Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Fav Five

I was fixing dinner tonight and pulled out my can strainer. I love that thing and it got me thinking "What tools do I use in my kitchen all the time?" "What can't I live without". Here are my top five.

5. Can strainer - so much easier than using the lid, nothing gets through it.

4. Pyrex Measuring cups - I'm constantly using them, so much that I should probably move them from the top shelf ;)

3. Pampered Chef Bamboo spoons - Love, love, love them!

2. Pampered Chef Scrapers - Love that they won't burn and I can keep them in the pan.

1. PC Quick Stir pitcher - It can go in the dishwasher but I use it so much I hand wash it most of the time so I don't have to wait on the dishwasher!

What's your Fav Five?

Creamy Tortellini

1 6 oz. pkg. of cooked ham, cut into small pieces
1 16 oz. heavy whipping cream container
1 small can sliced mushrooms (or fresh ones if you prefer that)
2 tsp. pepper
a dash of salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 pkg. of frozen tortellini or packaged dried tortellini (either works great)

Melt the butter in saucepan(medium heat), add onions and saute until the onions are silvery. Add the pepper and and cooked chopped ham. Stir a couple of times. Add the heavy whipping cream and turn to medium-high heat until the sauce starts to boil. Stir and remove from stove.

Boil water in pot (note: if you try to boil water, it goes quicker if you add the salt right before it starts boiling instead of at the beginning; it takes much longer to boil if you add the salt earlier than later!) and add the tortellini to the water once water is boiling. Cook for roughly 10 minutes.

Serve tortellini sauce over tortellini! Tastes great with bread and salad as side dishes!

Note: This dish can be cooked very quickly!

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Spinach Chicken Parmesan


1/2c Parmesan Cheese
1/2c bread crumbs(italian seasoned, or add seasoning)
1 large egg
4 bnlss/sknlss chicken breasts
1/4c diced onions
4tsp flour
4tsp butter
2/3c milk
2(10oz)pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
6 slices mozzarella cheese
pasta and sauce of choice

*Preheat oven to 350F
*Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts, place them between plastic wrap on a cutting board or counter and pound them to about 1/4 inch. They will look like they doubled in size, it was cool.
*Dip breasts in beaten egg, then in a mixture of the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, and place in large casserole dish. I used my round baker from PC. Whitney's right, the bottom gets just as crisp as the tops in those things, no soggy chicken.
*In skillet, melt butter, add onions and brown, then stir in flour. Add milk all at once and continue to simmer and stir until bubbly. Stir in spinach and then spoon mixture onto each chicken breast. Place slices of mozzarella over chicken to cover(doesn't have to completely cover) the spinach mixture.
*Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes until chicken is cooked through. I found I only needed the 30mins.
*Cook your pasta and warm sauce while chicken is in oven. Place a small mound of pasta on one side and slightly overlap with chicken breast, then spoon sauce across both. Pretty and pretty tasty!

This was a combo of several different Chicken Parm recipes from Allrecipes.com. I couldn't find one I really loved, so I mixed ingredients and techniques from about four of them. I served this with a mixed green salad and even Bubba was loving this chicken.

FYI: The Italian seasoning is to taste. I used the seasoned breadcrumbs and I thought it was perfect, but Matthew said he would like a little more kick. :)

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Sopapilla Cheesecake

I made this recipe once for Bunco. My mother-in-law gave it to me, and I think it's easy and tasty!

2 cans crescent rolls
2 packages 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 tbsp. cinnamon

In 9x13 baking dish, lay flat one can of crescent rolls. Mix cream cheese and 1 cup sugar. Spread over crescent rolls. Lay next can of crescent rolls over cream cheese mixture. Melt butter and mix together 1/2 c. sugar and cinnamon. Pour butter/sugar mixture over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Easy Yummy Chocolate Cookies

1 pkg. Devils food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1ish c. oatmeal (I use a little more than 1 cup)
chocolate chips (however many you like, probably around 1 cup)

Mix. Bake for 8-9 minutes at 350 degrees.