morning egg muffins.

For this time I used left over colcannon from St Patrick's day but I've used any type of potato really.  Frozen fries, tater tots, hash browns...

9 egs beaten with Salt/Pepper (I add a few dashes of hot sauce )
Potatoes
Grated cheese  (this time I had cheddar and parm)
Cooked Meat (bacon, sausage, chicken) 1/3 cup or so chopped
Sautéed spinach is yummy in these too

Spray your muffin tin with cooking spray. Smoosh your taters in the bottom. If mashed 2 Tbsp or so if tater tot 3 to 4. Bake 425 15 min.
Pull out and place your meat in just a little will do you. Spoon the eggs on top leaving space eggs rise when baked. Top with a sprinkle of cheese. Bake 350 for 20 min. Amazing! Great with a dab of ketchup too. Mmm
Easy breakfast for the week! And extra healthy with the added kale in the taters.

Stuffed Burgers Hawaiian Mac Salad, and Roasted Brussels

Oh man I made the best dinner the other night. Now that grilling season is upon us I plan on grilling my heart out.

First up the stuffed burgers.
1 lb. Ground beef
4 slices of crisp bacon chopped
Shredded cheddar cheese
Pepper
Salt
2 eggs

Divide meat into 4 equal balls and firm into thinish patties. Fill 2 patties with bacon and cheese. Top with the other side and make sure seams are closed. Salt very little and pepper.
Grill these babies up!  Then top with a yoky poached or fried egg and devour!

Next up was oven roasted Brussel sprouts which I'm sure I've written about. This time I used the left over bacon grease. Normally I don't haha. But it wasn't a healthy night.  
Pre  heat oven to 425. Roll Brussels in the grease and season with pepper.  Roast about 40 min. We like ours dark and then top with just a tiny bit of salt.

And last but not least....
Hawaiian mac salad!

Ingredients:
1 lb elbow macaroni
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (I added a little extra myself)
2 cups milk
2 cups mayonnaise
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup grated onion
1 large carrot, peeled & grated
Salt & pepper

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 Tbsp salt and the macaroni; cook until VERY soft, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to pot; meanwhile while pasta cooks grate your onion and carrot. I squeezed off some of the liquid from the union. Whisk your milk mayo and vinegar. Add the salt pepper and grated veg. Fold on the cooked pasta. It will seem watery and that's OK the pasta will absorb the liquid. It's best to make this salad the day before or at least 2 to 4 hours before serving.

* I was a little shy on the mayo a bit over 1/2 cup shy so I just adjusted the milk down to match and it was still plenty saucy!

Crazy Busy Life...And Puppy Potty Training.

I miss sleeping through the night. I love my little Emma but SLEEP! She has thankfully learned to go in and out of the dog door but we are still working on where to potty....No accidents yesterday but I still keep a close eye. I crochet my little one a collar since her little neck is so small the collar we got her wont fit yet...We watched some friends dogs this last weekend and their little male who is unfixed decided to mark up my house and rugs and....you get the picture. His parents are getting him fixed so hopefully that will help for the next time. He is a sweet pup but No Pottying In My House Please! They also have a big goofy dog who is so funny. And now that it is warming up he basically lived out side the whole weekend. I haven't seen him so happy. When I would call him inside periodically I'd get this sad face.

While they were here I did make some amazing Salisbury steak. I served it over seasoned fries I cooked in the oven. Amazing....

Salisbury Steak
Sauce:
1 thinly sliced onion
8oz package mushrooms sliced
drizzle of oil
pat of butter
2 TBS flour
1.5 cup beef broth
creamed sherry
dash of Worcestershire sauce
2 TBS tomato paste
1 TSP apple cider vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Heat the butter and oil in a skillet and sweat your onions. Stir occasionally. You want to cook them so that they become a soft golden honeyed color. (I put a bit of Worcestershire sauce here for some flavor. Next Add your mushrooms and cook until golden and tender. Add the 1/2 cup broth, salt and pepper and continue to cook adding more broth as needed to keep it from caramelizing on the bottom of the pan. this should take 25 or so minutes. Then add the flour and cook for about 2 min to get rid of the flour taste. Next add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 10 min. Then Add the beef patties and simmer until done. (recipe below for the beef). Serve over mashed taters, fries, noodles. Whatever floats your boat. The left overs the next day were amazing all by themselves.

Beef Patty:
1 pound ground beef
couple handfuls of bread crumbs I'd say about 1/2 cup (I keep homemade bread crumbs in my freezer)
2 eggs
1 clove garlic
few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
2.5 TBS chopped parsley or about 1 TBS dried
1 TSP dried thyme
salt and pepper

Mix all up and make 4 patties. Just let them sit and rest until ready to add to the above sauce. This gives the chance for the bread crumbs to get soft and moist.

Then LAST NIGHT I whipped out our BBQ Grill for the first time of the season. It was a culinary night of amazingness. SEE!

I grilled some component of everything...The corn in the salad, the cheese bread, and the chicken of course.

Cheese bread:
Left over Italian loaf was about 1/4 loaf sliced in half
shredded sharp cheddar
Mrs. Dash
Pat of butter
1-2 TBS of Mayo (enough to make it spreadable a bit)

Mix it all up slather on each side of the bread and put in foil. Make sure to not let the foil touch the top or it will stick there and we don't want that. I placed on the grill after I turned the chicken and had it on the top rack. a min or two before I took the chicken off I placed on the bottom because I like the bottom crispy and dark. 

Green Salad with BBQ Lime Corn:

Chop up a head of romaine
dice a med/large carrot

2 Roma tomatoes diced 
one can of diced beets drained and patted dry
corn (could be on the cob, frozen kernels doesn't matter)
lime juice
salt
pepper
oil
apple cider vinegar

Wrap the corn up with the lime and place on  the grill to get nice and caramelized with the lime.
Meanwhile place all the salad ingredients together. And make a dressing out of the oil and vinegar with some extra lime for awesomeness. S and P to taste. Most people like a 2 to 1 oil to vinegar ratio but I prefer a more vinegary less oil dressing myself. Just taste it to find what you like.

Hidden Veggie Mac And Cheese

Who doesn't like more veggies in their diet. This recipe was amazing! Definitely on my make again list. We had homemade french dips to accompany. The picture below was the hubs plate and he was stuffed!

Hidden veggie mac and cheese
Ingredients
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into pieces
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
1 tsp salt
Pepper
2 cups shredded colby cheese
8 oz light cream cheese
4 TBS butter
16 oz elbow pasta

Directions
Cook the cauliflower and carrots covered in a saucepan filled about a 1/4 of the way with water for about 10 minutes until tender.  Drain the veggies and let them cool for a minute.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions.

Put the veggies in the blender or vitamix  with about 3/4 cup of water and puree until smooth.  Add the puree to a large sauce pan.  On medium-low heat, add in the milk, salt, pepper, colby, butter and cream cheese and stir until melted.

Drain the pasta, add to the sauce and stir.