Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce

Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup dried Italian bread crumbs

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

3 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic (1/2 teaspoon minced)

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Ingredients:

Place milk and bread crumbs in separate, shallow bowls. Make sure your chicken breasts are thin. I usually buy chicken from Costco and the breasts are really thick so I fillet each breast in half lengthwise so they are thinner. You can also pound your breasts with a meat mallet to make them thinner.

In skillet, heat butter to medium heat. Dip chicken in milk, then coat with crumbs. Cook chicken in butter, on both sides, until juices run clear (about 10 minutes). Remove and keep warm.

Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds over medium heat. Add the chicken broth to the skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and stir to loosen browned bits from pan. Stir in cream and sun-dried tomatoes; boil and stir for 1 minute. Reduce heat.        

Add Parmesan cheese, basil and pepper. Stir sauce and cook until heated through. Remember that for a thicker sauce all you have to do is cook it longer. I like my sauce on the thick side so I cooked it for a while (3-5 minutes). 

Serve chicken with sauce poured over the top.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

We made these a while ago and they were delicious. They did make a ton, and take a while (longer than we'd wanted to spend, anyway) but they would be great for a baby shower or something like that.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cups mini chocolate chips
2 12-ounce bags chocolate chips
1/4 cup coconut oil (or vegetable oil)

Instructions:

Cream together the butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Alternately add the sweetened condensed milk and the flour and mix until combined. Add the chocolate chips. Chill the dough for 1 hour.

Using a 1 1/2 teaspoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough and then roll each portion into a ball and place on a lined cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer and freeze for 1 hour.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and the coconut oil. Heat for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each 30 seconds, until the mixture is smooth. Dip the frozen cookie dough balls in the chocolate and allow to harden. If desired, drizzle leftover chocolate over the truffles. Best served cold. Makes a LOT (like well over 100 truffles).

Kneaders French Toast and Caramel Syrup

It's all about the syrup! This recipe is nice because it doesn't call for buttermilk, like other recipes I've seen. I'm more likely to have and use cream than buttermilk.

Ingredients

For the French Toast
• 1 un-sliced loaf of cinnamon bread
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• strawberries
• whip cream or cool whip
For the Caramel Syrup
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 1 c. light Karo syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

• Slice the cinnamon bread into 6 to 8 slices, depending on a how thick you like it. Preheat a large griddle to 325 degrees, or a large pan over the stove on medium heat.
• In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar. Dip each slice into the mixture, be sure to completely coat, then cook on the preheated and buttered griddle until both sides of the bread are a golden brown.
• For the syrup, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir and heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Serve french toast with warm caramel syrup, sliced strawberries, and whip cream or cool whip.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

My friend Chelsea introduced us to this recipe while she was here visiting, and it was really, really delicious and really, really easy!

CHICKEN ENCHILADA PASTA

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded {or shredded rotisserie chicken…I used the breasts}

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 {4 oz.} can diced green chiles

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

2 {10 oz.} cans green chili enchilada sauce

2/3 cups red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded cheese {I used colby & monterrey jack}

1 cup sour cream

Penne pasta

Optional toppings

Avocado

Green Onions

Black Olives

Tomatoes

Sour Cream

Cook chicken, drain, and shred {or shred your rotisserie}.  Meanwhile boil pasta according to package and chop the veggies.

Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet and cook onions for about 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic & red pepper and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Add cooked chicken, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, salt, & enchilada sauces.  Let sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes.

Add cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and heated through.  Now toss in the sour cream, but whatever you do, DO NOT bring to a boil!  Cook on low heat or the sour cream will curdle. Stir until sour cream is well mixed and heated through.

Drain pasta & return to pot.  Pour sauce over pasta and mix well.  Serve and garnish with avocado, tomato, green onion, and a dollop of sour cream.

Stuffed Bell Peppers--delicious!

This recipe is from Emeril online, and we tried it last week and it was really delicious. The meat/rice stuffing was especially good!

Ingredients

• 6 green bell peppers, tops cut away and seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell peppers
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 cups cooked long or medium-grain white rice
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• Water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling water, parboil the peppers until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels.

In a large saute pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and chopped bell peppers and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the beef, pork, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Cook until the meat is browned, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon to break up the lumps, about 6 minutes. Add the rice and tomato sauce and stir well. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.

Pour enough water into a baking dish to just cover the bottom, about 1/8-inch deep. Stuff the bell peppers with the rice mixture and place in the baking dish. Bake until the peppers are very tender and the filling is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Grandma's soft sugar cookies

from favfamilyrecipes.com--tommy made these and they were FANTASTIC! 

Ingredients

• 2/3 c. shortening
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 c. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 c. flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 8 oz. cream cheese-softened
• 1/4 c. butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 to 1½ lbs powdered sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Beat shortening and sugar together.
• Add eggs, milk and vanilla
• In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
• Slowing add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
• Mix together until you can form a large dough ball.
• On floured surface, roll out dough ball until about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.
• Use cookie cutters (or rim of a drinking glass) to cut cookie shapes out of dough.
• Place cookies on lightly sprayed cookie sheet.
• Bake about 10-12 minutes. DON'T OVERCOOK OR THEY WILL BE HARD!
• For frosting...beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Add powdered sugar to desired consistency. Spread over cooled cookies.

teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
5 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 -2 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Directions:

1
Mix all but cornstarch and 1/4c water in a sauce pan and begin heating.
2
Mix cornstarch and cold water in a cup and dissolve. Add to sauce in pan.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/restaurant-teriyaki-sauce-133751?oc=linkback